Abby returned to her apartment with tears in her eyes and she didn't let them spill until properly inside with the door locked. Emotions ran through her body, one minute she was uncontrollably laughing and the next she was hysterically crying. Abby sat down on the settee and put her head in her hands, her whole body shook with each sob and there she sat alone. Thoughts and feelings rushed over her body causing Abby to reflect on her own childhood and that of Ashley's. Curling up on the settee, Abby looked around her apartment and saw to her surprise it was immaculate. Ashley had tidied her kitchen, everything was spotless and the floor had been hovered leaving it free of dust. This upset Abby even more, she had a strong motherly sense over Ashley and wanted to protect her from the disease. Feeling annoyed with herself for just leaving Ashley up there, Abby got up to go back but then stopped herself for thinking too rashly. After a couple of minutes went by, Abby decided just to go to bed and think about it in the morning.
Abby woke, she lay in bed for another minute and then finally stepped onto the floor. She felt groggy and tired from lack of sleep. Her answering machine was flashing and Abby pressed the button while flopping out on the settee.
"Hi Abby, it's your mother", Abby groaned and sat up, "No, no, no" she yelled out loud.
"Abby I haven't seen you in a while, my friend Joan you remember her from when you were younger she used to live next door to us, I think you would remember her. Anyway Joan lives in Chicago now and I'm going to stay with her next week so I'll be wanting to meet up if that's okay with you. I know you work and everything but I'm sure I can see you on your day off. I'll phone you tomorrow, I love you Abby". The tone went dead and Abby threw her arms up to the ceiling, "NOOO" Abby yelled she could not deal with this anymore. Glancing down at her watch, Abby remembered she had to be at work in an hour so she quickly grabbed a shower and left to catch the EL.
Ashley's POV
I left my apartment quietly being careful not to wake anyone, they were both still fast asleep in her room. My mind was made up I would leave, leave for good. Throwing my life possessions over my shoulder in a large rucksack I crept along the corridor and down the stair case. Tears formed in my tired and beaten eyes as I did not want to leave but it was not my choice, I had been forced to do this by her refusal not to stay medicated. Last night was such an embarrassment, total humiliation. She just slammed the door in Abby's face. I had turned just in time to see Abby open her mouth to protest. I let myself out of the building and into the bitterly cold night. I desperately wanted that hat Abby had lent me but I had left it in her apartment. In my mind I imagined wearing that hat and sitting in the cosy café with Abby. That was such a fun evening it was the most fun I had had in ages. A tear rolled down my cheek and I wiped it away, telling myself I wasn't going to cry I should be happy. I reached the EL station and huddled against the wall in an attempt to hide my self from the strange looking man by the bins. I grabbed a crumpled bit of paper out from my pocket with an address in it.
"28 Wilchester Road, St Paul, Minnesota", I whispered the address out loud to myself. That's where I was heading away from Gillian and Bud away from the disease. A carriage pulled up and I climbed aboard.
"Hey Abby", she turned around and saw Carter running towards her. Panicking Abby shoved the shopping bag behind her back and attempted to smile at him. They were standing just outside her building, both with a hellish shift behind them, Carter asked if she wanted to go get something to eat.
"Yeah sure", Abby was hesitant. He sensed her hesitancy.
"Sorry is this a bad time".
"No, I'm just really tired, but give me a minute I'll go dump this shopping up stairs"
"Here I'll help you". Carter grabbed the bag out of her hands before she had a chance to say anything. Abby watched as his face dropped after hearing the clink of bottles in his grasp. He bent his head and examined the contents of her shopping bag.
"Carter…" she started.
"How long have you been drinking", he asked her coolly.
"It's not what you think…I've been sober for ages. I-I just had a really bad week".
"Care to talk about it? I mean I've had a crappy week as well Abby, my girlfriend left because our son died and now someone who I care about is back to her old ways of getting drunk."
"Carter, I'm not a drunk! I'm sober now, it's just a couple of beers".
"A couple of beers which lead to a couple more and then why stop Abby? Forget dinner I've suddenly lost my appetite", with that Carter shoved the bag back into her arms and turned away from her avoiding eye contact.
"CARTER!" she yelled back up the street.