Chapter 4 #3
“I’ve been a member of a motorcycle club for about five years.
When I came on, I prospected. One year of hell, where I was lower than the lowest point on the food chain.
Reminded me way too much of boot camp for my liking.
But it also was necessary. I was a stranger.
They needed to learn to trust me and I needed to learn to trust them.
I love my MC family, but there was a time when I questioned their loyalty to me.
Why did they want me? What was their angle?
And it took that year for me to understand that their angle was nothing more than to offer me a home, brothers, and the family unit I never had growing up. ”
Keys pointed between the Riley brothers.
“You two are already a unit. Add in Grimm, and we’ve got ourselves a team.
You don’t have to learn to trust each other—you already do.
You don’t need a year to gain perspective and assurance that the man who has your back isn’t going to turn around and stab you in it. ”
“We know not all families are like that. There are many brothers who would stab each other in the back without a moment’s hesitation,” Tom said with disgust. “But we did our research on the three of you, and there’s no doubt in our minds that family means everything to you.
Not all your assignments will be teamed up.
Some of them will be solo, but each of you will watch out for each other without it having to be asked of you. ”
“It’s our hope,” Keys continued, “that one day you’ll trust us the way you trust each other. But until then, you will have each other to lean on.”
Goose cleared his throat. “As much as there are days when I would like to wring this one’s neck,” he threw a thumb at his older brother, “for being a bossy know-it-all, I can’t argue with your logic.”
Thorne did not react to the death threat Goose just declared in front of witnesses. “Nor can I.”
“Good,” Keys smiled. He reached forward and tapped the table.
A projection of a house appeared in the center, rotating so everyone could see the entirety of the exterior.
“Each of you would have a house as part of your contract, along with a company vehicle and weapons. We’ll help with moving costs and anything else you need as well. ”
For the first time Goose and Thorne looked at each other with a worried expression on their faces.
“What is it?” Tom asked, frowning.
“We don’t want to impose. The offer for a house for each of us is very generous,” Thorne stated with sincerity. “But we would prefer a home where the three of us could live together.”
Personally, Keys didn’t mind. That was their choice, but he was surprised by it. “I have no issue with it, though I am curious if there’s a specific reason.”
“Grimm.” Goose’s mouth tightened as he answered. “He might have…trouble adjusting to civilian life. Thorne and I both served, but Grimm’s been in the longest. We would feel more comfortable being able to keep an eye on him without him knowing we are.”
Tom looked to Keys. “I’m fine with it. One house is cheaper than three. We haven’t accepted the offer on that last house yet, either.”
“We’ll add paid services with Dr. Rutenberg to your benefits package,” Keys said to Thorne and Goose as he typed into his phone. “He’s a local psychologist I trust. Many in the club use his services as well.”
“You said you hadn’t bought the last house yet?” Goose inquired of Tom. “Meaning, you already purchased two?”
“One is purchased,” Tom indicated to the projection. “One is in escrow, and we only put the offer in on the third yesterday.”
“Would you mind if we worked out an arrangement for the second house?” Goose requested. “Maybe you could take a percentage out of our salaries each month to pay you back for it or something?”
Thorne frowned for a second until he caught on to whatever it was his brother was asking for. Then he nodded at Keys and Tom. “Yes, I’d be willing to do that, too.”
“For one of you?” Keys wondered. Why would they ask to have all three brothers living in one house and also request a second house?
“For our parents,” Thorne clarified. “With Goose and I planning to move here, and then Grimm following next year, they might consider coming down as well if we had a house available for them.”
Keys didn’t even bother to look at Tom before he said, “Absolutely. We know how important family is. We’ll work something out later with it.
” To Tom, he said, “Let’s cancel the third house and work up some numbers for the smaller of the two homes for their parents.
” Since both homes were being purchased outright, they could do either a rent or rent-to-own situation for the second house.
“Unless you have another sibling or a second cousin you’d like the third house for? ” Keys asked the brothers.
They laughed. “No,” Goose chuckled. “Just the parents. We appreciate your willingness to accommodate us in this.”
“Of course.” Tom also had his phone out and was taking notes on it. “Now, let’s talk salary, hours, and expectations.”
* * *
Gl!tch.OS: Wow… So you do remember I exist.
WiseWave620: Hardy-har-har. I have no doubt you were watching the whole time and know exactly why I put my phone down.
Gl!tch.OS: So you could interview two very fine members of the masculine gender??
WiseWave620: [grumbling .gif]
Gl!tch.OS: Is it wrong of me that I’m looking into your fire system to see how easy it would be to set off your sprinklers so they would have to remove their shirts???
WiseWave620: I will brick your devices… I swear to Turing…
Gl!tch.OS: I’m sorry. I’ll stop. I looked into them. They seem like good men. Honorable. How’d you get in touch with them?
