by Small,DJ
Ava held out the plain, white envelope that held the bank check. “I’m here on behalf of the Sunshine Charity Group and we wanted to make a donation to the Children’s Medical Research Foundation.”
The smile on the woman’s face grew. “Well, thank you!” She reached for her phone. “Let me just call a member of the foundation down here to help you-”
Ava shook her head quickly. “No, that won’t be necessary. The group doesn’t want any recognition at all. They just like knowing that their money is going to a good cause.”
The woman clasped her hands together. “That is so noble of them.” Ava smiled tightly at the woman. ‘Noble’ wasn’t the word she’d use. She was making the donation anonymously because if anyone found out who had made it, it would raise questions about where she had gotten the money. There were a lot of people in the upper echelon of the medical community that knew of Ava and her parents, and she didn’t want this getting back to them.
The woman took the check and said, “I will get this up to the director of the foundation right away.” She set the envelope down on her desk. “Just give me a moment while I write up the receipt for the tax deduction.”
Ava wanted to roll her eyes in annoyance, but instead gave the woman a gracious smile. “Thank you so much.” The receptionist smiled back then wrote out the receipt. When she was done writing it, she handed the slip of paper to Ava. “Thank you again, and have a good day!” Wishing the woman a good day in return, Ava left the reception area.
Her last stop was the wine store to get a bottle of champagne for the brunch with her parents. When Ava got home, she called out Robin’s name to see if she was there. She got no response, which meant her wife was still out jogging. Ava went into the kitchen and put the bottle of champagne into the refrigerator. Just as she closed the door, the front door of the apartment opened. Ava chuckled to herself as she went back into the refrigerator to get a bottle of water.
Robin walked into the kitchen and Ava handed her the water. She smiled gratefully. “Thanks babe.” After uncapping the bottle and gulping down half of it in less than thirty seconds, she lowered it and asked, “How’d your errands go?”
“Not bad, they were pretty easy. I got the driest champagne I could find at the store. My mom should be okay with that, right?” Ava asked with a grin.
Robin chuckled then joked, “I hate to say this babe, but your mom might be an alcoholic. I hope you have enough saved up to send her to Betty Ford.”
Ava laughed and moved closer to her wife. She wrapped her arms around her neck. “WASPs don’t go to Betty Ford, honey.” She grinned. “They go away on spa retreats.” They both laughed, and as their laughter died down Ava ran a finger down Robin’s damp neck. “Have I ever told you how sexy you look when you’re all hot and sweaty like this?” She bit her bottom lip. “It makes me want to have my wild ways with you.”
A low chuckle came from Robin. “Have you been working on your project?” She grinned. “I know how much solving medical mysteries turns you. They turn you on more than I do.”
Ava cringed internally. She was using sex as a pathetic excuse to assuage her guilt and make herself feel better. She knew it was wrong, but it was the only thing she could think of that would bridge the rift that was between her and Robin. Plus, once she told Robin the truth, their sex life would be over, if not their entire marriage.
She hummed then said, “I haven’t been working on it. I just want to appreciate my wife before we spend time with my insufferable mother.”
Robin chuckled and nodded in agreement. “This I understand.” Ava leaned in to kiss her, catching Robin’s lower lip with her teeth as she pulled back. Robin’s eyebrow went up then she grinned, taking hold of Ava’s waist so that she could pin her against the refrigerator with her body.
Ava drew in a breath when Robin pressed her body against hers. Her hand cupped the side of Ava’s neck then she moved it down to her breast and Robin gave it a firm squeeze. Ava’s eyes fluttered closed and she let out a soft moan. Robin kissed up her neck then whispered hotly against her ear, “If we do this, we’re going to be late.”
Ava let out a low, throaty chuckle and hooked her leg around Robin’s thigh. She took her wife’s hair out of the ponytail that it was in, then ran her hand through it, gripping the blond locks. “I don’t care. Just fuck me.” Ava closed her eyes as Robin kissed across her collarbone and undid the clasp that was on her pants. They were going to be really late, but this was something that needed to happen.
