Hold Me Now

Chapter 51: Better Than Expected

The following week Ava's mother invited her to go ballgown shopping. Although invited is not truly an accurate depiction. It's more like telling. "Ava, I need you to go gown hunting with me next week. The hospital ball is coming up on Saturday. I have yet to choose a gown." How could Ava say no to that? Shopping, pretty dresses, and her mother... three of her favorite things.

So Monday saw Ava heading to her parent's house, after school. Since Johnny had soccer practice, she would have been spending the afternoon alone anyway. Now she gets to spend it with her mama. When she entered her old childhood home, the triplets instantly greeted her at the door. "Ava! Ava! Ava!" They, all three, attached themselves to her legs and wouldn't let go. "We missed you, Ava," Toby told her. Her sisters agreed. They melted her heart and turned her all mushy inside just a little. She hugged and kissed each one.

Then as luck would have it, or maybe it's "unlucky", Chase made his presence known. Coming into the foyer looking unkempt and bedraggled, he asked "Why are you here? Rat Face makes you angry? I'm not surprised. Just looking at his ugly face makes me angry." He said this with a smirk.

Staring at him with repugnance, she explained "If you must know Mama and I are going dress shopping, for her hospital ball. And no. Johnny has not made me angry. And his face is handsome." That was kind of a lie. He had made her a tad angry that morning. She hates when he leaves globs of toothpaste in his sink. It's gross and she's told him about that before. It just makes the sink harder to clean. But he left it anyway this morning. Men! 

Chase rolled his eyes. Before he vacated the area, he farted. She held her nose, as it was so putrid she thought she may faint. "You are SO foul! Have you no shame and manners?" she exclaimed. Why did she say that? The answer is no. He has zero shame and zero manners. He has no respect for himself and others. 

"My manners went on vacation when I saw it was you," he told her. Then he went upstairs.

Her mother entered with the kid's babysitter Nancy, who was holding a piece of paper. She could hear Linda telling the sitter a few remaining details. Then she left Nancy and walked to the foyer. Ava was still standing there stewing over her ill-mannered brother. Her patience is really being tried today.

Noticing her daughter's annoyed posture and expression, her mother pulled her into a hug. "Hi, Dearest. Let me grab my purse and we'll be on our way." She went to get her purse and returned with it on her shoulder and a paper plate in her hand. "I made banana bread. Thought you might like that for a snack." She handed it to Ava, who smiled widely. Banana bread is one of her favorites. It's also one of the few things her mother can cook well.

They took her mother's car and drove to Beverly Hills. Beverly Hills is so expensive and chic, but Ava knew her mother always goes there for her ball gowns. The hospital ball is one of the few times in the year Linda is pampered and made to look glamorous and pretty. As a child, Ava always loved seeing her mother in fancy dresses. 

The hospital ball probably gave her her love of dressing up and sparkles anything with sparkles. Plus when her mother retired the dress to her closet, Ava could take her shoes and gloves and play dress up. Sometimes she'd even try on the dress, which was much too big for her (but it was fun nonetheless).

So Ava said nothing about her thoughts on Beverly Hills and enjoyed the time spent together. On the way, they talked and caught up, which there wasn't much to catch up on. The two of them talk on the phone three or four times a week, ever since they made up. 

The vehicle stopped at Allure Gowns. This is Linda's favorite gown store. It's the only one she ever goes to and it's the only one she trusts for her dresses. They've treated her with respect even when Nick was interning and doing night shifts. Even though she may browse at other stores, she always ends up buying her hospital ball dresses from here.