Ash

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

The smoothie in my hand is threatening to end my life.

I can't recall the last time I laughed so hard I nearly choked but right now I'm coughing over my Strawberry Mix. He pats my back as I double over the table and I'm still laughing.

"Easy," he says. I force myself to keep a straight face as I gasp for air. "Why would you remind me about that?" I utter between gasps.

"I didn't know you'd laugh so hard you'd almost choke yourself. I really don't want to be charged with your murder."

I lean back and inhale, and there's a smile on his face too.

"Do you remember the look on your face when you saw yourself in the mirror the very first day you got those braces on?"

"It wasn't funny. I looked like a rabbit."

"Exactly why it was funny!" I howl.

"Okay, okay, fine. We've established the fact that I looked horrible with them. Moving on." He rolls his eyes.

"Show me the picture again." I snatch the cell phone from his hand and check. Oh he looked awful.

"Ha ha ha." He feigns anger as I continue to giggle. "You weren't all of that yourself you know."

"At least I never had to wear braces."

"Which baffles me seeing as each time I got a piece of candy you ate it. You always emptied out my Halloween stash in a week."

"Yeah well you were never a big fan of licorice or gummy bears. I saved a lot of innocent candy from going to waste." I sip my drink more carefully and hand him back his phone.

"What makes you think that?"

"You never ate any."

"Because I knew you wanted it. I was always happy to give up my candy to add to yours."

I stare at his expression with the light smile and honest eyes. "You mean you wanted the gummy bears?"

"Which kid doesn't like gummy bears?" he replies.

"But you always gave it all to me."

"Because I liked seeing your face light up more. Whatever it took."

I drop the cup and the smile slides off my face. "Why didn't you ever tell me that or just share the candy with me?"

"Well a half bag of candy would've produced a dimmer smile than a full one. And I knew Aunt Becca never gave you enough for fear of cavities."

"Yes, but by filling in for me you left yourself nothing. What normal seven year old does that?" I'm baffled. He's actually serious.

"I don't know. Who ever remembers why he does things when he was seven? All I remember was this warm feeling in my chest whenever you took the candy and smiled and that's all I wanted."

He sips his pineapple smoothie which he cannot taste and stares at me with this quality in his eyes that's only too familiar to me. He gave up his childhood candy willingly to make me smile. What kind of kid displays that depth selflessness?

"I guess I should say thanks then." I murmur.

"What for? That was ten years ago." He shrugs with a grin. He catches my expression and sets down his cup.

"Don't tell me you're moved by that. Since when are you emotional?" He smirks.

"I'm not. I'm just...thinking." Truth is, I'm a little overwhelmed. I'm remembering the old times, how he always went an extra mile to satisfy me. I knew it then, I just never knew he'd started thinking that way so early.