Chapter 32
thirty-two
BEVERLY HILLS, CA
“How about this one?” Avery pulled a floor-length, navy blue slip dress from the rack and held it up to show her mom.
“You have the right figure for it. Try it on,” Sharon said.
“I’ll add it to your dressing room,” the stylist who was helping them offered.
The past few days had been such a whirlwind.
Ben and Adam had agreed to host the gala at their home, and it was go time as soon as she heard the word yes.
She’d met and placed an order with an event rental company, set up a tasting with the caterer, and notified all of the guests and sponsors of the new location.
When her mom had suggested they go dress shopping, it had seemed like a good respite.
Plus, it was a good distraction knowing the rest of their family and most of her friends were in Vegas for this weekend’s race.
“Ready to try on?” her mom interrupted her thoughts.
Avery nodded. “I think we found every evening gown in the store.”
Avery slipped into the dressing room and stripped down to her neutral colored undies and strapless bra. She’d come prepared: underwear that would work with any neckline, a pair of heels in her bag to get a better feel for how a dress would look on her, once tailored.
She tried on the first contender. Hard no. She’d liked the ruffled skirt on the hangar, but the voluminous fabric was swallowing her petite frame in real life.
“Any luck in there?” her mom called from the other side of the curtain.
“Not yet.”
Her phone vibrated in her purse. She pulled it out. Stacey.
“Hi Stace!” She’d always pick up for her.
“Just killing time and trying to stay awake since the race is so late tonight. So, I thought I’d check in. How is the event planning going?”
“I’m actually in a dressing room, shopping for a dress for it with my mom.”
“Put me on Facetime, I want to see!” Stacey said.
“Hang on, I’m naked. Let me put one on and then I’ll turn on my video. How’s the weekend?”
“Good, really good. Car’s pace is excellent so far. Top form. And Teddy’s driving with this intense determination I haven’t seen on him before,” Avery could hear the excitement in her friend’s voice. “He seems hell-bent on making up for missing the last race.”
Avery felt her ribs squeeze as she pulled the navy slip dress over her head. And it wasn’t from the fabric, which draped her smoothly.
“I’m glad to hear the car is looking good,” Avery said, purposefully avoiding engaging in conversation about Teddy’s current headspace.
Would she always feel guilty for causing Teddy to miss a race, especially right after his first podium?
“Here I’m going to hand the phone to my mom so you can see my fashion show. ”
She stepped out of the dressing room, holding the dress up in one hand so it wouldn’t drag on the floor. She gave her mom the phone. “It’s Stacey, she wants to see the dress options.”
“Hello, Mrs. Silver,” Stacey chirped.
“Well, hello Stacey. Now how do I turn this thing around?” Sharon pulled the phone away from her face, squinting her eyes.
“Press that circle with the camera icon and the arrows,” Stacey patiently instructed.
Patience came easy when Sharon was not your own mother.
“What do you think of this one?” Avery gave a little twirl.
“It’s gorgeous,” Stacey gushed through the phone. “Stunner.”
Her mother cocked her head, and peered at Stacey through her black-framed glasses. “It looks fabulous on you, but you’ll be cold. And you don’t want to be messing with a shawl all evening. You’ll need your hands free.”
Her mother was right, of course. But she hesitated, looking longingly at herself in the mirror before returning to the dressing room. The navy silk dress was so sexy, she felt like a goddess in it. If only Teddy could see it on her, then maybe he’d wish she was his girlfriend.
C’est la vie.
“Do you have anything to try that has sleeves?” Sharon asked.
Avery thumbed through the gowns hanging on the rod.
She carefully stepped into a black, velvet dress. It was a completely different silhouette and style than the navy one. It was fitted at the waist before falling into a swingy skirt, and featured long blouson sleeves. Avery swished the skirt around. Fun.
She emerged once again, looking to her mom for approval, before glancing in the mirror.
While the skirt made it fun, the top half made it a show-stopper—the split neckline held together by three embellished decorative bows, showing the right amount of skin between each one from her collarbone to her waist. The bows’ iridescent beads and glistening crystals gave it a festive pop, just right for a holiday season event.
It was perfect for the gala. Not as sexy, but sophisticated without being dowdy, and no jacket or sweater required.
“You look like an angel,” Stacey cooed.
She’d get excited about seeing me in a paper bag. Avery looked to her mom, the much harsher critic. Sharon simply nodded at her. “Yep, that’s the one. Unless there are any others in there you want to try?”
Avery pictured the rack. “No, nothing is going to beat this one,” she smiled at her reflection, imagining herself gracefully greeting their donors and guests.
Now, if only she could surgically remove Teddy from those images.
Because try as she might, it was still him by her side when she pictured the evening, his hand lightly touching her back in that subtly protective way she missed, as she charmed everyone in attendance.
“Well, then that’s settled” her mom said, ever efficient. Sharon turned her attention to Stacey, “Will we get to see you in real life at the gala? There’s an open seat at the family table, now that Teddy, well you know…” Sharon gave Avery an apologetic look, bordering on pity-ing.
Avery tilted her head, giving her mom a pointed look.
Really? She couldn’t help getting in one last dig could she?
At least she was offering the empty seat to Stacey, and she hadn’t so much as mentioned a “special someone” to Avery all day.
Maybe it was her mom’s own weird way of trying to do better.
“No, I wish I could,” Stacey answered, “But I’m going to be in Australia with my family for the holidays.”
