Chapter Twelve.
Amy
Small flames, one by one, filled the space as mourners lit their candles. The fire sent a warm glow across each of their faces and reflected in the tear tracks on many faces.
I stood surrounded by the MC and actually felt safe from prying eyes as I held my own candle.
They all towered above me as we stood at the entrance to the field where the crash happened.
Because it was still an active crime scene, we couldn’t go in, but at the gate were piles of flowers and soft toys.
The crowd was bigger than I imagined, and I guessed many were relatives of those who’d died.
Others were here to genuinely pray, while a good number, I reckoned, were nosy fuckers looking for a juicy piece of gossip.
Unsurprisingly, the media were also here, and they’d tried to get several shots of me. One of the brothers blocked them each time.
A vicar stood by the gate, praying as we lit candles and listened. A couple of relatives said some words about their loved ones, and I curled into Vortex’s chest as tears threatened.
The Unwanted Bastards MC didn’t just protect me.
Mari was here with Papa and Dad, and they also surrounded her as Mari buried her head in Papa’s shoulder.
They’d been friends since their childhood, and it was only natural that Natasha and I had become friends too.
Now we stood together, a family, and mourned our loss, and it was deep.
Dad wrapped his arms around Papa and Mari and held them close.
I don’t care what anyone said. Papa might have been in the army, but he still had emotions, and he’d loved Natasha and me.
Mari and Tash had spent every Christmas with us.
What one girl got, the other did. We were brought up as sisters.
Even when Papa had moved around for his job, he’d stayed in contact with Mari with weekly calls.
Vacations were always held together. Papa, Dad, and Mari had provided Natasha and me with wonderful childhoods.
A couple of hours passed as we stood in the bitter cold, listening out of respect as people spoke about their loved ones.
Mari and I had both refused to comment, as had other families, but we supported those who needed to talk.
It ended when the vicar said the Lord’s Prayer, and mourners began moving away.
“There’s food at the clubhouse,” Vortex murmured to Papa, who nodded. He and Dad were supporting Mari as we walked along the road towards a lane that would take us through a shortcut to the town.
“Vortex!” a woman cried, and I stiffened. What was with this bitch? Was she really so desperate for attention?
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Vortex snarled.
Nope, there she was, dolled up to the nines. This was a fuckin’ memorial vigil for Christ’s sake, and tottering towards us on six-inch-high heels.
“What the fuck do you want, Kyleah?” Vortex demanded.
“Need to talk,” she said and batted her eyes.
“Here? Right now? Are you for fuckin’ real?”
The MC still surrounded Mari and me, but we could feel people stopping to watch the drama.
“You won’t talk to me!” Kyleah pouted.
“Because you’re batshit crazy! This alone proves it. What type of bitter, twisted, sick bitch decides to push her personal agenda at something like this?” Vortex snapped.
“Then you shouldn’t ignore me. Just because you’ve thrown me over for her, you can’t decide I don’t exist!
” Kyleah snarled. Tears welled in her eyes, and I saw the sideways looks she was giving the crowd.
Oh, she was playing to the audience, alright.
“Vortex, I’m the mother of your child!” Kyleah let out a sob.
People started murmuring, and I guessed some had their phones out. This was a clusterfuck.
“We need to go,” I murmured, and Vortex offered me a clipped nod. He began turning away, but Kyleah wasn’t having that.
“Don’t ignore me! Our baby needs you,” she wailed.
“Deadbeat dad!” someone muttered. Vortex’s face turned to stone.
“Didn’t wanna do this in public, Kyleah. Didn’t wanna ruin the vigil, but you fuckin’ asked for it. You’re batshit crazy. I broke up with you six months ago! Six. We were together for three months. Believe me, that was a prison sentence with your insanity.”
“Doesn’t excuse ignoring our child!” Kyleah sniped.
“How could it be mine when your kid is two months old? That means it was conceived eleven months ago, and I didn’t know you then. You got with me to dump someone else’s bastard on me. That won’t work. Now fuck off, Kyleah, and take your lies with you. I’m not an available wallet for you!”
Muttering rose amongst the onlookers as many swayed to Vortex’s side.
Oh. I’d not realised that Vortex had already looked into Kyleah’s child. Honestly, it had fallen by the wayside with everything else that was happening. I felt bad that I hadn’t asked about that situation. How selfish of me.
“It was premature!” Kyleah shrieked, and the crowd murmured, swinging back to support her.
“Fuckin’ big baby if it was eight weeks early, never heard of a preemie weighing over nine pounds.
