Chapter 6 – Ink
INK
“How long have you worked at the hospital?” I asked.
“I’ve been at the hospital for eighteen years. I started as a patient care technician and worked in the evenings while I was in nursing school.”
“Have you always worked in the ER?”
“No. I worked on one of the patient floors before transferring to the ER. I’ve been there for the last ten years. What about you? How long have you been a mechanic?”
“It’s probably getting close to twenty years now,” I said. “I spent a year prospecting for the club before I earned my patch. After that, Phoenix had me take some classes at the local college before I started working at the garage. So, yeah, it’s getting close to twenty years.”
“Prospecting,” she said. “What does that mean?”
“It’s sort of like an internship. You spend a year or so working with the club to prove your worth and loyalty. If the officers decide you’re a good fit, you earn your patch,” I said and turned to show her the patches on the back of my cut.
“Can I ask what made you want to join the club?”
“The simple answer is stability,” I said, unsure of how much to tell her. I wasn’t ashamed of my past, but over the years, I’d discovered that blatant truths sometimes made people uncomfortable.
“I’d be interested in hearing the complex answer if you’re comfortable sharing.”
“Do you remember when the dairy farm was exposed for holding people against their will until they worked off their debt?” I asked, even though I had a feeling she did. It was impossible to live in Croftridge long without hearing of it.
“Yes,” she said as she continued working on dinner. “That was a huge story for our area. It was all over the news for weeks. I always wondered if there was more to the story that wasn’t covered in the news.”
I snorted a laugh. “There definitely was, but to answer your original question, my family was one of the families being held there.”
She turned from the stove to face me. “This seems very personal. We don’t have to talk about this.”
“It’s fine,” I assured her. “It was a little scary when it first happened, but we weren’t there very long before it was raided.”
“How old were you when that happened?” she asked and turned back to the stove.
“I was sixteen when my family was taken to the farm and seventeen when it was raided.”
“What happened to your family after it was raided?”
“After all was said and done, we were free to leave. The problem was that we didn’t have anywhere to go or any money to start over.
Ember realized that would be the case for most, if not all, of the families at the farm.
She worked with her dad to create legitimate jobs and housing for those who were displaced.
When we were told we had the option to stay, my mother wanted to, but my father didn’t.
Since we were at the farm because of my father’s poor life choices, my mom told him in no uncertain terms to fuck right off.
He left, and we stayed. My mom and I got jobs on the farm, and when I turned eighteen, I became a prospect for the club. ”
“How did that experience lead you to the club?”
“Oh, right,” I said, having forgotten her original question.
“When everything went down with the farm, it was discovered that Phoenix was the rightful heir to the property. Almost immediately, the Blackwings were heavily involved in every aspect of the farm. I liked what they were doing and what they stood for.”
“I’m glad it turned out well for you. I’m sure that wasn’t the case for everyone.”
“The ones who stayed and used the opportunity to get back on their feet did. The ones who left, not so much. But you can’t help people who aren’t willing to help themselves.”
“That’s very true. They’ll usually just drag you down with them,” she said.
“Sounds like you know from experience,” I prodded.
“Ariel’s father was a piece of shit,” she said.
“Was?” I asked, unsure if she meant he’d gotten his life together or if he was no longer around to continue being a piece of shit.
She removed the food from the stove and transferred it to the plates she had set out. “He’s dead. I don’t mean to sound happy about it, but I will forever be thankful that my daughter didn’t have to grow up with his bullshit tainting her life.”
“You’re preaching to the choir. I would’ve much rather not had a father in my life than the shitty one I grew up with.”
“Exactly,” she said and carried the two plates of food to the table while I refilled our glasses with wine.
Once we were seated, she continued. “We broke up before I found out I was pregnant. So naturally, when I told him the news, he accused me of lying and demanded a paternity test. When he found out he was indeed the father, he wanted nothing to do with her, which was fine with me. I would have been a nervous wreck if I had to give her to him every other weekend. Anyway, he agreed to sign over his parental rights, so he didn’t have to pay child support.
Everything was fine for a few years. Then, out of nowhere, he had a change of heart.
He claimed he’d gotten sober and wanted to be involved in his child’s life.
I didn’t believe him for one second and told him he would have to go through the courts if he wanted to be a part of her life.
I didn’t think there was anything he could do to get his rights back, but I was in a state of panic until I found out he crashed into a tree at a high rate of speed.
I later found out his blood alcohol level was four times the legal limit, so he was full of shit about being sober. ”
“Maybe he was sober and fell off the wagon,” I suggested.
“Oh, I forgot part of the story. The day he told me he wanted to be a part of Ariel’s life was the same day he died.”
I laughed and immediately covered my mouth. “I’m sorry. It’s not funny.”
She made a dismissive gesture with her hand.
“The dying part isn’t, but the bullshit part is.
He was actually on his way to pick her up when he called me.
Like I said, I never found out what he was up to, but I knew something wasn’t right.
I put Ariel in the car and drove to my parents’ house.
He might’ve been able to overpower me, but I knew my dad would blow a hole the size of Texas in him before he could get to us. ”
I chuckled. “Your dad sounds like every dad in the MC. Is that who Ariel is spending the weekend with?”
“Yes. Her other grandparents aren’t involved,” she said. “What about your parents? What happened with them?”
I wiped my mouth with a napkin and pointed to the food with my fork. “This is really good, by the way.”
She smiled proudly. “Thank you.”
