Damn Good Reasons (Ace Merrill | Chris Chambers) [2023 REWRITE]

5 Just Desserts

Daylight seemed to dim as I stood in our tiny bathroom with the sound of my heart rhythmically pounding in my ears, blotting out the world. Cold tap water soothed my cheeks, but I couldn't wash away his presence that clung to me like a second skin. That faint aroma of whiskey lingered. My neck still prickled where his stubble had softly brushed against it.

"My God, Cassie, what's the matter with you?"

The girl in the mirror had a greenish hue to her pale complexion, and her hazel eyes looked lost amongst the hair that hung messily around her face. Those eyes weren't mine - they were hers. I wondered: who is she, really? Or rather... who was she?

The back door slammed, snapping me out of my trance.

"She's not out there," Patty called.

"I'm in here!" I quickly wiped my face and threw my hair up into a pony before rushing out of the bathroom and into the diner.

"She's not anywhere!" Patty's voice trembled - she was freaking out.

"I'm right here..."

"Oh, Cassie!" She flung her arms around me, crushing my ribs. "Don't you do that to me!"

"I'm fine." I struggled out of her deceivingly lithe arms like an animal fearing for its survival.

Chris stood on the customer's side of the counter, his white T-shirt still dusty, watching us with an awkward smile.

"Are you OK?" I asked him.

"Sure. Eyeball wouldn't let me go back, so I came through here to-"

By now, I had shot over to his side of the counter and was inspecting him like a sleuth on a crime scene. His cheek was grazed and had a light bruise to it, but the redness across his throat was so faint you could hardly notice it. You would have never guessed he'd almost been strangled to death.

"I'll get you a drink. Actually, how about that milkshake? It's on me, by the way." Without waiting for an answer, I assumed my position behind the counter and started scooping vanilla ice-cream into the big glass pitcher for our blender.

Patty cleared her throat, and I stopped mid-scoop, giving her the side-eye. The soft padding of her shoe tapped the vinyl. One eyebrow was pinned up and stayed there. It just wouldn't come down again. "Can I have a word with you?"

I rolled my eyes. Another lecture.

"I'll be right back," I told Chris before following Patty out back.

"Are you forgettin' what I said?" she whispered at me in our little huddle.

To be honest, her opinion didn't have much weight to it at that point. I had just witnessed a horrific act of violence - a kid getting hurt like that. I felt a strong need to fuss over him. It was like my natural motherly instincts had kicked in or something.

"You helped the boy out. Ain't that enough?"

"No, Patty. It's not enough. Those guys really roughed him up."

"He's not your responsibility!"

"No, he is my responsibility. Well, I at least need to know he'll be OK when he walks out of here today. If anything happens to him-" My voice cracked, and I could feel my eyes welling up before I even knew what was happening. I could see Ace's hands holding that T-shirt across Chris's throat so vividly that...

Sorry, I can't.

"I don't see anyone else standing up to watch out for him," I said, wiping my eyes on my apron.

"Oh, I know what's goin' on," Patty smiled. "This is hormones. I been tellin' you it's time for you to settle down and-"

"It's not...! Hormones..." I said, lowering my voice.