Finding Ashlee

Chapter 4 - Finding Ashlee

Dear Brooke,

I have so much to tell you and so little time to tell it. I'm sorry I haven't been able to call you. There is a good reason, though. I promise. Oh, no. I've run out of time. I have to go. Please don't worry about me. Alaska is beautiful and it's where I want to be!

With love,

A.

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"How do you two know each other?" Kathi's sister Zoe looked suspiciously from me to Gabe as we sat uncomfortably around the small dinner table.

"Ummm." Gabe and I exchanged a glance and mumbled at the same time. Kathi sat staring at me and I didn't dare make eye contact with her. I hadn't told her about meeting Gabe since I thought I would never see him again. I could feel her eyes on me and both Gabe and I were blushing bright red.

"Ummm, what?" Zoe snapped. She wouldn't let it go.

"We met at the airport." I finally said. I figured the truth couldn't hurt, especially since nothing had happened and I had probably read more into his kindness than he ever meant to convey.

Zoe's eyes narrowed as she looked directly at Gabe. Something was wrong and I knew I had touched a nerve but I couldn't figure out why my words made her so angry.

"So this is the reason you've been so cold to me since you got back to town." Zoe threw her accusation at Gabe and at the same time she threw her napkin onto her still-full plate. "I knew you were acting strange with me and not wanting me to touch you!" She was practically yelling now.

Gabe sat with his head down and his expression was grim. I could see the muscle in his jaw twitching and it was easy to see that he was angry, but holding back. I opened my mouth to try to defend him but Gabe gave a tiny shake of his head. I closed my mouth with a snap and dropped my eyes to my plate.

"Fine." Zoe stood up and stamped angrily to the door, grabbing her coat off the hook. "If she's the one you want, then go for it." The door slammed behind her.

"You don't have to say a word, Ashlee." Kathi gently touched my hand. "It was just a matter of time." She smiled and stood, picking up her plate and taking it to the kitchen. Gabe and I sat still, not looking at each other. We heard Kathi's bedroom door close and we knew she had left us alone to talk.

"If you want to go after Zoe, I understand." I spoke without looking up.

"No." Gabe answered immediately. "I want to go after you." I looked up and his blue eyes met mine. His look was a little sad but he didn't look away. I had been trying so hard to keep my eyes off of him, but now that I was looking at him, I couldn't look away either.

"Zoe and I are so different and we both knew it wouldn't last, but I didn't know how to end it. I'm really strong and kinda smart. But I guess I wasn't smart enough to figure out what to do." Gabe pushed himself back from the table and came to kneel down by my chair. He was so nervous and I saw him glance around as if looking for something. Then he suddenly reached up and grabbed two stalks of broccoli from my plate. My smile started out slow and as he held the broccoli pieces up to his earlobes, he joked in a bad British accent.

"These make such lovely earrings, don't you think?" His attempt at humor made me laugh and start to cry at the same time. I pulled the cold broccoli out of his hands and dumped them back on my plate.

"Talk to me, Gabe." With him so close to me, all the desire I had been trying to ignore came flooding back.

"I'm really sorry about what just happened." His voice was soft and earnest.

"Doesn't this feel strange, Gabe? To walk out of one woman's arms straight into the arms of another?" I had to ask the question. "Because it feels strange to me." I heard the words coming out of my mouth and a part of me wanted to take them back and lock them away. What was I saying?

"Can I tell you something?" Gabe took my hand in his and cleared his throat. I nodded for him to go on. "I know you don't know me very well, but when I first saw you, the very first thing I wanted to do was to take you home with me."

I raised my eyebrows in surprise.

"No, not like that!" Gabe protested as his grin returned. "I meant home to meet my family. You've seen my four brothers, but I have two sisters and we all live on a remote island with our mom and dad. I don't know if you want to live without electricity or running water, but..." He swallowed hard. "But I've had dreams about a girl who looked just like you."

My heart thumped in my chest as he continued. "I've dreamed about you for years. I started to think you weren't real. That it was just a dream and only a dream. But when I saw you on the bus, I recognized you right away." Gabe pulled me up by my hands and kissed my fingertips. "I couldn't believe it. But there you were. I had finally found you."

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Dear Mom and Dad,

Your grandkids and I are doing just fine. Gabe just finished adding on to our cabin in Brown Town. Yes, another baby is on the way. Do you forgive me for leaving you and Dad? But I'm happy. I've found my dream man and we live in the most beautiful place on earth. The mountains are even more beautiful than I had imagined and this is where I have always wanted to be. And Gabe has promised me that we will come to Ohio and bring all the children to meet you. Could you please tell Brooke that I miss her terribly and I promise we will see her soon, too. "I promise to death."

Love,

Ashlee Brown