"Changes on the Horizon"

As Ashley walked towards Avan's home, the warm California evening casting a golden glow over the sidewalk, she answered the phone, her manager's voice on the other end. "Hey, Ashley, it's Mike. I hope I'm not interrupting anything," he said, his tone professional but with a hint of excitement. Ashley glanced at Avan, who was walking beside her, his hand casually slung over her shoulder. "Not at all, Mike. I'm on my way to Avan's place right now. What's up?" she asked, trying to sound casual despite the fact that her manager rarely called her unless it was something important. "I've got some news about the upcoming tour," Mike began, launching into a detailed explanation of the schedule and the venues. Ashley listened intently, her mind racing with the logistics of the tour and how it would affect her personal life. She had been putting off discussing the tour with Avan, knowing that it would mean spending long periods of time apart. As they approached Avan's house, Ashley could feel his eyes on her, sensing that something was off. She tried to brush it off, focusing on the conversation with Mike. But her mind kept wandering back to the tour and how it would impact her relationship with Avan and her son, Ender. "I've also been talking to the record label about some new music projects," Mike continued, his voice filled with enthusiasm. "They're interested in exploring a new sound, something that pushes the boundaries of your current style." Ashley's curiosity was piqued. She had been feeling creatively restless lately, and the idea of exploring a new sound was both exciting and intimidating. "Tell me more," she said, her interest piqued. As Mike launched into a detailed explanation of the label's vision, Ashley's mind began to wander. She thought about her past experiences, the struggles she had faced, and the music that had inspired her. She thought about Ender, and how she wanted to create music that he could be proud of. Avan squeezed her shoulder, and Ashley turned to him, her eyes locking onto his. "What's going on?" he mouthed, his brow furrowed with concern. Ashley just shook her head, trying to convey that it was a work thing. But as she turned back to Mike, she couldn't shake off the feeling that her life was about to change in ways she couldn't even imagine. "I think we should discuss this in person," Mike said, breaking into her thoughts. "Can you come to the office tomorrow and we can go over everything in more detail?" Ashley nodded, even though Mike couldn't see her. "Yeah, that sounds good. I'll be there tomorrow." As she hung up the phone, Avan turned to her, his eyes searching. "Everything okay?" he asked, his voice low and soothing. Ashley took a deep breath, trying to process everything that Mike had just told her. "The tour is moving forward, and the label wants to explore a new sound," she said, trying to summarize. Avan nodded, his expression thoughtful. "We'll figure it out together," he said, pulling her close. As they walked up to Avan's front door, Ashley couldn't shake off the feeling that changes were indeed on the horizon. And she wasn't sure if she was ready for what was coming.