Chapter 52 Jim
Daisy left the next day, after spending the night in my guest room again.
I respected her decision to not take things further, even though it was fucking hard.
She drove herself back to the city, and I checked in on her from work.
The rest of the week was an exercise in renewing my belief that hell existed. It was being away from her.
I spent the week yelling at contractors during the day and pounding the boxing bags after work, in between messaging Daisy when I could, just to take the edge off.
It hadn’t worked. It just made me tired, and lonely.
I needed this divorce shit over and done with so I could keep her in my arms permanently.
Janie finally put her foot down on my grumpiness.
She ordered me to get myself over to the clubhouse tonight, instead of wallowing in my misery.
So I put on my kutte, sent an ‘I love you’ message to Daisy that she could read while she was working, and rode my bike to the clubhouse.
I rode Granddad’s bike. It reminded me of the ride with Daisy.
When we finally move in together, I’ll get her a bike of her own. A ride fit for a queen.
The clubhouse was pumping when I arrived. Bluey, of all things, was playing through the speakers. The kids were obviously still in charge, but that would change as the night came rolling in.
I walked in and sat at the bar and someone pushed a beer in front of me. I looked at it carefully. I wasn’t too sure that this would be a good idea, not with the mood I’d been in lately.
“Hey, look who finally got his mopey head out of his ass.” The large hand that clapped my shoulder didn’t match the voice that was heckling me. It didn’t matter. Where you got one, you got the other.
“Hey Horse. Hey Bear.” I sighed. Horse grinned and stole the beer, which was replaced immediately.
“How’s Daisy?” Bear asked quietly in his deep voice. I looked at him. He raised an eyebrow, but his eyes were concerned, not accusing, and his hand hadn’t left my shoulder.
“She’s quite something, you know,” Horse muttered. “You’re a very lucky bastard.”
I couldn’t help the smirk that crawled onto my face. Looks like I could start to claim her after all, just a little.
“I know.” I lifted the beer bottle and smugly poured the liquid past my lips. Bear chuckled and dropped his hand from my shoulder.
I sighed, looking around and feeling at ease now.
The club was full. It seemed that everyone came out tonight.
I could see out the windows, kids climbing over the playground equipment.
Bull and Dozer were walking around an area out the back together.
I guessed the pool was being discussed. Inside, Tinker was standing with his arm around a young slip of a girl, talking animatedly with a group of people.
I frowned. That was weird. That was the same girl that Daisy called her sister. Why was she with Tinker?
“Heads up boys,” I muttered. Bear stiffened.
“What’s going on?” Horse asked in a low voice.
“That girl.” I thrust my chin towards Tinker and the girl. “That’s Daisy’s half-sister.”
Horse gave a low whistle. “Blaze gave her a few laps before Daisy came home the first time,” he muttered.
“I know, Daisy caught them,” I said distractedly. I was looking for Molly. This was a volatile situation.
Horse snort-laughed.
I shook my head, on alert. “Prospect! Get Bull in here,” I snapped at a passing kid. The kid rushed out.
I missed clocking Maisey. She was the one who was about to set a lighter to the emotional dynamite that was building in the room, hurrying back from across the other side of the clubhouse with Dylan in her arms. She passed Molly going the other way.
Maisey’s voice was at full excited volume. She could easily be heard over the noise of the crowd.
“She’s your daddy’s cousin, and she’s just come for a visit.
I didn’t know my sister had a girl, so it’s really exciting, and I want you to meet her!
” Maisey was saying to Dylan as she approached Tinker and the girl.
They both turned around as Maisey approached.
Blaze followed his Mom and son with a frustrated look on his face.
He looked tired, like he had been sleeping rough.
“Dylan, meet Amber. She’s my niece, and your daddy’s cousin,” Maisey announced. Dylan gave her an exasperated look that only a three-year-old can successfully give. His eyes paused on the verge of rolling, though.
“I know Aunty Amber already. She’s Poppy’s kid! He didn’t want her, so he told her mommy to go away, like mine did. Can I go now?” He glared at her and then Amber. “I gotta go an’ dig wif D2. It’s ‘portant.”