Take your lies and shove them, Kyleah. What the fuck is wrong with you?
Are you so desperate for attention that you have to interrupt a tragedy to get it?
People came to pay their respects out of decency, and then there’s you.
Shame on you, Kyleah, you’d have done the world a favour if you could have swapped places with one of the dead.
Because you’re nothing but an embarrassment,” Vortex spat harshly.
“Go home, you’ve made your scene, intruded on people’s genuine grief and ruined this night for grieving relatives,” Papa said.
“Shut up, I deserve—”
“You know what I deserved? To mourn my daughter in peace and quiet. Without bitches like you causing trouble. First her wake and now this. Has respect totally died out? Do people understand grieving anymore? Is everything a fucking photo or social media opportunity? What of my grief? What of my pain? Is it entertainment for the masses? Christ, Natasha is better off dead than living in a world like this!” Mari cried.
Around us, strangers muttered in agreement.
“Go home, you evil bitch!” a woman exclaimed.
“Fuck off!” a man shouted.
Hate crossed Kyleah’s face. She caught sight of me and opened her mouth.
“Kyleah, I’ve never struck a female, but I will if you say one more vile and nasty word. Leave Amy alone, Kyleah. Leave before I do something you’ll regret,” Vortex warned.
A woman shoved Kyleah, and she tripped.
“Who did that?” she cried.
“I did! My son died in that field. Tonight was for him, and you come here to score points? Ruin lives?” the woman hauled back and smacked Kyleah hard across the face.
“Holy shit,” Dad muttered.
A different lady spun Kyleah around and slapped her, too. Kyleah stumbled away, her eyes wide with fear.
“That’s for my son, daughter-in-law, and grandson who died on that airship. I came to pay my final respects, and you ruined it.” Kyleah took another slap from the woman before Drew stepped in.
“Arrest them!” Kyleah cried. “That was assault.”
“You want assault?” Mari demanded and hit Kyleah for a third time.
“Got what you deserved. Now, you’re being taken into custody,” Drew said, yanking Kyleah’s arms behind her back.
“What for!” Kyleah screeched.
“Inciting a public disturbance,” Drew replied.
“Oh my God,” I whispered as Drew hauled Kyleah away. Those watching cheered softly.
“You can all fuck off too. Our pain and grief aren’t for the public to pick over,” Dad snapped at the reporters. Some exchanged worried looks. Several began retreating as the crowd now turned on them.
An older woman shook a young female reporter hard. “What if this were your sister, parents, or kid? Would you want cameras shoved in your face?”
Someone let out an angry sound, and I realised this was going to get nasty.
“Let’s get back to town. This is turning ugly,” Inglorious said. Several items were thrown at the reporters, who all began hurrying off. A couple stumbled as stones struck them.
The brothers closed around Mari and me and walked us back to the lane, which led home. As we walked away, I kept sending sideways glances at Mari.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes. Just disappointed in people,” Mari replied and lapsed into silence. She wasn’t the only one.
Vortex
I’d apologised to Mari even though what occurred wasn’t my fault. I was disgusted with Kyleah. No doubt she was after money for an easy life and a baby daddy. Neither of which I was inclined to help with. I’d no idea who the father was, but it certainly wasn’t me.
Last night’s hopeful closure hadn’t happened.
Amy went to bed and curled up, retreating into herself.
Kyleah had wrecked the peace Amy had been searching for.
Whenever Amy remembered the funeral or vigil, she’d know drama marred them.
I wrapped myself around her, and Amy clung to me like a lifeline.
Sleeping with Amy had become a habit over the last few days.
If I wasn’t there, the nightmares came; if I was, they stayed away. I was only too happy to help.
Amy had gone out with Nanci to a spa today, so I was doing the rounds of the businesses in town. Inglorious was checking our outside ones. Bow, wearing jeans and a sheriff’s department tan shirt, headed toward me.
“How are you settling in?” I asked as he approached.
“Like I’ve never been away,” he retorted.
“Yeah, I know that feeling. Anything you require?”
“Peace and quiet, but ain’t gonna get that, am I?”
“Nope. Glad you’re back though, brother.”
Bow looked at me. “Guess I’m happy to see your ugly mug, too. Need you for something. It was delivered half an hour ago.”
I followed Bow to the sheriff’s office, where Drew was on the phone. In front of him was a black wreath with familiar words. “RIP Amy,” I muttered, and anger surged.
Who the fuck was this? Was it a stalker, or the guy who blew up the zeppelin? I was furious now. Someone was pressing all my buttons and then some.