“You’re right.” Ava hadn’t thought of that. “She went through it all alone. We would have been there for her.”
“Sometimes our kids don’t want us helping. Sometimes they want to do it on their own. As for your relationship with her, maybe things with Victoria aren’t as bad as you tell yourself. Maybe it’s time to reframe the situation.”
Ava smiled. “Wouldn’t that be nice. And while we’re on the subject, my friend, what have you learned?”
Cindy straightened, and her expression tightened. “That Shannon didn’t trust me with something precious. I want to say that’s all on her, but maybe it’s on me, too.”
“Or maybe you can just ask the question and then listen.”
Cindy managed a smile. “But that’s so rational and mature. I’d rather pout.”
“I think you like the theory of pouting more than the actual act.” She pulled her bag out of the bottom drawer of her desk. “All right, let’s go get that lunch I promised you. We’ll be wild and have a glass of wine with our salads and pretend we’re more sophisticated than we are.”
“You’ve always been sophisticated, Ava. You can’t help it. But I’ll pretend I’m just like you because that always makes me feel better.”
“We’ll go golfing next weekend,” Victoria said as she and her father walked around the high school track. “I’m trying to be careful so I don’t have to go crawling back to Dr. Chi and say I messed up. But wow, walking the track is boring, for which I apologize.”
“Being with you is never boring, baby girl. I want to spend time with you. I don’t care what we do.”
“Thanks, Dad.”
She knew he was telling the truth—he always did. The morning was clear and sunny with the promise of a warm afternoon. She took a deep breath, grateful to be outside. For the past week she’d been holed up with her screenplay, trying to figure out how to make the changes the story obviously needed.
“Margarite is pregnant,” she said. “It’s such a pain in my ass.”
“That’s going to change the trajectory of the story. Are you happy or pissed about the revelation?”
“I’m disappointed in her lack of sexual responsibility, and I’m not excited about all the extra work, but it feels right. I took the new outline to my critique group. They were enthused and supportive.”
“I’m glad. I look forward to reading the new draft.”
She winced. “Do we have to saydraft? That implies forty-seven more iterations. I don’t think I have that in me.”
He chuckled. “It won’t be forty-seven, but you’ll be fine with whatever it is you have to do.”
“You don’t know that.”
He glanced at her. “I do, in fact. You forget I was there for a lot of your training, first in gymnastics and then in cheer. You were always the first one on the floor and the last one to walk away from practice. You have flaws, daughter of mine, but not doing the work isn’t one of them.”
The compliment warmed her. “How can you say I have flaws? I’m practically perfect.”
“You’re okay.”
She grinned. “Wow. I’m basking in the praise.” She thought about her last conversation with Shannon. “I will admit it’s possible I’m emotionally stunted.”
Milton stopped and stared at her. “That’s harsh. Why would you say that?”
“I dumped Javiar.” She paused. “Actually I think he dumped me, but I sort of pushed him to do it. He wanted to date, and I was only interested in...” Had she been talking to her mother, she would have been comfortable sayingI only wanted sex, but somehow with her dad, she felt the need to be a little more delicate. “I didn’t want things to get serious.”
“Because you don’t want to get hurt again. Were you in love with Prescott?”
“Dad! How do you know that’s who I was involved with on the shoot?”
He smiled. “I’m not an idiot. The other male stars were either married or not your type, so that left Prescott.”
“Maybe it was a grip or a stuntman named Danny.”
“The dumping had all the earmarks of a famous guy being a dick. Hence Prescott.”