∞
Ava and Robin were standing on the front porch of her parent’s house. They were an hour late for brunch. Sex in the kitchen had turned into sex in the shower which led to sex on the bed. It seemed Ava’s guilt-triggered libido had started Robin’s, and they weren’t able to keep their hands to themselves. Robin leaned over to kiss Ava’s cheek then she muttered, “Your mother is going to hate me because we’re late.”
Ava chuckled. “She will not.”
“Yes she will.” Robin grinned then asked, “You think if I told her that her daughter is a sex fiend she’d let it slide?”
Ava smirked and looked at her. “I dare you to do it.” Robin arched her eyebrow, feigning consideration. Ava chuckled then remarked, “It’s been nice knowing you, babe.”
Before Robin could say anything, the front door opened and Ava’s dad greeted them. She smiled and gave him a hug. “Hi, Dad.” She moved back and held up the bottle of champagne. “We brought champagne for mimosas.”
He took the bottle and mumbled, “Good timing. Your mother has already gone through one bottle.” Noticing Robin, he smiled. “Robin, how are you?”
Robin gave him a tense smile in return. “I’m doing well, Mr. Carmichael. Thanks.”
He gestured for them to come in, and after he closed the front door, Ava and Robin followed him down the hall to the kitchen, which led to the patio. Mr. Carmichael looked over his shoulder at Ava. “Your mother isn’t happy that you’re late.”
Ava glanced at Robin and smirked then she said, “Mom is only happy when she has a drink in her hand, so I’m always going to be a disappointment when she’s sober.”
Her father stopped, looking at her pointedly. “Ava, that is your mother and you are to show her some respect.” He sighed and ran his hand over his graying hair. “I know you two have had your disagreements in the past, but you’re an adult now. Talk to her and tell her how you feel.”
Ava bit the inside of her bottom lip to hold back the smartass remark that was on the tip of her tongue. She mutely stared at her father, and he shook his head as he let out a defeated sigh. Ava always wondered why he tried to push her to fix things with her mother. Things between them would always remain tense. Her life hadn’t turned out like her mother had planned, and Ava didn’t care. Omitting her new hobby, she was happy with how her life had turned out so far.
The three of them went out to the patio that was off the kitchen and Ava walked over to where her mother was sitting at the table. She bent down and gave her kiss a cheek. “It’s good to see you again, Mother.”
A fake smile appeared on her mother’s face, and she stated a clipped tone, “Hello, dear.” Mrs. Carmichael glanced at Robin. “Hello Robin. Nice to see you.”
“Nice seeing you too, Mrs. Carmichael,” Robin said, as she sat down at the table.
They began to eat brunch, and atmosphere during the meal was tense. It seemed to get worse with each glare Ava’s mother cast towards her. She could feel her mother’s scrutinizing gaze look her over and it irritated her more than anything. The fifth time that she caught her mother eyeing her with a critical glance, Ava set her fork down and wiped her mouth. She put her elbows on the table and folded her hands together, before resting her chin on them. Ava narrowed her eyes at her mother. “What, Mother?” Surprise crossed her face, and Ava scoffed. “Don’t look so shocked. I can feel your eyes on me and I know you’re judging me, so what is it?”
Ava felt Robin’s hand on her shoulder. “A
va…”
Ava pushed her wife’s hand off of her shoulder. “No. We’re finally going to talk about this, because I can’t sit through another meal while she silently judges me and makes offhanded comments about my life.” She pinned her mother down with a hard stare, “So, Mother, what are you criticizing? My hair? My teeth? Some other minute detail that you want to pick apart?”
“Ava, that is enough,” her father warned from his seat. Mrs. Carmichael remained silent and poised, as if Ava’s words didn’t have any effect on her at all. That only pissed Ava off more, and she stood up, gesturing to Robin. She wasn’t going to sit there while her mother looked down at her. “Come on babe, let’s-”
“Ava, sit down,” her mother snapped, cutting her off. Ava looked up in surprise. “You’re not going anywhere.”
