SONG: ONE LAST CHANCE BY DAUGHTRY

"You can't go back and change the beginning. But you can start where you are and change the end."

❛❛「₪」❜❜

Ash's P.O.V.

After we had food, We went back on couch and Syra started her journalism.

"Can I get a pen an' paper?" She asked. John went to his desk and handed her the notepad and pen.

"Thank you." She smiled. John smiled back.

"So, Ashleigh," she said. "What is your mother's name?"

"Jasmine Bradbury."

"What'd she do?"

"She used to work as a teacher. Then she got promoted as a principal."

"Where'd she work?"

"Some school called Richman's High School. She doesn't work there anymore. I had been there after she left home."

"Okay... Well what's your father's name?"

"I- I don't know. And it doesn't really even matter because he didn't live with us. He must've probably settled down with another woman."

"Oh. Okay." She said, looking upset. I was glad she didn't say she was sorry. I hate it when people show pity on someone's pain.

"You've got her pic?"

"Yeah." I said, taking out her photo from my purse and gave it to her.

I always kept my mother's photo with me. It made me feel her presence. I could feel her embrace through it, something I had never felt in life. Like people say, there is nothing better than a mother's embrace and warmth. I felt it, though I had never felt it. Her presence for me, was her warmth, and her embrace. And just being able to look at her face through the picture was her presence for me. I was satisfied with it.

"This much's enough for now." Syra said. "I'll get the info passed and let y'know 'bout it."

"Thanks alot Syra. You have no idea that just this small ray of hope that you've given to me, matters so much." I said.

She smiled, "You don't need to thank me for anything. I feel glad I'm being of help to ya."

"And then, it is humanity what we are doing. And humanity need not be thanked." Ryan said.

"Yeah, that's why I say, you guys don't have to thank me for my delicious food." John said, making us all laugh. I knew he said that on purpose, so that I couldn't get sadder. I knew him too well now.

"You love yourself don't you?" Ryan said, laughing.

"No Ash didn't change her name." John chuckled.

"What do you mean?"

"It's still Ashleigh and not yourself."

I facepalmed. That was the lamest joke he had ever cracked. Yet, I saw Syra and Ryan laughing hard. In fact Ryan laughed so hard that he literally grabbed his stomach. Under their eyes, I looked at John and mouthed 'That was sick.'

"No it wasn't." He whispered. "Check it with a thermometer if you want."

"What- ugghhh!" Saying that, I stood up and went near the dining area, stomping my feet.

"W-What happened?" I could hear Ryan say.

"Just one of her regular fits." John said.

"John you better shut up or I throw this plate at you." I yelled, raising the plate in the air.

"No look, I'll give you an actual frisbee if you want. Don't mess up with the glass plate." He said with the most serious look on his face. He broke into laughter a few seconds later. I opened my mouth to say something but shut it again, knowing that arguing with him was useless.

A still laughing Ryan stood up and said, "I could spend the whole night listening to your punches but... work." Ryan laugh-shrugged.

"Yeah. I gotta pass this info too, so we better be leavin' now." Syra said.

I went towards them and said, "It was nice spending time with you both."

"Yeah it was Yourself." Ryan laughed.

"I- I-"

"We understood what you feel." Ryan laughed again. And then they left. As John shut the door, I gave him a death stare and stomped all the way to his room.

He came from behind me and grabbed me by my waist. "Nice day, wasn't it?"

"Yeah yeah. I enjoyed your jokes alot." I said, rolling my eyes.

"ReAlLy!?" He said, laughing again. I digged my elbow in his stomach.

"Ouch!" He said, leaving me and grabbing his stomach. I smirked.

"How mean!" He laughed, his stomach still grabbed.

I hugged him and said, "Jokes apart. I wanted to tell you something."

"Go on." He smiled.

"If we don't find my mother, or if she doesn't forgive me-"

"That's the wrong word. You have done nothing to be forgiven. She is the one who has. And she doesn't even deserve being forgiven but-"

"But she is my mother. And I need her. Anyways so if things don't go right, I want you to promise me you'll help me sell my house."

"What? Why?"

"Because that place has some memories. Bad ones. Ones that are depressing. And I feel lonely in that house. I want to live with you, here, always."

"Alright. I won't argue over it. I understand and respect your decision." He said, and kissed me on my head.

