Who: Helen and Ashley What: Magnus Family Reunion! Sort of. When: February 1st Where: Ashley’s apartment Warnings: Low Status: Complete upon posting!
Alright so Ashley felt horrible about not having called Helen when she’d gotten the job offer because she knew she should’ve. She also knew that her mother was upset about that, even if she wouldn’t say as much. Which was why Ashley had taken the obvious olive branch Helen had offered by not coming over the night before, and given one in return of asking for help unpacking.
Because Ashley had not unpacked much of anything save for some clothes, her karate trophies, which were displayed in her living room, as well as pictures of her and Helen over the years. The pictures not only had a pointed lack of pre-leukemia pictures, but also had prominent spots in the living room. She even had a recent picture of them together on the table beside her bed in her bedroom. And those hadn’t been something she’d rushed to unpack after her conversation with her mom the previous night, those had been out since she’d first gotten into the apartment less than a week earlier.
Though aside from those and the furniture that had transferred from her previous apartment, Ashley’s one-bedroom apartment was filled with unpacked boxes. She had a television, but it wasn’t even hooked up yet. Partly because Ashley’s attention had been on other things of late.
There was also a distinct lack of any kitchenware being unpacked. Upon opening the fridge, she had milk and juice, but beyond that was only leftovers from a Chinese restaurant and about half a pizza that she’d had the night before. Ashley moved a box from her couch onto the floor beside it and looked around, grimacing a bit. She knew Helen would disapprove, but it was what it was, and at least they could have some time together getting things unpacked.
That was what really mattered, after all.
Admittedly, Helen had been upset to learn her daughter had moved closer and hadn’t felt it necessary to tell her, but she wasn’t entirely surprised. She understood that she could be… difficult, worry over the littlest things. She wanted Ashley to be happy; the trouble was she wanted her to be safe as well. She sometimes thought the two were in conflict.
She’d already memorized the address, but that didn’t prevent her from consulting the small bit of paper she’d written it down on one final time. If she were honest, she was stalling, sitting in her car in front of the apartment building. It was bad enough her daughter hadn’t told her about this move, and she didn’t entirely trust herself not to make it worse.
Taking a quiet breath and forcing herself to relax, she collected her tea kettle and stepped out of the car. By the time she’d reached the apartment door, her concerns had eased, and there was no hesitation when she raised a hand to knock.
Ashley wouldn’t deny that sometimes Helen’s over-protectiveness got to be a bit much. And, well, she was actually a bit hesitant about this move in the fact it would no doubt lead to Helen asking for them to meet more often. Perhaps even as much as every day. Which okay yes, sometimes Ashley liked seeing her mom often, liked having the grounding of her there. She still needed her mom. Just...not all the time. She liked having her breathing space.
Though at least for the moment, she did have a legitimate excuse of having a tournament to train for as well as settling into her new job. Which led to her further procrastinating on deciding about grad school.
Hearing the knock, Ashley had a momentary panic, knowing she’d get disapproval possibly left and right, but she’d try to move past that. Going to the door, she paused only momentarily, to take a breath and prepare herself for said disapproval. Then she opened the door and saw Helen there and, well, she couldn’t help but to smile.
“Hey mom,” she greeted. “Come in,” she said, moving aside to let Helen in. A hug would come once Helen wasn’t carrying a kettle.
“Ashley.” The greeting itself wasn’t unusual; she always was a bit prone to formality. However, the speed at which she said it, slowly as though with great consideration, said plenty about what she was thinking. Despite her best efforts, she couldn’t quite keep her opinion on the state of her daughter’s apartment out of her tone.
Nevertheless, she carefully made her way to the kitchen, setting the kettle on the counter while taking the opportunity to see more of the small space her daughter was calling home. But first, before she did a more thorough inspection, that hug was certainly in order, along with a kiss on the cheek because it was always too long since she’d seen her.
And Ashley heard that disapproval in Helen’s tone. She didn’t comment on it, just winced slightly once Helen came inside and she closed the door. It would be better if she wasn’t in a hectic state of mind currently. She would make a grocery run soon, though, and get herself some good decent food.
Following Helen to the kitchen, she then hugged her, taking the kiss to the cheek and giving one back. Letting the hug linger a bit longer than normal, perhaps as an unspoken apology about the whole not calling thing, Ashley then pulled back and looked at Helen.
“So, want the grand tour?” Even if Helen could see half of the apartment already.
Helen was always a little reluctant to let her go, but she allowed her to pull away, nodding as she did. “I would love the grand tour.”
