CHAPTER THREE
-:- JIG -:-
It’s Friday morning and I’ve booked a day away from work as I want to make a start on the project for Mia. It’s going to be fun, and Meat is going to give me a hand while we use the garage at Star’s father's home. It’ll be well away from prying eyes and interfering opinions.
Walking into the kitchen I give Amelia, Bitty, and Meat a nod as I pick up a plate with pancakes and fruit drizzled with maple syrup. Now we may say drizzled, but it’s more like drowned, but that’s okay.
Eating breakfast, I listen to Amelia complaining about having to go to her home and check everything is secure. “I’m ready to sell the damn place to be honest, Meat. I’ve not been going home but once every two weeks, and it feels empty, cold, and just not where I want to be.”
Meat responds, and I can see he’s slung his arm around her shoulders, “Lease it out, then sell if you still feel the same in six months.”
“If you want to lease it, I’d be interested, Amelia,” I butt into their conversation, “and if I like it, I’ll buy it from you.”
“I don’t know the first thing about leasing or what to charge. If it’s going to cost me a small fortune in damn lawyer’s fees, I’ll burn it down and claim the insurance.” Amelia scowls at me as if I’m trying to get something for nothing.
“Let’s talk to PT about it. I’ll bet he can get us all the information and legals without having to go through a lawyer. He’ll be able to give us a ballpark figure for the lease and everything.” I’m thinking this could work out well for both of us. I know Hammer did the windows and doors not so long ago. Axel covered the cost, as she was doing so much around the clubhouse and for Mia and the twins.
“I’m not sure it will be big enough for you, Jig. You stretch out in the bedroom and you might touch all the walls at once.” Amelia looks doubtful about the idea, but I gotta say this is growing on me by the minute.
“If you have got no plans for after breakfast, Amelia, how about I get one of the club SUVs and we take a run over there and you can show me around? We can check out the bedroom for size, while we’re there, too.”
“Young man, ‘ We ’ ain’t checking the bedroom out for nothing. ‘ You ’ can check it out on your lonesome. I’m liable to have a heart attack if’n I get checked out at my age.” Amelia looks like she’s going to burst out laughing at the look on Meat’s face as she says this. He grunts at her, gives me the evil eye, and then carries on getting a fresh breakfast prepped for the rest of the brothers.
Finishing my breakfast, I go in search of a set of keys for the SUV, looking in on PT at the same time. Giving him my thoughts on a solution to Amelia’s cabin, he doesn’t jump on the idea as quickly as I did.
“Jig, Amelia is in her seventies, man. I’m not sure taking on landlord responsibilities would be such a good idea. There are a whole lot of legals that go with that.”
“Aw, hell. I didn’t think about that. I’m not sure I want to jump in and buy straight away. Not just Amelia’s, but anything right now.” Feeling like I’d just taken a kick in the nuts, I turn to leave the office.
“Whoa. Hold on. Why don’t you become a roommate? That would edge around some of the landlord issues. If you make a private agreement between you and Amelia, say for a six-month period, she moves out and you move in. You pay her in green, she says you’re house-sitting? You would have to treat the place with respect, Jig. No damaging the place, wild parties, or any other shit going down. Might work.” PT looks like he’s just solved world peace, he looks so smug.
“You know what? That might just be the answer. Hey! You know damn well there’d be no wild parties or shit. What do you take me for, you asshole!” Turning to leave once again, I’m halted when PT shouts to me.
“Keys!” PT throws me a set of keys and I go in search of Amelia.
Heading out to the compound and the vehicle, I offer Amelia my arm, as I realize she doesn’t have her cane. Waving me away, she damn near marches into the compound.
Now, it’s not only myself that has noticed Amelia is not using her cane these days, but she keeps it in the kitchen near the back door for when she goes to the vegetable garden. It gets left at the front raised bed until she leaves, then uses it back to the clubhouse. It is a case of either her walking has improved, or she didn’t need it so much in the first place.
Arriving at her cabin, the first thing I notice is the hedge. It’s definitely in need of a trim. I may even replace it with fencing.
“You can leave my bush alone. My husband loved my bush and used to trim it every two weeks without fail. Had a special way of doing it, too.”
I know she knows what she’s saying and I’m not giving her the satisfaction of looking shocked. Reaching the front door, she lets us both inside, and the hallway is just as I remember it. Apart from being dusty, everywhere looks clean, and as I expected, tidy. A hat and coat stand near the door sets the tone of the place being ‘olde worlde’. I couldn’t live with this ‘style’ permanently, but it would be ok for six months to a year while I got some ideas of my own.
The kitchen isn’t big. Having said that, the cabin itself isn’t big. It’s a eat in kitchen of a good size. It can take a six-seater table and leave a decent kitchen space with good cabinets and worktop space. There is a fair size living room too, probably bigger than a realtor would term ‘cozy’.
