Take My Hand - Lashton

Chapter Thirty-four

Chapter Thirty-four

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Ashton placed a steaming cup of coffee in front of Stella and sat opposite her at their kitchen table. Luke had left an hour ago and neither had said anything to each other besides the occasional curse from Ashton.

Stella had sat restlessly on the edge of their bed deep in thought, thinking through what was going to happen now. How the conversation between her and her fiance would unfold. Would Ashton leave immediately, did she want to kick him out straight away? How long would it take for Luke to speak to him again — she hoped not too long.

She sat there clutching her stomach whilst Ashton went around muttering, clearing up the mess. He wiped up the sick, took dirty glasses downstairs and when he finally returned to their bedroom he finally addressed her. "Shall we talk downstairs? I've put the kettle on."

Stella nodded and stood up. She looked down at her clothes. She was still in her uniform. She cleared her throat. "Let me get changed first. Can you call my work?" Ashton replied telling her he would and she smiled at him sadly. Everything was still there, but everything had also changed.

And here they were now. Sat at the table, waiting for the other to initiate the conversation. Stella had planned it out so many times in her head and now a thousand other routes had displayed themselves.

Still looking down at his cup, steam dampening his face, Ashton spoke up. "What would you like to do?"

"Me?" Stella asked, her voice wavering. She gripped her cup firmly, the surface scolding her hands.

"Yeah. I shouldn't get a choice in what happens, I've treated you like shit—"

"You've treated me just fine Ashton," Stella sighed, her eyes glazing over. She wondered if it were better if she hadn't walked into the room and came across the pair. She should have let them be and endured the affair, it seemed easier now it was an impossibility. "But what would I like to happen in a hypothetical situation?" Stella brought one of her legs up to her chin and rested her head on her knee, the flannel material comforting against her skin. "I'd like for you to be with Luke and the baby and me to live together."

"You've thought this through," Ashton sighed, sitting back in his chair and staring up at the ceiling. "How long have you known?"

"That you loved him? Since the day his name left your lips. Since you started seeing him? When you first brought him here. His scent was all over my side of the bed!" Her voice was becoming louder. She didn't want to yell, but it was uncontrollable.

"Stella, I'm so sorry — I really do love you—" Ashton blinked rapidly. He didn't want to cry. He knew he didn't deserve to cry. He was the one who had hurt two people. Maybe he was going to end up alone, but at least his feelings hadn't been played around with.

"I know you do," she whispered. "I know. But you don't want me, you want him."

Ashton let his head drop and watched her for a while. The tear rolling down her cheeks, dampening her jumper, others descending to the floor. His heart sat heavily in his chest and he began to shake his head. "I'll find somewhere to live. I could crash with a couple of friends—"

Stella couldn't help but laugh as she wiped her eyes with her sleeves. "I don't hate you, Ashton! You can stay here, for now, this house is both of ours. Once you sort things out with Luke, then you can find somewhere, and I will too— there's no point in me living here alone."

Ashton nodded thankfully. His voice shaky, he asked. "And the baby?"

"You'll have to support me, and I would want to continue to work after, we'd have to take it turns to look after it, but you can visit whenever you like— I'd like to remain friends?"