Summary

In the coming weeks, in Chapter 9, Winnie encouraged Ava to go on more shopping excursions and facilitate more returns. Ava was concerned that Maria would notice the shipments of bags arriving to her house, so she rented a storage unit at Winnie’s behest. One day, when she was running late and knew Oli would be home before her, she asked Maria to tell him that she “drove to Melo Park to meet a friend for coffee” (122). Ava felt guilty for asking Maria to lie and slid a fifty-dollar bill into her purse the next morning. Maria asked her about the money and slid it backed, irked by the gesture. When Ava gave her a raise shortly after, their friendship devolved further. When Ava met up with her college friends, Joann and Carla, they baulked at her new relationship with Winnie. Ava...