Matt - The Black Tuxedos MC

by Darlene Tallman

  I finish my shower, shave, then once I’m done with my beer, brush my teeth before I slip on a pair of boxer briefs and slide into bed. Grabbing my remote, I queue up a new show on Netflix that I started the other day. I’ve found that having the television on seems to help a little with keeping my nightmares at bay.

  Mandie

  Exhaustion follows me to my car. We had three back-to-back groups and I was run off my feet most of the night. Despite the excellent service that I gave them, along with a new waitress who I am mentoring, two of the groups left a whopping five-dollar tip. Considering that the bill for the first party was over three hundred dollars and the second group spent almost five hundred dollars, I feel cheated. At least Juan pays his waitstaff minimum wage instead of what a lot of folks in this industry get, but still, if a group is going to spend that kind of money on food and drinks, they could at least tip their servers appropriately. I suspect it was because a few of the men were flirting with the new girl.

  Juan pulled me aside after they left and asked how we made out and when I told him, he shook his head then checked the ticket to see if maybe they had put one on their card. He doesn’t usually add an automatic gratuity to large groups because his restaurant is upscale enough that it’s never been an issue before. He tried to give me some money from his own pocket, but I refused it and told him I’d be fine.

  As I drive home, I think about the errands I need to run with the kids in the morning. First, I need to get them some clothes, then we’ll do a good grocery shop with the extra money left from my tuition grant. I can stock up on non-perishable items and stuff for my deep freezer that should hold me and the kids over for a bit.

  When I pull into my driveway, I see things on my deck. “What on earth?” I murmur to myself as I park my car and get out. Stepping up on the deck, I see several coolers, as well as a bunch of bags. I carefully open one cooler and am shocked to see packs of chicken, roasts, pork chops, and ground beef. When I open the second one, I see easy frozen meals packed in ice. I examine the bags and find cans of soup, SpaghettiOs, ravioli; all things the kids love. There are boxes of cereal, macaroni and cheese, several loaves of bread, peanut butter and jelly, vegetables. “Who could have done this for us?” I wonder.

  I unlock the door and see Olive sleeping on the couch, so I carefully start carrying the bags in, then drag the coolers inside and toward the kitchen. “What’s all of that?” Olive asks, her voice husky with sleep.

  “I was going to ask you the same thing. I found it all on the deck when I got home. You don’t know who did it?”

  “Not a clue,” she says. “Here, let me help you get this put up. You look dead on your feet.”

  “It was a long night, that’s for sure,” I reply. “I can’t believe this, it’s like Christmas or something.”

  “I don’t think I’ve ever seen this much food in your house at one time,” Olive admits.

  My shoulders sag at her words. “I’m failing, aren’t I?” I whisper as tears fall down my face. She rushes over and throws her arms around me.

  “No, you’re not. The kids have everything they need. You’ve got a roof over your head and food for y’alls bellies. You’re doing the best you possibly can, Mandie, and I won’t let you talk about my friend like you’re doing.” Her words make me giggle and soon, we’re both laughing as we continue stocking my cabinets, freezer, and fridge.

  “With what we grow in the garden, I’ll be able to get through without worrying too much until I find a job once I graduate,” I tell her. “Of course, I’ll still work The Steakhouse on the weekends.”

  “When will you spend time with the kids if you’re working all the time?”

  I sigh. “I don’t know. I just know I have to save money and if that means I have to work two jobs for a bit, that’s what I’ll do.”

  “You’re a good mom, Mandie,” she states, her face serious. “You took a shitty situation and have worked your ass off to make something out of nothing.”

  “There are days I wonder, Olive,” I whisper. “Days like today, before I got home, when a large party stiffed me on a decent tip.” I swear, even though she’s seventeen going on eighteen, she’s got an old soul.

  “Why did they do that?” she asks. I can tell she’s upset on my behalf based on the look that crosses her face.

  “I’m training a new girl, which is fine. Your folks have me do that quite frequently since I know the menu inside and out, as well as the way they like things done. However, I think a few of the women in two of the groups took exception to the fact that she was kind of flirty with their men.”

  “Did you tell my dad?”

  “Yeah, I did. Your dad is something, Ollie. He tried to give me money from his own damn wallet to make up for them not tipping me, but I wouldn’t let him do it! Y’all have all done more than enough for me and the kids.”

  “We’ve only done what you have let us do, Mandie. If you’d let us, we’d do so much more.”

  “I can’t,” I whisper. “It’s not a pride thing, either. It’s just how I was raised, and I know if I work hard enough, I’ll get out of this situation that I found myself in after he left.”

  “Shit, that man was useless to begin with and everyone knows that.”

  I nod because apparently, I was the last to know just how awful Alistair McAdams was and once again, I’m grateful we didn’t get married and that the kids don’t have his name, even though they’re both his. I honestly think I was so afraid that I’d never find anyone to love me that I latched onto the first person who showed me any attention. The joke was on me, though, because after his treatment of me, I doubt I’ll ever let anyone get that close to me again.

