Chapter 50 Blaze
I got a call midway through my shift to let me know that Dad was picking Dylan up.
Mom needed him with her. It didn’t matter to me, one less stop I had to make tonight.
It was a strange call. I guess something happened that made Dad so excited that he forgot he was angry with me.
I gave an internal shrug. It was almost a relief after this morning.
In fact, the past few weeks had been an absolute nightmare.
From the day that Daisy came back, I’d felt like my life had just a series of bad shit happening, one after the other.
I was still feeling a little sick that I’d slipped one into my own cousin, and doubly grateful that the condom had stayed intact.
It almost made me understand Matchstick getting the snip.
I was also feeling a little spun out that she was Daisy’s sister.
It made sense now why they looked alike.
Somehow, I’d have to find Amber and let her know that this couldn’t happen again, ever.
I just…Daisy hated the thought of the other women; I couldn’t include her sister in the lineup. A man had to have some boundaries.
I sat in the break room, trying to make sense of it all.
Things weren’t falling into place like they should be.
The day Daisy came back was supposed to be the restart of our life together.
Instead, I felt like she was drifting further and further away from me.
Take this divorce paperwork for instance.
It was nuts. Why on earth did she want to divorce me?
Where could she find anyone better than me?
I mean, I was both an Ares Rider, and a firefighter.
I had girls lining up to take me to bed.
She didn’t realise the gold that she was passing up.
She was obviously after something, but I couldn’t work out what.
I’d have to work out a way to talk to her so she could tell me what it was that she wanted from me, then work out a way to give it to her.
I went home after my shift, to find Dylan tucked in bed with Mom. Dad had cooked dinner and sent a very emotional woman to bed with her grandson. He was also upset. It didn’t take me long to find out why.
Dad took out the plate of food that he’d cooked up for me, and sat it in front of me. Today was getting weirder and weirder. Dad hadn’t cooked for me since before Daisy left. Then he fetched both of us a beer and sat down at the table with me.
I looked at him suspiciously.
He caught my look and chuckled. “It’s been a while, hasn’t it, Son?”
“What’s wrong with Mom? I’m guessing it’s terminal, whatever it is…Cancer?” I asked. It was the only thing I could think of that would cause this reaction in both of them.
Dad drowned a mouthful and shook his head. “Your mom is healthy enough. She’ll be kicking along for another 50 years. Thank God,” he grunted, then drew a deep breath through his nostrils.
“You?” I forced through the lump growing in my throat. I knew he and I didn’t have the best relationship. But he was still my dad.
Dad chuckled again. “Nah, I’m good.” He drew in another deep breath as if he were steeling himself. “We had a visitor today,” he said ominously, staring at the tabletop.
“Oh? Who was it?”
“A girl called Amber.”
The blood drained from my face.
I was lucky Dad was in his own world and not facing me when he looked up. He stared at the photos on the wall in front of us. The knick-knacks and Dylan’s drawings shared equal space.
“Do you remember your mom’s sister, Lacey?”
“Vaguely,” I responded.
“She was your mom’s twin, almost identical.
Even your grandparents had trouble telling them apart sometimes, though I have no idea how…
it was pretty easy.” Dad’s voice changed into storyteller mode, which made it easy for me to switch off my brain and listen while I ate.
Dad was a hit or miss cook, seeing as he couldn’t read, so recipes were useless to him. Tonight he’d done well.
“Lacey had this look in her eye, that crazy look that Molly gets sometimes around Matchstick.” Dad shivered and brought the bottle up to his lips to drown the thought.
“Anyway, she disappeared about twenty years ago. Completely gone. Your mom thought someone had kidnapped her. I reckon she just ran away with some biker, but no one was missing or owning up. We spent months searching for her, putting up missing persons posters, checking in surrounding clubs. The President at the time even reached out as far as he could, until he got a response which said, “Give up, she’s safe, but doesn’t want to be found.
” Dad paused, pain adding to his wrinkles.
“I didn’t know what she’d gotten herself into, and it tore your mom up badly knowing that her sister didn’t want our help.
” Dad shook his head and let silence fill the room.
I could only hear the ticking of the kitchen clock as it counted down the seconds.
Then Dad snorted. “Turns out she was pregnant by a married man. Amber is their daughter. The drop-kick of a father didn’t acknowledge her.
He stayed out of her life, and she had no idea who he was.
She says she’s found out who he is, but wouldn’t tell me,” Dad sneered.
I clenched my jaw shut. Matchstick didn’t want people knowing. It was his secret.
Dad shook his head. “The Bastard sent checks every month, but never met his daughter. There were no photos exchanged. He didn’t even try to meet her. What sort of father is that? Fuckwit. I hope he dies a slow painful death,” Dad bit out.
I bit my tongue to stop responding. Matchstick did die a slow death. I’m not sure it was painful. Pretty sure the hospital would have had him on painkillers for that. Fuck, my life was turning into such a fucking mess.
“So, why is Mom sleeping with Dylan?” I asked. “Why isn’t she here talking or packing to go see Aunt Lacey?”
Dad’s face dropped. “Lacey died a year ago. She had cancer,” he said sadly.
“Your mom is grieving. She missed the rest of Lacey’s life, and will never see her again.
All because of some Asshole who couldn’t keep it in his pants and stay faithful to his wife.
Poor woman that she is, I hope she’s in the dark as well.
I’d hate to be the one to break it to her that her husband has a kid she doesn’t know about. ”
I swallowed carefully, humming in response.
Dad sighed. “Amber’s coming back next weekend.
I’m going to introduce her to the club. See if any of the boys can remember Lacey.
Maybe work out who her dad is. I think it’ll be someone associated with the club in some way.
Lacey did like the bikers, but she knows we would have looked after her if we knew, so I don’t think it’s anyone actually in the club.
” He drained the last of the bottle and tapped the table like he was at the clubhouse bar.
“I’m off. We’ll look after Dylan tonight, and you can have him back tomorrow.” He stood up, nodded to me, and walked out.
I put my fork down on my plate and ran my hands over my face.
I vaguely remembered Aunt Lacey. She was a teacher, and I remember her babysitting me during the nights where Mom would help Dad with getting his qualifications.
She often would spend the night playing cars with me while Matchstick watched on, and then send me to bed.
I had thought he was there to provide protection against monsters, but I’m guessing not.
I shut down that thought guiltily. Matchstick was my mentor, not a creep. He wouldn’t have been there just to fuck Lacey, would he? Nah, he didn’t chase ass, they chased him. He wouldn’t have used me to get closer to my aunt. I’m sure of it, maybe. Fuck!