“I told you. You’re not going home. You’re staying with me until you can walk.”
She grits her teeth. “No, I am not.”
Her growling in her raspy voice is not helping matters.
The door flies open and Mrs. West rushes in. Behind her, Aspen mouths sorry to me. I give her a chin lift. I appreciate her allowing me some time alone with Ashlyn to apologize for getting her hurt.
“Awesome!” Ashlyn’s hands fly into the air. “I’m busting out of this place. Whoo-hoo!”
The woman is crazy. She thinks breaking her ankle is some big adventure. I shouldn’t be surprised. She seizes every day like life is an adventure and she’s got the front seat on the roller coaster.
Lilac bumps into me. “You’re still here?”
“I’m on my way.” Because there’s no way I can convince Ashlyn to come stay with me with her entire family in the room.
She sticks out her hand. “Thank you for getting my sister to the hospital as quickly as you did.”
She has a firm grasp. “You’re welcome.”
I try to extract my hand, but she uses her grip to pull me close and whispers, “Don’t worry. We’ve got your back.” She releases my hand and winks.
I back away from her. I don’t know what she’s talking about and, frankly, I’m a bit scared to find out.
“Um, thanks?” I mutter before making my escape.
I’ll figure some other way to make it up to Ashlyn for causing her to break her ankle and being laid up for six weeks. Laid up? Shit. Ashlyn can’t do her plethora of odd jobs if she’s laid up. How is she going to afford rent? The situation is worse than I thought. I’ll figure out a way to help, though. I have to. This is all my fault. More proof I don’t deserve love.