Ashley -

"One step," I whispered. Rosemarie slowly put her foot on mine. I had Rosemarie four years ago, and she's like a little growing bean. David is gone, and so is my family, because, I left after I found out I was pregnant, and David, he wasn't there he was out of town because of his family.

Rosemarie giggled a little. The porch light dimmed as two car lights came peering into the yard. Slowly I turned the radio off, and I brought Rose inside the house. One familiar face, came into view.

Mom -

Finally.

Ashley -

I stared at the car, and the second one that pulled up behind. My mother got out of the car, and my Aunt from the second one, I grabbed a bat, and I stood my ground.

Mom -

"What the hell!?"

Ashley -

"I'm sorry, but, I'll kick the both of your asses if you don't back the hell out," I growled.

Aunt -

"Seriously, not even a welcome?"

Ashley -

"Fuck off bitch!" Her eyes widened, "your definitely not coming into my house!" I crossed my arms.

Mom -

"What about me?"

Ashley -

"Uh..." I heard some knocking behind the front door.

Rosemarie -

"Mommy..."

Ashley -

I started coughing. "Wow, I am feeling really sick right now! Come tomorrow!?" They frowned at me, I quickly rushed inside, and shut the porch light off.

Mom -

"Okay! That was plain out mean Ashley!" I knocked on the door. It took five minutes, and then finally, the door opened up, to a sweet smell of cookies.

Ashley -

"The bitches stay out," my step dad grabbed my mother's hand, and Jack my little brother stepped up, "right..." I growled more. I let them inside.

Ally -

"Oh come on Ashley, we came to apologize, and be a happy family."

Ashley -

I sighed, "whatever," I let them all in. They looked around the house, "stay out of the kitchen, and also, upstairs bedrooms, you can all stay downstairs, there is a kitchen downstairs also, just, stay out of the rooms, on top floor, and this floor. I have my twins, Rosemarie, and Rosey. Rosey just woke up, I could see her little curly hair, and her sleepy face as she slowly started coming down the steps. I rushed everyone downstairs.

Rosey -

"Mommy, mommy..."

Ashley -

She started crying halfway through. I got her to calm down. I got Rosemarie up to the table with Rosey, and started giving them cookies.

Rosemarie -

"Thank u."

Ashley -

"Your welcome," I smiled big. Slowly I sat down. I stared at my hand, it had a ring on it, something that David gave to me before he left me, he was to be married to another woman, that's also why, I left. Nothing is what I got, but yet, I feel happy just with my two little twins.

Aunt -

I sighed, "well, we all came here to apologize to her..."

Mom -

"No, you came to apologize, I came to find my daughter, and bring her home."

Ally -

"She don't seem to suspicious, right?"

Jack -

"No, going upstairs...that's not to... suspicious...or going into the kitchen..."

Mom -

"Fine! Let's sneak!"

Ashley -

I put Rosemarie to bed, then Rosey, both got their kisses on the forehead. In the middle of cleaning up the kitchen because, letting two four year olds play with flour and toss it every where, was not a good idea.

Mom -

I snuck upstairs slowly. Monica my sister, went towards the kitchen.

Aunt -

Slowly I opened the door to find Ashley covered in flour.

Ashley -

I scrubbed the island counter down pretty good.

Mom -

I didn't find much upstairs. I was now back downstairs, and close to the kitchen doors.

Aunt -

"...Do...you need some help?..."

Ashley -

"No," I growled. "I thought I said I didn't want anyone coming into my kitchen?" I looked up at my Aunt, "especially you."

Aunt -

"Ouch honey, that kind of stings, considering I raised you."

Ashley -

"Nobody raised me, I don't give a shit, your welcome is definitely running on thin ice!" She sighed.

Aunt -

"Your a real selfish girl."

Ashley -

"Selfish!? I haven't asked for anything from you! Or anyone! I'm sorry but the only people that are selfish are the people that showed up in the middle of the night! I have two little girls upstairs in bed! I don't need your negative shit around my kids!"

Aunt -

"You..."

Ashley -

"Yes! I left home because I was pregnant! I left because of my twins! David was being forced to marry a woman...and so, I would have been alone to begin with...so I left, and he doesn't know about the twins...I have myself, and my twins that is all I need," I got off the floor, just as my mother came in.

Mom -

"Pregnancy? That's why you left!?"

