Ashley Cooper's Arc

Chapter 21 of 37

The next afternoon Mike came back to the Cooper house. Ashley owed him for saving her life. Words felt too small. He had risked everything for a girl who once ignored people. She wanted to show him she had truly changed, not just say it. But every thank-you sounded flat in her head. Mike had already told her he doubted she was worth the trouble. Empty apologies wouldn't fix that. He stood in the doorway, hands in his pockets. His red jersey still smelled like the gym. "I just came to check you were okay," he said. He wouldn't look at her long. That hurt more than yelling. Ashley led him to the living room couch. She decided talking wouldn't work. So she showed him instead. She sat close and took his hand with her bone fingers. "You didn't run," she said. "Nobody ever stayed for me like that." Then she kissed him. Mike froze, then kissed her back. His mustache scratched her cheek. For once Ashley didn't hide her arm or shrink away. She let him hold it. This was her proof. Not a speech. Just her, all of her, choosing him with nothing left to hide. They stayed on the couch a long time. Ashley felt the weeks of fighting melt off her shoulders. Mike pulled back once and looked at her arm, the white bones against his brown hand. He didn't flinch. "You really did change," he said. "I kept waiting to be wrong about you." Then the front door opened. Danny Cooper walked in early. He held his briefcase and his keys. He stopped cold when he saw them tangled on the couch. His mouth opened. His briefcase hit the floor. Ashley shot upright. Mike scrambled to his feet, red-faced. Danny's eyes went from his daughter to the basketball player who had once kissed his wife in this exact room. "You," Danny said. His voice shook. "In my house. Again." "Dad, it's not—" Ashley started. "He kissed your mother right there." Danny pointed at the couch. "You know that. And now you bring him back?" Mike grabbed his shoes. "Mr. Cooper, I'm sorry. I should go." He hurried past Danny and out the door. The screen banged behind him. Ashley stood alone with her father. Her lips still burned from the kiss. For one bright minute she'd had Mike back. Now her dad stared at her like she'd betrayed him too. "He saved my life last night," Ashley said quietly. "Peggy sent someone with a knife. Mike stopped it." Danny's face didn't soften. "Then thank him and let him leave. That boy hurt this family." He picked up his briefcase and walked upstairs. Ashley sat back down on the empty couch. She had finally proved she'd changed. Mike had seen it. But now her father stood between them. The one person left in her corner had just drawn a line she'd have to cross.