Ava Comes Home (19 page)

She resorted to a stupid question. “What are you doing here?”

He looked down to put his cash in his wallet. “Colleen sent me on a mission.”

“Sounds exciting.”

He pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket. “She told me in no uncertain terms my kids needed new pajamas as well as new underwear and socks. I've got their sizes here. I'm to look for size 6X for Jack and 3 for Sarah.”

“The kids aren't with you?”

Seamus laughed. “If you ever saw the way I shop, you'd understand why Colleen keeps the kids with her. She thinks I'm going to lose them one day. It's safer for me to go with a list.” He paused. “What about you?”

Ava looked down at herself. “I'm off to buy normal clothes. Stuff I can wash the kitchen floor in.”

“I see.”

They looked at each other and smiled. Neither one of them made a move to go anywhere but it was obvious one of them had to do something.

Finally Ava said, “Well, I better let you get to it. It was nice to see you again.”

Seamus cleared his throat. “You wouldn't want to get a cup of coffee before we start?” He pointed to the other side of the door, where the food court was.

She pulled her purse back up to her shoulder and smiled. “Okay. That sounds great.”

They stood in line at the counter. Seamus asked her if she wanted anything to eat.

“No, thank you. I'm putting on weight as it is, thanks to Aunt Vi's recipes.”

Seamus looked her up and down. “If you are, then you needed it, because you look awfully tiny to me.”

“Didn't you know that actresses ideally should be a size two these days, if not a zero?”

“Zero? What a lot of hogwash.”

She laughed at him. He paid the girl and took both cups. They walked as if by some silent agreement to a table near the back of the food court. Once again, out of habit, she chose the seat that faced the wall. The first minute was taken up with getting their coffee lids opened and taking that first sip. Then there was nothing to do but look at each other.

“So what do we talk about now?” Ava said.

He shrugged and smiled. “You were going to tell me what it was like to win an Oscar.”

“Ah, yes. Well, it's scary. People walk on your gown. You don't remember your name being called. You don't remember a thing you said or a thing you did and then a whole lot of people ask you a whole lot of questions and you're dragged from party to party with no time to eat or drink so you end up with a huge headache. And if you're like me, you faint dead away in the middle of a dance floor and wake up to find six TV cameras trained on you. Yeah, it's a blast.”

“Wow. Remind me not to get nominated.”

Ava took another sip of coffee. “I'm sure it's wonderful if your family is with you and you don't find out your mother has cancer on the same night. I have a pretty skewered take on it.”

“You found out that night?”

“Rose had to call me. They kept it a secret from me for three weeks because my mother didn't want to ‘ruin' it for me. Can you imagine? I was so upset when I found that out.”

Seamus shook his head. “You know mothers. They protect their kids at all costs.”

“But I hadn't seen my mother in ten years. Three weeks is a long time to lose when you don't have much time left.”

“Ten years is a long time.”

“So what do you do now, Seamus?”

He blinked at the rapid change of subject but followed her cue. “I'm a police officer.”

“Wow. I never would have guessed that.”

“Why?”

“I don't know. You planned on going to university.”

“My plans changed that summer.”

A dreadfully awkward silence ensued.

“This isn't going to work,” Ava sighed. “Our conversations are filled with landmines at every turn. Maybe we should quit trying.”

“No. Please. That was stupid of me. I should've said that I liked the idea of helping the community and it was a great excuse to go live in P.E.I. for a while and get away from my dad.”

Ava took another sip of her coffee. “Tell me about your children.”

It got easier after that. Ava found out that Jack loved dinosaurs and hated vegetables and his favourite thing was to go fishing with his dad. Sarah loved everything except going to bed and her vocabulary was limited yet to only a few words. Seamus told her about his niece and nephew and about his cat, Dexter. Dexter thought he was a dog and liked to go for walks with Seamus along the beach.

Then, their coffee was finished.

“I guess I shouldn't keep you any longer,” Seamus said.

