CHAPTER EIGHT
-:- Paisley -:-
The people that are part of this motorcycle club are crazy. They do the most bizarre things! I have sat in the kitchen at one time or another, and the common room and seen Star and Meat dressed up. I’ve also seen Wings messing with Heather, who is the Sheriff’s Ol’ Lady. Not sure I like the sound of being called old, but at least I’m being called Wifey…!
Knuckles follows Jo around like a lapdog when he’s at the clubhouse, and she takes great pleasure in whispering in her man’s ear and then disappearing, often over his shoulder, while he bolts out of the room. I wonder why they don’t have at least a dozen kids?
I could go on but I won’t because where would it ever end? They are all as bad as each other. I even watched Fist baiting, then wrestling with Chisel. I mean, do you really want to be called Chisel?
Axel walks over to where I’m sitting watching everyone getting ready to leave for their respective jobs and sits next to me. I give him my attention because he is the boss, after all.
“It’s Tuesday Paisley, and I want you to look at your home, shop and anywhere else you remember that may jog your memory. TwoCents is spending the day with you, but before you go, Mia said to pop over to the house and have a drink with her and the twins. TwoCents is going to be another hour in his office and he’ll come across and get you when he’s done.”
Giving Axel a smile, I stand ready to visit Mia, but Axel speaks again.
“Oh, Sunday you will join in the training sessions and you need to book in with Winter for your permit to carry. Every woman of the club is taught to defend themselves, and you are no exception. If you have no weapons training, then you’ll be taught.”
Before I can say I’m not really someone who would like a gun, he gets up and strolls away, leaving me with my mouth flapping and no sounds coming out. Dang, always on the back foot and it’s starting to get on my nerves.
Walking through the kitchen, I stop to watch the Three Stooges for a moment as they are bickering, and Sybil shocks me when she throws a piece of cold pancake at Bitty, who grabs something and throws it in retaliation.
Crazy, they are all crazy. I continue walking and pretend I have seen none of that. I don’t want to get involved and I sure don’t want them throwing any of their leftover breakfasts at me. I hope Mia’s house is calmer than this place!
Knocking on the door of Mia’s house, I wait a minute and wave at Star, who is at the stunning cabin next door, sweeping the wraparound porch. But what, or rather is, she dressed as this morning? A French maid?
When the door opens and Mia smiles, waving me inside I am more than happy to go in and close the door on Star and whatever she is going to be up to.
“I know. I live next door to them. They are always dressing up and playacting. You’ve not seen Meat at his worst. When he first came to the club his PTSD was bad. He used to do sentry duty on his treehouse wraparound, naked, and let me tell you, that was a sight to see. He has always been on the Ol’ Ladies” side, no matter what we do. He is a protector, brother and friend and our lives are far richer because of it. We would go to the ends of the earth for him, and then back again.” Mia’s look of warmth for this man has my heart warming too.
I follow Mia into the kitchen where the twins are in their highchairs covered in what looks like oatmeal. Thankfully, they are strapped into them so they cannot climb out because I’m sure as soon as Mia turns her back, these two would be up to no good.
Forty-five minutes later, we have had fun bathing the twins, redressing them, and have them in a huge playpen with enough toys to amuse them for quite some time.
“They have to be tiring,” I say as I smile at Hunter, who gives me a huge smile in return before throwing his truck at me, taking me by surprise.
“They sure are, but thankfully, Bitty, Amelia and Sybil are godsends. They are the grandparents that these two horrors need. They are not stupid with them either, they make sure they are teaching them right.”
“I have to say they are such beautiful boys and they are going to be huge like their dad.”
“Yeah, they are growing like they have shit in their shoes.” Mia and I turn to see Star smirking at our surprised looks. “I let myself in, but you should think about leaving that front door locked, Mia.”
“What do you mean by ‘shit in their shoes’?” I can’t help but ask because that is something I’ve never heard before.
“Oh, you know the stink in their shoes makes them grow faster so their noses are further away from the stench.” Star has a huge smirk on her face, and when I side-eye Mia, she is holding her forehead with the palm of her hand as though she has a headache.
The back door opens before we can respond, and TwoCents walks into the kitchen. “I’m ready to roll Wifey, so come on, let’s go get you some more clothes from the house.”
Standing, I quickly walk over to TwoCents, who throws an arm around my shoulders. But, as we walk out the door and I look over to say ‘Bye’, I notice Star and Mia are sharing a strange look. I open my mouth to ask, but don’t get the chance as TwoCents closes the door, and tucks me into his side as we walk back toward the clubhouse.
I’m hustled and bustled until I’m on the back of TwoCents’ hog, as he calls it, helmeted and wrapped around his back. I’m hanging on for grim death, but all the while I’m thinking ‘Why are we on a bike if we are going to get more clothes?’
Entering the house, it’s so quiet that it’s a little eerie, especially after being at the clubhouse where there’s always something going on. I’ve noticed that the clubhouse always has someone talking, shouting, laughing or larking around and it gives a homey, lived-in feeling.
“Get what you need, and we’ll leave it in a suitcase near the door. Sentry is coming to grab some things from the basement, so he’ll bring it with him in the truck later,” TwoCents tells me and I get to work picking out what I think I’ll need.
