She lay down on the bed and stared up at the ceiling. Her thoughts began to wander back to Spencer. She thought about the last thing she had said to her. Verbally spoke to her. She had told her that she loved her and that she wanted to spend the rest of her life with her. And then, the next day she left. Ashley got up and left the one person she truly loved in all of the world. Tears began to fall from her eyes. Streams of salty water falling at what felt like record speed. She couldn’t stop them, they just kept falling.

            “Ashley?” she heard someone say. She looked at the door to the room and saw her mom standing there, staring at her sadly. “Honey, what’s wrong?” she asked, walking into the room and taking a seat next to her, pulling her into a tight embrace.

            Ashley wrapped her arms around her mother’s midsection and cried into her shoulder. She was crying so hard, she began to convulse.

            “Honey, talk to me. Please, calm down and talk to me.” Her mother said, brushing Ashley’s hair with her hands.

            “I screwed up so bad mom. I didn’t tell you the truth.” She said, wiping her tears away with her hand. “I didn’t come here because I had time off and Spencer had to work. I left her mom. I left her a note that said I needed to get my head together and that was it. I broke her heart. I shattered it. And there is nothing I can do to get her back, I just know it.” She said as she began to cry even harder than before.

            “Oh Ashley.” Christine said, holding her daughter tightly. “There has to be something you can do. Have you tried calling her?” she asked. Ashley shook her head.

            “I don’t want to call her. I’m afraid she won’t hear me out. I know I shouldn’t have left her like I did, but I just didn’t know what else to do.” She said, shaking with every word she spoke. Christine took a deep breath and kissed Ashley’s forehead.

            “Ash, I think you need to give it some time. Just give her time and I’m sure she’ll come around. Can you do that?” Ashley nodded. Christine got up from where she was sitting and held out her hand. “Now, let’s go eat some amazing Italian food made by the best cook in all of Pismo Beach.” Ashley smiled and took her mother’s hand.