Ava Comes Home Read Online Free PDF

pair of silk-organza platform sandals with Swarovski diamante details. Ava put them on and went to the full-length oval mirror in the corner of her dressing room. She stood there for a good minute, taking it all in.
    Her three good friends were delighted for her.
    â€œYou look like a china doll,” Maurice sighed.
    â€œYou look like a princess,” Harold chimed in.
    â€œForget princess. She’s a hot tamale!” Lola shouted.
    They were laughing when Mercedes knocked softly on the door. She had a long rectangular box in her hands. “This came for you,” she said to Ava.
    Ava flicked her wrist. “You can put them with the other flowers, if you don’t mind, Mercedes.” She had been inundated that day with flowers from friends and admirers alike.
    Mercedes hesitated. “I thought you might want to see these.”
    Ava took the box from Mercedes’ hands and placed it on her dressing table. She slid the small card out of its envelope and read the message. “We wish we could be with you. We’ll all be together at Aunt Vi’s tonight, cheering you on. Good luck. We love you. Xoxo.”
    The box was filled with white daisies, her favourite flower. She could so easily picture the fields and meadows back home.
    Ava immediately grabbed the back of her makeup chair and sat down heavily. Tears welled up and she couldn’t stop them from rolling down her cheeks.
    â€œMy god, are you all right? Don’t cry, honey. You’ll ruin your makeup.” Maurice held a tissue to the corner of her eye.
    â€œI’m sorry,” she whispered. “I’ll be all right.”
    â€œWho are the flowers from?” Harold asked.
    â€œMy family.”
    They knew that talking about Ava’s family was forbidden. Maurice knew more than the other two, but being the loyal friend he was, he never talked about it with anyone, including Harold.
    â€œI’m sure they’re very proud of you,” Lola ventured.
    Ava nodded and continued to dab at her eyes. “They’re going to be at Aunt Vi’s tonight. I wish I was there too.” She got up and turned away from them. “I’m always alone.”
    Her friends looked at each other and collectively felt a faint dread, knowing the excitement of this big day was overshadowed by something none of them could understand.
    â€œExcuse me a moment.” Ava walked out of the room.
    Maurice took the opportunity to give Lola a quick hairdo that was true glam rock, straight out of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. She loved it.
    Once she got into her white fitted gown there was nothing else to do, so they went downstairs where they were joined by Camilla and Trent, who planned on traveling with Ava and Lola in the stretch limousine. They opened a bottle of Moet’s and sipped from crystal champagne glasses while they waited.
    Ava eventually came downstairs, subdued but smiling. They poured her a glass of champagne and toasted her success. She thanked them just as Mercedes poked her head in to tell them the car had arrived.
    Assuring Ava they’d be fine, that they’d invited sixty of their closest friends over to their place for a fabulous Oscar night party, Maurice and Harold waved them off. Ava promised she’d call them as soon as she was able.
    Traffic was awful. They waited in an endless line-up of limousines converging at the intersection of Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue in front of the Kodak Theatre. As the minutes passed, excitement was replaced with anxiety. Lola grabbed Ava’s hand and tried to reassure her that it would be a walk in the park, but when the door was finally opened and Ava was ushered out in the limelight, it was as if everything intensified. A kaleidoscope of images swam before her eyes but she was all alone. Lola, Camilla, and Trent had to follow a few steps behind her, out of the way of the cameras. Ava looked around several times to make sure her friends were still