Dylan wiggled down, and Maisey loosened her arms in shock, letting him run outside. Blaze also looked shocked, ignoring his son disappearing through the doorway to play outside.
“Daisy, I coming! Wait for me!” he called to D2.
I turned my attention to Tinker. His face turned white, then red as thoughts whizzed through his head.
Maisey looked at Tinker. Tinker glared at Maisey.
Maisey mouthed the word Poppy, then Matchstick.
Tinker’s scowl deepened. Maisey’s mouth dropped open, and she grabbed her husband’s hand while her eyes looked scared.
I caught Bear and Horse’s eyes, and we all stood up and moved towards Tinker. This man was close to blowing up. It wasn’t a case of if, more like when…and somehow, we would have to contain it.
Blaze stood frozen halfway to the door, his eyes darting around. I guess he was looking for a hero to save his mentor from the bomb that was about to hit him fair and square.
Then his own mother lit the spark on the fuse. “Amber, honey, what did Dylan mean you’re Poppy’s daughter?” Maisey asked sweetly, looking scared of the answer to the question she asked. She held a tight grip on her husband, who was glaring at her like she was rust on his tools.
Amber looked at her uncle steaming with gritted teeth beside her. The mutton chops on his cheeks were bristling like the shoulders of a yard dog. The girl finally had the sense to look scared. Her eyes flitted to the people around her.
Horse tapped her elbow gently as he came up beside her. “I’d like to know too,” he said with a cheeky wink. She seemed to relax a little with his insinuated support. Tension stayed high in the room however, silence listening to every word that Amber would say.
She took a breath and gave a shaky smile.
“Just before she died, Mom told me that my father’s road name was Matchstick, but she didn’t know his real name,” she admitted.
“Mom said he was in contact with her during the pregnancy and was really amazing and supportive. But then, as soon as I was born, it all stopped. She’d get some money in an account each month, but any time she tried to call him, he wouldn’t answer. She blamed his ol’lady.”
Horse sidled around, gently dragging Amber away from Tinker and Maisey, who by now had clasped both hands together, desperately holding onto each other. “Why would she blame the ol’lady?” Horse drawled.
“Oh, the ol’lady’s crazy! Before I was born, Matchstick managed to find a house and set Mom up in another town away from here.
Apparently, it was so his ol’lady didn’t hurt her like she had other girls that she thought he’d slept with.
Although, Mom said it was stupid because he slept around with everyone anyway.
He barely kept it in his pants is the story,” Amber said proudly.
A low cackle came from behind the bar. Cracker was laughing, “Oh yeah, that story checks out.” He shook his head.
“Matchstick used to have to dodge Molly on his way back home, like he was running from the police. Up and over fences, hiding under bushes with his pants two houses over.” Cracker started wheezing with the laughter he was holding back, but continued, “She was fiery, until he worked out the jewelry trick. Only thing that kept him in her good graces. Didn’t mean the girls got off, though.
I remember her throwing one of my best knives at someone who just looked at Matchstick.
Banned her from the kitchen after that. The girl spent a night in the hospital, and we had to help her disappear.
She’s fine now.” He nodded and sipped his drink.
Amber smiled at him. “I’m here for all the stories about my dad.
I’m sad I never got to know him. But I’ve got an uncle and aunt to be with.
And I’ve got a cousin and a sister. I’ve missed so much!
I’m looking forward to finally being a family,” she exclaimed excitedly.
I caught a glimpse of Blaze looking like he was going to throw up, and because I was distracted, we missed Tinker by a finger.
Tinker had leapt backwards, letting go of Maisey, and ran to the wall of kuttes. Matchstick’s photo frame, and the wall behind it smashed with the first punch.
“You asshole! You stole my sister-in-law!” he roared. Glass splintered, flying everywhere.
“Secure the kids!” I bellowed. We didn’t need them getting hurt on cut glass. Bear ran for the rooms, and other members grabbed any kids in the room as Tinker wound back for another go.
“Take them outside!” I yelled, and they all ran the kids outside to the play area where they’d be safe.
