Chloe waved her hand casually and said, "Alright, alright. Am I really that kind of person? I don't pay attention to those things."
Ashley gave her a soft smile as a response, knowing fully well that her friend never cared so much about trivial things.
Chloe lived a carefree life and was a happy-go-lucky type of girl. And Ashley had been jealous of how she was always free from worry.
Perhaps it was because Chloe was so optimistic about everything that she would not let anything, not even a single problem, affect her mood.
Glancing at her watch, Ashley remembered that it was time to make dinner. It was nearly six o'clock.
"Why don't you have dinner here before you go?" she asked. Chloe's eyes lit up at the sudden question.
Chloe gave a sharp nod and answered, "Of course! I carried so much stuff today. Now I am exhausted, and I can barely lift my feet and take a step."
Wearing a soft smile, Ashley just shook her head at her friend's exaggeration. She rolled up her sleeves and marched to the kitchen to commence the dinner preparation.
Behind her were Richard and Chloe, who followed closely with smiles etched on their faces.
As soon as Ashley entered the kitchen, she turned around and discovered the two tailing her with playful looks on their faces. 'They seem to be really getting along, ' she silently thought, looking at Chloe and Richard, whose hands were clasped together.
Ever since Chloe had tasted Ashley's cooking, her palate was never the same. It was like a new door leading to another world had opened for her.
Ashley had the hands of a divine chef, and any man would be lucky to be married to her.
Chloe believed a woman like Ashley could marry a man who would love her with all his heart.
As she mulled over these thoughts, her eyes couldn't help resting on Ashley's belly. 'Who is the father of this child?' she wondered. Ashley had kept mum about it. Knowing that she was not ready to share such information, Chloe was in no position to force her.
They may be very close friends, but Chloe never had the guts to ask about it. Her hunch, though, was that the backstory would be a painful one.
Besides, triggering Ashley's tears in the middle of her maternity would not be an ideal
she walked in.
Chloe stood still, hands up in the air while looking at the broken bowls in bewilderment.
She felt a little embarrassed seeing Ashley standing by the kitchen door with her hands on her waist, obviously not happy at the sight of her smashed kitchen utensils.
"Ashley, I don't know why it fell. It just slipped out of my hands!" Chloe's voice was defensive but still honest.
Although Ashley wanted to pretend to be mad, she couldn't help smiling, seeing how flustered her friend was. So, with a soft chuckle, she said, "Just let it be. Don't worry, I'll clean up here."
Chloe immediately shook her head and uttered, "No! Let me help you. Besides, you are pregnant. I can't let you do these things by yourself."
Knowing how stubborn Chloe could be, Ashley didn't waste more time to argue and force her out of the kitchen.
So, without saying anything, she just walked towards a corner of the kitchen, carefully avoiding the mess on the floor.
Grabbing the broomstick, she slowly swept the debris while Chloe silently watched her, confused if she should be the one doing it or not.
After cleaning up all the mess, Ashley swiftly moved towards the sink and took over washing the dishes.
Seeing how Ashley skillfully held the bowls while scrubbing them with foamy suds, Chloe felt utterly puzzled. She held them just like Ashley did, but why did the plates and bowls seem to have taken root on the latter's hands while they slipped like oil and jelly from hers?!