Chapter 13
The girls sat chatting quietly in the back seat of Jay’s car as they drove back towards Jane’s house. Ashley felt embarrassed and couldn’t help but blame herself for what had happened.
Perhaps the drunk was right—maybe her shorts were too short.
“I'm sorry.” Jay broke the silence.
Ashley blinked at him. Why was he sorry? He had only been defending himself. And her.
“I’m sorry,” Ashley said raising her hand to her chest.
Jay frowned. “What are you sorry for?”
“Well it was my fault. I should have walked away. I shouldn't have reacted.”
Jay lowered his brows. “You aren’t seriously be blaming yourself for a drunk guy groping you, are you?”
When he put it like that, it did seem a bit silly to be blaming herself.
“Don’t ever blame yourself for something like that—you are not responsible for someone else’s actions.”
She noticed a small cut on his middle right knuckle. “Your hand.”
“Huh?” Jay turned his hand to see the small cut. “Oh, it’s all right. It’ll heal.”
Ashley felt horrible, first his neck and now his hand. “I’m a dangerous woman to be around.” She pulled the edges of her lips up, trying to force a small smile.
“What do you mean?”
“Well, first I stick a fishing hook in your neck, and now I’ve caused you to hurt your hand. You’d be far safer keeping your distance.” But in all honesty, she didn’t want him to. She had felt so much joy from being around him these last few days, much more than she had expected.
Jay laughed. “Flesh wounds. I already told you I’ve had worse.” Ashley guessed he was referring to his bullet wound. “Besides, I'd rather take my chances with y—”
“Hey, Uncle Jay?” Meika spoke up from the back seat. “Do you have any other music we can listen to besides elevator music?”
Ashley and Jay both laughed.
As they arrived back at Jane’s, Bryan and Jess’s car was parked in the driveway. Meika and Coco jumped out and raced each other inside. Jay got out and walked around to Ashley’s side of the car. She had already gotten out and was collecting the girl's bags.
“Did you want to come in?” Ashley asked.
Jay had his hands in his pockets and looked down. “Nah, I better get home. Benson will be starting to think I’ve abandoned him.”
Ashley smiled and nodded. “Thank you,” she said. “For coming to my rescue.” She pictured him wearing shining armour.
“Yeah well, I imagine you could handle yourself well enough. I don't know what came over me. I was just so angry.” He ran his teeth over his lower lip.
“Well thank you. Again. I better get inside and see if mom needs a hand with anything. I’ll see you tomorrow?”
“Yeah, of course; the big day.” Jay smiled, raising his eyebrows.
She walked up the front steps and he waited by the car to make sure she got inside safely.
She couldn't help but smile at his protectiveness towards her. He really did make her feel safe and secure.
Everyone was in the kitchen area when Ashley walked in. Even Grace. Jane was tossing a salad and Martin was getting a tray of sausages and steaks ready for the grill. It was a perfect night for it—warm and relaxing.
“Hi Gran. How’s the patient?” Ashley asked.
“Miserable,” Grace said. “Utterly miserable. To tell you the truth, he’s worse than a child. He just wants to go home, and they said he can’t leave until tomorrow morning at the earliest.”
“Are they worried about anything?” Why did he have to stay in for so long if it was as mild as Henry had made out?
“Just observation. He’s actually in surprisingly good health considering the amount of junk food he sneaks when I'm not looking.” Grace shook her head.
“So he will be able to make it to the wedding?”
“Oh, yes. He wouldn’t miss it for the world.” Grace looked around the room.
“Was that Jay's car I saw pull up outside?”
“Yes. He gave us a lift home,” Ashley responded.
“How thoughtful of him.”
Harley looked to have recovered well from his stomach ache and was running around the kitchen, weaving through the adults’ legs.
“Hey, who wants to kick the soccer ball around outside?” Bryan asked.
“Sounds like a good idea,” Jane said as Coco ducked by, almost hitting her head on the kitchen counter.
Jane and Grace remained inside while Ashley and the others headed out the back. There was a light breeze, enough to cool them down so they weren't too hot. Jane joined them after a minute, bringing a tray of cold drinks for the kids, some empty champagne flutes, and the bottle of champagne from Steven.
“It’s such a shame Steven can’t be here to celebrate with us.” Jane placed the tray on the table and picked up the bottle.
She examined the label carefully. “Oooh, it’s French. You know it will be good because the French always make good champagne.”
Ashley stifled a laugh, wondering when her mother had become such an expert on fine wines.
“1979 Brut. Brut? Am I saying it right? Sounds like men's deodorant,” Jane said, popping the cork. She quickly started filling the flutes and handed one to each of the adults.
“Cheers.” Jane raised her glass.
