Chapter Twenty-Eight #2
Ava attempted to take a breath. Her chest felt tight. She had never seen Mary so angry.
‘Mary stop! You know I love Gino but I—’
‘I am going to go.’ Henry spoke the words from the doorway of the lounge, as both women turned to look at him. His hair was wet from the shower, and he was dressed and wearing his T-shirt that Ava had left on the chair in the kitchen.
She could see confusion in his expression and hurt in his eyes.
‘It’s been a long day. I’m glad I could help.’ He swallowed. ‘Good luck with the puppies.’ His eyes flicked in the direction of the kitchen, towards Myrtle and her litter before he added, ‘I’ll write, about Critters’ Lodge, but, as I said, it will be OK.’ With that, he turned and left.
Ava attempted to call him back, but in a few strides he was through the hall and had shut the door behind him.
She felt hot tears sting at her eyes. How could the most wonderful day of her life have turned to this?
Mary had goodness knows what opinion of her, and Henry .
. . She didn’t know what Henry had heard but whatever it was, it had caused an expression in his eyes she wouldn’t forget any time soon.
Ava took a breath. She and Mary had argued over small things in the past. Ava knew it was all part of loving someone passionate about her beliefs and individual sense of right and wrong. But this felt different. Mary had gone too far. She turned to face her, forcing herself to lift her chin.
‘You’ve got it wrong. You’ve got it all so wrong.’ Ava saw a hint of uncertainty flick across Mary’s face.
‘It looks . . . it looked . . . I thought.’
‘I think you’ve made it clear what you thought.
And if that is truly your opinion of me, then I think you should go.
’ Ava swallowed against the tightness in her throat.
She didn’t want to lose her friend, but she knew she had to stand up for herself, and for Henry.
They’d spent too long living in the wake of others’ opinions of them.
She knew she loved him, she always had, and if he felt the same for her, she was determined not to let anyone stand in their way. Not this time.
‘Ava! I’m sorry, but you’ve got to admit . . . you know—’
Ava cocked her eyebrow, halting her friend mid-sentence, as she emulated Mary’s disdain filled expression of earlier.
Ava felt thankful her bravado was making her appear more together than she felt.
She was tired, she physically ached from the tension she’d held in her body for much of the day, and she longed to be back in Henry’s arms — in their shared moment of serenity after the puppies had been safely delivered.
Instead, she was reeling from Mary’s words.
The responsibility of the charity shop and keeping her mum’s legacy alive was a lot to bear.
And maybe Mary was right; perhaps she had let that slip a little over recent weeks, but she was loyal, and she was trustworthy.
She had kept her promise to Gino; she hadn’t done anything to let him down.
Despite what Mary might think, she loved him as a friend and welcomed the closeness they’d come to share.
Friends are the family you choose. Mary’s words, shared at less complicated times, slipped into Ava’s mind.
Mary took a breath, and began again, ‘He was in your shower. His T-shirt was discarded in the kitchen. You’ve been behaving . . . You look . . . I don’t know, different!’
‘So what? I must have slept with him?’ Ava scoffed, despite being aware that the incredulity of her tone belied her earlier actions. If they had been left alone, she knew she wouldn’t have held back.
‘Did you?’
Ava turned her back on Mary and walked towards the window, trying not to show the pain in her ankle. ‘That’s none of your business.’
‘But Gino—’
Ava turned to look at Mary. ‘Gino and I are friends. You know that.’
‘Friends? Really? That’s not what you said at the pub when you were off your face on whisky. Ava, I know!’
‘What do you know?’ Ava wondered what she had let slip, and searched the fug of her memory for conversations of the previous evening.
‘I know . . . I know about you and Gino . . . and the sex toys. You said—’
Ava laughed as it occurred to her what Mary was referring to. With her emotions in turmoil, she giggled, while Mary looked at her in disbelief at her reaction.
When she managed to control herself, Ava took a breath. ‘I was talking about Flo!’
‘What?’
‘I was talking about Flo and the sex toys.’
‘Flo?’
‘Yes, it was Flo who used the sex toys.’
‘With Gino?’ Mary screwed up her face, the anger of earlier replaced with confusion.
‘No. Oh, God, no! Definitely not. It was just another of her spectacular mix-ups, involving a donation she shouldn’t have accepted. I’ll explain later.’ Ava felt some of the tension lifting from her body at the turn in the conversation.
‘Oh really? Thank goodness. I mean, I’m a modern woman but—’
‘But you’re hot-headed. You jump to conclusions and you are a complete pain in my—’
‘But you love me, and you know I only do it because I care.’ Mary’s expression softened, and Ava saw the slightest hint of a smile in her eyes.
Ava shook her head and blew out a breath. ‘I do, it’s true. You and Gino, you’re my family now.’ Ava sat at the end of the sofa, urging Mary to sit down too. ‘But you have to know, Henry is important to me too. We’ve shared things, experiences that I’ve never told you about.’
‘You’re not talking about sex toys now are you?’
Ava giggled. ‘No! I’m talking way more personal than that.’ She smiled.
‘What?’
