CHAPTER NINE
-:- BLAKE -:-
Arriving home from my second day working at the Coffee House, I quickly shower and change into joggers and a tee. Bitty is coming tonight with a takeout meal. She didn’t say what type of food she’s bringing, but I’m not bothered by what it is as I’m hungry, and my fridge and freezer are both empty.
Knocking on the door grabs my attention and I quickly rush to open it, giving Bitty a bright smile as she pushes past with a large crockpot in her hands.
A huge man follows her inside, and he’s carrying a box which he places on the kitchen counter before kissing Bitty on the top of her head, giving me a chin lift, and walking out the door, closing it quietly behind him.
“That was Meat, he gave me the food to bring for our takeout. We don’t want to be eating that trash we have to pay the earth for. Come on, let’s get this crockpot switched on again, and empty the box of goodies Meat gave us.” Bitty is like a whirlwind and although I’m trying to help she is grinning as she keeps blocking my hands as they reach to pick something out of the box. Laughing now, she speaks again. “Well, we have some goodies here, and I told Meat I wanted things for your fridge, so we’ll put them away first. You stand at the fridge and I’ll pass them to you.”
Twenty minutes later, and the large box is empty. I’m amazed at how much was packed in that box, and even the way he’s wrapped frozen things, so they stayed cold at the bottom, with fridge items on top of them.
I take a seat at the table and look up at Bitty, who is serving us both a bowl of beef stew. There are biscuits to go with the stew and smashed potatoes that have cheese and chives mixed into them. It’s delicious looking and I can’t wait to try it.
“Now, while we eat, I want to speak to you about a few things. One the DNA thing, another is the fact you need help and a family.”
I stop eating to look at Bitty. “What do you mean by help and a family? And has your friend found something with the DNA?” I ask hesitantly, because I’m sure Bitty is more than a little on the crazy side after some of the shenanigans I’ve seen her getting up to in the neighborhood.
“You are busting your ass, Blake, to pay the debts Stefan left you. You have that house Yax is living in, and girl, get it sold. You don’t need to be supplying her with free accommodation any longer. The DNA report is false. Specs dug into it and it’s a completely false form. It’s a group of people that scam others out of what they have. Whether it be adding a name to someone’s will, or taking a name out. Or, in this case, a false DNA report. Fake marriages, deaths, you name it, they do it. Well, they did until Specs had a face-thingy-meeting with some of his tech friends. Now, I’m not going to tell you what they are up to, but know that this shit is not real. Franklin is not Stefan’s son. He is the son of the fucker that has moved in with her.”
Now my face must show the shock at Bitty saying the F-word and she chuckles at my expression before continuing to speak, “I know, I know, I shouldn’t curse, but honestly they are enough to make a saint curse, a nun drop her habit and a gay turn straight.”
A giggle bubbles in the back of my throat after hearing Bitty’s tirade. It rises slowly until I can no longer hold it back, and a full- on laugh bursts out of my mouth. I laugh so long my eyes are streaming with tears. I notice that Bitty is smirking at me while she continues eating, as though this is a normal conversation for us to be having.
Once I’ve calmed myself, I give Bitty a watery smile. “You are such a delight, Bitty. I’ve not laughed like that in a long time.”
“You’re welcome. My girls will be here in a few minutes, I’m sure. So, let me quickly say the rest. We are going to get Yax and her man out of that house, get it sold so you have the cash from the sale. I want to sit with you and go through all the debts you pay that Stefan created, because Specs can get rid of them. Now, about this adoption…you are too old, of course, for a real adoption, but that doesn’t mean I can’t claim you as my daughter. From now on, you are officially mine and I don’t give a monkey’s tittie for anyone else’s opinion on the matter.”
Again, I’m just lost for words. I’m not sure what to say or do, but the sincerity in her voice is so clear that a tear runs down my cheek, and I cheekily grin, stating, “Mom!”
Jumping to her feet, Bitty rushes around the table and throws her arms around me. “I always wanted a daughter…” said while sniffling back tears.
The front door bursts open and two women storm into the kitchen, banging the door closed behind them. I’ve seen them with Bitty but I’ve never spoken to them, but why they have burst into my house, I don’t know.
“Why are you crying? Why are you hugging Blake? Why are you called Blake when it’s a man’s name?”
“Amelia, shut your cake hole,” Bitty snaps, and the other woman giggles as she winks at me. But I watch in silence as they both grab a bowl and fill them with stew before sitting at the table.
“Well, you going to answer my questions or what?”
