Aglow by Michelle Pennington

Author:Michelle Pennington
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2011-10-26T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 9

Let Nothing You Dismay

Her mom’s cheerful kitchen welcomed her when she came in a minute later, but she wasn’t in the mood to appreciate it. There was a quiet murmur of conversation coming from the living room, but she didn’t feel like joining whoever was still awake. She looked at the clock and saw that it was after 10:00 p.m. Whoever else was up, her mom would be in bed, though hopefully not yet alseep.

She knocked softly on her mom’s door, and waited until she heard her say, “Come in.” She had been reading her scripture’s by the light of her bedside lamp, but her attention was now focused on Ashley.

“How are you doing, Mom?”

“I guess I’ve got what your dad had. I’m running a fever and I’m achy all over. But I feel better now that I’ve taken some medicine.”

“At least Dad wasn’t sick for very long.”

“No, it seems to be a 24 hour bug. That’s a relief anyway, since I’m sure everyone in this house will get sick too - eventually. Are you all right, Ashley?”

“Sure. I just came in to check on you.”

“Well, thank you, but why don’t you come over here and tell me what’s wrong, sweetheart?”

Ashley felt all the emotions that she’d been trying to hold in check wash over her. Everything was blurred behind a sudden rush of tears, but Ashley managed to get safely to her mom’s bed and lay down beside her. She was glad that her dad hadn’t come to bed yet because right then she needed be alone with her mom.

“I guess I’m not doing a very good job of hiding it. I’m such a baby,” Ashley told her, wiping away the tears that were running swift and hot down her cheeks.

“No you’re not. Don’t you think I’ve gone crying to my mom often through the years? I’ve blubbered into the phone to her many times since I first moved here with your father thirty years ago. Now what’s wrong? Did something happen with Mark?”

“No. I’m just being stupid.”

“How so?”

Ashley laughed a little and sniffed. Great, her nose was running now. “You don’t seem surprised.”

Her mom handed her a tissue and said, “People are seldom sensible when they’re falling in love.”

“Do you think I’m falling in love? I’m not sure I want to.”

“Well that’s for you to figure out, but it certainly looks that way to me. Now what has you so upset?”

“Oh mom, I wish that I was…oh, you know, skinny and beautiful and well – one of those girls.”

“What in the world brought this on? Mark Ellison has been here all possible hours of the day since you got home, barely taking his eyes off you, and you still don’t feel attractive?”

“Everybody seems so certain that he likes me, but I can’t tell for sure. I mean, I think he’s attracted to me, but I don’t know how much or if he’s interested in me that way. I’m so confused.”

“Well, you two need to get to know each other better and then I’m sure you’ll figure this out.

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