Chapter 1 #2
Before that, her parents were dead, and the only person who could communicate with her was her foster mom, Susanna.
No one in her extended family or those waiting to foster or adopt children had wanted to take Jaycee in.
Their reason was that she was too much work.
They didn’t want to learn American Sign Language, ASL, so that they could communicate with her and allow Jaycee to communicate with them. The poor thing had been so isolated.
Susanna brought Jaycee to the local senior citizens’ center for a holiday celebration, and Jauhnna and Diablo met her.
It was love for all three. Fast forward, and we all learned ASL while Jaycee worked on improving her ability to read lips.
When Paige joined the club, she already knew sign language, but it was rusty.
She learned it in a college class. It didn’t take her long to get up to speed.
I smiled as the little girl came to a halt next to me. What’s up, Shortcake? I signed.
She gave a deep, drawn-out sigh and gave me a sad face. Mommy and Daddy said Isis and I have to go to bed. She cast a mournful look at her dog and petted Isis’s head.
It’s getting late and past your bedtime. You know that. Why so sad? I asked.
I wanted to stay so me and Isis can play with Fenrir and Dozer longer. It’s been forever since we did it.
Wait, you get to see Fenrir almost every day. He lives here, too, I reminded her.
But not Fenrir and Dozer. Why don’t you live here, too? Her little bottom lip popped out as she gave me a pathetic look.
Because our house is in town, you know I have to have special things. My house there has those.
Will you maybe move here one day? she asked hopefully.
I thought for a moment, then made her a promise. I felt secure in making it so that I’d never have to pay up.
I signed to her, just as her mom and dad, who held a sleeping Chasin, walked up to us. I’ll build a house here so you can see Dozer all the time if I get a wife.
Why not now? Jaycee asked.
I don’t need it for me, but for a wife, I’d want her safe, and this is the safest place, I explained.
Shortcake, stop pestering Swerve to move. He’s happy where he is. It’s time for bed. I’ll walk you to the house with your mom and Chasin. I need you to say goodnight to Swerve, Diablo signed.
Okay, she signed before gesturing for me to come toward her. I knew what she wanted. I bent myself so Jaycee’s arms could encircle my neck, and she gave me a hug and a kiss. When she drew away, she signed, I love you, Swerve.
My heart felt warm as I replied, And I love you too. Goodnight.
Before she walked away with her family, she kissed Dozer on the tip of his nose. He’d come over to see what was going on.
“Goodnight, Swerve,” Jauhnna said.
“Goodnight, Jauhnna.”
“Swerve, I’ll be back in a few. I wanna talk to you about something. Are you heading home soon?” Diablo asked.
I kinda wanted to, but instead of telling Pres that, I said, “I’ll be here. Take your time.”
He nodded, then gathered his family and headed for the door. As I watched them leave, I wondered what he wanted to talk to me about. It could be anything.
A groan made me look to the left. Paige dropped onto the sofa next to me. I was seated next to one of the sofas, which lined the walls. In the middle were the tables and chairs. Fenrir dropped down at her feet like Dozer was by mine. She frowned.
“You’ve been awfully quiet tonight, Swerve. That’s not like you. What’s wrong?”
“Nothing is wrong. I just haven’t felt that talkative.”
As I spoke, Scorpion came walking up. He handed me a bottle of beer, then a bottle of root beer to Paige, while keeping a beer for himself. He sat next to her, placing his arm possessively around her shoulders.
“Thanks, man,” I told him, holding up the bottle.
“You’re welcome. So, tell us what’s up with you? And don’t say nothing. That shit doesn’t work with us. You’ve been more withdrawn, and I don’t mean tonight only. I’ve noticed it for the past month. Do you need to see the counselor again?”
That was Scorpion. Always blunt. He didn’t believe in not meeting things head-on.
Since he’d processed his guilt over my accident, he was a big proponent of not hiding shit.
He’d started going to my therapist after we straightened things up with Paige’s family.
Although we didn’t go into details about our sessions with Dashiell, or Dash as he preferred to be called, we did discuss the broader topics.
“No, I don’t need to see Dash sooner. We have our monthly session in two weeks. What about you? Maybe you should go. You seem to be fixating on me again,” I pointed out.
For a while after he began therapy, Scorpion had been more fixated on checking in on me. As he worked through his guilt and his relationship with Paige grew, he tried to ensure I didn’t feel abandoned. I assured him numerous times that I didn’t.
