Chapter 30: Brett & Ashlyn
The sun was out and coming through the windows. Or at least it was supposed to, at this hour. It was one of the main reasons they chose this house when they bought it eleven years ago. But it was not so today. It was overcast for some reason, these past few weeks. As she walked through the hallways of her home. This was not normal for her, nor was the cold that gripped this area. It was, at least to her, that the sun had gone cold.
Ashlyn wasn't much for reflection, not anymore, at any rate, life to her was a road, and you only went in one direction on it, forward. The weather didn't help, shrouding the features around, and the road ahead, in grey.
The house was quiet, too quiet. When the house was this quiet, there was trouble afoot. That's what lead her to walk through the house. The twins, her sons, were watching some movie that six-year-olds enjoyed and their parents would be entertained by a few salty lines here or there. So, trouble would be coming from her daughters, the seventeen-year-old, and the eight-year-old. On the other hand, what could they do to get in trouble, together?
Finally, Ashlyn came to the door of her oldest daughter's room. The door was open, and Ashlyn peaked in. Sitting on the bed was Maeghan, with her back to Brett, who was braiding Maeghan's hair. The two sisters were talking, in the way, an eight-year-old would talk to her seventeen-year-old sister. It was cute, but saddening at the same time, soon, Brett would be gone to South Bend, Indiana, and college this time next year.
Ashlyn noted there was a duffle bag on Brett's bed. Brett had things to pack, as there were things laid out on the other side of the bed from where the girls sat. Ashlyn sighed.
"There you go, Mae," Brett said. Ashlyn reflected on as tall and built Brett was, she had a sweet feminine sounding voice.
Maeghan turned and faced her older sister. Nine years separated them in age, but they seemed to get along. Even though Brett always seemed to stand out, with her bright red hair, and her sister and brothers having blonde hair.
"Thanks, Brett," Maeghan said and they hugged.
"You're welcome," Brett said.
Maeghan nodded and hopped off the bed. Ashlyn watched as her younger daughter walked by without saying a word. Maeghan was off towards her bedroom. Ashlyn nodded and knocked on Brett's door jam.
"Come in, Mom," Brett said.
"How did you know it was me?" Ashlyn asked.
Brett sighed, "Because, you come up to see me before I leave for Dad's," she said, "Every time."
Ashlyn nodded, "You're going to your Dad's?" she asked.
Brett nodded, as she stood up from the bed. Ashlyn noted Brett had gotten her height from her Dad. Ashlyn was tall, just scraping six feet, but Brett was over that. "Yes, it's Dad's week, I'm there every other week," she said and started looking through the stuff she laid out.
"That's what was agreed to when I came back home from Atlanta when you were seven," Ashlyn said.
Brett picked up something and folded it. "Been that way for the last ten years. So, why would you act surprised?" she said and placed what she folded in the duffle bag.
"Yes, it has, and I would think by now you wouldn't need to pack so much stuff, just to go across town," Ashlyn said.
"Well some of it is my school stuff, some of it is basketball stuff, and some is stuff I only have one set of," Brett said.
"What do you only have one set of?" Ashlyn asked.
"Really? Mom, you're the one that insisted I go on birth control young," Brett said.
"Brett Angela, there's a reason I did that," Ashlyn said.
"That would be, Mom?" Brett asked.
"Is it my fault, I don't want you to be a mom as young as I was?" Ashlyn asked.
"Mom, you took my choice away. I didn't want to discuss it at fifteen. I wasn't even thinking about sex at fifteen," Brett said, as she looked through the stuff. She picked something else up, folded it, and put it in the bag.
"Brett, I wanted more for you, I wanted you to…" Ashlyn said.
"Not to be tied down by a kid?" Brett asked.
"I wouldn't put it that way," Ashlyn said.
"Well considering I'm that kid, Mom," Brett said, "I'd choose your words carefully."
"Brett, I, I …" Ashlyn said.
"I lived it, Mom," Brett said and finished packing. She zipped the bag closed, "I get it, Mom. I want to go to Norte Dame, I want what Auntie Tall has, I want to see if I could play in the WNBA."
"Everything I do is to get you what you want," Ashlyn said.
Brett snorted, "But it smothers," she said, "Why do you think I look forward to my time at Dad's?"
"Because it's chaos there?" Ashlyn asked.
Brett shook her head, "Little you know," she said.
"Enlighten me," Ashlyn said.
Brett walked over to the desk chair and picked up a hoodie. "They have the same rules as you do here. I have the same restrictions. They even hold their kids to the same rules you imposed on yours. They enforce them, but they don't do it in an overbearing way," she said and slipped on the hoodie.
"What do you want from me, Brett?" Ashlyn asked.
"Love and support," Brett said and grabbed her bags.
"I do that, Brett," Ashlyn said.
"Then, please, back off, give me a little room to spread my wings and fly," Brett said.
"I'll try," Ashlyn said, "But don't screw me over."
Brett sighed, "I won't, and that's all I ask," she said.
"One more thing," Ashlyn said.
"Yes?" Brett asked.
"Please don't call Maeghan, Mae, we call her Maeghan," Ashlyn said.
"Why Mom? She wants a nickname; she wants to fit in. She sees Mama Chase's kids, my sisters, and brother, and the Scott cousins, they all have nicknames," Brett said.
"Well we chose not to give her a nickname," Ashlyn said, "Especially not Mae. Also, not all the Scott cousins have nicknames."
"Sorry, I forgot about Uncle Brian's kids, and why not Mae, Mom?" Brett asked.
"It was James' Great-Grandmother's name, and he didn't want to pass it down," Ashlyn said.
"Okay, Mom," Brett said, "I don't see why not, he always spoke well of her."
"I don't know," Ashlyn said.
"Anyways, just understand the genie might already be out of the bottle," Brett said.
Ashlyn nodded, "I hope not," she said.
Brett nodded, "Well, I have to get heading over to Dad's," she said.
"Be safe," Ashlyn said.
"I will, Mom," Brett said.
Ashlyn smiled and watched her redheaded daughter walk out of the room. Ashlyn left Brett's room, she watched as Brett walked into Maeghan's room. Ashlyn carefully kept close to the door and listened in.
"You have to go to Your Daddy's already?" Maeghan asked.
"Yes, I do. It's my week over there," Brett said.
"It's not fair," Maeghan said.
"Well, you have to share me, you know that," Brett said.
"I guess," Maeghan said.
"I'll be back in a week," Brett said.
"Bye," Maeghan said, sounding like a sad puppy dog.
"Bye," Brett said. Ashlyn picked up on them hugging, maybe even Brett getting up and kissing Maeghan on the top of her head. Finally, Ashlyn moved from where she stood and looked like she was doing something. Brett left her sister's room and headed downstairs. Ashlyn followed her downstairs. Ashlyn watched her oldest daughter say goodbye to her brothers. Brett then put on her coat and picked up her bags and was out the door.
Ashlyn stood by the window and watched as Brett's car pulled out from where it was parked and drove away.
