Chapter 11: Tell Me The Truth

John spoke up. "Damn Tico, your own cousin made a move on your girl, man? I'd kick his ass, all the way out of my family."

Yep he did. But he soon saw the error of his ways, when I busted his jaw." Tico laughed.

"Well he deserved it, man." Richie chuckled.

"I would have half killed him." John added.

"It turned out I couldn't trust her after all. She was running around behind my back with a  bartender at the Stone Pony."

"What did you do?" John questioned.

I let him have her. I ain't in to sloppy seconds." 

"Me either." John replied.

"It's not my thing either." Richie agreed.

Ashley was at home watching tv when her doorbell rang. She pulled it open and Stacey was standing there.

"I expected a call from you this morning." Stacey blurted out.

"I haven't been up very long."

"Damn it girl, spill it. I want all the details. What happened on your date?"

"The wedding was beautiful. Richie was the perfect date and I had a great time."

"How awkward was it? Johnny being there with Dorothea? Was he jealous of you being  there with Richie?"

"It was very awkward. I don't know if he was jealous, but I was, when I saw him with her. He looked so smoking hot in his blue suit. We were all out on the dance floor and she kissed him right in front of me."

"Damn Ash.  Do you think, she knows about y'all."

"There's not anything to know. We shared one kiss, that probably didn't really mean anything to him."

"So you're moving on and not waiting for him?"

"I'm not trying to get with anyone right now. You know that. But I did meet this really hot guy at this club Richie took me to. He asked me for my phone number."

"Good, maybe he will ask you out. Who is he and what club did he take you too?"

"Billy something, they called him Ace. We went to Limelight."

"I don't know anyone named Billy or Ace. Oh my God, I can't believe he took you there! That place is sketchy. I hear sometimes they slip drugs in your drink!"

"No it was fine. I had a few drinks, I don't think there was anything in them." Her eyes got big thinking about it. Richie did tell me to stay close by him."

"Really and just how close were you? Huh?" Stacey grinned.

"Close enough to see, Richie is dang near perfect."

"Well go for it! Y'all would be the perfect couple."

"Richie is just my friend, miss matchmaker."

"Well your friend is super hot and he would be the perfect guy for you to finally lose your pesty old virginity too!" She giggled.

"Oh shut up!" She giggled. "But I did tell him about that."

"Oh my God, you told Richie you're still a virgin!"

"Yeah, I had a little to much champagne and you know it becomes truth serum at some point."

"How did he take it?" Stacey laughed.

"He said it blew his mind. But once he got used to it, he didn't act like it was a big deal."

"Of course not. Guys love to pop those cherries."

"Oh my God do people really call it that? That's so gross."

"Yep they do. I don't understand why you never did it with Jake. Y'all were together for a while."

"The same reason I wouldn't do it with Bret, it never felt completely right to me. I want it to be perfect. The right guy, the perfect place, and I want to be totally in love. I don't think, I've ever felt that way before."

"I guess I understand. You always have been a hopelessly romantic person.  But you are missing out on some totally fine guys that you could be having sex with."

"I don't think so. I want more than just sex or I would have done it with Bret before he left."

"Speaking of Bret, I met Dalton up at the Fast Lane last night and Bret was with a girl, some blonde. They were all over each other."

"Okay, so?"

"So it seemed more than his usual one night stand."

"Was she pretty?"

"Yeah she was. Now go ahead and ask, what you really want to know?"

"Was she prettier than me?"

"Hell no Ash, but she was very pretty and she seemed nice."

"Well good for him."

"You don't mean that."

"Yeah I do. I can't be with him and I can't expect him to pine away, waiting for me."

"How long do you plan on running every hot guy out of your life."

"I don't know. Only one guy makes me feel like he might be the one. And he scares me the most!"

"God for your sake, I hope it ain't who I think it is. He's going to break your heart, honey."

"No chance of that. I told him to leave me alone and work things out with Dorothea."

