Jill walked into the front room
"Right, mister now mum is here we are going to have a chat" said Gordon
Tom went to leave
"No, sit down" said Gordon angrily
Tom sat down
"Now, why have you got this idea that we are taking our anger out on you" said Gordon
"Well you have been" replied Tom
"Give us an example" replied Jill
Tom was trying to think of one
"You can't, because there isn't one, now if you wanted to spend time with us you only had to ask, you know that" said Jill
Tom nodded
"You need to apologise, for what you have said" started Gordon
"Mum, she's not upstairs" interrupted Katie, flying through the door
"Lunch is ready" shouted Jonathon
"Right, go and have your lunch" said Jill
"Matron can you take them through please" added Gordon
"I'm sorry" said Tom as he passed them
"It's alright, she won't have gone far in this weather" said Gordon, rubbing Jill's arms
"You, check upstairs, I'll check down here" said Gordon
"Gordon, I can't" started Jill
"I know, she's here" said Gordon
They left the front room and Gordon opened the study door, he was going to put some paperwork on the desk, he saw Ash's figure in the corner of the room
She was sat in the corner, she had pulled her knees up and was banging her head with her fists, tears streaming down her face, she had clearly heard everything that had gone on
"Jill" said Gordon
Jill was just about to go upstairs, but she knew Gordon had found her
"Ash, sweetheart" said Gordon
"You, stupid, stupid girl" Ash mumbled to herself
"Ash, sweetheart" said Gordon again, he had now reached her and was knelt in front of her
"Stupid, stupid, stupid" mumbled Ash
Gordon caught her arms
"Ash" said Jill
Ash, looked at Gordon and then at Jill
"Let me go" said Ash
"No," said Gordon taking her into a hug
"Please, just let me go" said Ash
"No, never" replied Jill, taking her hand and rubbing her back gently
"Please" Pleaded Ash
"What, is this all about" asked Jill
"It's, all my fault, all of it" stuttered Ash, in between sobs
"Don't you ever say that" said Gordon
"You hear me ever" Added Gordon
"But, it's all my fault, you heard them" replied Ash
"No, it was never your fault" replied Jill
"Everything is my fault; I can't do anything right" replied Ash
Gordon and Jill looked at each other
"Ash, sweetheart, where have you got this idea from" asked Jill
"Well, it is, I can't do or say the right thing, someone is always upset or angry with me" replied Ash
"Ohh, sweetheart, we never meant for you to feel that way" replied Jill
"It's fine, it was my choices, so I have to live with the consequences" replied Ash
"Right, well we have a lot to talk about" said Gordon
"But I think now is not the right time" said Jill
"No, too many people listening in" added Gordon
"Right let's have lunch, and we can talk more later" said Jill
Ash nodded
"What's that I can't hear a nod" said Gordon
"It was yes, go and have your lunch" replied Ash
"Well, you are coming as well" replied Jill
"No, I don't" started Ash
"Yes, you are" stated Gordon, Ash knew not to try and push her luck
"It's, all going to be alright, sweetheart" whispered Jill to Ash
"I wish, I could believe that" Ash muttered under her breath, luckily, they didn't hear her
They got up from the floor, Ash was struggling, Jill grabbed her arm and Gordon followed them through to the others
"Ash, where were you" asked Katie
"That doesn't matter" replied Gordon
"But we had to look for her, and you panicked" replied Tom
"Who, had to look" asked Katie
"No, one would have had to if you hadn't said what you did" replied Ash, wanting to leave, but Jill still had her arm
"And I'm not a baby, I can spend time on my own, without telling you where I am" added Ash, sitting in between her parents
Jill poured their drinks and looked to Gordon for support
"Yes, Ash is right, you don't have to know where she was, because we knew where she was, we trust her, she hasn't let us down lately, unlike you three" replied Gordon, choosing his words carefully, trying to build Ash's confidence
"And we have said sorry" replied Tom
"Yes, well actions speak louder than words" replied Gordon
"So, what have you got planned for this afternoon" asked Jill, trying to change the subject, before they had another argument
"Well, we were going to go out, and meet a couple of people" replied Katie
"What, about your packing, we are not going to help you this time" replied Gordon
They all looked to Jill
"You all had your chance last night and you blew it" replied Jill
"Please" pleaded Katie
"No" replied Jill
"Please, mum" pleaded Jonathon
"No, we've told you once, we will not tell you again" replied Gordon
They sat in silence for a minute
"So, Ash what have you got planned" asked Matron
Ash, took a sip of her drink
"Well, I was going to ask mum, but it doesn't matter" replied Ash, seeing her parents look at each other, they looked worried
"What is it" asked Jill
"Well, I was going to ask, how Grandad was and if I could go and see him" replied Ash, thinking that they would say no, because she was struggling
