course. Is everything alright?” Sara asked.
“I don't know. There's an article about me that doesn't sound too appealing,” she answered, typing ‘Ashley Turner’ into the search engine. This can’t be happening. She clicked on the first result.
There were pictures of her and Sara kissing in the airport in Chicago and Denver. Ashley started reading the article under the pictures. This sports blogger was saying that she was taking Sara's side over Zach Ellis's in her published book because she was romantically involved with the surgeon. They didn’t think that the book could be credible considering her relationship with Sara.
Ashley couldn't believe it. She had to blink two or three times. She knew that she would have to explain this to her parents. They weren’t great with technology but she knew how fast things spread now with social media. Someone was bound to tell them.
What about my career? Is this going to ruin me?
Tears came to her eyes, and she tried to blink them back.
“Shhh.. It's alright,” Sara whispered to her, holding her until she stopped crying.
“I can't believe this is happening,” Ashley said, wiping her eyes.
“It'll be okay,” Sara told her, knowing exactly how it feels to be thrown into the spotlight against your wishes.
No matter what she tried, Ashley couldn't go to the sleep that night. She was tossing and turning so much that she had to get up in the middle of the night to pace the living room. She was afraid of what she’d find when she searched the Internet for her name again tomorrow.
Chapter 18
“Are you okay?” Sara asked Ashley. She ended up falling asleep on the couch at around five in the morning.
“Yeah. I’m sorry I couldn’t stay in bed. I had to come out here last night to just sit and think.”
“I felt really bad when I saw that you weren't in bed,” Sara said, yawning. She went over to the couch and sat down next to Ashley. "You had a rough night last night.” Sara hated bringing up the night before but knew that Ashley would probably want to talk about it.
“I just never expected this. I'm the one who’s supposed to be the writer,” she muttered, leaning back into the couch.
“Maybe you should try to go back to bed,” Sara suggested.
“No, I’m sure that there’ll be plenty of calls to answer today: my family, my boss and probably the media. This time it’s me being harassed but you still have to go through it all over again.” Ashley looked worried. “I’m so sorry.”
“Don't worry. I’m here with you through thick and thin. Nothing is going to make me leave you,” Sara whispered to her, hugging her tightly to her.
“Thank you.” Ashley had tears in her eyes when they pulled away from each other.
****
The morning hours were quiet with no calls from anyone but then right after lunch, the calls started coming in.
Late in the afternoon Dave, her boss at the newspaper, called her.
“Hello,” Ashley answered.
“I’m sure you’ve seen some of the sports blogs this morning. Is it true?” he asked her sternly.
“Not all of it. I didn't put Sara in my book or try to write an article about her because I favored her over Zach Ellis. Everything in the book is factual,” Ashley told him.
“I know that you had a side job with this book. You’re a good journalist but I’m going to have to let you go. You weren’t professional. I can’t have that at my paper,” Dave explained. “I’m sorry.”
“I can’t believe you’re firing me over this.”
“You let your emotions cloud your judgment,” he stated.
She couldn’t handle arguing with him. She knew her article was factual. “I’ll be back on Monday to clear out my office.” She hung up without giving him a chance to respond.
Ashley turned to Sara. “They fired
“I don't know. There's an article about me that doesn't sound too appealing,” she answered, typing ‘Ashley Turner’ into the search engine. This can’t be happening. She clicked on the first result.
There were pictures of her and Sara kissing in the airport in Chicago and Denver. Ashley started reading the article under the pictures. This sports blogger was saying that she was taking Sara's side over Zach Ellis's in her published book because she was romantically involved with the surgeon. They didn’t think that the book could be credible considering her relationship with Sara.
Ashley couldn't believe it. She had to blink two or three times. She knew that she would have to explain this to her parents. They weren’t great with technology but she knew how fast things spread now with social media. Someone was bound to tell them.
What about my career? Is this going to ruin me?
Tears came to her eyes, and she tried to blink them back.
“Shhh.. It's alright,” Sara whispered to her, holding her until she stopped crying.
“I can't believe this is happening,” Ashley said, wiping her eyes.
“It'll be okay,” Sara told her, knowing exactly how it feels to be thrown into the spotlight against your wishes.
No matter what she tried, Ashley couldn't go to the sleep that night. She was tossing and turning so much that she had to get up in the middle of the night to pace the living room. She was afraid of what she’d find when she searched the Internet for her name again tomorrow.
Chapter 18
“Are you okay?” Sara asked Ashley. She ended up falling asleep on the couch at around five in the morning.
“Yeah. I’m sorry I couldn’t stay in bed. I had to come out here last night to just sit and think.”
“I felt really bad when I saw that you weren't in bed,” Sara said, yawning. She went over to the couch and sat down next to Ashley. "You had a rough night last night.” Sara hated bringing up the night before but knew that Ashley would probably want to talk about it.
“I just never expected this. I'm the one who’s supposed to be the writer,” she muttered, leaning back into the couch.
“Maybe you should try to go back to bed,” Sara suggested.
“No, I’m sure that there’ll be plenty of calls to answer today: my family, my boss and probably the media. This time it’s me being harassed but you still have to go through it all over again.” Ashley looked worried. “I’m so sorry.”
“Don't worry. I’m here with you through thick and thin. Nothing is going to make me leave you,” Sara whispered to her, hugging her tightly to her.
“Thank you.” Ashley had tears in her eyes when they pulled away from each other.
****
The morning hours were quiet with no calls from anyone but then right after lunch, the calls started coming in.
Late in the afternoon Dave, her boss at the newspaper, called her.
“Hello,” Ashley answered.
“I’m sure you’ve seen some of the sports blogs this morning. Is it true?” he asked her sternly.
“Not all of it. I didn't put Sara in my book or try to write an article about her because I favored her over Zach Ellis. Everything in the book is factual,” Ashley told him.
“I know that you had a side job with this book. You’re a good journalist but I’m going to have to let you go. You weren’t professional. I can’t have that at my paper,” Dave explained. “I’m sorry.”
“I can’t believe you’re firing me over this.”
“You let your emotions cloud your judgment,” he stated.
She couldn’t handle arguing with him. She knew her article was factual. “I’ll be back on Monday to clear out my office.” She hung up without giving him a chance to respond.
Ashley turned to Sara. “They fired
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