CD Chapter Thirteen (Patreon)

Ava didn’t tell her boss, Tom, that she quit. She also didn’t tell Lyle, or anyone else. Not that she talked to anyone else. But on her last break, she went and bought real steaks, a half dozen eggs, a loaf of whole grain bread, and two avocados, which she never got to eat, because they were either good or bad, but never lingered in between. Only things she could prepare and eat when she got home, or would be safe sitting out on the counter, because of course the refrigerator was still broken.

When she got to VaVaVoom, she hesitated, undecided whether she should tell VaVa that Sunday would be her last day. She didn’t want to leave her boss in the lurch, having to scramble to find people to cover Ava’s shifts. But what if something went wrong? What if the money vanished as easily as it had appeared?

Then Mandy waved cheerfully at her from the back room. “Ava! Oh my gosh, you have to see this dress! I don’t think anyone else could possibly pull it off.” She paused, tilting her head. “Well, maybe Alexis, but she’s part-time late shift.”

Ava stepped carefully around half-unpacked boxes of high-heeled shoes, kitten-heeled Mary Janes, and glittering dresses. She smiled at Mandy, feeling more relaxed than she had in a long time, and her friend blinked.

“Um, Ava, are you okay? I only ask because you look really, really tired, but you also smiled. Like, an actual, real smile.” Amanda squinted, then smacked herself in the face, laughing. “Nope, no Identify skill here. I was up way too late playing VO.” She rolled her eyes.

Ava felt her smile tick up a notch. “Yeah,” she offered, “I’ve had that happen to me, too.”

“Whoa,” Mandy’s blue-lined eyes were huge. “What happened to you? I mean, I like it! But what’s up, lady? Spill! Something good happened!”

Automatically, Ava’s hands started removing her outer garments, getting ready to put on the sleek silver dress Amanda held. “I just,” she paused, tugging her Henley over her head. “Can you keep a secret?”

Amanda choked, then coughed, leaning over as she wheezed. Ava patted her cautiously on the back, and the shorter girl waved to indicate that she was all right. When she could finally speak, she gasped out, “Sorry,” another cough, “just breathed some spit.” She stood up, smoothing the creases her fingers had pressed into the fabric of the gown. “Yep. Yep, I’m great at secrets.” She mimed locking her lips and throwing away the key, then stared expectantly at Ava.

Ava looked around, as if someone might be lurking in one of the clothing racks lining the walls. “I’m… leaving. On Monday. Probably.”

She winced at Amanda’s shriek, and clapped her palm over her friend’s mouth, shushing her. Mandy pulled the hand away, leaning closer. “Leave leave? Like, the city? Or just this job? Why didn’t you tell VaVa? You know she won’t be mad! Unless you just don’t show on Monday.” The compact dynamo’s blue eyes were a little fiery as they met Ava’s. “I won’t tell, since I promised I wouldn’t, but Ava-!”

Ava’s shoulders slumped. “This is why I wasn’t going to say anything. But I-,” wanted to talk to a friend, she thought, but just tugged the slippery fabric from Amanda’s hand and let it slide down her body, shivering at the chill.

Amanda put her hands on her hips, and huffed out a breath. “Nope,” she said, “not making assumptions. That has gotten me in trouble so many times. Ava,” she laid a hand on Ava’s bare arm. “Explain?”

Ava bit her lip, uncertain. “I… think I’m going to have to move. For a job. But it’s not certain yet, and if I quit my jobs, and then this thing falls through, I’m screwed. And I won’t know until Monday.”

A faint chime echoed from the pocket of Ava’s khakis, puddled on the floor. Both girls glanced down, but when Ava didn’t move to pick up her screen, Amanda started talking again, eyes slightly unfocused as she went through the possibilities. “Okay. So Monday comes, this thing falls through, and you’re here, no harm, no foul. What are the odds of that?”

Ava shrugged to indicate that she had no idea, just as her screen began to ring insistently. When Ava didn’t immediately answer, the volume grew louder, which should never happen without Ava telling it to. Which meant there was only one person it could be. She leaned down and pulled the screen from her pocket. It instantly went silent, and a message scrolled across the lock screen.

Tessle is cool. She can help. Tell her Gina says it’s guaranteed. Yes, that Gina.

P.S. Don’t tell her about Amy.

P.P.S. I mean me.

Amythyst was just weird, and how could she possibly know Ava was talking to anyone, much less who? Though the GM had shown a complete lack of concern for Ava’s privacy, so maybe she really was just sitting there, listening to what was happening around Ava. Because obviously she had nothing better to do. Though how the woman knew who Mandy was, Ava had no idea. Unless she had also hacked the accounts of anyone Ava knew, and Alpha had accepted a friend request from Tessle in a moment of weakness, though she’d never actually contacted her.

