“So how long have you been working for this newspaper?” Sara asked her.
“Ten years but only four years writing for the sports section.”
“You haven't written about me then. I was in the papers over five years ago,” Sara told her.
“I was doing local news then,” Ashley said, giving her a sad smile.
“I'm glad that you’re the one who came to my door looking for me. I knew just by looking at you that you had a kind heart.” Sara reached across the table for Ashley's hand and gave it a small squeeze.
Chapter 8
When Ashley woke up the next morning, she looked at the small alarm clock on the night stand beside the bed and couldn't believe that it was eleven in the morning. Wondering why Sara didn't wake her up she climbed out of bed and threw on a pair of jeans and white t shirt.
In the living room, Sara was looking over some paper work, taking a sip of her coffee.
“There's some fresh coffee if you want some,” Sara told her, taking a second to look at her and then went back to the paperwork she was looking at.
“Sorry I slept in so late. I can't believe it's eleven. I haven't slept in like that since I don't know when,” Ashley apologized to her.
“Don't worry about it. I'm barely even dressed.” Sara was wearing a pair of sweatpants and a black tank top.
“Do you mind if I grab some fruit?” Ashley asked her, looking over at the oranges, apples and pears in a bowl on the counter. She found a mug in the cupboard and began pouring a cup of coffee for herself.
“Help yourself.”
Ashley went into the living room and sat down next to Sara who looked like she was really concentrating on the paperwork in front of her. Sara put the stack of papers aside.
“We don't have to start right away,” Ashley said, sensing that Sara might not be ready yet. “You can finish what you're doing. I'm not in a hurry.”
“I can't put this off any longer. I want to get this done so that you can put it in the paper for this week.”
“Alright, just give me a second.” Ashley got up from the couch and went to the guest bedroom. Rummaging through the overnight bag she pulled out her tape recorder.
Returning to the living room she turned the tape recorder on and put it down on the coffee table.
“At what point did you know that there might be a complication with the surgery on Zach Ellis's shoulder?” Ashley asked.
“His very first surgery ten years ago was a complete success for him. Nothing went wrong and we were all happy with the outcome. It was later when Zach Ellis came to me again when he was in the NFL. He was taking more hits to his bad shoulder. He was suffering from chronic pain, so he wanted a second surgery to take away the pain. It looked like it was a complete success until he came back to me a few weeks later with some swelling to his shoulder. I told him it looked like arthritis but of course he didn't want to hear that. What player wants to hear something like that? Especially in the prime of his career? He was furious,” Sara recalled.
“What happened next?”
“Well he ended up blaming me and the next thing I knew I was getting a call from his lawyer. I offered to get him a second opinion if he chose to. I knew what it was but maybe if he had heard it from another doctor he wouldn't be so angry. He decided that he didn't want a second opinion at all. He didn't even want to talk about it. He just went and hired a lawyer. All of a sudden they found an expert who was saying that the swelling and the extreme pain was from the last surgery that I had done on him. Of course the finger was pointed at me. I was the surgeon. The way it felt to me was that the jury was already on his side to begin with. I didn't stand a chance. I knew it in my heart that I couldn't have done anything else to help him.” Sara sighed heavily. She looked like she was going to cry. Ashley pushed on, trying to stay professional even though she felt awful.
“Do you feel that your side of the case was presented accurately?” Ashley asked.
“Yes, the arthritis that he has is called septic arthritis and I don't believe that it was caused by a shoulder injury during football. Zach's father is from upstate New York. They go hunting twice a year. I believe the arthritis and pain was caused by Lyme disease. Lyme disease and deer ticks are a huge problem there,” Sara told her.
“But the jury sided with Zach Ellis?”
“Right. Since the jury sided with him and he won the trial, I lost my license and of course my job at the hospital.”
“Why didn't you appeal the case if you thought you were innocent?” Ashley had to keep her professionalism in check. She wanted to reach over and give Sara a hug letting her know that everything was going to be okay
“It was a rough time in my life. I was thirty-six at the time of the trial. My seven year relationship with a woman that I was madly in love with and who I thought I’d spend the rest of my life with was coming to an end. The trial lasted about six months. The stress and my depression drove us apart. Then there was the media calling or waiting outside my apartment. I just couldn't put in an appeal. I couldn’t do it all over again knowing I would be on my own. I just walked away.” Sara wiped at her eyes. Her face was wet with tears.
“Are you okay?” Ashley finally asked.
“I'm okay. It's just hard because I haven't thought about it in so long.”
“I'm sorry,” Ashley said, clearing her throat.
