Chapter 1 #2
“There is a picture of a man and little boy with you,” my voice flat. I can feel I am still in shock even though I know.
I hear Mom suck in a sharp breath. “That shouldn’t have been in there. Throw it away.”
“Do I have a brother?”
“Throw the picture away,” she repeats.
“This is my dad.” Reality crashes into me as the knowing really settles in. “What is his name? Where can I find him?”
“Harlow, leave it alone. You do not want to be anywhere near that man. He is a criminal. I did you a favor,” she snaps at me.
“You did me a favor? Was it a favor to claim a man who is not my father is my father? A man who never made me feel welcomed. A man who would leer at me. A man who made me uncomfortable. Not only that, but was it a favor to be a horrendous mother? One who hit me, who belittled me, who had no kind words for me ever. You lied. You are the biggest liar. Tell me his fucking name,” I end on a shout.
“I don’t have to tell you shit. Your dad and I fed you, clothed you, we did everything for you, even though you are the worst daughter. You really are a piece of fucking work. I am done.” The phone line drops. She hung up.
Trying to I decide what to do, my jaw clenches.
I lift the picture higher to my face to look at the man that is clearly—and has just been confirmed without an official confirmation to be—my dad.
I let my eyes move over his face, he’s handsome.
I smile at the picture. “Hi Dad. I’m going to find you. I promise.”
My eyes drift down and that is when I see it.
I grin larger. I know what that leather vest is.
I lift the picture closer and can just make out ‘San Jose’ along the bottom part of one side and I note the colors because the other patches are too small for me to tell.
I pull out my phone and look up motorcycle clubs in San Jose, California.
A couple come up, so I look through images of each club’s cuts, and I figure it out pretty darn quickly. I grin. Depraved Souls Motorcycle Club.
I tap my fingers on the console as I stare at the club’s website. I see a phone number, but no address. I debate what to do. Shaking my head, I decide I need to go home and see what Roxy thinks.
Rox is already home when I get there, I lift a brow as she sits on the couch in her sweats. She rolls her eyes with a huff. “He stood me up.”
“What the hell?” I shake my head. “His loss.”
She sighs. “I think I just need to give up for a bit. Focus on my girl.” She winks at me.
“Well… I’m glad you’re here.” I hold up the file folder.
She points down the hall. “Go wash your face, get cozy, I will cut some of the cake we have from our craving yesterday and we will camp out on the couch. It will make you feel better after dealing with that woman.”
Smiling as my insides relax and I feel warm and fuzzy inside. “I love you, Rox.”
“Love you more, my sweet baby girl,” she calls after me as I head down the hall, having dropped the file folder on the couch cushion near her. I suspect she will take a peek after cutting us some cake, which will streamline this.
I take my time washing my face, making sure I wipe away all the eye makeup I favor.
I wrap a scarf around my head to hold my bangs back, pull on a vintage band tee I found at a secondhand store, it’s oversized and I fucking love it.
I drag some pajama shorts on, then switch to big fuzzy socks before heading out to the couch.
Roxy holds the picture in her hand, two slices of cake on the coffee table, her eyes dart up to me.
“Baby girl, there is no daddy on your birth certificate.” She waves the picture in the air a little, “You look like him.”
I nod.
“What did she say?” Rox motions to the couch, I drop down with a huff.
“She didn’t officially confirm it, but she did say she did me a favor by giving her husband as my dad.
She said that man there is a criminal and to stay away from him.
So… that man there is totally my dad and based on his vest, he at least was with the San Jose Chapter of the Depraved Souls Motorcycle Club.
” I reach over grabbing the little plates of cake.
She sets the picture on the couch between us, taking the cake, I hold out for her. We both take bites and settle into our thoughts. She cracks first. “So, you are going to visit San Jose.”
I nod. “I need to figure out where the San Jose Chapter is though. I have a client that works in tech, even if he doesn’t know how to find it, he probably knows someone who does. If I offer him a discount on his next tattoo, maybe he will help me out.”
“Do you want to do it alone, or do you want me to come with you?” Her hand clasps over my knee, just below where my scars start. They aren’t as noticeable now since I have tattooed the fuck out of myself, but there is no mistaking that the skin isn’t quite right.
“I think this is something I need to do. I likely have a brother… I need to find them.” Her hand squeezes on my knee as she smiles. “Am I crazy?”
“Yes, but not for wanting to find them.” We both laugh. “You know I love your brand of crazy, that man there, he is going to love it too.”
My head bobs as I send all my hopes into the ether. We head to bed, but I fire off a text to my client asking him if he would know how to find an unlisted address of a club. He texts me back near immediately.
Jeff
If it’s a club that takes dues, it would be a business, so it’s a public search on the government business site.
*link*
He sent me the link for Oregon, so I look for the same type of site with California on my phone. I tap in the Depraved Souls and it comes up with nothing. I tap my fingers and think.
Me
When I search the club name it isn’t showing up.
Jeff
They could be registered under another name, or an acronym, or whatever. Look for LLCs and that sort of thing. I am happy to poke around for you.
Me
I will give it a few more tries before I throw it to you. Thank you so much.
Jeff
Always happy to help my favorite tattoo artist.
Plugging in DS first, when that comes up with clearly not them, I try DSMC and bingo.
Huh. California has more than one location, I guess that shouldn’t be surprising based on how large that state is.
San Diego. San Luis Obispo. San Jose. I save the San Jose address, but just in case, I add the other two to my notes.
If I have to drive to each location, I will.
I fall asleep feeling like I have a plan in place.
Waking far too early, but feeling pumped, I throw some clothes and toiletries in a bag.
Shooting off a text to the two clients I am supposed to meet with two days from now, I let them know I need to reschedule them and throw dates at them to see if any of them work.
I offer them a ten percent discount for the inconvenience since they are both some of my longer running clients.
Making my way to the kitchen, Roxy is already there packing a small cooler with snacks and drinks. She motions to my bag on the floor by the door that I dropped on my way to the kitchen. “I knew you would get right on it. So, you found the address?”
“Yeah, it’s registered as a business. It will be around ten or so hours to get there.” I run my nails along my arm in a soothing light scrape.
“You will call me if you get tired and can’t stop. You will call me as soon as you get there. You will text me where you are staying for the night. I need to know you are okay. Alright?” She points at me.
I nod.
“No, I need to hear you say it. I’m not your mother, but you feel like mine, so I need to know my baby is okay. Got it?” she demands firmly.
“I will call you if I get tired but can’t stop. I will call you when I get there. I will text you the address of where I am staying for the night,” I confirm.
Her shoulders relax. “Thank you.”
I step into her, pulling her against me in a tight hug. “I love you, Rox.”
“I love you with every fiber of my being, Harry. I will hunt your ass down in California if I must.” She gives me a squeeze then we release. “Be careful. Be safe.”