Ava ran a hand through her hair, doubtless causing it to stick up even more than usual, and said, “Gina says it’s guaranteed.”

“Gina who… OhmyGodthatGina?” The blue eyes were enormous now, and Amanda covered her shell-pink lips with fingers lacquered in the same shade. “Holy poop, Ava!” She leaned in. “You remember I said I sold my stream from Refuge? I did, but I actually sold a lot more than that. There was a whole, big, bet placed on who was going to win this last war. Did she tell you?”

Ava shook her head, and her friend stuttered through a few words before she finally managed, “Then I can’t tell you, because legal stuff, but if it’s that Gina, she has money. Lots and lots of money. If she says you have a new job, then you do, and you need to let VaVa know you won’t be back on Monday so she can adjust the schedule.”

Ava still wasn’t sure. After all, if Amy/Gina/Amythyst really had that much money, then why wouldn’t she just pay Ava normally, instead of using her lottery hack? Though, there was the fraud aspect of the whole thing, so maybe it was to keep the two of them separate? Did that mean Amythyst was going to throw Ava under the bus at the end of this? After all, Ava didn’t actually know anything about her to tell the authorities if they came knocking at her door. It was obvious the woman - was she even a woman? -  could get into almost any electronic system, and she could change her digital appearance however she wanted, so…

Mandy gently pinched Ava’s arm, grimacing an apology when Ava looked at her. “Sorry, sorry, but you were spiraling. Look,” she drew in a breath, “I don’t know what she’s up to this time, but one thing I do know is that she’s honest. I mean, other than the lying. But she really wants to help people. If she’s decided you’re one of hers, then she’ll do whatever it takes to protect you. I have a friend who could have gotten in a lot of trouble thanks to one of her schemes, but it all worked out, and let’s just say that my friend will never have to worry about anything ever again. Except what college she wants to go to, because with every university in the world as an option, it makes picking one really hard.”

VaVa poked her head on, false lashes fluttering as she realized that Ava wasn’t even dressed, much less ready to work. “Honey, you need to get moving! There’s a drag competition at Club Sepia tonight, and we are going to be slammed.” She bustled in, her hot pink shoulder-length satin gloves flickering as she tucked and tugged at Ava’s dress. Clicking her tongue at the bra straps poking out from under the edge of the bateau neckline, VaVa quickly taped them out of sight, then moved on, stripping her right glove off in a single, practiced motion.

“Mmm mm, thank goodness this dress is just a sack until you pour someone into it. No fuss, no muss, but you cannot go out there without makeup. Makeup is a woman’s weapon, girl! How many times do I have to tell you?”

Glancing over at Mandy, Vava’s experienced eye took in the shorter girl’s outfit, which was unapologetically reminiscent of a sexy, full-figured Little Bo Peep. “You look like you ate your lipstick, honey. Fix that and get out front. I need to get this under control.” She gestured dramatically at Ava, and Amanda hurried to obey, casting a meaningful glance at Ava as she hurried out onto the floor.

VaVa swirled around Ava, tucking and patting until the dress fell just so, and then moved on to makeup. As she was patting on primer, Ava finally found the courage to speak.

“VaVa, there’s something-”

VaVa laid a finger over her lips, closing her eyes so her long lashes fanned out over her mahogany cheek. “No, honey, no talking. Talking is for hair time. Makeup time is silent.” With a sharp flick of her wrist, VaVa snapped open a container of powder foundation. Five minutes of intense focus later, she was satisfied, and spritzed the look with a setting spray. As she started brushing Ava’s hair up into a dramatic crest, she raised a perfectly arched eyebrow expectantly. “Now the talking.”

“I’m quitting,” Ava said.

VaVa’s hands only hesitated for a moment before she resumed working. “Right this very moment?”

Ava started to shake her head, but stopped when she realized her head was locked in a grip so strong she probably couldn’t have gotten out of it if she’d been desperate.

“No,” she offered softly. “Monday. Or Sunday? I’ve never quit a job before,so-”

“You won’t be here on Monday?” VaVa asked, circling Ava with a can of hairspray set to full blast.

“No.”

“All right then. I hope you found someplace better, honey.” VaVa stopped in front of Ava, her sincerity dimmed not an iota by the two-inch false lashes and pancake makeup. “I’m so glad we could offer you a safe place for a while. I could tell when you came in here that you were just about broken. You weren’t one of my girls, but I’ve seen that look too often. This world isn’t kind to people who walk a different path.”

Gently, she leaned forward, one bare arm and one pink-satin-clad arm enclosing Ava in an affectionate embrace. “You do what you need to do, girl. And if you ever need a safe place to come back to, we’ll be right here.”

Ava let her head fall forward onto the queen’s warm shoulder, and it was a true testament to the skills of Miss VaVa Voom that her makeup didn’t even smudge as she finally let herself cry.