Damn Good Reasons **DISCONTINUED - SEE NEW VER!**

30 Damaged Goods

I said nothing and stared at the floor. Sometimes saying nothing is best.

I gave Ace some time to cool down before later finding him in the garage, staring under the hood of one of the cars. Not working on it, just staring. Thinking.

"I'm going to check on Natalie tonight," I said, sliding a supportive arm around his waist. "Why don't you come with me to see Eyeball? When was the last time you went out with just the boys?"

"Fucking forever ago."

"Then do it. Take the night off and go out."

"There's too much to do here."

"We'll take care of it. Maybe if you and Eyeball start getting along better again, he'll help you more."

I had to pry the tools out of Ace's hands but finally got him to agree. Eyeball didn't need nearly as much convincing. By the time Ace finished telling him they'd round up the boys and head into Chamberlain, Eyeball was already in the car. He'd been through a lot over the past couple of weeks, and I think he needed a night out more than Ace did.

Natalie and I were happy to have the house to ourselves. Earlier that day, I had bought her some new clothing essentials and finally got to see her eyes light up at the gifts. Light up and then tear up. She can be a real sap. I had already given her a few things of mine to wear before that because Eyeball took the only threads of clothing she'd brought with her and set fire to them using a match and an entire tin of kerosene. It sure was different seeing her dress in normal teenage casuals for once, and I could already see a change in her. She seemed so much more relaxed now. Happy. She smiled more and joked around with me about silly things. Life was much less serious. She still seemed tired though. She had gotten a lot of rest but had only been out for a day, so I wasn't going to push her into anything. I asked her if she wanted me to take her up to the view because she'd never been, but as soon as she said she didn't feel up to it, I let her be. A quiet night in sounded great to me anyway. I baked some mini peanut butter cookies to munch on as we took a sofa each and chatted for a couple of hours.

"Do you want to talk more about me moving out?" I asked her. "You seemed like you didn't like that idea."

"It was unexpected, that's all. It felt a little scary thinking I might be here on my own, but what do I have to be afraid of? I can cook, I can clean, hell – I can do anything."

"Did you just say 'hell'? Natalie, I'm shocked at you!" I laughed.

"I won't tell you how good it felt..." she chuckled, blushing a little. "Freedom is a hard feeling to get used to. I keep listening out for a knock on the door, expecting my father to come for me."

"Do you think he would?"

"No. I have been disowned. I doubt I shall ever see my parents again. And I don't miss them, Cassie. For the first time in my life, I'm looking forward to the future."

"And... do you think that future might be with Eyeball?"

Her eyes were wide and shining as she thought about that for a moment. I had to snap her out of it. "Perhaps," she grinned, and I noticed a tinge of a pink in her cheeks.

Headlights suddenly lit up the windows and one rowdy V8 after the other roared up the driveway and parked outside. They had left taking only Ace's '49, but I swore that four or five cars had just rolled up.

"Sounds like the boys are back," I said.

And they were. All six of them plus a bunch I didn't know including a couple of girls. Ace walked in first and winked at me with a subtle grin, and I returned it, pleased to see that he was in a good mood. The rest of the raving, amped-up cluster busted through the front door after him and swarmed through my little house like someone had taken the lid off a container of wasps. The radio was cranked up, and we soon had people at the breakfast bar, out on the back porch and loitering anywhere else there was space. Natalie and I glanced at each other and sighed, equally disappointed that our peace had been disturbed.