Chapter 23: What Would You Do?

A 6 week stint in rehab turned into a 6 month stay. At the end of the 5th week Ashley received a letter from Shane saying that he and his wife had reconciled and that he was moving back in with her. He also told her he was leaving her the house in New Jersey. After she had gotten that letter she checked herself out and went to the nearest bar and got loaded. Hence she was thrown back in rehab. She had learned that she had a lot of anger built up inside of her, she was mad at her father for abandoning her, she was mad at John for breaking her heart, and she was mad at Shane for ending things in a letter. But most of all she was mad at herself for letting things get so far. She missed her son terribly and even though he did visit and John was constantly sending her pictures it wasn't the same. She had missed her son's 2nd birthday but she knew it was better this way Phinnigan needed his mom to be healthy mentally and physically before she was able to be with him again.

It was a crisp September day when Ashley walked out into the sunlight knowing that she could finally go home. Although she had no idea where her home would be. She knew that she wasn't about to live in the Jersey house anymore. She did make a pit stop in Jersey to pack up her stuff but then she was off again.

There was a knock on the door. John looked at his alarm clock it read 3:30 thinking that maybe he had dreamed it he put his head back down on his pillow and closed his eyes. But he head the knock again, no he definitely didn't dream it. Mumbling incoherent things he got up and made his way through the dark house. He tripped once over one of Phinnigan's toy cars biting back the need to yell he quickly found a light and switched it on. He opened the door and was ready to scream at whoever was standing behind it.

"I need a place to crash and I couldn't think of anywhere else to go" Ashley told him.

"Come in" he stepped aside to allow her into his home.

She dropped her bags next to the couch and had a seat on his couch and he chose to sit in front of her on the coffee table.

"How did you get here?" he asked.

"Taxi, plane, ... another taxi" she replied tiredly.

"Why didn't you tell me you were getting released today Phinnigan and I would have come to pick you up?" he asked.

"I'm not useless John I can do some things for myself" she snapped at him "just because Shane left me doesn't make me some broken object"

"He left you?" John asked.

"Yeah and he didn't have the decency to tell me to my face he wrote it in a letter"

"You wanna talk about it?" he asked.

"No I wanna sleep" she replied with a yawn.

"I don't have any of the guest rooms prepared so you'll have to sleep in my room with me tonight" he said.

"Any reason you can get to get me into bed with you"

He grinned "I'll be on my best behavior and first thing tomorrow I will make up one of the guest rooms ... your normal room was turned into Phinnigan's room"

"I wanna see him" she stood up and made her way to her son's room.

She walked into her son's bedroom and took in the whole race car theme. Phinnigan was sound asleep in his race car bed. He had kicked the blankets off of himself so Ashley went over and fixed them. He looked so peaceful, his mouth was slightly open and his blue binky was laying close to him. She kissed his cheek before leaving her baby boy to his sweet dreams. John was watching from the door way.

"I missed him so much" she said shutting the door behind her.

"He missed you too ... everyday was mommy this and mommy that"

"Well Mr. Cena I'm exhausted so lets go to bed"

"Now you're talking"

"What happened to being on your best behavior?" she asked with hands on her hips.

"Hey it isn't everyday I have a hot chick in my bed"

Ashley began to laugh "you almost had me going"

"What are you trying to say Ms. Benoit"

"I'm trying to say you are a whore ... come to think of it your sheets better be clean" she warned him.

"Brand new ... this is the first time I've even slept in them"

"Damn too bad I don't have my black light with me"

"What no trust?" he asked in a mock shocked tone.

"Don't even start with me cause I only like you so much" she replied.

"Oh I think you like me more than you want to admit"

"Not even in your best wet dream"

"You assume I dream about you" he countered.

"I don't have to assume I already know"

"You have spent too much time with Randy and now his cockiness is rubbing off on you" John said.

"Good night John" she said walking away from him.

He gave her enough time to change into pajamas and get into bed. When he entered the room she was already in bed. He climbed into the bed with her and instinctively wrapped his arms around her.

"Umm I don't think so Sparky remove yourself" she said.

"What I'm a little cold"

"We're in Florida pendejo so I know you are lying"

"I thought we agreed not to use words I don't understand" he whined.

"Gah! Just go to sleep already!" she exclaimed.

He rolled over and closed his eyes. Ashley couldn't sleep so she just laid there thinking about everything. Was she really sharing a bed with John at this very second. It was nothing new she had shared a bed with John many times before but this time it felt different. She missed Shane and even though he had ended things she still felt wrong about being in bed with her ex-boyfriend. But for the time being this was her life so she'd better get used to it.