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Authors: Audra Cole, Bella Love-Wins
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twist.
Ashley stalls, her glance flicking between the two of us, and it seems like her anger gets swallowed up in the thickness of emotion of the room.
I set my hand on her arm. “Ash, come on, it’s over.”
“I didn’t mean to interrupt. I’ll find another place to go,” he says. His eyes finally leave mine. “Ashley, I am sorry for what happened, and I want to thank you for being there for Charity during the fallout. Knowing you were there for her was a comfort to me.”
Ashley still looks angry but also completely dumbfounded. Under any other circumstances, the look on her face would make me laugh out loud. But right now, it feels like nothing will ever be funny again. How could it bounce back after a moment like this?
Brandon turns to leave without waiting for a reply, and we both sit there, watching the door swing shut in silence.
After a few minutes, Ashley looks up at me expectantly.
I stop her before she can even ask. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
She nods and we go back to eating our lunch, although I mostly just find myself pushing the food around on my plate and stirring the lukewarm soup.
Chapter Eleven
Keys in hand, I head over to Ashley’s after our lunch to grab Maci for our walk. Ashley rents a small bungalow-style house, just a few blocks away from my townhouse. It’s an older house, but it’s big on vintage charm and she loves it. As I approach, I can hear Maci howling before I get both feet on the front steps.
This is going to be an adventure. I already know from past experience that you have to be careful to walk Maci, and not let her walk you. She starts scratching at the door as soon as I insert the key, and when the door finally opens, she lunges out and flings herself at me, licking my face as I try to force her back down onto all four paws.
It takes a lot of work, and a little swearing, but about a half an hour later we arrive at the nearby park where I like to go sometimes to think. It has a small green space and a few wooden benches by a long row of flower beds that make up a small community garden. On the other side, there is a basketball hoop and a half-court layout for the junior high- and high school-age kids. There’s also a small playground with a two-seater swing set for the younger ones.
My favorite part has always been the small pond right in the center. I like to come here and watch the ducks and geese. Something about it is very soothing to me.
Maci also likes the pond, but for entirely different reasons. She usually tries to get in the water and splash around.
Today, she has spotted a duck and looks like she is trying to establish some sort of friendship. The duck just sits and watches as Maci barks and whines at it, getting close and then backing off and jumping around. She’s can’t seem to contain herself from trying to make everyone play with her, including water fowl.
I guess she doesn’t realize that in another life, she would be the one sent to fetch dead ducks for her master on a hunting trip.
I laugh as I watch her bounce around but hold tight to her leash. We stand on the bank of the pond for a long time as I let thoughts roll in and out of my mind. Some I keep and ponder on for a while, others I instantly push away. Normally my life is pretty calm, so this drama-filled week has been just about enough to do me in. It’s taking me a long time to process everything and untangle all my emotions.
Eventually, I pull Maci back away from the water’s edge. It’s pretty chilly outside, and I want to get home before it gets dark.
I start to turn away and give a slight tug on the leash, but Maci is still on a mission to get the duck and keeps pulling. I feel my heels sink into the soft ground at the edge of the water, and before I can steady myself she gives another sharp pull. I pitch forward and hit the ground, knees first, and yelp in pain and surprise. I land halfway in the pond and halfway in the mud.
Maci turns at my despair and
Ashley stalls, her glance flicking between the two of us, and it seems like her anger gets swallowed up in the thickness of emotion of the room.
I set my hand on her arm. “Ash, come on, it’s over.”
“I didn’t mean to interrupt. I’ll find another place to go,” he says. His eyes finally leave mine. “Ashley, I am sorry for what happened, and I want to thank you for being there for Charity during the fallout. Knowing you were there for her was a comfort to me.”
Ashley still looks angry but also completely dumbfounded. Under any other circumstances, the look on her face would make me laugh out loud. But right now, it feels like nothing will ever be funny again. How could it bounce back after a moment like this?
Brandon turns to leave without waiting for a reply, and we both sit there, watching the door swing shut in silence.
After a few minutes, Ashley looks up at me expectantly.
I stop her before she can even ask. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
She nods and we go back to eating our lunch, although I mostly just find myself pushing the food around on my plate and stirring the lukewarm soup.
Chapter Eleven
Keys in hand, I head over to Ashley’s after our lunch to grab Maci for our walk. Ashley rents a small bungalow-style house, just a few blocks away from my townhouse. It’s an older house, but it’s big on vintage charm and she loves it. As I approach, I can hear Maci howling before I get both feet on the front steps.
This is going to be an adventure. I already know from past experience that you have to be careful to walk Maci, and not let her walk you. She starts scratching at the door as soon as I insert the key, and when the door finally opens, she lunges out and flings herself at me, licking my face as I try to force her back down onto all four paws.
It takes a lot of work, and a little swearing, but about a half an hour later we arrive at the nearby park where I like to go sometimes to think. It has a small green space and a few wooden benches by a long row of flower beds that make up a small community garden. On the other side, there is a basketball hoop and a half-court layout for the junior high- and high school-age kids. There’s also a small playground with a two-seater swing set for the younger ones.
My favorite part has always been the small pond right in the center. I like to come here and watch the ducks and geese. Something about it is very soothing to me.
Maci also likes the pond, but for entirely different reasons. She usually tries to get in the water and splash around.
Today, she has spotted a duck and looks like she is trying to establish some sort of friendship. The duck just sits and watches as Maci barks and whines at it, getting close and then backing off and jumping around. She’s can’t seem to contain herself from trying to make everyone play with her, including water fowl.
I guess she doesn’t realize that in another life, she would be the one sent to fetch dead ducks for her master on a hunting trip.
I laugh as I watch her bounce around but hold tight to her leash. We stand on the bank of the pond for a long time as I let thoughts roll in and out of my mind. Some I keep and ponder on for a while, others I instantly push away. Normally my life is pretty calm, so this drama-filled week has been just about enough to do me in. It’s taking me a long time to process everything and untangle all my emotions.
Eventually, I pull Maci back away from the water’s edge. It’s pretty chilly outside, and I want to get home before it gets dark.
I start to turn away and give a slight tug on the leash, but Maci is still on a mission to get the duck and keeps pulling. I feel my heels sink into the soft ground at the edge of the water, and before I can steady myself she gives another sharp pull. I pitch forward and hit the ground, knees first, and yelp in pain and surprise. I land halfway in the pond and halfway in the mud.
Maci turns at my despair and
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