All is Found - Chapter 4: Chapter 4

Hey this is Ashlyn leave a message and if you're lucky I'll call you back. BEEP. Ash this is Bobby, I don't know what's gotten into you but you need to cut the shit. We have meetings with the label and you disappearing right now doesn't help anything. I'm going to the police the first thing this morning and they will track you down. Elijah said he hasn't even heard from you. So help me god Ash if you went on another bender I have to pull you out of I'm going to drop you. CALL ME BACK.
Thea was definitely right about the couch was my first thought when the sun hit my face the next morning. My back felt broken as I sat up. I felt every bone pop as I tried to straighten my spine.
"You might want these." Thea said from behind me and held out her hand.
"You were right about the couch." I said in pain.
"I know, take these Advil and hopefully with some food and movement it will loosen up." Thea said as I swallowed the pills some the water from last night.
"Are you working today?" I asked and stood from the evil couch.
"Yea, I work today and tomorrow then I'm off for four days." Thea said.
"Gotcha" I said and unwrapped the blanket from my body to leave on the couch. "What do you want for breakfast?" I asked and walked into the kitchen.
"Eggs are fine" Thea said and I heard her walk into the kitchen.
We moved around the kitchen like one. Neither of us getting in each other's way and everything felt right. Thea worked on the coffee while I finished making us eggs and we came together at her small dinner table.
"You still don't want me to call anybody for you?" Thea asked as she sipped her coffee.
"I threw my phone into the river two days ago and I've never felt freer. The moment someone knows where I am and drags me back to my life I will end up on that bridge again and I will go over." I said and pushed away the little bit of eggs I had left.
"You're only allowed to go to the bridge to sit against the railing, got it?" Thea said seriously.
"Yes ma'am." I said.
"Do you live alone?" Thea asked.
"Yea" I answered and sipped my coffee.
"And you live here in Salem?" Thea asked again.
"For the most part" I answered.
"Shit I've got to get ready." Thea said after looking at the clock on the wall.
I watched Thea scramble out of her chair and rush into her bedroom. I could hear here rushing around her room to get ready and a few minute later Thea was jumping her way into the kitchen while putting on her boot. Dressed fully in her uniform she grabbed her duffle bag and put it on the table while she tied her boot. Once it was tied she grabbed her utility belt from her bag and clipped it in place around her waist. It looked she went into autopilot as she attached everything she would need for her shift to the belt. Then she searched her bag for something else and didn't find it before running back to her bedroom.
When she came back Thea was holding a handgun loading a magazine into the weapon. Once it was in place she put the weapon in her holster and grabbed her duffle bag.
"I'm off at midnight again today, I'll see you later." Thea said and grabbed her winter coat before slamming the door behind herself.
I could hear her tires scream as she pealed out of the driveway and down the block. I sighed and clean up the dishes from breakfast before walking into the bathroom to shower away last nights terrible sleep. The hot water helped my back so much and when I was done I felt like a new person. Wrapped in a fluffy towel I looked at myself in the mirror over the sink.
I looked like death. The bruise on my temple finally mostly faded but the hand marks on my arms are still dark. Thea has had to see them; I can't believe she hasn't asked me about them. She has had to see them when I was in the tub and when she dressed me afterwards. Lets hope she doesn't ask about them.
I left the bathroom and walked into Thea's room. I needed some clothes to wear and I wanted to find my clothes from the first night on the bridge. Sitting on top of the desk in her room were my clothes. I quickly slipped on my underwear, jeans and bra but I didn't move to put on the shirt. I walked into Thea's closet and looked around. I've been so cold and I wanted something warmer then the shirt I had so I grabbed a dark grey Henley and pulled it on. I also grabbed some heavy winter socks and a pair of Thea's boots. Even though the boots are a little big with the heavier socks they didn't feel to bad.
Now that I'm dress I think I was going to take a walk to town. I know that Thea kind of lives towards the edge of Salem but I thought that maybe this would be a good idea so I'm not sitting around her house all day. Quickly I grabbed a pair of gloves and the winter coat I've been wearing and started to put them on. Just as I was about to leave the house I saw Thea's SPD beanie on the hook by the door. In her rush this morning Thea forgot to take it with her.
I pulled the beanie on my head and grabbed the backpack with the few things I had put together for my day out and I walked out of the house. The sun is hiding behind some clouds and it looks like it could snow today. It's been a long time since I've been in Salem when it snows and I used to love watching it fall in front of my fire place at my house.
Maybe I should take a detour to my house to see if I could grab a couple of things. Hopefully Eli hasn't found the note I left him and my team things I'm out on another bender and I would be able to slip into the house and grab a few things before anybody notices I was there and I could leave again.
The walk from Thea's house into town took a while. The heart of Salem was pretty quiet with the incoming bad weather and I thought it was a good thing. The last thing I need right now is for someone to notice me. I slowed my walk as I saw a few Salem Police cars rush down the block and I could only wonder if Thea was in one of them.
As I came towards the end of the strip of stores that are in town I stopped in front of the electronic store as the news had the weather playing. I walked into the store and kept my head down and listen as the weatherman reported that we are expecting to get a foot of snow over the new few days. Just as the weather was ending a breaking new story started to flash on the TV and one of the workers turned the volume of the TV up so we could listen.
"We have a breaking news to report. At 9am this morning local popstar Ash Monroe was reported missing by her manager Bobby Miller. She was last seen at dinner with said manager two days ago and from his accounts completely disappeared. Let's listen in to the press conference that was held a little time ago by Mr. Miller." The screen changed from the news anchor to my manager standing behind a ton of microphones with Eli standing off to the side of him.
