There was a pounding on the door downstairs, announcing to Taylor that she was no longer in her car. He stood up and dashed down the stairs, wondering what was so desperately wrong with her that she'd come roaring up to his house the way she had. The door continued to be pummelled by her fists as Taylor scampered towards it calling out for her to cease and decist.
He opened the door, and there stood Ashley in tears. "Ash?"
Sobbing, she fell into him. Startled, Taylor hugged her back. He led her to the couch, where he let her be hysterical for a few minutes. Finally he pried her from his shirt and shook her until she looked him in the eyes. She stared at him for a moment with sad eyes. "What's wrong?" he asked.
"Mom's cancer is back," she sniffed, before the floodgates burst again. She dropped her face into her hands, and cried a little less loudly than before. Taylor was taken completely off guard.
"Are you serious?" he asked, rubbing her back gently. She merely nodded miserably. Taylor sighed, and leaned down over her body, wrapping his arms around her. Into her ear, he murmured soothingly, "Ash, shhhh... Don't get so upset. She's going to be fine. Your mom is one tough old bird. She'll pull through like the old battle-ax she is."
Ashley had to stop crying for a moment to smile. "She is pretty scary, huh?"
"When you get on her bad side, heeeeellllllll yeah," Taylor said, causing Ashley to giggle a bit. After a moment or two, Ashley reached around and pinched Taylor's side. He quickly disentangled himself from her, squealing about how evil she was.
Wiping her eyes and laughing, she said, "Sorry. I had to get past that sentimental moment we were having."
"Those moments are really frightening, aren't they?" Taylor asked.
"A real horror show," Ashley agreed. It was quiet for a moment as they sat on the Hanson's couch. At last, Ashley said, "You know, I leave in 2 days."
"Yeah," Taylor said softly.
"Do you think I should leave with Mom like this?" Ashley asked uncertainly.
"Your mom would kill you if you didn't go after all that money she put on it," Taylor teased.
Ashley grinned. "True."
"So, what about you? Do you really want to go?" he asked.
"I do," she said. "But I don't want Mom to think I'm just running out on her..."
"She won't," Taylor quickly put in. "Is she in the hospital?"
"Yeah. Doctors are running tests to see what might help fix it this time," Ashley said, sounding mildly disgruntled. "I hope they get it right this time."
"Me, too," Taylor agreed. "How are you getting to the airport? Are your folks still going to drive you?"
"Actually," Ashley said, contemplatively. "I don't know. I'm not really sure if my mom will be back by then. I mean, I hope she is, but..."
"Can I drive you?" Taylor asked.
Ashley gave him a frightened look. "YOU?! DRIVE ME?!?!?! God, that's a death waiting to happen. Are you trying to kill me? No, wait. Don't answer that..."
Taylor pouted. "I'm not that bad."
"Noooo," Ashley said. "You're worse. You wrecked in an open field!!"
"There were cows there!! I swear!!" Taylor said defensively.
"Cows my foot! There were no cows. You just got to going a little toooooo fast," Ashley said.
Taylor rolled his eyes. "Yeah, right. You just don't want to admit that I am in all reality a better driver than you."
"Psssshhhhht. Whatever. You must be dreaming again," she said, reaching over and pinching him. When he yelped, she sighed. "Or maybe you're just being dillusional again."
"I resent that," Taylor sniffed.
"Isn't that schizophrenia? When you can't tell the difference from reality and your dream world?" Ashley rambled on.
"I'm not a schizzo!" Taylor protested.
"Ohhhh, so not only is it that, but you're also in denial. Repression is really bad for you, Taylor," Ashley said, leaning towards him. "Really bad. You need to let your feelings out."
"Oh, is that so?" Taylor asked.
"Mm-hmm," Ashley said with a knowing nod. Just then Taylor whacked her upside the head with a throw pillow. "HEEEEYYYY!!!!"
Taylor jumped up and hid behind an arm chair, waiting for Ashley's reaction. However, she just placed the pillow back in its place and sighed. "Taylor, you're a real ass."
Taylor stood up, frowning. "Gee, thanks a whole lot."
"No," Ashley said, grabbing his arm before he brushed passed her angrily. He looked at her. She gave him a small smile. "Thank you. You really did make me feel better."
He returned her smile and sat down next to her. "Per nada, little lady," he drawled in his best impersonation of John Wayne.
"Okay, Duke," she said, rolling her eyes and leaning her head on his shoulder. After a second, she asked, "You hungry?"
"You thinking we take one last trip to the Caboose?" Taylor asked.
"Sure am," she replied.
"Allll right!" he exclaimed, getting to his feet. "Well, c'mon then. Dinner's on me."
"You can pay, but you're not driving," she warned as they walked out the door. "I try to limit myself to one suicide mission a year..."
"And that was your last trip to the Caboose together?" Martha asked, a wistful look in her eyes.
"Nah," Ashley said. "We went back a couple of weeks ago, you know. To talk about the wedding and all."
"Oh," Martha said. "Bev didn't tell me about that."
"Bev was off work that night," Ashley said, as Martha toyed with her hair. "Hey! I like that! Do you think you can fix it all up like that?"
"Sure," Martha replied. "Why not?"
