The rain that fell around the truck Chayton was driving comforted Ashlyn. She don't know how she managed but she covered all the bruises on her face. The busted lip was covered by a small layer of lipstick. She felt as if there was a layer of dust on her face but it was necessary. She groaned and tried not the rub at it. Chayton slid his eyes to her.
"What are you complaining about?" She shook her head and looked out the window. How was she going to explain all this to her family? How much had changed in the two years she was gone. Running away at 16, pregnant was not the best way to handle things. She sighed. If only she had known the truth about Chayton she would have had help. It wouldn't be so hard. She wouldn't be bruised or cut, or hurt. She wouldn't have to worry about her and Schuyler's safety every second of every day. She turned and looked at her daughter, fast asleep in her car seat.
As soon as they passed the reservation line, she sat up straighter, her heart pounding. The familiarity of every tree, every street, every house they passed set a fire to the emotions that had been building for two years. Could she really do it? Keep this secret from her family? She prayed to the Spirits that she could. If not, she didn't know what she would do.
Pulling up to her childhood home made her so nervous, that it cause Ashlyn to almost choke on her own breath. She opened the door to the truck, watching as her mother, Margaret Young run out the front door to hug the daughter she felt she had lost two years ago.
"Ashlyn!" Ashlyn's reserve almost broke right then. Before she knew it, her legs were carrying her as fast as they could towards her mother.
"Mom!" They collided, the warmth of her mother surrounding Ashlyn in a hug she hoped would never end. This time she couldn't stop the tears. The sobs racked her body and she could feel her mother's tears dripping down onto her dark hair. She pulled back to look at her mother. The brown eyes she had inherited from her looked as bright as they had ever been and just as loving. Her mother had not aged much in two years, but even in her forties, Ashlyn could see the dark tresses beginning to turn silver.
"Let me see her." Chayton stepped around the truck, pulling Ashlyn by his side. Her mother's face quickly turned dark. Margaret looked at Chayton with burning hate. He was the man who stole her daughter's heart when she was 16 and he was 18. Eventually Margaret had come home with nothing but a note from Ashlyn stating that she was leaving with Chayton… and pregnant. Secretly over the pregnancy she had sent her mother sonogram pictures and updates. All of that came to a stop because of Chayton when Schuyler was born. He made Ashlyn agree to never turn back to their old lives although her mother never knew why.
Ashlyn turned to him and squirmed out of his grip lightly, trying to ignore the stare down going on in front of her. She slowly pulled the truck door open. Chayton wouldn't do anything. Not here. Not now in front of her mother. He kept his secret well hidden and had warned her that she would too. Pulling her daughter out of the seat she smiled as she watched Schuyler squirm awake. The little girl smiled and held her arms out for her mother. Ashlyn scooped her up and walked towards her mother with her daughter in her arms. Margaret felt her eyes fill with tears as she laid eyes on her granddaughter for the first time. The Spirits had truly blessed Schuyler with her mother's looks and attitude. The only things she had of Chayton was the fact that he was her father, nothing more.
Margaret held her arms open and Schuyler all but dove into them. Schuyler liked this woman. She was warm and kind. She felt just like her mother. Schuyler curled her small hands into the older woman's shirt. Margaret pulled her daughter and granddaughter inside. Ashlyn gasped upon seeing the face who had been like her second mother. Sue Clearwater sat in the love seat next to the couch in the den. Ashlyn ran forward and hugged her fiercely.
"Sue. I'm so sorry. I'm so so so so sorry I wasn't here. I should have been. I could have said goodbye. I could have-" Sue silenced her with a finger over her lips.
"Ashlyn there is nothing you could have done differently. You have your own circumstances in your life that has kept you away from this family for so long. But it's alright. You're home now. And that's all that matters." Ashlyn nodded and rested her head on the woman's shoulder. Sue and her mother. They felt like home. Like everything in the world was right again. Like she wasn't hurting and broken beyond repair. She was okay. And that was all that mattered.
It was later that evening when she was awoken by the sound of the screen door slamming open. She groaned and rolled on to her stomach, burying her face into the pillow. Her mother had insisted that Chayton stayed with his parents while Ashlyn stay with her. This thought floating across her mind had her upright and out of bed in five seconds flat. She gasped and bolted down the stairs.
"Mom? Schuyler? Where are you two?" She heard her mother's laughter from the back yard. Heading out onto the patio she smiled at the sight of playing with her cousin, Claire Young. They were both toddling around, chasing each other and giggling. It was when Schuyler turned and spotted her, letting out her squeal of joy, did the head of another woman turn. Shock flooded her veins as she looked into the scarred face of Emily Young.
A/N: If I get more reviews I will introduce Paul and the pack the next chapter (;