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I love how that sounds rolling off his tongue.Home.
“Em said to say hi,” I tell him when we’re driving. “She’ll be back in a couple of days.”
He smiles. “I just want to get past the funeral, you know? Then maybe I can think straight.”
I can only hope things will settle down for him and become clearer after that.
I think the initial shock of everything is always the hardest part. He’s smart enough to navigate through everything whenhe has a clear head. And I’m going to be here to help him get through it.
The next couple of days pass by in a blur. We were meant to have dinner before the night of the funeral, but Ashton says he’s not ready yet to face his mom again.
The funeral goes by in a blur, and it’s a huge gathering.
Ashton is completely worn out by the end.
I can’t even believe he’s going to play a practice game this weekend. But I know it’s where his passion lies and it will be good for him to take his mind off things.
He doesn’t touch me until after the funeral. He wasn’t joking about getting things out of the way. The next night, he makes love to me, the slowest we’ve ever done before.
It’s raw, hard, and passionate. And I love every moment. Our bodies always move with each other in perfect rhythm and time, and we both find much-needed release.
I know he’s tense when Taylor calls him the morning of the game. He’s on speakerphone while I’m making breakfast in Ashton’s expansive chef’s kitchen, which he says he barely ever uses. I caught up on a ton of paperwork last night and will head back to Seattle in a couple of days. None of us really got the chance to catch up, but we will before I head back to work. Em, Taylor, Ash, Cindy, Tyler, and Susie.I think even Jay from the team will be there, too.
“Ash, you know Coach totally understands about the game today if you don’t feel up to it.”
“I’m fine,” Ashton says. “Trust me, with all the drama at the moment, I need the distraction.”
“You sure?”
“Yeah, you know me. Besides, I talked to Coach. I told him I’d be there.”
“How’s Maddie holding up?” I hear him ask.
I look up from the bacon and egg breakfast I’m preparing.
“She’s good. She’s making breakfast,” Ashton says.
“Well, I guess I’ll see you guys later at the game,” he says.
“Alright, later, Taylor.”
One thing is for sure: he hasn’t been short of support during all of this.
I think it has lessened the load somewhat.
I know he is meeting with the board next week since his dad left everything to Ashton. Ironic really.
He spent his whole life never showing any interest in his son, yet in death sends Ashton all the answers he was chasing, and then leaves everything to him in his will.
I think the whole thing is pretty overwhelming for Ashton.
They were very somber at the funeral. His mom has been very quiet. I feel for her, despite everything. Seeing Ash hurt is not something I like, but life is also very short, and I don’t believe she is a bad person. I think she was very young and impressionable then, and she learned to live with the lie as the years passed.
I don’t judge because I know the choices we make as women are never easy.
I place our breakfast on the counter and slide onto the bar stool next to him.
“I appreciate you making breakfast for me,” he grins. “I could get used to this.”
