I’m actually nervous and excited as we pull up to Melanie's house. Ash has stared out the window for the majority of the time. I’m sure this isn’t exactly how she wanted to spend the evening, but she wouldn’t let me take him by myself.
Living in hiding has made her a bit of a recluse. It’ll be good for her to get out.
“You okay?” I ask as we pull up to the gathering of people eagerly awaiting our arrival.
“Yeah,” she answers briskly, no warmth in her tone at all.
I suppose I’ve been a little too cold, making her a little tougher than usual. Now, she’s scared to even look at me.
“Um, the bodyguards know to keep their eyes on him no matter who is holding him, right?” she worries.
“Yeah. It doesn’t matter what anyone says, they’re to stay glued to his and your side all night.”
“I’m not worried about me,” she says as she climbs free from the car, her tone distant now as well as cold.
“You should be. Your son will need his mother.”
“My son has his father who could easily replace me the way my mother was easily replaced. He’d never know the difference,” she says as tears glisten in her eyes.
Shit.
She went from vulnerable to numb in two weeks. Is this my fault?
“Ash, listen, just-”
“Here, you can carry him in,” she says while pulling out our adorable little boy dressed in a flashy suit. “I’m sure everyone will want to see you holding your son for the first time. I’m going to go find Billy and Shannon.”
“You don’t want to walk in with me?” I ask, a little surprised as the flocks start rushing in.
She cringes each time someone’s hand brushes up against her, and then she shakes her head before disappearing into the mass. I hadn’t thought of how hard this is going to be for her.
***
Ashiara
Shannon walks u
p, and I take the champagne from her hand to guzzle it all in one gulp.
“Thirsty?” she jokes.
“Very.”
My eyes turn back to see Tag jubilantly displaying our son as he heads toward us.
“Arrogant, stupid son of a bitch,” I grumble aloud while brushing past her on my mission to find more booze.
“Okay... So I guess I don’t have to ask how things are going.”
“I can’t do it anymore. I’m sleeping in my own damn room tonight,” I mumble while jerking a glass of champagne from the waiter’s table, and I drink it just as quickly as the last before taking the whole bottle from his hand. “I mean, of all the stupid assholes in the world, I had to fall in love with that one.”
She laughs a little at my rambling rant, and I roll my eyes while refilling my glass. Melanie giggles as she rushes by me to rip Trip free from Tag. He laughs as he relinquishes him, and he follows her toward the door.
“I don’t even get a hello anymore,” I grumble as I turn the whole bottle up.
“Hey, whoa. Classy function,” she chuckles, while taking my arm and leading me into the gallant house decorated for a baby shower after the fact.
There are so many gifts that they’re pouring off the tables set up for them.