THIRTY FOUR

"Uh?"

"I said, I am-"

"I heard what you said. What do you need by wife and mother of his child?"

Jasmine gave another gentle smile, a smile that portrayed something peaceful despite the words coming out of her mouth. "I know Dave wouldn't have told you. That's because we are going through a phase and we are not exactly on good terms."

The shocking statement she heard earlier was still ringing in her head. "Dave is married?" she quietly asked herself.

"Yes, to me."

With a raises brow, Ashley looked her way. "How do I know you're are speaking the truth? This just seems like one of Emily's schemes."

"Trust me. I am not lying. As a matter of fact..." Jasmine gave another smile and immediately started to rummage her handbag.

Ashley watched warily as thoughts ran through her head.

"Here..." That damn smile was beginning to annoy Ashley. It was pretty but it was delivering a message that had her heart bleeding without being even stabbed yet. "This is a picture of our wedding ceremony."

It was really Dave. He looked younger but still dashing. Maybe because he was putting on a tuxedo that looked so good on him.

"The picture after is that of our three year old son. His name is Zion."

Ashley's hands trembled as she flipped the pictures in her hand that held the momentary truth. From the full hair alone, the little kid would seem to be his kid at first sight. Not to talk of his eyes that twinkled like Dave's. The boy's smile was like that of his mother. Innocent.

Ashley felt her knees go weak, her body was beginning to fail to hold her strong like her heart just did.
"This is so crazy. This is-"

"You mentioned Emily's name earlier. I actually know her. In fact, she was the one that let me know what Dave has been up to. I don't know what Dave's intention were or is, but I don't want you to get stuck between a married couple, that can be messy."

That God damn smile, that freaking annoying soft tone of hers, they made Ashley feel like punching the words coming out of her mouth back and down, far down her throat.

But the punching or thoughts about it was best left for Dave, who had seemingly broken her in accordance to the fears she had before getting far with him.
At that point, only one thing would guarantee Ashley's breakdown being prevented.

Dave's honest denial of the woman who was before her.

But.... honest denial?

Ashley scoffed. The pictures were in her hands and they were a proof.

"I know this is hard for you to take in as you might have fallen deep for Dave. I would not blame you," Jasmine sighed before continuing.
"Dave can't just help but attract people to him. That's how he is. But..."
Jasmine reached for Ashley's hands as though to grip them sympathetically.

Ashley, with every sense of self protection, quickly withdrew. Jasmine did not show any reaction to that, she just continued her talk. "I want to thank you for being a good companion to Dave while we were separated. I..."

"Listen Jasmine," Ashley quickly cut her short. "Could you please stop this fake sympathy thing you are displaying incessantly? It is getting on my nerves."

"I just... Oh, here comes Dave." The two women turned to watch Dave park his car. An unsuspecting Dave got down with a filled polythene bag.

On directing his eyes to the surprise waiting for him, he instantly took a step back. "Jasmine?" he asked from where he stood and that question was all it took for Ashley's heart to really fall.
"What are you doing here?"

"What do you mean? I came here for you of course." Ashley found her seat on the little stairs, her hand clutching her chest area that hurt more than ever.
Looking up, she saw that Jasmine was already approaching Dave who looked so surprised.

"Here for me? You can do that now? I am suddenly allowed in your life?"

Jasmine reached his front with stretched arms. "Dave..." she whined. "Please don't be like this. I am here to fix what I broke. I want us to move forward."

At that moment, with a creased forehead, Dave stared right into the sad eyes of Ashley. " I have done that already and that is without you," he replied an excited Jasmine coldly.

"Please Dave, think of our son. He needs his father around. At least do this one thing for his sake. Please let's become a family again."

The sight of Jasmine holding on to Dave's collar like a desperate lover would do just angered Ashley and that just promoted her to leave that place.

"I need you to leave."

"But..."

Ashley pushed the door open, she could still feel his eyes on her. "I said leave."
If Jasmine left or not, Ashley was going to . It would be so stupid to expose herself to more and more hurt when she was just healing from one.

Few minutes later, Ashley was already halfway done with her rushed packing and that was where Dave met her. Thanks to her position, he could not see the tears that had managed to drop despite Ashley's will to hold them in.

"Ashley... You can't..." His voice could not hold any form of strength. "Please don't leave... please." he whispered.

Ashley ignored him and reached for her shoes.

"Please say something. Your silence is killing me." The crack in his voice was enough to make her breakdown into full time crying.

But she continued to hold herself, she wasn't going to breakdown totally. "You are a married man Dave," she finally turned to face him.

"It is really not what it looks like."

She just had to roll her eyes. "Oh please don't feed me that cliché line."

"Ashley it is really not what it looks like."

Her arms crossing, she asked, "So you are not married to Jasmine? You don't have a child with her?"

"I..." Dave seemed to be defeated.

"I am sorry I cannot hear you." The tears stuck in her throat were begging and struggling to rush out.

"I am. Yes, Jasmine is my wife, was my wife rather. Because we are no longer together."

"You are divorced?"

His eyes went shut for a second. "No, we are just separated."

"Then what are you talking about? I am the homewrecker here. I am the one getting involved with a family man. A man who I thought was genuinely taking care of me. What was your plan all along?
Build my confidence then break it? You wanted to make me miserable? Why did you even show up at my door to fix my pipes? Why did you offer to help me with your stupid attractive face?"

"Ashley..." Dave looked like he had aged a year with the lines at the side of his eyes and the jumble of sweat and worry.
He moved closer to hold her but she pushed him away.

"Don't touch me. Don't. You make me ashamed of myself." She turned to continue her packing, this time, she did it so fast and without thinking. On zipping up the tyre bag, a thought dropped in her head that made her more angry.
"I just realized one thing. I am actually no different from my mom. My mother wrecked my marriage and I am wrecking one, isn't that wonderful?" She gave a bitter laugh as her hands reached for the handle of the bag.

"No Ashley, you are not your mother. It is my fault you didn't know about my entire life and you are not wrecking anything. It is really my fault, but please don't go anywhere. Stay with me, let's sort this out ourselves. I really want to. I don't you to leave me like my mother did. Please."

With a side glance, she watched his hand that found home on her arm. The warmth that brought her alone got her longing for him. But she wouldn't be able to get him as long as the issue on ground persisted.

She had no choice, staying would break her even more. The way she once looked at him would change. She wouldn't find it easy to laugh at his goofiness. She would just become a stranger to him. And to herself.

"I am sorry Dave, but I can't stay. Goodbye."

"Ashley..." The way with which he lowly groaned her name saddened her even more but she just had to peel his hand off her and walk herself out to a destination that would guarantee that she wouldn't come running back into his arms anytime soon.