Czar 6.
“We are gathered here today to mete out suitable punishments for the crimes committed. It is with a heavy heart that we deliver our rulings. A sad day indeed when faced with naivete of youth, the arrogance of beauty, and the senility of old age.”
“Pris—”
“Silence! You have not been given permission to speak!” My dad huffs but sits back down, his arms crossed over his chest. He glares at Aunt Pris, but I can see his lips twitch, so I know he ain’t mad. Probably just irritated that mom turned him over to the Gauche Guerillas.
My leg bounces as I await the tribunal’s punishment. Marlena is at the clinic, and I want to be at her side, not here listening to Pris’ theatrical soliloquy. I was teasing her, and that blush egged me on and on, wanting to see how far it would travel. I know what Conrad said upset her, and though she was willing to brush it off, I was making plans to deal with that fucker later, no matter what Issachar said. During dinner she was in her head, I watched the emotions play out over her gorgeous face and it pissed me off more. I wanted to distract her, and it isn’t hard to see that she is affected by me, my voice, my body. I admit I probably went too far. I certainly had no idea that she would faint. The color drained from her face so quickly, her eyes rolled up, and then she was toppling over.
She’s in good hands at the clinic, but they aren’t my hands and for some reason, I feel very strongly that I be the one to help her. It’s like a gnawing ache in my chest and I’ll be honest, I don’t like it…but I don’t not like it either.
“…and then we’re gonna give you a unicorn enema and sparkly fairy dust is going to squirt from your ass—”
“What the fuck?” I jump up from my seat, my eyes moving rapidly from woman to woman to woman and finally landing on my mom.
Aunt Pris slams her hand down on the podium, pointing a finger at me, “You stopped listening to me!” She glares down at me.
“You were going on and on and on.” I glare right back, my patience wearing thin the longer I’m away from Marlena.
“That’s part of your punishment!”
“Can’t I just pay a fine?” There is a hush that falls over the gathered crowd and I know I just dug my own grave. I’ve been around long enough to know better.
“Conrad Mitchell and Elazar Freidman. You are sentenced to 16 hours of PG rated viewing.” Dammit. Con and I share a commiserating look before I remember I’m pissed at him and scowl instead. His eyes dart quickly away. I look back at Aunt Pris but see her grinning evilly at my mother. Uh-oh.
“ Caillou. Barney and Friends. Thomas the Tank. Teletubbies.” The crowd gasps at the severity of the punishment.
I throw my arms out wide, lean my head back and bellow to the ceiling, “NOOOOO!”
“YESSSSS!” Mom bellows right back. Dad laughs a little too loud.
“Lukas Freidman.” He stops immediately, sitting upright. “Your recent words indicate that you have forgotten the transgressions of your youth and young adulthood.” He swallows hard, wary eyes pinned to Aunt Pris. “You should have plenty of time to remember as you scrub and clean every bathroom in the clubhouse, including all apartments, and you will collect, wash by hand, dry, fold, and return every towel.” Dad groans, dropping his head to his hands.
“Judah?” Aunt Rev offers him a sweet smile, and the man falls for it. Has he learned nothing over the years? “Don’t forget to check under and around ALL the beds; some of those towels are extra crusty.”
Asher confirms proudly, “Yeah, they are, baby.”
“Why haven’t I moved far, far, far away from here?” Aldrin, Rev and Asher’s oldest whines from the back of the peanut gallery.
“My best guess,” Hamm begins conversationally, “is that the Jewish guilt that runs through our blood is so potent we actually feel we deserve the absurdity of our parents.”
“Masochists,” Solomon states and every one of the second-generation nods in agreement.
Aunt Pris bangs a gavel on the podium. “It is early enough, Conrad and Elazar, to begin your punishment this evening, a couple hours at least. However, you may both head to the clinic first and apologize to Marlena for your poor treatment.”
I nod, standing up, stretching, then placing my hand around the back of Conrad’s neck. Ew, I forgot teenage boys are greasy and sweaty. He stiffens but continues walking. I tighten my hand once we’re outside of the clubhouse. I lean in close as we cross the parking lot to the clinic, “You ever speak to Marlena or any female like that again, I will rip your undescended testicles out of your body through your empty eye socket.”
He shivers in revulsion and squeaks a little. “War has changed you.”
“Fair. Do you understand, or do I need to be clearer?”
“N-no, that was clear enough.”
“Great.” I shove him away from me and chuckle when he stumbles. We enter the clinic through the automatic double doors. Dr. Nell glances up from the front desk, then smiles when she recognizes us.
“So, how bad this time?” I shake my head, throw myself against the counter and sigh dramatically.
