Cowboy
Arriving in Tucson, looked like we were just in time for a big party.
There were a zillion tables set up, barbeque, balloons and inflatables for the kids.
As I watched the little heathens, running around in their “property of” shirts, I thought of Halley’s unnamed, fatherless infant.
I’d grown so attached to him. What would be on his shirt?
““Is this for me? Did Scar do this?” Halley wondered out loud.
“Who knows, but everyone is here…” I answered before I remembered.
“No. No one knows about me finding you remember.” I didn’t want to tell her.
I never got a hold of Scar. Him being Nomad so long, he never kept a cell phone, and I wouldn’t dare trust anyone else to relay a message after watching the General double cross him.
Halley’s brother likely thought she was still missing.
Maybe even dead. I could only imagine him showing up at the Devil’s Den to pay her ransom and her being gone.
“It’s a secret until we get to Scar, okay?”
Halley nodded.
Wanda wheeled the General by us. I was surprised to see him in a wheelchair at all. Our President looked so frail and thin, wearing a red skull bandana. “That your piece of tail, Cowboy?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Better get some ink on her or I’ll take her to the stables.”
I laughed that off.
“I see Scar, but where’s his woman?”
“Haven’t you heard, she done run off?”
Wanda warned me, “No club business.”
The General addressed Halley. “Honey, doctors say I have the big C.”
“What’s that?” Halley asked.
Oh, fuck. He was going for his zipper.
Wanda noticed, too. She whisked the old man away before he pulled out his dick.
Halley was confused.
“He has cancer,” I told her, just finding out myself.
“Oh, that’s sad.” She perked up, asking, “I’m yours?”
“Yeah, it’s just better that way.”
She bounced the baby a bit. “Oh, don’t worry, I know how possessive bikers are.”
Just as I put my arm around her and pulled her close, Scar spotted us.
I tipped my hat to him. There was a sea of leather and picnic food between us, so I tried to wave him over.
He ignored me. With the crowd, it was probably best I didn’t get to him, yet.
Not only did I have good news, I had to tell him the bad news about Emery.
He wouldn’t be too happy with the General when I did.
Positively, Scar would be happier than a hog to know about his sister, Halley’s whereabouts, but it could wait.
Halley was safe. I’d claim she was mine.
Hell, I wanted her to be mine, but even the thought of a relationship with her was complicated.
She wasn’t right in the head, not all the time, not that it mattered to me, but I’d have to see what Scar thought.
Shit, I understood our chapters partying together, but old Wolverine from the Coyote Ghosts’ MC and his crew showed up with kids and shit.
You had to have native blood to ride with them.
Halley and I’d just been talking on the ride about the fact that apparently her mom had been one of them.
I recognized little of the others, but Bald Beak and Cujo who we’d met up with only a couple weeks ago.
Old, wrinkled leather like skin with dark long hair flowing behind him, complete with a few feathers, Wolverine approached then he hugged Scar.
Holy shit.
From what Halley told me about the Ghosts being their kin and them greeting Scar and not our President.
All the chapters here. It hit me that this was a funeral.
A funeral for Halley. Glancing around, I saw everyone was in more black than usual, and that was saying something.
I’d have to keep it from her. It didn’t seem like it’d be too hard.
No one was mourning. They were visiting and for all she knew, this was one big biker family reunion.
“You’re Star for the time being, understand?”
She agreed.
We sat and ate ribs laced in Wanda’s famous BBQ sauce.
I chatted with brothers and sisters I hadn’t seen in a month of Sundays.
Halley glowed, showing off her baby, claiming he was mine.
I played along, letting myself feel the pride as if he was.
Hell, I’d helped him into the world and even changed a couple diapers.
I’d given him a bottle or two to tide him over until Halley could feed him, especially in the beginning when the pain and blood loss had made her so weak.
“What’s his name?” One after another asked.
“Cowboy hasn’t named him, yet. You know men. Some of them can’t decide what they want and just take it.” I ignored her dig at me, that I wanted us to take things slow. If she was well enough to hold a grudge, she may be well enough for a relationship after all.
“I’m wanting to name him John, but Star here likes the name Frances.”
“I do not.” She slapped at my arm.
Later I heard, “Halley was her name, like the comet.” I immediately turned to see Halley talking to an old lady from Texas.
The woman went on, “The family has made their way to the gravesite now. Trying to keep it private, I think. Can’t blame them.
There’s no body, but I hear there was so much blood…
It’s a shame about Scar’s sister. Never knew the girl, but it’s a shame. ”
I cut in, “Yeah, it’s a real shame, excuse us.” I led Halley and the baby away from the crowd to explain.
“There’s no need, while you were catching up, I read the flyer.” She handed me one and got all serious. “In memory of Halley Cole, beloved sister.” Then she brightened. “Cole. That’s my last name.” She beamed.