“That's okay. It shouldn't take more than a few minutes to do what I have to do.”

Looking at his list, Seamus grinned. “I may be here till this place closes. I'm hopeless at this sort of thing. I get confused at the sizes. But Colleen believes in tough love. She says they're my kids and my responsibility. It would take her ten minutes to do this, but she won't.”

“She's right. She's trying to make you self-sufficient. What if she ever moved away?”

“My kids would be naked.”

Ava laughed. “I know! Why don't I help you? I don't have kids, but I do have a lot of nieces and nephews and I've shopped for their gifts every birthday and Christmas. We won't tell Colleen and she'll think you're a genius.”

“Okay. Why not? Lead on.”

They spent a good hour rooting through the children's sections at various stores. She explained the sizes to him and any time he picked up anything just because it was the right size, she tried to steer him to more suitable choices. She said she doubted Sarah would want to wear robot pajamas and maybe she'd like Dora the Explorer instead. When Ava spotted new bathing suits for both of the kids, Seamus turned to the pile in his cart. “I think I'm at my limit. Summer's not here for a couple of months.”

She put her hand on her hip. “Spoken like a typical man. By the time you come back here in two months everything will be picked over.”

“Well…”

“Oh Seamus, let me buy them. Please? It would give me such pleasure.”

“You don't—”

“I know I don't have to, but I'd love to.”

He smiled at her. “All right then. Have it your way.”

Ava was positively giddy taking the bathing suits to the check-out. When the girl ran them through, she tucked them into Seamus's shopping cart. “There. Colleen will thank you.”

“I thank you. It's been a wonderful afternoon.”

They stood by the door to the parking lot, out of the way of the shoppers coming in and going out.

“It has been wonderful. I'll never forget it.”

Seamus looked around and then leaned in closer. “Look, Libby, is there any way we can get together and be alone?”

She bit her bottom lip before saying, “Do you think that's wise?”

“What's to stop us? Our past? The past is over. We should be able to be friends and enjoy each other's company. I miss talking to a woman.”

“I'd like that. But where?”

“Why don't we meet at Gooseberry Cove? Just name the day.”

“Friday. I'll meet you Friday at six.”

“Six it is.”

“Goodbye, Seamus.”

“Bye, Libby.” He leaned down and kissed her cheek. And then he was gone.

It was only when she got home that she realized she forgot to buy anything for herself.

It was a long week waiting for Friday to come. Ava tried to keep busy. The house was spotless and she spent a great deal of time with her mother, telling her stories about her travels all over the world or reading to her for hours at a time. Often her mother slept while she read, but Ava hoped that the sound of her voice would bring her mother comfort.

One day her mother grabbed her hand and kissed it. “Thank you, Libby. Thank you for being so kind to me.”

Ava closed her eyes and tried not to let guilt overwhelm her. She knew she'd stayed away too long and she'd give anything to get that time back again. At least it did her heart good to know that Aunt Vi and Uncle Angus were feeling better. She took them to the doctor, who was pleased with their progress. They were still sore, of course, and moved slowly, but their good spirits had returned. Aunt Vi even insisted on making bread pudding one day, saying if she didn't bake something soon, she'd forget how.

Finally Friday came and Ava spent the day puttering and humming to herself. That is until her agent Trent called with some bogus excuse to reel off more projects that might be coming her way—if only she'd come home sooner rather than later. She was polite but firm, and Trent was thwarted yet again. She had to give him points for trying, though. And then something happened that she never saw coming.

There was a knock at the back door.

“Someone get that!” Uncle Angus hollered. “And if it's Boots Boutlier, tell him to get the jesus in here. I'm bored outta me gourd.”

“Okay!” Ava shouted back. She was in the pantry rolling out cookie dough. She wiped her floury hands on her apron and walked to the back porch. Who was standing on the outside steps but Hayden. Ava was dumbfounded. She could have kicked him.

He waved at her. “Darling, aren't you going to let me in?”

She stormed over and opened door. “What on earth are you doing here?”

