Chapter 11
KIKI
The whole way from the bus stop to the boutique, Ava barely said a word, and Kiki knew it was because she was experiencing way more negative emotions than a sixteen-year-old should be expected to handle.
Ava was nervous about tonight. Stressed that she’d still had no contact from her dad.
Worried about finding the money for the private acting and vocal lessons that were giving some of her friends such an advantage.
And Kiki also felt – oh, her heart – that Ava was trying to mask how she was feeling because she didn’t want to add any more woes to her mum’s life.
Kiki saw the red flags. When she was Ava’s age, she’d been the parent for a mother who couldn’t take care of herself, never mind her own child.
Couldn’t keep her safe. Didn’t want to look after her.
Since she’d had her daughter, she’d been determined that history wouldn’t repeat itself, so she’d always tried to make sure that Ava knew she was supported.
But seeing the slump of her daughter’s shoulders, Kiki didn’t feel that she was doing the best job of it right now.
It was almost a relief when they got to the boutique and Ava automatically put on a beaming smile to greet Dinah, the owner.
Kiki had been working here part-time for a couple of years now, and Dinah had never minded her bringing Ava along to sit in the back office.
She’d even given Ava a few shifts during the Christmas rush the previous year, and Ava was hopeful that she’d need her again soon to cover summer holidays.
Her daughter wasn’t afraid of hard work, but Kiki was hesitant to allow it because it would detract from the time she’d be able to spend at the Academy.
When it was being built, they’d walked past it every day, Ava’s excitement building at the prospect of having somewhere she could develop her love of performing.
It had been the happiest day of her life when she’d been accepted to study there, and since then, it had become her world.
She went in early and stayed late to rehearse, and Kiki wasn’t going to ask her to give that up, especially now that other students were having those additional private lessons on top of their Academy training.
Dinah welcomed them with her usual cheery smile.
This boutique was her baby, her passion to replace the empty nest she’d been left with when her children had gone off to college and her workaholic husband had refused to cut down his hours.
She’d built up a solid clientele and booming online store, and if she wasn’t serving clients, she was making social media reels to promote the new lines or scouring her suppliers’ websites for cool new products to buy in.
‘Ah, you’re here! Smashing. Right, I just need to pop downstairs…
’ The basement level was where all the extra stock was kept…
‘And pick out the products for all the online orders. It’s been mad this week.
Feels like half the world is traveling to Dubai.
All my kaftans and floaty dresses are completely sold out, and I never want to see another Birkenstock dupe until the end of time. ’
A desperate need for money aside, this was why Kiki loved working here – sometimes it was good to remember that there was a whole world out there that was thinking about floaty dresses for their holidays.
Kiki put her bag into the little office behind the main shop and took her position behind the counter. ‘On you go, I’ve got this. If you need help with the packaging just holler – Ava is going to hang out here for a couple of hours too.’
Dinah bustled off just as a couple of older women came in and began to peruse the swimwear rack.
‘Welcome, ladies. Just let me know if you need a hand with anything,’ Kiki offered.
‘If you could find us bikinis that are bigger than three teabags strung together, hen, that would be just dandy.’
Laughing, Kiki stepped in and after checking out every bikini in the store, the ladies finally left happy with two forties-style, movie-star swimsuits, in blue and white stripes, with full coverage, push-up tops and control-tummy bottoms.
When the shop was empty again, Kiki popped her head into the office, where Ava was now helping Dinah pack up a pile of beach bags.
‘I stole her to help me,’ Dinah confessed. ‘Be right back. Just need to go downstairs for more of these.’ She held up a clear travel bag that she was giving away free with every purchase this month.
‘Any word from Dad, babe?’ Kiki hated to ask, but this was weighing on them both and if Kev didn’t kick in soon, she was going to have to be the one who took care of it.
Ava checked her phone, then shook her head. ‘Nothing.’
‘Okay, not to worry. Hopefully we’ll hear soon.’
Shit. Kiki had always made it a policy not to criticise Kev in front of her daughter, but, bloody hell, right now she just wanted to open the shop door and shout about what a selfish fucker he was to the rest of the street.
Back in the main shop, she took her phone out of her pocket.
Still no answer to her text. She called him, and when it went to voicemail, called him again.