"I just wanted to say a few brief words. Ash I don't know where you are or if you are safe but we just want you to come home. Nobody has been able to get in touch with you and we are concerned for you safety. Please come home." Bobby said. Before the cameras could but away Eli pushed Bobby out of the way and took one of the microphones.
"Ashlyn please don't do anything stupid. We can work through whatever happened just call me and I will come and get you no questions asked, just please call." Eli said.
Shit. Carefully I lowered my head even more and left the store in a hurry. Should I even try going to my house right now? Now that I'm considered a missing person if I try to access any of my assets they are going to know where I am. I've already come so far I might as well go see if people are there.
I pulled the hood up on the jacket and stuffed my hands in my pockets and walked towards my house. It took another half an hour to get there and as I rounded the corner of the block I could see a few cop cars sitting in front of my house. This is not good. I snuck through my neighbors backyards so I could get closer to my house but avoid being seen from the front. My backyard is gated by a 6 foot high fence for privacy and there is this one tree I've been meaning to have cut that sits right behind the fence. The reason I haven't cut it yet is because I use it every once and while if I go out and forget the key to the front door I use it to climb into my yard to get into the backdoor.
So just like I have done a few times before I climbed into the tree and settled onto the thick branch that crosses into my backyard. From here I could see my manager is pacing around the kitchen with five police officers standing around. I didn't see Eli but I know he isn't far from the house. But I know I can't try and go inside right now. Maybe I can try again tonight and see if there are less people around.
For now I climbed back out of the tree and started to make my way back to Thea's house. The sun is starting to set and I want to try and get back to her house before it's completely gone. Just to make matter worse, snow started to fall. Of course this is happening now. The snow was coming down softly as first and then as I was just getting outside of town more towards Thea's house, the snow started to really come down. This is just a bigger sign for me that I can't go home. At least not now. Bobby needs to leave.
The sun just started to slip under the horizon as I finished my trek up the hill to Thea's house. Once I was inside I kicked off the boots and locked the door behind myself. Quickly I took off the winter coat and hung it up and rubbed my head. Of course Bobby would file a missing persons report. He just wants to show the label that I'm off the rails and he should just get even more control over my career. But at this point my career isn't worth it.
I went into the bathroom and started to fill the tub with warm water and return to the living room. I turned on the TV and the news was playing.
"Pop superstar Ash Monroe was reported missing today by her manager Bobby Miller in her hometown of Salem Massachusetts. Lately there have been reports that the popstar has been at odds with her manager and label from multiple sources claiming to be close with the star. Monroes' reported best friend and guitar player Elijah Banks made an emotional plea for the star return on Twitter after the news broke about her disappearance." The news anchor said and the video cut to Eli sitting at the desk I have in my room at home.
"I know things weren't okay the last time we talked Ash. I just want to know that you are okay. Please come home." If there was more to the video I don't know because it cut out and returned to the news anchors.
"If anybody as any information on the whereabouts of Ash Monroe please call the tip line that has been set up." I turned off the news then. I couldn't listen anymore.
My mind is going numb and I stripped out of my clothes and got into the bath. The water warmed me right up and I closed my eyes and slipped under the water. When I needed air I came up from the warm water and rested my head against the back wall. I'm going to need to rethink everything now that people are looking for me.
I must have fallen sleep in the tub because when I woke up I jumped as I saw Thea sitting on the floor of the bathroom with me. Her back is resting against the tub and she is looking at her phone.
"Why didn't you wake me?" I asked really feeling the cold water.
"I don't like it when other people wake me up so I just let you sleep. I've only been home for a few minutes. I do have to say that I am happy you weren't on the bridge tonight. The snow is coming down hard now." Thea said looking down at her phone.
"Can you pass me a towel?" I asked wanting to get out of the cold water.
Thea didn't say anything and just placed a neatly folded towel on the counter before leaving. I took a deep breath and got out of the cold water to dry off. Once I was dry I realized that I didn't have any clothes with me and everything that I was wearing left all throughout Thea's house. Shit.
I ripped the bathroom door open to find Thea waiting outside the door holding the clothes I left on the floor.
"I'm sorry" I said and grabbed the clothes from her arms and tried hide the blush on my face.
"I grabbed you some clean clothes. The ones you were wearing today I threw in the wash." Thea said and smirked before rubbing the back of her neck and walked into her bedroom. I slammed the bathroom door shut and looked at the clothes Thea gave me. It was another one of her Henley shirts and a pair of black boy shorts. Once I was dress I put my hair up and left the bathroom.
The door to Thea's room was wide open but I didn't want to just walk in unannounced. So I took a step into the room and knocked on the door. I could see the light on in the closet and a second later Thea came out in a faded Salem Police Department cut off and a pair of basketball shorts. Her blonde hair is up in a high bun and the stress of a long day is showing on her face.
"I don't think I can take another night on the couch." I said pulling the sleeves of the shirt around my hand.
"I told you the offer would still stand, I just need to run to the bathroom." Thea said and slipped past me walking out of her room.
When I heard the bathroom door shut I took a breath and made my way to the bed in the far corner of the room. I made myself comfortable against the wall and waited for Thea to come back. She returned from the bathroom a few minutes later and turned off the lights and closed the curtain to cover the window before joining me in bed. We weren't in bed long before Thea turned on her side to face me.
"Where did you go today?" Thea asked.
"I walked back to my house to try and get some things but I saw that my manager reported me missing and my house was crawling with police." I answer looking up at the ceiling.
"I was pulled from my usual tour today to sit outside your house. What's going on Ashlyn?" Thea asked.
I looked away from the ceiling and my eyes found Thea's. Her hazel eyes stared back into my blue ones and I could feel the tears start pouring from my eyes. I don't know if I can do this.