This is for all you birthday ladies (and gents). My birthday has been great so far today, so I hope yours is too! This is the second update of the day!

28 - The Voice Of A Mother

Spencer's PoV

Laughter could be heard in the living room and it warmed my heart. The laughter of the Davies ladies.

I finished clearing off the plates and washed my hands. "Mom?" I turned around to find Lucas standing behind me with a tea towel in her hand. "Did you need any help?"

I smiled and stepped forward, grabbing the towel from her hands and sitting her on the stool in front of me. "Did you finish your homework?"

Lucas nodded and swallowed. "I don't like her." She finally whispered, blinking back tears.

"Honey," I sighed and tucked hair behind her ears, cupping her cheek gently, "listen to Dylan, hear how happy she is?"

"I know." Another whisper fell from her lips and she shrugged. "But she's that happy with us too."

I rested my chin on her small leg and looked up at her, smiling as her fingers ran through my hair. "Ashley is a great person, Luc. I mean, she always was when I knew her."

"But she wasn't there for her!" Lucas raised her voice and I heard the laughter die down.

"Lucas, keep your voice down," I stood up and shook my head, "you don't need to use a tone like that."

"Well," she huffed and pushed herself off the stool, "I'm tired of being the only one here who thinks that Dylan leaving us is a bad idea!" With that, she ran up to her room, slamming the door.

I threw the towel down and made my way to the bottom of the stairs. "If you slam that door one more time Lucas Evelyn Carlin, I swear I'm taking it off the hinges!" I hollered in my best 'Paula Carlin' voice.

I waited for her to slam it again, knowing she wouldn't. But you never knew with her, she was a Carlin after all.

My bedroom door did get taken off the hinges for a week.

I couldn't sneak Ashley in at all that week. And I couldn't sneak out.

Try having a make-out session with no door. I even tried to hang up a sheet but it was ripped down.

Bad, Paula. I missed out on potential Ashley time back then.

"Should I go?" Ashley said from behind me and I shook my head.

"No, she's just… I don't know." I sounded defeated.

How do you tell your daughter that having Dylan's mother back in her life was a good thing? Yes, it hurt me too. I felt what Lucas was feeling but Dylan deserved Ashley in her life.

And though I didn't know that whole story behind Ashley's accident that cost her Dylan, I believed deep down that there was some reasonable excuse. Within a matter of an hour, I witnessed the happiness that fell upon the young Davies face whenever she'd look over at her mother and see her eating right beside her.

If a mother had abandoned a child on purpose and treated them badly, you wouldn't have an overly ecstatic nine year old bouncing at every word that fell from the perfect lips of Ashley.

"Mommy, when do you have to leave?" Dylan came up behind her and grabbed her hand, while looking at me.

"Soon baby," Ashley whispered and knelt down, running her fingers through Dylan's wavy hair, "but I'll be back."

Dylan nodded but frowned. "Promise?"

I smiled and knelt down beside Ashley. "Well, it's really up to Chelsea," I said quietly, "but your first game is in two nights with the team and I think your mother should be there."

Dylan's eyes widened and she grinned. "Yea mom, can you come? I'm finally playing hockey just like you said I could!"

Ashley beamed and watched in amazement at the excitement her daughter possessed. "Of course I'll be there."

"Yay! Spencer told me I had to call her Coach when we're on the ice. Even Lucas calls her Coach, isn't that cool?" Dylan smiled and squeezed Ashley's hand before yawning.

"Hey Dyl," I whispered in her ear, "why don't you let your mom get your bath ready for you and then she can read you a story."

I knew Ashley heard me and I could feel her looking at me. I felt red as if I were blushing.

To tell you the truth, I thought it'd be harder to allow Ashley to do the things with Dylan that I have been doing for the past four months. But the truth was, it felt natural to back off and allow the two to reunite. I wasn't going to stand in the way of that.

Dylan nodded and ran upstairs to grab her pyjamas.

"Thank you." Ashley stood up and turned to face me. "I mean, for everything Spencer."

I swallowed and laughed a little. "I told you, Dylan's a good kid…" I looked up at her, "you raised her really well."

Tears broke out in Ashley's eyes and she covered her face. She was crying and I immediately felt bad. What I felt bad for, I wasn't sure. "Ashley?" It hurt to see her cry.

"You don't know how long it's been since someone told me that," she whispered through quiet sobs, "God Spencer, I tried so hard to be a good mom and then, God."

