Page 24 of Two Weeks
His explanation took the next ten minutes. Cole told them how Elise had gotten connected with a bad guy, someone who took advantage of her. “The two of them drank and partied and stayed out way past curfew.” Cole sounded sorry for her. “She hates all of this now. The guy forced himself on her. It wasn’t how she wanted things to go.”
“Wow.” Landon rubbed the back of his neck. “Poor girl.” He sounded sincere.
Ashley nodded, but inside she was struggling. This was the girl Cole was crazy about? Someone rebellious and wild? A girl who had been with some other guy as recently as November? She was glad Cole couldn’t read her mind.
Cole went on about how Elise had rebelled against her mother, and when it all came crashing down before Christmas, the decision was made to send Elise to her aunt and uncle’s house in Bloomington. Mostly to get away from the guy.
Great, Ashley thought.He’ll probably come after herand take his wrath out on Cole. Of all people.Again she bit her tongue.
“And now she thinks she’s pregnant.” Landon brought the conversation back to the main point.
“Yes. She’s been feeling sick and throwing up.” He turned to Ashley. “Can she get a test tomorrow at the center? If I take her there?”
“Of course.” Ashley felt herself begin to soften. The crisis pregnancy center was something she and her sister Brooke had started several years ago, after Ashley and Landon’s first daughter was born with anencephaly and died just after birth. She’d seen the girls who came through the front doors of the place. Scared and alone. Compassion began to warm the worried places in her heart. She locked eyes with Cole. “Whatever we can do to help her.”
“There.” Cole smiled. “That’s my mom.” The hurt wasn’t completely gone from his face, but he looked better. They were going to be okay. “I told Elise I’d be there for her. As her friend.”
Relief flooded Ashley. It was the first reassuring thing her son had said since he sat down. He wanted to be her friend. Nothing more. She was about to tell him how smart that was, just to be a companion for a girl like Elise. But God Himself must’ve stopped her because she shut her mouth.
Landon ran his fingers along her shoulder. As if he could tell she was practicing restraint. “But that’s not how you felt about her before.” He paused. “Right?” Understanding ran rich in Landon’s words. He was such a wonderful father.
He patted the spot on the sofa beside them. “Come here. This can’t be easy for you.”
“No.” Tears built up in Cole’s eyes. He took the place next to Landon and leaned onto his shoulder. “I thought I was in love with her.” He wiped at his tears and seemed to try to gain composure. “I still think that.”
“What about her?” Landon turned so he could see Cole better. He put his hand on their son’s knee. “What does she think?”
Ashley held her breath.
“She doesn’t like me. Not like that.” He clenched his jaw and shook his head. “She thinks we should just be friends.”
Again, Ashley didn’t say a word.
“Well...” Landon moved his hand to Cole’s shoulder. “She’s probably right. It’s just two months since she was in a terrible relationship. And now she might be carrying that boy’s child.” He hesitated, like he was letting his words sink in. “Makes sense, right?”
Exhale,Ashley reminded herself. She breathed out, her eyes fixed on Cole.
He seemed to take Landon’s words to heart. Even the look in his eyes softened. “Yeah. I can see that. She’s pretty upset.” A certainty welled in his expression. “But if she wants me to stand by her, I’ll be there.” He locked eyes with Landon. “The way you were there for Mom.”
Ashley wondered if she might fall to the floor. He couldn’t be serious. Cole wasn’t thinking he needed to date Elise, just because that was something Landon had done with Ashley? He couldn’t possibly be leaning that way. The idea shot panic through her veins and she waited.Come on, Landon. Say something.
“I feel like that was a little different.” Landon’s tone was measured. Unhurried. “I had known your mom in high school, but by the time we reconnected we were in our twenties. Finished with school. And you were a two-year-old.”
Cole seemed to take that in, process it. His gaze fell off toward the window. “I guess you’re right.” He hesitated for a few seconds and then he looked at Landon again. “But you would’ve stayed by Mom. If this had happened to her.”
At that, Landon was quiet. There was nothing he could say. Cole was right. Landon would’ve stayed by Ashley. He would’ve done anything for her, even if Ashley had only been eighteen and just weeks out of a terrible relationship.
“Tell you what.” Landon stood and helped Cole to his feet. “Why don’t we all get a good night’s sleep and pray about that, what your role is supposed to be in Elise’s life?” He drew Cole into a long hug. “We love you very much, Son. We’re proud of you.”
Cole nodded and held on to Landon, clung to him like Ashley hadn’t seen him do since he was a much younger boy. “I love you, Dad. Thank you. For helping me.”
Again Ashley wished she had kept herself from blurting out earlier. But that moment was past. Cole moved to her and hugged her the same way he’d hugged Landon. “I love you, Mom.”
“Love you, too.” He was taller than she was now. Ashley laid her head on his shoulder. “I’m sorry again.”
“It’s okay. You didn’t mean it.” He looked at her, his eyes bleary from his earlier tears. “I’ll just pretend you didn’t say it.”
“Thank you.” She put her hand alongside his face. “We’ll get through this. I meant what I said about Elise. Tell us how we can help her.”
