A/N: Here's the next part...hope you all like it! A couple quick words to a few select readers:
Cyberauthor-thanks for reading and reviewing...I love your work...especially Patience is Key! Gets me every time!
jbs10-thanks for your kind words...glad you're all caught up and continuing to come back!
Hotcutii3-I appreciate all your reviews and words...it's nice to see familiar readers.
taymm15-I'll do what I can to keep them together...you in for the long haul? haha...I tease, I tease.
Palexiot-Your kind words was just awesome. Thank you so much for reviewing. And hey, lurk all you want, I know I do it myself!
iwetta-Let me just say, your name...just cracks me up...bottomline! Thanks for all your reviews, and for sticking around! Means alot.
degrass1son-I will be around for a bit...thanks for hanging in here and following the story. I really do appreciate it!
To everyone else that has reviewed, it truly means the world. Don't underestimate the power of constructive criticism, encouraging words, and just plain atta-girls. :)
Disclaimer: Same as always...don't own jack, eventhough there's no jack in the story...but you know what I mean...SoN belongs to Mr. Lynch.
Saturdays have always been my favorite day of the week, Ashley thought, and it's even better this weekend 'cause Kyla is bringing her silly ass back to visit me…as she should.
Ashley put the finishing touches on straightening her room. She was allowed to have another twin bed brought into the room so Kyla could stay with her tonight, and she wanted to make sure her room was as comfortable as it could be, all things considered.
Well, that's about as good as it's going to get, I guess. Kyla won't care, I'm sure, but it's still an eye sore if you ask me.
Ashley laughed to herself, "I guess you can only do so much when you're in a rehab room, right?"
Before she could think twice about doing anything else to the room there was a knock at the door.
"Who is it?"
"Housekeeping. You want me fluff peeeelow?"
Ashley couldn't contain the laughter that bellowed out of her. She walked over to the door, whipping it open, knowing who would be waiting on the other side with a mile-long smirk.
With arms stretched wide, Kyla proclaimed her arrival, "TA-DA…go ahead, tell me how much you missed me. Don't be shy…go on."
Ashley continued laughing as she grabbed Kyla and pulled her into a fierce hug.
"You stupid ass," Ashley shook her head as she pulled away from hugging her smaller sister. "You know I missed you, but I'm thinking I may be changing my mind after watching that little display at the door."
Kyla giggled, swatting at Ashley's arm before grabbing her bag and brushing past her sister and into the room she would be sleeping in for the next night.
Dropping her bag and placing her hands on her hips, she surveyed the room, taking in the accommodations, all the while thinking of ways to spruce things up a smidge.
Ashley watched her sister's expression and knew what she was thinking. Ever since Kyla started her own interior design firm she can't walk in to any place new without critiquing the design and thinking of things to do to make the place better.
"Ky, I know what you're doing and you may as well stop right now. There not going to let you bring in any kind of furniture, material, or pictures to mold this room to your liking."
Kyla spun around to face Ashley, hands still firmly in place on her hips, "Are you sure about that? I mean, do they know who I am Ashley? I could do wonders for the morale around here with a little re-decorating."
Ashley laughed, shaking her head at her sister.
"You're insufferable. There is no way I'm going to bat for you on this anyway. I don't mind looking at the simplicity of this room everyday. Keeps me humble and focused on the reason I'm here."
"Right. Spencer," Kyla said.
"Exactly…wait…hold on a second," Ashley fumbled.
"No, no holding on big sister. We both know you're so focused because of one cute, blonde girl, and I can't say I blame you really…I mean, she is pretty damn adorable."
Ashley started shaking her head and waving her hands in a negating pattern, trying to reinforce the words she spit out to Kyla.
"Oh no…no, no, no, Kyla. Spencer and I are…well…we're just not a 'Spencer and I,' if you know what I mean."
Kyla frowned at her sister, holding up her index finger as if to ask her to hold on.
"Do not try and tell me you have pulled that shit on her already too, Ashley. You are not a teenager anymore, and you can't keep acting like you're totally unattainable," Kyla lectured.
"That's not..."
"I'm not done yet, so settle yourself until I'm finished," Kyla stated.
Ashley's eyebrows rose in a shocked expression as Kyla attempted to put her in her place. She motioned with her hand for her sister to continue, "By all means…go on."
