"Emily see who is here" Ashley shouted as she entered Emily's hospital room

Emily laughed "Some one is in her moods today huh?" She wiggled her eyebrows.

Ashley just laughed in response and she joined her .
She hugged and placed a peck on her cheeks "Good morning , how are you feeling ?"

"I am feeling okay, I think am going to be discharged today" She said the last words sadly because she knew that being lonely in a big house is scary.

Sympathy clouded Ashley's face " Every thing is going to be okay "

Emily's eyebrows raised in confusion "So what are you doing here on a working day not only that in the morning hours"

Ashley's lips curled upwards " I am here to see you, or my presence is boring?" She asked teasingly.

"No no no " Betty disagreed instantly. "What I mean is that Hayden is going to go Godzilla on you for going late at work. "

Ashley just shrugged.

"You want to tell me that Hayden won't care?" Emily asked curiously.

Ashley shook her head "Emily who has told you so, stop making up stories" She looked at her "I requested permission from him."

"Ohhhh"

"What Emily ? "

Emily smirked "Nothing"

Ashley looked hard in her eyes "That look says something, so spill it out "

Emily's shoulders sagged in defeat " just that Hayden is friendly towards you,and girl you damn lucky."

Ashley narrowed her eyes at her "Yeah I mean employers give their workers free time in case of emergencies"

"Do you know anything about Hayden ?" Emily asked all of a sudden.

Ashley remembered what happened in his office back then but she decided to stay quiet"No, not really. Why are you asking?

"Just out of curiosity" Emily replied. "Hayden has a daughter who is in the age gap of four to five years " She shrugged her shoulders "At least that's what I know."

Ashley smiled " I know that"
"I over heard his conversation on the phone and some how that name popped up. "She looked at Emily like she had remembered something " Plus I know his sister called Heather, I met her once in his office "

"Ohhh that heartless lady" Emily huffed in annoyance.

"What about her, what's wrong with her,she seemed to be fine to me"

"Don't be taken by her looks and smile by the way one thing you should know is that the Matthews are stinking rich, Mr Matthews their dad is an entrepreneur with many companies here in California."

Ashley was surprised with what Emily had just said, she just replied with a "Ohhhh"

Emily nudged her playfully "Find your tongue Ashley"

Ashley pushed Emily's hand  away "I am just ...just this information is all new to me"

Emily's eyes widened "Tell me you didn't know"

"Of course I didn't know"

"I have more things to worry about than searching about my boss, I have more pressing issues , my life is so messed up though I act strong, I am new in  California"  She thought silently. 

"Ohhh I forgot to give you this" she handed over a big paper bag to Emily "Take care of your self"

Emily smiled "Oh My God Ashley, you didn't need to do this, thank you, hospital food is untasty ,plus I missed  fries with chicken thank you"

Ashley's lips curved into a smile " Its not so big, okay Emily let me go to work,inform me when you get discharged, don't forget to text me your address I might visit you after work after all tomorrow is a weekend"
She planted a kiss on her forehead " Take care "

"Okay " Emily agreed " Wish you the best at work " She continued.

Ashley was about to open the door when Emily called her " Ashley "

She turned around "hmm"

Creases formed on Emily's face " Never mind" Ashley looked over at her suspiciously "Is there anything you want me to do"

Emily shifted nervously "Never mind" She wanted to ask Ashley about her life , just like any person she was scared,she was interacting with a person she didn't even know, and the most terrifying bit of it was that, she was so close to her, she enjoyed her company and friendship. Ashley Simpson was hard to resist, she was so sweet to be hated.

"Are you sure?" Ashley asked her seriously.

Emily nodded "Yeah, besides you might be late, get going , go"

Ashley looked at her, she clearly saw it on  her face that she wanted to ask her something.
Then what happened ?

"Okay , see you later Emily" Ashley left the room hesitantly.

It was already nine in the morning, Ashley passed by the coffee shop and she got Hayden's coffee.

"Excuse me Mrs Simpsons " Ashley turned around and she faced  a muscular man with brown hair and dark eyes, her eyebrows raised questioningly.

"Hmmm yes?"

"I am called Brian Winters and I work with Emily but she has been lost in the last three to four days, is there anything I need to know?"

Ashley stared at him.

Brian shifted on his feet "Okay what I mean is that, you always with her at Lunch and I guess you are friends, so I guessed that you know her whereabouts"

Ashley's lips curved upwards " Mr Winters, don't worry Emily is soon coming back probably on Monday"

A relived breath escaped Brian's nostrils "Okay , thank you Mrs  Simpson."

"You are  welcome" and with that Ashley continued to level seven.

"Good morning sir" Ashley greeted Hayden  as she placed his coffee on his work desk.

Hayden watched her attentively "Good morning Ashley"

Awkward silence filled the room and after a while Hayden said "How is Emma" Immediately a smile drew on his face.

Ashley's face relaxed and a warm smile  covered her face "She is fine , actually I just dropped her at school"

Hayden enjoyed the proudness in her tone, the happiness he saw in her eyes when she talked about her daughter. To Ashley  Emma was the only good thing that had ever happened to her  in life. He wondered how Alison's life would be if her mom didn't die all of a sudden,he clearly saw it that Alison needed a mother figure in life.

"Okay that's so nice , I liked her " Hayden said with a smile.

Ashley's eyes widened in surprise her face full of excitement " Ohhh, thank you"

"You are welcome Ashley"

Ashley sent a warm smile in his way and she left to her office.

Hayden watched her back until she closed the  door. His phone rung and he  picked it up immediately, he waited for the person on the other side speak first
"Hey son" A familiar voice erupted from the speakers. He knew the voice,it was that he never wanted to hear again, that voice that betrayed him at a time he needed it most. Back then when he was still a boy it was the voice that pushed him further to work harder, he enjoyed its complements , it was that voice that made him enter into law, it was that voice that he took so much proud in until that day.

His grip on the  phone tightened .
"What do you want dad" He asked in gritted teeth. His voice held anger.

"Can we talk please, I need to see you"

His eyes turned extra dark "Why-"

"Hayden please_"

"Can't you tell it to me right now" He cut him off angrily.

His father kept quiet and after two to three seconds he said "Hayden I have a party at home with my fellow entrepreneurs, my partners would like to see you because _"

"What if I don't want to come, besides what matters in your world are only riches, I don't have a rich woman to come with" Unexplainable pain passed through his veins as he said the last words.

A tired sigh escapes from his father "Hayden I know what we did was wrong but your mom is missing you and... I am also missing you, we need you back and our grand daugh_"

Before he could finish his sentence Hayden interrupted fiercely"Don't dare say it out, Alison is only mine "

"The party is there next Sunday, we are expecting you, take care son" The line went dead after that.

Hayden looked at the phone in his palms. He didn't know what to do, he knew no one can really hate their parents but what his parents did was unforgivable.
At the same time, Betty's words echoed in his ears.

"Alison needs them" and he also wanted her to meet her grandparents, he wanted her daughter to get a normal family , he wanted her to explore the life beyond him and Betty. She only knew two people only even the kids from her kindergarten.

Was his dad trying to say that he wanted to see Alison, had he called her grand daughter?

Was he trying to say that he accepted Alison in the Matthews family.

It had been years since he last saw his own family and truth to be told he also missed them, but_