𝙧𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙢𝙗𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 : 𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘦

04: 𝙨𝙞𝙘𝙠

❝they say that i'm on the road, lost control.❞

     ELISIA opened her front door to an unusual sight. 

her step mom was seated at the kitchen table. yet she was always at work, all day every day. 

her step mother had bags under her eyes, the kind from not sleeping, all though that was the case a lot of the time.

she worked 24/7 for herself and the family she had with elisia and her father. it had been like that since she first married colgan patricks. 

elisia's step mother had always worked hard for them and the money they had. they weren't lacking money, but they were lacking the concept of a family, and ashleigh knew that. 

she'd tried to be there for elisia as a mother figure, since hers was gone. ashleigh didn't have her own child, and she longed for a family. recently, elisia had been opening more and more up to her step mother. she was starting to trust her and form a relationship more and more with her every day. 

but the fact that elisia's father was never there strained the fact that they were a family. he was always working and never took a day off, no matter what was happening. but regardless, ashleigh was there for him and his daughter every day, although she worked just as much.

❝hey el. how was school?❞ her step mom rasped. elisia gave her a strange look. 

❝uh, it was good, i guess. what's going on ash?❞ she asked, plopping her bag down onto the floor. they exchanged looks, her step mother making a noise. she took a large breath, releasing it in a sigh. 

❝i have something to tell you. something that might upset you, might not. your father... your father is going to be leaving us for a little while.❞ her step mom explained, searching through her purse for her inhaler. 

elisia's brows furrowed, and she moved to take a seat at the table.

❝what do you mean "leaving" us?❞ she asked, gripping her hands together. 

her step mom took another breath, but this time administering her medicine to herself so she could breathe easier. 

❝he wont be at home for a few months. he's going to be in toronto, treating some people for some sicknesses. it's a new job opportunity for him and more money for our family to do things with.. not that we ever stop to do things.❞ ashleigh said, looking away from elisia. 

elisia knew she wasn't happy with the fact that her father was leaving. she didn't blame her. the family needed him right now to build actual relationships. it was getting ridiculous that he was never there. 

❝are you serious? but ashleigh, we've had like a thousand conversations with him about starting to spend time with each other. and he's gonna leave for a few months?❞ she said angrily, shaking her head. 

ashleigh nodded, taking a sip of the tea she'd undoubtedly made because it calmed her nerves sometimes.

❝who the hell knows how long a few months really is. he'll work himself into a coma,❞ she groaned, gritting her teeth in distaste. ❝did you at least try to argue him out of it?❞

❝of course i did, elisia. i always do when stuff like this happens. i want him here for you just as much as i want him here for me.❞ she spoke sympathetically, reaching across the table to grab elisia's hand.