“16 hours of children’s shows.” She throws her head back and laughs heartily. “Dr. Nell…Caillou!”
“That bald kid who whines all the time?” Her eyes widen in alarm as Con and I nod. “Perhaps Pris has gone too far this time.”
I place my hand on her forearm. “Nah, they were fair and just.” I look past her down the hall, “Where’s our patient?”
“She’s in room 4.” She looks as though she has more to say, but snaps her mouth shut. Ok, doctor-patient privilege. I can live with that…No, I can’t.
“Is Marlena ok? What’s wrong? Did she hit her head when she fell? Naphtali is too muscular, it’s like hitting marble!”
“Elazar!” Dr. Nell steps in front of me and puts her hands on my chest to stop me from barreling down the hall after Marlena. She cups my cheek with one hand and then pats my chest harder than necessary. “Marlena is awake and well. I promise.”
My heart rate slows at her words. Well, that was a ridiculous reaction and I’m a little embarrassed.
Conrad snorts, “Dude.”
“Oh, fuck off.” I gently lift Dr. Nell and place her to the side, then walk at a calm and normal pace down the hall to room 4. Marlena is sitting up in bed, drinking from a juice box and munching on crackers. Her color is significantly improved, her eyes facing forward, her smile shy but quick when she sees me in the doorway.
“How are ya?”
“A little embarrassed. I can’t believe I passed out like that.” A little color fills her cheeks, and I ignore the thrill it gives me to see it.
“Marlena?” Conrad stands behind me, peeking out from under my arm.
“Hey, Con.” She waves him in, so he shoves me aside and runs to her bedside.
“I’m so sorry I made you faint! It just came out; I didn’t mean to say it! And I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings!” Shit, poor kid is blubbering and sobbing now. His balls are safe for now, I guess.
I step into the room, lean against the wall and watch as she draws him into her arms and rocks them back and forth. “Shh. Honey, it’s alright. You aren’t the reason I passed out.” Her gaze snaps to mine then drops quickly. “Just…uh…low blood sugar, I guess. But I’m good now. And I know you didn’t mean to hurt my feelings. You were just joking like you hear the adults do.”
“Dad said that I don’t have enough hair on my balls and under my arms to be making jokes like that. And I’ll never have enough to speak to a woman in such a way.” Marlena laughs softly into his hair. She’s a beautiful woman. Even more so when she smiles, the way her face lights up with it, how her body shakes from the force of it.
“I don’t think the amount of body hair is the litmus test for a situation like this. Have…have you ever heard your dad speak to your mom like that?” Con shakes his head. “How about your uncles when they speak to your aunts?” He shakes his head again, making a sound of disagreement. “H-how…How about any of the residents of the shelter?”
Con rears back, “NO! God, no!”
“Do you know how I met the Golem Guerillas?” Con looks between Marlena and me as I take a seat next to her bed, my ankle resting on my other knee. I only know that Marlena had some trouble with a guy and needed help. Mars was furious that he was halfway across the world and couldn’t help her, so I suggested he contact my dad and the club. Judah, Mars, no one has ever shared the details of her situation. A part of me wants to know, as I sit here, I realize I want to know everything about her, but another part, the soldier in me, isn’t sure I can handle the details. I’ve seen her in passing over the years a few times during my visits home, but we haven’t spent any time together. Hell, earlier at dinner was the first time she’s ever said my name and I’ll be damned if it’s the last time I’ll hear it fall from her full lips. Regardless of how beautiful I found her, the way her thick thighs had me imagining them wrapped around my head when I fucked my fist at night, or her loyalty and dedication to the club and shelters, I am active military. I watched men and women pine over those they left behind and vowed never to put someone through that. So, I never allowed myself to indulge in thoughts of more, with anyone…with Marlena. And maybe I shouldn’t be doing it now either, I’ve still got 6 months or so to go and anything can happen, but I think my talk with my dad, submitting the paperwork, it feels final in a way. Like the governor has been removed and I went from 0 to 70 in the blink of an eye.
“I don’t know if you remember, but I met your dad and the others about almost 4 years ago. My boyfriend, ex-boyfriend , was…not a good man. He hurt me, my feelings and my body, and he wouldn’t leave me alone. Mars, my brother—”
“I know Mars, he’s huge!” Conrad replies, the awe in his voice is hard to miss.
“Yeah, Mars is a big guy, and he was upset because he couldn’t help me get away from my ex-boyfriend. Elazar,” she points to me, a sad smile tipping her lips, “was in the same platoon as Mars and he told him about the Golem Guerillas Motorcycle Club. Next thing I know, these knights in shiny chrome rescued me from the hell I was living in and brought me to the shelter.”