"Well it's for the best. I'm meeting Dalton at the Fast Lane tonight. Do you want to tag along with me?"

She smiled. "Nope I'm headed back to Limelight with Richie tonight."

"A second date with Richie, yay! Please give him a chance. He may not be as pushy as Johnny but you have to admit he is just as gorgeous."

"Richie is perfect and I felt so comfortable with him, like I could tell him anything."

"Well dumbass why can't he be your boyfriend, then?"

"He's my friend, I just don't feel any sparks there."

"And with Johnny you feel it?"

"Explosions!" She giggled.

"But you told him to work it out with his girlfriend."

Ashley's mood was growing sad and dark and she teared up just a little. "I just want him to be with someone that makes him happy."

"Ashley damn it! You love him, don't you?" 

Stacey hollered in her accusatory tone.

"I can't, I don't think I'm capable of loving anybody, right now." She wiped the corner of her eyes with her fingers.

"Is it because of what happened with Jake? Just because he cheated, doesn't mean every guy will."

"No it's not just that. You didn't  know how Jake really was. How he really was with me."

Stacey grabbed her by arms. "Ashley sit right down on this couch and tell me what Jake did that was so bad to you!"

"I can't." She turned away.

"Ashley I'm your cousin, I love you and there is nothing you could tell me to make me feel any different. Please tell me the truth."

"Okay, he had a really bad temper. He was really jealous of any guy I would talk to, or any guy that would look at me."

"Oh I remember that. He used to beat any guy's ass that messed with you."

"Stacey." She looked up with so much hurt in her eyes. "He hurt me too."

"Oh my God! What are you saying? He hit you? Why didn't you tell me! Oh my God your black eye, you said you got hit with a softball at practice!"

"He was jealous because an old boyfriend hugged me at Angie Baker's beach party. He hit me in the face on the ride home. He tried to crash his car into another car. I thought he was going to kill us both! He told me how sorry he was, when we got to my house. I was so embarrassed. I didn't want anybody to know. I just told everyone I got hit in the eye at softball practice."

"What about when you sprained your wrist? You said you fell on it at cheerleading."

"He grabbed it and almost broke it at the Fiesta club when some older guy asked me to dance with him. He twisted it so hard behind my back, I thought it was going to snap!"

"That fucking bastard he needs his ass kicked!" You need to tell your Dad and your brother." Hell, Ricky is there! He would go kick his ass for you!"

" I don't need my brother getting in anymore trouble! You can't tell anybody! That's why I never told you! I don't want anybody to know! I'd be really embarrassed! Please Stacey promise me you won't say anything to anybody!"

"Okay, I promise. God Ashley, I can't believe this was happening to you and we didn't know. Why didn't you leave him?"

"He told me it was my fault. My skirt was too short or I was flirting with whatever guy he was jealous of. I thought maybe it was true. Maybe it was my fault he got so mad."

"How many times did he hurt you Ashley?"

Her tears well welling up. "I don't want to even think about it Stacey."

Stacey's eyes got really big. "Wait! Oh my God! You didn't trip down those stairs at his house! Did you?"

Ashley had tears rolling down her face. "No. I found him with Megan and I ran and he chased me and grabbed me at the top of the stairs! I hit him, just to get him to let me go! He rared back and hit me so hard I tumbled all the way to the bottom of that long wooden staircase!"

"Lock his fucking ass up, Ashley! You could have died! All those injuries you had was because of that bastard! Your broken arm and ribs, the concussion! That big damn gash in your head! All the scars you will have the rest of your life!"

"I can't! I can't go through that! Please don't say anything!" Don't get my Dad or Ricky involved! They'll hurt him or worse and I don't want them to go to jail! Please promise me Stacey, you can't say anything!"

"Okay, I promise. Damn you should have told me! I kept telling you to get back with that asshole!"

