Unsteady

Ashlyn finishes nursing Lily with a smile on her face. For once, her baby is latching with ease and everything seems to have calmed down. Since Ashlyn got home with Lily, it’s been hectic. Nursing has been nearly impossible, juggling two babies, again, nearly impossible and trying to clean the house, do the dishes, shower, those can wait. It’s not like Ashlyn wasn’t able to be a single mom, she just… wasn’t expecting this and therefore, not so ready.

After finishing with Lily, she fixes her bra and shirt back into place and holds Lily in her arms and decides to take a visit into the play room where Ali was happily playing with Jax.

“Ali!” Ashlyn hears her son screeching with laughter as she approaches the room and Ashlyn smiles big.

“Ali! The sharks get me!” He continues and Ashlyn finds herself peeking in the doorway watching a whole fort had been made with blocks and toy sharks trying to get in the little spaces they had left. Ali was lying on the floor, poking the sharks through the gaps and making little Jaxon scream and laugh all at once.

If it weren’t for Lily’s whimpers, the two wouldn’t have turned around and caught Ashlyn nor Lily watching.

“Well hello there, momma!” Ali sits up and Jaxon walks out of his fort clumsily, knocking down the blocks and takes a seat in Ali’s lap.

“Hi” She gently says and smiles. Ashlyn notices the room is clean.

“Did you…” Ashlyn is cut off by Ali. “Yes. I cleaned up a bit. Look, I do not think you’re incompetent or whatever, I just wanted to help and Jax helped too.” Jaxon nodded in agreement.

“No, no. I just… wow, thank you” Ashlyn says looking around and then back down at Ali and her son, who is sitting in the lap of this woman.

“Not a problem!” Ali smiles big.

“Momma, hungry” Jaxon whines.

“You’re hungry, little man?” Ashlyn asks.

He nods a yes.

“Hey, Ali, do you maybe wanna go out for lunch? There’s nothing really good in the house and… lunch should be on me for all the help you’ve been” Ashlyn suggests.

“That would be fun but my brother is coming in a bit to pick me up” Ali’s smile turns to a frown and so does Ashlyn’s, more evidently.

“Oh” She lets out.

Ali gets up at the sense of Ashlyn’s sadness that just swept over her.

She walks up to Ashlyn and talks quietly. “If you’d like, I can tell him to come later” Ali adds a smirking smile to her suggestion.

Ashlyn begins to smile again and nod. However, just as they make new plans, the doorbell rings.

Ashlyn makes her way to the door after she carefully hands Ali Lily and Jax stays behind.

She opens the door, not expecting anyone in particular.

“Kyle?” The man she opens the door to is familiar to her. The reason for this is because of her sperm bank. Kyle is a more frequent than not donor and happened to be chosen by Melanie and Ashlyn when they decided on who’s sperm they wanted for their second child, Lily.

“Am I at the wrong house?” He whispers to himself in shock and looks down at his phone, looking at his sister’s text. No.

“I’m here to pick up my sister… Ali?” He says questioning his actions because he definitely believes he’s at the wrong place.

“No… I mean, yeah she’s here but what is going on?” Ashlyn’s mind races. Is Ali using me for Kyle? Does he want to be apart of the family because I had his child? Is this what it’s all about? It can’t be. She had no idea I was going into labor at that moment in the parking lot. Unless Kyle counted the months and days? Oh my god.

“Yeah, just a sec” Ashlyn says hesitantly but gestures for him to step inside.

“Ali” Ashlyn calls out. Not loud but hearable.

Ali thinks something is wrong and rushes out of the room just in case with Lily in her arms and Jaxon by her side. She sees a look of worry on Ashlyn’s face but sees Kyle in the distance, waiting at the door.

She waves to Kyle briefly and then walks up to Ashlyn. “What’s the matter?”

Ashlyn doesn’t answer. She looks like she’s about to cry. She jumped to the conclusion of Ali and Kyle using her.

“Ashlyn” she tries to look into the blonde girl’s eyes but senses that Ashlyn is lost and looking right through her.

She shifts her focus to Kyle and Kyle has a what the fuck look on his face, which has Ali even more confused.

“Ashlyn, honey, talk to me” She pleads.

“You need to get out. Him and you.” She doesn’t look into Ali’s eyes, but still, right through her.

“Ashlyn, what is going on?” She continues.

“Give me my baby” She demands and Ali hands her Lily. Ali is shocked. She feels like there is definitely something she did but she can’t figure it out.

Ali wants to speak but can’t get words out. She’s afraid.

“You think, it’s okay to come in here and use me?” Ashlyn begins. She puts Lily down in the carrier and is ready to talk.

“What do you mean, Ashlyn?” Ali is concerned now.

“You know exactly what I mean” Ashlyn raises her voice slightly.

“I don’t.” Ali confesses and Ashlyn can sense some truth in her voice and begins to rethink her words and thoughts.

Kyle steps in. “I think I know what she means” Kyle looks towards his sister.

“Ali, you know I donate sperm. We just never talk about it, you know?” Ali can already sense where this is going. “Ashlyn and her wife, they chose me like almost a year ago and I guess… that’s her?” Kyle looks down at Lily. Ashlyn nods.

Ali’s jaw almost drops. This is nothing but a mere coincidence but she can barely believe it.