"Whatever shit you two have going on right now, get over it. You have one life, Ashley, and I know you are finding out just how valuable that one life is…so don't fuck up the chance to make it even better by playing the hard ass, rocker girl. Contrary to popular belief; hard ass…does NOT look good on you."
"Look, Ky, there's just a lot going on right now with her and I. I'm not sure where things are headed right now, and the reality of it all, is that I need to remain focused on my recovery. If she and I are meant to work, we'll figure it all out."
Kyla furrowed her brows at her sister before her features softened and she merely nodded at the brunette in front of her.
"AND, contrary to whatever shit you've heard…hard ass…looks totally HOT on me."
Kyla started laughing hysterically, watching her sister cock her head from side to side as she used her hands to reinforce the fact that she was referring to her body.
"And you call me insufferable," Kyla scoffed.
Ashley grinned wide, her nose scrunching in the process, and took a bow before standing up and grabbing at her sister's hand.
"Come on girl, I wanna get outside and enjoy some sunshine and fresh air before we hit up our group session tonight," Ashley said, while pulling her sister toward the door.
"Ash, wait. I have something for you, and I want to give it to you now before I forget and the weekend flies by, and then I'm rushing out of here tomorrow evening…"
Ashley cut her sister off before she could ramble on any longer, "I get it Ky, sheesh. Quit your rambling and fork over whatever goldmine gift you brought."
Kyla nodded and started rummaging through her bag for the item she wanted to give to her sister.
Kyla stood up, turning to face Ashley, and extended her hand to her sister. In her hand, a single, white envelope, with Ashley's name printed neatly across the front.
"Here," Kyla stated, pushing the letter toward Ashley.
Ashley took the letter, looking at it with a mixture of surprise and confusion.
"Is this from…," Ashley began.
"Christine," Kyla finished her thought for her, "Yeah. She wanted me to bring it to you and asked me to tell you that she's sorry."
Ashley looked at the envelope then back at her sister before she scoffed and tossed the letter on her bed.
"Sorry? Sorry for what? Sorry for me being in this rehab center while she continues to sit around the pool drinking Mimosas?" Ashley sarcastically responded. "No reason to be sorry for that."
"Ash, I think she just realizes she's let you down and she's hoping to take steps towards making things right again. Don't forget, she's not like Mommy Dearest…she just got a little lost in the shuffle, just like you."
Ashley sighed, looking down at the floor before allowing her eyes travel back up to her sister's, nodding her head toward the door to signal it was time to get out of the close quarters.
Arriving outside and traveling the pathway toward the beach, Kyla took the time to inquire about the latest details involving the blonde beauty that seemingly had her sister so focused and willing to change.
Ashley started her story from the beginning while staking claim to a cool spot in the sand. Running her fingers through the comforting earth, Ashley continued to fill her sister in on all the details of Spencer's job, Dr. Dean, and the argument the two girls had had over the details surrounding both.
"So, that's where we are now…except, I'm not sure exactly sure 'where' that is," Ashley admitted.
"Do you love her?"
Ashley thought for a second before meeting Kyla's stare and nodding in the affirmative.
"Okay, well that's a good starting point Ashley. Maybe you should just strip away all the negative and focus on the positive things in your life: like recovery, writing music, feeling again, and most importantly; Spencer."
"I know, I know…it's just that I want a guarantee you know, and I know that's totally unrealistic."
"What the hell kind of 'guarantee' are you looking for, Ash?"
"I don't know," Ashley said, looking down at the design her fingers were drawing in the sand, "It's just…she left once. What's to say she won't leave again?"
Kyla reached over slapping Ashley in the back of the head.
"What the fuck, Ky?!"
"You need to snap out of it big sis. Carpe Diem, you know, 'Seize the Day,'" Kyla said. "Don't let this chance at love pass you by because of some hang-up in the past, or because you're scared of getting hurt. 'It's better to have loved and lost, than to have never loved at all.'"
"Yeah, but be real here…Ashley and love…not the prettiest track record."
Kyla rolled her eyes and stood up; swiping the sand away from her shorts and legs. She stared at Ashley for a minute before turning and walking back toward the building.
"Hey!" Ashley yelled after her sister, while promptly standing and making her way after the retreating girl. "Wait up, Ky. Where are you even going?"
Kyla glanced back over her shoulder before calling out, "I'm going to find out if Spencer plans to leave you ever again."