"I know, that's why I told you I could never get back with him. It's why I moved here to get away from him." She was sobbing. He threatened me right before I left. He said he was tired of waiting for me to decide to have sex with him. The next time we were alone he was going to take it."

"Oh my God! He threatened to rape you! Please honey tell somebody!"

"No I can't, I really couldn't take everyone knowing and looking at me differently! I'd rather be dead!" She screamed.

"Don't say that!" Stacey put her arms around her. "I promise you, Jake Miller will never hurt you again."

Ashley pulled back. "I'm okay, I unloaded a lot of this on poor Richie last night. He was a great sport about it. I know I talked his ear off."

"I'm sure he didn't mind. Please don't keep things from me, Ash. I can't help you if you won't talk to me."

"Okay, I promise."

"Well I need to get back across the road and finish up some laundry and get ready to meet Dalton. Are you sure you are okay?"

"I'm fine. A good cry is good every once in a while."

You be careful at that club and stay close  by Richie. It's a rough place over there."

"I will, I'll call you tomorrow and let you know I made it home safe."

"Bye." Stacey walked out and shut the door and Ashley's phone started ringing.

"Hello."

"Is Ashley there?"

"This is Ashley."

"Hey baby, it's Ace."

Ashley started to smile. "Hey Ace."

"Are you coming back to the club with Richie tonight? I was hoping to see you again."

"Yeah I am."

"Good I'm looking forward to it. I can't wait to see you."

"I'd like to see you again too."

"I need to go, but I'll see you tonight, beautiful.

"Okay, bye Ace."

"Bye Ashley."

"What time are you heading to Limelight?" John asked Richie.

"I've got to call Ashley, and see when she'll be ready. You're going right?"

"Yeah, I'm going. I need to go talk to Dot, but I guess it can wait.

Richie picked up the phone and started dialing.

"Wait, you're calling her now?"

"Yeah, why what's wrong with you?"

"I don't know, it's that girl. She's driving me crazy. I can't get her out of my damn head." John chuckled.

"Well just talk to her."

"Shit Richie, I don't know what to say. She's probably still pissed about me bringing Dot to the wedding yesterday. She ain't going to talk to me."

Richie started dialing.

"Hello." Ashley's voice flooded the room through the speakerphone.

"Hey darlin, it's Richie."

"Hey Richie."

"Will you be ready about six, for me to pick you up?"

"Sure I will be."

John was standing next to Richie listening to Ashley's voice.

"Johnny's here, you want to speak to him?"

John was hoping she would say yes, but expecting her to say no.

"Yeah I do."

Richie started smiling.

John was grinning. "Hello."

"Hey John."

"Hey baby, What are you doing?"

"Nothing really, I got up late and just been hanging around the house."

"That's cool. I've been thinking about you."

"You have."

"Yep, all day. You looked so hot in that blue dress yesterday. Almost as hot as me in my blue suit." He laughed nervously.

"You did look hot in that suit." She smiled, just listening to him laugh through her speakerphone.

"We look so good together, like we were made for each other." He added.

She got really quiet, he wasn't sure why.

"You okay baby?"

"Yeah, I'm good."

"I guess I'll let you go, but I'll see you tonight." 

"You're going to Limelight with us?" She asked hopeful that's what he meant.

"Yeah and David's going too. But it's not a good place for you to be, Ash. There's a lot of crazy shit goes down there. It's full of weirdos and freaks!" He laughed.

"I'm a big girl John, I can handle myself."

"Just make sure you stay by one of us, okay? Preferably me."

"Okay Daddy." She giggled.

"Well actually, I like the sound of that. We'll resume this later. Bye baby."

"Bye John."

John hung up the speakerphone.

I'm going home to get ready. Don't leave without me." John looked at Richie.

"Okay, I'll stop by your house when I pick her up."

"And me, don't forget me!" David hollered."

Tico spoke up. "I might stop by, but I'll drive my own car." 

John walked out and got in his Mustang and drove home.