COAL
Catching my dad’s eye, I knew it was time. We’d enjoyed a family dinner like we hadn’t had in a long time. Too long, now that I came to think about it. Our house had always been the one place we could come to growing up, knowing that both our parents would be there to listen and advise.
I’d taken them for granted when I was younger, as I guess all kids do. We’d all been embarrassed by how in love our parents were, and we’d all caught them at one time or another going at each other. I’d known that they’d struggled financially when they first got together until Dad had started getting paid a bigger cut, but we’d never gone without. And we’d never been hungry, not with the amount of food Mom managed to grow in the backyard.
As I’d matured, I realised how lucky we were, that was partly because we had a dad who gave a shit about all of us and was always there with a word of advice or a hard hand, depending on what we needed. But mostly it was my mom. She held us together through everything. I hoped that one day I’d find even half of what they had. Although I wasn’t holding out much hope; I’d hit twenty-eight and still not found it.
I hadn’t realised how much I’d miss them when they left until the moment that Maestro had offered the new chapter to me. It had been then that it had hit me. Other than it being a huge fucking responsibility and something I’d always wanted but never expected to have, it would also mean that I wouldn’t lose this. This right here, my entire family sitting around the table. I’d be able to keep this, and yes, it would be in a different country without some of my closest brothers, but I’d have the six most important people with me.
“I have news,” I state, seeing Dad immediately taking Mom’s hand. Not that she would be sad about it. If anything, she was going to be ecstatic that she was keeping all her chicks together.
Mom looked alarmed, blurting out, “Am I going to be a grandmother?”
The silence was deafening as they all turned as one to look at me.
Mouth open, I gaped at Mom, before choking out, “What the fuck?! No! Mom! Why the hell would you even ask that?”
Mom shrugged, and her eyes went to Bolt, “Can you blame me? The last time those words were used, it was by him?”
The silence was deafening because she wasn’t wrong; I should probably have used better wording.
“Well, that’s not the news I have,” I muttered in frustration, rubbing my hands across my face.
Dad chuckled, informing me, “It’s only going to get worse, son.”
“Fuck, don’t I know it, especially if these three agree to come on board,” I agreed motioning with a finger to Nickel, Copper, and Bolt.
Now I had everyone’s attention.
“What’s going on?” Cop asked, eyes ping-ponging between Dad and me.
Not wanting to drag it out, I laid it out, “Maestro offered me my own chapter today.”
The occupants around the table erupted with shouts of joy, and I was pulled into hugs by various siblings and finally Mom.
“I’m so proud of you,” she tells me. Wrapping me in a hug, I felt her start to cry.
Tightening my arms around her, I swayed from side to side, “Why are you crying, Mom?”
“I’m going to miss you so much, but I’m so proud you’ll be getting this chance. And I know that your brothers will too. I just wish we were here to see it.”
“You will see it,” I assured her.
“What?” Mom looked up with confusion.
“Yeah. You guys didn’t let me finish. The new chapter is in Southampton, UK. We’ll be coming with you.”
Mom’s eyes widened in delight, “Really?”
“Really,” I assured her.
“Did you know?” she turned to Dad.
He grinned at her, “I found out this afternoon from Maestro, but Coal had the right to tell you himself.”
Mom squealed loudly, then hugged me again before she moved back to her seat, demanding, “Tell us everything that you can.”
At this point, there isn’t much I can’t tell them; we’re having Church early tomorrow to let everyone know, and those on the list will have the option to come with us or not; it will be up to them. Maestro had said he’d ask for volunteers if those on the list didn’t want to move, but he didn’t think that he’d have to do that.
We didn’t get to bed until the early hours, and we had to be in Church for eight in the morning. I’d told Copper and Nickel the positions that Maestro had them down for, and they’d both agreed that they’d be honoured to fill them.
When I’d told Bolt about the Road Captain position, he’d been surprised but happy. I saw a change in him instantly. I knew then that my baby brother had decided it was time to grow up. It was time; we all knew he’d found losing the baby all those years ago and then the following breakup hard. The next few years, he’d partied so much that we’d all worried about him. It looked like he’d made a decision that he was done with the hard partying.
We’d all breathe a sigh of relief if he was. It had been hard to watch some of his destructive behaviour over the years.
