The Billionaire's Golden Girl

Chapter Eighteen

After getting their food, they head back to Becky's Apartment.  Becky isn't there and there is a note.

"Mommy, I'm home," Taylor says, cheerfully entering Becky's bedroom which is to the left when you first walk in.

Ava grabs the note and walks into Becky's large room. The walls are painted a soft purple color. Pictures of Taylor at various ages. Her baby pictures above the queen size bed. The closet is open and empty. No suitcase, no clothes.

Ava opens the letter.

My daughter is yours, I will be back, but I need to figure out some things. I know you will do well taking care of her. She needs you, not me right now. I have some demons to face and I can't put Taylor in danger. Make sure she knows I love her.

Ava sets down the pink paper, her eyes shining in her golden eyes. She looks over at Seth. He can see the fear that lingers in her eyes. The pain beneath them. Who could leave their child like this? Ava thinks about how stressed she was. But to leave your daughter without a when you are coming back or a goodbye. That is a different kind of monster.

Ava runs over to Taylor, with her arms wide open.
"Your mommy is on a business trip right now, it was last minute. Guess what though?" Taylor frowns looking at the ground."

"What?" She asks with disappointment in her tone, "Ice cream for dinner tonight!"

Ava looks at Seth's eyes shadowed with worry. All she can think about is being strong for Taylor. The thing is Becky knew about how her mom left when she was little. Ava had a stepmom and two stepbrothers and an adorable step-sister Avery that died of cancer when Ava started modeling. Ava paid for treatments, but nothing worked. She even slept with a guy to get her better doctors. Ava's stepmom put her nose in the air and ignored the extreme conditions she was in. Chemo, radiation she took all she could take at six years old. Ava married her ex after this, her father, her blood kept her in the shadows and used the money she worked for, for his gambling debts. He had so much with Ava's s ex's family that if Ava would not be pressured into marrying him. Love blinded her, well what she thought was love. It was a schoolgirl crush gone bad.

Abandonment is something Ava has harshly endured her whole life. Now she is seeing the same thing done to Taylor, who she loves a lot. There is one thing Taylor will get that Ava was never given. Love. Her father hated her because she reminded him of her mother. Taylor is a victim and Ava doesn't understand Becky's ways.

Taylor turns to Seth with a big smile on her face.

"You are a poopie head." She points, giggling. A single tear falls on Ava's face. To Taylor, it goes unnoticed, but Seth sees her as she is wiping it away. He notices how her face lights up when Seth is called a poopie head.

"Princess fart face, how dare you call me a poopie head?" Taylor throws her head back laughing.

"I will fart on your pillow Mr. Poopie. I will even get Mrs. Poopie's permission." Taylor says as Seth tickles her.

"Who is Mrs. Poopie so I can make sure she doesn't turn on me?" He smiles, at her little giggles.

"Ava is Mrs. Poopie, my future boyfriend will be sir farts a lot." This joke causes all three of them to laugh.

"Time to eat. If you finish all your food, we can go to the park later." Ava explains making Taylor excited because she loves the Park.

"Can we have a tea party and picnic there?" She asks Ava and Ava says, "of course."

Ava and Seth eat in comforting silence. Ava begins packing picnic essentials and Taylor's plastic princess tea set.

Seth helps out a bit by packing up snacks and juice boxes.

"Let's go," Ava says, as they drag her out the door.

The park is full of children, Ava and Taylor set up the tea set. Ava let Taylor bring five toys. She chose play jewelry and her feather boas. Ava filled Seth in on the information and he held her close saying, he would be there for her all the way. She turned him down at first worried, about his job and the people who depend. She barely knows this guy but for some amazing reason, she can't see herself without him by her side. He has done one thing no man has ever done. He doesn't expect amazing, he waits for those moments and we both enjoy them.

"You get the pink one," Taylor passes the boa to Seth with her pink clip-on earrings and cat-eyed glasses.

"Won't he look pretty," Ava explains as he clips on the earring. He sends her a wink that makes her giggle more.

"I feel like you should wear that all the time, people wouldn't be so scared of you. You have a mean face, in the magazines." Taylor explains.

"What's so mean about my face?" He asks with a smile.

"When Ava isn't around you, you don't smile as much. You must like her." Ava blushes at this comment made by a five-year-old. Seth's cheeks turn a light shade of pink.

"Yeah, she makes me happy." He explains readjusting his boa. He walks away with a swagger causing both of them to laugh at his dramatic antics.

Ava looks at his ass for a second enjoying the view, until he turns around and catches her. He tilts the glasses down and winks. Taylor then hands Ava a hand fan.

"You are going to need it." Ava laughs as Taylor gives it to her. She fans herself a little. Ava has seen people in movies make this sexy and one time she modeled for a magazine and the hand fan was all she used to cover her breasts. It was one of her favorite shoots she did because that respected her. Too bad he was gay.

Maybe when Taylor runs off and plays she can show him. She thinks about it as she sits down on the chilly grass. This is the most normal, she has probably looked in a long while.
Jeans and a basic blouse, no makeup unless you count chapstick. She is comfortable but at the same time, a little stressed. Taylor goes off and plays with new kids she has already deemed as a friend. Ava thinks if only it were that easy. Friends these days are hard to find, money doesn't matter to Ava but when people find out her net worth everything changes with the people as soon as the number gets added into the mix of friendship. It starts slow, but then soon they become dependent on her. It happened with Becky because she cared too much. Having a heart and having money is a challenge for anyone to overcome. Finding genuine people who want you for you and not because of a number in your bank, is a challenge.

There is a sense of respect and knowing between Ava and Seth. Money is a topic that hasn't been brought up. He may make more than Ava, but Ava still has time to grow as a person and as a business, also she likes stability.