All is Found - Chapter 8: Chapter 8

Three Days Ago
Waking up the next day I felt like my head was going to detach from my neck and roll on the floor. The sun was beaming through the curtains and once I opened my eyes I knew I made a mistake of waking up. Everything was spinning as I moved my head around to see if Eli was alive next to me.
I was alone on the couch though as I moved to start to get up. I could smell the alcohol seeping from my pores and I knew I needed to shower. After sitting for an extra minute I got up and stumbled my way to the bathroom. I barely had time to get the toilet lid open before I threw up. Alcohol coming back up was definitely worse than it going down. My throat burned as a second wave ran through me.
When I was sure I was done throwing up for the time being I started the shower and stripped out of my clothes before jumping in. The water was cold and it felt great on my skin. The shower started to wake me up and I just stood under the water stream for an extra minute before cleaning up and getting out.
Wrapped in a towel I made my way back to the living room to find a piece of paper with my name on it. I picked it up from the table and opened the note. My flight for LA was early this morning, I don't even know if I'm going to make it. Good luck with dinner tonight and call me when you need someone to help you pack up your apartment in LA. Or you know if you need another night out raging like last night. Love you lots ~ your lil bro Eli.
I smiled at the note and made my way upstairs to my room to get dressed. For now I just went with pajamas and I would change again later for dinner. When I came back downstairs I found my phone dead on the floor. I started up the coffee and plugged my phone into the charger and looked at the damage from last night.
Lots of selfies of Eli and myself and some random girls. Not too bad. It doesn't look like I drunk called anyone. But Eli and I did a lot of damage at the club. The charge on my credit card is almost $2,500. I sighed and looked at the time. It was already almost four in the afternoon and a car would be picking me up for dinner a little before 7. After checking my texts I found that Bobby made reservations for a nice Italian place in Boston.
I needed to be alive for this dinner and food was the last thing I wanted right now. Once I finished my coffee I grabbed my phone off the charger and my slippers before walking next door. Pat answered the door for me and let me inside.
"You look like shit" Was the first thing he said to me as I sat down on their couch.
"I feel like it too but I needed to celebrate last night and I did. Just a little too hard. I need to be alive for a dinner with my manager and the guy from the label in three hours. Any chance you can whip me up your miracle hangover cure?" I asked fighting off a wave of nausea that rolled through me.
"You're lucky I love you." Pat said and kissed my forehead.
Ed joined me on the couch a few minutes later and also commented on my look. He just laughed at my pain and let me cuddle into him. Pat came into the living room a few minutes later with a large glass of something green and a fluffy Belgium waffle covered in syrup.
"The green juice isn't going to taste the best so I would just chug it down." Pat said as he sipped on his coffee from the arm chair.
I did what he said and just swallowed the juice and tried not to taste it. The waffle definitely helped settle my stomach and I spent the afternoon with my two favorite men. Both of them joked about my hangover as I told them about the day before. They enjoyed hearing that I was finally getting out of the music industry and was going to be home more. Ed and I ended up taking a nap on the couch for a while before Pat woke me up to get ready for dinner. I gave them both a hug goodbye and promised them that I would be over the tomorrow to celebrate with them.
Getting ready for dinner was quick and shortly after I was sitting in the back of a town car on the way into Boston. The drive took a little longer then last night because of the more traffic. Everyone wanted to go into Boston tonight it looked like. When I arrived at the restaurant there were a few paparazzi waiting out front for me. I sighed and looked out the window to find Bobby waiting just inside the door. He must have tipped them off.
Rolling my eyes I got out of the back seat and meet Bobby half way to the door. He helped me through the rest of the paparazzi into the restaurant.
"Is Logan here yet?" I asked not really wanting to be alone with Bobby.
"Yea he is actually waiting for us. Follow me." Bobby said.
I followed behind Bobby through the restaurant to the back and I looked around for the table Logan was sitting at but I didn't find him. Bobby pushed the back door open and I followed him inside.
"SURPRISE!!" People yelled from all around the room. I jumped in surprise and looked around. The room had about 30 people inside and I saw various different people I have worked with in the music industry. Then I finally found Logan in the crowd and he came over to me.
"You know I was very surprised to hear from Bobby that you changed your mind. The label wanted to throw you a little surprise party as a token of our appreciation for you resigning with us." Logan said and shook my hand.
Wait, what? Did he just say resign? With them? With Bobby as my manager? What is he talking about? I didn't resign. Before I could even question what he was talking about Logan brought me over to a producer I've worked with before on my last album. Logan started the conversation and left me to speak with someone else.
I looked around the room and I couldn't find Bobby. This is all one big misunderstanding. Did Bobby say something to Logan about me resigning? He was on the call when I declined the contract offer.
Finally I was able to break free from the producer and went to find Bobby. Unfortunately for me I couldn't find him and was pulled into conversation with other music industry executives. Until I knew what was going on I played along with the conversations and constantly scanned the room for my manager.