And she wasn’t lying. She wanted to see her daughter’s home, hopefully think as much of it as Ashley did. The last might be asking too much; but for her daughter, she would try. She always tried. It simply seemed she wasn’t very good at keeping her opinions to herself. She was far too expressive for her own good.
“Alright, well this is the combination living room, dining room and kitchen. I...may need a different dining room set because that table is way too small for this area.” Not that the place was overly large, but Ashley had lived in a smaller apartment in L.A. This one was a little bigger. And she wasn’t exactly asking Helen for the money for a new dining room set, she didn’t even know what she wanted. “One of these days, would you come furniture shopping with me?” She only said ‘one of these days’ because she was going to be busy with getting herself ready for a tournament.
“Oh and I want to invite you to come to a martial arts tournament I’m competing in. It’s on March 14th in San Francisco. I just registered for it.” It had been a little while since she’d entered a competition, so she was both excited and nervous for this. She knew sports weren’t exactly to her mother’s tastes, but she was giving the invitation anyway because she did like the support. Even if she wouldn’t say as much in so many words.
Then before she forgot she was doing a tour, she led the way to her bedroom, which was also slightly bigger than the bedroom in her last apartment. Perhaps she could use a new bed as well, but that wasn’t high on her list of things to get.
“And this is my bedroom.” And right there on her bedside table was a picture of her and Helen taken at her college graduation. That was the only decoration in the bedroom currently. Ashley wasn’t really one for art, she’d rather hang posters or pictures that meant something to her than some sort of abstract art she didn’t understand. Fine arts were totally not her thing at all.
Helen would have happily given her money, if she had asked. She was always willing to help her daughter, with whatever she required. And she knew Ashley wouldn't abuse that privilege. She also knew that wasn't her way.
Regardless, the offer to take her furniture shopping was more appealing anyway, and she readily agreed. "Of course. I'm certain we can find something to your liking." And perhaps she would pay for it, but the extra time spent together was more important than the cost.
She agreed to go to the tournament far less quickly. Sports, indeed, were not her preferred form of entertainment. But this was her daughter, and she could see it was important to her.
"It's been some time since I watched you compete, hasn't it?"
She smiled, seeing the picture of them together, remembering the day it had been taken. "I see you've made yourself at home."
It was difficult for Ashley to ask for money. Even though she knew Helen would give it if she asked, Ashley was still proud, and tended to not ask unless she absolutely needed it. Or if she absolutely fell in love with a dining room set that was out of her price range. But even then, she still disliked asking.
“Thank you, perhaps one of these weekends can go?” It’d definitely be easier to move her schedule around on a weekend, and that would no doubt be easier for Helen as well with her own work schedule.
Ashley smiled. “It has, but it’s also been a while since I last competed. So I’m kind of nervous about this.” Which undoubtedly sounded ridiculous given she was a first level black belt, but Ashley was prone to nerves sometimes if she went long enough without competing. She’d only done a couple competitions while she’d been in college so she could better focus on her schoolwork. Sometimes training twice a week was difficult enough, and now and again she did train more often if she felt the need to do so. And of course she knew her mother didn’t exactly like sports, which she’d never be offended if Helen didn’t want to come. But she always did put the invitation out there just because.
“As much as I can make myself at home with boxes everywhere,” she said with a laugh. “I’m kind of liking having more space here than in my old apartment in LA. Or I will once these boxes are unpacked. So perhaps we should start in the kitchen because I kind of need it to be a kitchen and not just a place I walk through sparingly.”
Helen understood Ashley’s pride. She’d earned it honestly, from both parents, even if she may not want to admit how much of John she still saw in her daughter. But she was also her mother, and she would always try to do nice things for her, even if that pride wouldn’t let her ask.
“A weekend would be perfect.” As long as she had a couple days’ notice, she should have little trouble arranging her schedule around a small shopping expedition. Or a large one, depending on how much space Ashley decided she needed to fill.
She shook her head, a faint smile forming when Ashley mentioned nerves, “I’m certain you’ll do well. You always do.” Of course, one might have said that, as her mother, it was her obligation to say as much, but she truly did believe it. Her daughter could do anything she set her mind to, and excel at it.
Chuckling lightly, she reached out to briefly rest a gentle hand on Ashley’s back. “The kitchen it is.” And she would try to reserve judgment until the boxes were unpacked and everything was in its proper place. “I’ll put the kettle on.”