“Here’s to many happy years.” Martin drew Jane close and kissed her on the lips.
Meika and Coco ‘eww-ed’ in unison.
They all sipped their champagne. It was delicious. Crisp, clean, and had exquisitely balanced flavours.
Dinner was great. Simple and uncomplicated. Everyone serving themselves, sitting around casually laughing and talking. By now Bryan had found out that Jess had given the kids junk food during the day, but he wasn’t angry.
How could he be? He does the exact same thing!
Ashley didn't talk much. She sat back and took it all in, enjoying the inviting atmosphere in such a perfect setting. Her mind kept wandering to Jay, and several times she caught herself smiling without even realizing it. The thought disturbed her. She had no right or reason to be thinking so fondly of him.
After dinner, the women all pitched in and helped clean up while Bryan and Martin played board games with the kids in the lounge. Martin joined them in the kitchen and put the coffee machine on.
“Who wants a cuppa?” he asked.
“Meeeee!” Coco yelled as she walked into the kitchen. She only had one volume: loud.
“Me too, please. A hot chocolate,” Meika said.
“Well you girls can give me a hand then.” Martin smiled.
Ashley walked into the lounge and saw Bryan sitting on the couch with Harley fast asleep on his lap. He looked so peaceful. He had beautiful long dark eyelashes and Ashley couldn't help but feel envious of them. She sat down beside Bryan, admiring Harley’s handsome little features.
“He’s had a big day.” Ashley smiled.
“We all have.” Bryan covered his mouth as he yawned.
“How did you do today at the concert? Good business?” Ashley brought one leg up and folded it under the other.
“Good. Really good, actually. A few of the staff are going to run it tomorrow too, while I’m at the wedding,” Bryan said, barely more than a whisper.
“Oh, good. I keep telling you you’d make a killing in the city with your business. Organic and healthy is all the rage now.”
“I know,” Bryan said.
“So what's stopping you? I think you’d like it in the city—I could spend more time with the kids.” Ashley stroked Harley’s thick, dark hair. She never thought she’d be saying those words.
“I don’t think I could ever leave here,” Bryan said.
“Why not? Are you scared?”
“No, I love it here. It's ‘home’,” Bryan said.
“But don’t you feel like you could be missing out on a whole other
world? I mean, you could be raking in big money.”
“I’ve thought about it.”
Ashley stared at him with rounded eyes.
“But after seeing friends move away only to return here years later, I’ve realized it doesn't matter where you go in life: home will always be home. The grass isn’t always greener on the other side of the fence, Ash. The grass is greener where you water it.”
That hit a nerve with Ashley.
She had expected life to be better—somewhere else, anywhere else—than Sweet Home. She had more money, a higher status career and a steady boyfriend. Things were better . . . weren't they?
“I’ve envied you,” Bryan said. “You have all the freedom in the world to go where you want, do what you want, be who you want. But then there are moments like these, where I look at my kids and I think wow, where did this tiny human being come from? I can't believe that Jess and I created something so perfect. I have an amazingly beautiful wife who I get to wake up next to every morning, and I have to pinch myself to check I'm not dreaming. We have three awesome kids who at times make me want to pack my bags and run away.”
Ashley laughed as Bryan continued.
“But at the same time, I wouldn't even want to imagine my life without them in it. I love my job. I get to chat with all my regular customers each day and I look forward to seeing them come in and tell me about their families and what they’ve got planned for their weekend—even if it is the same old stories day in and day out.” He smiled “This, right here, this is what I love. I’m living the dream. Well, I’m living my dream. It’s moments like these that make life worth living.”
Ashley sat silently. Bryan was happy and content, and that made her happy. Harley grunted and did a noisy burp. Ashley covered her mouth so she wouldn't laugh too loudly and wake him up.
“And then that moment passes.” Bryan laughed.
It was then that she saw Jasper around the side of the couch, sprawled out in an unnatural way. He wasn’t moving and she watched his belly, looking for an indication he was breathing. It didn’t move.
“Oh my gosh,” Ashley kept her voice low so as not to alert the others and upset the girls. “Bryan, I think Jasper is dead.”
Bryan looked over his shoulder at the mass of black fur lying motionless on the floor.
“Jasper!” Bryan said, then made a kissing sound with his lips. Jasper’s head shot upright and he stared at Bryan with his one beady eye. Ashley breathed a sigh of relief.
“Wouldn’t be the first time we thought that thing had died.” Bryan chuckled. “At least we didn’t bury him this time.”
Ashley shook her head. “I don’t know why mom doesn’t get the poor thing euthanized.”
“Why?” Bryan asked. “He’s not in any pain. He goes for regular check-ups at the vet. He’s just old—and really ugly.”