Chapter 2 #2
I tell him earnestly, “I’ve been trying to find you for years.
Checking out every Richard Mullins in the area.
I found an article about Savage Legion MC and a charity drive the club did last year.
I knew it had to be you. To be honest I was sad that you’d ended up involved with a motorcycle club.
I’d hoped my big brother had done something with his life and found out he was hanging out with outlaws and running drugs. ”
I realize what I’ve said comes across as rude. I’m about to backtrack, but my brother just chuckles, looking all kinds of amused. “I’m pretty sure I have a business license and contracts that say I can run all the drugs I want in the tri-county area.”
I glance from my brother to his friend and back again. Both of them look pretty confident. “Running drugs is illegal. Everyone knows that,” I tell them.
His friend speaks up. “Tell her the truth, bro. Don’t be an ass.”
Rick finally explains, “Me and Bear have a small business where we subcontract with five local pharmacies to deliver prescriptions and home medical supplies for people who can’t get out to pick that shit up for themselves.”
I blink as I try to wrap my head around what he’s telling me.
Bear chimes in. “We’re drug runners but not the kind you usually associate with motorcycle clubs. Our job is to pick up the package and get it to the customer fast. We even took HIPAA and have chain-of-custody logs and get signatures when packages are delivered.”
My brother pulls a card out of his pocket and slides it across the table to me. “The name of our company is MedEx Couriers, see? We’re legit.”
Sure enough, that’s the company name on the card along with their names.
“So, you only handle prescription drugs?” I ask, surprised at how relieved I feel to know he’s got a real job. He’s escaped the system.
Rick jerks his chin in a way that clearly means yes.
Then his expression warms a little. “So, when you aged out of care, you decided to come save me from my life of crime.”
I nod because it sounds really silly when he puts it that way. “When I was getting ready to age out, I applied for a private one-time transitional living grant ahead of time so I wouldn’t be left out in the cold the minute I turned eighteen.”
“So what happened, they kick you out?” he asks.
I let out a sigh. Things are complicated but I’m not sure I’m ready to explain exactly how complicated, to my newly-found brother.
“Not exactly. They wanted me to stay. Part of me wished it was because they saw me as a daughter after all those years. But I know they just saw me as an unpaid childminder. But instead of getting money from the state to care for me, they made me give them some of my living grant.”
“Shit!”
I’m silent for a while, wondering whether to tell them the rest. Then I decide I can’t lie to him. “I ran away. Kind of. I got so fed up with my life I just took off.”
“So you do want something from me?” Rick asks, the defensive look on his face is back.
I shake my head. “No. Really, I don’t. I don’t have anywhere to stay, that’s true. But I needed to start fresh somewhere, and I thought I’d come here. Be close to my family.”
Rick’s eyes drop to the table where his hands are folded together.
Bear’s voice comes out harsh and aggravated. “Do not make me beat your fuckin’ ass for being a stubborn fool, bro.”
Rick ignores his friend, but when his eyes lift to mine, I can tell he believes me. His expression fills with hope and the same kind of happiness I feel. “Alright. You’ve convinced me. Now that we’ve found each other, we stick together.”
My face lights up. “I was hoping you were going to say that. I want to get to know you and make up for lost time.”
When my brother smiles at me fully for the first time, I don’t feel alone anymore. “You can stay with us,” he says suddenly. “We’ve got room.”
“I don’t want to be a problem,” I say. “I’ve got enough money to pay for a motel for a couple of weeks. I can start looking for work today.”
Rick’s chair scrapes as he stands. “You’re not a problem. You’re the only family I’ve got, and I plan to take good care of you.”
Something warm blooms in my chest at his open acceptance.
This conversation might have gotten off to a rough start, but we found our way through it.
Now I have a brother. And that makes every single thing I’ve been through worth it.
This is the start of a new life for me, and I plan to make the best of it.
Rick gets up, saying, “I’ll be right back.”
I watch him make his way towards the back of the cavernous room and disappear behind one of the doors.
When I glance at his friend, he’s quick to reassure me. “You did right comin’ here.” His voice is calm and earnest. “Rick’s a good person,” he says. “I’ve known him for a long time. He’ll do right by ya.”
I can’t help but smile at Bear. “Thank you for being his friend. I’m sure he really needed one growing up in care like he did.”
“We both grew up getting punted from one foster care home to another. It was for different reasons but we both felt continually discarded by the system.”
“I’m sorry you went through that as well. Just so you know, any friend of my brother’s is a friend of mine.” Hesitating a second, I add, “I’m not here to mess up his life. I just want to get to know him.”
“You don’t have to convince anyone of anything, darlin’. Rick is one lucky fucker to have a long-lost sister, and he damn well knows it. If you need anything at all when Rick’s not available, you can call me. My cell phone number is on the card he gave you.”
Before I can answer, Rick comes back. “We can head out if you want. I’ll show you our place.”
“Now?” I ask. “I didn’t mean to wreck your whole day.”
“You’re not,” he says with an easy grin. “Siege gave me the morning off so I can take care of my new sister.”
I can tell by the way he says sister that he likes being able to say that. It’s such a relief to be someone’s priority at long last. When I get up, he places his hand at the small of my back and walks me towards the front door.
Rick glances over at his friend and says, “You got the morning off too. Wanna come with?”
“Sure,” Bear replies, falling into step behind us.
It occurs to me to wonder why these two men seem locked together at the hip.
The idea flashes through my mind that they might be a couple.
They live together, work together and are in an MC together.
Glancing up at Rick, I decide right then and there that if that’s the case, I’m gonna accept his partner into my heart right along with my brother.
They both seem like nice men, so that shouldn’t be any kind of hardship.