Paula had regained her cool at this point and decided to cut the conversation short. She had not expected Ashley to come out smelling like roses when she had asked her original question. It peeved her tremendously.

So lunch continued rather subduedly from there on. Madison and Ashley surprisingly kept the conversation flowing between everyone and Spencer was grateful. When Ashley, Kyla and Glen had shown up for lunch, things had been rather reserved was a nice way of putting it, between Ashley and Aiden, but she and Madison fell into a comfortable banter. Sure, half of what they said was kind of offensive, but they were doing it in a friendly manner, if that made any sense.

Spencer became once again apprehensive when lunch was finally over. Ashley’s little speech about marriage and love had done nothing to subdue the stampeding elephants and the giant parade they were having in her belly. She really hated elephants now, they officially sucked!

So that was the reason she volunteered herself and Madison, who immediately gave her a death glare, for kitchen duty. She was washing dishes and Madison was drying them rather grudgingly.

“So, how did you wanting to avoid the little talk you mentioned earlier with Ashley, get me involved with the drying of dishes. That’s just mean, I’m feeling a little fragile this morning, you know?”

Her voice sounded angry, but Spencer knew better.

“Sorry about that, I know how you feel about manual labor. Especially when you are hungover, but then so am I if that makes you feel better.”

Madison gave her a small smile and then a look that said it was time to spill.

“Look, I’m going to have the talk, I just need a little time to figure out what I want to say. I don’t want to screw this up, you know? I don’t want her to get the wrong idea, that I don’t want her in my life or something, but I don’t want her to jump to conclusions. I think I want her to be my friend again, but thats it. That’s all I can dare to give her.”

Madison threw the dishtowel down and sat on the counter top next to Spencer.

“Can I be honest with you, like you might be pissed at me afterwards honest?”