Chapter Text
Ava calls her. The first attempt at contact since a month after she dropped the lawsuit.
And for the first time, Deb answers she tells herself she doesn't know why.
Ava
(indignant)
Are you kidding me? What are you doing back with that?
(She hisses)
Isn't he married?
Deb
(scans the room discreetly)
What?
(Scoffs)
I don't see how that's any of your business. Why are you calling?
Ava
Excuse yourself and go outside.
With that Ava hangs up and watches from her spot across the room as Deb discreetly glances around, this time more fully, and then tells Marty to excuse her she'll be right back. He leans in to kiss her and she turns her head and walks away. Defty avoiding his flaccid attempt.
She doesn't know where Ava is but she does know that if she can see them she doesn't want to add fuel to the fire. Deb is embarrassed enough that Ava knows who she's with...she doesn't need her knowing she has already been fighting off his advances all night.
She isn't sure why she is listening to Ava. Except that from the second she saw her name light up her phone, she knew she'd been caught. Exposed. But why did she feel like that?
She walks through the penthouse office building and through the sliding glass doors that lead out onto the balcony.
As she walks around the corner to a more secluded section of the balcony she expects her phone to ring again.
Instead, she hears a click of a lighter and turns around just in time to see the flame light up Ava's face as she lights the joint she holds between her teeth.
Deb
What are you doing?
Ava
Getting high. Wanna hit?
Deb
Here, Ava! What are you doing here?
Ava
Why are you with him?
Deb
He's my date for this evening's festivities. Why are you here?
Ava
(rolling her eyes)
It's my party, Deb. I wrote the show. No one bothered to tell you that?
Deb
I...uh...haven't exactly been paying much attention to industry things here recently.
Ava
(sadly)
Oh
Deb
(Dismissively)
I knew you were working on something great. I just...I was busy.
Ava
Yea. You're always busy. Gonna work til you're 109
and I'm 64.
Deb
You did the math.
The smirk at the end of Ava's sentence washes away some of the hurt behind the words. She hadn't been busy. Not with work anyway. Nothing clicked anymore. She stopped trying to write new material about a month after the lawsuit and instead, just let Marcus market her. Between personal appearances and DJ finally having a successful round of IVF her days have been full.
But the nights were just shockingly quiet. There was no amount of ambient noise in the house that seemed to fill the silence. She'd tried turning on music in every room (worked in the side mansion). But that just made her house seem larger. Having the TVs on just made her realize her lack of conversation at night.
She had absentmindedly agreed to attend this party because, well, she is still Jimmy's client and it is her fault he left Latitude in the first place...
Ava
So...circling back. Do you want a hit?
Ava steps fully into the ambient light and Deb gets her first real look at the girl. She is dressed in a perfectly tailored suit and her hair is in soft curls. It suits her. She looks good and Deb grabs the joint from Ava's outstretched hand to give herself a second to straighten out her thoughts.
She takes an experimental hit from the joint. There is nothing sexy about a coughing fit after all. Exhales then takes a longer toke.
Deb
There...
(exhaling)
Happy now?
Ava
(shurgs)
No, but we'll talk about that later.
Ava steps back into the shadows again to lean against the corner railing.
Ava
You should see the view from over here.
Deb
(indignantly)
Oh yeah, why? What does it have to offer?
Ava
You have to come find out for yourself. Here.
Her body betrays her as her feet lead her closer to where Ava is leaning.
Ava passes the joint back to Deb and steps away from the dark corner. Making room for Deb to step in and try to figure out what Ava was talking about. She started to ask but then she saw them.
Meteors.
Deb
I'm not gonna make a wish.
Ava
I already have.
Deb
Of course, you have. Let me guess for a hit show and a never-ending supply of pot.
Ava
If I had a hit show. Which I do... by the way. I'd have never-ending weed, D.
Deb
(Nodding)
Fair. Congratulations.
She could already tell she was high. As she let the nickname go.
Ava
Thanks. You're missing the show.
Deb turns and looks out towards the shower.
Deb
It is beautiful.
She says with a shiver.
Ava
Yes.
She hears Avas reply as she feels her step closer behind her not quite touching her but close enough that Deborah can feel the heat radiating off her and causing goosebumps to rise on her already chilled bare legs. Making her instantly regret her dress choice. She had not intended on being outside for this long.
Ava
Cold.
It isn't a question but Deborah answers anyway.
Deb
I'm half-naked compared to you. Of course, I'm cold. Why don't you make yourself useful and do something to warm me up?
She realizes what she said as soon as she hears the intake of air behind her.
Ava
(Unbuttoning her coat)
Okay
She says as she fully presses her body into the length of Deborah’s wrapping an arm around her middle.
Deb
(Warningly. Questioningly)
Ava?
Ava
Hmmm? Is that better?
Deb
What do you think you are doing?
Ava
I'm quote-unquote "doing something to warm you up"
Deb
That is not what I meant and you know it.
Deb's body betrays her words as she leans back into Ava's warmth.
Ava
Actually, D, I think this is exactly what you wanted.
Deb
How about you just lend me your coat...like a gentleman.
Ava
Gentleman right OK. That sounds fun.
She shrugs out of her coat and slides one sleeve up Deb's arm. Reaches back around her to take the joint and then slides the other sleeve up. As soon as the jacket is around her shoulders Deb spins around.
Ava
So, what are you doing here?
Deb
Jimmy told me it would
(Air quotes)
"Best serve my interests"
Ava
And that?
Deb
Marty was Marcus' suggestion. Actually something he said is starting to make a lot more sense.
Ava just arches an eyebrow at her in question.
Deb
(CONTINUED)
Maybe it'll 'pop the cork.'
Ava runs her other warm hand up Deb's bare thigh causing another shiver down Deb's spine.
Deb grabs Ava by her collar and drags her into a crushing kiss full of heat.