"Thanks." I smiled. "Guess we should sleep?"

He nodded.

*Wednesday*

*6:30 a.m.*

"John wake up!" I told him.

"What?" He yawned. "Already?"

"Yeah ALREADY!"

"What time is it?"

"6:30"

"Whattt? It can't be. It feels as if I slept for just an hour." He got up, still yawning.

"Cool." I said, ignoring his I-don't-feel-like-waking-up attitude.

"I probably know why I feel so."

"Cooler." I said.

"C'mon ask me why!"

"No."

"Never mind. I think I feel I didn't sleep alot because I was busy having fun with you on bed and you were drunk so I am sure you don't remember."

He thought he was good at joking and making a fool out of me but little did he know he wasn't.

"Coolest." I said, and left the room.

"Ash you were drunk and-" I smacked his head.

"Sorry. But I didn't fall for it." I told him.

"Huh?"

"Don't act, and go get a bath." I rolled my eyes.

He walked away, throwing his hands in the air and said, "Yeah whatever!"

I laughed.

Soon after he got fresh and we had our breakfast, we left for work.

*8:35 p.m.*

"Ash!" I heard John in my cabin. As I turned behind I saw him and Ryan rushing in.

"Syra's on the line." Ryan said, showing me his phone. "She found your mother."

"Really?" I stood up. My legs started shaking immediately. They lost their balance. My hand flew to my mouth and I started sobbing immediately. I had no idea how I should be feeling. I was blank. This was unexpected, but I was contented. Like people say, 'Now I can die peacefully.' Just that I could die literally.

"Ashleigh, its Syra." I heard her from the phone.

"Y-Yeah. I am here."

"I found her residential and work address. She lives in Connecticut an' works as a principal at St. Mary High School."

"Wait which school?" John interrupted.

"St. Mary." Syra repeated. As she said that, I could see John's expressions change. He looked shocked.

As I noticed him, I saw those flashes again.

No not now. I kept telling myself.

Not now.

Not now.

I could see things. But nothing looked clear. Everything was negative. I saw a crowd, but in negative. I saw a room, but in negative. I saw a lady- probably Candice- standing out of the crowd, but in negative.

Not. Now.

And it went away.

"What else did you find about her?" I asked her, relieved.

"Not much 'bout her personal life. I tried to look for her contact number too but I couldn't. Still tryin' though. I'll send ya the address."

"That is enough. I will meet her directly. Thanks alot Syra. I have no words to thank you."

"You don't have to. I'm happy I could be of help, love."

"You did good." Ryan told her smiling, and he put the call off speaker.

Saying he'd be back soon, Ryan left.

I wanted to tell John about my flashes, something I should have told him long back. And I was about to when he said, "We can't go to meet her."

"What? But why?"

"We live in New York Ash. She is in Connecticut."

"So what!?"

"You can't travel in this condition." He whispered with a firm, authoritative voice, and came closer to me. "Are you forgetting you have AIDS?"

"I don't want to talk about it. You don't have to remind me that I'm dying."

"I am trying to be practical over here. Not emotional."

"Emotions matter too."

"Not more than your health."

"I don't even care-"

"But I do. First we talk to your doctor. And we go only if he says yes." He said, almost about to leave my cabin.

"So we won't go if he denies? Is that what you mean?"

"Yes. That's exactly what I mean." Saying that, he left. I just sat there, thinking about the day my mother left me in the room, leaving no hopes in me. That was exactly what John did today. Tears ran down my cheeks, and I didn't feel like living anymore. As if death was all I needed. I had a knife in front of me, but no, I wasn't so brave. And for the first time, I was happy I was going to die. But before even I could give this a further thought, I felt John's arms, wrapped tight around my neck, and his chin rested on my shoulder.

"I am sorry. I love you. I know this is important to you but you are important to me. I can't risk losing you Ash, that's all."

I didn't say anything. I just sat there, still crying.

"Ash?"

"Leave me. We are at work."

"Everyone's left already. Work's over." He paused for a moment and said again, "I am sorry."

"I want to meet her. Just once. Please." I said, finally.

"I'll find a way out. I swear."

"Swear on me."

"I- I swear on y- you."

And I hugged him back.

We went in his car and he asked me to call Dr. Brown.