An hour later, I have a suitcase ready. Turning to TwoCents, I ask. “How long before we come back here?”
“Well, some will depend on your memory, and some depend on other circumstances. But we will come back, eventually.”
I’m about to argue that’s vague and I think I need more information than that when I’m quietened when TwoCents steps up to me, takes my cheeks in his hands and lowers his mouth to mine.
My head is gently tilted back, giving TwoCents a better angle for his lips over mine. My eyes slowly droop and my lips soften as he deepens the kiss, and it becomes a dance of our tongues, twining and stroking.
My stomach has butterflies shooting around and my heart is beating fast. I”m not remembering a kiss like this ever before, but he”s my husband, so I wonder why not?
Stepping back, TwoCents smiles and my eyes are a little misty, and if I had to describe how I’m feeling, I’d call it floaty, unfocused, and wanting more.
“Come on, Wifey. We have to go to the shop now.”
Walking into the Swap Shop, I’m met by Sentry, who gives me a hug, and again it takes me by surprise. But, I look sharply at TwoCents who growls, yeah he does, he growls, and it sounds quite vicious too.
“Oh, come on, I know Paisley’s your wife. Give it a break,” Sentry chuckles.
A middle-aged woman walks over smiling and Sentry turns to give her a smile. “This is Hannah, and she is our Monday, Tuesday and Saturday volunteer. I have Alyssa volunteering for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. It has helped smooth out the running of the shop and some of the timid customers prefer being helped by them, rather than me.”
“That is so kind of you to volunteer, Hannah. Have you done this sort of thing before?” I ask as I step toward her.
“I have, but a while ago now. I enjoy helping where I can and I have time on my hands, so I always think it’s best to put that time to good use. I’m not one to sit around gossiping or lazing.” Hannah is much taller than I am. She’s a brunette, with brown eyes and a little on the heavier side, but she has this aura of kindness about her that warms you to her instantly.
Walking away from TwoCents and Sentry, I follow Hannah to the back of the shop where there are piles of clothing, and in one of the corners, toys.
“This pile we are folding to go for washing, and this pile we need to take into the shop and get on the shelves.” Hannah points out, and I roll my sleeves up and get started folding.
“Are you married, Hannah?” I ask.
“Yes, my husband is in the military, and he’s not home at the moment. He is away for another three months, but I can’t wait for him to come home.” She has such a loving look on her face that it’s obvious she adores her husband.
“It has to be hard, him being away.”
“It is, but you get used to it. Well, some of us get used to it and we form our lives around them, either being home or being away. I make sure the house is kept in good repair, that all utility bills are paid and no problems arise that Garth would have to deal with when he is home. When he is home, I want to spend all my time with him until he leaves again.”
Now that last part of her reply is said with quite some sadness to it, and I can only imagine how hard it is to keep seeing your husband walking away to something that could be extremely dangerous.
“Do you have children? I’m sorry, I’m being nosey.”
“No, that’s fine. I heard you lost your memory, so maybe hearing others speak about their lives will help you remember yours.” Hannah gives me a warm smile, then continues, “No, we don’t have children. I was in an accident when I was twenty-two and I only survived by the skin of my teeth, but I was left unable to have children.”
“I’m sorry.”
“No need to be sorry. We were okay with it. We had wanted kids, but we always said that with Garth being away, it was something we had to think about seriously because with neither of us having family of our own, it would create a type of one-parent family situation.”
“Oh, I can see that. But many military families have kids.”
“Yes, they do, and they make it work. I hold them in high regard. I’ve helped sit with other kids when something has happened in the family. It’s nice to be able to give help when needed. I don’t make friends easily, and I don’t have many friends, but I like the way I live my life and I’m comfortable with it.”
“Well, I’m happy you are here and helping us. If you ever need help, you just have to shout out. Good deeds should get good deeds in return.”
“Thank you, that is very kind of you.” Hannah lifts a pile of clothes and, after giving me a smile, she carries them out to the shop where she’s going to be filling shelves.
Hearing a commotion from the shop I walk out of the room and into the shop area. I smile broadly when a serviceman is swinging Hannah around while kissing her soundly.
I lean on the counter and watch the reunion, and when it stops and they both realize where they are, Hannah has a huge blush on her cheeks.
“What are you doing home so soon? How did you know I was here?” I hear Hannah ask her husband Garth.
“I’ll discuss it with you later, but I walked across the road and spoke to Mrs-Knows-Everything.”
Laughing, Hannah explains, “That’s our neighbor, and she knows everyone’s business, and I mean everyone’s. If someone went missing she would know first, and she’d probably know who took them.”
TwoCents and Sentry shake hands with Garth, then tell Hannah to go home and to only come back when she is ready. Enjoy the time her husband is home before he is gone again.
The rest of the day I help Sentry in the back room, piling bags of laundry and thinking there is so much. Maybe it would be something we need to think about getting help with? Maybe a cleaning company that would take on this laundry? I’ll have to discuss it with Sentry and TwoCents when they have finished in the shop.
Sentry keeps stopping to deal with customers while TwoCents is helping build a wall-to-wall shelving unit, which I have to agree is going to make things much easier.
Watching Sentry, I’m wondering if we could talk him into being a manager of the place. A paid manager, at least until I get my memory back and know what the heck my life is all about.