Page 64 of Ash
“I wonder what Sunday’s would be,” I mutter, more so to myself.
“If I had to guess,” Fox scratches his bearded jaw. “With her being a single mom, having all the jobs she has, I would say acts of service would mean the most to her.” Derek nods in agreement.
“Or quality time,” he states and Atlas snaps his fingers.
“Yes! I guarantee it’s quality time. You said before how much she loved going out with you and Wade, and how you both watched documentaries almost every night.” Derek snorts and I glare at him.
“Well, since you’re going to be vocal, Virginia, why don’t we have this overdue talk right now?”
Atlas leans over his station. “Go easy on him. He is like, extrapouty since Indy ran off.”
“Oh yeah, because Virginia’s feelings are what I’m concerned about,” I sneer.
“Just saying, words of affirmation might be his love language, too!” Derek glares at Atlas and shakes his head.
“I’ll come over there and beat your ass,” he barks at Atlas before glaring at me. “I want her phone number.” I let out a surprised laugh.
“Oh, yeah, sure it’s two, one, three, go-fuck-yourself.” I watch as his nostrils flare and his lips nearly disappear behind his beard.
“I don’t know how this is my fault. But I have been wanting to talk to your sister and explain that her falling or the wet pants thing wasn’t a big deal. I never even fucking mentioned it. But if y’all want to keep treating me like I kicked her or something, you can go fuck yourselves. I didn’t make her piss herself, and I didn’t make her fall, either time. In fact, I tried to help. So, tell me, Ash, what exactly did I do wrong?” I don’t think Derek has ever spoken that many words to me at once. It’s a little jarring, and as I look at Atlas and Fox, I see that they must agree. Deciding to throw the man a bone, I sigh and roll my neck.
“Look, I’m going to tell you all something that, if you repeat to anyone, I’ll kill you. I’m not kidding either. I will end your fucking lives.” I am trying to be intimidating, and I know with normal people, that would’ve intimidated them. But these three fuckers just stand there, looking unamused and unbothered.
“Indy is sick,” I admit softly, and I feel the all too familiar tightness in my chest resurfacing. Nothing is harder than having to talk about my baby sister’s battles that I cannot protect her from. I watch as Derek’s face softens, and his body goes less rigid.Fuckkk.Does he have to like her? Really?
“Is she okay?” he asks and fuck, is that a loaded question. I try to clear the lump in my throat before I talk, but my words come out a little garbled.
“Most days… she’s young and strong and has her stupid overly positive attitude that helps.” I clear my throat before continuing. “Indy has a couple illnesses, but the main one is RRMS, which is a type of multiple sclerosis.” I hear him take a sharp breath and I feel irritation course through me. I don’t want him to take a sharp breath for Indy. That’s not his job.Itake all the sharp breaths for her.
“Yeah,” I state coolly as I continue. “Part of it is loss of bladder control, another is balance.” There is a long silence between us before Derek finally speaks again.
“If I…If I did anything that made her feel bad, tell her I apologize. I feel like a shitty person right now.” I nod as I rub the back of my head.
Atlas clears his throat and speaks up. “Vir— Derek, I don’t thinkthisis a time you should feel shitty. And I’m sure Indy is probably embarrassed because she’s always trying to be Miss Independent.”
“Yeah, she’ll get over it, probably.” I shrug. “I don’t really know since she moved out.”
“Yeah,” Fox scratches his head. “I told her she could stay with Janie and I, but she went to Stevie’s. I feel kind of bad, Stevie lives in a studio above the bakery and has Indy, Sunday, and Wade there.”
I wince. “Yeah, I’ve seemed to run everyone I love away from me.” I pause for a moment as I let the words sink in.
“I love them,” I say softly. “I love Wade and Sunday.” I look at Atlas.
“I love them, and I completely fucked everything up.”
“Don’t fret brother.” Atlas pats my shoulder. “We fixed that shit on your chest. We will fix your love life.”
“How? They don’t want to see me.” Atlas laughs.
“Ha! Never underestimate my ability to wear people down.”
Chapter28
Sunday
Letting out an exhausted sigh, Wade and I walk into my apartment. I am thankful to see Ash either isn’t home or doesn’t hear us as we enter. The last thing I need right now is to get into an emotional battle with him in front of Wade.
“You wanna eat pizza and watch a movie?” I ask my splotchy-faced boy. Wade has been heartbroken for days now and I hate it. This here, was my biggest fear, that I would fuck up the friendship between him and Ash. And now, I have. I pushed him when he wasn’t ready, and in doing so, stole the closest positive male figure in my son’s life.
