Even Our Angels Looked Surprised

Chapter 13

Ashlyn had only been home for a day when she asked Liz to meet her for lunch. She needed to talk through what she was thinking.

Ashlyn hardly touched her food when it came. She was too engrossed in explaining her visit to Germany and what she’d decided.

“I just know it. She definitely feels something for me.”

Her monologue finally complete, Ashlyn took the first bite from the burger in front of her.

Liz responded slowly. “Ash, I’ve known for a long time that Ali had feelings for you. But that doesn’t necessarily mean…” her voice trailed off.

Liz didn’t really know what to say. She wanted to believe it’d be worth it for Ashlyn to wait around on Ali, but she’d already spent a lot of time doing just that.

“I could see it though, Liz. She’s not over me.”

“But is that enough? Can you go back to just waiting around?”

Ashlyn furrowed her brow, remembering how the pressure of tiptoeing around the issue for so long.

“That was different. Everything is on the table now. She can’t pretend we can just be friends.”

Liz played with the straw in her drink. “So what are you gonna do?”

“I’m gonna drive her crazy. I’m gonna call her all the time. Spend all my money on plane tickets. If she wants to get rid of me, she’ll just have to say so.”

Liz smiled fondly at the blond, who reached up to adjust her snapback. It was unrealistic to think Ashlyn could last very long like that if Ali didn’t give her anything in return. But then, Ashlyn had a determined look in her eyes when she said it, and Liz knew better than to argue with Ashlyn when she was determined.
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Ali decided almost as soon as Ashlyn left that there was no way she was telling her how she felt over the phone. She should have told her when she had her in her country, her apartment, her bed. But she had been too cowardly to broach the subject, and Ashlyn hadn’t been much better, throwing out those last words as she scurried off to catch a flight.

But, just like Ashlyn had promised, she did call.

Their first conversation was odd. It’d been a long time since they’d spoken over the phone. They talked about weather. Then Kyle. Then Chris. Then soccer - Ali had to leave for training in Vancouver in just a few days.

When Ashlyn heard Ali yawn, she told her to go to bed.

Ali already was in bed, under the covers, but she didn’t explain that to Ashlyn. “OK. I will.”

“Night, Ali. I love you.”

In an instant, Ali’s heart leapt to her throat. Ashlyn may have already made that much clear before, but she’d never said it. They were on the freaking phone. Was she insane, to think it was OK to say it for the first time over the phone? Ali was wide-eyed at the ridiculousness of it but also wonder-struck by how beautiful it was to actually hear the words from Ashlyn’s voice.

“Ali?”

She must have gone quiet for too long. “Um, goodnight.” She could hear the tightness in her voice. She wanted to just say the words back, but no… no, not over the phone. When the line went dead, Ali laid there a long time, replaying those three words in her mind, before sleep found her.
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They went a day without speaking.

Then Ashlyn sent Ali a text.

Can we skype tonight?