Us (23 page)

Chapter
36 – Elle

Chris and I were asleep on the bed when J knocked on the door. I was only half sleeping, though, unable to fall into a deep sleep knowing what I still needed to do. The rapping on the door startled me awake, and I jumped out of the bed disoriented.

Fuck, I wanted to sleep in my own bed, or a bed I'd be sleeping in for more than a few nights at least. It wasn't time for that just yet, as I already planned to bring up Fernie. We had to figure out what to do with him before KC turned him into a biker. I'm not sure his mom would still be praying for me if her son joined a motorcycle club because of me. That might get me removed from her prayer circles.

"Elle?"

Shit, I'd been standing in the middle of the room longer than I thought.

"Hey," I said cracking the door open and stepping out into the hallway. "Chris is sleeping. What's the word?"

"You ready to go home?"

She looked to the ceiling and thought about something before opening her mouth to speak. "You think we can stay here? Chris is asleep and probably will be until morning. I wouldn't mind finding the nearest bed and passing out."

"Link said he's taking
Chris back home. Not sure how I feel about her going back home just yet. You sure she's OK staying here tonight?"

"
Like I said, she's out for the night, and I doubt she'd go to Kansas City without me. So we're cool to stay?"

J leaned his good shoulder against the door frame and pulled my body against his.

"Yeah, we're staying. I'd like to run my tongue over every inch of your body to make sure you're really here." He paused, burying his head in my hair and inhaling deeply. "But I think I'm going to need another pain pill soon, and then I'll be visiting Chris and the dead soon. You'll be by my side?"

Silly boy. Silly question. Where else would I be?

"I'd like to curl up next to you and sleep for a week, though a night will suffice for now."

"Baby," he whispered, leaning farther into the door.

"Can we get one of these rooms right here? I'll leave Chris a note on the bed to knock when she wakes up, which likely will be tomorrow morning. Can you let Link know about the change in plans?"

"Yeah. I gotta call the prospect to find him." J made no moves to come off the slice of wall he was leaning against, and I could see that it was a struggle for him to keep his eyes open. Time for Elle to handle business.

"Prospect!" I yelled out looping my arm through J's. I would've loved to look downstairs and see the faces on the big burly bikers having an "old lady" yell for the prospect. I was cozy in J's arm, though, deciding the show was one I could pass up. It must have been quite a show as P came barreling up the stairs within seconds.

"Yep?"

He stood in front of me waiting for his orders, and suddenly I felt weird, like maybe I didn't think this through so well.

"Uh, think you can get Link for us?" I asked, feeling stupid for calling the prospect up here, only to send him to get someone else. He just nodded and ran back down the stairs.

"We can stay here." J grabbed my arm that was linked through his and opened the door across the hall. It wasn't as clean as the one Chris and I had been in, leaving me to think that room had been prepared, or maybe it stayed prepared for guests. Did MCs have guests? Guests they kept a room clean for? Fuck, there was a bed big enough for both J and I, so I wasn't going to give it much more thought.

I led him over to the king sized bed that
dominated the room, easing him down slowly to one side.

"Looks like you might need these."

I turned to see Link standing in the doorway holding a Ziploc bag of pills. Normally that would be a red alarm, some guy offering me pills from a baggie, but I had to assume those were pills from the doctor for J.

"Hey, thanks." I took the bag from his hand and handed
it to J. I was about to ask for water, but J swallowed two pills whole and lay down on the bed.

OK, well I guess I was on duty.

"So, we're staying here tonight. Chris is passed out across the hall. She said you were taking her back, but I think at this hour of the night, she'll probably be passed out straight 'til morning. Think someone else can take her back when she gets up?"

Link's brows pulled together and his eyes turned dark. "Fuck," he muttered. He was silent, clearly lost in thought for a moment before he turned his eyes back to me and spoke. "Yeah, I'll have Cash stay. I gotta go back with my men and handle some things there. I'll be back in two days. J or Dig can reach me on a burner if you need anything, or if she does." He nodded to the room Chris occupied.

Why would Chris need Link?

Did they seem extra chummy when J came to get him for church?

And what was up with the mystery man that she hadn't brought up since we'd been here? Didn't she want to call him? Text him? Something?

"I'll make sure she gets what she needs. Thanks for your help." I put my hand out for Link to shake. He looked at it like I had seven fingers going on.
Was this my penance for refusing to shake Dig's hand in Monterrey?

"Come here." Link grabbed my hand and pulled me into a hug—a surprise hug. It took me a minute to reciprocate and put my arms around him. Though he wasn't quite as tall as J, he was solid, really solid. Shit, a year ago I'd be melting in my panties for the MC President the color of cappuccino. As it was, I just felt
relieved he was accepting me. It meant things would be easier for J if his brothers were cool with me, right?