“It’s not fixation. We’re worried about you. You’re our best friend. We know you didn’t want any of us to make a big deal out of your first anniversary, but we wanted to, and we wanted you to let loose and have fun. You’ve been on the fringes tonight. Are you that mad we did it?” Scorpion asked.
“Am I a tad annoyed? Yes, but I know why, and your hearts are in the right place. As for letting loose, I played pool and a few games of darts. I’ve talked to everybody, I think. I’ve had more than one beer. What more is there?”
Paige and Scorpion exchanged glances before she answered. “Are you going to hook up with one of the hangers-on or club sluts after they get here? A few have been asking where you’ve been.”
I rolled my eyes. “Paige, get serious. Those women aren’t interested in sex with me, or if they are, it’s for the wrong reasons. I don’t need to be a notch on their biker tally list. Or worse, on their charity or deviant list.”
“Charity list? Paige parroted.
“Deviant list?” Scorpion repeated at the same time.
“Yeah, you know the kind I’m talking about, Scorpion.
Paige might not, but you do. Those women who’ll do it as a sympathy lay, or the worst ones, those who sleep with you because they have a fascination with non-able-bodied people.
No thanks. Been there and don’t want to do that again. ” I shuddered.
“Well, I can’t blame you for saying no to either of those, but not every woman is like them. I bet some of the ones who come here aren’t either,” Paige said, though she was less than a fan of those women.
“Dragon Lady, I love you, but you’ve got to accept it.
And so do you, man. A normal, healthy woman won’t be interested in a man who’s in a wheelchair.
We’d like to think that there are those who look at the inner person and not just the physical, but it’s a lie.
They want a man who can sweep them off their feet and carry them to bed or hold them up and fuck them against the wall.
I’m not high on the desirable-husband-and-father material list, assuming I could even have kids.
That’s damn near a nonexistent possibility according to the doctors. ”
Talking about it made my mood darken. I chugged down half my beer before I took a breath. Tears filled Paige’s eyes.
“I-I can’t believe that, Swerve. You’re such an amazing man, and if they’re so stupid that they can’t look past those, then it’s their loss. They’ll miss out on a spectacular guy.”
Before I could thank her, she burst into tears. I was shocked. That wasn’t Paige. Scorpion pulled her to his chest and rocked her as he kissed her cheek and murmured something in her ear.
“Paige, babe, I didn’t mean to make you cry,” I told her, reaching over to rub her arm closest to me.
“It’s not you. I’ve been moody all week. I must be PMSing. I’m due to start my period, and work was a bear this week,” Paige mumbled. It was hard to hear her reply.
“Then you should go home, eat a pound of the good chocolate I got you, and then make this bastard take you to bed and work all that stress out of you,” I informed her.
Her smile broke through her crying. “You’re such a perv, but I love you anyway.” She sniffed.
“Get your asses out of here and go home. Enjoy some alone time. I’m fine. Stop worrying about me. I’m waiting for Diablo to get back. He said he had something he needed to discuss with me. I’ll see you tomorrow. We’re all still going for a ride, aren’t we?” I asked to divert Paige’s mind.
“Yep, we’re all going as long as the weather stays the way it is. Are you sure you’re alright?” he asked.
“Yes, Momma, I’m good,” I mockingly replied.
“Don’t Momma me or I’ll get Mom to work on finding you a woman,” Scorpion threatened.
“Don’t you dare sic Jamila on me. Besides, she has her own life to worry about. We should be worrying about all the men asking her out all the time,” I growled.
“Oh no, you two don’t! You’re not scaring any more poor men away. Leave her to enjoy life. Scorpion, stand up. You’re coming with me. ‘Night, Swerve,” Paige said.
After standing, she leaned over and kissed me on the cheek, which I returned on hers. I burst out laughing when Scorpion pretended to be leaning over to kiss me. His puckered lips looked like a duck’s asshole.
“Don’t make me tell Dozer to take care of you,” I warned.
I grinned as they took off for home. At least someone was headed home in a good mood.
I sat there watching the room as I finished off my beer.
I took my last sip when Diablo reentered the common area.
He zeroed in on me and headed in my direction.
Inside, my gut tightened as I prayed it wasn’t anything terrible.
He wore a tight expression. I steeled myself for bad news.
Since he wasn’t announcing it, that meant it was confined to me.
“Can I grab you anything, Swerve?” he asked when he reached me.
“Nope, just finished this, but if you want to get something, go ahead.” I raised the empty beer bottle.