Ashley -

I smacked the rag down onto the counter, "yes! That's why I did! I left because I was pregnant! What do you want me to say!? That I was a foolish girl!? Getting tricked into sex!? What do you want me to do!?" She was shocked.

Aunt -

"You...have kids?"

Ashley -

"Yes! I have kids! I had sex! I was pregnant!" She backed up a bit, "now isn't a good time to talk about this," I sighed. "My boyfriend is stopping by, it's best that you don't...be here when he comes over, so, stay, in the basement..." I whispered.

Mom -

"Boyfriend? Ashley...is he...are you..."

Ashley -

"I could never fall in love after David," I whispered again, as the doorbell rang. "Now, just...stay downstairs if you know what's good for you."

Luke -

"Hey, babe."

Ashley -

"Don't babe me," I growled. He pulled me into his arms, "get off me!" I hit him really hard.

Luke -

"We talked about this baby, you hit me, it will piss me off, do you like it when I'm pissed off?"

Ashley -

"I hate you so much!" He smirked and shut the door, "the kids are sleeping," he backed me up, "Luke I'm dead serious!" He sighed before grabbing my hair and pulling me to my knees.

Luke -

"Well, since your being so considerate, do you mind?"

Ashley -

"Bastard!" I hit him in the ball super hard, he fell right away, "a way to a woman's heart! Isn't through rape!" I barked. He got up very fast.

Mom -

We all sat very quiet downstairs. We stared at the kitchen table for a long time. "She has kids..."

Dad -

"What?"

Mom -

"She left because she was pregnant...and she felt bad because...the person who she was with, was betrothed to another woman...David asked us to make sure she was okay...but she's not okay..."

Aunt -

"Ally, don't even think about apologizing to her..."

Ally -

I sighed, "fine, I'll show her I changed then." We all went to are rooms, this is a huge house, what does she do for a living?

Mom -

The rooms were gorgeous. I slowly went to go upstairs, but I remembered what she said, so, I had my husband come with, I wanted to meet him, she's my daughter.

Ashley -

The lashes were horrible this time. He was a stalker, that's all I know, and he just ended up using blackmail on me, and so far, every night has been hell. I heard the basement door creek open, and he stopped, giving me relief that I needed. I snatched a blanket and wrapped it around myself. Mom came up with my step dad, we all stared awkwardly, it was a little darker where I was, so, they couldn't see any red marks on me turning soon to bruises.

Dad -

"What's going on up here!?"

Luke -

"If you don't mind, I'd like to finish what I started."

Ashley -

He had the whip tight in his hand behind his back, I frowned, he's going to hit them..."he's right, go back downstairs..." My voice quivered in pain. Luke frowned, I slowly got up and got in front of him, the cuts on my back spreading more, stretching out, and the blood slowly going to my back. "Go back to bed, we'll talk in there morning..." They stared at me.

Mom -

"Okay..." She's acting weird, although, she's not who I used to know, my shy girl, now it's...sex and boyfriend's and kids...

Ashley -

I watched as they slowly went out of the room. I woke up to Luke gone, like always. I didn't move, not until I heard my door creek open and my two little girls sneeking in. I gathered what strength I had, and I picked them up, one by one.

Rosemarie -

"Mommy...I'm hungry."

Ashley -

"Yah?" She kissed my cheek, and nodded afterwards, Rosey handed me a small paper that she colored on, she don't really talk much.

Rosey -

"You...me...Marie."

Ashley -

I smiled and kissed their cheeks back. They hurried to their rooms to get dressed. I felt awful, and weak. Rosey smiled as I handed her a plate of food, then Rosemarie, well, she poked at the pancakes...

Rosemarie -

"Mommy it don't taste goody..."

Ashley -

I took a fork and cut a small piece, and I ate it, she frowned at me.

Rosemarie -

"No mommy!" She stopped chewing my pancake.

Ashley -

"Honey, it taste fine," she placed her hands on my cheeks, making me wince a little again.

Rosey -

"Mommy...try my food..." I held my little pancake on the end of my fork.

Ashley -

I took one bite from her tiny pancake, she giggled a little. I started coughing a little.

Mom -

"Ashley?" I looked in the kitchen, I was now being stared down by two cute little girls, with some curls.

Rosemarie -

"Mommy!" I yelled really loud.

Ashley -

I came out of the storage room, "Marie..." before I could lecture her, I noticed why she yelled for me.

Rosey -

"Who is that?"

