Chapter 287: Ashlyn's Story
Monday, January 30th, Evening
(Song lyrics in italics)
Ivy is an interesting person, Ashlyn reflected, looking at her over the table. Ashlyn carefully swirled the beer in her glass; once it mostly settled, she took another sip of it.
"He's married to our sister Chase," Trin said.
Ashlyn nodded and sipped her beer; once she swallowed the liquid, she looked at Ivy. "And the dad of my oldest daughter," Ashlyn said.
Ivy turned to Ashlyn, surprised. "What? Wait a minute, did you say what I thought you said?" Ivy asked.
Ashlyn swirled her beer glass and contemplated the near-empty glass. "Which would be?" Ashlyn asked.
"That that guy…" Ivy said.
"Huck," Ashlyn said, finished her beer, and slammed down the pint glass on the table.
"Huck? What type of name is Huck?" Ivy asked.
Ashlyn grabbed the pitcher and refilled her pint. "A childhood nickname he never outgrew," she said.
"But Huck, what's his real name?" Ivy asked.
Ashlyn picked up her pint glass, looked at the amber liquid, and lowered the glass; she took another sip from it.
"He'll kill me if I tell you, but it's James," Ashlyn said.
Ivy looked strangely at Ashlyn. "Isn't your husband named James as well?" Ivy asked.
Maybe I have a type, a specific kind, but a type, Ashlyn considered as she looked at her beer. "Yes, strangely enough, he's named James as well," Ashlyn said.
Ivy nodded, "So, how does he end up being your brother-in-law?" Ivy asked and looked at Izzy and Trin, "And your baby daddy?"
She's being accusing; does she think it's from some freaky arrangement? Ashlyn pondered, "He was my baby daddy first," Ashlyn said.
"I've got to hear his story," Ivy said, "Sounds so Maury."
Trin looked at Ashlyn with a look that stated, you're on the hot seat, and it's your fault, "Well, Ash, that's all you," Trin said and laughed.
Ashlyn nodded and looked at her beer glass; she took a long sip and placed the glass down. She listened to the song playing throughout the bar. Ashlyn flattened the small square napkin on the table and looked up at Ivy. "As Trin said, it's up to me to tell that story; since his story is largely mine," she said and nodded a bit.
Where are the people that accused me?
The ones who beat me down and bruised me
They hide just out of sight
Can't face me in the light
They'll return, but I'll be stronger
"I'm not surprised; it's like everything is connected here," Ivy said.
"That's life in a small town," Trin said.
Ashlyn held up one finger to silence the conversation. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "To my best guess, it started my first day of Rec League Basketball. I met my new teammate, a shy blonde girl named Angela," she said.
"What does this have to do with anything?" Ivy asked.
"Patience, it will all become clear," Ashlyn said.
"For some strange reason, Angela and I bonded, and we became fast friends. Somehow, someway, I ended up being invited to play basketball at her older brother's house. There was this small circle of kids that played there," Ashlyn said and took a sip of her beer to wet her throat.
God, I want to dream again
Take me where I've never been
I want to go there
This time I'm not scared
Now I am unbreakable, it's unmistakable
No one can touch me
Nothing can stop me
"Who were these kids?" Izzy asked, "I heard of them but never got that names."
"Keith, Angela, Ashton, Kelly, myself, and this tall ginger boy that Kelly called Huckleberry," Ashlyn said.
"That's where Huck comes from," Ivy said.
Ashlyn nodded, "Yes, he called her Tom, by the way," Ashlyn said, "Anyway, that was my childhood playing basketball with them. Somewhere by the time we were in high school Huck, and I became a thing. It didn't cause much trouble in the group if you want to know. We were officially dating our sophomore year," Ashlyn said.
"That seems fairly standard," Ivy said.
"Well, the big hiccup came when Huck knocked me up my sophomore year. You have to understand my mom; she's one of those holier than thou hypocritical Christians. She demanded I break up with Huck and tell no one about my pregnancy. It was too late; I had already told Angela. So, anyway, my parents hid my daughter with my aunts while I finished school; I hid my pregnancy because around the same time, I had my first serious knee injury. Life was tough, seeing Huck every day, and it felt our group was falling apart," Ashlyn said.