If Ashley really put her mind to it, she could remember her father and know that she came by her pride from both parents, not just from Helen. And, well, she could also see where she was like her dad in some ways. But Ashley didn’t like thinking back on him too much as it only made her sad. Especially with the fact she’d convinced herself he’d died. So she tended to ensure she didn’t think about him too much. She’d rather focus on the here and now.
“Great! Maybe after Valentine’s Day is past? I mean, not that I have plans on V-Day or anything because I totally don’t, but just for ensuring both of us are free with enough notice.” Ashley had back-pedaled on the Valentine’s thing rather quickly. If only because she didn’t want her mom to start thinking she was dating someone. Because she wasn’t.
Though she smiled at Helen’s comment. “Thanks, I’m sure I’ll do fine on the day, but right now I’m kind of nervous and stressed in getting my training in.” Not that she ever changed her training schedule. She’d maintained a rather constant three times a week training schedule. Sometimes she would add a fourth if she felt she needed it.
“I’ll get the box cutter,” she replied with a grin. As much as her kitchen may be bare and more or less unused, it was clean. Ashley had ensured to clean everything when she first got into the apartment. She went to retrieve the box cutter from one of the boxes in her living room and headed to the kitchen, selecting a box and cutting it open to reveal some of her dishes.
“Now if you’d be so kind as to not use your height advantage to put everything out of my reach, I’d appreciate it,” she said in an obviously teasing matter as she gave her mom a smirk. Ashley did always find amusement in poking fun at their height difference. While it had been the bane of her existence as a teenager because she’d wanted to be taller, she’d made peace with being on the shorter side of things.
Course it made it all the more enjoyable when she’d best someone well over six feet tall in karate. It always gave her a sense of accomplishment and pride in such a scenario.
The comment about Valentine’s Day and the quick backpedaling did earn her a look. She would have been a little more upset than she currently was if Ashley had also been keeping a boyfriend from her. She might not have much right to interfere with her daughter’s dating life, but she still felt she should be told if she was seeing someone. "After Valentine's Day would be fine."
After setting the water to boil, she turned to lean against the counter, offering her another small smile, "You're too hard on yourself." It's said lightly, without her usual concern. She knows her daughter works hard, and she would never suggest she do otherwise. As much as it made her job more difficult, she was proud of her daughter’s independence, everything she had accomplished.
“Shall I avoid the top shelves?” She smiled easily, adopting a similarly teasing tone. It wasn’t difficult to show that side of herself when it was just the two of them. The time she was able to spend with Ashley always made her feel lighter, lessened some of her anxieties.
Upon receiving that look from Helen, Ashley just side-eyed. She definitely wasn’t hiding a boyfriend. She hadn’t actually dated anyone since high school. Well, not in the long-term relationship kind of dating, anyway. She’d had a few dates since, but nothing noteworthy. And definitely not worthy of calling mom about. Romance was not Ashley’s strong suit, and she’d dedicated herself to her studies and to karate. Now, however, she was needing to figure out what to do with her life.
“Awesome. I’ll also have a better idea if I need anything else.” Not that she planned on getting anything else, but who knew what would come up as she settled in.
“I just want to do my best.” She shrugged one shoulder slightly. Ashley was more than a little bit of a perfectionist when it came to both schoolwork and karate. She always felt she had to be the best, and sometimes she didn’t think she was doing good enough. And part of the drive was to simply prove that she could achieve those high levels. Ashley was also well aware she came by this honestly, she’d seen her mother’s work ethic more than enough times to know where hers had come from.
Oh she couldn’t help the quirked brow and the easy smile that came in response to her mother’s teasing. “Only if you don’t want to get me a step ladder so I can reach them.” Ashley didn’t like being on bad terms with her mom, she preferred this easy-going, teasing nature they tended to have. They had their differences of course, but Ashley didn’t like when there was tension between. So she did try to alleviate such tension as quickly as possible when it was her fault for the tension being there in the first place.
To her credit, it was the one aspect of her daughter’s life where Helen didn’t constantly interfere. Of course, when the time came, she would want to know the man or woman who won Ashley’s heart. And she would likely take care to do her research and make certain no surprises awaited them. But she wasn’t about to push her to find someone and settle down. It wasn’t her place, no matter her own opinions. There was no benefit in trying to force her into something she wasn’t ready for yet. She could only hope that when she was ready, she wouldn’t keep her in the dark.
She nodded. “Whatever you need.”
In her own quiet way, she was offering to make the purchases herself, even if she knew how reluctant Ashley could be to accept such offers. She still thought it was important to let her know she was willing, as unnecessary as it may have been.
