What could Ashley's mom possibly have to say to her? Think she's gonna be a complete bitch or what?

I smile, "What's up, mom?"

"Did you stay here last night, Spencer?" she asks.

Spencer shakes her head from left to right, still smiling, "No, ma'am. Why?"

"No reason, just wondering. Well, actually..." because you laying in bed with my daughter and half the liquor is gone so, I'm blaming you. "Because it would've been weird if you slept in such a beautiful dress."

I look at Spencer's dress. I didn't realize how good she looked in that dress. A strapless dress with orange and yellow flowers all over, "Oh, well, I went to church this morning and I just got back."

"And you came back to see my daughter before you changed?" my mom says smiling

.Spencer nods, "Yeah, it was really important."

"Are you done with the third degree, mom?" I ask standing up in front of her.

"Yeah, I am. Sorry, Spencer, if it seemed like I was being nosey, I was just making conversation."

Spencer's still smiling, jeez, her face is gonna get stuck like that, "It's fine." she stands up, "But I actually have to go."

"Bye, Spen, I'll see you later?" I ask.

She nods, "Yeah, bye-bye." then walks out my room door.

"You and Spencer seem to becoming friends."

I nod, "Yeah." I think she's getting at something. Keep in mind that my mom has never once mentioned to me anything about knowing I'm gay. So this would be a pretty big step if she did.

"I was afraid you guys wouldn't be. You seem so different from each other. And you don't get along well with Kyla's friends." a smile creeps across my mother's face. If only she knew, "But, opposites do attract."

I cough, "Anyway, is there a purpose for you being in my room?"

"Oh," my mother sits on my bed, "I want you to go out to lunch with me. We didn't three weeks ago so I wanna go now."

"Right now?" I ask.

She nods, "Yes. I wanna catch up with you. I haven't talked to you in ages... I fell disconnected from my own daughter."

I shrug, "Okay. Just,uh, let me get dressed and brush my teeth. Give me fifteen minutes."

My mom stands up smiles then nods, "Okay, I'll be downstairs." she walks out.

She's so weird sometimes, I swear.

Anyway, I guess it's time to get dressed. Oops, I just realized that I was only in my bra. Maybe my mom knows I'm gay.. nah.

Mom decided that we'd go to April's. It's this little cozy eatery. We've been going here ever since I was a kid. My mom and dad had their first date here, yeah, I know, it's kinda old but it's also pretty sentimental.

The waitress just took our orders. She was cute, her name was Willa or something with a 'W' but I'm trying to see if Spencer and I can be something. "So what's up?" I say unfolding my napkin and placing it in my lap.

My mother just smiles at me, "You know I was so happy when I found out I was pregnant with you."

"You were pregnant with me and Kyla at the same time, mom." does she not remember two babies coming out of her vagina simultaneously? That's something I couldn't forget if it happened to me.

She laughs, "Well, I didn't know I was having twins until I was in labor, when they found you hiding behind Kyla."

She never told me this story before, "I was hiding?" I ask.

She nods, "Mhmm. They were trying to figure out why I was so big even though I was only having one baby." I can see the reminiscing in her eyes, "Happiest day of my life actually."

Something's not right. My mom gets at nostalgic when there's bad news. Is Kyla pregnant with twins or something? "Mom, what's up? You're doing that whole nostalgia thing you do when you have band news."

She looks away then back to me, "Wanna wait until we get our food?"

I shake my head, "No, I'd rather just hear it now." don't tell me we're moving. I love it here to much.

She sighs, "It's about me and your father."

"Are you guys changing hospitals again because that wouldn't be so horrible, mom. Me and Kyla can deal, we--"

She shakes her head, "No, that's not it."

I look at her intently, "Then what? What has you so weird?"

She opens her mouth but she gets cut off by the waitress, "Here's your bacon and cheese burger." she places a plate in front of me, "And here's your clam chowder." she places a dish in front of my mom. "Is there anything else you need?"

"No." I say coldly. I know I was rude but I really want to get to the bottom of this.

"Well, call if you need anything. Hope your meal's good." she says then walks off.

"Nice, girl."

Ugh, "Mom." I say sternly.

She sighs, "Your father and I are getting a divorce."

Well, talk about straight to the point. I did want to know, though, didn't I?

I look from her face down to my burger. It's well put together, "Ashley." she puts her hand on mine.

I look up at her, "Yeah?"

"Are you okay with that?" she asks.

"What am I gonna say mom? No?" I shake my head, "I have to be okay with it don't I? I can't change it. If you're miserable with dad then--"

"I'm not miserable with dad." she gulps, "He's the one that filed for divorce. He's divorcing me." she says with hurt in her voice. I know that sound anywhere.

"He told you why?" I ask... my voice sounds tiny and childish.

She smiles sadly, "No. I got served with the papers while I was in my office at work."

So wait. Dad didn't tell mom that he wanted a divorce. "He just served you with the papers without even talking to you or anything? And he didn't give them to you in person did he?" I ask.

A tear rolls down her face but she wipes it away with a quickness, "Yes."

I squeeze her hand, "I hate him, mom. He shouldn't have--"

"No," she shakes her head, "Don't hate him. He's only human, he can't help how he feels."

"No, mom. Don't stand up for him. He didn't have to do it his way but he, at least, owed it to you to be a good human being. It's not fair, mom, not at all." I say with fire growing in my belly.

"He's your father." she says like that's some kind of an excuse.

"I don't care! He's still a man."

My mother laughs, "I always thought you had the right idea."

"About what?" I ask.

She cocks her head to the side, "Ashley, how dense do you think I am?"

I furrow my brow.

She smiles, "I know you... how am I gonna word this?" she says more to herself than to me. "I know you're into girls."

