After going over each possible outcome in infinite detail Doris still could not picture anything positive from confronting Olivia but she couldn't just waiting for round two. "I'm so fucked" was the mantra that kept repeating in her head during her drive to the Beacon. One, Olivia, much like herself, had trust issues that would tax even the best therapist. Two, Olivia was probably the most insanely protective parent she knew including herself and right now her best friend thought that she used their friendship to bed her daughter. Yes she was fucked thoroughly and roughly no doubt about it. But that still didn't stop her from walking into the lobby of the hotel of her sworn enemy to do the one thing she hated in life, apologize. Ashlee had been the only person that Doris ever considered saying sorry to and that wasn't too often and when she did she always felt like hurling. "I am so fucked" Walking into the lobby her nerves were so frayed that she literally growled at the young man that had the misfortune to bump into her. "Watch where you're going!"
"Hey put the claws away. Kid run before she starts to attack" Ava laughed standing in between the two and holding Doris by the shoulders as if the woman needed to be physically restrained. "What the hell are you doing here? I though you were pretty attached to your head and wanted to keep the unwanted marks to a minimum."
"No thanks to you." Doris screeched yanking away from Ava. "I thought we said we weren't going to tell your mother about us" her voice rising with every word.
Risking an injury of her own Ava pulled Doris behind the front desk smiling at the shocked employees. If they were going to work for her it was best they saw the craziness she inspired right at the beginning. "Hey do you all mind me using the break room for a quick meeting? No? Thanks." Helping the three people unlucky enough to be in the room gather their items.
"Why I ever got involved with you I'll never know. I need to have my head examined."
"You'll need your face examined if you try and talk to my mother right now."
"Why the hell did you tell her? Was all this some sort of lifetime after school special for you? What better way to deflect her from your talk with Emma than have her gunning for me."
"Do you really think that?"
"What the hell am I supposed to think. Not five minutes after we decided she was at my door."
"If you think I did this to deliberately cause problems for you and my mom then you can go to hell."
"Hey, Hey I'm sorry okay. Ava I'm sorry I know that you wouldn't do that" The anger of Ava's tone shocked Doris for a moment and she had to grab Ava's hands to keep her from storming out of the room.
"Do you?" Ava asked looking into the woman's eyes trying to gauge her sincerity.
"Yes I do. I' just a little cranky after having your mother calling me a sleeze in my own house." Doris sighed pulling away once she was sure Ava was staying.
"I didn't tell her. She came by your house to talk to you about me and she saw us at the door."
"Great" another weary sigh as she sat down holding her head in both hands. "now what?"
"Now I make this right. Listen I'm so sorry that I cause you and my mom to fall out" Ava breathed kneeling in front of Doris stroking her hair.
"Maybe it's for the best. I never was able to keep friends so this was bound to end badly one way or the other"
"Don't okay. Look at me. You know better than anyone what a bitch my mom can be but you also know how protective and loyal she is to the people she loves. She's just pissed right now. Whether she wants to admit it or not she loves you Doris."
"I wouldn't say that if you plan on getting any inheritance"
"You go to work. Do something to take your mind off of this. I will work my magic." Ava said standing up.
"Yeah your magic is what got me in this mess in the first place" Doris said wrapping her arms around Ava's waist.
"I don't remember hearing any complaints" Ava laughed
"What are we going to do?"
"You are going to get out of here before my mom sees you and wait on my phone call. I will handle everything trust me."
Waiting a few minutes after Ava left the break room Doris tried to be as inconspicuous as possible to make her escape out of the hotel.
"I hope it was worth it"
"What? Jesus Christ Blake you scared me I thought you were Olivia."
"I should have been. I've been wracking my brains trying to make this alright and you're boffing Olivia's daughter in her hotel."
"I was not boffing anyone and would you mind keeping your voice down."
"What were you doing then?"
"Do you mind if we had this discussion somewhere other than the freaking lobby of the Beacon. Hell the city counsel floor mid session would be better."
Blake had no idea why she was so upset seeing Ava sneaking out of the office followed by a very guilty looking mayor. Maybe it had to do with how Ava was straightening her clothes or how Doris was reapplying lipstick. Whatever the reason she was pissed.
"If I'm going to run all over town trying to get you and Olivia speaking again the least you could do is stop making booty calls with her kid!"
"I told you already we weren't having sex!"
"It sure looked like it to me and it definitely would have looked like that to Olivia." It was unreasonable for her to be this angry at Doris even if it was a booty call. Why was she so bothered by it? Looking at Olivia and Nat made her consider possibilities that she would have never imagined before. Sure the past few weeks since Olivia and Natalia reunited caused her to interact more with Doris. The four of them sitting around the table laughing about everything was fast becoming the highlight of her week. Doris had not made any moves but until this Ava fiasco she was sure that the woman was jonesing on her. The dinners always ended with Doris walking Blake to her car. It started by accident. The sitter called saying that Clarissa was feeling ill and Blake had a pan in the car that Doris offered to bring back inside the house. Now a few weeks later whenever Blake was nearing her departure Doris would linger around holding her own keys in hand waiting on Blake. But if Doris was secretly dating Ava this whole time had Blake imagined their chemistry.