After a few more conversations I was finally able to get away from everyone and stood back in the corner to scan the room again. Just as I was able to push off the wall to ask one of the wait staff if they have seen Bobby or Logan, Bobby appeared next to me.
"What the hell is going on Bobby? You were on the phone when I declined the offer." I said quietly not wanting to draw attention to myself.
"Yes I was there, no need to remind me Ash." Bobby said and grabbed a glass of champagne from a passing waitress.
"I never signed the contract Bobby what the hell is going on?" I asked wanting answers.
"You don't remember last night at the club? You and I at the bar, we talked a little had a drink and you signed the contract." Bobby said and sipped on his drink.
"No I didn't" I said and tried to rack my brain for the end last night. I do remember signing something but I don't remember the details. Everything is too hazy.
"Oh but you did." Bobby said and reached into his jacket to pull out some papers. "Check the last page." He said and held them out for me.
I took the packet of papers from him and read the cover page. This is the contract Logan gave me to look over the other day. I flipped through the pages to the final page and found my signature along with Bobbys' and Logans' a witness and notarized.
"You thought you would be able to get rid of me so easily Ash? You should be thankful I didn't make any other changes before I gave it to Logan. Looks like you have to deal with me for the next five years." Bobby said with an evil smirk on his face. He took the contract from my hands and walked away from me.
What the hell just happened? I looked around the room and I felt tears well in my eyes. Bobby is shaking hands with the head of my label with Logan standing by his side. A wicked smile on his face as he turned to look at me.
The room felt like it was getting smaller and smaller. The air is being sucked out as I pushed my way out of the room and the restaurant. The blinding lights of the paparazzi were the only thing I could see. It took me a second to push through the little crowd and find the town car I came here in.
This has to be a dream. Was I that drunk last night that I actually signed the contract? No, there is no way I would have done it willingly. I tried to get some air into my lungs and avoid the panic attack that was building but it was becoming increasingly harder.
I opened the window a bit and felt the cold January air hit me in the face. It made me feel a bit better as we got closer to my house. As we approached I could see flashing lights get closer. There were a few cop cars and an ambulance on my block and the driver couldn't get close to my house. I just jumped out and started to run on the side walk towards my house thinking I was robbed again.
As I got closer to my house I saw it wasn't mine, but Pat and Eds house that had cops standing out front. I started running towards their front door when I saw EMT's walk out of the front door with someone on a stretcher. My knees almost buckled as I saw Pat walking out behind the stretcher.
"Pat!" I yelled and somehow willed my legs to move. He looked up and saw me walking towards him. "What happened?" I asked and followed next to Pat.
"Ed went to bed early and when I went to join him he didn't have a heartbeat." Pat said as the EMT's placed Ed into the back of the ambulance.
"Please tell me you can bring him back" I said with tears running down my face.
The EMTs looked at Pat then at me with a sad expression on their face. That's when I lost my legs. I fell to the ground and looked into the back of the ambulance and saw the Grim Reaper standing over Ed. He placed a hand on his shoulder and I watched as his soul left his body.
"I need to go with them Ashlyn, please call Eli. I'll be back as soon as I can." Pat said and climbed into the back of the ambulance.
The door shut and I watched from the ground as the ambulance pull away from the curb and down the block.
"Are you okay ma'am?" I heard someone ask behind me. I couldn't say anything as a sob ripped through my throat and from everything that has happened tonight. I hit the ground with my hand wishing for someone to take me from this place. I can't do it anymore.
I scramble up to my feet and pushed past the police officer who asked if I was okay. Somehow I made it through my front door without falling over and made it upstairs to my room. I rushed around my room and changed into a pair of jeans a black tee shirt and my converse before I sat down at my desk.
My desk is a mess and I pushed everything onto the floor. I put my head in my hands as another sob raked through my body. My soul is crushed. I can't work for Bobby any more. I won't. I sniffled up the last of my tears and found a piece of paper and a pen.
Eli, I don't know how he did it but Bobby forced me to sign the contract. I can't work with him anymore. I won't. Please tell Pat I'm sorry. I can't do this anymore. Thank you for being the best little brother anybody could have asked for. ~Love Ashlyn.
I wrote Eli's name on the outside of the note and grabbed my jacket before racing downstairs. I left the note on the coffee table along with my keys and locked the door behind me. I walked down the stairs and started to walk. I don't know where I was going but then the Grim Reaper appear in front of me. He didn't say anything, just floated in front of me, leading me somewhere.
Not before long I ended up on the bridge. The Reaper still just out of my reach. When we got to the middle of the bridge the Reaper moved off the bridge to just over the railing.
"Come child" The Reaper said and held out his hand. I pulled my cell phone out of my pocket and threw it into the darkness blow me before I pulled my jacket off and did the same. Then I climbed over the rail.