I choke on air, "Mom, I don't know what you—what you're talking about--"

"Ashley, I'm your mother. I knew when you were born." she laughs and smiles, "And I'm not blind. Even though it seems like I'm never home I still know what's going on around my house. I saw the way you were looking at Spencer. Friends don't give that look to each other." Wow, even my mom can see what Spencer does to me. This is ridiculous for sure.

"I wanted to tell you so many times but... you were never home."

She squeezes my hand even tighter, "Ashley, know this: I would blow off everything going on at the hospital for you and your sister. Nothing is more important to me then you guys."

"So you don't care?" I ask.

"No, not at all. I don't care as long as you're happy. Ashley, you're my little girl, I'll love you no matter what. There's nothing that could ever stop or change that." by this time my mom's in full boo hoo mode and I'm getting there actually.

"Mom, I love you." I say simple and clear to make sure she knows just in case she forgets this moment but I doubt she will. I know I sure won't.

"I love you, too, Ashley." she says smiling.

We talk for the next hour. Just taking bites here and there but not really aware of the food in front of us. She said she's known about me and my girl liking forever. She saw Chrissy and I making out on the couch one time but didn't want to embarrass me. And she said she saw Erin and I sleeping together in my room when she came home from a business trip. We were just sleeping, nothing more actually.

"So what happened with them?" she asks taking a sip of her lemonade.

I sit back, I'm full as a tick, "They didn't work out."

"What happened?" she asks.

"Are you really interested, mom?"

She nods, "Yeah, I asked didn't I?"

I sigh and sit up, "Well, Erin dumped me because she was afraid of losing her position on the cheerleading squad because, as we all know, they make the world go around." I scoff, "And as for Chrissy... she hates me because I don't want to be with her."

"Erin seemed like such a nice girl."

I scoff, "Yeah, not when her high school status is on the line. She values that crap too much."

My mom gets this confused look on her face, "And you weren't going out with Chrissy?" she asks.

I shake my head from left to right, "Not really."

"What was it?" she asks.

"We were just friends..." what else am I supposed to tell her. It doesn't matter how cool she is with her daughter being a lesbian, if I was straight it would be just as weird telling her that I was sleeping with Chrissy without necessarily going out with her.

"Friends with benefits? That's what they call it these days, right?" she asks and my mouth drops.

"Where did you hear that?"

She laughs, "Why wouldn't I hear it?"

I shrug, "I don't know. I just figured you wouldn't know..."

"Well, is that what it was?" she's still smiling, "Or do you prefer I call it a booty call?"

I burst with laughter, "Mom!"

She laughs, too, "Well, either way, is that what it is?"

My laughter slows down, "Do you really need to know?" I'm trying to get around the question maybe she'll get Alzheimer's in the next five seconds.

"I asked." she asks taking a sip of her beverage.

I'll suck it up and tell her. I mean I'll be 18 soon, I need to learn to talk to my mom about stuff like this, "She wasn't my girlfriend. We were just friends... with benefits."

"Why?"

"What do you mean why?" she asks.

"I mean why? Why wasn't she good enough for you to settle with?"

"I never said she wasn't good enough..."

"Well," she clears her throat, "What makes Spencer so different from her?"

"Uh, nothing—well, I don't know. Spencer's—mom, I don't know! Don't make me think about it right now. I'm trying not to think about it. And Spencer's not even my girlfriend, yet—well, I don't know." although I do think about her a lot... does that count as stalking?

My mom gets this knowing smirk on her face. Hey! That's probably where I got my smirk from, jeez, as Davies' girls are cute. I sound kinda conceded huh?Oh, well. "Okay, okay." her cell phone rings, some Mozart crap. She looks at me with pleading eyes, "Sorry." she says, "I don't have to get it."

"You can get it if you want, it's fine. I don't care." I tell her but truth is someone's been texting me for the past hour.

"Hello?" she says as she gets up to step outside and talk.

I take out my phone, slide it open and look at it. I got three texts, two missed calls and one voice mail.

I check my missed calls first. Kyla called and so did Erin. I wonder which one left a voice mail. I'll check it later, now onto my texts.

One from Kyla. Hey, where are you? You wanna go to a party tonight? Booze. Booze. Booze. Pot. Pot. Pot. Man, Kyla sure knows how to catch my attention. Well, I don't really know if I should be doing that stuff anymore. I'm turned off booze for a while ever since I had my fair share last night. I text her back: Party tonight? Who? And it's Sunday, we gotta go 2 school 2morrow. I don't know about the booze, I gotta tell you about that later. And the pot... not so much. Xoxo, Ashes. I wonder how I'm gonna tell Kyla about what happened with Spencer. I think I should get Spencer to tell her, I mean, I already did this already with Erin and Chrissy, I don't think I can do it again. Maybe I just need to stop doing it then. Ha, yeah right.

Onto the next text. It's from Spencer. Are you still out with your mom? Well, there's a party tonight and I was wondering if you wanted to go with me. Well, wait. We need to talk. Lol. I'm weird. Okay, this is kinda long so just text me back when you get home. Love, Spen. So I need to make a mental note: call Spen when I get home. Got it. Hey, I'm still with my mom, I think we're almost done here though. I hate my dad with a passion. I'll tell you about it later, I'll call you when I'm on my way home, kay? Xoxo. Done.

And the last one is from... Erin. Ugh, I need to get away from her. Hey, what's up? Are you still dodging my phone calls. We need to talk. That's all she ever says to me. She never thinks that I never want to talk. I'm not dodging you, I'm out to lunch with my mom, if you don't mind. Is that fine with you? Ugh, why are you still talking to me? Isn't Madison still hovering over you? I can be so mean sometimes. Well, damn, I just want to enjoy my happiness sometimes at least for the little time that I have it.

Aww, is Ashley's day getting worse or better?

xoxo