“Ya, that would be nice.”

We went back into her house and I briefly met Kyla, before she was on her way out. Ashley started cooking dinner and invited me to stay. I gladly accepted because anything is better than cafeteria food. We talked all night. We talked about her family, which is almost as dysfunctional as mine. Her dad was an 80’s rock star who died about 5 years ago and left Ashley everything. That caused a major riff between her and her mom for obvious reasons. After the death of her father, Kyla came out of the woodworks, and nobody really believed that she was actually a Davies. After a DNA test, Kyla was actually proved to be Ashley’s step-sister. Ashley gave Kyla money to go to college and whatever else she needed. Kyla lives in the house that Ashley grew up in because Ashley’s mom was never there. As much as Ashley hates her mom, and vice versa, she took care of her. And by take care of, she kept her out of the country as often as possible. I didn’t think I knew her well enough after that to ask about the ring…but later that will come.

“So Spencer, tell me about you. Now that I told you all about my family. What is your family like. How screwed up are they?”

“Well, my dad is the greatest guy you could ever meet..and my mom is the complete opposite. My dad is a social worker and the greatest cook alive. He adores his family and would do anything for someone he loves. Which is why he is ‘trying’ to make it work with my mom. My mom is a total bitch. She is a doctor and is in love with her job. She had a couple of affairs since we moved to LA ten years ago. My dad, always the optimist, thinks that they can resolve their issues, but they can’t. I have two brothers…well had. My brother Clay was on one of the planes of 9/11. He was a year and a half older than me, but two grades above me. He was on his way to meet his birth mother. We adopted him when he was eight, that was going to be the first time he ever met her. My other brother, Glen, is still alive..but he is a soldier in Afghanistan. After what happened to Clay he enlisted as soon as he turned 18. Glen is two years older than me, and when he left for Afghanistan, my whole world fell apart. I was stuck at home with my grieving dad, and nonexistent mom. I found contact in anyway I could. That’s really when I realized that I liked girls. Which didn’t go over too well in my family. My mom, who is uber Catholic but still commits adultery, thinks that being gay is a sin. Pot calling the kettle black I think. She only talks to me when my dad makes her call me, or when I go home. I love her, but only because she gave birth to me.”

“Wow. I guess we are both two messed up people from messed up families.” She tried to lighten the mood.

“Ya, messed up is an understatement.” I started crying. I don’t know why, but for some reason I felt safe with Ashley. I felt like she would take care of me and not judge.

Ashley came over to me and embraced me in a loving hug. Her thumb brushed my tears away, and she tucked a strand of hair behind my ear and whispered, “Hey, it’s late. Let’s go upstairs and go to bed.”

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