Chapter 6
CHAPTER SIX
LEXI
NOW
T he day of Dad’s funeral came around faster than I wanted it to, not that I wanted it to come at all. I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to my dad for the final time and I wished I could have put this off just one more day. However, if I did then I would just be saying the same thing tomorrow. It took me three attempts to put my makeup on because each time tears falling from my eyes ruined it. I was just about to try again when I heard a car horn from outside.
I looked out my bedroom window and saw the black hearse parked outside my house. Leanne had offered to drive with me behind the hearse on the way to the funeral because she didn’t want me to be on my own, which I was very thankful for because I didn’t know if I would have been able to drive myself there.
I slid on the pair of black heels I had laid out the night before and looked in the mirror before walking downstairs. I looked at the black dress that I bought in town yesterday and ran my hands over the linen to try and flatten out the last few wrinkles. I grabbed my house keys, phone and sunglasses from the hallway table and was greeted by Leanne waiting on the front porch.
* * *
A s we were driving down the main road, I found myself staring out the car window wondering if my dad would be happy with having a small funeral. When I was younger, I joined him at some of the Vipers’ funerals. They always planned a special ride along and a beautiful ceremony and he would always say how there was something so special about a Viper farewell.
As I was thinking of the past memories of my dad, I heard the sound of a motorcycle. I thought I must have been imagining it until I saw two bikes ride past our car.
There was one on each side of us and then they both pulled in front of the hearse in front. The bike on the left was the older style Harley with high handlebars and the one to the right was the newest model. I didn’t need to see their faces to know it was Ryan and Preston Blake. The sound of the engines got even louder and I turned around to see about twenty more bikes driving behind us, all with their riders wearing the infamous leather cuts with the red Viper on the back. I smiled at the sight of the bikes because I knew how much my dad would have loved that they were all here to say goodbye to him in true Viper style.
Leanne and the Vipers followed the hearse the whole way to Haven Cove Cemetery, they all lined the side of the road where the funeral was going to be held. I looked out my window and noticed the funeral director had already set up a few seats around where my dad would be buried, but now there were a lot more than the five people I originally said would be coming. Before I could reach down and open my own car door, it was already being pulled open by a familiar Viper. Harry, also known as Haz, held out his hand for me to help me out of the car.
“Hey Haz,” I said softly. I’d known Haz since I was twenty, which was when Jay joined the Vipers and Haz quickly became one of his best friends.
“Hey Lex. I’m sorry about your dad.” He pulled me into a soft hug and walked with me up towards where the funeral would be held.
Most of the Vipers who rode behind us were already standing around the empty hole in the ground and Leanne and her husband sat on two of the five seats. Each Viper gave me a sad smile as I walked over to the seats and Haz stood right behind me. I followed the eyesight of the other Vipers as six men carried my father’s casket up the small grass hill. I recognized all of the men: two of the older men who have been a part of the Vipers since I was a young child, the other two were around my brother’s age and were a part of the club at the same time and right at the front, leading the way, was the Blake men. Preston was on the furthest side away from me but Ryan stood closest to me. He was wearing an all-black button up shirt under his Viper cut and his black sunglasses were covering his eyes but his messy brown hair was falling in his face just like it always used to.
After they lowered the casket into the correct spot, the men all walked away to stand with their club. Ryan turned to me and reached into his shirt pocket to pull out a single white rose. He held it out for me to take from him and then walked over to the other side of the casket to stand with his dad.
* * *
T he funeral was beautiful, Preston and Billy had wonderful speeches prepared that brought everyone to tears and each time I raised my hand to wipe a tear from my cheek, Haz would put a comforting hand on my shoulder from behind. I was really thankful to have this family here. Even though I thought I wanted something small, I just knew my dad would have loved this goodbye. After the funeral was finished and the coffin was lowered into the ground, I stayed sitting in my seat. All the other guests were starting to leave, however, I couldn’t bring myself to go just yet.
“Miss Davis, this is for you.” I looked to my left as the funeral director sat on the seat beside me. He held a white envelope in his hands. I took the envelope from him and inside was the check I had written to pay the cost of the funeral.
“I don’t understand. Was there an issue with the check?”
“The funeral has already been covered. Mr Blake wanted it to be a surprise.” He stood from the seat beside me and walked down the hill towards his own car.
I watched as Ryan spoke with Haz and his dad before Haz made his way back over to me, again holding out his hand and waiting for me to follow him. Haz led me down to his motorcycle which was parked next to Ryan and handed me a spare helmet, with absolutely no explanation he just expected me to jump on his bike.
“C’mon Lex, you know I will keep you safe. You’ve been on the back of my bike before.” Haz nudged my side, still holding his helmet, waiting for me to take it.
