Ashley blinked out the sunlight.  She rolled over and glanced at the clock.  ‘Fuck, 2 o’clock already?’ she said to herself, groaning.  ‘Maybe I can cancel the meeting…’  Ashley rolled over and pulled the pillow over her head to block out the sunlight. 

“In here!” Spencer replied.     

Ashley walked over to the dresser, put on a pair of small light blue cotton shorts and a white ribbed tank top, and hurried into the kitchen to see Spencer.  

Spencer, in a light pink ribbed tank top and grey cotton shorts that hugged her curves, was cooking bacon and making pancakes.  Ashley couldn’t believe how cute Spencer looked making breakfast.  “Spence?”  Ashley said softly as she walked towards her best friend. 

“Good morning, Ash,” Spencer said. 

Ashley waited for Spencer to turn towards her, and when Spencer didn’t, Ashley leaned in and kissed her on the cheek.  “How’d you know I’d be so hungry, Spence?  We sure worked up a sweat last night, didn’t we?”  Ashley bit her lip, then her nose crinkled. “You are so amazing, Spence,” Ashley thought out loud.  And then before she realized, three small words escaped from Ashley’s mouth:  “I love you.”

Spencer, with a spatula in her hand, about to flip the pancakes, turned to face Ashley.  “I…I love you too, Ash, but…” Spencer dropped her head.  “I…think we need to talk about some things first.”  Spencer flipped the pancakes and put the spatula down.  “Can you pour some juice for the both of us?  Let’s get all of this on the table and then we can sit down to eat and…and we can talk.”

Ashley took the pillow off her head and rolled onto her back.  How she missed Spencer.  The other day, at the Grove, it was Spencer.  She knew it was.  It was Spencer the other times as well.  She just couldn’t tell Kyla; Kyla would just dismiss it.  But Ashley knew better.  Spencer had not returned one phone call, one email, one text since that day in Tokyo.  Ashley sometimes wonders if Spencer had even listened to any of the voicemails or read any of the emails and texts that Ashley had sent. 

Spencer and Ashley sat down on the barstools and they ate for a few minutes before either of them spoke.