Behind Ruby Eyes (gxg) (Complete)

Chapter 22 - Where Is She

            Smoked filled the air around the ambers that remained of the fire that Ashley’s grandfather started. I looked up and stared off in the direction that Ashley took over an hour ago. “There is a place she goes to calm down when she is here.” Mr. Thomas, grandpa, said smiling over at me. “She says it’s a place to feel close to nature.”

            I looked away wishing I could shake this feeling that had crawled over my skin, like a rash from Poison Ivy. “She’s been gone too long.” My voice was weak which caused him to look over at me with a strange look.

            “What do you feel young one.” I half-frown at the words he spoke, which so reminded me of Ashley whenever she went on about her pagan ways, but even in his ancient sound voice she was there.

            “You sound just like her.” He smiled chuckling softly to himself as he walked over to me.

            “When Ashley got into pagan, I was the only one that encouraged her. Her mother and father fought with her daily, trying to make her see that it was wrong.” He smiled shaking his head. “It was the first time I saw and heard her true voice.”

            “What do you mean?” I asked feeling like I was seeing another side of Ashley, for I could never quite understand her thoughts and beliefs.

            “You must understand that after what happened Ashley turned inward upon herself. She barely talked to anyone of the family, choosing to spend her time alone. Often she would go to the library, and that was where she found the history of the Pagan Culture. She became fascinated with learning all she could of the culture. Everyone thought it was great that she was showing interest in something, that we encouraged her.”

            “But once it was known, what she was so captivated by, everyone freaked.” He smiled shaking his head.

            “No,” he paused looking up at the stars. “It was when she said that she was going to follow that belief, that everything changed. She never kept secret from us, that is whenever she chooses to speak to anyone.” He took a deep breath looking back at me. “I had to admit that I like the effect you’ve had on her, she is truly herself, like she was then.” He smiled shaking his head with laughter.

            “What,” I asked with my own laughter.

            “Her mother finally confronted her about her new way of thinking, and Ashley really showed who she could be, who she is now thanks to you.” He laughed outright again “I’ll never forget the look we all had when she finally said she’s had enough. I swear I thought everyone was going to have a heart-attack.” I frown see the difference between them. Ashley told the story outright, but grandpa seemed to lose track of things.

            “She jumped up from the couch and got into her mother face, telling her that she had the right to follow any religion she wanted. Her mother just stood there with this shocked look, we all were. It was the most she had spoken in weeks, now here’s this strong and confident woman. It was such a one eighty that we simple accepted her new life.” He chuckled again, and this time it was about me. “It’s way only her mother is not accepting this, but the rest of us sees her so happy, and how could we deny her happiness.”