I will be at Heather’s house after school today. Don’t text me; I’ll come home when I’m ready.”“Well,” Helen said dryly, as she watched ...ois leaving the kitchen. “That went well.”Helen waited for her children to leave for school and for Gary to leave for his office before she went to her bathroom and started to shower in preparation for seeing Jeff that morning. It was when the hot water was flowing through her hair and down her back that she realized how foolish she was being. “If I don’t go. Similar to how someone would talk to a puppy. "Oh, well that's good then." I gave her a few more kisses. "Well I'm gonna go take a shower," she said after we stopped kissing, "wouldn't want to go to work smelling like sex would I?" "No I don't think your boss would appreciate that very much," I said. I gave her one more peck on the lips before we untangled ourselves from each others arms. As she got up and crossed the room I couldn't help but just lay there and watch her. Mom's glossy brown. My mind was too preoccupied with the possible fate of my wife. Gas attack. What does that mean? Like sarin gas? Are people dying in South Hill? I called Ashley a second time. Nothing. What was going on? Was Ashley okay? Shit!I stood up and walked to the bathroom, entered the farthest stall and felt tears running down my face as I hugged myself. Ashley's fine, I kept telling myself. Ashley's fine. Her phone must have died and she hasn't realized it. Ashley's fine. I grabbed my phone, googling. She breathed out hard afterward and said, “WOW! That was stronger, for sure.”I laughed and had to agree with her. “You should go easy on the rest. It does have a kick,” I said as I sipped at my own glass.We sat there for a few minutes silently sipping our drinks.I kept looking at her and admiring her beauty. She looked so grown up all dressed up and sipping Bourbon on the couch. I couldn’t believe how much she reminded me of her mother.Her mother. Oh shit! It was late, and I haven’t even.