SSMM Ch14

Ava isn’t sure if Viv’s being serious about the million bucks, but Viv’s eccentricity is written all over this place, just like her wealth. Ava’s reminded of that on her way back to the kitchen when she walks past a glass case containing a mannequin wearing the bikini that Viv wore in one of her movies, and a blown-up magazine cover of a topless Viv covering her boobs with her hands and looking sultry.

In the kitchen, she discovers that there’s been a little misunderstanding. Ava had been picturing everyone eating together in the big dining room, which has a long table suitable for at least twice as many people as are in the house.

But that dinner would be beyond awkward, and while Viv is eccentric, she doesn’t seem to be a monster. At least not in that way. Viv is the common denominator here; a lot of people seem to know her, but not each other. Annette is the only other central figure. At any rate, everyone is doing their own thing, and the help has to make sure that they’re fed. Ava is glad to be helping; it would be too messed up for Jane to have to cook and run around the house.

It's also fun that she notices herself picking up her skirts so she can hurry around. Ava isn’t doing it on purpose; it has utility. She always thought this was something women in movies did to be dramatic, but that’s not it. It’s legit.

Like Cinderella fleeing the ball, she hustles out of the kitchen to perform her function: finding everyone, but she doesn’t make it past the front door. It bangs open and the storm pours in, along with a bedraggled woman. It’s Kia, dripping wet.

“Whoa!” Ava rushes over to help her close the door. It takes the two of them, struggling together to get it shut. The storm howls outside. It has really escalated these past few minutes.

“What were you doing out there?” Ava demands, looking at the trainer in her pitiful windbreaker over her workout clothes. There’s no raincoat serious enough for action like this.

“Uh,” Kia begins, then frowns. “Who are you?”

“I’m Annette’s beautiful assistant. But I’m being Jane’s beautiful assistant right now.”

“OK, cool.” Kia’s mind seems to be elsewhere. “Don’t try to drive anywhere. It’s a bad idea. Looks like I’m staying the night.”

“Roger.” Ava salutes.

“OK,” Kia says, giving her another funny look. Ava wants to quip; the compulsion to quip is so strong. After all, she’s not the one sleeping with the boss’s wife. Well, wait a minute. There is a non-zero chance that Ava will sleep with the boss herself. So it’s probably a good thing that she resisted the judgy quip, and Kia has already walked away anyway.

“Hey!”

Kia stops and looks back.

“Where are you eating?”

“Oh. Uh…” Kia thinks about it, then shakes her head. “I’ll just find something.”

“Jane’s working in there, sweetheart. I’ll bring your food to the dining room.”

Kia looks taken aback, and possibly a little dazed. “OK,” she says.

The joke is on Ava. She’s trying to make Jane’s life easier, but she finds Aubrey grazing in the kitchen while Jane’s trying to work. Jane doesn’t seem too bothered, but Jane has incredible control over her face.

Aubrey’s looking pretty cute and casual in a T-shirt dress with her hair up. She really has the look of the pretty, basic, white trophy wife. There’s no judgment; if Ava walked into a party and saw Aubrey there, she would instantly have thoughts and feelings. And if she were Aubrey’s personal trainer, she’d want to do a good job too. In short, she’s very jealous of whatever Aubrey and Kia have going on, but maybe that’s the breakup talking. No, it’s horniness. It’s sheer horniness. This whole deal has been way too stimulating, and Ava has gotten zero relief. A part of her wants to spill something on herself to have an excuse to go take a shower.

Belinda and Chitose have elected to eat in the dining room, and Ava’s not especially surprised when Kia is not there. Kia has no obligation to do what Ava says.

Ava focuses on not screwing up as she delivers the food, although she’s fascinated by these two Chitose has a lot of presence, even if she isn’t a huge person. And Belinda’s just too cool with her highlights and riding boots.

Belinda seems a little distant and distracted, gazing up at the big painting over the fireplace at the far end of the dining room. On the spectrum of horny gay artwork in this house, it’s pretty tame: a tasteful depiction of two nude women in bed, nothing explicit, one resting with her head on the other’s belly. It’s nice.

“Need anything?” Ava asks, seeing Chitose watching her.

Chitose smiles and shakes her head.

“Yeah, actually. Um, we could still use a hand,” Belinda tells her. She’s not exactly begging. “If you get time.”

“I can’t commit,” Ava says truthfully and gets on with her work.

Ingrid and Ebba have found a cozy breakfast nook, and there is no doubt about it: they are the most normal, least horny people in this place. Ava admires that.

Cristy doesn’t answer her door, but Ava does find Karina next door. Karina’s a little waifish, but her calves identify her as an athlete. Her bleach job isn’t the greatest, but it works for her. Ava should feel bad about objectifying this way, but it can’t be a coincidence that there are no normies in this house right now. Even Annette and Ebba have some MILFy charm. Viv only wants to be surrounded by conventionally attractive femmes, and when you’re that rich, you can do what you want.

“I’m Ava. I’m helping out. Do you know where Cristy is?”

Karina’s pretty casual in her tracksuit as she accepts the tray of food. She seems tense, but who wouldn’t be in this situation? Annette’s done this a million times, but for half the people here, this is their first time doing business stuff or visiting a movie star.

“No, I don’t. Um, but I think she wanted to talk to you. Like she wanted your help.”

“With her pitch?”

“I think she wants you to wear one of the uniforms,” Karina says, sounding a little apologetic.

“Like to model it? Because I don’t think I can play tennis like… convincingly with a pro.”

Karina just shrugs. “I just wanted to mention it.”

“No worries. Need anything else?”

“I’m good,” Karina says, closing the door.

She’s not super sociable.

These people aren’t giving up. Ava always wanted to be popular, but this is overkill. She’s going to have to help with one of these presentations. Annette will surely insist on it. And if she waits any longer, Annette will probably decide for her. And that will be in just a minute, because Annette’s eating with Viv, and Ava’s headed there next.

Should she help Chitose and Belinda?

Or Cristy and Karina?