An Honest Kiss

Chapter 15

Rachel was doing her best to keep a straight face, "Here Aunt Ava, have a cool drink and relax for a minute. I'm sure we'll figure something out." She pushed one of the glasses that Sue had brought forward.

"I'm here now, if it's been too much for Rachel I can take over," Nancy said with a smile, the implied insult not escaping her or Ava.

"Who are you?" Ava asked looking up from her phone.

Rachel knew that Ava remembered her. Ava never forgot anyone it was what made her so successful in Washington, where everyone liked to be remembered. She also knew that Ava hadn't liked her, which meant that Ava would play with her like a cat played with a mouse until it got bored and decided if it was going to kill the mouse or let it go.

"You remember Dr. Lancaster, Ava, she's Jack's partner."

Ava just looked at the woman for a moment more before she looked back down at her phone with a grunt. There was silence for a moment before Rachel decided to try again. "Dr. Lancaster, have you talked to Jack at all about me?"

Nancy's eyes narrowed, and Ava's head jerked up, suddenly very interested in the conversation. "Have some tea dear." Ava said in a warm motherly voice as she pushed a glass towards Nancy.

Rachel would give anything to have either Bob or Jack there at that moment. The only person Ava ever listened to was a strong man.

"No, I haven't been back to Africa. My Grandmother was taken ill and I had to stay until she got better or died." Rachel who had been taken a sip of tea choked on it at Nancy's lack of empathy towards her own grandmother.

"Which was it my dear?" Ava asked, putting her had on Nancy's in a comforting manner, but Rachel knew better.

"Which was what?" Nancy asked.

"You grandmother, did he did she get better or did she die?"

"Oh, she got better of course, I was there." Nancy took a sip of her tea completely oblivious to the stares of disbelief that the two women were giving her.

"So you haven't been back to Africa, and you haven't talked to Jack?" Rachel said after a moment. This would mean that she would have to break the news. She would have to be the one to admit to Nancy that she couldn't keep her husband. She would have to admit her failure to a women who had probably never failed in her life.

"Isn't that what I just said?" She looked at Rachel as if she was a different kind of special for not having understood her the first time. "What should he have told me about you?"

"He should have told you that Rachel left early to come and help me," Ava said, looking at Rachel, telling her with her eyes to stop. Rachel understood the message loud and clear but she wasn't going to. She wanted it over and done with.

"I gathered that when I got here and saw her acting as if she owns Jack's house."

"I wasn't acting as if I own-,"

"Rachel has always felt at home no matter where she is. I think it has to do with her father having travelled so much when she was a child." Ava shot Rachel another warning look

"Dr. Lancaster you need to know that-"

"I have an idea Nancy, why don't you stay with me at my home. I would love to have you close in case anything comes up that I can't handle by myself. I'll get you caught up on all you need to know." Ava looked at her with her warmest smile.

"I'm not sure." She looked around her at what, she assumed, was Jack's house, trying to decide if staying there was more favorable than going with Ava.

"My dear, Jack's not back for a few more days, and I know that it's just Rachel here. She can cook and clean for herself, but I'm sure you're used to more comfortable standards." Ava was laying it on thick but why?

"What about the woman that was here earlier?"

"Sue, she comes a few hours every day to dust and such," Ava said, leaning back when she sensed she had won. "Go freshen up then I'll take you back to my place so we can get caught up on the fundraising."

Nancy nodded, completely unaware that she had just been had as she walked into the house.

"Ava, what are you doing?" Rachel hissed.

"That woman is evil, and I will not allow you to tell her the truth. She will sense your weakness and strike my dear."

"She's not a snake, Ava!"

"Like hell she's not. I can't believe that Jack didn't tell her, and then he let her come here, does he want you to do his dirty work?"

"Ava, if she hasn't been back to Africa how could he tell her? In an email? Oh hey by the way you know that nurse...we're married and have be for seven years. Surprise!"

"Exactly that way. They aren't in a romantic relationship, so I don't see that it matters how he tells her." Ava took another sip of tea. "Really Rachel, it's after lunch, put some vodka in this for goodness sake," she said with a grimace.

"Jack's a nice guy, she's his business partner, and he wouldn't be that nonchalant about it," Rachel insisted, ignoring the vodka remark, but barely.

"Well neither you nor I are going to tell her. You're going to let Jack come back, you will both fix this mess you've made between you-" Ava held up her hand at Rachel's attempt to interrupt. "I know you haven't fixed it, I'm not stupid. Then he can tell her just as he should have done over five years ago." Ava rose putting her phone back into her purse. "He's lucky that I love him like a son otherwise he wouldn't be walking so well right now."

"Ava!" Rachel chastised.

Ava just shrugged not taking back what she had just said. "He's a dumbass Rachel. I hate to be the one to break the news to you, I know you think he's perfect, but he's just a dumbass like most men."

Rachel had to look down and bite her lip to keep from laughing at Ava's directness. "I'll tell him you said so," she said after a moment.

"You do that," Ava agreed as Nancy returned.

"Are you ready? I'll shoot you another to-do list Rachel," she said as she started to lead the way back into the house.

When they reached the door Nancy stopped and turned around. "By the way Rachel, your stuff is in Jack's room. You should probably move it before he returns." Then she turned followed Ava out the door.

Rachel was floored. How did Nancy know which room was Jack's? Just like that all of her doubts came flooding back. Had Nancy stayed here before? Had she stayed with Jack in his room? In their room? He had said that there had never been anything between them, but what did that mean exactly. Maybe they were just friends with benefits, or maybe they had just had a one night stand.

She didn't know how long she stood there but she heard her phone ding, and she looked down at the text message. DUMBASS was all it said.

Great, Ava had heard Nancy's parting comment, she sunk into a chair and rested her head on her arms. She had the feeling that she was the dumbass.