That evening was one of the worst for the Davies family. Christine sat in a near drunken stupor on her living room floor with a constant flow of tears. The only one that she had ever truly loved had rejected her, horribly at that. Wallowing in what seemed as a never ending heart break had been her only plan that evening. Her only friends were the darkness of the room, her friend Captain Morgan, and her favorite Coltrane album that filled the room. “My Love and Only Love” played over and over.

Ashley walked in hearing the song knowing exactly what that meant. It hadn’t worked out with Paula. There had never really been an occasion where Ashley and her mother had too many things in common. For the last several years, they had spent most of their waking hours disagreeing on some facet of Ashley’s life. Seeing her mother in this state awakened her heart towards her. She quietly sat next to her mother on the floor.

“Mom….are you okay?”

Christine turned looking as if she hadn’t even heard Ashley come in and sit down next to her.

“Ashley…she brought her husband with her…her husband…we were supposed to talk…alone.”

Christine’s tears began to pick up their steady flow again. Ashley wrapped one arm her rubbing tiny circles on her back. Laying her head on her daughter’s shoulder, Christine continued, “Ashley, I’m so sorry that you have to see me like this. I honestly never expected these old feelings to affect me this way. I haven’t cried about this in sooooo long. I know I must look a mess.”

“No, mom….don’t worry about it. You should just let this out.”

“You know, my life has always been a little crazy. My college life. Following your dad around on tour. You know there is only so much time that a girl can be wild. At some point, your heart begins to beg you for love.”

Ashley swallowed at how insightful her sadness was making her mother. Had she just described her whole life thus far? Could this be why she couldn’t get thoughts of Spencer out of her mind? Was her heart begging for love? She wrapped her arm tighter around her mom and continued to let her talk out her problems. It was certainly a defining moment in their relationship. Finally, they had reached the threshold of what a mother and daughter could be. Ashley was happy. She wanted to fix this for her mother so badly.