Where We Belong

Chapter 38

~~~

Ashley's POV—

"Finally...the day's over...I'm beat," Carmen says as we make our way to the elevators, work being done for the week. "I'm so relieved it's the weekend now."

"Yeah, me too," I say with a sigh.

This week has just been such a mental roller coaster, most of it being because of what happened on Jaxon's birthday after he was put to bed.

I wasn't prepared for the amount of want and need I felt for Evan, wanting nothing more than to have her as close as possible. But I especially wasn't prepared for her to push me away.

And to call me out in the way she did.

Pointing out all my 'hot and cold temperatures,' as she put it. Pulling her close one moment and then pushing her away the next. Saying that I've been toying with her, using her.

And thinking back on all of it, yeah. I have been toying with her, and she's right. She didn't—doesn't—deserve that.

But then she also admitted she wanted so much more with me, that admission taking me by surprise.

And she ended it with basically telling me to make up my mind.

And I've been doing nothing but thinking about the whole thing ever since. And with my head all rambled up, it was difficult to concentrate on work, my mind having kept wandering.

Now I'm exhausted and mentally drained, and would honestly like nothing more than to just crash for a week straight.

But I can't.

"You have any plans for the weekend?" Carmen then says as we reach the elevator. I shrug and I push the down button.

The daycare is halfway down to the lobby floor.

"Not really. We'll probably just hang around. Jaxon got a lot of new toys for his birthday so he'll probably have a field day with those," I tell Carmen.

Jaxon hasn't really had another chance to play with his new toys since his birthday. We get home around 5:30 on a normal day, and then I have to get him fed at a decent time and then there's usually not much time left in between when he's done eating and bedtime.

But this weekend he'll have plenty of time to play with his new toys.

"Sounds fun. Sorry I couldn't make it to his birthday party, but I couldn't change my plans. I want to stop by over the weekend though, I have a gift for Jaxon," Carmen says as we step into the elevator.

"Sure, that sounds good. And don't worry about it. I won't hold your absence against you, and neither will Jaxon," I tell her, joking with her at the last bit, making her laugh.

A couple moments later and we reach Jaxon's floor, Carmen continues down the elevator, telling me she'll text me about coming over this weekend.

I'm almost immediately greeted by one of the daycare workers when I walk into the daycare, seeing a few kids playing with the toys and a couple coloring at one of the tables.

I spot Jaxon's shaggy dark hair over by the toys on the left side of the room. He's playing with a car ramp, making cars roll down the ramp over and over again.

"Jaxon, look who's here," the daycare worker who greeted me says to Jaxon. Jaxon turns his head, and a big smile immediately spreads on his face as he sees me.

"Mommy!" he yells as he drops the toy cars still in his hands and just about races to me.

There's honestly just nothing better—nothing more satisfying—than Jaxon running to me when I pick him up. Being so excited to see me that he literally drops everything he's doing just so he can get to me as soon as possible.