𝚙𝚎𝚊𝚌𝚎 ~ 𝚛𝚎𝚍𝚕𝚢𝚗 𝚊𝚞

𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚛𝚝𝚎𝚎𝚗: 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚗𝚍𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚖𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚜 𝚒𝚗 𝚜𝚊𝚕𝚝 𝚕𝚊𝚔𝚎

After realizing how freeing it was to be in Salt Lake City, Ashlyn had managed to ask for time off. Pausing work on her album, she finally felt good again. She had less stress, she had her family, and as always, she had Big Red.

In the following four months, a few events stood out to the couple.

A week after Ashlyn and Big Red arrived in Salt Lake, they finally managed to find time to meet up with her dad. Mr. Caswell had never been the most agreeable, nor the biggest fan of Big Red, but they went into the house with high hopes (and a very nervous Big Red).

"Ashlyn, come on in." Mr. Caswell greeted his daughter with a hug. "How are you two?" He asked as they settled onto the couch.

"We're good." Ashlyn answered. "We're really good." Big Red's arm gravitated towards her waist, which he wrapped and pulled her closer. She smiled, but the subtly annoyed look on Mr. Caswell's face didn't go unnoticed. Big Red let go, but Ashlyn took the chance to put her arm around him instead, deciding to ignore her father. "How are you?"

"Good. Business is good. What are you guys doing in town?"

"Just wanted to take some time off work. It's been a lot lately."

"And we're in a place to be able to not work." Big Red added, attempting to impress her dad instead of him bringing up questions of finance.

"Well, that sounds fun."

"Yeah, it is." Ashlyn smiled, leaning onto her boyfriend.

"Can I get either of you something to drink?"

"Just water." Big Red answered carefully.

"Ashlyn?"

"That sounds good." She answered. He left to the kitchen. "You're good." She turned to Big Red.

"I just want him to like me. It's been like ten years."

"Yeah, he's kinda a jerk about us. But he's family." She shrugged. "And you are too, you've got nothing to worry about." She lifted his chin and kissed him. Going in for a few more kisses, the gentle kisses managed to look like a full on make out session to her paranoid dad.

Mr. Caswell cleared his throat. "Here we are." He set down the waters in front of them.

"Thank you."

"Thanks." Big Red said, noticeably flustered. Ashlyn rolled her eyes.

"Dad, I'm not a kid anymore."

"What?" Mr. Caswell was taken aback.

"This is my boyfriend, of about ten years, and I love him. I'm done with him not feeling like part of the whole family. Mom loves him, everyone else does. What's your problem?"

"Nothing."

"Then why does he feel out of place? I live with him. You being annoyed about this isn't doing anyone any good." Ashlyn declared.

"Ash, it's fine." Big Red whispered.

"It's not. He's my boyfriend. We'll have kids someday. If you can't handle that, I'm no longer sorry and we'll be leaving."

"I don't understand the problem." Mr. Caswell furrowed his eyebrows.

"Alright. Alright. Then it's time for us to go."

"Ashlyn, this is a bit dramatic..." Big Red tried to calm her down.

"It isn't! You're my favorite person. I'm an adult. I can choose my partners. And I can also choose when I want to leave." She said, turning to her dad the whole time, even though she acted as if she was talking to Big Red.