TEN

They got interrupted.

It was as though Sasha knew they were about to get really real right there in the office.

Groaning inwardly through their ride home, Ashley could not help but glance every now and then at Dave who still maintained his serious face while driving. Each repeated look at him got Ashley wanting him the more. Dave just managed to look so good even when so, so serious.

As the curved road that led to her neighbourhood came up, Ashley began to devise. Maybe it was high time she had a rebound. Just that this particular rebound, she had a feeling he was going to be around for a very, very long time.

No. No. She already told herself she was not going to let anything happen between them sexually. Her heart was too fragile at that moment for anything that might accompany sleeping with the gorgeous man.

*‘Aargh!’* Ashley could not help but scream in her head. Why? Why Dave Scott driving her so crazy? What was he doing to her? The Ashley she was did not let anyone drive her.
*‘Well, that bastard Kevin did.’*

“We are here.” Instead of looking out at her destination, her eyes immediately went to glue themselves on Dave whose curls kept sweeping to the front of his face. Wondering if the heated session they shared earlier would continue, Ashley’s eyes went to his hands that were still on the steering wheel.

“You are staring.” His head shifted to look at her, that twinkle evident. “I could not help but notice that was all you did through our ride here.” Ashley gave a short smile. What answer could she give anyway?

He continued, his lips tugging with charm, “Is there something I should know? Is there something you want me to do for you?”

Damn! He was teasing her. He knew she wanted him so bad, he could read it off her. Ashley knew she had to up her game a bit. Deciding to leave his question unreplied, she went on to slowly tug on her lower lip.

Before she knew it, Dave went from groaning to smashing his lips against hers within a second. It was fierce, it entailed extreme hunger, the kiss was fire. It took every nerve in her to not leave her seat and climb onto his laps.
“Staying away from you is so difficult,” his hands caressed her skin with gentleness contrary to his kiss. His murmured words sent vibrations through her, she just had to give a low moan.

Ashley was about running her hand through his hair when a knock on the window interrupted them.

“Uncle Sam?” A deep frown formed on her face as she pressed the button to roll down the window. A short smile on the face of the man who bore a striking resemblance to her late father, Ashley just had to forget her urges. Facing Dave apologetically, she said, “I will meet you later Dave. Thanks a lot for today.”

Dave returned her smile, “Have fun.”

“Hello Uncle,” she did not even spare him a look as she walked past him, her hand stylishly fetching the house keys from her bag.

“Ash, it is good to see you.” Sighing inwardly, Ashley took a minute to maintain mental stability. She needed it.

Opening the door wide, she beckoned to him to enter. Another sigh escaping her lips as she closed the door, Ashley dropped her bag on the floor.
“So, Uncle, why the sudden visit?”

Scratching his beard, one of his hands pocketing, a forlorn look on his face, Sam replied, “I know my visit is quite unexpected. But I had to come as soon as I heard about what your mother did.”

Ashley scoffed. “You had to come as soon as you heard. How nice of you, Uncle. I hate to break it to you, but I don’t need your sympathy.”

“Ash, please don’t do this now,” he pleaded.

“Let’s go have our seats. Would you like anything to drink?”

“No, thank you.” They had their seat on the long sofa.

“Uncle...” Ashley could not help but feel emotional as it seemed as though she were sitting next to her father. She really missed his smiling and teasing face. She really missed the ridiculous stories he told her whenever he felt like. “Where have you been?”

“Ash…”

“Twelve years Uncle. You left for twelve good years. No notes, no messages, not a single call! Why did you abandon us? Dad had just died and we needed you more than ever and what did you do, you freaking vanished.”

“Ashley…”

“I hope you have an explanation.”

Closing his eyes as though trying to achieve calm, he said heavily, “I… I don’t have an explanation.”

With an unbelieving laugh and voice, she asked, “What are you doing here then?”

Sam made eye contact with her. “I came to talk about you. Your divorce. I came to talk about what your mother did.”

Her laughter this time was louder and extremely sarcastic. “Let me get this straight Uncle, you suddenly disappear after Dad’s death without trace only to show up at my door step out of the blues. And the thing you want to talk about is my divorce? You are mistaken.”

“Ashley, listen…”

“No, you listen. If at all you know what is right, telling me you want to talk about my divorce should come right after an apology and explanation.” Ashley huffed. “Mom and I were in a bad state, we needed someone to be with us. We needed you to be with us. You just…”

“I am sorry! Okay? I am sorry!”

Abruptly getting up, annoyance on her face, Ashley cried, “Don’t shout at me Uncle.”

“I am sorry.” Sam burst into tears to Ashley’s discomfort. “ I didn’t meant to run. I was not supposed to run, I just became very scared.”

“Sacred of what, Uncle?”

“Life. The reason I was able to cope in life had just died, I instantly became hopeless and scared after his death.” His hands cupped at his face, Sam shook with tears.

Having her seat, heaviness on her chest, Ashley reached to comfort her Uncle. “Why didn’t you say anything? We would have stood by you, helped you. All you had to do was stick with family.”

“I just became scared. Running away seemed like the best idea back then, turned out it was the worst idea eventually. It took me three years to get my life together so that I could do something meaningful with it. I know showing up like this is so crazy, but I really am sorry for abandoning you and your mother.”

“It is fine Uncle, I really wished you had let us help you though.”

Ashley,” his tears had stopped flowing as he made eye contact with her. “, about your mother. You need to forgive her for what she did.”

“Are you being…?”

“I know what she did was terrible, very, very terrible. But she is your mother at the end of the day.”

Ashley shifted backwards, suddenly feeling enraged again. “Exactly, Uncle. She is my mother! Mothers don’t go about stealing and sleeping with their daughter’s husbands. I don’t see what I should forgive here.”

“But still…”

“You know the crazy thing Uncle, not that I expect her to, but the woman called my mother has not called once to try to even apologize. It is so obvious she did this on intention, so Uncle, there is nothing to forgive.”

Sam tenderly reached for her hand that rested on the couch. “I am not trying to make excuses for her action. But, I think I know why your mother did what she did without thinking twice.”

“Please don’t say she was lonely. There are a lot of men out there who still admire her till now, so…”

“You were adopted, Ashley.”
Ashley's Revival: Love Beyond the Ashes
Detail
Share
Font Size
40
Bgcolor