Saving Ma
Summary: After Frank proposed to Natalia, Rafe Ave and Emma team up to help their moms.
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters and I do not make any profit from this.
Chapter 38
The next few days for Olivia and Natalia were spent in bed resting. Neither complained about it much considering how they were feeling. The pain and headaches, for Natalia. The headaches and pains of most of her body for Olivia. Jane kept Natalio as always and Emma and Mateo went back to day camp with a Beacon security guard for each. Allan was still on the loose and they weren't taking any chances with the kid's safety. The investigation was slow going and Frank hadn't given Allan up yet, it was irritating everyone.
Ava went back to work the day after they got out of the hospital and Rafe the day after that, but frequently came and checked in on them. Ava was finishing up a call with some suppliers when Ashley came in. "Ok, I can agree to those prices. I would like you to start the deliveries Monday. That's when our old contract runs out and we will be using your company from now on. - Yes, thank you. We hope to do business with you for a long time to come. - Yes, I will fax the signed contract and first order before lunch. - You have a wonderful day as well." She hung up and looked to Ashley.
Ashley smiled as she handed her a folder. "I take it you got the new contract for the liquor supply settled?"
Ava beamed. "Yes. At 20% less than the last company. It will save us thousands a year." She took the folder and looked it over. "These look good. I just need to have Ma sign the checks and we can hand them out. I will go up with their lunch and have her sign them then. Thank you."
Ashley leaned into the desk. "What do you want for lunch today? We staying in or going out?"
Ava thought for a moment. "I think we will stay in today. I have tons of work still and really just don't feel like going anywhere. That cool with you?"
Ashley smiled. "I'm good with whatever, you know that. Rafe said he was eating lunch with Whitney in the dining room today."
Ava smiled. Whitney was a new sous-chef that they had hired two months ago. They had hit it off and had been on a few dates. "I figured. With all the crazy going on he missed hanging out with her the last week."
Ashley just nodded. "I know the feeling."
She and Ashley had been hanging out a lot outside of work as well. They formed a quick friendship as their mom's had started hanging out more and she and Ashley were always around. Once they started working together to they became inseparable.
Ava smiled, "Me too. I've missed just hanging with you." She thought for a moment. "Why don't we order out and just hang in here and eat lunch?"
Ashley smiled brightly. "Sounds good. What do you want to order?"
Ava sat back for a moment. "I don't know, you know what I like, surprise me."
Ashley straightened to leave. "That could be dangerous." She winked, turned and left.
Ava sighed as the door closed then smiled. She was increasingly confused by her feelings for the blonde. Ashley was her best friend, and she valued her more than anything when it came to work. They worked seamlessly well together and after hours they played well together too. They hung out, went to clubs together, movies, dinner, or just hung around Ashley's apartment or the farm house. It didn't matter what they did, they just clicked. She had never had a friend like that.
Occasionally Daisy would join them too but not often. She was a little juvenile for Ava's taste but she was Ashley's friend so she just put up with her. Ashley just seemed so much more mature then Daisy did. It didn't matter. If Ashley wanted her around she would deal. What Ashley wanted she usually got from Ava. She didn't abuse this fact or even seem aware of it, which Ava was happy for.
She wondered if this was how her mom felt when she was just friends with Ma. She sat thoughtfully for a moment then shook that thought away. No, that was different. Regardless she had work to do and needed to stop worrying over nothing.
It was almost 11:00 and Ashley was supposed to bring lunch at noon so she headed up to the suite with this week's payroll for Natalia to sign. She entered quietly not wanting to startle either of them or wake Natalio if he were napping.
Jane was sitting on the couch watching TV and smiled up at her. "Hey Ava. Your moms are awake, I just took their lunch in and Natalio just went down for a nap."
Ava nodded. "Thanks." She said as she knocked and was told to enter.
Natalia looked up as she entered. "Hello sweetheart. How's work going today?"
Ava smiled sitting on the edge of the bed next to her rubbing her leg. "It's good, I just need you to sign the paychecks for the week so Ash can give them out this afternoon."
Natalia nodded putting down her fork and reached for the folder and caressed her cheek. "Sure baby."
Olivia smiled at them. She loved watching Natalia interact with any of their kids, but she seemed to have formed a special bond with Ava. That thrilled her to no end. She looked at Ava for a moment noticing she wasn't her usual self. She couldn't pin point what it was. "Ava baby, is everything ok? You seem a little off today."
Ava sighed. "I'm fine, just busy. I'm finally getting caught up and can almost see my desk again."
Olivia frowned. "Hey, don't overdo it. If it's nothing pressing it will keep."
Ava smiled. "Yea, ok miss workaholic. Like mother like daughter. I can't stand to have all that stuff to do and not get it done. No worries, like I said, it's almost all caught up and I can relax this weekend. Oh and I got that contract with the liquor supplier you wanted at a 20% decrease in price from the last supplier."
Olivia smiled. "That's my girl, thank you for dealing with that for me." Ava just nodded.
