Chapter Five
They got to the highway, but they didn’t see the other car, so Crank went to the passenger side and Bouncer went to the driver’s side.
Crank settled in and nodded at Bouncer. “Just get us home in one piece.”
Bouncer growled and they took off at high speed. After a moment or so, he glanced over at Crank and asked, “Just what kind of trouble is your daddy up to anyway?”
Crank was busy making sure Ursala was okay then he shrugged as he stared at the only woman he ever loved. “I don’t have a fucking clue but I will find out. And if it ain’t legit, I’ll fucking burn his house of cards down until there ain’t nothing left but ash. I’ll fucking bury him.”
Bouncer kept his eyes on the road but he kept looking in the rear views.
He never saw anyone following him or paying them any attention.
He turned, climbing the long driveway and finally pulled into the compound on Look Out Mountain.
Bouncer made sure the gate was closed behind him and then drove slowly to the front doors of the clubhouse.
As soon as they stopped the truck in front of the clubhouse, the double doors flew open.
Reno and Titus rushed out.
Reno came over to the passenger side and stared at the window where she could see her mother hurt and in Crank’s arms. She reached for the door handle and opened the door slowly. Staring at her mother’s face, she whispered, “Is she still alive?”
Crank studied her face then gruffly he said, “Yeah, she’s still alive, honey. But we need to get Pyrite to see her and tell us how bad she’s hurt.”
Reno glanced up to ask, “Who?”
“Pyrite, he’s our medic,” Titus told her. He pulled her back, so Crank could get out of the truck with Reno’s mother in his arms.
Crank carefully slid down to the ground and carried Ursala inside.
Reno went with them .
Bouncer came around the back of the truck, carrying a backpack and a woman’s purse. He looked at his son and shook his head. “I found these in her car.”
“How is he doing?” Titus wanted to know.
Bouncer shrugged. “I never seen him scared before. He still loves this woman.”
Titus nodded. “Yeah, I think so too.”
Bouncer shrugged again, “I know that feeling though. Some men find their one right away and pray to live their lives with the special person and they never do get over losing her. I know I never did forget your mom.” Shaking his head, Bouncer told his son, “For some men, that feeling never goes away. I just didn’t know Crank ever had a woman like that. ”
Titus shook his head. “None of us did. He never shared that with anyone that I ever knew about. He kept his whole previous life a secret, didn’t he?
All we ever knew about him was the man he was when he got here.
Then now he finds out he’s got a grown daughter too?
That must be blowing his tiny little mind. ”
“Tiny...” Bouncer snorted. “I wouldn’t let him hear that. He’s likely to bust your head open.”
Titus smiled. “You’ll notice I said it when I knew damn well he wasn’t around.”
“Come on, then let's find out how she’s doing.” Bouncer carried the purse and backpack inside. They went to the Infirmary and watched in silence as Pyrite finished checking Ursala out.
He finally finished taking her vitals and wrapped the stethoscope around his neck.
He looked over at Crank and Reno, “Her vitals are okay and she could wake up anytime. She did take a hard bump when her head hit the dashboard but her pupils reacted, so she probably just has a slight concussion. So now we wait for her to wake up.”
Crank moved closer to the bed and sat down. Reaching out to capture her hand, he sat in the silence just holding her hand.
Reno walked over to him and put her hand on his shoulder.
Bouncer placed the purse and pack on a table close to the door. Then he tapped Titus and motioned with a flick of his head to leave the room.
Pyrite got up and he too, left the room.
Reno shifted to the edge of the bed and sat down while still staring at her mom.
They sat in silence for a long time.
Finally, Reno broke the quiet, “I always knew she loved my dad. She just never talked about him much. She used to tell me when I was growing up that she had to leave him behind. Not because she wanted to, she had to. I asked her why but she would never tell me.” Without looking at him she continued, “We moved around a lot when I was growing up. I hated that, but then I got older and I would notice the little things, her watching out the window all the time. How we never got to go outside in some of the places we lived at. Or maybe we could go outside once it got dark and no one could see us.” She shook her head.
