Cowboy
I couldn’t believe something that has haunted me so long would come back on me and bite me in the ass this hard.
Karma was a bitch.
No, it was more like I was Karma’s bitch.
Mounting the General’s old Harley, I knew I deserved every bit of this misfortune and more. A lump in my throat, I hadn’t been able to even answer Halley. I understood as soon as I did, she’d see me in a different light.
I didn’t have to answer her. Searching her wet eyes, I was no longer her rescuer, her prince charming, her white night. I was a murderer. I’d murdered a child. What else would she think me capable of?
Still, she wouldn’t get rid of me so easily.
I wanted to ride back to her right away, explain myself, but I was sure there was nothing I could say that would erase her pain.
Giving Halley time to cool off, I rode for hours and spent the night at another crappy motel, twenty miles away from her.
I slept the next day away. I probably wouldn’t have gotten up the next morning if the phone hadn’t rang.
I didn’t recognize it, but it was a Reno number. I answered.
Halley called me from the hotel room. “We need to talk.”
I rode to the motel, looking forward to kissing and making up.
Halley had other plans. She had other news. “Snakebite found the baby.”
“Alright, giddy up,” I said, ready to roll out and rescue our little darling.
“I’m going alone, with Snakebite.”
“The hell you are.”
“You have no claim on me.”
“I sure as hell do,” I said, remembering penetrating her the other night.
She looked down, an amused look growing on her face.
“You call that a claim.” Seemed she hadn’t been that impressed.
Couldn’t blame her. I knew our special night had been interrupted, twice.
I cursed myself for being so patient, for waiting so long.
For wanting our relationship to be special before I came to my senses.
Fuck, I couldn’t believe Halley’s feelings for me could change so quickly. “Is this about the little girl… B…”
“Don’t even remember her name, do you? Yeah, and it’s about Anarchy. When you didn’t come back that night or yesterday, I figured you were headed to Arizona. Back to her and your actual baby.”
“I didn’t even think of going. You told me to get. I don’t care what that woman says. She’s probably just lying to you, anyhow. She’s always been on the pill.”
She crossed her arms. “I guess you had no problem claiming her.”
“Anarchy was never mine. I never put no patch on her.”
“Me neither.”
“Halley, I’m not letting you look for our baby without me.”
“Our baby?”
I guess that was what I’d said. “You know I love him as much as I love you.”
She started crying. I went to her, wanting to hold her, but she backed away. Wiping her eyes with both hands, she said, “Your baby is in Anarchy’s womb.”
Seizing her, I brought her into an embrace whether she wanted it or not. “I’m coming to help find your baby, Darlin’”
Halley tore away from me. She exclaimed, “Find him? Snakebite has already found him.”
“You’ve seen him?” I couldn’t believe it. “You’ve held him?”
She nodded her head. “Last night, while you were long gone.”
I wondered why he wasn’t with her. Nothing about this sat right about this. Then I realized, maybe she didn’t want me near him anymore. “Where is he now?”
“He’s in the car… Snakebite’s waiting for me. I’m going back to California, where I belong.”
“Over my dead body,” I warned her.
Then she killed me, saying, “I love him, Snakebite.”
I died slowly.
She stumbled on her words, “I’ve always loved him. I just forgot… I am crazy, you know.”
My world spun before me, turned upside down. How could any of this be true? Karma had bent me over and fucked me up the ass.
“Halley, are you sure?”
“The Sons of Satan MC, that’s where I belong. Don’t call me Halley, either. I’m Star now. Spawn, he’ll inherit the club one day.”
“Who?”
“The baby. Snakebite… we’ve named him. Spawn, don’t you think that’s fitting?”
“No… Hell, no. I thought. I thought you were mine. I thought when I found the baby, maybe you’d name him John, after me.”
“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I’d thought so, too.” Then she got louder. She totally changed like maybe she was crazy. “That was before I found out you killed that little girl,” she shouted, confirming my fears.
She moved to walk out the door.
“Can I at least see him before you leave?”
“Do you think I would want you, a child murderer around my baby? I’m sorry you’ve grown so attached. Go back to Arizona. There’s another woman and child waiting for you there.”
She left. I just let her leave. I watched her and Snakebite drive away. What was I supposed to do?