Family Portrait (Fam Series #1)

Chapter 73 - South Yarra

Adeline -

'Hey Ed' I say, as I run to catch up with him.

'Oh, hey Addie. How goes it?' Ed Richards asks me, as he grabs a large box out of his car boot.

'You know. Still sad about Jayden' I say, smiling sadly as Ed carries the box across the street.

'Yeah, I do know. Ashleigh's an absolute mess. I can't get her to eat, go outside or anything. I don't even know how I managed to get her to rent this place with me!' Ed exclaims, as he carries the box to the front door of their new rental townhouse in South Yarra, directly across from the Yarra River.

'She was so desperate to leave Gisborne, and she was sick of the kids making noise at home when she was staying in the makeshift bedroom/study. We couldn't get her out of bed either' I say, as I follow Ed into their new house.

Ashleigh looks over from where she's sitting in the kitchen, on a beanbag wrapped in a large blanket.

'Hey' she says quietly, as she eats an icy pole.

'That's literally all she's eating' Ed whispers, as he puts the box down on the floor.

'I could really use your help, Ash' Ed says, as he goes through the box.

'I'm busy' Ashleigh says, as she finishes her icy pole and bins it.

'Please? Look! It's a framed photo of you and me at the carnival that night!' Ed says excitedly, as he passes the photo (which is also his Facebook and Instagram profile photo) to Ashleigh.

'Ed, I HATE THAT STUPID PHOTO! MY HAIR LOOKED HORRIBLE AND I WAS WEARING SHIT CLOTHING FROM BIG W' Ashleigh yells, as she snatches the photo and puts it on top of the fridge.

'But I like it' Ed says quietly.

'I don't care, I hate it. I'm not putting it up, and you need to delete it from social media as well' Ashleigh dictates.

'Ashleigh. I love you but I'm the only one doing anything around here. You're just sitting and moping and I'm carrying furniture, and heavy boxes and everything. I need your help or I'm gonna end up injured' Ed says. Ashleigh rolls her eyes and stands up, as she disappears down the hall and shuts the door.

'Rude' I say.

'I get it, she feels guilty and is blaming herself for Jayden's death, but she can't just shut me out' Ed says, sighing.

'Why does she feel guilty? She shouldn't. He's always been a drug user' I say.

'No, it's about when she was pregnant and aborted the baby. She constantly says if she had of kept the baby, Jayden would still be here because he'd be a father or something. I'm so sick of it!' Ed exclaims.

'Is that jealousy on your part?' I ask.

'No. He hurts her so bad. Pushes her knowing she'll go mental and gets a rise out of it. And then he kills himself and she feels guilty for it. He's a fucking sick prick and I hate him. He KNEW what he was doing and leaving behind' Ed says.

'I'll see if I can get through to her' I say, leaving Ed as I walk down the hall and open the door, barging in on Ashleigh.

'If you tell Ed I'll break up with both of you' Ashleigh threatens, with a mouth full of Mars bar.

'Why? He'd be happy that you're eating' I say.

'Why? So I can get more fat?' Ashleigh asks.

'I really don't think he cares about that' I say.

'Adeline, can't you see I'm kind of busy in here? Go away' Ashleigh says.

'I can see you're in your pyjamas sitting on yours and Ed's unmade bed wrapped up in a blanket eating a Mars bar and pretending to read an old footy record' I say. Ashleigh sighs.