Ashley -

"That...is nobody," I smiled, "just a passerby," her eyes widened. "I'm kidding..." Not really. "This is your grandma."

Rosey -

"Ah! Nana!"

Ashley -

"Sure..." She smiled and kicked her feet back and forth. Rosemarie giggled a little.

Mom -

"...So...which one...is which?"

Ashley -

I pointed at Rosey, "Rose," then I pointed at Rosemarie, "Marie."

Mom -

"Oh...if you don't mind me asking...how old are they?"

Ashley -

She should know. I sighed. "Four years old."

Mom -

"What do you do...for a living?"

Ashley -

"I'm...a singer," I shrugged. "I...have a convention today..." I slightly fell towards the wall, "I take the girls with me all the time..."

Mom -

"...You mean...your going to a convention to sing for people?" She nodded slightly.

Ashley -

"Yes..." I grabbed my purse, "now, what is it you want? Money? Or did you just...feel the need to find me?"

Mom -

"I would never ask for money Ash, you know I would never," her little girls stared at Ashley, as if they were seeing something that I wasn't, so, I followed their gaze, her shirt in the back...red was... slowly spreading down her back, seeping into her shirt, and then it came down like rain, slowly dripping on the floor, and Ashley just stood there at the counter, she just...stared.

Ashley -

I could feel it, my bandage loosened, and fell off of me. The tickling feeling made me sick.

Ally -

"Hey aunty..."

Mom -

"Ashley, let me help you!" She struggled with me, her little twins came over and started trying to help me.

Ashley -

"Stop!" They all stopped, "Rosemarie! Rosey! Go to your rooms and play!" They hesitantly stepped back, I could tell they wanted to cry. They left the room. Mom lifted my shirt, and she let out a loud gasp, along with a small one to.

Ally -

"Ashley...your back..."

Mom -

"How many times has this happened!?" She didn't answer me, "Ash! What exactly happened last night with your boyfriend!?"

Ashley -

"He isn't my boyfriend! He's a stalker okay!? For the longest time, he's been blackmailing me, last night he was going to whip you, so I had to stop him...it's what he does... torture."

Mom -

"The next time he comes back Ashley! You need to call the cops!"

Ashley -

I shook my head no, "you don't know him..." I placed my hands on my face to cover the looks of stress and anger mixed with worry. "You have no idea what he's like..." Slowly I got on my knees making her release my shirt.

Aunty -

"Oh..." I clasped my hand over my mouth.

Ashley -

"Thanks to your intrusion last night, after I told you not to come upstairs, he did...more than just lash my back..." I started coughing again.

Mom -

"Your sick..." I got down and felt her forehead, she's burning up. It hurt me to see her this way.

Ashley -

"Would you get away from me!?" I smacked her hands away.

Mom -

"Ashley! How long have you been like this!?" She was quiet for a moment.

Ashley -

"Since I had the twins, there was...some complications..." I sadly stared at the cabinet in front of me, "I can't have anymore kids, and when I had the twins, the doctor had to, bring me back to life..." I crossed my arms.

Mom -

"Oh my gosh Ashley!"

Ashley -

"I'm sick," I shrugged, "but I'm fine, so, I don't need anyone here with me and my kids."

Mom -

"No, Ashley! You need help! Look at yourself! How could you even stand straight!? How could you let someone do this to you!?"

Ashley -

"It's not that easy to explain!" I growled back. "I never asked for you to come here! I'm standing because I half to! Not because I want to!" She glared at me. "It doesn't matter how things are with me, I want to know, why you came looking for me out of the blue!" She was quiet for a while.

Mom -

"I came to take you home..." She tensed up a bit.

Ashley -

"I am home," I looked around, "this is what I have now, I wanted better for myself, I didn't want my kids growing up without a dad, but here I am, an empty house, and two little girls, I can't ever go back, to the way things were, and...quite frankly, I never want to."

Mom -

I sighed. "Ash, I'm sorry..."

Ashley -

"I...don't want an apology," I whispered. I sighed. Rosemarie sniffled as she entered the room.

Rosemarie -

"Mommy..."

Ashley -

I smiled. Slowly I got on my knees, and I hugged her, of course her arms wrapped around me really hurt, but, I didn't care. I kissed my little girl on the cheeks, "it's okay, I'm sorry I yelled at you both," I knew Rosey was on the other side of the wall. She slowly came out, and I snatched her. "Now, is it nap time?" I looked up at the time, wow, it went from morning to close to work time.

