THREE WEEKS LATER

Ashley's POV

I looked through the next set of newspapers for job openings. I needed a new job. With everything that has happened, the whole baby thing was no longer an excuse. It was difficult having to see Tristan every day so I figured the best option would be to get another job.

It's been a week since I was discharged, and I've been getting a lot better.

Within a week or two with some help of a whole lot of painkillers, I'll be fine and fit for work.

Mom hasn't said anything about it but I'm pretty sure that soon we'll start drowning in debt again.

There was a loud knock on my door followed by the door swinging wide open. Lately, that has been Katy's way of announcing herself. I just wish she didn't have to be here so often.

"It hasn't been ten minutes," I reminded her as she walked in.

"I know, besides, I was bored. I also decided it would be best if I bodyguarded from inside the house. If someone wants you dead that desperately, you must have hidden money somewhere, I might as well be nice to you." She answered.

"What happened to 'I'll never be mean to you again'?" I reminded her.

"That only applies when you are on your deathbed," she answered. She jumped and threw herself onto my bed, just an inch away from my injured leg.

"You know what I was thinking? I think it's good that you are not having Tristan's baby. What kind of guy just disappears and then doesn't even bother to check up on you or even call? He is such a pig. He thinks that now that he is done with you, he no longer has any use for you. And this whole time I thought he was a decent guy. I thought you were the one who didn't deserve him. But now he just had to be like the rest of them. He turned out to be a self-serving, jerk who only cares for himself. He probably thought,'Why don't I just get rid of Ashley now that she is no longer having my child?'..." Katy rumbled.

I couldn't listen to her anymore.

"Why don't you go and find someone else to bother?" I interjected. "Besides, I'm sure you don't really understand the concept of people being busy."

In some ways I was relieved I didn't have to see him even though it hurts thinking about it at times. It meant I could stay another day without having a guilty conscience. It was much better for him if he moved on.

"Sounds like you are making excuses for him, and that's just sad. Does it hurt your feelings that he has been ghosting you?" She asked.

"Could you leave? I was busy before you walked in here." I tried to hold back my annoyance.

"Doing what? Looking for a job? You do realize that Mom is probably not going to let you work, at least not for a very long time. They still haven't found the creep who tried to kill you. Besides, I think you are only in a rush to get a job so you don't have to think about that emptiness I know you feel deep down inside." She continued.

"If I wanted a therapist, I would have paid for one. Besides, I can't put my whole life on pause because of that. It's been weeks. Who knows, they may never find the person." I answered.

Katy sighed, shaking her head at me in disapproval. I'm sure she had long decided I was a hopeless case.

"Katy, are you disturbing your sister again?" Mom asked walking in.

"No, I was just reminding her to take her vitamins." Katy smiled innocently.

"If I keep taking any more pills it's going to be what kills me," I answered.

"It's important for you to take your medicine. We don't want you dying from the flu or something," Mom answered.

"Taking vitamin C tablets is not going to heal me, nor will the flu kill me. You guys are overreacting." I answered.

"She has also been looking for a job." Katy jumped in.

I regret not dropping her as a baby.

Mom's eyes widened, staring at me as if I was planning a massacre of babies.

I watched several emotions sweep across her face. It must have caught her completely off guard because she looked speechless.

"You can not possibly be thinking about getting back to work. You are still not well. Besides, do you know how dangerous that could be for you?" Mom argued.

"I'm fine, I can almost stand on my own," I answered. I would demonstrate but getting up seemed like too much effort.

"Your leg is still completely swollen. I have been doing well with my cakes lately. There is no reason for you to work. Besides, it's not safe for you. There can be all the money in the world, but I only have one daughter." Mom answered.

Katy stared at Mom with her arms folded.

"You know what I mean," Mom added. "Katherine, can you go away for a moment and give your sister a bit more space to breathe." She said to Katy. She tried shooing her away but Katy had made herself too comfortable.

"But you said you wanted me to stay around Ashley because you were scared she would try and kill herself because she lost her baby," Katy answered.

Mom and I were stunned and taken aback by Katy.

Mom's cheeks were reddened in embarrassment.

Now I know what they talk about behind my back.