“But you work there.”
“I do.” Marlena’s smile grows as she tells him, “Sometimes, the best way to help yourself is to help others. My work at the shelters, both here and Morgantown, has helped heal the wounds that were hard to see. I’ve given hope and purpose to others and found my own in the process.” She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath, when she opens them, she looks right at me, and I see her pain and it guts me. “I know you were joking; you’ve probably heard others joke about the same, but…” she trails off, a tear breaks free and slides down her cheek and I can’t let her continue.
“Con.” He separates from Marlena far enough to turn his head and look at me as he rests against her still. I get it, she’s soft and smells good, but seriously. He must see something on my face, because he jumps up real quick and moves down the bed from her, his eyes on me the whole time. I nod in appreciation. “A woman’s worth is not gauged by her gag reflex.” I meet Marlena’s wide gaze and continue, “If you love someone, truly love them, meeting them at their limitations is never a hardship. Society, especially at your age, places an importance on the physicality of relationships, when in all honesty, no amount of suction can overshadow a horrible person.” Tears fall unbidden down her cheeks as she listens to what I’m saying. I force myself to meet Conrad’s thoughtful stare. “The ol’ partners of this club, both chapters, possess intelligence, compassion, loyalty, and heart. And that is far more attractive than what they can do with their mouths or hands.”
Con’s eyes shift over my shoulder for a moment, then he pins me in place with a knowing smirk that resembles his father so much it makes my balls want to hide, “So, you’ve chosen all of your sexual partners based on their personality?”
Marlena says something unintelligible, bringing her hands over her face, but peeking at me through her fingers, the little imp. “Uh…well…”
“So, it wasn’t rumors of Lacy Spearwall’s oral skills that had you sneaking into the backseat of Solomon’s Bronco senior year but her strength of character?”
“Oh, Jesus help me!” Marlena keens, high pitched and breathy, her entire body shaking uncontrollably from laughter at my expense.
In for a penny, in for a pound. “Lacy was a sweet girl, who exhibited a number of admirable qualities—”
“She told you that she was going to attend West Virginia University but was worried that western Virginia wouldn’t be as pretty as eastern since it wasn’t near the ocean.”
“Geography is a difficult topic to understand—”
“Right. She seemed to find your balls without a map.”
“How—How the fuck do you know all this?” I ask, feeling my own face flame knowing that Marlena is listening to all the sordid details.
“You should probably shut the garage door when you want privacy. Merari, Rhesa and I learned a lot that summer.”
“Fuck,” I groan, rubbing my hands up and down my face.
“Now, you didn’t need a map with Aubriana Difabio, your tongue seemed to find—” I lunge from my chair and wrap him up bodily then heft him over my shoulder as he squeals.
“I think you got the point, and you seem contrite. Why don’t you head into the entertainment room and cue up our first punishment?” I drop him on his ass outside Marlena’s exam room, then shut the door in his face.
I sit back down in the chair and wait for Marlena to stop laughing and rolling around the bed. It takes her a couple of minutes, but finally, she sits up, swipes under her eyes and pushes the hair back from her face. She’s flushed, her eyes shiny, her smile toothy.
“You done?” She nods, bringing a pillow to her lap and leaning her elbows on it. “You’re doing better?” She sobers slightly, nodding again. “I’m sorry I pushed you earlier—”
“It wasn’t your fault, Elazar.”
I look at the empty juice box and food wrapper. “Everything ok?”
“Yeah, uh…I’m good, promise.” I hold her eyes for a few seconds before she bites her bottom lip and looks down at her lap. She’s hiding something, but it’s not my business…yet. “What did you mean by punishment?”
I groan, then tell her about the Gauche Guerillas tribunal. She’s laughing again, not as hard, and shaking her head at the same time. “You shouldn’t be punished, you didn’t do anything wrong, you were just joking. So was Conrad, but I agree that his joke was punching above his weight class.”
“I was teasing you…but I wasn’t joking.” I admit. Her brow furrows, a little crease appearing between her dark eyes. I force myself to stand up, knowing if I stay any longer, I’ll only get myself into trouble. It’s not the right time to pursue anything, but maybe it wouldn’t hurt to at least put the possibility on her radar. I step up to the bed close enough that she arches her neck to maintain eye contact. “You can use your body to warm me up anytime you want. Goodnight, Marlena.” I drop a kiss to her forehead, then turn on my heel.
It's harder to walk away from her than I’d like. I’m gonna be in so much trouble when my furlough ends.