Broken

• Chapter 130 •

- ASHTON -

"ASHTOOOOOOOOOON! WAKE UP! YOU PROMISED TO TAKE US OUT FOR ICE CREAM!" Vanessa screams from outside my room. I groan and roll over on my bed, checking for the time.

"It's eight in the morning!" I bark.

"Try again!" Zach hisses to Vanessa. "BUT YOU PROMISED! YOU NEVER BREAK PROMISES!" Vanessa calls out.

I huff and rub my eyes, "Fine. But we're going grocery shopping first."

"YAY! He's taking us out for ice-cream!" she whispers to Zach. "See? Told you he listens to you better!" Zach tells her.

I snort and pinch my nose at them, jumping into the shower to wake myself up.

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"Vanessa, you get the bananas. Zach, the apples," I tell them as I look over our list. We're at the local market, they nod. "Meet back here when you're done," I tell them.

"Race you," Zach grins.

"What's that?" Vanessa points. Zach turns to where she points and Vanessa trips him with her leg, "Ready, set, go!" she yells as she takes off.

I start laughing as a furious Zach stands and dusts his knees off. "Hey, you're cheating!" he rushes after her.

I shake my head at them and begin picking out potatoes. Which you'd think is simple enough but you really have to look for the ripe ones. Not squishy, not rotten—

"Ashton?"

I snap my head back to see a blonde woman wearing a pencil-knit skirt, heels, and a red top staring at me. I cock my eyebrow, "Can I help you?"

She shakes her head and stammers a laugh, "Sorry. I didn't mean to stare, I just... You look familiar. Are you Ashton Ashford? Richard's kid?"

My stomach clenches, as does my jaw. Who is this person? She smiles widely as she removes her sunglasses and puts them into her handbag, "I'm Marchelle. His ex-girlfriend?"

My eyebrows knit together skeptically, "You're Aoife's mother?"

She nods silently. I purse my lips. "I have to go back to buying groceries," I tell her as I turn back to the potatoes. I feel like potatoes don't get enough recognition for their versatility. Breakfast? Hash browns. Fast food? Fries. Fancy dinner? Baked potato. Holidays? Mashed potato. Being lazy at home? Chips. Parties? Vodka—

"Look. I'm really sorry about everything that has happened with your mother—"

"It's none of your business. Stop talking to me," I snap. Just because I helped Aoife, doesn't mean I'm going to forget how they treated my mother. They were horrible to her, especially her. Aoife was still young. But it's all in the past, now. What's done is done, they had their reasons. I want nothing to do with them.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you. I just—"

"What do you want?" I click my tongue in irritation, not being able to find good potatoes for the life of me.

"I just want to talk," she presses. I scoff and turn to face her, "I have nothing to say to you. Will you take the hint and just piss off?"

"Please. I just want to talk."

"About what?"

Her eyebrows knit together, "Your siblings, your father. What happened, just everything... Please, stop being so stubborn."