Turned Out

Chapter Seven

"In Jesus name, amen." My father had just finished giving his sermon. Everyone was doing their normal after church talk and I was heading towards the exit. I don't want to be caught up in a long conversation over why I don't join the choir or talk at teen night or join my father at bible study. I don't want to do those things, nor do I need to.

"Ashleigh! Hold on a minute." I just reached the exit, who wants me? I sighed and turned to find my brother trotting towards me. My whole face lit up.

"Chris!? What are you doing here!?" My brother joined the Marines a few years back and I didn't know he was coming home.

"I came to surprise you all." He smiled finally reaching me and engulfing me in a hug. "You look great sis." I smiled. My big brother, finally home and I'm over joyed.

"Where's Cali and Yaremi?" Yaremi is my brothers Cuban wife. Cali is my two year old niece. When my brother was deported, they moved to Maryland and I haven't seen them since Cali was one. As if on cue, they came walking out of the bathroom. My niece Cali looked so cute, I couldn't help my face splitting grin.

"Hey Yaremi!" I hugged her. "Cali pooh!" I picked my niece up, hugging her tight and kissing every free inch of skin on her face. "I missed you baby!" I kissed her again. Regardless of how much I see her, my niece is my everything and I'd give the world for her. I might not be able to do everything for her because of the distance, but when I see her I shower her with gifts and try to spend every waking moment with her. "How long will you guys be here?"

"Just about a week. Then it's back it Maryland." I pouted.

"Only a week?"

"Yep, then I'll be back for good in about a year or so."

"Ugh! That's too-" I was cutoff by the presence of my parents. Of course, they'll try and lecture me. I rolled my eyes. "Hi mom, hi dad."

"Nice to know you only show your face on Sundays, Ashleigh. That's not how you were raised and you know it." I sighed.

"Dad, I didn't come to be scolded. If you should know, I have a full time job and school. I'm a busy woman." He scoffed.

"Woman? Women don't act the way you do. Ashleigh you-" I cut him off. I don't have time for this and I'm not going to sit here and take it. I passed Cali to Chris, my brother.

"I'm leaving. That's not what I came here for. Chris, I'll see you later. Yaremi, you and Cali better come spend a girls day with me." I kissed Cali's cheek and gave my mom a weak smile then headed back for the exit. This was too annoying. I came to be at church, hear the word. Not be scolded and put down by my father. He can be such a hypocrite sometimes.

I went to my car and sat there for a while. I checked my phone and had three text messages and a missed called from a number I didn't know. I checked my messages first. Two were from Shannon. The first read, 'Good Morning, Ash. Can we meet up?'. The second was him apologizing. I shook my head and replied to him.

'Why? You want to be with me, but you sure as hell weren't acting like it. You're very immature sometimes, Shannon.' I pressed send and checked my last message. That was from Landyn and made me smile, hard. His message read, 'Good Morning beautiful. I wanted to see if you would like to catch lunch after church? I won't take no for an answer... Olive Garden?' I was still smiling at my phone like an idiot. Of course I would go to lunch with him. I wouldn't tell him no either. I decided to call him instead of text back. I'm sure he can see that I read the text anyways. I dialed his number and started up my car.

"Hey Ash, what's up?"

"I was calling to accept your offer." I smiled.

"It wasn't an offer, you didn't have options." He chuckled.