Chapter 11
CHAPTER ELEVEN
FREAK
What I hadn’t connected with the city was its deep involvement in space exploration and astronomy.
Toni had filled in the gaps in my and Ace’s education by explaining that its prominence in that field was due to its elevation, clear skies, and a landscape that resembled the surface of the moon.
It qualified perfectly as a centre for both scientific observation and astronaut training.
I was lacking that knowledge when Toni had served us breakfast, her face beaming as she explained how she’d planned a trip to the Lowell Observatory, and how sure she was that Ace would find it fascinating.
I inwardly grimace, he might have done, if his interest was in astronomy, and not confined to computers and code.
Hoping he won’t find planets and stars too boring, I try to sound enthusiastic as she gushes on, giving us the details.
But the observatory doesn’t open until noon, then stays open late for stargazing, so she suggests we take a drive out to the Grand Canyon this morning, then head to the observatory this afternoon.
Sightseeing. I inwardly sigh. Great on two wheels, not so much in a cage. But Ace is hanging on her every word, so I guess it’s to the massive gorge we’re going to go.
She’s cooked, so I nudge Ace and jerk my head toward his plate, as I rise and carry my own into the kitchen. I note our willingness to clear, rinse, and then stack the breakfast plates in the dishwasher seems to win her approval, if her smile is any indication.
Domestic chores complete, I offer to drive, feeling my truck is a far better option than my large form being squashed into her little, and apparently unreliable, car for the hour-and-a-half journey to get to our destination.
She sees the sense in taking the larger vehicle, and soon she’s riding shotgun, while Ace sits in the back.
I’ve seen the Grand Canyon before, but Ace hasn’t.
And even the computer geek appears to be impressed by the colours of the rock formations and the impressive views that change minute to minute.
We park up, even hike down a path, but not too far.
Ace and I would have carried on longer, but as Toni warns us, what goes down has to come back up.
She’s right, of course, and I have to admit, the boots that do me well on my motorcycle are not good footwear for a long hike.
Leaving the park, we come across a steakhouse and stop for lunch.
Ace picks up a leaflet about the Grand Canyon and regales us with facts while we eat.
Soon, I know more about the national park than I ever wanted to.
The canyon was carved by the Colorado River.
It’s two hundred and seventy-seven miles long, eighteen miles wide, has a thousand caves, and is home to a remote tribe that has its mail delivered by mule.
There’s more, but I zone out, concentrate on eating my ribeye steak, and feast my eyes on the woman sitting opposite who seems rapt by every word that comes out of my son’s mouth.
It’s late afternoon by the time we reach the Lovell.
Just as he surprised me by his interest in the morning’s sightseeing, Ace is far more taken with the information about planets than I had foreseen.
Of course, it’s only down to the data visualisation and algorithms that are used to explain astronomical concepts.
Do my eyes glaze over? For fucking sure.
Toni, though, again seems enthralled by Ace’s non-stop commentary.
I do become interested when the skies darken, and we get a laser-guided tour of the cosmos under the dark Flagstaff sky. However, I breathe a sigh of relief when it’s time to leave.
When we arrive back at Toni’s home, she and Ace are again both tired.
Ace needs no encouragement to go to bed, and, to my disappointment, Toni and I end our evening just like the night before – a sensual kiss, but nothing more, despite my not-so-subtle suggestions.
She seems to have it in her head that Ace would be traumatised if he caught us in a compromising situation.
I can’t bring myself to tell her it wouldn’t be anything he hadn’t seen before – not me, of course.
I don’t bare my ass in the clubhouse while he’s there.
But sometimes we’ve gotten so involved in one of his games that it’s become late enough for the club girls to have come in and start servicing the brothers in plain sight.
Oh yeah, my kid knows all he needs to about the birds and bees.
I never needed to sit him down to have that conversation.
That couch is fucking uncomfortable, and hell on my back.
I wake musing about the times I was able to sleep anywhere, against a rock in an unforgiving desert?
No fucking problem. Resting in a vertical position, as it was just too damn dangerous to lie down?
