Page 38 of Crash and Burn

I started laughing because I knew she was doing it because I told her how much I don’t like Sheila’s coffee. Amelia glared at me, so I leaned back and put my hands up.

Sheila chimed in, “Don’t trouble yourself, honey, I can get it.”

“No, really, I want to grab a couple of things from the back, plus you have people waiting up front. It’ll take me two seconds.”

Sheila shrugged and said, “Suit yourself,” then glided over to the next table to wait on an old couple. I mouthed a silentthank youto Amelia. In return, she mouthedyou’re welcome, then took off behind the counter, to the kitchen.

I scrolled through design notes on my phone while waiting for Amelia to come back with our coffee when I heard glass break. I picked my head up to see what happened.

When I looked toward the kitchen, I saw Amelia standing there… frozen.What the hell is she looking at?I scanned the counter and saw a guy, about my size, with dirty blonde hair smiling at Amelia.Fucking sonofabitch…is that the motherfucker?I hopped up and over to the counter to grab Amelia.

“Amelia, what happened?”

She wasn’t moving, so I stepped in front of her, blocking her view of the guy. “Amelia! Look at me. Use your words.” I said in a low voice.

“Hudson…” she whispered.

“What is it? Who is that? Tell me what you need.”

Before she could answer, the guy spoke up.

“Hey beautiful, long time no see.”

I turned around, looked at him and looked back at Amelia. She was shaking. I grabbed her shoulders.

“Am, tell me what to do.”

Her eyes go from him back to me and she whispered, “My ex…”

I fuckin’ knew it.I turned around, fucking enraged, remembering Amelia’s pain when she had told me about the fireplace incident and contemplated dragging the piece of shit into the street and chest-high stomping the shit-eating grin he was wearing into the fucking sewer drain by the curb. The thought of Amelia being traumatized by the sight of it stopped me. She didn’t need that, so I calmed down just enough not to do it and said, “Hey, asshole, you need to leave,” hoping the edge in my voice was enough for him to smarten up.

He laughed, like the little prick that he was. I wasn’t surprised.

“Do I need to say it louder? Or do you like to throw hands? I think you do.”

He shook his head, taking a step closer and said, “I’m just here to see my girlfriend.”

“I pointed to his hand. Your palm’s right there, stupid.”

His smile faded. Good.

He looked at Amelia, and begged, “Amy, c’mon on. Don’t be like that.”Amy? This fuckin’ guy.

“Don’t call me that!” Amelia spoke up, making me turn my head towards her. She took a step back. I realized she must have moved closer to me while I was talking.

I’m done with this asshole. I said, “You can leave, or the cops can play catch up while I drag you the fuck out of here myself.”

Donnie, who’s not small by any measure, stepped from the kitchen with a meat cleaver in his hand, stared at shit-brick and asked, “Everything ok, Amelia?” The two of us standing together was enough to make the idiot put his hands up in a surrender motion.

“Look, I don’t want any trouble. Amy, you and I need to talk, but I see now isn’t a good time. Don’t worry, we’ll catch up.”

“Like fuck you will,” I warned him. I took a step forward and Donnie grabbed my shoulder. Jackass flashed his shit-eating grin again, turned, and left. I spun around and went back to Amelia.

“Are you ok?”

She let out a breath she must’ve been holding the entire time. And then, she passed out and fell into my arms. Everything felt like it was moving in slow motion.Fuck!!

I gave Amelia a gentle shake, trying to wake her up. “It’s alright now, Amelia, wake up. Everything’s fine.” After a few seconds, she came to, but looked drained. “Are you ok?” I asked.

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