The sun was rising slowly over Los Angeles as Spencer Carlin quickly made her way down the stairs and into the kitchen where her family was waiting.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SPENCER!" They all yelled in unison. There were smiles plastered on everyone's faces, but none could outshine Spencer's own on this day. This was it…it was finally here…the day she'd been waiting for: her eighteenth birthday.
"Happy birthday, sweetie!" Paula said happily.
"I called Eric and he said he might be a little late for dinner tonight but that he wouldn't miss it for the world." She said smiling at a beaming Spencer.
"Oh, I meant to tell you about that, mom, I'm not going to be seeing Eric anymore. And I won't be home for dinner…I have a date." Spencer said unable to suppress the happiness that spread like a tingling warmth within her.
"Oh? Who's the lucky guy?" Paula asked teasingly. Spencer was about to answer her but the door bell rang effectively silencing anything Spencer would have said. Bolting from the kitchen, Spencer stopped only to open the front door and stare at who stood before her. She couldn't stop the tears as she looked at the person she hadn't been forced to watch from afar for over a year. Ashley hadn't changed much, her long dark curls were a bit longer and eyes held a twinge of regret for the lost time but she was still the most beautiful creature Spencer had ever set eyes on.
"Ash." Was the only thing Spencer could get out and even then it was more a choked sob than anything, but Ashley held out her arms in understanding and Spencer felt herself fall into Ashley's embrace. The two girls held on to each other as though for dear life crying for all the time they'd lost and for all the time they now had to spend doing nothing but holding on to each other.
"No! I forbid it!" Paula yelled from behind Spencer. She had followed her daughter out and was now trying to pry the two apart. The harder she tried to pull the two apart the fiercer they held to each other.
"No!" Spencer yelled tears stinging her eyes as she felt her grip on Ashley falter. 'No!' the yell echoed in her mind. She refused to be kept from Ashley any longer. Spinning she faced a shocked Paula.
"You have no idea what it's been doing to me…what you've been doing to me! I let you dictate my life for fear that you'd disown me, kick me out…not love me for who I am. But you know what? I refuse to let you force me to abandon who I love! To force me to pretend to love someone other than Ash when in reality it's killing me not to be able to run into her arms. I love her, mom, and I won't let you take her from me anymore!" Spencer was letting over a years worth of resentment and pain out and she was directing its sharp edges at Paula. The rest of the Carlin's had, by this point, come out to see what the yelling was all about.
"Spencer, I'm trying to help you. What you're doing it…it just isn't right!" Paula yelled frustrated and desperate.
"It feels right." Spencer said simply.
"It's not! It's disgusting and dirty and wrong and…"
"Oh, Paula, shut up!" Arthur said stepping forward.
"She's happy. Let her be. Spencer…don't stay out too late." He said a grin spreading across his face.
"Okay." She smiled before lunging and tackling Ashley to the ground kissing her heatedly.
"Get a room." Glen said disgustedly.
"I just might do that." Spencer said after she broke the kiss and then giggled as she watched Ashley gulp and her eyes grow wide at the thought.
"Um…you know…Spence...I…uh…oh, boy." Spencer laughed happily at her girlfriends nervous stammering. Getting up, Spencer helped Ashley up before dragging her out the door to her waiting car and their first day of the rest of their life together.