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A Tale of Two Bruises

Veronica’s phone began to ring. She was so startled that she lurched forward and delivered a crushing head butt.

“Bryce? Bryce, are you okay?” He heard her say.

“I think so. Maybe some ice.”

“Oh my. Your head.”

He felt his forehead and winced as he found the bruise. “Yours, too.”

“What? Oh, no!” She dashed off to the ladies’ room.

Detective Masi returned to the table and called out to the waitress, “Can we get some ice for Mr. Wescott here? Meirhe, please check on Ms. Montes.”

“En I said I would no be followin’ her in the bathroom…” Meirhe said as she went to look in on Veronica.

“Bryce, how many fingers am I holding up?” The detective asked.

“Looks like two. Am I bleeding?”

“No, but you’re working up a serious welt there.” She reached out for the bag of ice the waitress had. “Here, put this on your head. I’m going to give you a ride home. If you feel like you’re going to be sick, I’ll get you an ambulance.”

“No, I should be alright.” Bryce put the ice on his head.

“You keep that on your head a moment. I’m going to eat this and we’ll get going. Alright?”

“Yeah.”

“What the heck happened?”

“I thought she was going to kiss me and then…”

“Gotta hate when that happens.” She said as she dug into her spanakopita. “Oh, this is good. This is really good.”

“Yes, the place is top notch. How is Veronica doing?”

“Meirhe’s checking on her now. Is the ice helping?”

“I’m feeling better.”

“Good. Thanks, again, for that file.”

“Sure. Glad it was helpful.”

“How long have you two been together?”

“I don’t know that we technically are. We met at a Christmas party. She wasn’t really into me but we ran into each other on the train back from JFK. That’s the day when the first bag dropped.”

“What were you doing at JFK?”

“Dropping my friend off for his flight home. We were having a really nice time today but then the second bag dropped.”

“You might not be seeing very much of her until we get this guy.”

“Well, that’s what Christmas cards are for, I guess.”

The detective smiled at that. “Well, I’d better get you home. Honey, can I get my check, please?”

“I’d like to say goodbye to Veronica before we go.”

“Veronica? Are ye doin’ okay?” Meirhe poked her head in the bathroom door.

“I’m alright. I’m just embarrassed.”

“How’s yer head? Let me see.”

Veronica turned toward her, revealing a deep purple bruise tinged with red. Meirhe created an ice pack and handed it to the young woman. “Place that on yer head a while.”

“I’ve ruined it.”

“Tis a minor bruise. Ye should be alright.”

“Not that. This.”

“What?”

“This thing with Bryce.”

“I’m no expert at romance, I’m afraid.”

“That’s both of us, then.”

“Have ye been courtin’ a long time?”

“Courting? No, we barely know each other. Besides, he’s too short.”

“Then why bother?”

“What?”

“If ye dislike him fer his height, what does it matter if it’s ruined?”

“Well, there’s more to it than just his height.”

“Such as?”

“He’s so nice.”

“Lots o’ nice tall men in Empire City.”

“But he’s smart, too, and artistic.”

“Yer confusin’ me.” Meirhe frowned sternly. “D’ye like him er no?”

“Well, of course I do. We were having such a good day and he saved my life again.”

“Again? He saved yer life more than once?”

“Yes, he saw the shadow when the first bag was falling and pulled me out of the way.”

“Pulled you? That seems unlikely.”

“What? Why?”

“Ye said he’s too short.”

“Well, he did. Pulled me right out from under it. I’d have been dead if it weren’t for Bryce.”

“Is that why ye like him?”

“I like him because he’s nice and smart and creative and sweet.”

“But ye dislike him because he’s short en he saved yer life.”

“Why would I dislike him for saving my life?”

“Twice.”

“Meirhe, what the heck?”

“I’ve only been on yer world a short time. Yer ways confuse me sometimes. Ye could help by explainin’ te me.”

“I don’t even know myself. I like him. I really do, but he’s so darned short.”

“En that matters very much te ye?”

“I don’t know if it does or not. We had such a nice day today.”

“When did ye not?”

“We met at a Christmas party. I was wearing heels.”

“Ye had te be nearly as tall as Golden Gal in yer heels.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“As ye wish. What happened at this Christmas party te ire ye so?”

“I was walking to the bathroom and suddenly I feel something right here.”

“Yer, what does Matthew call it? Yer Solar Plexus? What was it?”

“Bryce’s nose.”

Meirhe slapped her hand over her mouth and struggled to stifle the laughter that was dying to erupt.

“So, yeah, he didn’t make a good first impression. Half the people at the party practically begged me to get to know him. He wasn’t really what I was looking for.”

Meirhe’s expression softened. “But it turns out he’s exactly what ye were hopin’ fer?”

“Exactly.”

“How is yer head doin’?”

Veronica pulled the ice pack off to show Meirhe.

“Tis better but yer goin’ te have a bruise fer some time te come.”

“That’s just awful. I have a bunch of auditions coming up.”

“Auditions?”

“For dance companies and musical casts.”

“Ye should be able te disguise it with cosmetics.”

“This is just horrible.”

“Should have seen me after the Conclave tried te assassinate us. That was a welt that took its time goin’ away.”

“What am I going to do, Meirhe?”

“Yer goin’ te say farewell te yer friend en I’ll take ye home.”

“Do you think he’s even still out there?”

“Unless he left in an ambulance, I suspect he’s waitin’ te see ye off. Why did ye crown him like that?”

“We were about to kiss and the phone rang and startled me.”

“So, he’s not too short te kiss?”

“Not if we’re sitting down, anyway.”

“Come along.” Meirhe grabbed her by the arm and led her out of the bathroom.