And so I did. I called his assistant.

"Yes Miss Ashleigh." She said picking up the call. "I hope you remember about you treatments. They start tomorrow."

"What? No I don't know about this." I said in confusion.

"I- I had told your friend Katie about this." She said, sounding equally confused. But on hearing what she just said, I wasn't confused anymore.

"She- She went back to England."

"Oh. But its weird she didn't tell you."

"She probably forgot. She hasn't been doing well either."

"Alright, so why did you call?"

"Yeah I needed an appointment with Dr. Brown. When can I come?"

"He is free right now. You can come here, to the hospital if you like."

"Give me a moment." I said, and I told John about it.

"Sure. Sooner the better." John said.

"Alright. I'll be there in a few minutes."

"Okay then." And we hung up.

"So? Same weird named hospital?" John asked.

"Yeah. And it's Wohlergehen by the way."

"What does it even mean?"

"Welfare. German."

"Ohhh. Great." He laughed.

Somehow, this reminded me of Katie and I started thinking about how she had spoiled everything in a moment. And as I went on thinking about everything that happened that day, we reached the hospital.

We reached his cabin.

"Yes Miss Ashleigh Summers." Dr. Brown said. On hearing that I mentally facepalmed.

"It's Bradbury, Sir."

"No but there was a Summers in it too."

"It was her sister. Katie Summers."

"Oh." He said, accepting his defeat. I thought about how he would have messed up with everything in his career if it wasn't for his assistant.

"Take a seat." She said, and so we did.

"Doctor we need to go to Connecticut." I told him.

"Wait. Why?" He said. "I mean, all of a sudden?"

"Yeah its urgent."

"How long?"

"Just a matter of few days." John said. "Around two or three."

"And why?"

"Uh-" I started, not knowing what to say.

"Her mother lives there." John said. I looked at him immediately. Why does everyone have to know about it?

"She is alone and sick. Needs help for a few days." He said. Perhaps, I judged too quick.

"Alright." He said, and turned to look at me. He was about to tell me something but the something hit him and he looked back at John.

"Who are you by the way?" He asked him.

"Her uh- boyfriend."

"Oh." He said. He turned back at me and asked, "When do you have to go?"

"Tomorrow, if you allow."

"Hmm. So from your reports of the last test, I think your condition would allow you to go, I just need to check your blood pressure once. But I will be recommending you a hospital in Connecticut. Make sure you visit there once for your treatment." He said. A relief came across my face when I heard him say that.

After a few tests and after Dr. Brown confirming that I was healthy enough to go to Connecticut, we left.

"One last problem." John said as he drove.

"What now?"

"We are new employees. Can't take a leave. Its the incubation period."

"Can we not lie?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, can I not take a leave for health issues and you can say you gotta rush to your mother for Medical emergency?" For a moment, I regretted what I said because his mother was no more. But it didn't bother him much.

"They'd fire you if you keep taking medical leaves. They won't employ a sick person after all."

"But they won't fire you John, would they?"

"Well uh- no not really."

"Done then. Call them."

"You call them now. I'll do that later, once we get home, so that it looks like an emergency."

"Cool." I laughed, and called them.

Once I was done talking to my Senior, I looked at John.

"Leave granted." I said. He laughed, but to himself.

"What?" I asked.

"What have you made of me? I am going to lie about my mother being sick, because of you. Look what you did to me." He chuckled.

I said nothing, just looked at him and chuckled along. I was going to do a really big thing tomorrow. And gladly, I had someone with me. Someone who would support me for my happiness, and someone who would be there if I broke.

We reached home, and after food John called LUMA. They allowed him a leave too.

"Don't hate her John. She is a mother after all. She is no enemy. Just give me one last chance to prove it." I said.

Mom, just give me one last chance. For your daughter is coming.

Author's Note

Yo Who-Man Beans. How was the chap? A mix of all emotions, wasn't it? I love to keep it that way!

Anyways so I will be going on hiatus for 15 days quite soon. So no updates till then. I could have put another chapter before going because I have 5 more days to hiatus but I thought I could keep it a suspense ;)
I will surely write it before going, but I won't publish it. I cannot promise but I will try to get it published on 27th August :"D

Anyways till then, Cya!

R.I.P. Sushant Singh Rajput

TPWK.
Vreha x