A Shot In The Dark

Chapter 16

I was so happy to see Ross and Rocky, but at the same time, I wanted to go home.

Ross reached my door first. He opened it and practically pulled me out of the car. "You don't even know how much I've missed you." He breathed into my hair.

"I think I have an idea." I said through his death grip. "You might not wanna hug Rory like this."

He pulled back. "Where is my little boy?"

"Left side." I smiled.

Ross ran around the car to get Rory while Riker took Rose out of the car. I turned around to find Rocky watching me.

"I don't even get a hug?" I asked him.

He smiled and pulled me into his chest. "I thought you'd never ask."

"I've missed you, Rocky. Hearing your voice over the phone isn't enough."

"I've missed you too. You're here now though."

"I'm sorry." I sniffed. I didn't dare pull away from him. If I would have shown him my face, if I would have seen the pain on his face, I would have cried.

"Why are you sorry?" He touched the back of my head.

"I know I hurt you. Ryland was an accident. I swear to you it will never happen again."

He didn't say anything, but his grip on me loosened.

"Please say something." My eyes started to water.

"Ashley!" Rydel chirped.

I turned around, avoiding any eye contact with Rocky. Rydel was holding a baby in her arms.

"I'm guessing this is Rider." I held off the tears.

"Rider John Lynch." She smiled.

"Can I hold him?"

"Of course! Where are Rory and Rose?"

I took Rider and gestured toward the car where the boys were gathered. Rocky stood off to the side.

After twenty minutes of us standing around catching up, it was time to try unpacking.

"Where's all the stuff going?" Ross asked, picking up a crib.

"That's the problem." Riker set down a box. "Your rooms way too small to fit any of her stuff. My room would be pretty much impossible to put all this stuff in and still be able to walk around. The only other options are either the guest room or Rocky's."

Rocky looked up from the box he was holding. "What about me?" He asked Riker.

"Ashley's either staying in your room or the guest room." He looked at Ratliff. "Unless Ell and Rydel are going go share a room."

Ellington was nudging a box with his shoe. "Yeah. All my stuff, Rydel's stuff, and Rider's stuff isn't gonna fit in one room."

"She can put her stuff in my room." Rocky walked into the house with a box.

"What crawled up his ass?" Ross whispered to Riker.

"He's probably just not happy about moving all this stuff. You know how much he hated moving himself into this house." Riker shrugged.

I looked away. He was mad at me.

"Come on!" Rydel took my hand. "I wanna show you Rider's stuff."

I was pulled into the house with Rose in one hand and Rydel's hand in the other. She was carrying Rider too. I had left Rory with Ross.

"I know nothing matches." She said, pulling me into her room. "But Ellington said he would paint the crib and dresser so it would."