Ash shook her head almost violently. She managed to make eye contact with Candy, but still seemed unwilling to accept Eliot's presence. "No! No. I don't want him here! Make him leave! I hate him!"
Ash's words stunned Eliot, and he felt frozen, unable to move. He blinked rapidly, gaze shifting between the child and Candy. He'd seen men suffering trauma many times before. He knew nightmares were often irrational, but he didn't know how to deal with Ash completely pushing him away.