WiseWave620: Lucky and Bear met the youngest brother Grimm when they were at Disney in May.
Gl!tch.OS: I’m still trying to wrap my head around what the parents were smoking when they named their child ‘Aesop’.
WiseWave620: I know, right! I’d never.
WiseWave620: I mean, I’d have to have kids first, but still…
Gl!tch.OS: Do you want kids?
WiseWave620: …wow… This conversation turned serious fast.
Gl!tch.OS: It’s an honest question.
WiseWave620: I love my club nieces and nephews. They’re great and adorable…but they’re also returnable. If I have any biological, I don’t know about them. My younger brother and I haven’t talked since I was seventeen when he gave me his final FU message. But I’m not so sure I’d make a great father.
Gl!tch.OS: Why not?
WiseWave620: Oooh, look, there’s a bank robbery thirty-three miles from Poison. Maybe we should get on that…
Gl!tch.OS: Police have already been called. They’d get there before she could. Now why do you think you wouldn’t be a good father?
WiseWave620: Found a CEO who’s embezzling money.
Gl!tch.OS: Keys.
WiseWave620: Wow! GLOOMHAVEN is coming out with a new expansion.
Gl!tch.OS: KEYS!
WiseWave620: Yes, my dear, sweet friend who doesn’t pry into my personal life?
Gl!tch.OS: Why do you think you wouldn’t make a good father?
WiseWave620: You really need to learn the definition of ‘not pry’.
Gl!tch.OS: And you need to learn better evasion tactics.
WiseWave620: Fine.
WiseWave620: You want to know why I wouldn’t make a good dad?
WiseWave620: Because I didn’t have one.
WiseWave620: The closest person to a father-figure I’ve ever had, one of the strongest people I know, is currently going through hell as he watches the love of his life suffer and eventually die, and there’s not a damn thing he can do about it.
And rather than face life without her, he’s preparing to join her when she goes.
And while I understand that’s his right and choice to not live in a world without her, that decision also leaves behind his children, his grandchild, (and I know I’m not actually a member of their family) but also me too.
WiseWave620: My father?? The man who contributed half his DNA to my existence thinks because I can’t throw a football that I’ll never amount to anything.
Thinks that the “measure of a man” is how many men, women, and children he’s killed in “honorable wars for his country”.
Not to mention the years he kept me a virtual prisoner in my childhood home “for my own protection”.
WiseWave620: Let’s just say when it comes to fathers, I’ve never had any luck. Hated by one, abandoned by the other. So how would I know how to be a good one?
Gl!tch.OS: Jesus.
WiseWave620: Yup.
Gl!tch.OS: I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to… I’m sorry.
WiseWave620: Let’s just change the subject, okay. Want to talk about plotting to set off my sprinkler system so the Riley brothers have to work shirtless?
Gl!tch.OS: Keys…
WiseWave620: It’s fine. I’m fine. Really. Not like I’m a dad now or will be any time in the near future. Kind of requires a second party which is currently lacking in my life.
Gl!tch.OS: You’re too hard on yourself.
WiseWave620: Fairly certain you’re the first and only person in the world who has ever said that to me.
Gl!tch.OS: I’m serious!! Did you see yourself in that room with Thorne and Goose? You were in control, confident. It was a completely different side of you that I haven’t seen before. You really need to give yourself more credit.
WiseWave620: I was scared shitless that they would look at me and laugh.
Gl!tch.OS: I would have electrocuted them where they stood if they so much as sneezed wrong in your direction.
WiseWave620: I appreciate that.
Gl!tch.OS: They respected you, and not just because Tom was there. In fact, they looked to you more than Tom for direction. As did Tom.
WiseWave620: I appreciate you saying that, but I think that was just because I had more answers.
Gl!tch.OS: We’re going to work on your confidence, Keys. One of these days I’m going to get you to realize just how awesome you are.
WiseWave620: *I* know I’m awesome. I just don’t believe anyone else thinks so.
Gl!tch.OS: I do.
WiseWave620: You’re my friend. You’re biased.
Gl!tch.OS: What about your club brothers? Wouldn’t they be just as biased?
WiseWave620: They’re too much in their own lives to think about me like that.
Gl!tch.OS: Yeah… I’m buying you like a thousand mirrors on right now. You’re putting them up EVERYWHERE. Maybe then you’ll start to see what we see when we look at you.
WiseWave620: A thousand mirrors? Really?
Gl!tch.OS: And…SEND! They’ll be there tomorrow morning between 6-8am. Gotta love overnight shipping.
Gl!tch.OS: Now about your sprinkler system. I think I’ve almost got it figured out.
WiseWave620: DON’T YOU DARE!
Gl!tch.OS: And… Got it!