"I was going to talk to Olivia and Ava stopped me. She said it would be better to just give her some time to work it out with her mom"
"If Olivia gets over this are you going to start dating Ava?"
"I would have a better chance getting Olivia to let me date Natalia" Doris groaned.
"I'm serious" Blake hissed
"Who pissed on your parade?"
"You know what you handle your mess on your own"
"Jesus P. Christ what is with me today. I'm sorry. Ok I'm sorry. Blake I'm sorry"
"Are you going to date Ava" Blake asked again but this time her body was turned away from Doris.
"No, of course not. Ava is beautiful but it wouldn't work."
"Because of Olivia?"
"Because she isn't the one for me. Are you going to turn around while we have this conversation?"
"Then why did you sleep with her?"
"Oh My GOD! I don't know. She's beautiful and sexy and my best friend's daughter and I'm an idiot. What do you want me to say Blake?"
Bowing her head Blake finally turned towards Doris but refused to look up at her face. "I want to know why because I thought that you were sort of into me"
"Hi mom number two"
"Don't mom number two me" Natalia shook her head at the taller woman. "there had better be lots of chocolate in that bag for all the trouble you are causing."
"What trouble?"
"Oh I don't know the fact that your mother is considering how to get away with murdering her best friend. You and Doris, really Ava?"
"Hey I don't usually have to consider how my sex partners are going to affect my mom so could I get a pass on the lecture just until you help me fix this?"
"I'm sorry. I'm weirded out by this but I shouldn't have been so judgmental"
"I don't know what to do. Mom won't even talk to me about it and Doris is a wreck."
"No judging but what did you expect was going to happen once Olivia found out about this?"
"Her finding out wasn't supposed to happen. It wasn't supposed to happen again."
"AGAIN!!" Natalia yelled standing up at her desk but after shaking her head a few more times and crossing herself she looked up and said "sorry. You were saying?"
"It happened after dad's funeral."
Popping back up "Your mother is going to kill her. I'm going to kill her. She slept with you after your father's funeral.!!"
"Nooo jeez. Not then a few weeks afterwards when she came to San Francisco. I'm going to leave that part out the next time I tell this story."
"That would be best for everyone. Ava, sweetheart, your mother loves you and as your mother she's concerned by the fact that a person she trusted took advantage of you. If not after the funeral than last night. You were upset enough to consider going back to California but that didn't stop Doris from sleeping with you. That's a problem."
"I'm not a child and Doris didn't manipulate or take advantage of me. It wasn't the best idea but it was our idea and I don't want you or mom thinking otherwise,"
"Okay you want my help doing what?"
"Getting mom to back off. Just talk to her and get her to see that she is overreacting."
"But what if I don't think that she is"
"Nat"
"No listen. You say that both of you made this decision to have sex last night. Fine but you know what Sweetie I bet Doris knew exactly how Olivia would react if she ever found out. I bet if this were reversed Doris would fee the exact same way. So if her relationship with Olivia is suffering she has no one to blame except herself."
"Funny you Christian types always talking about forgiveness but I guess it's only when you're the one needing the forgiveness. Thanks for nothing. Enjoy lunch."
"Hey I'm sorry. You're right. I'm sorry. I'm not going to pretend that I'm not upset about this but everyone deserves a second chance. You just better be sure this is over because even I can't make your mom agree to you dating Doris."
"Thanks Natalia" Ava said as they hugged.
"Oh you're not getting off that easy. I see lots of baby sitting in your future young lady." Natalia said with a smile. "You Spencers won't be happy until you drive me crazy."
For a few seconds Mayor Doris Wolfe did a very good impression of a fish out of water.
"Never mind forget I said anything at all."
"NO you don't. You can't just say something like that then say forget about it." Doris said as she grabbed the smaller woman. "what if you weren't wrong?" Doris said fearing that her indiscretion cost her more than Olivia's friendship.
"Then why were you sleeping with Ava instead of" Blake stopped herself and began to back away from Doris.
"Instead of what" Doris repeated softly following Blake trying to catch her eye. But after a few beats and no further elaborations she knew it was up to her to continue this conversation at least Blake had stopped her retreat. "Ava and I just sort of happened. I ran into her while I was in California and we had dinner. Me being a goof I spilled my wine on her blouse. We went back to her place and one thing led to another."
"And this time?"
"This time Ava was upset and getting drunk really fast at the Towers. I just wanted to get her back to the farmhouse but we ended up at my place. Maybe Olivia is right and I did take advantage of her" Doris sighed and this time it was her who back away.
"No, no you didn't. The woman I saw in the Beacon was not looking hurt or upset. If she felt that way she wouldn't be going to so much trouble to patch things up between you and her mom."
"But what about you? What do you think?"
"Doris you can be a major pain in the ass and a complete shit."
"Why thank you too"
"Stop interrupting. But you would never take advantage of Olivia's daughter. You wouldn't do that to someone you cared about."
"For a few weeks everything in my life was good and then I did what I always do I fucked it up."
"No, you didn't. You didn't fuck up everything." Blake said looking Doris in the eyes and pulling her close.