"Ashley's Breaking Point"

Ashley waited for Avan's response, her eyes searching his face for some sign of understanding, but she was still determined to go through with the abortion. As much as it hurt her to think about it, she knew it was the best decision for her and the kids. She couldn't shake off the feeling of being overwhelmed, and she felt like she was drowning in a sea of responsibilities. Avan took a deep breath and tried to gather his thoughts. "Ashley, I...I don't know what to say. I know you're overwhelmed, and I'm sorry. I want to help, but I don't want you to get an abortion. I want us to have this baby." Ashley's expression didn't change, and she felt a pang of guilt for not being able to share Avan's enthusiasm. She knew he was coming from a good place, but she just couldn't see how they could manage another child. Just then, Alex came running out of his room, his eyes wide with worry. "Mommy!" he cried, his voice shaking. "What's wrong?" He had heard the commotion and had come to see what was happening. Ashley tried to compose herself, but it was too late. Alex had already seen the tears streaming down her face, and he was now stimming, flapping his arms and crying. "Mommy, what's wrong?" he repeated, his voice rising to a wail. Avan quickly knelt down beside Alex and tried to comfort him. "It's okay, buddy. Mommy and I are just having a disagreement. Everything is going to be okay." But Alex was beyond consolation. He was scared and hurt, and he didn't understand what was happening. He continued to cry and stim, and Ashley felt her heart break. She knew she had to make a decision, and she had to do it for her kids' sake. "Avan, I need some space," Ashley said, her voice firm but shaking. "I need to take care of Alex right now." Avan nodded, understanding. "Okay, I'll give you space. But can we talk about this later? Please?" Ashley nodded, feeling a lump form in her throat. She knew she had to talk to Avan about this, but for now, she just needed to focus on her kids. As Avan stood up and gave Ashley a gentle nod, Ashley felt a sense of determination wash over her. She was going to do what was best for her kids, even if it meant making a difficult decision. She was going to book that abortion, no matter how much it hurt.