“I just wish that I could've talked to Zach and maybe he would see it from my point of view. Or I wish he would've reconsidered and asked for a second opinion. That might have changed everything. We would've been able to avoid a trial. He was a really good kid but when he made it to the NFL he changed. Zach was hungry for fame and money. It all went to his head.”.
Ashley turned the tape recorder off. “I have everything I need for next Sunday's paper.”
“When do you have to leave for the airport?” Sara asked, really not wanting her to go. She didn’t want to be alone today.
“Six o'clock this evening,” Ashley said.
“We have time for another lesson if you want,” Sara offered.
“That sounds great. I’d love to.”
“Alright, well let me get dressed first and then we’ll go out to the stables,” Sara said.
“Take your time,” Ashley told her.
Once they were in the barn, Sara helped her up on the horse again. Ashley felt a spark between them when Sara touched her. She wished that she could've come out to Sara the night before. She knew that she should've said something during dinner. It would've been easy enough to slip into conversation.
Ashley’s heart was racing when Sara touched her but she was too scared to put it out there. She really couldn't take the chance that Sara might think that she was being unprofessional. That was the last thing she wanted her to think.
Chapter 9
It was late on Friday afternoon when Ashley began working on Sara's story for Sunday’s paper. She couldn't believe it had taken her all week to get to the article but she’d been busy with other stories. At least now she was able to work on it.
Jason came strutting through the door without knocking this time, a big smile on his face. “So do you want to go the Bears game this Sunday? I know that you've been working extremely hard lately.” He held up two tickets for the Chicago Bears game.
“You have the worst timing ever.” She smiled at him tiredly.
“I'm going to take that as a no then?” His smile quickly faded from his face.
“I would really love to Jason but I can't. My editor for my book just called me and he needs me to fly to New York tomorrow morning.”
“We’ll go to a game before the seasons over,” Jason said.
“I promise. I’m looking forward to getting this book done and published.” She smiled at him, glad that he understood.
“So how's the big story coming along? I'm sure Sara told you a lot about Zach and the trial.”
“It’s going to be a great story. I’m just putting the finishing touches on it. I
’ll probably be out of here in an hour,” Ashley said.
“That’s great. Well, I'm working late tonight and I’ll probably be the last one out the door.”
“Aw, I’m sorry.”
“It’s my own fault. I took a long lunch today. Were you able to record the interview?” Jason asked, still standing in the doorway.
“Of course I did.” She gave him a funny look.
“Can I take a listen to it? I’d like to hear what she had to say about Ellis.”
Ashley hesitated before she answered him. She knew that Jason was still a very big Chicago Bears fan. Bigger than she was and she was sure that he would nit-pick at it and be biased, taking Zach Ellis's side. He was always asking her what if Zach was still the quarterback. How many Super Bowls would he have won?
She debated whether or not she should say something to him. She bit her tongue and took her recorder out of her drawer, handing it over to him. She had a copy so she could finish her work anyway.
“Thanks.” Jason took the tape quickly, and went back to his office.
Chapter 10
After a long weekend in New York City, Ashley was glad that she was finally going home. Heading back to her hotel in Manhattan, she grabbed a copy of her newspaper to have a look at her article in print. She could hardly wait to see it.
Inside her hotel room, she opened up the newspaper to the sports section and she almost fainted. She couldn't believe what she was looking at. It was nothing like what she had written. It was all different.
Closing her eyes for a brief second she opened them again, looking at a picture of Sara right after the trial. Underneath the picture was the caption:
“Zach's Was Hungry For Fame And Money!”
Below the headline was Ashley's name along with her photo, right beside Jason's name and photo.
Jason used the recording to put his own spin on the story. Her face was red with anger and her heart was racing. She couldn't believe that Jason would do such a thing to her.
Ashley looked over the rest of the article, having a hard time reading what she didn't write. She was being blamed for Zach's early retirement all over again.
With shaking hands, she picked up her cell-phone and dialed Sara's number. She needed to explain what happened.
Sara didn't pick up the phone. After about ten rings Ashley hung up praying that Sara hadn't seen the article just yet. She needed to explain before Sara got a chance to look at it.
Before heading back home to Chicago, Ashley tried Sara's phone number. Again there was no answer.
After her flight back home, Ashley got into a taxi and tried to call Sara again. There was no answer. She must have read the article. Ashley felt sick to her stomach.
On Sunday morning Ashley called work and left a message for Dave saying that she wouldn’t be in on Monday. She didn't take any days off unless she was really under the weather so she knew it wouldn’t be a problem. Ashley couldn't face seeing Jason after what he did.
