Ashley Kimberly- HE is the Woman

Chapter 5 : Period Alerts!

"No I am not wearing these heels again or these skin tight clothes", said Ashley with a straight face.

"Then we will have to strip you naked and make you wear them", replied Abbie with a sarcastic smile.

"Okay enough of this discussion. Richard will here any time soon. Ashley for God's sake stop acting like a baby", said Ann with a hint of anger.

                   Uncle rushed to the door as soon as the bell rang.

"Hello young man!. You remind me of my youth!," exclaimed uncle as he welcomed Richard inside the apartment.

"Thank you boss!."

   

                  The men waited in the hall, talking about work as they sipped their tea. In this enormous apartment , to Richard, it seemed like he and his Boss are alone. But soon the wait was over as Ashley stepped out of her room. Richard's jaw dropped open.

Ashley wore Ann's backless cocktail dress, knee length, that fitted Ashley perfectly. Her hair neatly tied into a bun, exposing her back and shoulders. To Richard, Ashley looked like a fairy in silver. A fairy that struggles to walk in heels.

Ashley stumbled as she came close to Uncle and Richard when Richard caught her from falling.

"You alright ?".

"Never better!".

Ann, Uncle and Abbie stared in surprise. It seemed like a Bollywood movie scene to them.

    It was one and half hours drive. Ashley kept on talking and Richard enjoyed in silence. Everything she talked about was something Richard never heard it coming from a woman.

"Also I am sure there will be hot chics. Hopefully we won't get bored", added Ashley to her never ending gossips.

" I won't be bored if there are hot chics but what will you do with the hot chics? You seem much more excited than me", replied Richard without looking at Ashley as he drove.

"In this body? What can I do other than craving", whispered Ashley. But Richard didn't hear her.

Ashley changed the topic and started to talk about cars and bikes.

Finally they reached to their destination. They walked inside the venue hand in hand. As soon as they entered, everyone seemed to admire them. Ashley went to the investors and greeted them. Investors seemed pleased to talk to her. Richard joined their conversation.

" Ashley we will sign the contract right before the dinner. Now I should go and dance with my beautiful wife", said one of the investors.

"Sure. We are glad to have you here . Contract can wait", replied Ashley with a smile.

She can see the investor dancing slowly with his wife from a distance. The man seemed so happy in his wife's arms. The wife kept on smiling at her husband while dancing. Her smile reminded Ashley of Abbie. Abbie smiles in the same way whenever they danced. Only if there was a woman like Abbie maybe I could trust women and fall in love, thought Ashley. Richard interrupted Ashley's thought.

"Want a drink?", offered Richard.

"Yes please".

As Richard walked into the bunch of people to get her a drink suddenly Ashley felt her stomach twist. Suddenly a pain took control over her lower body. She felt this pain the other night as well. The muscles of her abdomen started to ache. The excruciating pain made her fall onto her knees.

"Are you alright ma'am?", asked the waiter who was passing by.

"Where is the washroom?", asked Ashley as she tried to fight her pain.

The waiter showed her the direction.

Ashley entered one of the stall in the washroom. She lifted her dress to check if something bit her only to find blood between her thighs. She called Abbie in panic.

After telling everything to Abbie over the phone Ashley became breathless.

"Ashley relax!. This happens to every woman. You will be alright. But now the main problem is the venue is 1.5 hours away from our place. You need to wear sanitory pads otherwise you will be in an embarrassing situation. Call someone from there and ask her to buy it for you then you can wait till the contract is signed".

"Abbie! I don't know anyone here and I don't have anyone's number. Uncle did not come along with me as well. I can't stand the pain!".

"Okay calm down. Ask Richard to buy it then. We have no other option."

"Okay..Abbie I got to go now."

Ashley hung up as soon as  she heard Richard banging on the door. He sounded worried.

"Ashley! The waiter told me you seemed to be in pain. Are you alright?".

"Richard I need you to buy me something."

"Name it. What medicines do you need ?".

"Those things with wings."

"What wings?".

"The things woman wear during..."

"Sanitory pads?".

"Yes that's the word!. I keep on forgetting that word", replied Ashley.

Richard rushed to the supermarket across the road. He didn't do this even for that woman from his past but when it came to Ashley all he thought was how to rescue her.

Three girls in their highschool uniform stood in front of the sanitory pad section. Those girls mesmerized by Richard's looks stared at him.

"Woah..what do you think he came to buy wearing this luxury suit?", asked one of them to another. Richard can hear them.

As these young girls stared in admiration he couldn't help but feel shy. He started to check out the razors stacked next to the sanitory pads, trying his best to pretend. But the girls stood there staring at him and he didn't have enough time. Ashley is stuck in that stall. He needs to help her .

He grabbed a razor and a packet of sanitory pad in hurry and ran off to the counter.

"He is taken...She must be so lucky to have a boyfriend running such errands for her", said one of the girl in a sad tone. The other two nodded.

        Richard passed the packet to Ashley through the space under the door of the stall.

"Why did you buy this razor?".

"Uh.. so that you can shave your legs", said Richard as an excuse. He doesn't want Ashley to know that he felt shy in front highschool girls.

"Why didn't I think of it? This is definitely better than waxing".

             After signing the contract Richard and Ashley left. As Richard drove Ashley started again.

"Thanks dude. If it weren't for you I would have died. Already dying with this pain".

"It's alright", replied Richard while he blushed a bit.

"Won't your girlfriend get mad if you are late ?".

"I don't have a girlfriend", replied Richard with a smile," I live with my 5 years old daughter only. She is my world. I have no one other than her ".

"Oh I'm sorry I didn't know. How did your girlfriend die?".

Richard laughed a bit before adding, " My wife divorced me because she wanted to persue her acting career. She didn't want to have a baby . She wanted to abort our daughter but the abortion could kill her so she gave birth to our daughter to save her own life . Shortly after that she divorced me and never received my call again nor did she contacted me. She is dating a famous producer now. And that's my story".

"I so am sorry. Bring over your daughter sometime. I'm sure we will get along".

Ashley and Richard became good friends during these few days and became closer specially after today. Is it the beginning of  a new friendship or something unknown?.Little did they both know God's plan.