Page 28 of Finding Ash
McClain
Somehow I’d fallen in love again, and not with one man, but two. In my heart I knew Sammy had a hand–or a wing, in this. I glanced up toward the heavens and smiled, a silent shout-out to him.
Well played, Sammy, well played.
The clouds parted, and a beam of light shone down on me. Yup, it was him. I dropped the bag of trash in the dumpster and headed back inside, readyto open the creamery and begin another day. Having Ash by my side as one of my partners, not only in life, but in business, sweetened our relationship so much more. Total sugar filled pun intended. And Remy jumping in to help whenever we needed it, blessed didn’t even cover how I felt about these boys and their big hearts.
“Unlock the front door, sweetheart, while I wash up and I’ll meet you up there.” My life was brighter, my steps much peppier, and my heart…. well, my heart was filled to overflowing, and soon my home would be too.
Our home.
I should’ve expected to find what I walked into, but I had hoped she’d wait for Ash to come to her first.
“I’m so sorry, Ash,” Daisy again apologized. “I just never thought.”
“That’s exactly it, Mom. You never thought, because if you had, you’d have remembered that Kit and I are not the same. I don’t want fanfare. I don’t do well in crowds. I like being a wallflower, living in comfortable silence.”
Customers were funneling in, and it was time to divert this conversation. “Ash, why don’t you take your parents up to the apartment? I’ve got things handled down here.” His pleading eyes asked me not to do this, but airing our dirty laundry wasn’t my idea of a good time. Not that word wouldn’t soon get around, but it wouldn’t be byAsh, Remy, or myself for certain. “This is a private family matter.”
Defeated, Ash sighed. “Follow me.”
“Welcome to Foggy Creamery,” I greeted the patrons. Not any locals I’d met, so they may’ve been part of the summer crowd. “What can I dazzle you with today?”
We had a steady flow of customers, nothing to where we were backed up, thankfully. Ash and his family came back down about a half hour later. Somber faces and lack of eye contact led me to believe the conversation hadn’t gone well. His parents left without a word. Ash put on his apron and gloves and moved to wipe down the already clean tables while I finished with the patron I was serving.
“Sweetheart, is everything okay?”
“No.” He tossed the rag on the table and sank down into a chair. “They’re leaving tomorrow.”
“When were they supposed to leave?”
“On Monday.”
“Why the change?”
“She said this is mine and Kit’s home and she overstepped and no longer feels welcome.”
“What? How did that come about?” Overreaction for sure, but I now see where Ash got his dramatic side from.
“Honestly, I think she was hoping she’d find me sulking and be able to talk me into going back to thecommune. Instead, she found the opposite. Not sure what she thought she’d achieve yesterday, but it blew up in her face, and now she wants to run away and hide.”
“Ash, you need to fix this. Your family is close, and I know you, you’ll never forgive yourself if you let her leave like this.” Time to share a part of me I’d long ago tucked away. “I wish I had a family as close as yours. The day I came out was the day my family disowned me and kicked me out. They haven’t spoken to me in twenty-five years and not a day goes by that it doesn’t hurt. Honey, I don’t want you to live with the same sense of loss that I have.”
“When you put it like that, it sucks even more. I’m so sorry your family didn’t see you for the wonderful, caring man that you are. Sexuality should never be a deciding factor for whether a parent loves their child, that should be unconditional.”
“You’re spot on, love, which just goes to show that I never mattered to them. But I matter to you and to Remy, and that’s what counts now. No, the hurt will never go away, but your love overshadows it. Ash, don’t let them leave on a bad note. That’s something you’ll never forget and may not be able to work past.”
“Okay. I’ll go to Nate’s after we close.”
“I say no time like the present and it’s a bit slow today.” Another dramatic sigh. “My little drama queen, I do love you so.”
“You win. I’ll go now.”
“I only win when you’re happy and you’re clearly not happy. Here, let me pack up some ice cream for you to take with you as a peace offering.” Ash reminded me of what they had ordered, and I packed it up and sent him on his way.
The rest of the afternoon went by fast, even though I kept checking my phone every thirty seconds. Had I made a mistake not going with him? Just as I was about to hang aclosed for the daysign on the front door, Ash and Remy came in through the back with bags in hand.
“What’s all this? How did it go?” I took the bags from Ash.
