Page 10 of Bash

“Oh, honey, you can’t help being sick,” he answered.

“She’s worried you’re going to be mad at her,” Bash said from where he was setting up medications on the dresser.

I shot him my best murderous glare.

“Why on earth would I be upset because you’re sick?” Leland asked, his confusion evident.

My cheeks prickled with embarrassment and I found myself suddenly too nervous to speak. I shrugged my shoulders instead.

“She’s worried about you needing to find someone to cover her shift. I think she feels like she let us down.”

I was going to strangle Bash. Ididfeel like I was letting the shop down, but I didn’t need Bash telling him.

“I don’t know what kind of people you had in your life before us, kiddo, but I think they sucked. I would never be upset with you for missing work because you have the damn flu. I would, however, be very upset if you tried to work when you weren’t feeling well,” Leland said.

I nodded, but I wasn't sure I believed him even if I wanted to.

“You’re a very sweet friend and we love you. You bring so much sunshine into Daddies Ink and into our lives. In the short time we’ve known you, you’ve already made us so damn happy.You are so loving and you care about each one of us. You are thoughtful, gracious, and model what kind of people we should be every day, but more importantly we love you for who you are, not for what you do for us. Do you understand? We would still love you if you never worked another day at Daddies Ink.”

Tears pricked my eyes and I tried to blink them back before Leland saw them. He’d touched on one of my biggest insecurities.We love you for who you are, not for what you do.I did work so hard because I felt like maybe if my friends saw what I was worth they’d keep me… I felt like if I was helpful, they’d have a reason to want me around and I so badly wanted to be kept.

“Look at me, Allyson,” Leland said firmly.

I obeyed.

“Aww, honey. Is that what you’re worried about? That we won’t love you if you don’t work for the shop?”

I shook my head. “No.”

Bash sat on the bed beside me, clearly not liking my distress. Leland scooted a bit closer and put his hand on my foot.

“What is worrying you, Little one?” Leland asked.

“That if you all don’t need me, you won’t keep me.”

“Has that happened to you before, Allyson?”

“Yeah.”

“When, sweetheart?” Bash asked.

“When I turned eighteen. The state didn’t pay my foster parents for me anymore, so they didn’t need me and...” I shrugged, unable to finish the rest.

“And that was when you became homeless and started living in the shelter,” Bash finished for me.

I nodded. “I know that they didn’t have to keep me, like it was probably very expensive or something, but they just… didn’t. I thought maybe they’d let me finish high school first orsomething. But when I didn’t have anything to offer anymore, they didn’t love me anymore.”

Bash put his arm around me and squeezed gently. “Allyson, those people were wrong. Your caseworker failed you and your foster parents did too. They should have taken the time to make you understand you are more important than a check and I’m sorry they failed you like they did. Real families, even found ones like ours, love each other genuinely. And a genuine love means that it doesn’t matter what the members of that family bring or don’t bring into the relationships, it only matters that they belong there. You belong to us, Little girl, and you never have to worry about us getting rid of you. We love you now and for always, okay?” Bash spoke so gently that it made my heart ache.

“You’re ours now, Little one, and we’re never letting you go,” Leland added. “You were made for our small makeshift family.”

Chapter Four

Bash

Loud, incessant coughing woke me from a deep slumber. I looked up at Allyson who was sitting up in my bed.

“Sorry,” she apologized quickly. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”

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