“Ashlyn, I had no idea you knew Ali. I wasn’t coming here to see your daughter. I was not ever going to see her, you know that. It was in the agreement. I know it was your biggest concern, to have your child taken away by the father years later. You told me. We had a heart to heart. But Ashlyn, I had no idea.” Kyle sees the worry in Ashlyn’s eyes and he is sincere.

“I’m sorry I jumped to conclusions but I worry about this, constantly. Jaxon’s father used to stalk us” She looks back at Jaxon, sitting on the couch.

Ali and Kyle both look at Ashlyn with sadness in their eyes and apologize.

“Ashlyn, if it makes you uncomfortable, I don’t have to come back” Ali gulps and senses water filling her eyes. She’s made a connection with Ashlyn. She doesn’t want to leave. Especially not when Ashlyn needs her, or… help in general.

“No. Stay. Kyle, just…” Kyle begins to walk away to walk out but Ashlyn is confused. “No, stay too. Just promise me, again” Kyle had promised her when he donated his sperm and they had met that one time over Ashlyn’s concerns.

“I promise. I promise over my mother’s life, my dog’s life, hell even Ali’s life.” Ali playfully slaps him and they all giggle.

“Thank you, Kyle” Ashlyn smiles for the first time since the confusion.

“Actually, we were deciding to go to lunch before you came… Kyle, do you want to join us?” Ashlyn asks.

Kyle looks at Ali and Ali nods. Kyle agrees.

Kyle and Ali talk about the whole situation while Ashlyn gets ready. Ali begs to watch the kids and let Ashlyn shower and get ready in peace and Ashlyn lets her. When Ali hears the shower stop, she tells Kyle she better go check on Ashlyn and make sure her feelings are in check and she’s doing okay. Ali has Kyle watch the kids and she isn’t sure Ashlyn would agree but she does it anyway, she knows and trusts her brother with all she has.

Ali walks upstairs and knocks on the bedroom door but she walks in, since it’s half open anyway.

“Ashlyn?” Ali calls out and as she turns her head, Ashlyn quickly grabs the towel on her bed but it’s a little too late, Ali saw her a bit. Not that she minded.

“I’m so sorry, Ash” She looks the other way and Ashlyn just laughs.

“It’s okay. Like, you can look at my body all you want, just… not after birth. Ya know, gotta hit the gym first” She laughs and Ali rolls her eyes. She had a little bit of tummy left. So what? She was still attractive as hell and Ali felt the butterflies rising after Ashlyn just told her she could look at her all she wanted. She must have been joking but she secretly wished she wasn’t.

“So why are you up here?” Breaking the silence and Ali’s hardcore stares.

“I just wanted to see if you were okay, I can go” Ali finds her eyes gaze back to Ashlyn’s body, even though it’s hidden under the towel.

“Stay” Ashlyn smirks.

Ali is definitely gay and she is going to have fun with this. She feels a sense of relief over the fact that she isn’t just thinking of Melanie this time. She usually always thinks of Melanie as she meets another woman, just, this time is different. Maybe it’s because of how much time has passed or just because Ali is that amazing.

“Okay” She sits on Ashlyn’s bed.

“So you’re gonna sit there and watch? This isn’t a show, woman!” Ashlyn lets the towel drop discretely as she walks towards Ali. Ali closes her eyes and purses her lips. Nice move, Ashlyn.

Ashlyn smirks and wants to hold in the laugh but almost can’t.

“Ali, open your eyes, I seriously don’t care” Ashlyn laughs and Ali opens her eyes. She tries to keep them above the chest but occasionally finds herself looking at areas she shouldn’t even be seeing right now when Ashlyn isn’t looking. But Ashlyn knows. She doesn’t mind the attention.

Ashlyn puts on some underwear and a sports bra and sits next to Ali on the bed.

“Thank you for being there all the time. Like, I’ve never met (she pauses because Melanie), well I mean, since her, I’ve not met anyone so caring. You’re always willing to help. I mean, you cleaned for me. You helped Lily latch. You barely know me, but you’re just so willing. Ali, thank you.” Ashlyn wants to kiss Ali. She looks down at her lips but then back up at Ali’s eyes. She pushes a strand of hair being Ali’s ear and smiles.

“You’re welcome. I’m just a caring person. I’m sorry about the Kyle thing. I hope that doesn’t ruin our uh, friendship” Ali bites her lip and Ashlyn stares at Ali’s lips again. She moves in closer and kisses her. She isn’t even 100% sure Ali is gay but she doesn’t care. This woman is perfect. But to no surprise, Ali kisses back. It’s short and sweet but it’s still something.

“It won’t” Ali finally answers Ashlyn’s statement.

Ashlyn’s eyes have changed. She almost looks seductive.

“You’re into girls, right?” Ashlyn poses the question to cut to the point.

Ali laughs and Ashlyn laughs too and Ali nods a definite yes. Ashlyn leans in again and puts her hand on the back of Ali’s neck and kisses her deeply.

Kyle walks upstairs with an almost asleep Lily and wants to ask if they’re almost ready because Jaxon is whining that he’s hungry but before he asks, he finds his sister and Ashlyn on the bed, Ashlyn being a top and them making the fuck out.

“I should have known” he whispers to himself and backs away. He shakes his head and rolls his eyes.