Upstairs, there are two double bedrooms, and a family bathroom that could be remodeled to include a shower cubicle as well as retaining the bath.
Sitting at the kitchen table, I tell Amelia about PT’s idea of a roommate, cash transactions, and it is between the two of us.
“I like PT’s way of thinking. You know, of course, that if you try to shortchange me or con me, Meat and Axel will have more than something to say. No wild parties or any of that shit until you decide to buy it.”
“What is it with everyone and me having wild parties? The most outrageous thing I’ve done in years is strip at TJs. And I didn’t even want to do that! Jeez!” I shake my head and smile at her.
“Okay, Jig. It’s yours from the first of next month. That gives us time to thrash out the cost and for me to get my stuff moved out. I’ll only take my personals, and that way you can move straight in. Now, take me to the clubhouse and I can let Meat know to keep an eye on you.” Cackling, she makes her way down the hall to the front door.
I’m left sitting at the table wondering if this had been my idea or if I’d been outmaneuvered somehow. Almost having to run to catch up with Amelia, I open the passenger door for her just as she reaches the SUV.
Driving back to the clubhouse, we turn at a junction and Amelia shouts, “Pull over, Jig.” Swerving to the roadside. I ask her if she’s ok.
“Hell, I’m good. That woman outside the store doesn’t look too good though.”
Seeing where she’s pointing, there is a young woman, a beautiful young woman and a hell of a figure, with a beat-up Volkswagen Golf that has its hood up. What attracts your attention though isn’t the fact that its hood is up, it’s the way she’s kicking the shit out of the damn thing. Tires, doors, wings, grill. Nothing escapes a damn good thrashing as she works her way around it. Oh, fuck, thrashing, that’s another word from Star’s vocabulary.
“Go see if you can help her. Don’t get in the way of that right boot, though.” Amelia pushes my shoulder to encourage me to move.
Walking toward the Golf and the angry woman, I call out to her. “Excuse me. Is there anything I can do to help?”
“Got a spare engine in your pocket?” She stops beating on the car and fixes all her attention on me. That is not a little worrisome, I can tell you, after seeing how she treated her vehicle.
“No spare engine, ma’am. Just pleased to see you.” As soon as the words are out of my mouth, I see the danger I’ve just put myself in. One very pissed-off young woman starts toward me and seeing the determined look on her face, I see I’ve just replaced the Golf as the center of her attention.
Holding my hands out, trying to placate her, I apologize for my poor taste in humor and ask if she needs a ride anywhere. Seeing her right fist pulling back for a punch, I step in and grab her wrists. Habit has me turning slightly to one side and lucky for me I do, as her knee slams into me, narrowly missing my nuts but leaving me with a dead leg.
Pushing her away before I lose my shit and punch the bitch, Amelia steps between us and lands a right hook on the psycho's jaw.
“He won’t hit you, but I sure as hell will. No wonder you young ‘uns today are so damn useless. No manners. Don’t know how to conduct yourselves in public.” Turning to me, Amelia spits, “Get in the damn vehicle and let’s leave this lunatic to herself.”
Watching the shocked woman rubbing her jaw, I can’t help feeling sorry for her. She hasn’t a clue what to do or say. Passing her a business card for the garage, I say, “If you don’t know where to get help from, we’re about ten minutes away.”
Walking back to the SUV where Amelia is waiting, impatiently I might add, I climb in and we drive off. Looking in the rearview mirror, the young woman watches as we drive away and then looks at the card in her hand. Damn, I hope she loses that card before she gets the chance to ring for help.
Back in the clubhouse Amelia can’t wait to tell everyone that she’s just done her Mike Tyson impression. I have to smile when her right hand suddenly bothers her, and she gets miles and miles of sympathy as Stitch wraps it up and gets a cold compress on it.
Grabbing a bottle of water at the bar, I head over to PT’s office. As I leave the common room, I’m pushed against the wall and kissed. What sort of day is this turning out to be, for fuck’s sake?
Lina lets me up for a breath and smiles at me. “I’ve missed you doing that to me. I’d like to make a fresh start with us. How about we start from scratch with a proper first date? Give it a serious chance this time and no playing around?”
“Is that how you saw it? Playing around? I was serious, Lina. You were blowing hot and cold, so I didn’t know where I was. When Axel gave you the ultimatum of getting serious or cutting me loose, you made your choice pretty damn quick. You cut me loose straight off, no messing. We are not going to happen again. How would I ever know if something came along again that you wouldn’t just bale out? Sorry, Lina. Not interested anymore. I’ve moved on. I suggest you do the same.”
Walking upstairs into my room, I shut the door and lean my back against it. What the hell is it with me and women?