"How so?" Ivy asked.
"Sort of a tangent, but okay, here we go. Kelly wasn't much into basketball and drifted away as the group fractured. Keith started his climb in popularity, and well, had no time for us. Huck and I were on the outs because of my mom. Angela had her heartbroken, cut her hair, and went dark for a while. Ashton seemed good. That was my junior year, splitting time between my parents and aunt's and playing basketball," Ashlyn said.
Sometimes it's hard to just keep going
But faith is moving without knowing
Can I trust what I can't see
To reach my destiny?
I want to take control, but I know better
"I can't imagine," Ivy said.
Ashlyn shrugged and took a sip of her beer. "Somehow, someway things changed the summer before my senior year. In one of Izzy's moments, everything changes; I started to try and repair my friendship with Huck because of mutual friends, and so our daughter could know him after my mom's iron grip on my life ended. Also, Angela's cousin James Scott moved here from California," she said.
"Your husband?" Ivy asked.
Ashlyn nodded, "Yes, he had this sun-kissed look, dark hair lightened by the sun and beautiful blue eyes. I was smitten but didn't expect anything to happen. For some reason, he started to join me, Angela, Ashton, and Kay in our daily morning workouts. We got close over the summer, and by the school year started, we were official," she said.
"Awe," Ivy said.
"Also, during the summer, four refugees from New York City arrived on these shores, two of them are sitting at this table. So I'm told, before they even got to their rented house, their car caught fire, and guess who showed up to help, Huck. He met their sister, Chase, and they were off to the races," Ashlyn said.
God, I want to dream again
Take me where I've never been
I want to go there
This time I'm not scared
Now I am unbreakable, it's unmistakable
No one can touch me
Nothing can stop me
"Yes, it was just as we pulled into town," Izzy said.
"Well, things got better until my sister got involved and told Huck about our daughter. She took him to meet her; once my mom found out, I violated our agreement, and my parents kicked me out. Angela took me in for the rest of my senior year. Somehow, someway, I hurt my knee again, ended up accepted to Duke University, with an invite to walk-on for the basketball team, and engaged to James Scott. We got married soon after we graduated high school," Ashlyn said.
Forget the fear, it's just a crutch
That tries to hold you back
And turn your dreams to dust
All you need to do is just trust
"Wow, how'd you survive all that?" Ivy asked.
"As Angela is often to quote, perseverance," Ashlyn said, "Duke was great, Haley bought as a small house off campus, and we lived like a nice little family. Two years later, James' cousin Candi joined us at Duke and me on the basketball team. My senior year, I got to the National Championship Game but lost to UCONN, which had Angela and Kay on the team. After graduating, I got drafted and traded to play in the WNBA for the Atlanta Dream," Ashlyn said.
"Kay talks about that championship a lot," Ivy said.
"Figures," Ashlyn said.
God, I want to dream again
Take me where I've never been
I want to go there
This time I'm not scared
Now I am unbreakable, it's unmistakable
No one can touch me
Nothing can stop me
"You played professional basketball?" Ivy asked.
Ashlyn nodded and took a sip of her beer. "Yes, officially one year, my knee gave out, and I couldn't play anymore. I moved to Miami, where James was playing, and that lasted just a few months; it just didn't suit me, and I returned here. I entered UNC-Wilmington for my masters and started my job at the school district; eventually, I had my other children," she said, sighed, drank another sip of her beer, "That brings us here."
God, I want to dream again
Take me where I've never been
I want to go there
This time I'm not scared
Now I am unbreakable, it's unmistakable
No one can touch me
Nothing can stop me
"Some story," Ivy said, "So, you seem to have a good relationship with your husband."
"Not everything is as it seems," Trin said.
"So, true," Ivy said.
"You have to share your story now," Ashlyn said to Trin.
"Why?" Trin asked.
"Because we all shared," Ashlyn said.
"Yeah, Trin," Ivy said.
Izzy nodded, "Go ahead, tell them about New York," she said.
Trin sighed, "Fine," she said and closed her eyes.
