Chapter 5: Ashley’s POV

“Mo-mommy?” My ten-year-old self trembled as I walked towards my mother.

“Yes my love.” She replied as she mixed the batter faster than before.

I blinked.

She crouched to reach my eye level. “Are you okay?” She smiled.

My fingers tightened around the paper before I slowly brought out my hand.

I stretched it to her.

“Ash,” mom’s voice softened. “What’s this?”

She collected the paper from me and turned it so she could get a proper view of it.

Her cheeks burned furiously.

“You drew this?” She shifted her gaze to me. Then pulled me in for a hug.

“I love it, baby.” She let hold of me and looked me deep in the eyes.

I had drawn her on paper long before I came to show her but I was too shy and afraid of her reaction.

A smile crept in on my lips too.

Suddenly, a loud bang came from the living room.

Mom threw herself up immediately. She took off her apron and dusted flour off her dress.

My heart thudded.

She kissed me on my forehead, “Stay here,”

Then she walked past me to the living room.

Another bang came.

Stella rushed into the kitchen and hugged me.

“Is mommy okay?” Stella whispered.

“Yes,” I said while rubbing her head.

I hoped so.

A shriek broke out.

That was mom.

We didn’t hesitate. My sister and I ran out to the living room and halted at the sight of our father standing over mom.

A vein pulsed on his forehead as he glared at us with blood-shot eyes.

“Mo-mom.” Tears streamed from Stella’s face.

“Baby, no,” Mom cried out as she laid on the broken center table.

“Go inside!” Dad roared.

Stella ran out of my hands before I could stop her.

“Leave mommy alone,” she kicked his boots over and over.

“Stella!” Mom and I screamed simultaneously.

Dad turned around slowly, let out a low laugh and-

Glass shattered everywhere.

***

I let out a deep breath as I jolted awake.

My heart thudded like a drum. I picked up the glass of water on the shelf beside the bed and gulped it.

Then, I exhaled.

I pinched my temple.

The nightmares happened again. But this one was… different. It felt vivid, more real than ever.

“Deep breaths, Ashley,” I said to myself.

I did just that and got to my feet.

I was about to go to the living room when it clicked in my head.

I was in Stella’s apartment.

How?

I paused, looking around to make sure I wasn’t still dreaming.

The images of last night flashed in my head.

The hospital. Noah.

I felt something drop in my stomach at the mention of his name.

The inheritance. Ruining away. Sidewalk… Liam…

Wait, did he bring me back here?

I blinked, trying so hard to remember.

He must’ve brought me back home because he offered to last night.

But… I remembered telling him not to worry about me… maybe he insisted and still brought me home.

Yes, that should be it. It better be.

I stepped out of the room slowly.

The smell of toast hit me first. And suddenly, I felt like a kid again. Like that little girl that ran to the kitchen every time her mom made her special toast breakfast.

I knew that aroma, anywhere. Mom taught me how to make it with her special ingredient while I taught Stella before I went to college.

Nostalgia always hit differently.

I followed the aroma to the kitchen and my jaw dropped.

“What’s all this?”

Stella stood behind the kitchen island with her hands wrapped around a tray.

“It’s br-breakfast,” she stuttered.

I almost rolled my eyes.

“Yes, I know that,” I walked towards her. “But it’s too much!”

My cheeks turned rosy.

Stella made a whole buffet. I almost dragged her into a very tight hug.

“How did you- why did you this?”

“What do you mean?” She stood still.

“I know you, El, you’re too lazy to do all of this.” I wrapped my hands together.

Something felt off.

“Come on, what’s going on?” I stared at her.

She broke eye contact and walked to the other side of the kitchen island.

Okay, something was really off.

“I changed,” she swallowed. “I’m not lazy anymore.”

“O-kay…that was weird.”

I picked up a toast to my mouth.

I almost melted.

“This is so good.” I took another bite.

My eyes rolled to the back of my head.

“Glad you like it,” Stella grinned.

I paused.

Wait. Oh no.

“Did you poison this?”

She burst into laughter. “No, silly,”

“Then why are you acting so weird?”

She breathed out. “Okay…” Her smile disappeared.

“Wanna talk about you?”

“Me? There’s nothing new to me?”

“I’m sure you know what’s going on.”

Then it clicked.

Did she find out about my divorce?

My pulse rate increased.

“I-I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I looked away. “I’m perfectly fine.”

Stella sighed.

“You don’t have to pretend with me, Ash.”

My grip tightened around the toast.

Pretend?

She knows.

My throat went dry.

“Nothing is wrong, El.”

I could feel her staring at me, like she was waiting for me to say whatever she was expecting, myself.

“Okay,” she simply said.

I turned to her.

Her gaze softened. “I just wanted to be sure you were okay this time.”

I gave a small nod, even though I wasn’t convinced.

I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding.

Maybe she doesn’t know. Maybe I’m just overthinking it.

Yeah… that has to be it.

Stella suddenly clapped her hands lightly. “Oh!”

I flinched.

“What?” I frowned.

She walked to the counter and picked up a small card. “I found this while cleaning earlier.”

I leaned closer. “What is it?”

“A coupon,” she said, turning it over. “For… a café.”

“I’ve never seen that place before.”

“Same,” she shrugged. “It says here that it’s new… and there’s a 30% discount on your order!”

I nodded slowly. “Okay…?”

She smiled. “Isn’t that exciting?”

“Uhm… yeah,so?”

“We can go.”

“Now?”

“Yes, now,” she said. “You need to get out. Clear your head.”

I hesitated.

I didn’t really feel like going anywhere.

But staying here, with all these thoughts running wild in my head… wasn’t any better.

“Fine,” I muttered.

***

The café wasn’t far from Stella’s apartment. When we came down from the taxi, we shot each other a look.

The cafe looked… interesting.

I opened the door and everything was completely dark. Like completely dark.

“Stella… put on your flash light.”

No one answered.

I looked back, Stella wasn’t there.

Suddenly, the lights came on.

“Happy birthday!”

I froze.