Arthur drank his third beer waiting for his children to get home, he knew he shouldn’t be impaired when he broke the news but the pain was just too much. His mind wondered back to the life they had in Ohio, it wasn’t perfect but it worked. Paula still had late nights but made it home for dinner most times, he left work at four so he could help his kids with homework and cook dinner. When did things go wrong, when did the light in their relationship die out?

The front door opened and he heard Glen call out, wishing Paula stuck around instead of packing her stuff to stay with Ben. It wasn’t right for him to be the one to tell them, all ready he could hear them yelling at him to fix what he can’t, Spencer crying that it was her fault when it wasn’t. How can this be happening? Clay came in and asked if anything was wrong, Arthur just smiled and said he needed to talk to him when Glen and Spencer got home. His son nodded than went up stairs to do his homework.

Glen got home around five, Arthur hardly saw him not because Glen didn’t stick around down stairs but he was on his ninth drink of the hour. He stumbled around the kitchen probably making a racket but didn’t care, the pasta on the stove began to boil over and the sauce was heated. He called his boys down, picked up the phone and dialed Ashley’s house.

Ashley’s House

Ashley sat on the couch reading her history book; the words were boring and barely kept her attention. She had a test coming up in a few days, the last final of the school year and than it would be her, Spencer and the open road for three weeks. At least this time they weren’t running away from anything and Ashley made sure to check the trunk for a spare tire just in case.

“Hello…Hey Mr. C, Spencer…” Ashley glanced to her bed; the blonde was wrapped in the covers. She’d tossed and turned until her head was at the foot of the bed and her feet on the pillows, “She’s asleep right now…the doctor gave her…yeah okay Mr. C I’ll get her home…I’d love to have dinner with you guys…see you in a few.” Ashley hung up, the older Carlin sounded funny all most drunk. Ashley signed and packed her history book away, she’d just have Clay help her later tonight, he was really good at tutoring.