Blondie Brownie

#four#

Ashley felt this feeling of comfort when she put on her apron. She had missed work. 

"I'm so happy you're back," Anna, Carter's mother and the owner of 'Il Primo Boccone' which translated to 'The First Mouthful' told her warmly, as though she didn't know that the only reason Ashley had shown up was because she knew that if she didn't, she'd have no job.

Just like her dad.

"Thanks Mrs. Malone," She said with a smile.

But Anna's focus was already on something  else.

"Oh mia cara ragazza!" She gasped, staring at Ashley's face. Ashley knew enough Italian to know that Anna meant, "Oh my dear girl!"

"I got into a fight." Ashley said before Anna could ask.

Anna gasped.

"I hope you got in some good punches." Carter said, coming up from behind them.

"Are you kidding? This is Ashley we're talking about," Anna's other son Jamie said from where he was chopping carrots at the back of the room, "She probably got punched the hell out of."

"Who is punching whom?" A very tired looking Stephen, asked, coming into the room with several pieces of paper in his hand.

"Our Ashley got into a fight." Anna informed her husband.

Stephan looked interested, "Did you win?"

Anna looked scandalized, "Stephan!"

Ashley couldn't lie, "Not exactly." She said.

Stephan frowned, "Well if you ever want me to teach you some moves-"

"NO!" The rest of his family yelled in unison.

"Please," Carter added, "That would be tragic."

"Yeah," Jamie agreed, "Spare us."

"My whole family against me." Stephan grumbled as he walked out of the room, leaving behind a trail of bills, receipts and order cards.

"Back to work," Anna said, "Come on family, let's get this evening started!"

Ashley loved how Anna called her 'family' without even noticing.

And for years, the Malones had been her only family.

This chapter was meh.

Oh, well! Enjoy :)