MeetYouThere

Chapter Twenty-Three

"What do you want to do today?" Ashton asks me as we finish up eating the pancakes, licking the syrup off his bottom lip.

"Well I'd like to see your house," I sass as I grab his plate and go to the sink to wash it.

"Baby, I have a dishwasher," he giggles, "You can monitor it gets ran often enough." I roll my eyes and open it to add the plate before he continues, "I can give you a tour now."

"Okay!" I chirp, "Let me just soak this."

I add dish soap and water to the pan I cremated the pancake with as he meets me at the sink, gesturing his arms out.

"This is my kitchen," he giggles once I start laughing, "Okay no more bullshit, c'mon."

"Lead the way," I smile and grab his hand.

His dimples deepen as he smiles wide at me and then pulls me behind him, leading us out of the kitchen, walking past the stairs to behind them where a descending staircase resides. We walk down them, a heavy door at the very end that opens to a small soundproof padded finished basement room. His drum kit sits before the door in the corner, two sofas and a coffee table over a plush gray rug in the opposite corner. I smile as my fingers run over his cymbals, new to me, but I can see the wear and tear on them from his frequent beatings.

A lump lodges in my throat at his headphones resting on his stool, the red ones I got him years ago, still somehow in good shape. My heart flips thinking about him finding my gifts valuable and never throwing them away when he could have done so to help rid my presence from his life. He obviously didn't want to and that reminds me how much he has always loved me.

"Not much in here," he shrugs, looking around before looking at me.

"It's still cozy," I smile as I walk over the rug, just wanting to see it feels the way it appears and satisfied when it does.

We head back upstairs, going straight into the entertainment room, a quality leather sectional couch around an entertainment center with a large TV. A fan spins slowly on the ceiling, circulated the cool air from the air con to keep away the California heat and then we enter into the other half of the kitchen where there is a small leather loveseat and record player, the large island separating the little gathering area from the main kitchen. I stare at the love seat, wondering how often my brother sat here as Ashton made a meal, just attempting to not be alone or hung over; a jab to my side as I regret not being there for him.

Ashton notices my change and grabs my hand, willing me to share but I smile at him, remembering that's gone now, so I need to leave it in the past. He smiles back as his eyes dart around my face, not pushing for an answer but giving me the chance to share. When I don't he gently tugs on my hand and leads me back to the stairs.

"Just upstairs left," he informs me as we walk up the stair case and I run my hand over the glass top of the banister, still amazed by its splendor.

We arrive at the first room, just a spare room with a bed and nightstand, my heart aching again for the nights my brother must have spent in here. I walk in and actually catch Luke's scent, feeling my eyes water immediately. My hand runs over the soft gray sheets before I wipe at my cheeks, catching the small tears that escape.

"Baby, what's wrong?" Ashton steps in, looking at me concerned and confused.

"It smells like Luke in here," I say quietly and he understands, nodding his head.

"Those days are over," he reminds me gently, patiently waiting for me to recover before we go to the next door, a restroom.

We approach the next door, and I pop my head in, remember this is the packed up room. The room is empty save boxes piled in one corner and a desk chair in another. I turn around to leave but run into Ashton and he pushes me into the room with a smile.