  “Thanks for all your help, Ollie. Here, I’ve got your money,” I tell her, going to my purse and pulling out several bills.

  “Maybe you should hang onto it since tonight was so sparse,” she says, trying to hand it back to me.

  “Nope. With all of this, plus the extra that was left over from my tuition grant, I’ll be fine, sweetie. You take this; you’ve earned it and so much more.” She hugs me and I relish the fact that this young lady is in my life. I’m blessed, that’s for damn sure.

  3

  Matt

  “Hey, brother, you got time to meet me at the sanctuary now?” I ask Nick when he answers his phone.

  “Absolutely. I can be there in twenty.”

  “Then I’ll see you there.” I disconnect the call and toss my phone into the cupholder. Despite falling asleep to thoughts of Mandie, I woke up covered in sweat, cowering in the corner, with the vague memories of Jackal standing over me dripping blood and asking me ‘Why?’ over and over. I had no answer when it happened and despite the decade that has passed, I still have no answer as to why we were targeted that fateful day.

  Needless to say, I wasn’t in the right frame of mind to do a lot on the job site today, but I pushed through anyhow so that the inspector could come out on Monday and sign off on that phase of the project. We get a bonus if we get it finished in time and some shitty weather early on put us a bit behind. Thankfully, we’ve gotten caught up because my crew thrives on a challenge.

  I swing by a fast food restaurant and grab a burger and a drink and eat while driving out to the sanctuary that Reese’s old lady, Corrie, started. It’s still one of the projects I’m proudest of being a part of because we incorporated the natural landscape, as well as huge boulders I brought in from a commercial construction site, to give the animals who live there a shot at a normal life, even if they never get adopted.

  When I pull in, I see Nick standing there talking to Corrie and Reese. I don’t feel ganged up on though; these are my brothers and they only have my well-being in mind. “Hey, brothers, Corrie,” I say as I get out of my truck.

  “Hey, Matt! I had to come when Nick mentioned you wanted to get a dog,” Corrie replies.

  “And since we were running errands without the kids, I came along as well,” Reese supplies, a smirk on his face. I dis
creetly flip him off because I’m sure they made a trip by the clubhouse sans kids based on Corrie’s wild hair, something I won’t remark on because I’d die before embarrassing her.

  “Gotcha,” I state, smirking back. His smirk widens and I have to hold back the laughter that wants to come out. “Where are these dogs?” I ask Nick.

  “Follow me,” he commands, chuckling. We walk through several gates and I spy a lot of the older senior dogs sunning themselves on the rocks we got from one construction project, while others frolic in the small pools of water me and my crew built. As we approach one section, I see several dogs standing at attention and instinctively know that these are the dogs who Nick thinks will be trainable for someone like me.

  “What do I need to do?” It’s been years since I’ve had a dog and the ones I had growing up were working dogs, not pets. Although, I guess the one I get would also be a working dog.

  “Honestly? Just sit somewhere and get comfortable. What I’ve noticed is that one will gravitate to you if you’re patient.” I nod and prepare to settle in for a while, grateful that I thought to grab my drink. I notice that Corrie and Reese didn’t follow us; they went into the barn where the feral cats live. Nick, however, sits down near me and we start chatting about inconsequential things.

  I watch as the dogs come closer, their noses in the air. Long minutes pass until one that looks like a cross between a border collie and a lab comes even closer before he sits in front of me, his tail wagging and head tilted. “That’s Champ,” Nick says as he watches the dog watch me. “I’ve already started working with him so if you like him, he’s good to go. He’s up to date on all his shots and has been neutered as well.”

  “Hey, Champ,” I whisper. His head tilts again and he moves even closer until his nose is touching my hand. “How you doing, boy?” His tail wags harder and I feel his tongue lick my fingers. “You’re a handsome fella, aren’t you?” I’ve never seen coloring like his before, and his eyes are cool; I don’t think I’ve ever seen a dog with two different colored eyes before.

  “He’s a tri-colored border collie. I know he looks like he’s got some lab in him, but we rescued him and his parents from a hoarding situation. In fact, he’s got papers, although I doubt that matters much to you.”

  “Doesn’t mean shit to me, brother,” I reply, rubbing my hand through Champ’s fur. “His eyes are cool, too.”

  “He’s definitely a unique looking dog, that’s for damn sure. And he’s almost freakishly smart. I don’t think you’re going to have any issues with him, but we can work together to make sure he knows what he needs to do.” I’m fine with that but already I notice that the stress that was hanging over me from my shitty night has significantly abated.

  “Alright, let’s do this. What do I need to get food-wise? Anything special?”

  “Follow me. Go ahead and call him so he gets used to you giving him commands, brother.”

