REDDING, CA – THE ADDAMS’ HOUSE – APR.11th, 2002 – THURSDAY

     It was 11 a.m. and Kirstin was getting out of bed. She had had a terrible time sleeping. She couldn’t keep still in the bed, turning and rolling around. She couldn’t stop picturing Ashley’s hurt look when he said goodbye to her the night before.
Kirstin was now heading downstairs to eat breakfast. No one was around. Her father was at work and her mother had probably gone out for groceries.

     While eating her bagel, she thought of plans to approach Ashley, explain to him her position on the happening. But she couldn’t come up with any. She finished her breakfast and headed to the shower, hoping it would help clear out her mind.

 

REDDING, CA – THE ANGEL’S HOUSE – APR.11th, 2002 – THURSDAY

     Ashley had been up since 8 a.m. He also couldn’t sleep the night before.

     He was now lying on the living room sofa, thinking about the Charity Event. He didn’t want to believe Kirstin was able to hurt him so much, so many times. How can someone, that you love so much and claims to love you back, hurt you that bad?

     “Ashley, son, are you alright?” Paula asked when she showed up at the living room.

     “No.” Ashley answered his mother and sat up.

     “What’s wrong? Do you wanna talk about it?” Paula asked worried.

     “Not now, mom.” he stood up “But thanks.” he kissed his mother on the cheek, got his coat and keys and left the house.

 

REDDING, CA – THE ADDAMS’ HOUSE – APR.11th, 2002 – THURSDAY

     The shower was worthless. Kirstin still couldn’t think of a way to approach Ashley. She knew he wouldn’t like to be approached by her, that’s why he stormed off the night before.

     She was going insane thinking about it over and over and over again. She decided to take a break from all her thoughts, so she turned on the TV.

 

REDDING, CA – APR.11th, 2002 – THURSDAY

     Ashley kept driving. He wasn’t sure where he was going. Probably no where. But he kept driving any how. He couldn’t just sit home trying to forget everything because he had been doing that for the last few hours and it wasn’t working. He needed to get his mind off of things, so he was driving. Maybe the sights would make him stop thinking about how much it was hurting.

 

     It was already 1 p.m. when Ashley made his first stop in a small, local park. Driving wasn’t working. So he decided to walk.

 

REDDING, CA – THE ADDAMS’ HOUSE – APR.11th, 2002 – THURSDAY

     Kirstin had snoozed off for a while watching TV. She woke up and the TV was still on. She turned it off and headed downstairs.

     “Hey, sweety.” Dawn said when she saw her daughter enter the kitchen.

     “Hey, mom. I’m hungry.” whenever Kirstin was sad, she needed to eat.

     “Oh, ok. There’s meatballs and mashed potatoes in the fridge that I’ve I made for lunch.”

     “Ok, thanks.” Kirstin made her plate, heated it in the microwave and went back to her room.

 

REDDING, CA – APR.11th, 2002 – THURSDAY

     Ashley was driving back home. He was tired of wandering around. Nothing was working.

     “Hey.” he said to his sister Emily when he entered his house.

     “Hey. I’m off.” Emily said opening the door.

     “Where are you going?” Ashley asked.

     “To the mall with some friends. Tell mom I’ll be home for dinner.”

     “Alright.” Ashley turned around and headed to his room.

 

     He lay in his bed, staring at the ceiling. After a while, he stared tempted at the nightstand, seeing the cordless phone there.

     “No, Ashley, you won’t call her. You are right this time. You did nothing wrong.” he said out loud, reassuring himself.
After some other time, he stared again at the nightstand, but this time his will was not strong enough. He picked up the phone and was starting to dial Kirstin’s number when he heard a knock on the door.

     “Come on in.” he said, putting the phone back on its base unit.

     “Ash, honey?” his mother said from the door.

     “Yeah?”

     “Mike called. He wanted to inform you that your and Kirstin’s airplane tickets are already bought for tomorrow’s 8 a.m. flight.” Paula told her son.

     “Oh…” with all the confusion, Ashley had even forgot he had to go back to New York on the 12th with Kirstin. What would he do now?

     “Is something wrong?” Paula was really worried. Ashley had been acting strange since the morning.

     “No, it’s just that I forgot we were going back tomorrow, that’s all.”

     “Ok. Well, I’m going to the grocery store to pick some stuff to make for dinner, alright?”

     “Ok. Oh, Emily asked me to tell you she went out with her friends, but she’s coming back for dinner.”

     “Oh, alright.” Paula said and closed the door behind her.

     When the door closed, Ashley gazed at the phone again.

     “No. You can’t call her.” he said and headed to the shower to cool his mind.

 

REDDING, CA – THE ADDAMS’ HOUSE – APR.11th, 2002 – THURSDAY

     “Mom, I’m going back to New York tonight, alright?” Kirstin informed her mother when she found her in the back yard.

     “What? Why?” Dawn didn’t seem too happy about the news.

     “Because. I have to. They called from work and I have to go back.” Kirstin lied to her mother. She just didn’t wanna stay in Redding anymore. It wasn’t working there. She had to go back to her normal, hectic, crazy and busy life in New York “I’ve already booked the flight for 9 p.m.”

     “But you’ll get to New York… 1 a.m.?”

     “Yeah, I don’t mind. I just really have to go, mom.”

     “Ok. What time is it?” Dawn asked, heading inside the house.

     “It’s 5:30. I’ll get my things ready, ok?”

     “Ok.” Dawn said and Kirstin was starting to trail to her bedroom when Dawn asked “Is Ashley going with you?” Kirstin didn’t turn around right around. She thought for a while and then turned to her mother.

     “He can’t. He has some stuff to do with the band here. But he’s going tomorrow.”

     “Oh, ok.”

     “Good.” Kirstin half-smiled and trailed to her bedroom.

 

     It was exactly 9 p.m. and Kirstin’s flight was taking off. She was still hurt, still sad, but she couldn’t be more relived than be going back to New York. She was happy she had New York to escape to. Maybe her New York life would take her mind off things. She doubted, but she didn’t have any other choice. And it could actually work.

 

REDDING, CA – THE ADDAMS’ HOUSE – APR.11th, 2002 – THURSDAY

     “She went back to New York, honey. But I thought you knew. She said you had things to do with the band here and you were going back tomorrow.”

     “Oh…” Ashley didn’t know how to respond to that too familiar information he collected from Dawn Addams. It wasn’t the first time a bad thing had happened and Kirstin had run to New York “I forgot she was going back today. I’m sorry to bother you, Dawn.”

     “No problem, honey. I understand you’re busy, so it’s normal to forget things.” Dawn smiled kindly at him.

     “Yes. Well, than I’ll see you later.” Ashley half-smiled.

     “Ok. Bye.” Dawn said and closed the door.

     Ashley stood at the porch, still blown away by the deja-vu.