Chapter 4

Ashley heard the echo in the corridor long before she caught sight of Aden’s father, the man had the tact of a sledgehammer and wasn’t afraid of making a little noise. She quickly got to her feet; her heart quickened in her chest as she peered down the corridor. Behind the abandon wheelchairs, in front of the nurse’s station Mr. Dennison was busy hollering at the nurse that had helped Ashley earlier. Returning to her chair, she slipped her purse over her shoulder and made her way to the door. There was no way she was dealing with them, she already had enough on her plate, the hysterics, the tears, and it was more than she could handle right now.  Not to mention the little factor of the trail of lies she’d laid trying to see Aiden in the first place, and now it was all about to come to an abrupt halt. Peering down the hall again Ashley held her breath and focused of the distance of the voice. Still sounded far enough away, she took her chance to escape while the nurse was coping the brunt off ‘but we don’t have a daughter’ in the hall.

Ashley felt secure in her car, if she was a criminal on the run it would be her safe house, somewhere to retreat away from everyone. Slumping heavily into the leather seat she allowed her body to rest, even if it was just for a minute. A dull lingering pain throbbed behind her eyes, and for the first time she had to admit she was exhausted. The water she’d brought from the hospital’s vending machine brought little comfort, but she swallowed it down nonetheless. Leaning across the seat, she unclasped the glove box, cd’s and a few unpaid parking fines spilled to the floor.

‘Shit,’ no charger she cursed.

 Her reflection in the revision mirror looked like a stranger.

‘Whatever,’ she didn’t care how she looked right now; she just needed food and sleep, and most importantly to call Spencer.

 As soon as the car pulled in the driveway Kyla rushed to meet her.

Ashley sluggishly unbuckled the belt and took a deep breath before meeting her sister halfway.