Again, I also awoke refreshed. I’m getting too fucking old, I realise, when I stand, having to stretch, my two hands placed firmly in the middle of my spine as I arch my back, before I can start moving without resembling a man about to receive his pension, rather than a biker with, hopefully, years of riding ahead.
Luckily, I’ve gotten myself sorted before Toni descends the stairs, and most of my aches have resolved themselves before we’ve finished breakfast. After our stomachs are filled, we embark on the next item on Toni’s agenda – a visit to the historic downtown.
Now this I can get into. I’m particularly interested in the small breweries, and stock up my truck with some elite brews to take home, sure that they’ll be appreciated back at the club.
Ace seems to enjoy looking at the independent shops, and when Toni spies a denim jacket that she thinks would suit him, he’s over the moon when she buys it and gifts it to him.
We lunch, then, with reluctance on both my part and Ace’s, it’s time to drop Toni back at her house, and for us to get on the road.
I’d promised Ma I’d get Ace home in time for him to finish his homework and make sure he’s got everything ready for school the next day.
And no one crosses Ma if they can help it.
“You’ve got summer break coming up soon, haven’t you?” Toni asks Ace as I put our bags in the truck.
“In two weeks,” Ace confirms.
“Why don’t you come and spend some time with me here? I’ve got a bit more vacation time that I can take.”
Predictably, Ace swings around to me. “Can I, Dad?”
Gathering some thinking time, I ruffle his hair.
He pulls away, his hand going up to smooth the mess I made.
Fuck, but I’m in a fix. Her invitation hadn’t seemed to include me, and even if it had, I’ve got responsibilities at the club.
If I say no, Ace can’t stay by himself, I’ll be enemy number one.
But can I say yes? I’ve seen nothing but the affection Toni has for my son, but up to now it’s only ever been us, my ma, and the members of my club, of course, who I trust to look after him.
He’s growing up. At some point, I’ve got to loosen the apron strings.
But right now? Having him five hours away from me? I don’t feel ready.
I make a counteroffer. “If you’ve got time off, why don’t you come back and stay with us?”
“Flagstaff’s got more to interest him,” she replies. And she‘s probably right.
“Dad!” Ace whines.
Giving a heavy sigh, I tell them both, “I’ll think about it.” The parental copout. The glare my son tosses me shows he’s not impressed.
Ace lingers when he gives her a final hug, and I can see her holding him just as tightly.
Neither seems to want to let the other go.
But eventually, they do part, and it’s my turn to say goodbye.
Uselessly, I turn to Toni, wanting nothing more than to pull her into my arms, ravish her mouth, and leave her something to think about.
As if she can read my mind, she gives a pointed glance toward her nephew, and then at me.
All I can do is the most she’d consider acceptable in front of my boy. So I place one arm around her, give her a squeeze, then place a chaste kiss on her cheek.
Pulling back, I thank her for the hospitality she’s shown us. “I’ll call you,” I promise.
She offers a smile. “Yes, we need to talk to sort out the details of when we can meet next.”
We need to talk about us, I mentally correct her. But perhaps such conversation is best done in person when there’s no fifteen-year-old boy being a cockblock.
Ace is already inside the truck. I take a step toward it, then turn back. “Meant to ask you,” I speak quietly, out of my son’s hearing. “Ace’s sixteenth birthday is coming up in a month or so. Thought you might like to have a hand in arranging it.”
She looks startled. “What do you mean? Take him out for a meal or something?”
I shake my head. “No, I mean, arrange some kind of celebration for him, a party. It would be best for it to be held back at the club, of course, but you could think about a theme or decorations or some shit like that.” Ace doesn’t have close friends, only the brothers and his family – me, her, and my ma.
If he’s going to be the guest of honour, he would hate to be surrounded by strangers.
She chuckles. “Freak, I know nothing about arranging a kid’s party. Maybe you’d best do that yourself. I’ll just get him a nice present. You’ll have to tell me what he wants.”
Ace taps the horn on my truck, ending our conversation. With a final “goodbye,” I walk around to the driver’s side. As the truck pulls away, I watch her standing outside her house until we make a turn and she disappears from the rearview.