Chapter 5
“Well, ain’t this a sight to see? It’s my grandbaby.”
My grandma opened the door with her arms already stretched out for me to fall into.
She wrapped me in one of her famous hugs and let me go just in time to see what stood behind me.
I watched her as her eyes misted a little.
The sight of my mom’s bike behind me had her just as emotional as it had me.
“You riding your mother’s bike today?”
One of her hands flung to her mouth while the other landed on her heart. She shook her head from side to side. I gave her the space and time to process whatever she felt. She smiled brightly when her eyes settled back on me.
“Oh, she would be so proud to see you now, Maeve.”
It was rare that I pulled out my mother’s bike because I only rode it on special occasions. My father kept it to pass down to me after she died and gave it to me on my sixteenth birthday. It was a light pink Harley-Davidson with her name carved on the right side. Pink was our favorite color.
My mother fell in love with riding motorcycles at a young age. That was how she met my daddy. With the parents I had, riding bikes was a part of me, whether I liked it or not. It was their whole lives. It was what brought them together and shaped their love.
“Thank you, Grandma.”
I finally spoke while my grandma looked from me to the bike. I kissed her cheek and hugged her one more time. I craved her hugs after being away from her for so long. I used to come every weekend when I was younger, but now that I was in college, my studies took up most of my time.
“Thank you for the kisses, sweet girl.”
“Where’s Pawpaw? Is he inside?”
“He’s back there washing up for dinner. You want something to eat?”
“I can always eat, Grandma. You know this.”
We both laughed. I would never turn down a meal from my grandma. She made the best soul food I’d ever tasted, and I missed it.
“Come on in. I already got it on the stove, and it’s just about done.”
I walked into my grandparents’ home, and my mother’s face was the first thing I saw. Her graduation photo was framed and hung in the foyer. I could always feel her when I stepped into this house, and today wasn’t any different.
My father never kept me away from my grandparents. He made sure I always had a relationship with them, and I was thankful for that. I got to know my mother through my grandparents. My dad had reduced her to boxes of memories, but my grandparents’ home acted as a shrine.
My mother died bringing me into this world, so although I’d never met her, I knew her energy. I didn’t know if it was the way my grandmother loved me or the way my pawpaw taught me things he once taught her, but it was something about being in their home that made me feel close to her.
“What brings you this way, baby?”
“I was on my way to the compound to check on my Jeep. I dropped it off the other day so that one of the mechanics can look at it. It only needed a few minor things, but Daddy didn’t want me waiting around for it. He said I could just pick it up today.”
“That’s probably for the best. You don’t need to be around the men on that compound.”
“You sound like him now.”
“I may not agree with your father on much these days, but I can assure you, that we agree on.”
My grandma pointed her finger as she moved around the kitchen. She took down plates and utensils and got ready to set the table for us to eat. I could tell how happy she was to feed her family. This kitchen was her happy place.
“You want me to help you set the table?”
“You remind me so much of your mama. She always wanted to help me in the kitchen, even after she got married and had her own kitchen to tend to.”
Hearing those words was one of the reasons I stopped here today.
It was like I lived for her to tell me that I reminded her of my mama.
I needed to know I had some pieces of her in me, despite her never being able to see my face or raise me in her image.
Just hearing that filled holes in my heart that I didn’t know were there.
“Thank you, Grandma. I’m glad I can remind you of her. We all need reminders every now and then. I wish I could have met her.”
“I wish you could have met her too, baby. She was the highlight of my life, but I’m so happy I have you here and that you come over to see me and your grandpa from time to time.”
“I will always make my way over here, Grandma. I love being here with y’all.”
“That’s so good to hear.”
“Grandma, do you mind if I go in Mama’s room for a bit after I set the table?”
“You know you always welcome to walk around this house and go in that room anytime you want to.”
“Thank you, Ma.”
“Take your time, and don’t rush back out here. I’ll have your plate waiting for you.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
I kissed my grandma on the cheek again and hugged her from behind. She gave my hand a reassuring pat before I let go and walked to the back of the house.
I was in my mother’s room for about twenty minutes.
I snuggled her pillows and teddy bears, stared at the posters and pictures that littered her walls, and acknowledged everything she held dear in her teenage and young adult years.
That twenty minutes made me feel like I was wrapped in her arms, and that was what I needed.
After I was done in my mother’s room, I sat down for dinner with my grandparents and ate some of the most delicious food.
When I was done, I hugged them both and headed out the door.
It didn’t take me long to get from my grandparents’ house to the compound, and before I knew it, I was pulling up in front of the clubhouse.
It was a Friday, so the clubhouse was packed. Half naked women walked the street while music blasted from every direction. Weed smoke filled the air, while everybody vibed to the music.
I didn’t see Guard anywhere in sight, so I knew I wouldn’t be here long. I walked toward the garage in search of my Jeep. I loved riding my mama’s bike, but the Jeep felt like home. I was ready to get back to her.
Dima assaulted me with his eyes as soon as I walked into the garage. He refused to look away like most of the guys did whenever they were in my presence. It was almost like he dared me to say something about it.
I didn’t trust Dima. He was too quiet and too clean. He didn’t look like someone who would be part of my father’s crew. And the way he looked at me made me feel things I wasn’t used to.
“Hey.”
I spoke first to be polite. Dima was still staring as he always did. When he didn’t speak back, I continued.
“Is she ready for me?”
“She is,” he said, throwing me the keys. “Good as new.”
“That’s perfect. Thank you.”
The thing that wouldn’t let me trust Dima was the same thing that attracted me to him. I wanted to have a conversation with him, but every word I pulled from him felt like a blessing he gave me only because he had to. I didn’t trust him, but when I was near him, I wanted to be nearer.
“Is there something else?”
He looked more at the ground than he did at me when he asked. The question told me I’d hung around longer than he wanted me to. Still, I wasn’t ready to leave.
“Why are you not inside hunching on one of those freaks like everybody else?”
“Not my kind of freaks, I guess.”
“And what’s your type?”
“The type of freak that don’t even know she is one until she’s in my bed. I like to be the one to bring it out of my girl.”
Arrogance oozed out of him. The way Dima stood with those bowlegs gapped open forced a nervous chuckle out of me.
“Someone’s cocky.”
“Not cocky. I’m just confident in my abilities.”
Dima slipped his hand in his pockets, and just that small bit of movement put his print on full display. He was huge. I didn’t know if it was intentional, but the message was well received.
“Thanks for fixing my baby for me. I missed her.”
“Of course.”
I twirled the keys around my finger and walked closer to Dima. He opened the door for me to slide in, but I didn’t right away. I stood in between him and the doorway, staring him down. He broke eye contact first, and I smiled. I’d finally won something between the two of us.
“You look good, by the way. Smell even better.”
And just like that, he’d regained momentum, and I was back on defense. Although, those defenses were dwindling by the second. I tried my best to put on a brave face, but I was nervous as hell around him.
He’d given me the smallest compliment, and I was ready to hand over my dripping wet panties to him. I needed to get my horny ass out of this garage before I did something we would both regret. I slid into the Jeep, and he closed the door as soon as my feet were safely inside.
“I’ll make sure your bike gets home.”
“Thanks again.”
“Have a good day, Ms. Moore.”