The funeral was held the following Monday. Ashley was surprised to see how many people had shown up. Amongst the people, she saw Taylor and his kids - but no Chloe. Afterwards, she went home with her mother. Her mother announced that she was going to bed. "Stay here and allow people to come in. Take the food they bring and talk to them," Mrs. Phillips said. "Tell them I've got a headache."
For the next 2 hours people came in and out of the house. Ashley greeted them mechanically, all the while mulling over her father's death and the absence of Taylor. By 6 o'clock, most everyone had left to go home for dinner. Ashley began to clean up the house. The sound of the doorbell elicited a sigh from Ashley. "I'm coming!" she called. She swung the door open wide.
Taylor stood there with his kids. "We were hoping we wouldn't come too late," he said.
"No," she said. "You're not." She stepped aside and allowed them entry. "You can go sit in the living room." As they sat down, she went and got a plate of sandwiches. She came back and sat them on the coffee table.
"Uh," Taylor said as she sat down on the couch next to Josh, "guys, this is my friend Ashley. Ashley, just in case you've forgotten, this is Josh and Marie and Andy."
"I remembered," Ashley said, smiling at the uncomfortable kids. "Hi."
"Hi," the three mumbled.
"I'm sorry about your dad," Taylor told her. "You didn't have to bring those sandwiches out to us. We're not here to eat or anything."
"Thanks," she said, looking bashfully from one face to the other. They were all watching her as well. She looked at the coffee table.
"Well, I guess that's it," he said. "We just wanted to stop by."
"Thank you," Ashley said, beginning to stand up. "It was nice of you to come."
"No," Taylor said, putting a hand out to her. "You don't have to. We'll show ourselves out." The kids walked ahead of Taylor, and on out the door. Just before he left he said, "Ash, I hope you stay in Tulsa for a while."
She looked up at him.
"Chloe left me," he said. "I don't want to have to wade through the divorce without you."
"How are the kids taking this?" she asked.
"They're…doing pretty well, actually," he said.
She nodded. "I'll be here, Taylor."
He smiled sadly. "I hope we can work things out, too. Maybe not immediately, but…I'd like to be the one you can depend on."
Her eyes lowered. "I'd like it, too."
"Well," he said. "I guess I'll let you go, now. You have a lot to think about."
"Goodbye, Taylor," she said.
"Goodbye, Ashley," he said.
