Daylight

Chapter Nineteen

Time marched on, and they had an exceptional day in Central Park. In fact, the rest of their time there was just that. A small routine had developed between the three of them. Georgetta joined them for dinner on their last evening in New York, and she remarked about how happy everyone looked.

Tears fell as expected when Sebastian rode with them back to the airport, but this departure felt different than the last. A few short months and they'd be together again. They'd be a family. It felt doable. They'd talk every day in some form or another and they would all count down together.

When Ava and Luca arrived back at home, they tried to fall into their old routine when school resumed. Ava got Luca off to school before she went back inside to double check the work schedule online to confirm she didn't work today. That was when she noticed she wasn't on the schedule at all. That's not right. They knew she was coming back. One call to my manager at the hotel would correct this. It's just an error.

What she heard instead floored her, literally. "Check your texts," he prompted. There was a photo there, the same one that Marco had sent her. "This is Luca, isn't it?"

Ava couldn't deny it, they knew her son well. "Yes, it is sir," she answered quietly.

"Which makes you Sebastian Stan's girlfriend," he observed. Ava didn't disagree but instead held her breath. "At the Waldorf, we pride ourselves on our level of discretion," he explained. "Your name will be out soon enough, and we can't have your presence drawing attention. I'm sorry, Avana, but we have to let you go."

Click. The line went dead. Her phone fell from her hand as she slid down the side of the counter and onto the floor. Less than three months, that's how much longer they had left here, but now this. She needed to tell Sebastian, she knew that, and she would. But right now, she felt a wave of emotion rush over her. She needed to get this out before she called.

~~~~~

Back in New York, Sebastian sat at his kitchen island with his agent, going over the paperwork needed for his newest film. He read through everything carefully and smiled at the bit of script that was given to him. "I'm really looking forward to this," he nodded. "I think it's something different and that's a good thing... the prosthetic alone is going to be wild."

"You're gonna be in that chair for a long time," his agent agreed, flipping through pages to find what needed signatures. As he did, he glanced up at the sound of one of their phones vibrating. "Was that me or you?" he asked.

Ava: When you're available, could you call me please?

Sebastian looked up from signing his name on the bottom of one of the papers. "I think it's me. Do you mind if I answer it?"

"Nah, go ahead. I've gotta make sure I have everything in order," his agent replied, doing his best to manage the papers that were now all over Sebastian's kitchen island.

He grabbed his phone and quickly read the message before standing from his seat. "I have to call Ava." Sebastian dialed her number as he turned and walked down the hall and into his room. As soon as he heard the line connect, his heart was in his throat. "Ava? Baby are you okay?"

Ava hadn't expected him to be able to call her so soon; she knew he was meeting with his agent today. Her face was still damp with tears when she answered and put the phone to her ear. She pulled her eyes closed and breathed as evenly as she could. "No, not really," she answered honestly. "I, uh... I was fired today," she shared, her head in her hand.

"Awe, Ava... Do you need me to come there?" he asked. He knew he would start filming in a couple of weeks and some meetings needed to be held, but Ava was the only thing on his mind. "Tell me what you need, baby doll."