Ashley knew that if she was to confront Jason she would either lose her cool or lose her job. Maybe even both so she decided not to risk it. She needed time to calm down.
After calling Sara at least five more times with no answer Ashley decided that the only way she would get to talk to Sara was in person and if that was how it had to be, then that was how it had to be.
Chapter 11
On Monday, Ashley drove her rental car to the Pueblo Riding Academy. Looking around as she got out of the car, she couldn't see Sara anywhere.
She walked over to Sara’s cabin and rang the doorbell. She saw Sara's car in the drive way so she knew that Sara was home. Either she was ignoring the door or she was out riding.
Ashley sat down on the porch steps waiting for Sara to get back. Her stomach was doing flip flops. She didn’t know what she was going to say to Sara. Ashley mentally went through all the things she could possibly say.
She looked at her watch. She’d been sitting there for almost two hours. Ashley knew that she must've been furious about the article but she had to let Sara know that this wasn’t her intention.
Stretching her legs, Ashley stood up. In the distance she could see Sara coming up the trail on a brown horse. Ashley waved but Sara rode right passed her, completely ignoring her.
Sara took the horse back to the barn and got down, not even turning around to acknowledge Ashley’s presence.
Ashley gave her a few minutes before following her into the barn. She hoped that Sara would give her a chance to explain.
“Sara, look that article-” Ashley started.
“I don't want to hear a single thing you have to say. Now, I realize that every journalist is the same. It's about the headlines and selling more copies!” Sara yelled, her eyes full of anger.
“I didn't write that article! I submitted an article that defended you to the fullest. Jason and my editor messed with it without my consent. They must have listened to the recording and then decided to rewrite it. I had nothing to do with it!” she explained desperately as Sara was getting her horse back in its stall.
“I knew that I shouldn't have trusted you.” Sara didn't seem as mad as Ashley thought she was going to be. Sara tried walking away from her.
“If you think that everyone is the same when it comes to the media then why did you trust me to write your story? If you hate reporters and journalists so much then you never should've called me!” Ashley stepped in front of Sara before she could walk past.
Sara continued to try to get past Ashley. She finally gave up. “The only reason I let you interview me is because I was attracted to you. I let that cloud my judgment. I've learned my lesson. I won't make that mistake again.” Sara confessed, brushing past her.
Ashley was shocked that Sara felt that way about her. At least she did before I screwed everything up.
Standing by herself in the barn, she was still shocked that Sara was attracted to her. She didn't know what she was going to say but she turned around and began jogging after Sara.
“Sara, wait a minute. Please!” Ashley called after her.
Sara pretended not to hear her. The last thing she wanted was to have Ashley ask her what she meant by that comment when it was perfectly clear.
When she caught up with Sara, Ashley grabbed her arm and spun her around quickly. They were face to face, just inches away from each other.
She was about to tell Ashley to leave when she took a step closer to her. Ashley stood on her toes and kissed her slowly.
Sara let her hands rest on Ashley’s hips as she kissed the blonde. Ashley wrapped her arms around her neck, kissing her with more passion as her confidence grew.
Sara felt Ashley’s tongue part her lips. She let out a soft moan when her tongue met Ashley’s.
Finally Ashley broke the kiss. Sara could see the tears in her eyes.
“I’m sorry about the article. I had no idea that Jason was going to do that. You have to believe me,” Ashley said with tears in her eyes. “I am truly sorry. I wish things turned out differently,” Ashley whispered, choking back the sobs that were threatening to escape her mouth.
Sara didn't know what to say, so she said nothing at all. She was still shocked by Ashley’s kiss. Sara hadn’t expected her to feel the same way about her.
“I have to go. I came to tell you that I'm sorry and to see if you were okay. I have to catch my flight back to Chicago tonight.”
Ashley walked away, completely distraught, knowing that she’d never see Sara again.
Chapter 12
Ashley was sitting at her desk Tuesday morning thinking about everything that had happened, from Jason and the article to Sara and their kiss. There was so much going on that she couldn't concentrate on her work.
Ashley had been avoiding Jason since she got back to work. At the end of the day Jason walked into her office to sit down and talk to her.
“You had no right changing my story,” she lashed out at him.
“You're right. It was my idea to change it but I
think I made the right call. I don't think that I did anything wrong.” Jason shrugged his shoulders.
“Are you kidding me? You gave the article a completely different angle!” she shouted at him, getting up from her desk.
“The article was way too personal, Ashley. Not to mention it was poorly written. There was just too much emotion in the article. A lot of emotion and not enough facts isn't what makes an article,” Jason explained to her.
“It stated all the facts. All the facts from her side Jason! There's two sides to every story.”
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