Ava shook her head. ‘Let’s put the kettle on, and I’ll explain everything if you’ll listen and stop jumping to conclusions.’
Mary blushed, picked up a cushion and hid her face in it. ‘Ugh, OK. I promise.’ When she looked up, she smiled. ‘You do know I’m only like that because I care.’
‘I know, and I’m grateful for it . . . most of the time.’
Mary threw her cushion at Ava.
Ava threw it back. ‘Let’s get that kettle on.
’ She stood, and steadied herself on her stiff legs, taking care not to put too much weight on her ankle.
‘And while the kettle’s boiling you can make yourself useful and check on the puppies.
Myrtle will need to go outside, and I want a minute with her. ’
As Ava walked back towards the kitchen, Mary touched her arm, causing her to turn.
‘I’m sorry about what I said. I know how much Myrtle means to you.’
Ava nodded her head, silently accepting the apology.
‘I know her being pregnant was down to my inaction, but I want you to know, I will take great care of her and her puppies and they will all be loved. Even if I’ve got to keep all five of them myself.
’ Ava really hoped it wouldn’t come to that, but her determination to take care of them all was genuine.
She had known that the moment she had seen them enter the world.
‘I know that, really, I do.’
* * *
By the time Ava had finished talking, it was late. They had drunk their tea and moved on to, and half-emptied, a bottle of wine before Mary sat back and readied herself to offer her thoughts.
‘Bugger me.’ She shook her head and let out a breath. ‘So this is the opportunity for a new beginning for you both, a second chance against the odds. I mean, I’m not one for a big love story or anything, but . . .’
Ava wondered if that were true and what it meant for her friend.
‘. . . but it sounds like you two were always meant to be together. Some, not me, of course, might say you’re soul mates. So why didn’t you go after him? Why didn’t you follow him when he left earlier and tell him to ignore your crazy ranting friend?’
‘Because, in the moment, staying here and sorting things with my crazy ranting friend felt like the priority. I don’t know what I would have done if you’d gone when I said you should go, but I’m glad you didn’t.’
‘I’m not that easy to get rid of.’
‘Ha, no. But, honestly, I think that’s a good thing.’
The hint of a blush spread across Mary’s cheeks. ‘I know I’ve already said it, but I am sorry for the things I said. I was out of order.’
‘So long as you know I’d never do anything to hurt Gino.
I appreciate him as a friend, but that’s all there is between us.
’ As Ava said the words, she knew how lucky she was.
Mary and Gino were close friends, who had been there for her since the loss of her mum, and she loved them for it.
Being an only child could be a lonely place sometimes.
‘I know that. I do. It’s mad. I am only a little older than you and yet working so closely with your mum has kind of made me feel responsible.
She used to talk about you and worry about you a lot.
I think some of that rubbed off on me. Like I was an apprentice in looking after you as much as the wild animals in our care. ’
‘I hope you aren’t suggesting that’s the same thing.’ Ava giggled. ‘Besides, I can look after myself.’
‘So can they. They just need a bit of help, sometimes.’
‘OK, admittedly losing Mum knocked me, and I do appreciate you looking out for me. But I am a Flynn through and through. I can be tough, and I’ve been feeling more like my old self lately.
I think that might be why I’ve been behaving differently.
I’m remembering who I am. Testing what I want, instead of feeling like I am struggling in the wake of losing Mum and trying to live up to what she might have wanted. Does that make sense?’
‘Yes. It makes complete sense.’ Mary pulled Ava into a hug. As she pulled back, she looked at their empty glasses. ‘I’d top us up, but you’ll need a clear head tomorrow.’
‘Tomorrow? Why, what’s tomorrow?’
‘The day you go and get your man.’
‘What?’
‘You have to speak to him, Ava. Tell him how you feel. I am in no position to give advice. I keep a three-date rule—’
‘You don’t have sex until the third date?’ Ava’s tone was disbelieving.
‘No, I never go on a third date. It stops things getting serious.’
‘So you really aren’t in a position to give advice,’ Ava teased.
‘No. But I do know that relationships live and die on the conversations you should or shouldn’t have had. You have to tell him how you feel.’
‘But Lady Bramlington—’
‘Lady Bramlington has some explaining of her own to do, and you can speak to her about the photograph too. I know it’s been on your mind.’
‘That’s a lot to contend with in one day.’
‘And you’re a Flynn. You’ll take it all in your stride.’
‘I know you’re right. I need to do it, don’t I? Own my feelings and face my fears.’
Mary swallowed. ‘Yes, of course.’
‘She is the only one who can shed light on that picture, and I have to know what happened.’
‘Yes, you do, and you know I’ve got complete faith in you.’
Ava smiled, her head and heart filled with determination, while a small voice inside reminded her that Mary didn’t have quite so much faith in her earlier.
‘And when that’s all sorted, and you’ve got your man and Lady Bramlington on side, we’ll have to make a start on that festival you’ve promised the village. I don’t know what you were thinking with that!’
Ava’s eyes went wide. Oh no, it’s true! She wondered if she should ask if it was also true that she had volunteered to do a skydive, but decided she was happier remaining in blissful ignorance about that.