Ava scoffed and shook her head. She slammed her hands down on the glass table, then leaned over it, glowering at her mother. “Yes, I am,” she stated in a firm tone. “You have no control over my life, and I will say and do whatever the hell I want. Do you understand?” Her mother didn’t answer, and Ava let out a soft mirthless laugh. “You’ll never be happy with me, so I’m done trying. Talking about my ex who was a bigger drunk than you are-”
“Ava Carmichael!” her father shouted.
Ava continued on. She was going to tell her mother everything that she had kept bottled in, then she was going to leave and never see her again. “You will no longer get the opportunity to criticize my life, or question my decision to marry Robin!” She jabbed her finger towards her reticent mother. “I’m not holding my tongue any longer, but you don’t have to worry about that. Once I leave here, you’ll never see me again.”
She stood up straight and looked at her father. “Dad, I’m truly sorry, but I can’t do this anymore. I’m sorry.” She walked away from the table and headed inside. Ava could hear her father calling for her and she also heard Robin apologizing on their behalf, but it was pointless. Until her mother changed the way that she treated her, Ava wasn’t going to talk to her.
Ava made her way through the house, and walked out of the front door. She got into Robin’s car, and after slipping into the passenger seat, she waited for her wife to come out. Ava felt like an emotional weight had been lifted off of her. She didn’t regret going off on her mother; what she had said was something that she had been feeling since she was a teenager and she couldn’t keep quiet about it any longer. Ava felt better knowing that her true feelings were out in the open.
Robin came out of the house and rushed towards the car. She jerked the door open and got in, slamming the door closed. “Are you fucking kidding me Ava? What the hell was that?”
“It doesn’t matter what it was, Robin. Just know that I am done dealing with her passive-aggressive bullshit and her judgmental behavior.” Ava ran her hand through her hair and rested her elbow on the door. “I’m sorry it all came out over brunch, but I was tired of dealing with it.”
Robin sighed and let her head fall back onto the headrest. Silence fell over the car for a few moments. “I know you are, babe. I’ve witnessed your mother attacking you numerous times.” A slight frown came to her face. “Did you have to be so brutal though?”
Ava let out a loud, incredulous laugh. The question was ridiculous. She shook her head then looked at Robin. “How else was I going to get anything through her alcohol-fogged brain? It’s funny that you’re siding with her since you know how she feels about you.”
Robin threw her hands up. “Yes, I know, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to condone you calling your mother an alcoholic over brunch.”
Ava scoffed, turning to look out the window. She wasn’t going to let her mother add any more tension between them. It was bad enough that she was in the midst of destroying her own marriage; she didn’t need any help from her mother. As Robin started the car and pulled out of the driveway, Ava took her hand.
∞
Robin and Ava had spent the rest of their afternoon watching movies and having sex. The tension that had been created because of Ava’s outburst at brunch had disappeared by the time they had gotten home. Robin realized that Ava going off on her mother would have happened eventually. Once she and Ava had cleared the air, the tension that had been between them was replaced by a playful, flirty mood.
Later that evening, the two of them were getting ready to go out to dinner. Ava was in the bathroom fixing her hair, while Robin was in their closet trying to find something to wear. Ava leaned away from the bathroom counter to call out into their room. “Babe, just put on jeans. This isn’t upscale, it’s some hole in the wall Greek restaurant in the city.”
Robin walked over to the bathroom door and remarked, “That’s easy for you to say, Miss I-can-wear-anything-and-look-fabulous.”
“It’s missus. I did marry you, didn’t I?” Ava asked with a smirk.
Robin kissed her and it lingered for a moment. She pulled back and there was a smile on her face. “Yes, you did.”
They finished getting ready, and just as they were about to head out, Ava’s phone began to ring. She pulled it out of her pocket and looked at the screen. The hospital was calling. She grimaced then looked at Robin. There was a scowl on her wife’s face but she had to answer it. “I’m sorry, babe. I have to-”
Robin snatched her phone out of her hand. “No, Ava, you’re not doing this. I’m certain it can wait.”
