Seems Like A Lifetime

If Everyone Cared

A few minutes later my door opened and Ashley stuck her head in.

"Can I come in?" She asked looking like a lost puppy. How could I say no.

"Yeah," I said sitting up on the bed. She came in and sat down next to me.

"Spence," she started. I gave her a please don't give me any bullshit right now look.

She re-positioned herself on the bed so that we were now face to face.

"Spence, I'm sorry about how I treated that girl but like you have look at things from my point of view, my dad has been lying to me my entire life Spencer. Not once did he ever even hint towards me having a sister. He always told me I was his pride and joy, his one and only little girl and to find out that was all a lie, I just..."

"Ashley, I know this is hard but, she had nothing to do with this, it wasn't her fault, none of this is, so you can't just take it out on her because you feel like it, that's not how it works." I say trying to be supportive of her but also letting her know she can't treat people anyway she wants, just because.

"I know." She said tearing up.

"Ashley, baby what's wrong?" I asked embracing her into a hug.

"I just, this is all my fault." she said through her sobs.

"What do you mean? None of this is your fault sweetie." I said rubbing circles in her back trying to soothe her.

"It is, it's all my fault, everything." She said again. I wasn't quite sure what she meant. How could any of this be her fault.

"He was coming to see me," she said as her breathing began to slow down.

"Ashley," I tried.

"No, he was coming to see me when his plane crashed. I was so upset about us, about you leaving that I needed to talk to him but every time I called he was busy so I made him promise that he would come and see me so we could talk, and he was coming, he was, It's all my fault, he's gone because of me." she said choking on her words.

"Ashley, sweetie accidents happen, it wasn't your fault, your dad wouldn't want you to think that." I said not knowing what else to say.

She didn't say another word. I just held her while she cried in my arms.

This reminded me of when Aiden moved away the summer before senior year.

I wasn't sure of what to say to her then and I feel the same way now.

She cried until she fell asleep in my arms.

I laid her down on the bed then went into the next room to make a call.

"Hey dad, it's Spence."

"Oh hey sweetie. How's Ashley doing?" he asked, concerned, he knew how hard Ashley could take things. Raife's death was all over the news.

"Not so good dad, she's taking it pretty hard and now on top of that she just found out that she has a half sister." I told him.

"Oh wow. Send her my condolences." He said sympathetically.

"Thats not why I called though dad, look I need you to do me a favor. Troy didn't take the whole I want to get a divorce to be with my childhood sweetheart thing so well so now he's trying to take Megan and Troy away from me and I..."

"I know sweetie, I'll talk to him."

"Okay, thanks dad."

"No problem sweetie."

"Oh and dad, mom gave Ashley and I her blessing, can you believe it?"

"Really?" he sounded shocked.

"Yeah she really did."

"Wow, how things have changed. Well I'm glad for you and Ashley sweetie, you both deserve at least a little happiness in your lives."

"Thanks dad. I'll talk to you later."

"Okay sweetie." I hung up the phone and put it in my pocket. I went back to check on Ashley who was sound asleep so I decided to go see if I could find Kyla to try and explain Ashley's behavior.

Where do I start? Oh, Aiden might know where she's staying...

I called Aiden and he told me that she was staying at the Hilton downtown.

I went up to her room and knocked.

When she opened the door it looked as though she'd been crying.

"Hey," I offered.

"Hi." She said softly.

"I know you don't really know me all that well but um, could I just come in and talk to you for a sec?" I asked.

"Sure." She said moving aside so I could come in. We went and sat down on the couch.

"I know that Ashley can be a bit ill-mannered at times but she really is a good person, she's just going through a lot right now, I mean so are you but not only did her father die but she also feels like its her fault and on top of that we're having family problems."

"Oh, like a couple. Like you two are together?" She asked.

"Yeah, well we're trying to be but I have a husband and children and its just a really long story, but what I'm trying to say is she really didn't mean any of that stuff she said she told me herself, she's just having a hard time dealing with all this and you just happened to be in her path when she decided she wanted to let some of her frustration out, its nothing personal, I promise." I assured her. She looked relieved.

"She didn't want to come with you?" She asked.

"Oh, she doesn't even know I'm here. She was asleep and I didn't want to wake her." I told her.

"Oh. So she doesn't really hate me?" She asked me almost like a child.

"No, she doesn't." I said smiling.

"So do you think she would mind if I stayed with her?" She asked.

"I'm sure she wouldn't." I told her.

"Okay, well let me get my things and check out and I'll be over there later tonight." She said smiling.

"Okay, I'll see you later then." I said getting up and walking towards the door. She followed, to show me out.

"Thanks a lot for doing this."

"No problem." I said smiling.

I left and went back to Ashley's. I went up to the room and she was still asleep. I laid down next to her trying not to wake her but failed.

"Hey, where'd you go?" She asked opening her eyes and snuggling into my neck.

"I went to talk to your sister?" I said holding my breath hoping she wouldn't get upset. She looked up at me.

"About what?" She asked.

"About earlier." I told her.

"What'd she say?" she asked looking genuinely interested.

"She wants to stay with you until after the funeral." I said.

"Really." She said monotone.

"Yeah." I replied. The room grew quiet.

"Ashley," I started.

"I guess I better go get her a room ready then." She said smiling. I couldn't help but smile also. I was relieved. She got up and walked out the room a few seconds later she ran back in.

"Thanks." She said running over and kissing me.

"For what?" I asked.

"For fixing this. I know the way I treated her was wrong. So thank you." She said before leaving out again. I laid back on the bed and smiled to myself.

I did a good thing, a really good thing...