"We, spoke to them earlier and he is doing well" replied Gordon
"I'm sure he would love to see you, I'm going to go in after work, I can pick you up if you like" added Jill
"I can meet you at the royal, it will save you coming all this way" replied Ash
"Okay, well if you are sure, if you change your mind just call" replied Jill
"Right, we had better be going" stated Gordon, looking at Jill
"Right, Matron can we give you a lift" asked Jill
"Yes, that would be lovely" replied Matron
"Right, you three can do the washing up, Ash we want a word before we go" said Gordon
The older three took the dishes
Ash thought she was going to be in trouble, they were clearly worried
"Right Ash, if you want you can come with us now, we could do with some help with some paperwork, but only if you want to, and you won't be pushing yourself too much" said Gordon
"But I'm not ready" replied Ash
"Well, go and get ready, you've got five minutes" replied Jill, glad Gordon was thinking the same as her
Ash got up and went towards the door, then ran back to her parents and gave them both a hug
"Thank you, thank you" said Ash before running upstairs and grabbing a jumper, her bag and shoes, before making her way back downstairs
Ash could hear them talking
"She, seems to have turned a corner" said Matron
"Yes, I just wish she trusted us a bit more" replied Jill
"She will, just give her time" replied Matron
"I know you are right; it just feels like we get close and then she pushes us away" replied Jill
"Probably through fear of hurting you, more than anything else, I think you have your hands full more with the others than her" replied Matron
"Mum" said Ash announcing her entrance
"Yes, sweetheart" replied Jill
"Are, you ready" asked Gordon
"Yes, I just wondered if mum wouldn't mind helping with" started Ash, holding her shoes up in front of her
"No, of course not, come and sit down" said Jill, patting the seat next to her
Jill helped her, while Gordon went to the kitchen
"Right, we are off and if you know what is good for you, you will have started packing before I get back" said Gordon
Jill and Matron said Goodbye, but Ash just left, she still wasn't in the mood to talk to them, but she also knew she had to start talking to her parents, as she could see the pain and upset this was causing them, maybe she could give them just a little bit more just to put their minds at rest, but what to tell them, she had some thinking to do
"Ash, are you alright" asked Jill, she was worried Ash was being very quiet
"I'm fine, you" Replied Ash
"Are you sure" asked Gordon, clearly worried as well
Ash, felt stuck she looked out the window, they were near the royal, but too far away to get out of answering
"I'm fine, really I am" replied Ash
"Okay" replied Jill, knowing they were pushing her
"Right, this time you are going to help with paperwork, you are not going to tidy the storeroom" stated Gordon
"But what if" started Ash
"No, what if's, you were lifting boxes last time" interrupted Gordon
"They, weren't heavy, I wouldn't of if they were" replied Ash, knowing they must have spoken to Rob
"That's good to know, but just listen to what we are saying" replied Gordon
"Okay, only paperwork" replied Ash, knowing she was defeated
"Sweetheart, it's not that we don't trust you, it's just we are worried you will push yourself to hard and hurt yourself" replied Jill
Ash knew they were right, she would push herself to prove she could do it, all she wanted to do was help them and make their lives easier. But it all seemed a bit hypocritical, considering Jill had pushed herself to be by her bedside even though she needed the rest, but she couldn't say this to them she already knew the answer they would give.
"Ash" said Jill, when she hadn't replied
"Okay, I promise, no storeroom" replied Ash, just as they pulled into the car park
They all got out of the car, and made their way into the royal, Gordon wanted to go through the meeting paperwork with Matron while she was here, they had purposefully left half an hour free for that reason
Lizzie wasn't behind the desk, when they walked through
"Right young lady, wait in mum's office" said Gordon
"Here, you go" said Jill, giving Ash the keys to unlock the door
"Thanks" replied Ash, they watched Ash go in and shut the door
They all made their way into Gordon's office
Gordon and Matron had been talking for about twenty minutes, but Jill wasn't really listening she was worried about Ash
"Jill" said Gordon, bringing her out of her thoughts
"Sorry" said Jill
Meanwhile Ash was thinking, maybe there wasn't any paperwork and they had just brought her here to keep an eye on her, she had fallen for their tricks again
"It's fine, why don't you try talking to her" said Matron
"Because I've run out of ways to make her talk" replied Jill
"You, just have to patient, and let her come to you, I don't think you will have to wait much longer" replied Matron
"Anyway, what were you talking about" replied Jill
"Why, don't you leave us to it and go and check on her" replied Gordon