Ava gawked at her wife. “You can’t do that! It could have been about a patient!”
“I don’t fucking care. I’m trying to go out to dinner with my wife.” Robin narrowed her eyes at Ava. “Is that a problem?”
Ava bit her bottom lip as she looked into Robin’s eyes. There was something dark lurking in them, and she knew that she didn’t want provoke whatever it was. She shook her head, and replied softly, “It isn’t.”
Robin stared at her for another second. “Good. Now can we go eat, please?”
Ava nodded, and the two of them left the apartment. The car ride to the city was a tense one and neither of them said anything until Robin parked the car. She turned off the engine and let out a breath. “I’m sorry.” Ava turned her head away from the window and looked at her. Robin sighed again. “I shouldn’t have snapped on you, but it’s frustrating, Ava. I thought we could have one night where it would be you and I, and you weren’t focused on work. That’s all I wanted, but I shouldn’t have gotten angry like that.”
Ava nodded in understanding. “I’m probably the one who should be sorry. You wouldn’t feel this way if I weren’t working all the time.” She took hold of Robin’s hand and said, “It will change, and hopefully soon.”
Robin smiled at her then she lifted Ava’s hand to place a kiss on the back of it. She gave her hand a gentle squeeze and asked, “We’re okay?”
Ava leaned over and she placed her other hand on Robin’s cheek then gave her gentle kiss. When she pulled back she smiled. “We’re okay.”
Robin grinned at her then she gave her another kiss before she said, “Okay. Now let’s go get something to eat.”
The two of them got of the car and walked to the restaurant that was two blocks away, since they had opted to park in one of the garages instead of on the street. Ava held onto Robin’s arm as they walked and the two of them chatted about Robin’s work.
Ava was only half-listening. She was lost in her thoughts, and questioning her decision to tell Robin about her second job. There was no way their marriage would be able to survive something like that. It was barely surviving the fictional workload that she had taken on the last few months. But she also knew there was no way she would be able to continue to keep this from Robin. Not only was it unfair, but Robin deserved to know the truth.
Ava continued to flip-flop on what she would do while she tried to pay attention to the story Robin was telling her. They were crossing the street when someone walked into Ava’s shoulder. She turned to glare at the asshole that had run into her and the second she looked behind her, her eyes met familiar
, intense, brown eyes. The mysterious woman from the club was staring back at her, and there was slight smirk on her face. Ava was surprised to see the woman again.
“Friend of yours?” Robin asked, as she gave Ava’s arm a gentle tug to get her to the other side of the street.
Ava looked at Robin for a second, then shook her head. “No. She looked familiar. I thought she was one of my colleagues from the hospital.” She turned her head to see if the woman was standing on the sidewalk across the street, but she couldn’t find her in the crowd of people.
“From the way she was looking at you, it looked like she knew you,” Robin remarked as they continued to make their way to the restaurant. She let out a small chuckle. “Granted, she didn’t exactly look like she was part of your social circle.”
Ava shook her head to prevent the strange run-in with the mysterious woman from getting to her. She gave Robin’s arm a tug. “It’s fine. She’s no one. Can we go get something to eat now? I’m hungry.”
Robin chuckled and wrapped her arm around Ava’s shoulders, kissing the side of her head. “You are such a brat sometimes.”
Ava turned to kiss her cheek. “But I’m your brat.”
Robin laughed and the two of them made their way to the restaurant. Ava tried to keep her mind from thinking about the mysterious woman, but she couldn’t stop herself. There were questions that Ava wanted to ask her, but she wasn’t certain if she would ever receive answers to them.
∞
Dinner had been enjoyable, but Ava’s guilt had worsened through it. She finally settled on a decision and she was going to tell Robin the truth, facing the consequences that that came after. She just hoped that she would be able to save her marriage in the process. She watched as Robin ate dessert and a fond smile formed on her face.