Natalia finished the last signature and handed the folder back to Ava. "Here sweetie, all done. Now why don't you order up some lunch and eat with us."
Ava shook her head smiling. "No thank you Ma. Ashley is out getting our lunch now and should be back by the time I make it back down stairs. We're going to relax and have lunch in my office away from everything."
Natalia gave a fake pout. "Fine. If Ashley's company is better than mine."
Ava laughed knowing she was teasing. "Yea well, what can I say? I like blondes." They all laughed as she kiss them both. "Well gotta go, I'm starving. See you tonight."
She left the room and headed back to her office. Natalia and Olivia looked at each other. "You don't think�" Olivia wondered.
Natalia wondered herself for a moment. "Na, she would have told us." They both shrugged and went back to their lunch.
Ava made it back to her office to find Ashley setting out Chinese takeout. The smell hit her when she opened the door. "Oh god that smells fabulous. Good choice, I'm starving." She said as she sat on the couch next to Ash.
Ashley smile. "Glad you approve. We hadn't had Chinese in a while so I thought it was a safe bet."
Ava was going through bags. "Did you get pot stickers?"
Ashley chuckled. Ava was addicted to pot stickers. "Like I would forget your crack." She said pulling them out of the bag in her hand. "You'd probably fire me."
Ava snatched them away playfully. "I wouldn't fire you. I value having you here too much. But there would be dire consequences."
Ashley opened her own food and started to eat. "Oh really? And what would those be? Hmm?"
Ava munched happily thinking. "I don't know, but I'd think of something. Maybe I would ban you from movie nights with the family."
Ashley grabbed her chest. "Hey, that's a low blow. That hurts me Ava. I should tell Emma on you."
Ava looked up in mock shock. "Hey no need to get serious there. Emma need to know nothing."
They looked at each other seriously for a moment then both burst out laughing. Ash recovered first. "Fine, no Emma, and I will just have to never forget the pot stickers."
Ava smiled "Deal."
They both tucked into their lunch and talked about random things, just enjoying each other's company. When they were done they both stood to clean up their mess. Ava looked to Ashley. "Hey, do you have an evening gown?"
Ashley smirked. "My mom is a politician, of course I do. Why?"
Ava smile. "Well we have that charity ball here tomorrow night. Mom and Ma were supposed to go to represent the Beacon but obviously will not be attending. I thought maybe you'd like to join me."
Ashley looked shocked. "You want me to go with you?"
Ava was confused. "Sure, why wouldn't I? You're my best friend and we would both be representing the Beacon. I think it will be fun."
A look of disappointment flashed briefly across her face but was quickly replaced with a smile. "Sure, I'll go. What time do I need to meet you?"
Ava didn't miss the look but wasn't sure what it was about. "If you don't want to go you don't have to Ash."
Ashley shook her head. "I do want to go." She said grabbing her hand. "What time?"
Ava smiled. "Ok. I'll pick you up in the Beacon car at 6:30 so we can drink and not worry about you driving."
Ashley nodded and gathering the last of the trash and the payroll folder, headed out to her own office. Ava watched her leave then turned back to her desk.
It was almost 5:00 when Ashley came next. "Hey, it's almost 5:00. You cutting out soon or are you staying late?"
Ava looked up. "No, I'm beat. I'm going to head out soon. You want to come up and eat dinner with the family and watch a movie or something? I got a big screen in my room and pay per view."
Ashley smiled. "Sure, sounds fun. I'll finish up, get my things together and meet you back here in 20 minutes or so?"
Ava nodded turning back to her computer. "Sounds good. I should be ready by then."
20 minutes later they were headed upstairs Rafe in tow. They ate dinner with the family in Olivia and Natalia's room. After baths for the kids Ava claimed a headache, exhaustion and just wanting a quiet movie night with Ashley and retired to her room in the adjoining suite. Rafe had offered to put the kids to bed so she could lay down.
Once they changed into comfortable clothes and they settled on the bed to watch the movie Ash turned to Ava. "Hey, if you have a headache we can watch a movie another time. I can go and let you sleep."
Ava smiled grabbing her hand. "I do have a headache but I missed you and wanted to watch a movie with you."
Ashley got up and went to Ava's bathroom. She came back with two Tylenol and grabbed a bottle of water out of the mini fridge. She got back on the bed handing them both to Ava. "Here." She sat up against the headboard and put a pillow in her lap. "Lay down here and watch the movie."
Ava took the pills then shifted and lay her head in Ashley's lap. She started massaging her head then scratching lightly to sooth her head. Ava sighed and snuggled down. "Thank you."
They watched the movie together like that and both fell asleep in that position. That's how Rafe found them later when he went to check on Ava before bed. He smiled walking over and shifted Ava to lay on her own pillow. He went around and coaxed Ashley to lay down so she wouldn't wake with a crick in her neck from sitting up and covered them both. He turned off the TV and closed the door quietly after resetting her alarm. Tomorrow was Saturday, he would let Ava sleep in. She didn't have to be in to check on the charity ball until 1:00. He checked on the baby one more time checking the monitor and headed to bed smiling.