"Don't you have school to get to or somewhere else to be a bother?" Mom asked dismissively.

"I'm on a school break. You would know this if you didn't only have one daughter." Katy said before storming out.

Mom looked embarrassed as she sat down on my bed like a three-year-old waiting for a scolding.

Where did she get the idea that I wanted to kill myself?

"So," she said clearing her throat. "Your birthday is coming up in a few days. Is there anything you'd like to do?" Mom asked.

"You mean besides planning suicide, nothing at all," I answered sarcastically.

"I was just worried." She answered with a sigh. "You've been acting weird. You haven't cried or said anything after everything that has happened. I don't want you to ball everything up. I want you to let everything out and process everything." She continued.

"I'm completely fine. You would see that if you weren't acting paranoid," I answered.

Mom looked at me pitifully as if I was in denial of my emotions.

It's been hard watching everyone else's reaction around me but it has been the best lie-free three weeks I've had in a long time besides being bedridden. Maybe one day once the wounds have healed, I can just casually say,'Hey Mom, remember when I lost that baby? It turns out I was never pregnant at all.'

"I'm going to give you some time to rest," she said.

She smiled and stood up from my bed. She walked towards me, approaching me in an effort to tuck me in. I quickly blocked her away.

She finally gave up and left my room.

Apparently getting a job wasn't enough for her to consider me an adult.

I was getting tired of being locked up here. I had to prove I'd be well enough to work. I needed to leave my room first.

The first step was to push myself out of bed. I used my crutches at my bedside to support my weight. Even after more than a week, I still couldn't get used to them.

I managed to leave my bedroom. Getting downstairs was even harder but I managed to do so without making too much noise.

I was two stairs away from the ground when I overheard Mom and Katy arguing.

"Why do you want me to leave so desperately? You don't even care about me. What if I get kidnapped or something?" Katy argued.

"Then you'll just have to tell the kidnappers that your parents don't have any money," Mom answered. "How about I offer you thirty dollars to go out and have some fun for a while?" Mom suggested.

"Deal," Katy answered holding out her hand.

Mom sighed as she placed some cash in her hands.

Katy smiled, grabbing her keys and jacket before leaving the house.

I wonder why I never got that special treatment as a child.

"This child just doesn't stop," Mom sighed.

"I've been complaining about the same thing for ten years," I said.

I startled her as Mom placed her hand on her chest. "What are you doing out of bed? Why don't my children listen to me?"

"I've been in bed long enough, it's not making me feel any better," I answered.

Our front doorbell rang, and yet another surprise sprang up on Mom.

She seemed hesitant, almost as if she expected it but was now dreading the moment.

"You should go and open it," I said drawing her out of her thoughts.

"I'm sure it's no one." She answered dismissively.

She was always secretive. Come to think of it, there were still many things I hadn't asked her about. Like what she was doing on that trip or who she was talking to when I was out cold in the hospital. I think it was about time we got through all the secrets.

"You should probably go upstairs first, in case someone comes in to rob us or something." She answered.

"We don't own anything of value. They'll probably be more pissed because we don't have anything to steal." I chuckled.

She remained still, indecisive about whether to answer it or not. She has been paranoid since I returned. It didn't help to see the broken-down metal of our front gate.

"Fine," I sighed. "I get the message. I see that you clearly want all of your children out of your hair. I'll leave." I answered defeatedly.

My words finally had an effect on her as she decided to answer the door.

I was about to return upstairs when I decided to take a detour and sit in the backyard for a change. Vampires probably get more sunlight than me at this stage.

I was settled on the bench when I heard footsteps hurriedly approaching. As the footsteps got louder, so did the voices. It almost sounded like a fight. I used my crutches to walk back to the living room.

He had his back turned against me, but I recognized his voice.

"Could you lower your voice? I've been parenting very well on my own for all these years. I don't need your opinion." Mom scolded.

"You cannot just tell me I have a child after nearly twenty-seven years and then expect me to disappear. Ashley is my daughter too." The man yelled.

I froze, standing on the spot and leaning on the wall for support.

Mom saw me too, she stared at me blankly. She hadn't expected me to be there.

Everything felt as if it was moving in slow motion as the man turned around to face me.

I knew him.