Met you at the Laundromat

Im on my way!

She grabs the phone from him and puts it up to her ear. "Hello?"

"Hi, is this Ashley Thomas? Daughter of Michael Thomas?" The person on the other end says.

"Yes this is she. Is there something wrong?" She walks into the kitchen.

"Yes.. I'm someone who employs your father." He pauses.

"What happened!?" Her heart begins to race.

"I'm sorry to inform you but.. during work, your father.. he had a stroke... and on his way down he hit his head. He immediately fell unconscious. He was rushed to the emergency room. It was very severe..." he lowered his tone of voice.

Aubrey dropped the glass and it shattered, which caused Liam to turn around. "What! No! What, What Hospital!?"

"Minx memorial hospital, 967 Minx road.. he is currently undergoing surgery. Please contact us if you're having any troubles."

Her heart racing and tears rolling down her face, "Thank, Thank you for contacting me. Good bye." The words struggle to come out.

She hung up the phone and stared blankly at the counter. Tears filled her eyes, and her breathing sped up. "Hey what happened?" Liam tried to ask.

"I- I need to leave!" She cried and ran out, into the manager's office. "Sony! I need to leave!"

He looked at her, she was a mess. "Okay! I'll take care of your tables, just where be safe!"

She threw off her apron and ran out the door passing Jacob and Emma. She ran down the street not knowing where she was heading. She knew the hospital was four miles away and that she was not good with directions. All she knew was that she couldn't be there right now.

She ran for what felt like hours, when she finally got to the hospital, she hesitated to go in. But she found courage and walked inside. "Excuse me? What is Michael Thomas's room?"

"I'm sorry sweetie, but the hospital is no longer taking visitors at the moment. Please try again tomorrow. Go home and rest it's late." The receptionist replied.

"Oh, okay.. thanks anyway." She walked out the door, and walked down the street to the bus stop that was a block away. Her phone went off and it was Liam, she ignored his call. She put her phone on do not disturb, put headphones in, turned the music all the way up, and sat at the bus station.

She leaned her head back, and silently cried. She ended up falling asleep, the bus came and went. She only wakes up when a woman with her son gently shakes her shoulder. "Hi sweetie, are you okay? You seem pretty young to live on the streets.."

"Oh sorry, I'm not living on the streets I just fell asleep waiting on the bus." She checks her phone, to see 10 missed calls and 50 texts from Liam, 3 calls from Emma, and one from an unknown number.

"Do you need a ride home? My son insisted that I ask, he's worried. Haha.." she laughs awkwardly.

"Oh no I don't live to far. Don't worry about it. Aubrey smiles.

"Are you sure? It just started snowing." The lady looks up.

"Yeah I'm sure. Plus I like the snow."  She stands.

The small boy runs up to Aubrey and hugs her, "you can always stay with us!" He looks at his mom, "will you give her your number? She looks lonely."

His mom grabs his hand and looks into his sparkling eyes. "Okay," she sighs. "Here please call me if you're in a bad place. My name is Monica Sear."

Aubrey looks at the card and gently takes it, her eyes get glassy. "Thank you. You have a good son."

She smiles and waves goodbye as the woman and her son get in the car and drive off. She looks up at the sky feeling snow flakes gently landing on her face and melting. She looks around and picks a direction and walks. She doesn't know where she's going but she doesn't want to go home.