“She’s still in the area you know…” a voice from behind me says. I can tell by the fried chicken breath its Glen. I pause for a second. Not sure what I’m supposed to say to that.

“That’s nice” I say “so how is work going?” quickly changing the subject.

“Its good. I got hired by a company to test this new game out. Its about flying pig soldiers in space.”

I laugh and then invite him to come apartment hunting with me tomorrow. I could use the company, and he could probably use the day away from his XBOX. He agrees and then helps me carry my bags to my bedroom.

“Jesus Spencer, what do you have in here?” he asks as we walk down the hall.

“Strap-ons, whips, chains, you know that sort of thing” I tell him keeping as straight a face as I can.

“EW!!” he gives a girly scream and drops them.

“Relax, I was just kidding” I reassure him, laughing.

I walk into the room and once again am surprised by how it hasn’t changed since I left for college. The bedding was the same, my desk was the same, the pictures the same. I just can’t believe that they hadn’t turned it into a sewing room yet.

Glen leaves, and I inspect the room. The pictures are from graduation, and dances, and almost all of them have her in them. It would take days to clear them all out, so I won’t do it now. I plop on my bed and let it all sink in.

Its 5 o’clock when I wake up in the same position on my bed. I check myself in the mirror and head downstairs, to find that dinner is just being put on the table.

“Oh good you’re up. I made your favorite!” My dad is adorable when he’s excited.

“I’ll have to be fast, my shift starts at 7.” I say, smelling the food and following the scent to the table.

“There’s always time for my famous chilly!” he says taking off his apron and placing the steaming pot on the table.

I don’t wait for further invitation, and dig in. Flashbacking is hard work. I’m starving. We all finish up and after clearing the table, I go upstairs to change and get ready.

Its 6:50 when I walk into the hospital. I say hello to the nurses at the front desk and they hand me a chart.

“Your first patient is in room 200. Little girl fell and landed on her arm” Betty the head nurse tells me.

“Was she sent for X-rays yet?”

“Yes, they’re hanging up in the room”

“Thanks Betty”

I skim the chart, and walk into room 200. Lets see… little girl 5 years old… My head is still down when I walk in and when I look up. There she is, sitting with the brown hair brown eyed little girl. Ashley.