"I'll put Cash up in the room next door," Link said, letting me go of his embrace. "I'll see you in two days."

"Yeah. OK." Link turned to walk away. "Hey." He turned back. "Thanks. For everything I mean."

"No thanks needed." He went down the stairs and I joined J in bed, curling up next to his good side.

With a deep sigh, I nestled into J's warmth and fell into the sleep I'd been lacking for weeks.

******

I woke up to an empty bed, and looking at the clock on the night stand realized it was well past double digits. Fuck, had I slept that long? And no nightmares? Come to think of it, I hadn't had any the last few nights.

I walked across the hall and knocked on Chris' door. When there was no answer I turned the nob and walked inside. The room was empty, the bed made, and a note sitting on top of the blankets.

Hitched a ride back with some guy named Cash. Call me when you get up. I love you bitch. Glad you're alive, and glad to have you back. I fuckin missed you.

I used the bathroom in the room she'd vacated and attempted to fix the bird's nest that sat atop my head. Once I felt moderately presentable, I wandered down the steps to the main hall in search of the man I loved. I found him sitting on a couch with Dig and Fernie.

"Hey." I walked up to the group deep in conversation. Fernie stood up and walked over to me.

"Hey," he mimicked.

"Get over here." I grabbed him into a hug, one not unlike that which I'd awkwardly shared with Link the night before. "You're OK?"

"Yeah."

"And you're not turned to stone." He looked at me like I was crazy, not catching my Goddess Medusa joke. Whatever. He was alive, he was here, and he was about to see his mom. I felt tears well up in my eyes knowing he'd get to see his family soon.

"Hey, baby. Come here." I went to my man, sitting down next to him and laying my head on Gramps. "I love you."

"I love you more." I beamed, yes beamed, at him. I was so fucking in love with this man it almost made me sick to picture watching us. Dig felt the same way, rolling his eyes at us.

"We're taking the boy to his family today. You think you can
drive the Suburban?" J lifted his arm a hair, indicating he wasn't going to be driving, or riding I assumed, for a while.

"Of course. Where are we going?"

"His mom is going to meet up with us back home."

"We're going home?" Surprise filled my voice as I hadn't anticipated going home this soon.

"Sorry, baby. Not yet. We're going to drop him off and then I need to come back here for another day. Will you—will you stay with me?"

I looked into his eyes, those deep pools of black that I'd easily fallen into at Starbucks. It seemed so long ago, sitting across from him feeling nervous and anxious. The perfect day that
had started all this seemed simultaneously like a million years ago, and just yesterday. It felt as though we'd lived five lifetimes in the past year. I could only imagine what forever was going to be like with J.

"Of course. You wanna do this now
, or can I get a toothbrush before we leave? Preferably one that isn't crusty, if you know what I mean." I wasn't about to mention the panties, crispy with ancient pussy juice, in front of Fernie. J caught my drift and gave a low rumbling laugh.

"Prospect!" Oh, poor P. He was standing next to us in less than a minute. "Hook my girl up with a toothbrush. A
new
toothbrush."

"Yep." I was beginning to think that was all P said.
Yep
.

Once I'd cleaned the fur off my teeth, Fernie, J, and I got in the Suburban and headed home.

Chapter
37 – J

The Doc said it'd be a month before I could drive, which meant a week in my book. I wasn't used to riding shotgun, but Elle handled the Suburban like a pro. We drove in silence most of the way, me due to the pain pills clouding my head, Fernie probably in anticipation of seeing his mom, and Elle because she was Elle and didn't need to fill every moment of silence. I laid my head against the back of the seat and turned to look at her. She was deep in thought, navigating the freeway in the Suburban like she was meant to be behind the wheel. I wondered if she'd want her own bike. I laughed to myself at the thought of her riding next to me. Old ladies rode on the back of a bike, yet I could picture Elle on her own smaller Harley, the wind blowing her hair. She'd love the feeling of freedom riding provided, and I wanted to give her everything she wanted, the freedom she'd been lacking the past month—maybe more.

"What?"

I looked at her inquisitive eyes. "Huh?" Did I say something?

"You're over there laughing to yourself. Something funny?"

"Nah, baby. These pills got my head spinning. You good?"

"Yeah." She turned back to the road and left me to my pill haze.

We pulled up to a vacant building on the edge of town. I wanted to go back to the pond, to sink my feet into the sand around it and thank Gramps for seeing me through this. I erased those thoughts for now though, not wanting to go back home until I could stay.

I'd talked to Dig in the morning before Elle woke up and Fernie arrived. He wanted me for his VP, I knew it before he even asked. I'd waited to take a pill, trying to see if I could go without for the day and have a clear head. I made it through our conversation and then gave in to the pain, popping two pills right before Fernie showed up in the Suburban P and Pole had driven all night to bring to St. Louis.

