His Smile

CHAPTER 38

"Anyone who stops learning is old whether at 20 or 80. Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young."

Ashley's POV

A frown involuntarily makes its way onto my face at the abrupt end of our conversation on phone.

I mentally shrug and get into bed.

"Goodnight!" I text before putting away my phone. Slowly, I succumb to sleep.

"Would you want to come with me to a place today?" I wake up to this text from Grayson. I don't reply immediately. I decided to take my bath first and get some food into my tummy before any other thing. After taking a shower, I head downstairs. I smell a nice aroma coming from the kitchen so I walk into the kitchen only to find mom making some pancakes.

My mom?!!! Oh my Gosh! She's back. They're back.

"Mom!!" I scream and she turns to face me, a smile on her face, eyes glowing.

"My baby girl!" She let go of whatever she was doing and came to hug me. "I've missed you so much."

I hug back tightly, "Missed you too."

She pulls away and looks at me, "How have you been?"

I grin, "I've been doing pretty well."

She pinches my cheeks, "I'm glad my baby is doing great. And where's my baby boy?"

"Mom!" I whine, "I thought I was your only baby."

"Of course! You are." She chuckles, "Where's Dylan?"

"I don't know! Probably in his room. I'll go get him."

"Sure!" I say and take a step.

"And Lucas too." She adds.

I take another step but halt, "Where's Dad?" I turn to her.

"Go get your brother and Lucas, you'll come back to find your daddy."

"Okay?!!" I say uncertain.

- -

It's late in the afternoon and we're all gathered in the living room, having a chat. Everything was going so well, so so well, until Dylan started bringing up my past experiences as a child. So here I am. My parents and Dylan are making fun of me, bringing past embarrassing moments of my childhood. Gosh! I feel so pissed at all of them. I repeat, all of them. Even Lucas. It's good that Cam isn't here to make it even worse than it already is. Lucas isn't saying much, just chipping in a smile here or there. He's quiet but I know him so well. Every embarrassing moment about me said now is safely tucked at the back of his head. He'll bring it out when necessary, I tell you.

The person I felt was betraying me more was my Dad. The man has a good memory. Jeez! I wonder how he gets to remember every single detail of such embarrassing moments. Why the embarrassing moments though? Why couldn't he just remember the good ones or something and not the embarrassing ones?

He was telling another embarrassing tale of me when I cut him off, "Dad!" I frown at him.

"Sorry princess. This is too funny not to be told." Ignoring me he continues. "And she..."

With a frown on my face, I get up and furiously stomp the stairs as I head for my room, slamming my door shut behind me when I enter.

I pick up my phone. "Sure!" I reply to Grayson's text.

In a matter of seconds, he replies, "Okay."

It takes about twenty when he texts again. "I'm outside."