Hello again reader's I have completed another chapter. This one is about Ashley learning about the fact that being gay is not a choice. I wanted her to be fleshed out as a character and not written as generic hate filled spiel about anti-gay rhetoric. Instead she is confused and she is receiving exposure therapy. The idea is she will spend an hour with a gay couple and realize her head won't explode or in terms of her character. That being gay is not something you can catch. I wanted this knowledge to be something she slowly figures out through internal debate. I did my best to convey that so here you go.
Ashley woke up to curtains being pulled open. She had to blink a few times before she scanned the room and found her culprit. She groaned and looked at Maggie; one look and Ashley knew one thing. No matter how hard she cried out or screamed. She was doing this.
Ashley looked at Maggie and said "it is Saturday and 10:30 AM, leave. ME .alone". Maggie sighed and picked her up by the arm and practically dragged her to the shower and closed the door. Ashley took a shower shouting every profanity imaginable in her mind. After being clean enough for her liking she got ready and stepped outside of the bathroom.
Maggie was waiting and tapping her foot. After seeing her sister; followed by the steam that left the room She half smiled and looked at Ashley and said follow me. She reached into her handbag and got out lipstick. Normally she wore midnight black but for some reason. Ashley noticed the dark red color replacing it's usual hue. It was around this time that Ashley came to discover something odd. Maggie was dressed up. She wore formal clothes. Ashley noticed it and most certainly took note of it as well.
Turning to her sister Ashley said "You look spiffy. What's up. If I didn't know any better I would say you were going on a d-" She was about to finish but with a chuckle Maggie smiled and responded "date, you'd be right. Normally I would sleep in, rather than realize; yet again the agonizing pain of waking from my dreams. However, today is special Luan and I have a date...and you will be joining us."
Ashley knew not to argue with her older sister so she sighed and agreed. After pondering the necessity of this she said "A warning would be great. I am under-dressed don't you think". She looked to her nice looking informal wear and felt confused, was she dressed right and would she look right. Was meeting up with the dating couple a bad idea because of her opinion of what she called "their kind".
Ashley was pushing back the fact that Maggie did not yell at her or scream at her. Instead Ashley was told a surprise would await her in the morning. She expected a fight. A big one. When it did not happen she assumed it would happen the next day. Another thing that confused her was that the more she thought about it; the closer she came to know her sister to be right. She knew her for her entire life and was her best friend since childhood. So why was she straight. She would find an explanation before the end of the night.
Maggie saw the confused look in Ashley's face, and had a feeling she knew what was going in her sister's head. She looked at her sister and said "three things. One. You aren't going on a date, we are. Two. You are dressed fine. You always look good so it's fine; and three, you would not have gotten up or followed if I had left things out in the open. I have my reasons".
Ashley rolled her eyes and followed Maggie down the stairs. They left the house and walked to a fancy looking restaurant by the name of Aloha Comrade. It looked cool to Ashley. it had a pretty tan exterior with a banana hut looking ceiling and a cathedral like decoration sitting on top. They entered the store.
Inside the restaurant was pretty. It had a very homey feel to it and the smell of pineapple was adding to the aroma and tone of the place. In one of the booths was Luan who was wearing a straightforward and yet still amazing looking dress with a flower on it. From the way Maggie spoke of her. She expected clown clothes and a rolling tape of Denis Leary in the background. She was apparently not the only one to notice because as Ashley went to sit down she noticed Maggie still standing and staring at Luan; right before blushing promptly and hiding her face.
Luan laughed at this and said "Daw, that is so adorable. Love you to honey". Around this time the server came over and gave us our menus and they looked it over. There were loads of different types of tacos and soups. One of which consisted of different types of veggies and some kind of rye sauce. Upon conversing around the table Ashley came to realize why they came here. Luan's father worked here currently. She found herself laughing at this information as this seemed to fit her personality. And than the confused face from earlier returned. She thought to herself. What's happening Luan is warming up to me. Am I starting to catch it. oh god! is she catching it. one minute became five which became ten. She pondered and came to the conclusion that no her relationship growth was platonic. She was still straight. She did not catch the gay like she had heard that she could. So why is she having a good time with Luan and Maggie.
Their food arrived right on time. Everyone ordered the Okrashka soup and spicy enchiladas layered in Russian dressing. It was odd tasting. However not at all unappealing. Luan laughed and said "The food here is great, and I am not just saying that because dad's back there". Maggie nodded.
Ashley agreed and looked to Luan and said "You know it is quite impressive. Your ability to run a business at such a young age. I hear you even have decent revenue". Luan smiled and laughed, after about a minute of chuckling she smiled at her and said "Thanks toots. Yep I make good money. I make more than minimum wage just through commissions. I make around 2-300 dollars weekly doing this gig around town. Word spreads quickly and luckily for me. Talk...Talk is business". Ashley smiled and nodded her head.
Maggie was happy. Ashley was getting along with Luan. She looked to Ashley and said "Well it's getting late. Thanks for date I had a great time". She looked to Ashley with a content smile while saying what she felt she had to.
Ashley was even more confused than this morning. Now she genuinely enjoyed spending time with the cheerful Luan. She had not caught anything yet. And that's when it hit her. She had gone through years of friendship and hardship with her sister and felt their bond to be unbreakable. She watched her cry laugh and get mad. Sometimes all at once. She met Luan and the Loud family. Despite starting out on and possibly remaining on bad terms with the loud family. They still mostly treat her with respect. Luan laughed with her and talked to her like a person. Not like some of her own friends. She did not catch the gay and it took until now to realize why.
Ashley did something that left everyone; including Mr. Loud who was "subtly" spying on them from the kitchen. Ashley walked right up to Luan hugged as hard as she could and weeped silently.
Luan was confused and uncomfortable thinking "what's going on". She softly patted her back and said "there...there".
Ashley said in the most understandable voice you could muster while crying said "I am so sorry for everything. I met you and I wasn't thinking and I messed up so bad. I hurt Lynn...Oh god Lynn! I am so glad I met you and please. Tell Lynn I wish her well I...I Just want her to know that."
Luan looked at Ashley and saw that she meant it. She hugged her back and Maggie hugged her too. The atmosphere went from happy to melancholic to depressing and finally it landed on bittersweet for Ashley.
Luan smiled and looked at her in the eyes and said "I am glad that you realize what you've done, but you should not say any of that to me. What you did was bad. Really bad. It's not place to pass judgment or lack therof, it's Lynn's. It's been a year and you clearly have grown as a person. No doubt because of your amazing sister". Luan looked to Maggie with a longful smile and Maggie blushed.
Maggie looked to Ashley and said "I will level with you. She is right. You are not the you from last year. However, you still did something hideous and if I was her I would label it unforgivable. I love you and I hope for your sake she is more merciful than I".
Ashley thought about Maggie's word's and frowned. She felt like she was watching a movie of what she did and she just wish she could undo it. She had to think long and hard on a proper apology that was not forced by her sister. How could she ever get close to do so.
Maggie sighed and said "Don't get to down. She neglected to have me punish you. She just said live your life and be better. She gave you an open door. Whether that open door involves her or not I know not, but I will say this. You proved yourself to Luan and that is something that is hard to do."