Blaze took a few steps towards where Tinker had yanked the frame off the wall and was ripping the picture up.
His swearing was getting creative. I felt someone breeze past. Maisey had a big knife in her hands and was headed to her husband.
She stepped up beside him and buried it into Matchstick’s kutte with a screech.
Her eyes matched the ferocity of her husband.
Tinker dropped the picture, his hands bloody from the glass, and ripped the kutte against the knife. It sliced like butter.
“Nice sharp knives, Cracker,” Bear complimented him, leaning calmly on the bar again. Cracker cackled, enjoying the show. I joined them and looked around. There were a few kids peeking around the door.
“Shut the effing door,” Bull yelled as he came inside, pushing the kids back outside.
“What’s going on?” he asked as we watched the show.
I folded my arms and nodded to where Horse was physically holding Amber in place by her arms. She was looking bewildered at her aunt and uncle destroying the wall where her father’s picture once sat.
“That’s Amber, Daisy’s half-sister, and also Tinker and Maisey’s niece,” I replied.
“What the fuck?”
“Apparently Matchstick got Maisey’s twin sister pregnant, then wouldn’t let her stay because of Molly.
So he sent a pregnant Lacey away, set her up in another town and threatened her so she never spoke to her own family again.
And it looks like Tinker and Maisey might have a problem with that seeing as Matchstick’s kutte just got cut. ”
“Fuck.” Bull drew out the word, appreciating the shit show.
Crackers cackled again. “Best show ever.” He grinned through his dingy moustache.
Bull glanced at Horse. “Horse, we recording this shit?”
Horse snorted, glancing up at the cameras hanging in the corners of the room.
“Of course, why?”
Bull had a twinkle in his eye as he turned to me. “Next meeting, I’m voting we have a movie night with popcorn…and Daisy’s invited. Think she’ll approve?”
I burst out laughing. “Not sure, Bull,” I said honestly. “I’ll have to ask.”
A scream erupted behind us. I turned and caught Molly before she jumped into the mess being created by Tinker and Maisey.
“Woah, not safe,” I warned as she struggled to get free of me. Tinker and Maisey had divided the kutte between the two of them and were slicing it into the smallest pieces that they could.
“They’re desecrating his memory!” Molly screamed.
Bear snorted into his beer. “Looks like they’re adding to it,” he muttered.
“Stop!”
“Oh, shut up, you stupid woman. He took Lacey from them.” Crackers stood up and glared at her, all humor gone from his face.
“He couldn’t stand up to you and your temper tantrums, so he hid his pregnant girlfriend and daughter for nineteen years, so you and he didn’t have to grow up and face reality.
Matchstick was an embarrassment to the club, and you. ”
“It was twenty years, you old fool, she’s nineteen years old. He said if she was a boy, he’d divorce me and go with her. But she’s not. She’s a girl and he stayed mine!”
“You knew about this?” someone asked.
“Of course I knew about this. What do you think I am? An idiot? I’m the one who made sure she stayed away. He’s mine! He came home to me!” she screeched.
Everyone turned and stared at Molly’s admission of knowledge. Tinker and Maisey heaved with adrenaline.
I spun Molly around and pushed her to the door. “Run,” I told her. “If you can make it to your car, you might survive.”
I dusted my hands off and climbed back onto the bar stool.
“Midwife, you can’t say that! What would Daisy say?”
“Seeing as Molly told Daisy she’s to blame for her own son’s death, I think Daisy would be helping Tinker and Maisey.” I lifted my beer, acknowledging the unidentified speaker.
I saw Tinker’s face change, and he grabbed Maisey’s hand, kissed it, and roared.
Molly heard the noise and ran. Maisey screamed, and I felt them rumble the floor as they charged after Molly.
The door slammed against the outside as Molly made it through, the momentum of the door swinging back making Tinker and Maisey pause for a few seconds before they followed.
Bull sighed and slid into the seat next to me. He gestured for a beer, and looked over at me as the bottle hit his palm. “Fun times at the club.” He winked.
I chuckled and clinked my beer against his. “Good times,” I agreed.