Ava Comes Home by Lesley Crewe Read Free Book Online Page B

typical Cape Breton winter day in February. Everything she had wasn’t warm enough. She’d have to buy a winter coat or she’d freeze.
    In the end she wore a pair of jeans and an oversized sweater, with her hair in a ponytail. She wanted to be as inconspicuous as possible. Trouble was, with her suede Steve Madden platform booties, Burberry trench coat, and Louis Vuitton handbag, she wasn’t fooling anyone. Putting on oversized sunglasses didn’t help matters.
    Lola came out in a pinstriped pantsuit and did a double take. “You’re wearing that!?”
    Ava looked down at herself. “What’s wrong with this?”
    â€œIt’s pretty casual, don’t you think?”
    â€œSo?” She grabbed her hotel key. “I don’t want a big fuss.”
    Lola sniffed as she grabbed her purse and coat. “No worries then, because no one will make a fuss over you in that.”
    â€œWhy do I keep you in my life?”
    Lola pinched Ava’s cheek. “Because you love me.”
    Ava yanked the door open and walked through it. “Don’t be so sure.”
    Following her out and down the hall to the elevator, Lola said, “Listen kid, if it weren’t for me you’d be a mess. We can’t have you believing your own press, can we? Who else is gonna tell you the truth?”
    Ava punched the elevator button and then put her arm through her friend’s, her head resting on Lola’s shoulder. “I know. Thank God you’re here. Thank you for coming with me, I couldn’t have done it alone.”
    Lola patted her hand. “That’s the second time you’ve said that. Don’t worry, I’m not going anywhere.”
    When they got off the elevator a crowd of teenaged girls accosted them.
    â€œOh please, can I have your autograph, Miss Harris?” they all said at once.
    Ava put on her fake smile and murmured, “How sweet. So kind.” That was Lola’s cue. She put her hands up. “Girls, it’s lovely of you to come out tonight, but Miss Harris is here on personal family business. It’s a sad occasion, so I’m sure you understand. Thank you.” Then she pulled Ava along through the protesting girls and managed to hustle her into the car.
    â€œSometimes I get tired of this,” Ava sighed.
    â€œAnd sometimes you don’t, you little diva.”
    Ava watched the scenery go by on the twenty-minute car ride to Glace Bay. Most of it was familiar, but there were a lot of changes, enough to make her realize she was away a long time. Ten years, a significant portion of her life—she was only twenty-eight. (Though Trent insisted her official biography read twenty-three.)
    New businesses had popped up everywhere along Welton Street, with big box stores built in and around the Mayflower Mall. There were more fast food restaurants than she remembered. She was happy to see The Tasty Treat still going strong. They always did have the best ice cream.
    They passed the drive-in theatre, now closed for the winter. The huge ratty old sign board read “_lose_ for th_ sea_ _ _.”
    When they drove by the cut-off for the town of New Waterford, more memories crowded in, ones she wanted for forget, so she tried to erase them from her mind by concentrating on the cemetery to her right. Forest Haven looked especially peaceful on this particular day, a vast expanse of undisturbed white snow covering the brass grave markers on the ground. Her grandparents were buried there, but she couldn’t remember where exactly.
    â€œWill you stop that?” Lola said.
    Ava was aware of her heart beating too fast. “Stop what?”
    â€œBiting your nails. You ruin every manicure you get.”
    â€œSorry.” Her hands were in her lap for about ten seconds before she started again.
    Lola shook her head and looked out the window. “It’s so funny here.”
    â€œFunny?”
    â€œAll the houses are made of wood