I was thrilled when I got a text from Ava last week. “Lunch at MetroCourt Thursday. Lucas is dying to see you.” I love lunches at the MetroCourt with Ava. They are boozy, tea-spilling affairs, and you never know who will visit your table.
Ava was already sipping an icy martini when I arrived. For those who have never been there, the elevator up to the restaurant always smells like fries and Sonny’s cologne. It’s a fascinating olfactory experience. As I exited the elevator, I spied Ava at her favorite table. She looked up as I approached, and gently set down her drink.
“Mama! It is good to see you,” she said, standing to embrace me and kiss me on both cheeks.
“Ava, you’re looking fabulous, as always,” I say, taking my seat across from her. “Are we eating solid food, or just drinking our lunch?”
“Dealer’s choice!” she chirped. “Oh, look! There’s Lucas.”
I was already smiling when he joined us at our table. “Sorry, I’m late,” he said breathlessly. “Marco was texting me pics.”
Ava rolled her eyes and gave me a conspiratorial grin, “I strongly suggest you not ask to look at those pictures.”
“Believe me, I know!” I said, giving Lucas a wink. “I’m glad you’re happy.”
“Oh, I am happy! He’s a cutie!” Lucas agreed. “But hang on, I’ve got tea!”
“I haven’t even ordered a drink yet, and you come spilling it already!” I laugh. Ava gave a nod to the server, and soon we were happily embibing all together.
“Okay, get this…” he began, leaning forward and dropping his voice, “Willow is in Drew’s room right now!”
Ava groaned and I shook my head. “That girl has no idea what she’s getting herself into!” Ava said. “She thinks she can outsmart him.”
“Outsmart Drew?” I asked. “I know she believes she has the upper hand, but, and forgive me for stating the obvious, isn’t she a bit ‘deranged’ these days?”
Ava began nodding even as she bit off a single olive. “I’ve looked in those eyes, and it was terrifying.”
“Right?” Lucas agreed. “Girlfriend needs some serious therapy and medication.”
Lucas proceeded to detail everything he’d overheard as he silently stood just outside Drew’s hospital room door.
“I think they are going to frame Michael!” Lucas said with a flourish.
“Oh, you can’t be serious,” Ava complained. “This again.”
“What do you mean, ‘this again?’” I asked, not quite following the thread.
“It always comes down to a crazy woman trying to blame her crazy on someone else. I should know. I’ve done it more than a few times.” Ava explained.
I shook my head and met Lucas’ eye across the table. “No, no, Ava darling. There’s a big difference between you and Willow.”
“Preach!” Lucas blurted out.
“First, you’re not crazy. You’re just pre-menopausal.” I laughed.
Ava did not.
I could see Lucas grinning behind his hand, so I didn’t notice when Nina approached the table.
“Well, well, well! What do we have here?” Nina asked, looking absolutely stunning in a fuchsia sheath. “Mama! What a surprise!”
“Ava asked me to lunch with her and Lucas, so of course I had to say yes.” I said. “Would you like to join us? Lucas was just telling us about Willow.”
At the sound of that name, Nina immediately pulled out a chair and sat down. “What’s going on with Willow?” she demanded.
“Well, from what I overheard, Drew is going to accuse Michael of the shooting, and Willow is going to go along with it so...”
“She can get her kids back!” the four of us say in unison. At this point, the server came by with menus, but Ava motioned them away.
“Lucas, are you telling us that Drew is going to set up Michael to take the fall, regardless of who actually shot him?” Ava asked.
“That is exactly what I’m saying,” Lucas agreed. “We need to warn Michael that Drew is going to manipulate this situation.”
“Hang on a second…” Nina began slyly, “How can we use this to our advantage?”
“That’s my girl!” Ava said, raising her now-empty martini glass in a toast.
“How can you use this to your advantage?” I ask. “Unless, of course, you’re trying to protect yourself.” I gave Nina a conspiratorial glance. “Need a better alibi?” I chided.
“I didn’t shoot Drew!” Nina said. “How can you even suggest that?”
All three of us looked at her at that point, and she nodded in agreement. “You’re right. I am thinking of protecting myself. But I didn’t shoot Drew.”
“Who didn’t shoot Drew?” Carly’s voice made us all jump.
“Carly!” I say. “I didn’t see you there,” I say, quickly adjusting my expression to one that wouldn’t upset her. “Would you care to join us?” I asked, hoping the answer would be no.
“No, I don’t want to join you. I just want to know who didn’t shoot Drew.”
“I didn’t,” Ava said.
“I didn’t,” Nina said.
“I didn’t,” Lucas said.
“Oh, what the hell,” I said, “I didn’t shoot him either.”
Carly looked at each of us, her brown eyes glistening with suspicion, and then turned and huffed away.
“I need to remember how we did that,” Ava said, signaling to the server she needed another drink. “That was a very efficient way to make Carly go away.”
“It was probably all that talk about menopause,” I said, realizing this might be the last time Ava ever invites me to lunch again.
Thankfully, Lucas had my back.
“It was the menopause, for sure.”
God bless that boy.
That was fun!
love this!! and ‘fess up: did you look at any pics of Marcus? 😉😉🤣🤣🤣🤣🥰