The Aristocrat

They call it drop offs

Sunday 25th.

By the next morning when I woke I had a severe headache. It had little to do with the amount of alcohol I had consumed and more to do with the worrying amount of missed calls I had received after switching my phone on silent.

I stood in front of Asher's bathroom sink, scrolling through my phone, assessing the damage control I would have to do once back in the city. Another text binged through, Ivy's name popping up on the screen alongside a text that asked me where I was for the hundredth time. Unable to think of a believable lie I switched off my phone, shoving it into the back pocket of my jeans which I had changed back into.

Being washed and dressed I slipped out of Ash's bathroom and down his hallway. I made my way to the set of stairs and crept down them. I hoped I wouldn't wake anyone in the house, I was too ashamed to be sneaking out early in the morning.

But I hadn't been the first person awake. Just before I could reach the door, Ash's mum suddenly strolled through the side door a few steps ahead of me. My heart leaped as she appeared, my mind still not fully functioning yet. Her loose blonde hair shadowed her face, her neck bent down so her eyes could study the post in her hand. She flipped the envelopes back and forth unaware of my presence until she heard the tiny gasp of surprise I released.

Her eyes went up instantly, widening further as she took in me. For a moment, she must have not remembered who I was. But then just as quickly as she had appeared, her expression changed as she began to place together who I was.

"Oh my god," I uttered beneath my breath, briefly shutting my eyes and opening them again.

"I'm so sorry," Asher's mum, Sara, spoke to me. A tiny smile touched her lips as she watched my recovering state, "I didn't mean to scare you."

"No, no. It's fine," I spoke to her, breathing deeply as I remained hovering in front of her and the front door.

"It was Alessandra, right?" She asked for reassurance.

I nodded, "Yeah. I'm really sorry, I'm just wandering around your home."

"Don't be sorry," Sara assured me, waving her hands in friendly gesture of desistance, "Ash never mentioned he was having friends round that's all."

"It's only me," I croaked out, a mortifying red blush tainting my cheeks as I realised how bad this must look, "It was pretty last minute, Ash was just helping me out."

"Did you stay last night?" Her voice was far from disapproving neither did it hold traces of judgement of, only curiosity. Her calm smile calmed me a little, settling the fired colour that bothered my face and neck.

"Yes, I'm sorry. I hope that's ok," I apologized, "By the time we left Marley's it was really late and I'm a really long drive away. Ash offered."

"Sweetheart its fine, don't worry. Ash is always having the boys stay around, I'm used to it," She told me sweetly.

A short silence passed before I spoke up again, "I'll be out of your hair in a minute, I was just about to call someone to come pick me up."

Though her smile remained, Sara's forehead creased in a faint frown, "Can't Ash drive you?"

"He's still asleep, I didn't want to wake him," I explained, suddenly realizing how awful I must sound, "I'm not sneaking out on your son I promise, I left him a note."

Sara chuckled lightly, her free hand reaching out to touch my wrist briefly, "I wasn't thinking that. How about I spare whoever it is your about to ask to drive down here and I'll just drive you home instead?"