Evangeline

67- "I'll be back for my stuff later."

"Hey, Dad." I say into the phone.
"Ava! Thank god you answered!"
"What's up?"
"Well, I've been thinking a lot about this trip, your grandparents."
"And?"
"I did some research, and I've been thinking, what about your grandparents?"
"My grandparents?"
"Yes. Your birth parents parents."
"Both of my dads parents died before I was born and my moms dad died a little after. I'm not sure about my moms mom."
"Well, she lives in a home not too far from our house."
"I know, she's lived there all my life. I don't like to go see her. She has Alzheimer's and it's just hard to talk to her."
"Oh, well okay. If you don't want to go see her that's alright. I was thinking I would take you to see her but I guess not."
"Okay, is Lizzie near by?"
"Yep, I'll get her."
While he goes to get Lizzie I grab my laptop and pull it up on my lap, shoving the tissues out of my way. I google the home she's in. They have a whole section about how you can volunteer with a certain person or in the lounge and kitchen. I write down the number while I'm greeting Lizzie and close my laptop to continue our conversation. When I say goodbye I get out of bed and throw on some sweats. I grab my keys and head downstairs.

Ashton's out at a job interview and Hudson is asleep on the couch. If I wake him up he'll never let me leave. I tip toe to the door and slide out as quiet as possible. I walk to the elevator and hit the button. It opens almost immediately to reveal Ashton texting. He looks up as he walks off and stops right in front of me.
"What are you doing?" He asks.
"Going out?" I attempt, and fail, at getting out.
"Nope. Back inside. Does Hudson just not care?"
"He's asleep."
"Oh." He replies as we go inside and see Hudson's leg hanging off the side of the couch. "Go to your room, I'll be right there, we need to talk."

Confused, I head upstairs. What could he possibly need to talk to me about?
He walks into my room right as I sit on my bed.
"We need to break up." He says as soon as he walks in and shuts the door behind him.
"What?" I ask half stunned half confused.
"I can't be with someone that's keeping all these secrets from me."
"You don't understand! I'm not trying to!"
"Whatever, it's not just that anyway."
"Yeah? What else?" I spit out as a tear rolls down my cheek.
"I can't date someone who's been clinically depressed." He spits back, shoving a dull stick through my chest. "Let alone attempted suicide." And that one, wow, that one sent me onto Pluto with no oxygen.
"That was an accident." I mutter as tears clump at my chin.
"Doesn't matter. You can tell Hudson I'll be back for my stuff later."

And that's it. Ashton leaves without a flash of guilt in his eyes. I hear his light hearted feet go down the stairs and let the front door close loudly behind him.

*One week later*
The tears keep coming. I don't think I've left my bed all week. If he would've broken up with me like a normal person I wouldn't be like this. But he literally broke up with me for my past. That's what I've always been so scared of. My past! I cry just thinking about it. All I want is to be held by someone that loves m-

Hudson.

God why have I been so stupid. I shouldn't have said yes to Ashton when he asked me out. I should've said no when he offered to come with. And I shouldn't have ever let him mess with Hudson. My Hudson.

I march down the stairs, wipe my tears, and sit down right in front of his sleeping figure.

"Hudson." I say shaking his arm. He becomes alert for all of two seconds. I attempt to wake him four times before he jolts up and cups my face in his hands, asking me if I'm alright.
"I'm fine." I tell him.
"What happened?" He asks concern filling his features.
"Ashton dumped me." I'm sure he assumed we weren't here or Ashton was always at work or something. Hudson isn't great at making connections.
"He what?! That no good piece of-"
"Hudson! That's not why I woke you."
"Why'd you wake me?"
"Because-" I stop, gathering my thoughts. Then I smile, sit next to him on the couch, grab his hands and the words spill out of my mouth just like they're supposed to.