Ashley was sitting down on the couch with Spencer peacefully sleeping. All she wished for was for Paula Carlin to be alright. Sure she should hate the women but something inside the brunette won’t let her. The oldest blonde was a bigoted, self righteous hypocrite. However, in the eyes of Ashley, she was just a confused mother, better than her own, who made some mistakes like a normal person. 

A car pulling into the driveway knocked the brunette out of her thoughts.  Ashley carefully lifted Spencer’s head off her lap and looked out the window to notice a white minivan parking.

“Paula” Ashley said to herself as she silently made her way to the door.  Opening the door she saw Mrs. Carlin stumble out of the car slightly tipsy.

“You” Paula seethed as she walked up to her home. “You’re the last person I want to see right now. Get away from my home.”

“Um Mrs.C, how ‘bout we get you inside and get you some water okay.” Ashley said trying to calm the woman down.

“No Ashley just get away. I don’t want you near my house or near my daughter. What the hell don’t you get? Don’t see how my family is destroying? Why can’t you just leave us alone? “

“Because I’m the only thing Spencer’s got” Ashley explained. “Ever since moving here to LA haven’t you seen a change in your daughter? Are you that in denial? Everyone around her has abandoned her expect me and Mr.Carlin.”Ashley noticed a tear fall down the older woman’s cheek “ I’ll always be there for her. So the real question is what the hell don’t you get Mrs.C.”

“Don’t do that. Don’t you dare try to guilt me? I have been there for my daughter all her life. I have been there for all my children. I was even there for Clay.” Paula said now with tears streaming down her face.

“Listen Mrs.C what happened to Clay was a tragedy and I’m sorry. I felt the same thing when my dad died and I would have probably been lost without Spencer.” Ashley said honestly. Mrs. Carlin noticed this and her expression softened.

“You really care about her don’t you” Paula asked.

“Yeah I can’t even describe it and I know you don’t like me but-“

“Ashley I-“

“No listen!”The brunette commanded. “I love your daughter very much and I think that just about everyone put her through pain this year. You, me, Glen, Aiden and what happened to Clay. But never, never will that happen again. So please Mrs. C, please just try to understand it, for Spencer. It’s what Clay would of wanted.”

“Okay.”

“Wait. What?” Ashley asked in disbelief.

“I said okay. You proved to me how you really care about my daughter. I can really see that you would put her before everything else in your life.”

“In a heartbeat.” Ashley reassured

“I know. I also know my daughter to see that she really loves you so please just take care of her.”

“Always.” With that Paula surprised the young girl by capturing her in a hug with no tension surrounding them. Then Ashley whispered the same two words that were said to her a couple of hours ago. “Thank you”.

Both women pulled apart and turned around to see the one person they both loved leaning against the door apparently watching the exchange.

“Hey Spence” Paula said sobered up.

“Mom” The younger blonde ran and hugged her mother tightly. “You had me so scared. Where were you?”

“Just near Sunset Blvd. Thinking.”

“Where you drinking?” Spencer asked scrunching up her noise to the smell of alcohol.

“Um-“

“Hey how about we go inside and finish this. It’s kind of late to be outside.” Ashley said saving Paula’s ass, which she was silently thankful for the brunette’s action wondering why she never saw her heart of gold before.