"Hey," I whispered and ushered her towards the back room, "look at me," I cupped her face and sighed a little, "Ashley I don't know the whole story but I'm sure that whatever happened had nothing to do with your parenting. I've watched you with Dylan this past hour and I've got to say, you make one hell of a mother."

Ashley stopped sniffling and looked at me. I reached over the small desk and grabbed kleenex, handing it to her while my thumbs wiped the tears that fell on her cheeks.

"I think there's a lot to talk about," I whispered, "and we will. I mean, I want to know everything that's happened and not just with Dylan, I just- I-" I looked down and tried to clear the lump in my throat.

God why was it hot in there all of a sudden? Don't say it, Carlin. Don't you dare fucking say it. "-I've missed you."

Fuck.

I closed my eyes and tried to stop my heart from jumping out of my body. I really did try. I shook my head and let go of Ashley's face, stepping back. I didn't want to look at her, I didn't.

I couldn't.

I was scared to see what I'd find behind those eyes.

"I've missed you too." I heard it. Barely, but I heard it. I opened my eyes to find her staring at me.

I didn't know where to go from there.

"I think we should go find Dylan," I finally whispered. "Ash," she was about to leave and turned around at the sound of her name. "Dylan's never said one bad word about you. She's missed you and I think," I licked my dry lips, "I think we're glad that you're back."

Ashley blushed and it was rather cute. She nodded silently and took a moment to compose herself before disappearing out of the room.

I made my way down the hall and noticed Chelsea had all the dishes done. "Oh my God you didn't have to do that!" I rushed to her and she just laughed at me.

"I didn't mind," she shrugged, "everyone needed to talk and I'm not one to just sit around and do nothing."

"I so hear you there." I nodded and then someone was at the door, knocking loudly. I shrugged my shoulders and moved towards the door, thinking maybe Ryn decided to stop by or Carmen wanted to be nosey.

"Hey sexy," I was pulled into a kiss and immediately pushed the body back. "what the hell, Spence?"

"Aimee!" I hissed and shut the door quickly, making sure not to let all the cold air in. "What are you doing here?" I glanced at Chelsea who quickly averted her eyes and made her way back into the kitchen.

"Well it's Wednesday night and I've missed you and usually," she breathed in my ear, "the girls are with Jaiden at a hockey game these nights."

I grabbed her by the shoulders and shook my head. "You have to go."

"Spencer," Aimee sighed and shrugged out of my grasp before looking at me intensely, "don't you miss me?"

No, not really.

"Look, Aimee, it's just not the right time." I stressed and swallowed. "The girls are here."

"Oh." She looked a little disappointed.

"Besides, I didn't call." I whispered. We had rules. I'd call her and she wouldn't show up on my doorstep unexpectedly.

"You never call me anymore," Aimee threw her hands up in the air and stopped. "Who is she?"

"What?" I raised an eyebrow. She could not be getting jealous. She wasn't allowed.

Another rule.

"There's a sweet ass mustang out in your driveway," she narrowed her eyes slightly, "who is she?"

"Hey Spencer, do you have an extra-" Ashley stopped in her tracks when she noticed Aimee standing close to me, "-towel."

"Uh," I cleared my throat, wiping my hands on my jeans before nodding, "there's a few in the closet beside the bathroom door."

Aimee smiled and licked her lips. "So you're the new play toy of the month," I watched her eyes rake over the brunette's body and I quickly shot Ashley an apology look, "I thought you said you didn't do brunettes anymore, Spence?"

Ashley's jaw dropped a little and sputtered. "I'm just…"

I felt an arm slip around my waist and froze. I looked to my side to see Chelsea standing beside me with her other hand on her hip, looking at the blonde. "Excuse me, but do we have a problem here?"

Ashley and I shared a confused look.

"Who are you?" Aimee frowned.

"Chelsea," she muttered and raised an eyebrow. "I'm really sorry to interrupt this bitch fight but baby," she turned to look at me, "I thought you said it'd just be us three tonight."

I didn't know Chelsea.

But I had to thank her – I think.

"I know?" I winced as the door flew upon and slammed again.

Aimee was gone.

Chelsea smiled a little and let me go.

"What was that?" Ashley raised an eyebrow and I sighed heavily.

"A mistake." I brushed passed her and made my way upstairs.

I needed 'me' time.

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