I smirked back because she was so happy about everything. Learning her last name. About every possibility. Indisputably, she had a memory problem at times, but who could blame her. If I’d gone through an inch of what she’d had, I’d want to forget, too.
She had barbeque sauce on her lip. I licked my finger and wiped it off.
“I like the dents in your cheeks,” she said and placed a kiss on one. “And your hat. You want to dance?”
“It’s a funeral, not a hoedown.”
“It’s my funeral, and I haven’t danced in, well, I don’t want to think about it. It’ll be our first. I bet Big Flo from Texas will hold the baby.”
“Alrighty then.”
Big Flo did want to hold the baby. There was background music playing quietly, some rock station.
I asked Toes to turn it up. I took Halley’s hands, then her waist, and she started to slow dance.
I didn’t mind. We swayed to Fat Bottomed Girls like this was a grade school dance.
I got a few thumbs up and whistles from my brothers.
Halley laid her head on my chest and closed her eyes like we were the only two people in the world.
Having her so close and content gave me peace, but it didn’t last long.
I heard a sound I hadn’t in weeks. Gun Shots fired.
The sound echoed through me, bringing fear, making me appreciate the peace I’d shared with Halley and the baby all the more.
She hurried for her baby, taking her from Big Flo and I hurried for her.
I drew my gun and put Halley and the baby behind me.
Practically everyone laid on the ground or hid under tables, themselves or over a woman or child or two.
Well, not everyone was down. My brothers and the Coyote Ghosts had their weapons pulled, too, people at their backs.
I recognized the party crasher right away.
Snakebite hadn’t bled out. His posse joined him.
He shot again, his gun on the General, sitting in his wheelchair.
Wanda hid behind the chair, crouching down and clutching her revolver.
Her red eyebrows pinched together. Scar came in view, our brothers behind him pointing weapons toward the Sons of Satan MC.
It was a standoff.
“You cut my father’s tongue out and carved your name in his chest,” Snakebite said to Scar.
“I’d kill the bastard all over again for what he did to my sister. A thousand times over. What do you want?” Scar shouted back.
Snakebite didn’t hesitate. “I want Halley over there and my son.”
Scar laughed and went for his gun.
“I’ll kill him,” Snakebite warned, talking about the General. Looked like he already shot the General twice, once in each leg.
Scar shouted out, his voice sounding crazy. “Halley’s dead. This here’s her funeral.”
“You dumb shit. She’s right over there. I was breaking her out of the Devil’s Den before that fucker stole her and you killed my dad. I’m President of the Sons now, and I’ve come for my own.”
Scar locked eyes with Halley and finally understood.
Everyone’s eyes on us, Snakebite straightened up and glanced around like he had something important to say. “We’re in love.” He announced, and I could tell he believed it. “Halley, come on over, and we’ll blow this joint.”
Halley hid completely behind me now. I heard her whisper, “As if.”
Snakebite let his split tongue slither out. “I won’t let them hurt you, Star. Just come back.”
Halley’s voice came out strong. “Put your gun down and let these people leave, and we’ll talk.”
Snakebite almost lowered his weapon, and I took my chance. I pulled the trigger, going for his chest. I wouldn’t leave him to bleed out this time. I missed, but someone must have gotten him. He went down. Wanda swooped in and took the baby from Halley’s arms.
“It’s okay,” I told her. “Wanda would never hurt a child.”
When Snakebite fell, as if on cue, all my brothers and the Ghosts went after the SOS. The crowd saw their chance, popped up and ran off, fleeing the scene in every direction or mounting their bikes for a chase. I wanted to go after him, too, but Scar was rushing to his sister.
“How the hell?” he greeted us.
Halley hugged his waist. She reached up, cupped his face and laughed out loud. Happy tears wet her cheeks. “I’d know your face anywhere.”
“I’ve missed those autumn eyes,” he told her. He took her hand and kissed it. I could tell he was giving her a once over and wondered if he’d count her fingers and toes, next.
She promised him, “Cowboy’s taken good care of me.”
“It’s a long story, man. I’ve been trying to contact you.”
“Well, you’re here now. That’s all that matters.” He was cuddled up with Halley instead of me.
Suddenly, I remembered what else he didn’t know. I grabbed his arm. I had to let him know. “There’s something else. Emery’s in danger.”
“What?”
“Hannibal took her.”
“Took her where?”
“To the mob. That’s why I couldn’t trust anyone else about Halley.
The General sold your girl out to that… that…
Manul.” It took me a moment, but I explained about seeing Hannibal putting Emery in the car the morning I left to follow him to California.
Scar seemed to be in disbelief. I repeated myself.
The General had Hannibal take Emery to Manul, all before he’d gotten back from California.
His woman hadn’t left him. She was in danger.
He left Halley with me and made his way over to the old man.
“Come on, Darlin’, let’s go find your baby.” I didn’t want her to see any more bloodshed.