Can Never Turn Back

Chapter 11: Feeling Alone

Ashley was watching Hayden run around playing with the other kids. "Hayden be careful!" She called out. Kimberly walked over and sat next to her.

"Still overprotective?" Kimberly teased.

Ashley laughed and shook her head. "Can't help myself," she answered. Kimberly nodded and Ashley smiled at her. "How does it feel to be Mrs. Tommy Oliver at last?" She asked. Kimberly smiled and stood up moving to one side, showing her slightly big stomach.

"What do you think?" Kimberly asked.

Ashley rubbed Kimberly's stomach with a smile. "Hoping for a girl this time?" She asked.

"Oh I hope so," she replied.

Kimberly sat back down with a sigh. "Even though Tommy's working hard to get his PhD, gets kind of lonely at home," she commented. Ashley nodded her head slowly and she rubbed the back of her neck.

"I just wish Andros was here to see Hayden," Ashley answered.

Kimberly placed a hand on her shoulder. Ashley swallowed the lump in her throat. "I contact him everyday and everyday I don't get an answer. Everyday I want Andros to see his son, but everyday I know it's not going to happen," Ashley explained with tears wanting to fall down her face. Kimberly wrapped her arm around Ashley's shoulders. Ashley lowered her head and her shoulders shook slightly. "He promised me his future. He proposed to me, Kim! He proposed and then he left me!" She sobbed. She got up and she left the yard. Hayden ran up to Kimberly.

"Auntie Kim, why's mommy crying?" He asked.

Kimberly sighed as she picked the young boy up ignoring her stomach for a minute. "Your mommy's sad sweetie. She misses your daddy," she replied.

"Oh..." Hayden murmured.

He got off Kimberly's lap and went inside.

Ashley was sitting in the bedroom holding the picture of her and Andros with tears still falling down her face. "Mommy?" Hayden called quietly. Ashley looked up and she set the picture down. Hayden walked over and crawled into his mother's lap. "It's okay, mommy," he assured her. Ashley kissed the top of her son's head and held him tight. Hayden buried his head into her shoulder and Ashley wipe the tears from her eyes. She let out a sigh and rocked back and forth a bit while holding Hayden.

"I love you sweetheart," she murmured.

"I love you too, mommy," he answered.

"Come on, why don't you go back outside to play with Nathan?"

"Okay."

Hayden got off her lap and ran outside. Ashley let out a sigh and she rubbed her forehead. "Ash?" A familiar voice asked. Ashley looked up and she gasped. She got up and hugged the newcomer.

"Jeff," she whispered.

Jeff lifted his sister off the floor while hugging her tight. "Mom and dad finally told me what was going on," he told her. Ashley hugged him tight with tears falling down her face. "Took me forever to find you too," he added.

"I'm so glad you're here, Jeff," she answered.

She pulled back and he held her hands. "Mom and dad wouldn't tell me what happen. All they say lately is "We don't have a daughter." I tried to talk to them for two years, but they wouldn't tell me anything," he explained. Ashley sat down and she let out a sob. "All they told me was that you were here in Miami. That's all they said," he added. Ashley let out another sob.

"Jeff..." she trailed off.

Hayden came running upstairs. "Mommy," he called. Jeff was in disbelief when he saw the boy. "Mommy where's my toy spaceship?" He asked.

"Its in your little red backpack," Ashley replied.

"Okay," Hayden answered.

Hayden ran back downstairs and Jeff looked at her. "Mommy?" He asked. Ashley nodded her head slowly.

"He's the reason why mom and dad hate me, Jeff. They've disowned me because I refused to give Hayden up for adoption when I found out I was pregnant," she replied.

"Why couldn't you call me?"

"Because I'd think you'd be on their side."

Jeff shook his head and he kneeled in front of her. "Ashley, I'm your brother. I can't hate you even if I tried," he told her. Ashley let out a sob and Jeff touched her face. "You're my sister and I love you," he added. Ashley hugged him tight and she let out another sob. Jeff hugged her back and sighed.

"You have no idea how long I've wanted to hear that," she told him.

Jeff pulled back and looked at her. "Who's the father?" He asked. Ashley wiped her tears away.

"Andros," she replied.

Jeff stood up. "Then where is he?" He asked. Ashley shrugged her shoulders.

"I really don't know," she replied.

She could see the anger on his face. "Jeff, don't, it's not worth it," she insisted.

"This guy got you pregnant and abandoned you," he answered.

Ashley wrapped her arms around herself. "What was the last thing he said before he left?" He asked. Ashley looked at him and stood up.

"He said "Will you be my wife?" before he left," she replied.

Jeff stood there in shock. "He proposed to me and he left. He had things to do and he promised we'd be together once I graduated high school. He promised he'd marry me once I graduated. We promised the future to each other," she explained.

"Ashley, didn't you learn that guys like him only leave empty promises?" He asked.

"You don't know Andros. Something must've happened," she replied.

"The strip turned blue."

Ashley shook her head. "Andros didn't even know I was pregnant Jeff. I found out after he left and then I contacted him to tell him...." she trailed off. She sat down in shock. "No...no, Andros isn't like that. He wouldn't abandon me like that. That's not him. He'd never..." she trailed off again. She shook her head. "No," she repeated. Jeff sighed and sat in a chair across from her.

"Ashley, I came here to have you come back to Angel Grove with me," he informed.

Ashley looked at him in shock. "Come back to Angel Grove with me, I can help you take care of Hayden. I can help you out," he told her. Ashley was still trying to shake off the shock. "Even that fashion school you've been wanting to go to called, they wanted you to go there," he added. Ashley bit her lip and she sighed.

"I can't go back, Jeff," she replied.

"What?"

She looked at him with sadness in her eyes. "I've got a life here in Miami now. I can't leave Kim while she's pregnant. I'm going to a fashion school here. I'm achieving my dream here while raising Hayden," she replied. Jeff sighed to see that she was serious.

"You sure?" He asked.

Ashley nodded. "I'm positive," she replied. He hugged her with a small smile.

"You just stay in touch with me," he instructed.

Ashley smiled and nodded. "You got it," she answered.