“Where exactly are we going?” I asked, although I knew in my gut that we would be going to the clubhouse.
“That was the formal farewell, now it’s time for the true Viper sendoff,” he said, smiling at me. A true Viper sendoff included a lot of friends, family, food and alcohol. It was when everyone could reminisce on the Viper who was no longer with them and remember their life.
All I wanted to do was get out of these uncomfortable heels and change into some comfier clothes. I told Haz I would meet them at the clubhouse, unsure if I was actually going to make it there or not. Leanne drove me home from the funeral and offered for me to come to her house for some coffee, which I politely declined.
If I was invited to the clubhouse for any other event, I wouldn’t even think twice before not going, but this was different. This was for my dad and after today, hearing his oldest friends stand up and tell everyone how much they loved him I knew that I wanted to be around his friends. I just wanted to keep talking about him and hearing the stories that he never told me about his younger years and I needed to thank Preston in person for the funeral and the Vipers’ contribution to the day.
I put on a pair of denim jeans with a black singlet and grabbed my leather jacket in case it was cold. As I grabbed my jacket from the clothes rack by the front door, I saw my dad’s leather cut hanging beside it. I ran my hand over the leather and brought it to my nose. It still smelt like him which meant he must have worn it recently before he died.
* * *
W hen I got to the clubhouse I recognized most of the same people from the funeral, but there were even more people here now. The farewell party was well and truly underway. I felt very nervous to be here and wasn’t really sure where to go or who to talk to so I walked into the main area of the clubhouse. I saw Bella and another young girl behind the bar, passing the guys beers and a multitude of other alcoholic drinks.
“Need some help?” I asked Bella as I approached the bar and saw how much she was running around to try and get everyone their drinks. I saw her trying to decide if she was going to take my help or kick me out. Honestly, I wouldn’t blame her if she kicked me out.
“Not tonight. These guys can wait for their drinks. This party is for you as much as it is for your dad Lexi, but here.” Bella smiled as she passed me a shot of clear liquor. “You look like you need this.”
I took the shot and swallowed it in one go and felt the burn of the tequila as it made its way down my throat. I actually can’t remember the last time I was inside this clubhouse. I spent all of my time here when I was younger, always with Jay or Ryan, but the last time I was here I didn’t know it would be my last.
“Bella, have you seen your dad?” I asked her. I needed to find him to thank him for all of this and then I might sneak out. I thought I wanted to be here but it just felt too weird to be here on my own.
“I saw him over by the meeting room before.” Bella nodded her head in the direction. The meeting room was a large closed off room that only members were allowed in. It was named the meeting room because it had a large table that the members used for their daily meetings where they spoke about past and upcoming jobs. I had only seen the inside of the meeting room once and it was a large room with a wooden table in the middle that had been handcrafted by a local wood designer. They cut out the shape of a large Viper, the same Viper they are all wearing on the back of their cuts.
I made my way over to where Preston was standing with a group of men, but when he saw me approaching he ushered them away and pulled out a chair for me to sit down next to him. He has quite an intimidating presence about him, the way he could command a room showed how much power and influence he had over these men and over most people. My dad was the same, especially when he was younger. People would cross the street to avoid walking next to him and if he came to pick us up from school, all we would get was glares from the other parents in their fancy cars and pretty dresses.
“I just wanted to thank you for everything you've done today,” I said to him as I waved around the room.
“My dad would have loved this sendoff and I am really grateful that you planned it for him.”
Preston took a deep breath and ran his hand over his mouth, almost as if he was unsure what to say next. “Lexi, whilst I would love to take the credit for this one, this wasn’t me.” He took a sip of his beer. I raised my eyebrows and looked into his eyes.
“I know it was you, Preston, the funeral director told me Mr Blake arranged the Vipers part in the funeral and that he had also covered all of the funeral costs. I would like to pay you back for that. I have the money.”
He looked past me and chuckled softly. “Sweetheart, you’re thanking the wrong Mr Blake.” He pointed behind me, making me turn my head to follow the direction of his finger.
“Ryan?” I made eye contact with Ryan from across the room as he gave me a small hesitant smile.
“This was all Ryan. He didn’t want you to know but it doesn’t feel right me taking the credit for organizing all of this. Ryan convinced all the Vipers to come down for your dad’s funeral. He covered the costs out of his own pocket. None of this was me or the Vipers, it was just Ryan. I think someone never let go of little Alexis Davis.” Preston pointed his beer in my direction and excused himself from our conversation.
I looked across the room where Ryan was standing with Haz and a few other young Vipers I didn’t recognize. They were drinking and laughing and enjoying each other’s company. As I stood watching him, he must have felt my eyes on him. He looked over in my direction with the same small hesitant smile as before but this time I returned the smile.