Bitty shakes her head while pointing at the woman, “This is Amelia, and that is Sybil. They are like sisters to me, and part of what the boys at the club call the Three Stooges. I was crying because Blake has agreed to be my daughter and called me Mom for the first time. I don’t know about the name Blake either?”
All three are looking at me, and I give a small sigh. “My name is Blakely Carroway. But as you see, everyone calls me Blake, and it’s been like that for so long I never say my given name anymore.”
“Blakely, that is nice, I like it,” the woman named Sybil says, and gives me a wink. Maybe that is what she does, winks at everyone?
“Okay, down to business,” Bitty says, and turns to the other two women. “We have to get Yax, her man and the child out of Blake’s house. We need to do it so the child isn’t homeless, of course. But we need it done and sold so Blake has the cash for her future.”
“Where are you working?” Amelia asks taking me by surprise.
“I just started work at the Coffee House, and I’m going to be working for the cleaning company from tomorrow,” I reply.
“Heather’s company? My dear, you are going to be tired out. Exhaustion is no joke.” Sybil looks at Bitty while giving her a look I’m not sure of.
“I need the jobs to get my name cleared of debt. I’m doing okay, and working the two jobs will get me clear sooner, rather than later. I’m looking forward to working with and for the elderly people that Alf has allotted me to.”
“What are you going to be doing?” Amelia asks.
“Well, cleaning, shopping if they need anything, and I will make sure they have their meals from Heather as they are doing delivery things now for them.” I take my dish to the sink and start running the water because it does take longer than a few minutes for it to get hot.
“Alf runs a good business. I’ve spoken with Heather about the things he’s doing now that they didn’t do previously. She is leaving more and more of the business to him. She still cleans at the clubhouse, but to annoy Wings more than anything I think,” Sybil grins.
“Who is Wings?” I ask, and I’m thinking there are some weird names being thrown around because wasn’t that other man called Meat?
“He’s one of the MC brothers. He’s one of the enforcers too, a big, strong, man who has every woman’s panties melting around their ankles,” Amelia states while resting her chin on her hand as she rests her elbow on the table.
Enforcer! Oh, what have I let myself get involved in? Bitty is never going to disappear now that I’ve called her ‘Mom’.
“So, leave it with me and I’ll speak to Specs again, and some of the other boys and find out how we are going to evict that piece of shit, Yax,” Amelia rubs her hands together, and has a glint in her eye I’m not sure I like the look of.
“When is your day off?” Bitty asks.
“Hm, I work Monday through to Friday at the Coffee House during the day, and I work evenings and weekends at the cleaning job,” I respond, and not sure when I have a day off now I think about it.
Bitty picks her phone up from where she’d placed it on the counter earlier, “Sundays, the cleaning company is closed, so you must have Sunday free. I’ll check on that. I’m making a note to remind me. You know we can do like Harry Potter and have rememberals on our phones. They let you know appointments, and stuff.”
“Do I have one of those on mine?” Sybil asks and pushes her phone over to Bitty.
“I don’t know, you need to ask Specs, he will sort it out for you.” Bitty pushes the phone back again, and for a minute I’m thinking they are going to start fighting.
A loud banging starts on the front door and before I can get up, Amelia grabs her cane and rushes to the door. Now, I’m thinking why does she need a cane when she can move that fast?
Before I can really consider that thought the door opens and I see Yax with a man standing behind her. “We are here to speak to Blake. She has to start paying for Franklin’s upkeep. He is her stepson and she has responsibilities.”
I slowly stand and take a step toward the door, but am pushed back when Bitty grabs my arm. She shakes her head to indicate I stay where I am and nods towards Amelia and the door.
Tap…tap…tap…Amelia’s cane is tapping, and it’s like a drumbeat, it is attention grabbing. But when she speaks, my mouth falls open in shock. “Get your skanky ass gone and take your no-good-asshole man with you. You ever come to Blake’s house again and I’ll have the MC on your arse, and bury you where no one will ever find your disease-ridden butt.”
“Hey, there is no need for that.” The man steps forward and before I can get past why Amelia said arse she swings her cane and smacks him upside the head.
The man screams in pain, Yax screams in fright, Sybil steps forward with a can of pepper spray in her hand and Bitty is cheering as though we are at a football stadium.
Tap…tap…tap…Amelia’s cane starts beating that tempo once more, and looking at Yax I place my hand over my mouth to hide the smirk that is happening. Yax grabs the man and drags him down the path away from the house. Amelia leans forward pointing her cane at them, “Come back again and there will be more than my cane for you to face…”
I’m not sure what the heck is going on, but I know I’d rather be on the side of these three than against them. I plop into my seat at the table and stare at Amelia, as she calmly takes her seat at the table and asks, “Do we have any dessert?”