The End Is Here

Chapter 2

   I see Lori smile and tears form into her eyes. Baxter starts running towards Carl, Baxter loves kids and he's really good with them also. Carl opens the white fence and looks at me. "Hi Carl, I'm your aunt Ashlynn." I say to him with a smile.

" I know, Mom told me before you came here. What's the dog's name?" He asks while Lori comes out of the fenced area. Lori looks at me with a big smile and tears roll down her face.

"His name is Baxter, you can bring him to the yard if you want." I say giving Carl the leash. Carl takes the leash and brings Baxter to the yard. Lori looks at me top to bottom. "Come here." I say as I open my arms. She smiles and hugs me. We hug for a long time and then let go.

"You dyed your hair again I see." Lori chuckles, I chuckle along with her.

"Oh yeah, you know me. Been dying my hair as soon as I moved out of mom and dad's place, they thought dying hair was wrong." I say chuckling. She smiles and wipes her tears. She leads me to the yard. We go on the porch and we sit on the the porch swing. While swinging we watch Baxter and Carl play, Without saying a word. This is awkward. "It's  so weird to see Carl so grown up." Lori chuckles and agrees with me.

"So, um you and Ryan  still together?" Asks Lori asks nervously. I sigh, she still thinks I love him. I look at her feeling my blood boil inside my veins. Lori looks at me shameful and knowing she should have not  said that. "I'm sorry I-"

"No, my neighbor called the cops and Ryan got arrested. We broke up before he went to court. I'm sorry that I didn't run away, I was scared. I'm not like you I didn't have a safe happy marriage like you Lori!" I snap at her. I make a fist and try to calm down. Lori grabs my fist and I look at her. She smiles and squeezes my hand. "I missed you."

"I missed you too." She says. We watch Carl and Baxter play in the yard. Baxter chases Carl while Carl runs around. After awhile of watching Carl and Baxter playing while talking to Lori about random things, the sun starts to set. Lori sighs and gets up. "I so don't feel like cooking tonight." says Lori as we enter the house.

"Then can we get pizza?" ask Carl getting excited. I smile and rub his soft brown hair.

"Yes, want pepperoni and black olives?" Lori asks. I smile, that's Lori and I's favorite pizza since we were kids. We use to get every time we got pizza. It's feels so good to have my sister back.

"That sounds really good." Says Carl smiling. I smile and rub his light brown hair. It's been so long since I've seen this little guy.

"Carl I ahead a present for you." I say to Carl looking down at him. He's precious blue eyes light up. I go into my duffle bag and pull out the game. "Your mom told me you like video games." my hand the game and Carl Smiles the biggest mouth ever seen. Lori Smiles at us while she orders a pizza.

" Auntie Ashlynn do you want to play with me?" he asks all excited. I nod and Carl quickly goes to the living room. I took when I walk into the living room. Carl puts in the game in hands me the spare controller. I smile and take it, both me and Carl sit down on the couch. We start playing Mortal Kombat then suddenly the door knocks and lower it goes and opens the door.

"Thank you." says Lori as he closes the door. " Carl go wash up please." Carl hits a few buttons on the controller and kills me in the game.

"Dang kiddo you win." I say. Carl smiles and goes to the kitchen to wash up. I get up and start going to the dining room. It's so weird being back here after all this time. I still know where everything is and what room it's in. Lori brings up the pizza both Carl and I drive right into the box of pizza. Lori rolls her eyes and grabs one of the three slices of pizza left. We start eating well talking about random things Saint Cloud brings up Rick, a lump forms in my throat. Lori looks at me then back at Carl.

" so can I go visit her mom?" ask Carl putting on a puppy face. I smile at his cuteness and look at Lori. She bites your lip debating whether to bring Carl or not. I clear my throat and get rid of the lump.

"Lori?" I asked as she hasn't answered Carl yet.

" yes after dinner. " she says quickly. I raise an eyebrow. Lori seem so worried about the hospital. Carl loves his dad so so much why would Lori keep Carl from his dad. Is this marriage is not going well? I wash the thought away and continue eating. I asked Carl about school and other things trying to make conversation so it's not awkward.

I miss Carl so much once when he was born I was happier than ever. I love kids with all my heart and one story told me she was pregnant I started preparing myself to be an aunt. Helped Rick a and Lori every possible way I could with Carl arrival. At points, I thought I annoyed them due to my anxiety. We all finished our plates and put them in the sink. I take the pizza box that have leftovers in the oven. We start putting on our jackets and shoes. Baxter whimpers behind me and I laughed. I turn around and pet him." I'll be back soon baby boy." Carl pets Baxter and we leave to go to the hospital. " we can use my car." I say Lori. Lori agrees and gets inside. Carl gets in the back.

After car ride
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"you ready carl?" ask Lori. Girl mods and we enter Rick's room. I look at him and gas a little. I haven't seen him in Forever. His hair has gotten a little bit longer and you could see bags are in his eyes. It's probably due to him working such long nights and working hard. I know it sounds like I love Rick and want to date him but I don't. I love Rick but that's just because he blessed me with my little nephew and married my sister. He's provided for them well I was gone. Carl grab the chair and pulls it close to Rick. Lori grabs one and brings it to the opposite side of Carl. The they grab eats hand of Rick and look at him. The doctor comes in a few minutes later and I tap Carl 's shoulder.

" let's go get ice cream in the cafe." I say to him.

"yum!" he says. I look at Lori and see not. We leave the room so the doctor and Lori can talk. We go into elevator once more and we go to the cafe. We pick out some ice cream in the freezer. We go to the register and pay for the ice cream. We find a table and begin eating our ice cream.

" Auntie Ashlynn is my dad going to die?" ask Carl worried and I feel my heart shatter.