It was surreal, all of us spending the night in our old rooms. While we’d all slept at home for one reason or another over the years, I can’t recall all of us being under one roof at the same time in the last five years. Most of the time, we slept in our rooms at the clubhouse, it was just easier. Our mother had been ecstatic at having us all under one roof tonight. It would likely be the last time for a long while.
Church the next morning was interesting; the suggestion of opening up a chapter in the UK was voted in.
I’d wanted to speak to my brothers first, so Maestro and I had met this morning before Church with the brothers he’d suggested to fill a few of the positions. Iron, Brass, and Cross, the three other suggested brothers who weren’t my blood brothers, were honoured and happy to be chosen. None of them had an issue with moving to the UK, as most already had ties to the country and carried dual citizenship.
Cross would be our oldest brother other than my dad. We were going to be a young club with all the members under the age of thirty. Cross was around thirty-five. He was a quiet brother, and I didn’t know much about him, but what I did know I liked. I’d been surprised but happy to see his name on the list and had no objections to him joining us, and he’d make a good chaplain.
There were no objections when it was put to a vote for the brothers to accompany us. It filled me with a feeling of satisfaction when they agreed not only to move to a new chapter but to a different country.
Maestro caught my eye and smiled with a look of pride on his face. We’d often knocked heads but that he was proud of me for taking this on meant a lot.
Our list was finalised with the vote—there would be ten of us, including my dad, who would be in the club. Maestro had said there would be two prospects, and he’d fill me in on them when we had our meeting with my new chapter brothers. He had something to tell us that would blow our minds.
As it stood now, I was President, with my brother Copper as VP, and I couldn’t think of anyone more suited to the position. Our Sergeant-at-Arms and our enforcer were both ex-military, Iron and Brass were also blood brothers to each other. Another ex-military brother was Cross as our Chaplain. Bolt was our Road Captain, a position that I thought he’d excel at, and then my dad as Secretary.
We’d find the prospects when we arrived in Southampton.
My attention was brought back to Church when Maestro hit the gavel on the table, calling out, “Everyone except the Southampton chapter is dismissed.”
Slowly, the brothers left Church, tapping us on the shoulders in congratulations as they left.
“Feels good,” Maestro said.
“It does,” I agreed. “You wanted to go over a few things with us?”
“I did,” he replied. “What I’m about to tell you may sound fantastical, but I promise it’s all true.” He looked each and every one of us in the eye before he continued, “What do you know about the history of the Queens Wraiths?”
We all exchanged looks, even Dad looked confused. Eventually, I had to answer, “Not much other than we’ve been around for a long time and dropped the queen bit for obvious reasons, because everyone associated it with colonisation and the British.”
“Well, it turns out it was a queen, but not the one everyone thought it was. Let me fill you in on a little visit I had from a group of men known as the Cursed Skulls and what they mean to us, and why the club in Southampton needs to be formed,” Maestro said, sitting forward in his chair, hands folded in front of him on the table.
The next hours were taken up by Maestro telling us about our ancestors, our history, and how it intertwined us not only with the Crow MC in the UK but also with the four Viking-like men we’d seen go into his office last week. Maestro was right, and if I didn’t know him better, I’d say he was losing the plot.
Not only were we related to them through our mother, but it seemed that our ancestors on our dad’s side were part of the original Queens Wraiths, as were the ancestors from the rest of the men at this table.
“And that’s it, our history; make of it what you will. Both the prospects that will be joining you are ex-military, the first being Connor Stone, from the same lineage as your mom’s, Coal, and a descendant of Cai’s and he is a sniper. The second prospect will be your computer guy; his name is Zachary Parker, he’s from Ramzi’s line. Fuck me,” Maestro muttered rubbing his hands over his face in frustration, “We need a fucking family tree, or this is going to get confusing.”
Laughter flowed at his frustration, but he wasn’t wrong; a family tree would be good.
“Any questions?” Maestro asked, looking around the table before stopping on me.
I shook my head, “Not at the moment, but I will have some a bit later.”
“You know where to find me. Now fuck off to celebrate,” he said, standing up to our laughter. I’d take today to celebrate with my brothers because I had a feeling I’d have months of hard work before I was able to take charge of my own gavel at my own table.