BROKEN MEETS GRIEF

Chapter 20

"I'm being foolish aren't I?"

"April you're not," he kisses her on her head.

When she finishes crying he carries her to the shower and soaps her up. When she was clean, he dries her off and gives her a short set to wear. "Thank you for taking care of me".

"Always April and I will always take care of you."

"I'm beginning to see that."

"Why don't I call the chef and tell him to come tomorrow," suggest Ashton.

"I've been looking forward to Cuban food all day," pouts April.

"I'll tell him you're not well and have him leave as soon as he's finishing cooking."

"Okay."

So that's what Ashton did, "What made you so upset before?" Ask Ashton.

"I remember my dad telling me there are good guys out there. The guys I've dated so far were first love, puppy love, get in her pants love. I think I love you love and what can I get from you love. I have all these feelings when I think about you and when I see you. For the first time ever I wonder could this really be love. Then I think it's crazy we haven't known each other that long for it to be but Ashton. I really want it to be love."

"How we feel for each other right now doesn't need a name attached to it. I will say this though. I don't think we are broken and grief anymore."

"You're right."

They eat their dinner with the knowledge someone wonderful was happening to them. The next morning Ashton walks out the bathroom to see April exploring herself. "Oh gosh I'm sorry."

"Please stay and watch we are in a new chapter in our relationship. I have never seen a man do this to himself before. I would really like to see it at least once."

"Are you saying what I think you saying?" Ask Ashton.

"I'm and if I'm going to be intimate with you. I think we should explore ourselves a little bit and be open to each other."

"I'm game if you're April."

When they left Florida, they both knew a new chapter had begun in their marriage of convince.

"We bought you and the misses some tacky Florida souvenirs then my hubby bought me the house we stayed in. You can stay there on your vacation if you want."

Peter bows to April, "Thank you ma'am."

"How are people still asking to come to the wedding seriously they have no shame."

Ashton takes April's phone from her, "Wow and they want to bring three guests. Who is this person?"

"I used to be friends with her, well she's an acquaintance really."

"Don't even response. April lots of people send you congratulation cards when our wedding was announced. Did she send you one?"

"No."

"Then don't respond to her and concentrate on your family who is joining us later today. He goes through her emails while she goes through this. "Buggar, Mr Wilson wants to see me," says April.

"Why is he emailing you that instead of me?"

"He's emailed you several times over the weekend Ashton. There is a problem with a patent. Do you want me to come along to your meeting with him?"

"No, I'm good I need to stand on my own feet. It's not like problems like this won't happen every now and then. I would like to know how you tackled it in the past."

April was pleased he asked her for guidance on what to do. Ashton calls Mr Wilson and formulated a plan with him. Then he tells April what was going on.

"So, this is what an adult relationship looks like," says April's. "It's nice I'm going to check the rooms my family will be staying in. Has the flowers I asked for been put in their rooms?"

Peter was clearly insulted when April asked about the flowers. "It's not a slight on you Peter or Pamela. It's just my family is from Nebraska."

"She is going to check this place over to see if can find any dirt, isn't she?" Ask Peter already knowing the answer.

"Mum does a white glove test in every hotel we've stayed in."

Peter runs out the room and April couldn't help laughing at the speed in which he went.

"She isn't that bad surely?"

"Yes, she is Ashton. She is a clean freak."

"They're our guest and our home is very clean and tidy so don't worry about anything. What time is their plane arriving?"

"It's due in at five this evening."

"I want to get some work done before they get here. I will see you later." He gives her a quick kiss and leaves.

April continues to look through her emails and she smiles when she gets receives a text message from Meghan. Which tells her she's looking forward to seeing her.

After going through her emails April has a quick shower and freshen up. She chuckles to herself. She was happy really happy for the first time in a long time.

Ashton signs the paperwork making him officially in charge of April's company. When his beloved grandfather died he had to admit to himself he couldn't see any positives in his life. Life can really surprise you he thinks to himself. He found out about the organisation weeks well that's not true. It was months before his grandfather passed away. He trained and got to know Derek and Stiles and they never once mentioned April to him. April didn't know just what he was capable of and if he could hide it from her for as long as he can.

He would concentrate on making her happy. She needed her family he had to admit that. The people coming to their house were blood strangers to her. They couldn't make any demands of her. He was angry with them as well because they abandon her when she needed them the most.

He didn't know if he could forgive them so easily like April did. Her former siblings took her money and he knew they had been spending it like it was water. Yet they mainly texted her after they made up. They were not April's blood relatives. She owed them nothing well she did. They did care for her for a great deal of her life. But if her so call mother was to get sick April didn't have a legal say in her care. He didn't know why he was so angry on her behalf towards them. He would still make an effort to get along with them for April's sake. It wasn't like he would see them often. He checks his watch their plane would've landed at J.F.K Airport.

He goes to find April and finds her in the dining room going over seating charts. "I thought all this was already sorted the wedding is not that far away."

"It is it's just that my sister Kim may want me to seat her next to someone else Ashton."

"We aren't changing the seating chart for your sister April. Did you forget we had to give the palace a copy of it. "A future queen is coming to your wedding after all."

"I forgot about that I don't care what she says it's staying the way it is."

"Good now let me pour you a glass of bubbly."

She does a happy dance, "It would go nice with some warm nuts."

"I'm on it," shouts Peter.

April takes the glass from Ashton and give him a quick kiss, "Thanks."

"Let's enjoy this blissful moment before our lives get more hectic," he suggests.

"In that case let's go upstairs and have some fun before they get here."

"The kind of fun I want to have with you is going to take longer than an hour. Let's watch a movie till they get here."

"We are halfway through watching Black Panther 2. We can finish watching that."

The doorbell rings just as the movie finish playing, April and Ashton walk towards the front door.