Still no answer. Goddamn him. Aberdeen was four hours away by car or train – if he wasn’t already on his way, then he wasn’t going to get here on time. And that meant no dad at the show.
It had to be a phone problem. Didn’t it? He wouldn’t seriously do this to Ava, would he? Even before her phone pinged, she knew the answer, but the message that just dropped in confirmed it.
Sorry – won’t make it. Family stuff.
Kiki felt every muscle in her stomach tighten into a knot, and a red rash of fury began to creep up her neck as she texted back…
Kev, SHE IS YOUR FAMILY TOO.
Sorry.
Don’t be sorry, just get here. You can’t do this to her. She needs you here.
Can’t be helped. Sorry.
Shit. Fuck. Bugger. It was all she could do not to send back a torrent of fury. Instead, she took a deep breath. For Ava’s sake, she couldn’t make this worse. Couldn’t give him an excuse to be an even more shit parent than he already was.
Her thumbs flew over her screen as she typed.
And the birthday present you promised her?
Money’s a bit tight right now. I’ll sort something out when I can.
Money was tight? He worked on the rigs and made a flipping fortune compared to what she made. His money was only tight because his wife didn’t work, and they lived in a fuck-off big house and drove matching Mercedes.
Stuff the texting. She called again. Voicemail.
This time she didn’t hang up and the torrent of fury she’d been holding back could no longer be restrained.
‘Kevin, you absolute arse of a man. How could you do this to Ava? She’s going to be heartbroken.
All these years, I’ve defended your indifference, made excuses for your lack of commitment to your child because you’re her father…
’ She was hissing the words out like bullets so she couldn’t be overheard.
‘But given this little performance, I’ve reconsidered that perspective and decided you can fuck right off.
You’d better beg her to forgive you because, let me tell you, our wonderful daughter deserves so much more than you. ’
She slammed the phone down, breathless, desperate to bang her head on the counter until she blacked out and this all went away, but right now, her priority was breathing.
In. Out. Until she got control of her overwhelming need to scream.
She could do that later. Right now there was a far more important problem.
She popped her head back into the office, where Ava was still packing.
‘Sweetheart, I’m so sorry. Dad just sent a text to say he’s stuck at work and won’t make it. He’s gutted, he really is.’
So much for not making excuses for him, but she wasn’t going to break Ava’s heart on her big day.
If Ava had wailed or cried, it might have been easier, but somehow, the sad, resigned shrug was so much worse. ‘I figured. It’s okay, Mum. Don’t worry.’
There it was again… Ava suppressing her feelings because she didn’t want anyone to feel bad for her. It wasn’t okay. None of this was okay. He’d made promises and broken them – but all that mattered right now was that Kiki found a way to put those promises back together again.
‘Look, I know he was supposed to buy your outfit for tonight…’
‘That’s okay, Mum, I’ll just wear this.’ She pointed to the shorts and T-shirt she was already wearing. Fine for a summer’s day, but not for an evening event that was important to her.
‘I was thinking you should go and pick something from the shop…’
‘Mum, we don’t have the money. It’s fine. Honestly.’
Kiki expected that and was ready for it.
‘No, no, it’s on your dad. He said I’ve to let him know how much it cost and he’ll transfer the money to my bank.’
The lie was worth the way her girl’s eyes lit up. ‘Seriously? He did?’
Kiki nodded. ‘He did. Now go on. Go and find something nice.’
Ava didn’t need to be asked twice. Just as she dashed past Kiki, Dinah came back in from the storeroom. ‘Did I just lose my helper?’ she asked, smiling.
Kiki lowered her voice. ‘Dinah, I need a huge favour and I’m sorry to spring this on you…
but if Ava chooses an outfit, can I pay it up?
’ She did a quick calculation. ‘Don’t give me any wages for today, and I’ll work next Saturday for nothing too.
Would that be okay?’ She’d been counting on that money for her electricity bill, but she’d just have to find another way to cover that. She’d manage somehow.
The expression of understanding on Dinah’s face was almost worse than having to ask in the first place. She wouldn’t have blamed her if she’d refused – Dinah was always saying that profit margins were tight in the shop, with Shein and Temu selling things cheap as chips.
‘Of course you can,’ Dinah said. ‘And take double staff discount. She was telling me about her big night tonight. We want her to look lovely.’