“And you will.” It was a Magnus family trait, working too hard. She had always done the same, something she’d learned from her father, and something Ashley had likely gotten from her.
Helen also enjoyed the gentle teasing, the ease with which it came to them. They both had such strong personalities, and strong personalities were always prone to clashing. But they seemed to make it work. She liked to think they had a good relationship, a closer bond than most mothers and daughters. It was something for which she would always be grateful. “I think, perhaps, that could be arranged.”
And because she was such a good mother, she really would take care to only put the least useful items on the top shelves.
Ashley was immensely grateful that her mother didn’t interfere in her romantic life. For one, it was difficult enough sustaining one without her mother poking her nose in. For another, that was something she’d definitely share if it happened and when she was ready to share. She well knew her mother would give the man or woman the tenth degree, and Ashley would simply have to hope that wouldn’t frighten off a future significant other. But, as far as she was concerned, that was in the distant future. She hadn’t met anyone who piqued her interest yet, so she just went on with life the way she did.
“Thank you,” she responded. She knew the quiet offer when she heard it. Ashley knew her mother well to pick up on the subtleties like that. Still, though, Ashley would just see what caught her eye while they were shopping. Though she’d of course do some research online before-hand, if only to get a better idea of what, precisely, she was looking for as well as what stores around here would carry what she was looking for.
Ashley smiled, not for the first time being grateful for the family trait of working hard. It had served her well during school and through her martial arts training. It would continue to serve her well. At least so long as work wasn’t all she did.
“Oh good, my limited range of reach thanks you,” she responded with a grin. Ashley did enjoy the good relationship she and her mother had. It made a lot of things easier. Yes, Helen could get on her last nerve now and again, but to be fair, Ashley could also get on Helen’s last nerve. While they had their arguments and knew exactly what buttons to push with each other, they also knew how to avoid pushing buttons to keep things good between them.
Opening the first box, it revealed her set of frying pans. Looking at the cupboard space available, she pursed her lips in thought for a moment. “Perhaps the pans can go in the cupboard beside the stove.” It just made logical sense, really.
Give her some credit, Ashley. She wouldn’t frighten them off without good reason. She simply wanted them to know who they would have to answer to if they ever dared to hurt her daughter. Of course, she had chosen a profession in which being intimidating was a benefit, so perhaps she had reason to be concerned. Well, at least she could promise it wouldn’t be intentional. And if they allowed a few questions to chase them off, perhaps they didn’t deserve her anyway.
Her protective streak really was quite a force.
Satisfied that her offer had been heard, and potentially accepted, Helen turned her attention back to the tea with a faint smile. The hurt she’d previously felt at Ashley’s failure to mention she’d recently moved closer had almost completely gone, and she’d relaxed considerably. She was just glad to have this time with her, grateful she’d allowed it. She truly had raised a wonderful young woman.
“Here. Let me,” she answered softly, stepping closer and reaching into the box. There was still some waiting to do on the tea, and she intended to have her daughter’s kitchen in order before she left for the evening.
“I’m glad you asked me here tonight.” Even if it had been more a peace offering than anything else, she still appreciated the gesture.
As much as she’d love to cut some slack, Ashley knows what her mom might think of as ‘a few questions’ is sometimes more the equivalent of an application process to get restricted level clearance at the Pentagon or some other top secret facility. In which case, she’d warn anyone that was subject to that line of questioning about it beforehand.
There were times when Ashley thought her mom could be rather intimidating. She just typically wasn’t on the receiving end of said intimidation. Unless they were having one of their worse arguments that descended to that level Luckily those were very few and far between.
Ashley had her moments of not sharing things with her mother, but mostly it was of the trivial things that didn’t matter. This level of not sharing was very out of character for her as Ashley tended to tell her mom most everything that happened in her life. She tended to leave out details like ‘I had sex’ or such things, but for the most part, she had an easy and open relationship with Helen. Which was why she was currently still feeling absolutely terrible about not having called and told her about moving here. It would probably be a long time before Ashley forgave herself for that.
“Oh, thanks!” She said with a smile. She grabbed another box and cut it open, taking the dishes in there out and setting them on the counter to ensure she had the entire set before putting them away.
“You’re welcome, and thanks for coming.” She smiled warmly, genuinely meaning it. “Having company will make unpacking so much easier to deal with.” And that was potentially an indirect invitation for Helen to come back and help her get the rest of her things unpacked. Because they wouldn’t be able to unpack everything in one single evening.