Chapter Sixty-Three

Bang.  Bang.

The sound of the nail gun ringing in her ears was almost enough to drown out the low, husky growl of Richie’s voice as that song continued to play in her head nearly two weeks after he sang it to her.  He’d sent it to her and she had played it nearly every day since.  She had never been an inspiration for a song before.  It was kind of cool.

Setting the gun down, she wiped her forearm across her sweaty brow and sat on the peak of the roof to take a much needed break.  Roof work was a bear on any given day, but add in an unusual heat wave in April in Southern California and, well, working in hell might be cooler.  She grabbed the now tepid bottle of water and drank down the remains.  It was wet was the best she could do.  She could feel the short tendrils of hair that had escaped her braid sticking to the back of her neck.   Pulling the bandana off her, head she mopped her face and neck.  A shower would be bliss right about now.  She was going to stand in hers for an hour at least when she got home.

Adjusting the bandana back on her head she was fantasizing about a gallon of ice water when her phone vibrated in her pocket.  Pulling it out she wasn’t surprised to see she had missed several calls.  She shrugged.  With all the construction noise and her using the nail gun, it was no wonder she hadn’t heard or felt the phone go off in her pocket.  Pulling up the call log she was surprised that all the calls had come from the same number.  A number she didn’t recognize except for the area code.  It was a Los Angeles number. 

Pressing the call button on the phone log she waited, wondering just who it was she was calling.  She didn’t have to wait long.  The call was answered before the first ring was done.

“It’s about time you answered your phone.  I’ve been trying to get a hold of you all morning. Where have you been?  I need help with Ava and Richie gave me your number and you never answer your phone.  I’m stuck at an appointment and Ava needs to be picked up and you’re my last resort.  I don’t know what I’m going to do if you can’t help me out.  I can’t leave here until I talk to the director and he’s tied up and I have no idea how long this is going to take and Ava needs a ride home.  Can you help me out?”

Stephanie pulled the phone away from her ear and stared at the device.  Who the hell was this?  When the rant finally stopped she managed to voice her question.  “Who is this?”  She reflected on the spiel the woman had spewed through the phone and, focusing on the name Ava, she had a sinking feeling she knew who it was that was going off on her.

“It’s Heather.  Can you help me out?”

Stephanie flipped her braid off her shoulder.  “Did Richie really give you my number or did you get it from Ava?”  She had told Richie to go ahead and give it to Ava so she could call her if she needed anything.  Heather’s name hadn’t come up in that conversation and she knew Richie wouldn’t have given her the number without telling Stephanie first.

Heather huffed out an impatient breath on the other end of the phone.  She didn’t have time for this.  “I got it from Ava.  What difference does it make?  I’m in a bind and need your help.  Can you pick Ava up?”

Stephanie looked at the expanse of roof that still needed shingles and sighed in resignation. Of course she’d help.  How could she say no?  “What time does she need to be picked up and where am I going?”

Stuffing the phone back in her pocket, Stephanie picked up the nail gun again.  She had to pick Ava up at five at the Calabasas Library.  She could work for another half hour and then she’d have to pack it in for the day if she wanted to beat the traffic and pick Ava up on time.  Getting to Calabasas from West Hollywood would be no picnic once people started leaving work for the day.

~

Tossing her toolbox into the bed of the truck she stowed her hard hat behind the seat and climbed into the cab.  She was glad she had bought the pretty little red pick-up.  It was worth it not to have to worry about her camaro every day. 

Pulling into traffic, Stephanie caught her reflection in the rearview mirror and cringed.  She was a hot mess, literally, after working in the heat all day.  Stopping for a red light she pulled the bandana off her head and unwound her braid.  Finger-combing her hair as best she could, she used the hair tie and bound her hair up in a messy knot at the back of her head.  It was only a slight improvement, but it was the best she could do. 

At the next red light she pulled the pack of baby wipes from the glove box and wiped some of the day from her arms, upper chest, neck and face.  She looked in the mirror again.  It wasn’t pretty, but it would have to do.  She wouldn’t win any beauty contests, but at least one layer of grime was gone.   Hopefully she wouldn’t have to get out of the truck for any reason.

Pulling up in front of the library, Ava was nowhere to be seen.  Stephanie checked her watch.  It was a couple minutes before five.  Quickly, she shoved the baby wipes back into the glove box and unlocked the passenger door.  When she looked up to the door again, a blonde head appeared with a confused look on her face.   Clearly she was expecting her mother to be waiting for her in her pretty little Mercedes, not her father’s girlfriend in a pick-up truck.

Stephanie opened her door and stepped out on the running board so she could see over the top of the truck and called out to the girl.  “Ava!”

Ava looked again and, recognizing Stephanie, slipped out the door and down the steps.  “Hi Steph.  Where’s my mom?”

Stephanie slid back into her seat and buckled her seatbelt.  “She called me a little while ago and asked me to pick you up.  She’s stuck at some appointment or audition or something.” 

Ava nodded, not surprised in the least that her mother sent someone else to pick her up.

They drove on in an uncomfortable silence for a while before Ava spoke up again.  “You’re kind of a mess today, Steph.  What were you doing before you came to get me?”

Stephanie slowed for another red light.  “I was shingling a roof when your mother called me.”

“Oh yeah” Ava said.  “Dad told me you were volunteering with Habitat for Humanity.”  She looked Stephanie up and down.  “Do you like getting all dirty every day?”

Stephanie laughed as she proceeded through the now green light.  “I don’t mind it so much.  I wash easy enough and I’m helping to put a roof over someone’s head.”  Literally today.  She glanced down at her hands on the steering wheel. “It’s hell on my manicure though.”

Ava giggled and held out her own chipped finger tips.  “School really does a number on mine.”

Stephanie spotted a Starbucks at the next intersection.  “You thirsty?  I could use an iced coffee or something.”

Ava nodded her head, “sure.”

They snaked their way through the drive thru and back into traffic, Stephanie with her skinny iced mocha latte and Ava with her iced chai latte.  It seemed only minutes later that Ava was directing her to “turn here” and “pull in here” and she was at Heather’s house.  She put the truck in park and turned to Ava.  “Here you are.”

Ava nodded, but made no move to get out of the truck.  “Thanks for picking me up and” she shook her plastic cup, “for the drink.”

Stephanie smiled gently at the pretty girl.  “Any time, sweetie.”

Ava gathered her things and was reaching for the door handle when Stephanie spoke again.

“I know this is probably short notice and if you’re already busy, I’ll understand.  But, are you busy on Saturday?  I could really use a manicure, quite possibly a pedicure and some retail therapy.  If you’re interested, we could have lunch too.”  She was trying.  She really wanted to forge some type of relationship with Richie’s daughter.

Ava considered the offer and smiled broadly.  Her mother was busy Saturday and that would leave Ava alone for the bulk of the day.  “Actually, I don’t have any plans for a change.  Mom’s busy too, so I’m free.”

“Okay” Stephanie said.  How about if I pick you up at 11 and we can have a “queen for a day” kind of day?”

“I like the sound of that.”  Ava opened the door and hopped out, turning back before slamming the door shut.  “Thanks again, Stephanie.  See you Saturday!”

Stephanie smiled and watched her dig for her key as she walked to the door.  “See you Saturday” she murmured as she headed for home.