I was not as productive as I had planned this weekend. Saturday, I was watching documentaries on Disney+ when I received a text from Ava.

Ava: What are you doing? I finally got away.

Bathwater: Where are you? And, happy birthday, btw.

Saturday was Ava's birthday. She convinced her Boyfriend she wanted to be alone on her birthday and rented a hotel room for the evening. Ava wanted to know if I wanted to get together for dinner. Apparently, being alone did not exclude me.

I told her to pick a place she would like to eat, and I could meet her at the hotel in an hour. I jumped in the shower, backed a travel bag, and headed out. The hotel was on the other side of town. Forty minutes away. While I drove, Ava was updating me via text on her search for a place to eat. Last-minute reservations were hard to find. 

"I'm beginning to think you don't have a boyfriend," I remarked as she entered the Gladiator. 

It seems her story concerning her boyfriend having covid was true. He was still sick. Ava showed no signs of the virus. Ava had not found a restaurant by the time I arrived, so we decided to go to Twin Peaks, right across the street, for an appetizer and to continue our search. 

Twin Peaks is a sports bar where the waitresses wear booty shorts and red plaid shirts tied at the waist to expose their midriff and breast. I didn't find any of them appealing, though. Good-looking help is hard to find in this town.

Ava looked pretty. She wore high-heeled ankle boots, cream-colored leggings, and a sparkly silver top with cutouts at the shoulder. 

"You look nice," I told her as we sat at the table. "How did you sneak that out of the house?" Her sister was in town, which helped her excuse to leave, but Ava texted me rather than meet up with her.

Ava told her boyfriend she wanted to be alone on her birthday for weeks. She turned thirty on Saturday. A landmark she was not looking forward to achieving. She feels she is behind in her goals. Ava didn't think it was odd to want to be alone. I laughed and said it was strange that she didn't want to be with him, but I didn't press my point.

We didn't stay at Twin Peaks long. Ava found a restaurant nearby that didn't require reservations. I think part of her was having fun sneaking about. The restaurant was an unremarkable place. We sat and talked while we waited for the food. Ava debated whether to get carrot cake for dessert or soft-serve Ice Cream from a Vietnamese mocha place after. The ice cream won.

"You don't trigger me like he does," Ava admitted during the drive. They argued the day before. It is still a common occurrence between the two. I think half stem from the fact she doesn't want to be there. Her boyfriend hasn't spent any time figuring Ava out. Ava cannot sit still. He probably thinks he can change her. It hasn't worked so far.

Ava said he made her pancakes for breakfast and offered to pay for her hotel room after the argument, but she wouldn't allow it. Can you imagine?

"He is happy just having me around," Ava tells me.

I can understand that, but I do not understand the cluelessness and desperation. I don't think he gets much for his investment. Ava will never remain with him. I think she tries fooling herself sometimes. If she does stay, it wouldn't be in a monogamous relationship.

The Mocha shop caters to a younger crowd. When we got there, a group of young adults played a board game at one of the tables. Ava and I ordered our dessert, and Ava picked up a wooden Connect Four game from a self and brought it to a table. Ava beat me four games in a row while we ate our ice cream. 

She takes her Connect Four seriously. "To my defense, the last time I played this game was probably with a four-year-old."

We headed back to the hotel. I joked about us sneaking in through the side entrance. "I'll walk two steps behind you and pretend I don't know you."

I'm a minimalist when staying in hotels, but Ava had arranged her room with her things. There was no big suitcase, though, and no indication that Ava had been away more than the night.

I sat on one of the beds. Ava came out of the bathroom wearing only the silver top and sat in front of me. My hands massaged her back, bare butt, and legs while we watched an episode of Pretty Little Things on Netflix. After Ava put on some music, I undressed, and we moved to the other bed.

We had sex in various positions before winding down beneath the covers. I sensed Ava wanted to spend some time alone. Besides, my staying the night would not be safe. Her boyfriend would probably be there bright and early with coffee. Ava asked if I wanted to take a shower. I deferred and said I would shower later at home.

I dressed, and we removed all evidence of my presence. Ava stood naked inside the doorway and kissed me before I departed. It was after midnight. The night was cold, and the streets were empty. 0