Even if my shoulder wasn't busted up, I knew I couldn't be Dig's VP right now. Not because it would keep me at the St. Louis clubhouse more than I cared for, but because I wasn't sure what I was doing with the club yet. I needed to talk to Elle, and I needed to do it sober. That meant it was a conversation for another day, or maybe week. Son was the next logical choice, but Dig wasn't having it. Pole would be voted in tomorrow, as would the prospect. He'd proved himself the minute he took out Burns. That alone was enough to get him his patch, but his loyalty through all this didn't hurt either. We'd need to regrow our ranks in St. Louis. KC was set with their boys, but we were short.

Dig, Son, Pole, P, and the remaining four members who
made it out of this shit alive were what was left of St. Louis. We'd settled on asking Scratch to come over from KC for a while until we'd made a final decision. He'd agreed, and it would be voted on tomorrow. Dig was going to suggest letting Son handle the books for now. As well, he'd manage any runs we'd be taking, which would probably be few. A Road Captain could wait until we'd rebuilt the club. For now, we'd vote to only fill the Prez and VP roles, as well as patching in P and Pole. Both Dig and I thought the club needed more time to regroup and figure out how we were going to run things before we voted in full officers.

I agreed to be around as much as possible, but was honest with Dig that I needed to figure some stuff out before I could take an office. I think he knew I would be deciding if I wanted an office, and more importantly, what Elle wanted. The bike shop would open as soon as we could get it up and running. I'd be out of commission for a while, though that was fine with me. I was set on money and the other brothers were going to be needing to refill their pockets soon now that drug money wasn't coming in. Son and Pole didn't have old ladies or kids to deal with, and of our other four brothers, only two had families. Still, everyone was anxious to get to work, and to start a new life—one without Burns.

"You ready, Fernie?" Elle turned to look at the boy in the back seat who'd been silent the whole trip. His eyes lit up as Elle turned into the parking lot and he saw the grey Ford minivan waiting in the parking lot. He tried to be cool as he got out of the Suburban. He did a good job until his mom got out of her vehicle with tears streaming down her cheeks. I think that's what broke him as he ran into her outstretched arms.

I laced my fingers with Elle's as we watched the reunion in front of us. "Still have doubts about bringing him here?"

She looked at me, her own eyes brimming with tears. "No," she whispered hoarsely. She leaned down to my hand, and I thought she was going to kiss it—or something. I didn't think she was going to wipe her eyes on my sleeve.

God, but I loved her.

"Seeing this makes me feel like we did the right thing. She's like, kissing him all over his face 'n shit, and he's letting her. I knew he missed her, but watching this is kind of surreal, you know. I've been so caught up in my own shit, I forgot how much she must've missed her son. My mom is crazy and all, but I'd be sad if she were gone."

"You gonna go visit her?" I asked.

She didn't miss a beat in her answer. "Nah. My mom's not Mexican."

I looked away from Elle and to the boy and his mom. Fernie was motioning us over with a nod of his head.

"You go out there, baby. I'm going to lay my head back. This isn't about me."

"Fuck." Elle grabbed my arm and wiped her eyes once more before getting out of the Suburban. She wiped her palms on the front of her jeans as she walked up to them, probably wiping the sweat off. This was  more
emotion than Elle was used to. She was a trooper, though, letting Fernie's mom pull her into a giant hug, still sobbing uncontrollably.

I watched the exchange take place, my head still in the cl
ouds. It really was surreal. Fernie's mom was saying something that Fernie was translating for Elle. She let Elle out of the hug, but was still holding her hand as she spoke. Elle nodded and wiped at her eyes. I realized I was watching a miracle. The boy could have died more than once. He'd been torn from his family for a stupid mistake, and after what we'd been through, he'd become a man. Despite that, he loved his mom, as was obvious from the tears he kept wiping away before they fell.

I'm not sure how long my eyes were closed, or when they closed for that matter, but a knocking on my window woke me. I turned my head to see Elle on the other side of the car window, and rolled it down.

"You think we could hit up the Center real quick?"

"Of course." I'd never tell her no.

Both Elle and the boy got back in the Suburban, and I barely opened my eyes as we got on the road.

It seemed like only seconds passed, though I know it was more when I heard Elle speak.
"I'll go in and get her. Wait here with J?"

"They're going to have questions. You'll need more than a minute in there."

"A minute's all I got for them. I know everything is supposed to be over, but I need a few days of peace to really believe it. Trust me, I know how to get in and out of places. It's how I've survived many a family reunion."

"Yeah. Whatever. Good luck."

