When Kat Came Back

Chapter 51

"Ash, look who's here," Patrick said, after lightly knocking on her bedroom door, which was still open. Ashlynn didn't move. She didn't look up, she stayed curled up against her bed as if she were hoping she couldn't be seen.

"Hey, Ash," Andy said, sitting down on the floor at the end of Ashlynn's bed, pretty much as far away from her as he could be and still be in the room. He looked up at Patrick and nodded. He had this. Patrick nodded.

"Ash, Mom, Elisa and I are just downstairs, okay? Andy is gonna hang out with you for a bit but you can come downstairs anytime, okay?"

Ashlynn didn't do anything but try to make herself even smaller. Patrick looked at Andy who nodded that they'd be okay. Patrick left the room, but left the door open.

"So, Ash," Andy said. "What's up, huh? Pat says you're giving everyone the silent treatment."

He tried to sound upbeat and positive. He wanted her to heal. He knew she could. He didn't know if he could help, but he sure as hell wanted to try. He liked Ashlynn. She was a smart and funny kid. The first week, when Patrick had found her and she'd been in LA with them, he'd gotten to know her. And any time they'd been together since. He'd texted with her in the interim. If Patrick hadn't called and asked him to come out to Chicago, he would have called and said he was coming in. Because New York had been traumatizing for her. Obviously. And he wanted to see her smile again.

The girl curled up into herself on the floor of her room was not the same girl who left LA with Patrick back in October. She wasn't the same girl who had been texting Andy up until the... incident. She hadn't texted him since then. She hadn't responded to texts, either.

Andy sat and watched Ashlynn. She was rocking back and forth ever so slightly. She wasn't focussed on anything and Andy could see she'd lost a lot of weight for someone without a lot to lose. He sighed.

Over on Ashlynn's desk, Andy heard her phone ding with a text message. And then another. And another. Curious, he got up and went to get her phone.

"Ash, someone named Jonah is trying to get in touch with you," he said, holding her phone out to her. She didn't move. She didn't look up. She didn't seem to have heard him.

Andy moved closer to Ashlynn. Not too close, but a little closer than he'd been before. Ashlynn didn't react. So, he sat there for a few minutes and watched her.

He moved a bit closer and spoke soothingly to her.

"Ash, sweetheart, people are really worried about you. You're not doing well dealing with what happened in New York. We want to help you, but you've got to talk," he said, quietly, as he moved even closer.

By now he was about six inches away from her. She'd stopped rocking.

"Ash," Andy said, reaching his hand out to her.  She looked up and into Andy's eyes for the first time. Her eyes were so dull. Her sparkle was gone. Andy's heart broke. And he was angry. Not at Ashlynn. Not at her family but at the stranger in the alley who'd taken her innocence.

Ashlynn leaned a little further back, away from Andy.

"Ashlynn, talk to me. I want to help you."

Tears filled her eyes and she shook her head. Andy moved three inches closer. Ashlynn didn't recoil. He moved another inch. Ashlynn didn't move. He moved another inch. His knees were nearly touching hers. She didn't react. She was still looking at Andy. He'd been holding her gaze.

He put his hands out to see if she'd take one.

Tentatively, Ashlynn reached for Andy's right hand with her left. He grasped her hand and pulled her to him. She curled up into Andy's lap and cried. Violent sobs wracked her thin frame. Andy held her and rubbed her back and arm. He could feel her vertebrae through her sweatshirt. He sighed and just let her cry. He moved them a little bit so his back was against Ashlynn's bed.

Patrick poked his head into Ashlynn's room see how Andy was getting on, and was surprised to see the progress Andy had made.

"How?" Patrick whispered.

"Patience. And time. Something that I think you all have in short supply," Andy said.

"Which? Patience or time?"

"Time. You're all patient. But you all have lives. I have nowhere to be besides here and now."

"That's not fair," Patrick frowned.

"Oh, I didn't mean it like you aren't willing to make time. Just that you all have lives, things to do, families, houses, jobs. I know you're all trying your best. I think that might be the only thing that's kept her from needing to be committed. Because Pat, she's not well."

Patrick nodded. He knew that. They all knew how much Ashlynn was struggling.

"She's on winter break now. Hopefully we'll be able to make more time to help her. Hey, Ash?" Patrick said, seeing his sister was looking up at him. She curled into Andy and hid her face. It pained Patrick that he couldn't have been the one for Ashlynn to turn to. But she trusted Andy and that was important.

Patrick went back downstairs to tell Patricia and Elisa the gains Andy had made.

"Has she said anything at all yet?" Patricia asked.

"He didn't say so. But she's curled up in his lap, and she looks like she feels safe. So that's good, I guess."

"I know you wish she'd been able to rely on you, Patrick, but at least she has someone she trusts. And I don't think that's a sign she doesn't trust you. I think, maybe, she trusts you so much she's afraid to talk to you about this," Elisa said.

"I'm glad she has Andy. And I'm glad he's someone she trusts. But yeah. It'd have been nice to be the one she turned to."

"Patrick, Ashlynn adores you," Patricia said. "She, I don't know how to explain it.  She hasn't said it outright, but I think she thinks you saved her life."

Patrick smiled at the thought