“Then one day, I think I was fourteen then, I asked her to sit down and talk to me. I needed and deserved the truth and for once she did. She told me some very bad men were looking for us and if they found us, they would hurt us. I asked her who but she would never tell me. I hated living like that and two years ago, I told her I wouldn’t put my life on hold anymore.
I need to find a job and go off on my own.
She understood but then we came up with a plan.
She wanted me safe above all things and we worked it out.
I couldn’t live that far away and I would keep in touch.
” Shaking her head she admitted, “It wasn’t a great plan but it was one we could both live with.
We both had to keep in touch but that was okay with me.
I knew deep down if she had to run again, I would then make sure we stayed together. ”
“Yeah? Well, that’s going to stop as soon as I find out what she’s been running from all these years,” Crank promised. “If it's my father, then I’m gonna make sure he loses everything he has.”
Reno slowly turned her head to look at him. “Why?”
Crank looked away from Ursala to look at his daughter. “Because I still love her. I need answers to a thousand questions and because I need to know you. I’ve missed out on your entire life until now and I need to make you both safe.”
Neither of them noticed when Ursala opened her eyes. She gasped and looked at the man sitting next to her. Staring at him as if she didn’t trust her eyes. “Nolan?” she whispered.
Crank’s head snapped over to stare at her and he smiled.
“Nolan, is that you?” Tears rolled down along her cheeks.
Crank nodded and leaned closer to her. He whispered back, “Ursala, don’t cry.” He raised his hand and brushed her tears away. “I finally found you honey and this time, I’m never letting you go. Where have you been all these years?”
Ursala chuckled, then winced in pain. “I guess I’ve been waiting for you to do just that. Find me.” Then she noticed Reno sitting beside her. Looking from one to the other of them, she sighed heavily. “I guess you two met?”
Crank reached out and cupped her face. “Yeah, we met. Damn, she even has my eyes. I have so many questions but the first thing I have to ask is why did you run?”
Ursala sighed heavily and said, “I left you a note, didn’t you read it?”
Crank shook his head. “I never found a note, just an empty house when I came home for work that day. It looked like someone ransacked the place and they made a damned mess of everything. Most of our stuff was trashed. But I never found a note. I was so lost for so long. I knew I had to find you, so I didn’t stay there for long.
My dad was calling me wondering when I was going to join him but I told him I was going to find you.
” He shook his head and said, “Lets just say he didn’t care too much for that plan, he screamed and made a fuss but he couldn’t stop me.
I packed what I could carry on my bike and took off before he could reach me.
I looked for three years but I couldn’t find any trace of you and I knew I couldn’t stay.
I left New Mexico then and got this far before I stopped. ”
Ursala cried harder then said, “I didn’t want to leave Nolan but I didn’t have a choice.
Your dad came to see me and he offered me a ten thousand dollar check to leave quietly.
I threw it back in his face and he hit me.
He slapped me and said, if I was looking for more money there wouldn’t be any more.
I told him I didn’t want his money, I just wanted you. ”
Crank’s hand tightened on hers and she looked at him through tear filled eyes.
“Let’s just say your father lost it. He grabbed my arm and dragged me to the back door and threw me out into the backyard.
He told me to get out of your life and if I didn’t, he would bury me the next time he saw me.
” Shaking her head she admitted, “I believed him. His eyes were so cold that day, I believed him. I just laid there and I heard him breaking things inside the house, then he came to the back door again and tossed my clothes outside and told me I didn’t belong there anymore.
He slammed the door and I heard the lock snap shut.
” She paused, then said, “He finally left, so I began gathering my things. I found a way back into the house and I really didn’t intend to leave you.
But then...I found something that wasn’t yours or mine. ”
Crank looked confused as he asked, “What?”
With a sigh, she replied. “It sealed our fate.”