Page 54 of The Baxters
At the same time, her mom’s eyes welled up with tears. She brought her hand to her mouth and then let it fall to her side again. As Ashley came closer her parents closed the gap. In all the times Ashley had imagined how they might respond to her pregnancy, the one thing she didn’t expect was what happened next.
Her parents drew her into a hug. Ashley began to cry then, and the embrace lasted until the final people were off the plane. Her mom and dad wouldn’t let go. They just held her and ran their hands over her shoulders and back.
When they were finally alone at the gate, her dad led them to the three closest seats. He had tears by then, too. “Ashley… my precious girl. What happened?”
The details were so ugly, so completely sordid, but she had to share them. From the moment she left Paris, Ashley had promised herself she would tell her family the entire truth. So there would be no dark secrets to cover up, no lies to carry.
Ashley kept the story brief, while her parents listenedto every word. Not once did anger flash in their faces. They weren’t disgusted with her. They were heartbroken. Which was maybe worse.
Once she finished talking, her dad put his arm around her. “We’ll stay by your side, Ashley. Your mother and I, we aren’t going anywhere.”
Her mom took her hand. The tears on her cheeks were drying now. “We’re so glad you’re home. We’ll get through this.” She stood and put her hands on Ashley’s shoulders. “We will. Everything’s going to be okay.”
Then her dad did something Ashley hadn’t done since before the accident. He put his other arm around Elizabeth, and he prayed. For God to protect Ashley and her baby, and for their family to be supportive and come alongside her. “I know Ashley regrets her choices, Father. Please, give her Your healing and forgiveness. Show her Your grace. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
But if her parents had given Ashley a welcome greater than she had expected, the opposite was true for her siblings. When she walked through the door, she hurried to her old bedroom and changed into a sweatshirt. Her clothes hid her baby bump as the family gathered in the living room.
No one expected her to be pregnant, so no one noticed.
But once everyone was in the same room celebrating Ashley’s return, she spoke up. “I’m pregnant. I’m due in two months.” She took a deep breath and told them the same story she had told her parents earlier.
She didn’t spare a single detail.
When she was finished her parents jumped up to hug her but as soon as they sat down, everyone waited in silence, not stirring. Erin’s mouth hung slightly open. She was the first to move as she stood and came to Ashley. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered. It was all she said before she returned to her seat.
Kari’s face was pale. She crossed her arms and looked down. When she lifted her gaze to Ashley again she shook her head. “I can’t believe it. So your baby won’t have a dad?”
“He doesn’t need one.” Ashley’s response was quick. By then she had decided the baby was a boy. Just a feeling she had. “I’m enough all by myself.”
At that, Ashley saw her parents exchange a knowing look. Like Ashley had no idea what was involved in having a baby.
Ashley’s oldest sister, Brooke, was married to Peter by then and the two had just brought home baby Maddie. Their family lived across town, so they would have to find out later.
Finally it was Luke’s turn to say something, do something. Ashley looked at him, the boy who had been one of her best friends when they were little. Anger built in his eyes until Luke looked like he might blow up. He stood and stared at her. “You had an affair with amarriedman? Are you kidding me?”
Then he turned toward the doorway and waved her off, like he was finished with her.
“Luke!” Their father was on his feet now. “Get back in here.”
“Why?” Luke stopped and faced their dad. “She trashed our name and now she’s back here pregnant with some married guy’s kid.” He glared at Ashley. “God gave you a second chance, Ashley. This is what you do with it?”
He ran upstairs before anyone could stop him. And he’d been angry with her ever since.
Ashley heard a car pull into the driveway. One look out the window told her who it was. Landon had come after all. She stood and pressed her hand against the glass. How would she survive the next few hours without falling in love with him all over again?
She imagined herself dancing in his arms a few hours ago, his face close to hers. Everything in her wanted to go to him, hold on to him and tell him she was sorry for being rude and unkind these past three years. She would tell him she loved him still. She always would.
But that could never happen. None of it. If the night ended like that, it would be disastrous for them both.
Stay strong,she told herself.He’s totally wrong for you. You’re wrong for him.You have to tell him what happened in Paris.
Yes, that was it. She would find a moment tonight to make the details painfully clear. So he would walk away knowing the whole truth about her time overseas. She sighed and found her bag on the floor. She had brought a change of clothes for the after-party, both for her and for Cole.
A minute later she was dressed in dark jeans and a white scoop-neck T-shirt. She slipped on a pair of tennis shoes and took a deep breath. For the next few hours she had one goal: to tell Landon Blake what she’d really done, and to keep her heart as far from him as possible. Before she changed her mind.
She had to go deep when they talked tonight. No more chatting about school and paintings and what used to be. No more memories of life in the fifth grade. Tonight they would share their first honest conversation since she came home. And that would be that. Otherwise she would do the one thing she had promised she would never do.
Run into Landon Blake’s arms, and never, ever let go.
