Waiting

Chapter 20

"Hey sleepy" Noel smiled at her. You remember Selena."

"Yeah, hi." she forced a smile at the beautiful woman.

"You have a beautiful daughter." she smiled back.

"Thanks."

Josh and Ali returned and she noticed the way Ashley looked at Noel and Selena. She suggested Ashley to take a shower so she did.  She let the hot water pound down on her body and it felt so good. She cleaned herself, washed her hair, then cried. She cried until she couldn't cry anymore. She was feeling pretty low about herself and seeing Noel with Selena didn't help at all. When she stepped out of the bathroom, only Ali was there. 

"Where'd everyone go?"

"Noel took Josh home, he's going to stay with Noel tonight and I'm staying with you. Noel said he would be back in the morning."

"Thanks sis, I needed some time alone."

"I know Ash. It must be hard to see him with her."

"Yeah it is, but it's my own damn fault."

She looked over at Dylan sleeping in her bassinet 

"I just hope he is going to be here for her."

"I think he will be. He looked so proud everytime anyone mentioned her or he looked at her."

"I thought so too." 

"Here I brought you this" she handed Ashley her favorite sandwich from the deli near her house.

"Thanks, sis. You're the best."

Ali sat by Ashley's bed as she ate and they watched tv and talked. 

The night went pretty smoothly and she was able to get some sleep. In the morning she was feeding Dylan and Ali was asleep in the chair when Noel arrived, alone. Ashley felt so relieved. 

"There's my girls." he smiled at them and Ashley smiled back.

He sat on the edge of her bed and watched Dylan eating. 

"Josh didn't come?"

"He didn't want to get up, he wants me to go get him at lunch time he said."

Ashley rolled her eyes and chuckled.

"So how are you feeling?"

"Good"

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

He looked down at his hands then up at Ashley.

"I never apologised to you for yelling at you the other day."

"It's ok"

"No it isn't. I'm sorry."

"Ok" she gave him a small smile.

"So how are we gonna to do this? Joint custody?"

"I guess."

"I was thinking, I could stay at your house for a bit to help out. I could sleep on the couch."

"You don't have to."

"I want to. That's me daughter."

"Ok, that's fine with me. But just you, right?"

"Yes, just me."

"Does she know?"

"Yeah, she suggested it actually."

"Where did you guys meet?"

He looked unsure if he wanted to talk about her, but answered, "We met at a night club in London."

"A night club?" She smiled.

"Dont laugh" he smiled and she laughed.

"Sorry, just not the kind of place people usually meet a serious girlfriend is it?"

He shrugged his shoulders.

"Suppose not, but it just works, she's a good girl."

Ashley wanted to be anywhere but there in that moment. It made her stomach ache hearing him talk about Selena.