I heard it, but didn't open my eyes. Time passed, though without looking at the clock on the dash I had no idea how much. I let my mind wander to thoughts of Elle and me watching the sunset in all fifty states. Would she move in with me? Eh, I'd need to put that on the backburner. I was getting ahead of myself. I needed to just get us home first. We were home now, technically, but I needed to get us back to "normal" before I tried to make any changes. Despite the massive drama we'd just gone through together, Elle was Elle, and moving too fast or saying shit while I was fucked up would freak her out. Nah, I'd wait until things calmed down before I brought up living arrangements. For now, I'd sleep at her place if that's what she wanted. I just didn't want to spend another night away from her. Not for a long time.

"Fernie!"

I shook my head, clearing the fog, to see a young girl running at full speed to the Suburban. The car door behind me opened and I saw Fernie leap out of it. He had the girl in his arms in two seconds flat. I felt like a creeper again, but I couldn't pry my half open eyes away from the two. It was like watching Fernie with his mom all over again, only not... He was kissing the girl. Her hands were wrapped around his neck, and his were holding her head, their lips never more than half an inch apart. They kissed and spoke hushed Spanish. The girl's eyes were flooded with tears, like she couldn't hold them back if she wanted to. Fernie was blinking frantically.

What an emotional fucking day for the kid. Fuck, man. All of this was crazy.
Fernie was like a soldier coming home from battle and his family was waiting at the airport. It was something out of the movies. My chest ached for him, and like Elle, I realized that he'd been going through his own rough times, just like Elle and I.

Fuck, was I wiping tears from my eyes because of the kid or the pills? The pills. It had to be the pills.

Elle came out next, her eyes puffy and red.

Damn, it was a crying sort of day I guess.

"Can we hit my place up so I can grab a bag?" Elle asked as she got in the driver's seat. "It'll take two minutes."

"How long were you in there?" Time wasn't something I was capable of keeping track of.

Elle looked at the clock and then at me. "Twelve minutes."

Damn, she
was
in and out.

"Yeah, of course, sweetheart. Sorry I'm not more with it. These pills have me floating."

"It's OK. Just having you next to me is enough." She took my hand in hers and brought it to her face. I rested my palm on her cheek, feeling the warmth and left over wetness. She kissed my palm, let it go, then rolled down the window and stuck her head out of it.

"
See you later, lovebirds."

The girl came running up to Elle's window. She stood on her toes to wrap her arms around Elle. My woman was getting her share of hugs today, just like the hero she was.

"Thank you for bringing him back. I owe you everything." She was still sobbing, barley able to control herself. Fernie came up behind her and put his arm on the girl's shoulder.

"I'm here now,
mi amor
."

Mi amor
? His love? Shit. This was one helluva day for reunions.

"Just don't get knocked up, OK?" And that was my woman, through and through, always thinking with her head on how to give these kids the future they wanted. "We'll talk more about the other thing later. Lemme know what your parents say."

The girl burst into a fresh set of tears, and I was pretty sure I knew what Elle was talking about. Though I didn't think she was joking when she talked about adopting a teenager, seeing it first hand threw me for a minute. I looked at Elle in awe. She loved these kids, and they loved her, enough that she was willing to legally bind herself to one. Based on the Rom-Com worthy reunion between
Fernie and the girl, it looked like they might be tying the knot.

Fuck.

He'd be able to stay if he married her.

We were half way back to Elle's place before I could put it all into words.

"She could marry Fernie." I turned to Elle to gauge her reaction.

"Yes."

"You knew this." It wasn't really a question, but I wanted to see just how much the wheels had been turning in her head over this.

"Yes." Her eyes never left the road.

"How do you do it?"

"What?" She finally turned and looked at me as we pulled up to her apartment.

"I love you."

"What's gotten into you? Is it the pills?"

I looked into her golden eyes and laughed. "It very well may be the pills, but you made a mom and a teenage girl the happiest women alive today. You're pretty remarkable, you know?"

"And I'm all yours." She leaned over and placed a kiss on my lips. "I'll be right back. Don't go anywhere." She smirked, like I could really go anywhere in my condition.

True to her word she was back in minutes with a bag full of her stuff, probably glad to have her own clothes to put on when we returned. The surprise I had set up this morning, the one I'd forgotten during Reunion Day, suddenly came back to the front of my mind.

"What are you all smiles about?" she asked getting into the driver's seat.

"I love you."

"So you've said. I love you too. Now let's head back to the clubhouse. You think there's food there, or should we stop for some?"

I lifted my arm up a bit. "I'm not cooking this evening."

"You up for a steak?"

"A steak sounds fantastic." I sighed and laid my head against the seat, closing my eyes.

When I opened them again, P was opening the gate to the clubhouse and we were driving into the parking lot.

"I thought we were getting steaks."

Elle broke into laughter, nodding her head to the back seat filled with bags.

Shit, I slept through the grocery store?

I got out of the car and called P over to take the bags. He filled his hands with plastic bags, and Elle carried a watermelon.

"A watermelon?"

She shrugged. "It's what they get in the books."