Ally -

"Ashley, let me watch your kids while you go out."

Ashley -

"No, it's fine," I growled. "Anyways, it was nice chatting with you all, but we half to be going."

Mom -

"Let us come Ash," I growled back. "Don't be stubborn, that isn't you."

Ashley -

"You don't know me! So stop assuming that you do! You weren't there when I needed you, and now, I most certainly, don't want any help from any of you!"

Mom -

She ended up needing help when it came to zipping up her dress. She struggled with the zipper, she noticed me watching, so, I came in. Ashley let me zip her up, in a blue dress, it doesn't go well with her red hair, green actually goes better, but, blue is her favorite color, and her eyes are blue also.

Ashley -

"T-thank you..." I studdered a little. She nodded. The dress was like a glove on me. The lace in the back was slowly tied after she zipped the lower half.

Mom -

"Ash..." She was in pain, I could tell, just the fabric rubbing on her bandages wasn't going to justify anything. Her dress was cute though, "can you breathe?" She smiled a little and nodded, for having twins, she sure knows how to keep in shape.

Ashley -

I looked at myself in the mirror, then I decided I was good to go.

The place was crowded, my mother ended up with Rosemarie and Rosey, because I couldn't stand her knick knacking everything I do. When I found myself alone in the grand hallway after singing, a man and woman showed up. David looked nice in a suit, he always has. He was wed, married to woman that couldn't give him kids. It's not a bad thing, everyone needs someone to love in this world, I guess, I wasn't the right girl for him. As I turned and started to the garden, I was called for.

David -

"You dropped something miss!" I yelled out. The woman froze, then she turned and looked at me slowly.

Ashley -

He had his hand out, but as soon as his eyes met my face, he tensed up, "David," I grabbed my rose, everyone gets one. He just stared at me. His wife slowly can over.

Quinn -

"Hi," I held my hand out, "David's wife."

Ashley -

I smiled a little, "Ashley," I took her hand, "David's ex," her eyes widened.

Quinn -

"You never told me you were with a pop star."

Ashley -

Quinn glared at David, he deserves it, I think I would have reacted the same way.

David -

"Yah..."

Ashley -

"Anyways, it was nice seeing you, I'm happy your doing okay," he kept staring at me.

Quinn -

"I think you two have some ketching up to do?"

Ashley -

"No," I sighed, "no we don't."

David -

Something was off, it reminded me of the first time I met Ashley.

Ashley -

I sighed again, "so, Quinn, how about we have a girl's day, I'll tell you who exactly David was before you," she smirked and raised an eyebrow at me. We walked off chatting.

Quinn -

"So, do you have kids?" She didn't answer me at first.

Ashley -

"I know I'm young, but, nobody really knows I have twins," I smiled a bit, "I got with some guy after David," I lied. She sadly nodded.

Quinn -

"I can't have kids."

Ashley -

Honestly I don't give a shit, if I had my choice by now, they'd both get an ear full of anger. "It's okay," I'm not jealous...

Quinn -

"I...what to know...if...you...can...do it..."

Ashley -

"Do what?"

Quinn -

"Ashley, I want kids but I can't have any, I'm asking, for you to...help...in a way...where you have the baby for me," she was quiet.

Ashley -

"My first experience...wasn't...good," I sighed once more. "I can't do it, I'm sorry Quinn, it...was hell, and I can't have kids..." I whispered.

Quinn -

"You sure?"

Ashley -

"Yes..." She nodded slowly. "How about you adopt?" She smiled.

Quinn -

"That does sound like a good idea."

Ashley -

"Everything will be okay," I smiled.

Quinn -

"So, how old are your kids?"

Ashley -

"Four years old," she stared intensely at me.

Quinn -

"You don't ever bring your husband here? I'm betting him and David would get along."

Ashley -

"I doubt that," I whispered. I left her in the ball room, instead, I went to the garden, and I hid from everyone, the pain in my back was getting intense. Someone placed their hand on my back, and I jumped up, and I groaned in pain.

David -

"There's blood," I whispered, "a trail of it, actually...Quinn noticed, she didn't want to say anything."

Ashley -

"Get away from me David!" I growled. He grabbed my waist pulling me close to him.

David -

"Ashley, I've been looking for you."

Ashley -

"Fuck you!"
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