“Thanks for bringing it back. It’s my favourite book. But how did you know where I worked?”

Ashley smiled “Your bookmark”

Spencer smiled back at Ashley and then looked down at her book, she then turned to the page where her bookmark was. Spencer had lost her bookmark about a week ago and was using one of her business cards to keep her place in the book. She pulled it out and it read, Spencer Carlin, Social Worker followed by the address of the building in which she worked. Spencer rolled her eyes and slightly shook her head as she replaced the card between the pages in her book. Of all the things she could have used, she picked the one thing that could lead Ashley straight back to her.

“I wasn’t going to bring it back to you in person, I was going to send it, but I knew it was your favourite book and I didn’t want to risk it being damaged in the post” Ashley told her

Spencer smiled again, she couldn’t believe that Ashley had remembered that this was her favourite book. Spencer let her gaze linger on Ashley for more than a second this time and she noticed that just below her eyes were slightly puffy and there was a hint of darkness underneath them, it looked to Spencer that Ashley was tired and had not been sleeping enough. A sudden jolt went through Spencer’s stomach she didn’t have that look at the park. Was Spencer invading Ashley’s thoughts and dreams just like she was doing to Spencer. Spencer decided she wanted to know

“You weren’t going to bring it back in person?” Spencer tried to sound causal and confident, she was surprised that her voice didn’t break like it usually did when she was nervous.

“No” Ashley simply stated, looking straight at Spencer

“Why not?” Spencer’s courage was growing stronger and she asked again, when Ashley didn’t reply “Why not?”

The two girls just stared at each other

“Because I was afraid too” Ashley quickly stated, just as quickly followed by “So you’re a Social Worker huh?”

Spencer saw the pleading look in Ashley’s eyes, begging that Spencer go along with the not so subtle change of topic. Spencer recognised the behaviour. It was something that Ashley had always done. When it would come to intense or emotional moments, Ashley would say something, a small truth, to let you know she was in the moment with you, but then would change the subject quickly, just as she had done here. Ashley would talk, when she was ready, always in her own time. It might have taken a little while but she would always let Spencer in eventually. Spencer was sure it was a control thing, because in her own time meant that Ashley had time to prepare herself and would not run the risk of being caught of guard and breaking down when the topic initially arose. Spencer still saw the pleading in Ashley’s eyes, she would let it go and hoped that Ashley would tell her the truth sometime.