“Of course, we understand completely,” Sharon trilled. “Family first.”
That was quite enough of that. Avery took the phone from her mom’s outstretched arms, and retreated into the dressing room, smoothing the velvet skirt under her before sitting on the small bench in the corner.
“I can push my flight to Sydney back and come?” Stacey offered. “I feel like a shit friend for not thinking of it sooner, now that your mom mentioned it.”
No, she’d never ask Stacey to delay her flight.
She only got to see her family once or twice a year.
It would be nice to have a friend there, though.
Someone who was in her corner with no other agenda for the evening.
Plus, there would be tons of press there, and the last thing she wanted was for the non-profits to be overshadowed by stories about poor Avery going stag.
“I appreciate it, but I can’t take away from your limited time at home.”
“Well, if you change your mind and want me to come too, say the word,” Stacey’s genuine warmth radiated through the small screen.
“Thank you. You’re the best. Now go win that race for us.”
“We will try our best. And great dress choice. It’s killer,” Stacey grinned.
“It is, isn’t it?” Avery took the dress off and put her jeans and cream colored knitted sweater back on.
“Any luck?” The saleslady chirped. Avery rolled her eyes. Right on time to earn her commission.
“Yes,” Avery handed her the dress. “We’ll take this one.”
“And this one,” her mom handed the navy slip dress to the saleswoman. “You’ll find somewhere to wear it,” she added, turning to Avery.
“Excellent choice. How would you like to pay?”
“Oh, she’ll be taking care of that,” Avery pointed to her mother. Sure, she was working hard to build her career and assert her independence. But that didn’t mean she was going to offer to pay for her own designer couture.
Sharon didn’t bat an eyelash as she pulled her Platinum Card out of her leather wallet and handed it over.
“I’ll go run this and wrap up the dresses for you. Here are some treats while you wait,” she offered them a plate of petit fours. “Can I offer you some water, champagne?”
“Two sparkling waters would be lovely,” Sharon answered. “Avery, sit with me and have one of these divine looking chocolates.”
“Cake at the ribbon-cutting and now middle of the day dessert,” Avery raised her eyebrows. “Who are you and what did you do with my real mother?”
“I only want to spend a little more time with you. You’ve been so busy lately.”
Avery raised her eyebrows. Was this going to be another conversation about how she should really settle down and find a husband? Because that was going to ruin an otherwise very pleasant afternoon.
Sharon raised her hands around her face in a defensive position, “Don’t take it the wrong way. I simply enjoy your company.”
“Two glasses of sparkling water and your card, Mrs. Silver,” the saleslady presented the items on a small silver tray. “They’re steaming the dress in the back. It should be only a few more minutes.”
Avery sat down next to her mom on the velvety sofa in the dressing area and took a sip of her drink.
“Is there anything I can do to help with the event?” Sharon asked. “I know you have a lot on your shoulders. I have the time—with Dad traveling with the team so often—and you and your brother doing your own things…”
Was her mom lonely? Was that what this was about? Avery set her water glass down on a coffee table and put her head on her mom’s shoulder, snuggling in close.
“I’m great with seating arrangements. We can make ours a table of nine, and then make the company table an eleven. I’m sure there’s someone at the factory who would be happy to attend,” her mother offered gently.
“Actually, I think I’m going to invite Josh. He helped me out so much with my pitch to Archer, it would be a nice way to say thank you. Plus it would be nice to have a friend there.” Avery didn’t want to give her mom the wrong impression.
“As long as it’s what you want, I think that’s a nice idea. No pressure from me. And no more questions about your love life. It’s off the table,” her mother promised.
Avery sighed. “No, it’s not that you can’t ask me about my love life.
It's just that the way you ask, it always feels like you’re putting pressure on me.
And I’m only twenty-three, it's not like I’m an old maid or something.
I’m not going to settle for someone because he looks good in family photos. ”
“I never, ever want you to settle for anything less than great. You and your brother, well you’ve given me purpose in life.
My only regret is that I didn’t have you sooner, and I don’t want you to wake up one day when you’re my age and wish you hadn’t wasted time,” Sharon said quietly, fingering her pearl necklace.
Sharon and Michael had waited until Michael’s businesses had taken off to have kids, and then faced fertility struggles.
Ben hadn’t arrived until they were thirty-eight, and Avery three years after that.
“Mom, I had no idea you felt that way,” Avery’s heart softened. “I thought you were just trying to use me to make our family look perfect, be perfect, after your, our family’s, rough patch.”
Her mom’s face fell. “I screwed up so royally when you were young and wasted even more time not being present for you. And your dad and I are older and we won’t be around forever. I want time with my grandkids, and a chance to get it right as a grandmother.”
“Oh, Mom,” Avery’s voice cracked. “I get it. But, it's different now than when you were growing up in the seventies. I mean not everyone gets married. Success and fulfillment can be found outside of marriage and family. Not everyone even wants kids.”
“That’s true, but I don’t care about everyone.
I care about you. And I’ve seen the way you look at your niece, how you light up when she’s around and really engage with her.
I’m your mother, I can see the envy in your eyes when Adam reaches for Ben.
And you can’t get to any of that if you don’t go on a date first.” Sharon gave her a pointed look.
“I know,” Avery nodded. The problem was there was only one person she could imagine having a future with, and they weren’t even speaking to each other at the moment. The closest she was getting to spending time with Teddy was watching him on TV.