“Enlarging my fan base.” He waved to Thelma Steele and Geranium and the half-dozen other women running toward the house. “I best scoot in now, before I'm mauled.” He pushed past her and straight into the kitchen. He looked around. “My, how…country.”

Aunt Vi yelled from the living room. “Who's at the door?”

“No one!” To Hayden, she whispered, “You have to get out of here.”

“But why? I've come to take you and your family out to dinner. I'm sure your sisters will be thrilled.” He shouted out, “Where is this wonderful Aunt Vi I keep hearing about?” He made for the living room before Ava could stop him. Ava heard Aunt Vi shriek, “Mother Mary and all that's Holy! Are you who I think you are?”

“The very same.”

Ava ran up the stairs and grabbed Lola, who was on her knees scrubbing the bathtub. “You'll never believe who just showed up.”

“Who?”

“Hayden.”

“Good God. I didn't think he knew where Canada was.”

“He's been here before, remember?”

“Oh yeah! Well, that's typical behaviour. Give him an inch and he takes a mile.”

“He wants to take us out to dinner. What am I going to do? Oh damn. Today of all days.”

Lola got up and looked out the bathroom window. “His arrival has been noted, I'm afraid. There are two ladies, and I use the term loosely, outside fighting over who gets the milk crate so they can stand on it and peek in the window.”

Ava hopped up and down in frustration. “My sisters will hear about this and dash over here after work, but I can't go to dinner, I have to meet Seamus.”

“Your very famous boyfriend arrives in town and wants to take the whole clan out for a bang-up meal and you're not going to be with them? How in God's name are you going to explain that?”

“I hate him!”

“Who? God?”

“Shut up, Lola.”

Ava ran to the hall table and rooted around in the pile of magazines and found a phone book. She took it to her room and looked up Catalone, but it didn't seem to be in the phone book—then she remembered to look under Port Morien. She searched through the O's, and since there weren't that many, it took only a second to realize his number was unlisted. She had no way of getting in touch with him. She didn't dare call his family. Why hadn't she asked him for a phone number? She threw the phone book across the room.

There was nothing she could do but go downstairs. Hayden had Aunt Vi and Uncle Angus enthralled with his tales of Hollywood nightlife. (There was nothing Hayden liked better than a captive audience.)

The phone rang and Ava hoped against hope it was Seamus, but it turned out to be a CBC reporter who wanted to confirm that Hayden Judd was visiting the area and whether it was possible to get an interview. Ava slammed the phone in his ear.

As predicted, the whole clan started arriving one by one, after fighting off the mob outside. Ava had to introduce them one at a time. Hayden was charm personified and everyone thought he was fabulous. Her sisters spent most of their time giggling at him. For her part, Ava wanted to gag.

Hayden told everyone that he'd booked an entire restaurant for them and everyone was invited, children as well. He looked at his watch. “How about we meet in front of Governor's in an hour. Ava will need at least that long to put on her face. And it's such a beautiful face.” He pulled her to him and kissed her in front of everyone. The family tittered. It took all her willpower not to kick him in the shin.

Everyone took off in twenty different directions and Hayden dragged her into the seldom-used front hall. He put his arms around her.

“You don't seem very happy to see me.”

“It's not that. I don't like surprises.”

“I'm trying to help; to give your family something to smile about. If it makes them happy just to turn up and take them to dinner, then it's worth the five-hour flight to get here.”

“You're right. I'm sorry,” she sighed.

“Of course I'm right. Now kiss me.”

She gave him a peck.

“Not like that.”

“Hayden, I have to get ready.”

“Kiss me.”

She kissed him and he pulled her in tight. He wouldn't let her go. He pressed his mouth against hers until it hurt. She struggled against him but he was too strong. Panic welled up inside. That's when she realized there were people looking in the windows at them. And he knew it. The stupid jerk knew all along.

Since she couldn't fight him, she went limp instead. He groaned, as if relishing his victory. He took his lips away. “See, baby? You love me.”