Chapter 44: Club TRIC

The environment was dark, it always was, it seemed to be a standard. A lot had to do with the light show that went along to the music. Maybe it had to do with the atmosphere and keeping people in some form of amenity. It was a good thing, as people were here.

Chase Burke stood leaning on a railing overlooking the main space. From here someone could overlook all the action. The pretty, popular, powerful, and young were on the dance floor. They were trying to forget the bad and paste over it with something. Maybe, that something would only last a few hours. But it would cover over the pain, or the hole deep inside.

"What are you thinking about, Chase?" a voice came from behind her.

Chase turned with a start, "Amy, don't scare me like that," Chase said when she looked at her head bartender.

"Sorry, just reporting we did the first drawer change out," Amy said.

"Good," Chase said, with a nodded. They changed the drawers twice a night to keep the money low in the registers. The rest was counted, logged in, and put into the count out room safe. It would be deposited in the morning.

"So, tell Aunt Amy, what were you thinking about?" Amy asked.

Amy McMichael was one of the longest-serving Scott Family employees. She was also Huck's sister-in-law, her baby brother married Huck's baby sister. Amy was tall, maybe an inch taller than Chase, and blonde which Amy wore short. She had multiple piercings in her ears and face, and tattoos covered her arms.

"Just thinking how early it is and we're already doing good business," Chase said.

"People are here to forget, and have a good time, get away from the depressing weather," Amy said.

"I bet," Chase said.

Amy snorted, "What's really on your mind?" she asked.

Chase shook her head, "Just thinking how I was and maybe deep down still am, just like these people," she said.

"Do you want to hear the shallow or the truthful response?" Amy asked.

"What's the difference?" Chase asked.

"The shallow response is you have a great family, home, and job, with money and you don't have any reason not to be happy," Amy said.

"The truthful one?" Chase asked.

"Maybe you should seek help for your depression, as they can help you help yourself," Amy said.

Chase laughed, "Neither sound too helpful for me, right now," she said, "I was being nostalgic, that's all. Thinking about how I could have turned out. You know it was almost sixteen-years-ago when I first walked through those doors."

"I remember, all New York Chic," Amy said, "and just out of rehab I believe."

Chase nodded, "Everyone seems to remember that one detail. I needed to come here, it changed my world and saved my life," she said.

"Okay?" Amy asked.

"Helped my self-image and I met Huck, who, for whatever reason has been good for me," Chase said.

"You're good for him too," Amy said.

Chase looked down at the railing and saw two spots where the paint was worn down to smooth bare metal. Running her hand over one she wondered how many years it took to get this worn down. Also why they haven't been repainted. "I think people would get nervous if they didn't see someone here watching," Amy said.

"Well people have been doing it since before I worked here," Chase said.

Amy nodded, "Yeah, it's sort of one of TRIC's little traditions," she said.

Chase nodded, "Do you ever feel old?" she asked.

"Looking at how the kids are growing up?" Amy asked.

"Yeah, especially Brett," Chase said.

Amy laughed, "Oh yeah, I look at Whitter and she has this cute grey streak through her brown hair and I remember when we first met," she said.

"I don't think it's the same," Chase said.

"It's not, but to relate Sarah is going to be in middle school, and Shaw is a year behind," Amy said.

Chase smiled, "I forget who carried who?" she asked.

"Whitter carried Sarah, and I carried Shaw," Amy said, "It's funny too, Shaw has the McMichael ginger hair. I didn't know I carried the gene."

Chase nodded, and the darkness hid a bit of a frown. "I love my kids. Too bad PJ isn't in the same class as Sarah," she said.

"It is what it is," Amy said, "I remember Summer Rug Rat Care here, my two, your five, and the terrible three."

Chase laughed, "Another one of those TRIC Traditions," Chase said.

"Yes, it should be an early night tonight, even though most of these people aren't working tomorrow," Amy said.

"Crap, I forgot most schools don't go back until the third," Chase said, "That's going to be a crazy day with a basketball game after."

Amy laughed, "Now you know how Karen and Peyton felt," she said.

"You'll get that knowledge soon enough," Chase said.

Amy sighed, "Ugh! Sarah has to get her girliness from Whitter," she said.

Chase laughed, "I'm trying to figure out where any of my kids get their traits," she said.

Amy smiled and put a hand next to Chase's on the rail. In the dim light, her tattoos were barely visible. Over the years increasingly Amy's arms got tattooed and piercings also followed along. When Chase first met Amy, she was Karen's relief at the small café that used to be below Club TRIC, and she looked button down. Once Karen retired and closed the Café Amy was "hired", really moved to work at Club TRIC. Slowly Amy shed her button-down image and began getting her tattoos and piercings. Which is funny, since her wife Whitter doesn't have any visible tattoos, that Chase knew about, or any piercings other than her ears. Chase smiled.

"Well I'm going to make sure the mice aren't playing," Amy said.

"Okay, I'll be here," Chase said.

"Water, soda, or juice, I'll send it up," Amy said.

"Water, please," Chase said.

"Okay," Amy said and walked away.

Chase leaned forward and rested her hands on the worn places on the rail. After all, why mess with tradition. Chase smiled and went back to watching the crowd.