Chapter 13
Frank
“It is good to see you back Ashley. You didn't have to knock, you have a key, don't you?”
She told me that she did have a key, but she said it still felt weird to just walk in.
“This is your place as much as mine for the moment. You live here, so you can come and go whenever you want. If I am home, you are more than welcome to leave if you need to get out for a little while. I know that you are young, and you most likely have a lot of things to do. You have a boyfriend I take it?”
“Well, I don't really know about that anymore. I think we broke up yesterday.”
On the inside I was happy about it, because that gave me and her another chance. But at the same time, I could tell that it was bothering her and that bothered me.
“Do you want to talk about it?”
“No, not really. I don't want to start out with my own personal problems. If it wasn't meant to be then this is a good thing.”
I wanted to ask her why they had broken up, but I had a feeling that it had to do with me and her staying here. I certainly wouldn't like it if my girlfriend was staying with a man like me. Especially if he knew what had happened the other night. I was still feeling guilty about it, but I knew that there was nothing I could do about it now. If she wasn't going to worry about it, then neither was I.
I stayed and talk to her for a few more minutes before I took off to work. I had to get there early because we had a lot of things to do. When I got to work, I forgot about the fact that Jacob wanted me to go out with him tonight, so I made up an excuse about my babysitter having to go out and do something and not being home. It was a lie of course, one that I was going to have to make out of many considering how things were going. Jacob seemed bummed out but didn't really ask any more about it. There really was nothing I could do, even though I knew that little of these problems were related to most men in our workplace. That was something that the women would worry about, but since Evelyn died, everything was on me. The fact that I was working there when it all happened with the wreck and everything, I figured that I was getting some leeway. I had no problem using it to get a little bit more leeway in this situation. I didn't want to go out with the partners, I wanted to stay home with my daughter and the babysitter that I was having all kinds of feelings for. I was starting to realize that the feelings went beyond just the physical.
It was the first time in a long time that I actually looked forward to coming home. Before, I didn't want to because of multiple reasons, but things were different now. The house ran smoothly, Donna was happy, it was like how it should have been. It was like how it was when my life was normal.
I got home early, and I didn't call like I usually do. Instead I got to walk in and see Donna talking excitedly to Ashley while she made dinner.
“I love pot roast, but I think you're making it for daddy.”
“That could be Donna. I want to make his favorite meal for him, just like I make you omelets every morning. It makes a person feel better when you cook for them, especially something they like. My grandmother taught me that.”
She smiled at the nanny and I could tell that she cared. I could tell that both women had created a bond together and it was good to see you after Donna had shown out so much. She was doing better in school and I didn't even get any calls anymore like I used to. She was doing better in so many ways and I knew that it was because of Ashley.
I listened to them talk a little bit longer and all it did was make me fall for Ashley a little bit more. There was so much more to her than a hot body that I thought about most of the time. She had a spirit about her that made everyone feel good around her. I was drawn to it, just as much as my daughter was. Even if it was in different ways.
Finally saying something, Donna smiled and ran up to me saying daddy. It was literally one of the best moments that I had in a long time and I knew that it was all because of Ashley. She was healing my family, and she didn't even know it.
“It is good to see you home so early, Sir. Dinner won't be ready for a little while, If I would have known that you were coming back so early, I would have started it earlier.”
I told her that it was fine. I hadn't even expected her to cook and clean like she did, but she had just taken it all over so seamlessly that it was hard to imagine any other way. I couldn’t see this going any other way than it was. Everything was just working out perfectly.
“That is totally fine Ashley. It smells good in here already though. I was thinking about taking Donna out to get some ice cream, would you like to go?”
Ashley said that she still had work to do in the house and I had a feeling it had to do with the mess we had made on Sunday. Me and Donna had a great time, but I hadn't had the energy to clean it all up when I was done. I had left the house in a mess when I left this morning, and it was already almost back to normal.
I tried to tell Ashley that she didn't have to do it, but she insisted. Half of what she did, she didn't have to do. But I was thankful for it either way.
Donna was already getting her coat on, and putting her shoes on. She certainly wasn't going to miss the chance to get some ice cream because I didn't allow that to happen too much. I had thought that sugar was the cause of her meltdowns and the way she'd been acting, but I should have known that it was something else. I should have known that it was because of losing her mother. We had both responded in so many different ways. I had buried myself in work, and she just buried herself in an attitude. I think between the both of us, we were just trying to hide from the world for a while.
“Do you need anything while I'm out?”
Ashley smiled in the heart-stopping way of hers and told me that she didn't. I wanted to stay and talk to her, soak in her aura and the relaxed look on her face, but I knew that I needed to get out with my daughter. I had to stop thinking about the nanny that way, or it was going to be too much, too soon. I don't even want to think about what would happen if she left now. After a week, Ashley had changed everything for us. I didn't want to go back to the way things used to be.
After living with Ashley for just one week, I knew that I didn’t want to go back to how things were before. I never wanted to go back to that dark place and I was attracted to the light that Ashley had brought back into our lives.
I told myself that we would have time tonight to talk after my daughter went to bed. Then I would get those quiet moments with her that I wanted so much. I needed those quiet moments with Ashley to recharge after the insanity of the day.