Chapter 10

She was startled, and pleased. “Bea! It is so good to see you,” said Ava, answering the door. “Come in, come in.”

“You did say just to drop by any time,” said Bea, entering as directed.

“Yes, I did, it’s just that you are such a surprise,” said Ava. “Have a seat,” the visitor did so.

“Thank you,” said Bea.

“So how have you been?” said Ava. “How are things at the store?”

“Good and good, I mean busy; well, you know,” she said. “I was nearby: I have a doctor’s appointment. And I decided to come by here first. I got a letter, believe it or not, from your man upstate.” The look on Ava Gardner’s face was pure surprise.

“A letter from Julian?” said Ava.

“Yes, delivered to the store, and it surprised me too. I mean he’s never written to me before,” she said.

“Okay?” said Ava.

“Yes, apart from the usual pleasantries, he asked if you and I were still close. He knows you quit your job, but of course he does not know about the baby. He said that when Blake visited him last time, in July rather than in June, he said, he seemed a little off. That is that Blake seemed a little off to Julian. I don’t know Ava, he didn’t ask me to do anything, or say anything to you or to Blake, but I do think he was fishing,” she said. The other woman was nodding.

“Bea, I do appreciate you coming here to tell me about the letter. I don’t know why Julian would have thought that his brother seemed off, as you say, not then for sure. Still, Blake’s visitation being off schedule, kinda, might explain it. But really, there is no reason, or was none even in July, that should have caused Julian to be concerned about anything. I mean he is in prison, so I don’t know, I guess the reality is that everything is off when one is incarcerated. Still, you coming by is kind of fortuitous,” said Ava.

“Oh?” said Bea.

“Yes, something big is in the works, and I was going to be talking to you, especially you, soon,” she said. “So, I guess now is soon.”

“Okay?” said Bea.

“Yes, my man, our man, has been inside that awful place for the past year and a half, more than that actually. I will be visiting him on Thanksgiving. And, he still does not know about Candace. Blake picked up the gauntlet there and has made it his business to take care of me and the baby.

“When he visited Julian, he got Julian to okay me quitting work. He did so because I was pregnant and he, Blake, thought that I shouldn’t need to be working given the need of the baby to have her mother around full time, as he, Blake, said.

“He did not tell Julian about the baby; we are still not ready to do so, and it may be a long time before we are ready. At any rate, Blake sold Julian on the belief that it was too hard on me to be working with everything that had happened to him, Julian, and that he needed to let me off the hook as it were. And, the truth is that Blake did not lie; it has been hard on me to work given my constant concern for my man,” she said.

“I know. I was there; it was hard for you to stay focused on groceries and customers all the time.”

“Yes, for sure,” said Ava.

“Ava, I know that a lot of women have the same tragic problems you have, and do not have the resources that you did and do. But since you do have the resources it does make sense for you to take advantage of them,” said Bea.

“Thank you for that,” said Ava.

“You’re welcome,” said Bea, “but you said it was fortuitous of me to be coming by today?”

“Yes, and it is. I’m glad you’re sitting down. Would you like a drink? I only ask because I think you may be needing one,” said Ava.

“Okay,” said Bea, looking questioningly at her friend. Ava stepped over to the mini-bar, really an oaken cabinet, that served the immediate needs of short-term visitors in the receiving room of the condo, and retrieved two short stem glasses and an open bottle of brandy. She poured a double into each glass, handed her visitor hers, and, picking up her own glass downed half of it in one go. Bea, for her part was more deliberate.

Ava was still standing but a few feet from her seated friend. They stared at each other.

“Yes, fortuitous,” said Ava, “I would like you to be my maid of honor at my marriage to Blake.” Bea Evans picked up her glass and downed what was left in it in one go.

Holding forth her glass, silently requesting a refill: she eyed the bottle of brandy covetously.

“I heard you, and I know I heard you right; but I can’t believe I heard you,” she said. Ava nodded, and poured the requested refill.

“I know. I can hardly believe it myself. He proposed and made his case to me just a few days ago,” said Ava.

“You know this news is going to absolutely destroy your, I guess, used-to-be man,” said Bea. “I mean especially since he is sitting helplessly in prison.”

“It would if he were to find out about it,” said Ava. “He won’t till much further down the line, maybe not even until he gets out, or is close to getting out.

“Blake and I feel like such traitors, but the truth is we are in love. When the man gets out, he will be an instant millionaire. He will still be a major part of the family, and the hope is he will be a willing and enthusiastic father to his daughter. We are concerned about that one, since Candace will be a technical adult at the time, but we will be hoping.”

“Oh my God, is all I can say,” said Bea. “But, yes, I will be your maid of honor.” She downed the second drink also in one go.

“Thank you. I will for sure be needing your support, and that even after the ceremony,” said Ava. “Bea, along those lines, how are you doing financially if I may ask.” Her friend started, but then shrugged.

“Surviving I guess,” she said. “I mean not getting rich, but I usually pay my bills on time. Why do you ask?”

“Blake and I spend most of our time here at the house; well, since the baby came along. We get visitors now and then, but whenever we go out, the baby has to come with us. We’ve been thinking of hiring an on-call nanny. And because it would be an on-call thing we are willing to pay a premium to ensure her availability,” said Ava.

“A premium?” said Bea.

“Yes, $500 a week. It would be mostly weekend duty, but sometimes during the week or special days, like when I go up to visit Julian, which I intend to continue doing,” she said.