TWENTY EIGHT

Still a bit dazed at the fact that she actually sat for almost an hour with her mother like it were old times, Ashley pushed open the entrance door of the trailer.

The lowly lighted place was awkwardly quiet, and it was going to get a little more awkward when she faces Dave. As her legs found their way to the living room, she was stopped by a muscular arm that wrapped itself around her waist.

Inhaling with unintended relief, Ashley could not help but smile. It was as though what had happened earlier had become something forgotten and she just wanted to stay in his arms and talk to him about things.

“Ashley Steve,” he murmured into the back of her head. “,I am so sorry.” Her hand went on to rest on his. “You have to know that I have no intention whatsoever to hurt you, you have been through so much already. I just want you to know…”

“It is okay Dave.” She interrupted him, a beam in her eyes as she stared into the room. “I believe you.”

Dave turned her gently to face him. It was amazing how capable he was with just one arm. “You do?” She nodded. “Thanks so much.”

Ashley chuckled with ease, “For what?”

“For not leaving me.” His eyes were doing those things were they go all sad but yet look so pretty. He was such a mesmerizing sight. Dave cupped her cheek, “Ashley, you are the best thing that has happened to me after a long while, I can’t imagine how devastated it would be if you left me.”

His words did not only warm her heart, they gave her assurance. Alongside the sincerity in his eyes, Ashley knew she just had to mean something to the man standing before her. And that was just enough to push away the thought in her head that kept suggesting that she should leave.

“Are you done thinking about me?”

Ashley scoffed, “Why would I be thinking about you?”

“Uh… duh, I am gorgeous and I am the man in your life.”

Ashley wanted to give a comeback, but instead all she did was click her tongue and admit, “You are the man in my life. The *only* man.”

Dave smirked causing her to roll her eyes before bumping her head into his chest to hide her smile. “Good to know.”
His hand raked through her hair as they stood that way in each other’s arms.

After some while, Ashley said, “I met my mother today.”

“You did?” He looked down with a face that screamed surprise.

“Yes, at the supermarket.”

“Did you…?”

“Yes, I talked to her. I surprisingly didn’t feel like bashing her head into a wall or screaming my guts at her.”

“And how do you feel now?”

Looking thoughtful for a second, she said, “I feel okay actually.”

“Are you sure?”

“I know it is surprising, but I actually feel a lot better. Besides, what use is dwelling in the past when the present is amazing?”

“Are you calling me amazing?”

“Is your name present?” She detached herself from his hug and made for the living room.

“It might as well be considering that I am the only one in your present.”

Ashley groaned as she sat down. “You know, sometimes I wonder why the car accident didn’t kick off your stupid cockiness.”

He sat beside her, that goofy smile on his face. “You know you love it.”
Giggling, Ashley slightly pushed his face away. But that was not Dave’s plan as he managed to draw her closer to his heat in a way that startled her and in a way that got her so close to his face.

And they stayed that way, Dave’s arm around her waist, her hand on his chest and dived into each other’s eyes. It felt so amazing to Ashley because it felt so good even though she had no idea what to term their exchange at that moment.

“What are we doing?” she asked quietly.

“I have no idea,” he whispered back.

Grinning softly, Ashley adjusted and placed her body into his embrace properly. “I just want to stay like this.”

“I had other plans in mind… but, okay. Let’s stay like this.”

“Other plans uh? With that arm of yours?”

“You have no idea how good I can be with even just a good arm.”

Ashley grinned even more and said, “Why do I feel like knowing what you mean exactly?”

He nuzzled her hair. “Because you can’t get enough of me.”
Rolling her eyes again, she hugged him even closer and stayed like that, her insides bubbling as her heart danced.

~

“Your father lives here?” Ashley looked round the huge mansion they had just walked into. “Alone?”

“He is not alone if you consider that he has numerous staffs and a few children who keep him company.”

“Children?” The reception hall was not void at all. With artifacts here and there, the room didn’t feel cold at all and that said something to Ashley.

“Yeah. After he had surgery, he became lonely as I refused to live with him and that prompted him to adopt children that fill this place with noise and happiness.”

Ashley smiled. “That’s nice. But I don’t hear any noise.”

“They are probably on vacation. Ashley...” he reached for her hand as she looked up at him. “Do you ever want to know who your real parents are?”

Even though she was not expecting the question at all, Ashley knew the answer already. “Yes I do. But at the same time, I don’t. There is this part of me that is scared of who my real parents might be. What if I am not with them because they rejected me or left me at a fire station?

If that is the case, that might mean that they don’t want me at all even if I am all grown. I… I really don’t know.” She gave a loud sigh.

“I see,” came Dave’s gruff reply.

“Why do you ask though?”

“No reason. I am just curious.”

A lady in black uniform approached them with a smile. “Mr. Scott, you are welcome. Please, come this way.”

“Hello Maria. My father doesn’t know I am here right?” Ashley could tell she was trying to figure out the deal with his slung arm.

“I just told him he has a visitor.”

“Good,” Dave began to walk, Ashley trailing behind him as she enjoyed the bliss of her hand in his. “,I really want to surprise him.”


~
***Thank you all for your support towards this little, simple story of mine. I really appreciate.***
***And yeah, apologies for the grammatical errors here and there. :)***