“My mom lived and worked on the farm for a few years while she worked on earning her degree in education. She’s a teacher at Croftridge High now.”
“Wait. Is your mom Ms. Manning?”
I grinned. “She is.”
“She’s Ariel’s English teacher.”
“Really?”
“Yes!” Presley said excitedly. “Ariel loves her. And that’s saying something because English is not Ariel’s favorite subject.”
“That’s good to hear. Mom really loves her job.
I never realized how unhappy she was until I saw what happiness looked like on her,” I admitted.
“She was different after my father was gone, but becoming a teacher gave her a second chance. One that allowed her to have the life she always dreamed of.”
“Is your dad still around?” she asked carefully.
“No, his gambling addiction finally got the better of him,” I said and paused before I continued with the story. “I don’t mind telling it, but it’s kind of gruesome.”
“I’m an ER nurse. Gruesome doesn’t bother me, as long as it doesn’t involve wrongful harm to innocent children.”
“Nope, no children involved.”
“Then let’s hear it,” she said and continued eating.
“My father had a problem with gambling, which is how we ended up at the farm in the first place. He could never say no to a bet. Like ever. One night, years after he left me and Mom, he was drinking with some guy he met at a campground somewhere in Wyoming. A bear cub wandered out of the trees, and the guy said, ‘I bet you can’t wrestle that cub and pin it to the ground.’ He took the bet, and, well, he lost. According to a witness, the cub yelped, and the mama bear came flying out of the woods with a vengeance.
And that’s how my father became one of the very few people in this country to be killed by a brown bear. ”
When Presley didn’t say anything, I looked up to see her chewing on her lower lip like she was debating something in her head. “Whatever it is, just ask.”
“Were the bears okay?”
“Yes. The officials determined the bear’s behavior was defensive, not predatory. She didn’t eat him. She used her mouth to grab him by his neck and throw him off her cub. They disappeared back into the forest, but the damage was done. He died from his injuries shortly after the incident.”
“How long ago was that?”
I had to think about it for a moment. “I think it’s been twelve years since it happened.”
“I’m glad things turned out well for you and your mom,” she said.
“Me, too. It took a long time for us to get there, and it wasn’t easy, but we met some great people along the way.”
“It’s funny how that works—meeting the best people during the worst times,” she said and got up to start clearing the table.
“Yeah, it is,” I agreed, hoping her statement included me. I took my plate to the sink and helped her with the dishes. She’d cleaned as she cooked, so there wasn’t much to do where the kitchen was concerned.
It didn’t take long to finish the dishes, and I found myself disappointed that our evening was coming to an end. “What are your plans for the rest of the weekend?”
“I don’t have any. I was supposed to work tomorrow, but I traded with a girl who needed another day off.”
“We’re having a cookout at the clubhouse tomorrow. Would you like to come?” I asked.
“Sure. That sounds great. What time?”
“Two o’clock. Do you know where the clubhouse is?”
“Not a clue.”
“Text me your phone number so I can send you the address. When you arrive at the gate, tell the guy your name, and he’ll let you in. Park wherever you can find a spot and come in through the front doors.”
“If I text you when I get there, can you meet me at the front? I’m not sure how I feel about walking into an MC clubhouse by myself, no matter how nice you all have been.”
I grinned. “Yeah, I can do that. Thanks again for dinner.” Before I could stop myself, I leaned in and kissed her cheek. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” With that, I turned and walked to my truck without waiting to see her reaction.
Once I was on the road, I started making the necessary phone calls, beginning with Ember.
“Ink?” she answered, sounding concerned.
“Everything’s fine,” I assured her. “But I need some help.”
“With what?”
“I invited Presley to a cookout at the clubhouse tomorrow.”
“We’re not having a cookout tomorrow.”
“Yeah, I know. That’s what I need help with.”
She laughed. “You can’t be serious.”
“I am. What do I need to do to make this happen?” I asked hopefully.
I don’t know what I was thinking. I wanted to see her again, and a cookout at the clubhouse was the only thing I could think of without it sounding like a date.
A date would have been fine with me, but I couldn’t tell if that was something she was interested in, and I didn’t want to ruin any chance I might have had with her by jumping in too quickly.
Ember sighed and switched to planning mode. “We need food—everything for hamburgers and hot dogs—and snacks. We’re probably okay on drinks. If I place an order online, can you pick it up in the morning?”
“Yes. Just let me know where and what time. What else?”
“We need to let everyone know. I’ll send out a group text when we get off the phone. What time did you tell Presley?”
“Two o’clock.”
“I’ll tell everyone to be there between twelve and one.
I’m sure some won’t be able to make it on such short notice, but we hardly have everyone show up anyway.
So, that takes care of the food and people.
We already have drinks and entertainment.
And I think that’s it,” she chuckled. “That was easier than I thought it would be.”
It really was. “All you need me to do is pick up the food in the morning?” I clarified.
“Yes. I’ll text you with the time and pickup details.”
“Thanks, Ember. I really appreciate your help.”
“You saved my daughter and my sister from an unspeakable situation. You can have all the unplanned cookouts you want.”
“I’ll try to keep them to a minimum,” I promised.
“Mmm-hmm,” she said as if she didn’t believe me. “All right, I’m going to place the order and send out the text. I’ll see you in the morning.”
By the time I got home, I’d received the group text from Ember, as well as the text with the pickup information. I groaned when I saw it was scheduled for eight o’clock, but I couldn’t complain. If I had to get up early on a Saturday to see Presley, I’d happily do it.