Pure Pain, Excruciating Love

Chapter 9

         This was so nice. So damn nice. I didn't have to wash any dishes. I didn't have to lock myself in my room. I didn't have to clean the living room and pick up empty alcohol bottles. This was nice. After lunch, we all helped Carol with drying and washing the dishes. Ashton and Anna led me upstairs and soon got into an argument over who I should spend time with. In the end I persuaded Ashton to let me hang out Anna as I was going to spend the rest of my day with him. So here I was, sprawled on Anna's bed, relaxing as she worked on one of her assignments. I was actually helping her. I liked helping others with school work, it makes you feel smarter, confident. 

"I seriously hate school," Anna groaned. 

"Uha," I mumbled, I didn't mind school. 

A knock came to the door, and then the person behind it swung it open. 

"Sorry sis. Time's up," Ashton strode in, pulling me up from the bed. 

"Fine," Anna huffed, going back to completing her assignment. 

Ashton and I left her room and went downstairs.

       After an hour of Ashton and I debating over our favorite movie and some soccer, the bell rang stopping our childish bickering. Ashton quickly jumped up from the couch to go answer the door. Carol had left a few minutes ago to visit her dad who lived only a few houses away. I heard the door unlock and open. 

"Oh Ashton," a sweet yet chirpy voice bellowed. 

"Hey Aunt Karen," I heard Ashton reply. 

"Is your mom home sweetie?" The lady – his aunt Karen- asked. 

"She went to check on gramps, come in," Ashton told his aunt. 

I heard as more footsteps came near. 

"Is your sister around?" His aunt asked. 

"She is, one sec," Ashton said and his footsteps followed. 

In a second he was in front of me, right where he left me. 

"Hey, my aunt's here to drop off my cousin, we'll call Anna and the leave," Ashton told me as he a gave me a hand to pull me off the ground where we were sitting. 

"Oh, okay," I nodded. 

He led me out to the corridor where I saw a tall, young woman cradling a little, sleeping baby boy. As she heard us, she gave us her attention with a wide smile. She looked exactly like Carol. 

"Oh, who is this?" She beamed. 

"This is Sam, a friend from school," Ashton answered with a grin. 

"It's so nice to meet you sweetie," Karen smiled widely. 

"Nice to meet you too," I replied quietly. 

"I'm Karen, Ashton's aunt," she added. 

I nodded with a smile.

"I thought your mom would be here. Wanted to ask her if she could watch Aden." 

So the little boy is Aden. 

"Anna's here, you know she'll watch the little guy," Ashton said as he affectionately looked at his cousin. 

I could see that Aden had blonde hair and a very light skin tone as his face was buried in his mother's chest. Just then Aden stirred in his sleep and fluttered his eyes open. 

"Well look who's up," Karen chuckled as she brushed his blonde curls with her fingers. 

Aden gurgled and looked around.