  “Champ, come,” I state. Champ stands and without any fuss, comes alongside so he’s almost touching me, and we walk back through the gates until we’re at the small building where Corrie handles all the paperwork. I see she and Reese are standing there and notice she’s got a folder in her hand and that Reese has a huge bag of dog food over his shoulder.

  “Your first bag of food is on us,” Corrie says when I go to question her as to what they’re doing. “This folder has all of his shot records, his rabies certification, and his microchip information. You’ll need to go online to update that with your personal stuff; right now, he’s registered to the sanctuary.”

  “How much?” I question. I’m also wondering how she knew which dog I’d choose, but knowing her, she had a feeling. It’s part of the reason why the sanctuary has been so successful with the adoption events. She and her vet friend, Jeanette, instinctively seem to know which animals will be best paired with the families that show up.

  “Uh, just saying, but no Black Tuxedos MC brother will ever pay a penny to adopt one of these guys,” Corrie emphatically states. “In fact, no one who has served our country will. That’s why I have grants, Matt.”

  “Then I’ll make a donation,” I reply.

  “I won’t take it,” she retorts.

  “Is she always this stubborn?” I ask Reese. “I don’t think I ever noticed that about her before.”

  “You won’t win this one, brother,” he says.

  “Then I’ve got y’alls dinner tonight. It’s the least I can do.” Especially if Champ helps me get through the night.

  “Fine, I’ll accept that. Enjoy your new life, Champ. I’m sure I’ll see you around.”

  “You can count on it since I live at the clubhouse. Plus, I’m planning on him going with me to work so I have company.”

  “That should work.”

  “Thanks again. I’ll see y’all in a few hours. Need to get back and get cleaned up before tonight.”

  “See you there, brother,” Reese states. I raise my hand as I head to my truck and when I open the door, Champ jumps inside and moves over to the passenger side before he sits down and looks at me.

  “Welcome to my life, Champ,” I whisper as I get into the truck and get turned around to head back to the clubhouse. “Let’s see if we can do this thing.”

  Mandie

  Today’s shopping was definitely less expensive than I originally anticipated thanks to the amazing good Samaritan who dropped off all the food. As I fold laundry, I smile when I think of how Maria, Juan’s wife, called me this morning to tell me that a local church was having their semi-annual kid’s consignment sale. Olive came over and together, we took the kids and loaded them up with virtually brand-new wardrobes for a fraction of the money I thought I’d spend. I can now tuck more money back for a rainy day. It’s not much, but in my experience, every little bit counts.

  “You should probably go rest for a bit since you have to work tonight,” Olive says, coming into the laundry room.

  “Yeah, that’s not a bad idea. No clue what tonight will bring, that’s for sure.” With the kids taking a nap, I don’t have to worry about them, so I head to my room and strip down to my underwear before I slide beneath the covers. I set my alarm even though I know that Olive won’t let me oversleep.

  As I drift off to sleep, a certain biker crosses my thoughts.

  Walking into The Steakhouse, I immediately notice that it’s packed again. Hopefully that means I’ll leave with a lot of tips. I clock in and grab my apron, grateful that despite the fact that we’re an upscale restaurant, because we’re in Texas, jeans are part of our uniform. We have cute polo-style shirts with the logo on the left side and have a black apron we wear around our waists with our order pad and pens inside. “You’ve got a party that specifically requested you,” Shona says once I’ve clocked in. “I also gave you the surrounding tables; let me know if you want some help.”

  I’m already shaking my head. I don’t need the new girl working with me tonight to fuck up my tips. She already did that last night and while I have a tiny nest egg now, I want to add to it because we’re coming up on the time of year when Aria’s asthma tends to flare up. “I think I’ll be good, Shona, but thanks. Do you know who the party is?” I inquire.

  “Those bikers. Y’know, the guys and their women from the Black Tuxedos?” I feel the smile gracing my face as I nod at her. I love it when they come in; they’re a fun group and despite the fact that they’re bikers, they’re relatively easy-going, all things considered. The first time they came in and I served them, I was a nervous wreck because I’d never been around bikers. Yet, despite the fact that the guys are huge, and most are sporting tattoos, they’ve always been good to me.

  “Awesome. I really like them. Best customers I’ve ever had,” I confess.

  “Really? It doesn’t bother you that they’re kind of rough looking?” My face crunches up at her words; their hair may be longer than society deems appropriate, but other than that, they treat everyone they come in contact with while here with respect. Not only t
hat, but all of them are former military and that means a lot to me.

  “Uh, no. In fact, I think some of them are kind of hot,” I admit, thinking of Matt. While thoughts of him are nothing more than a fantasy, given my past, I can’t help the fact that he crosses my mind more often than not.

  “Huh, didn’t take you for one of those girls,” she murmurs. My hackles raise, and I find myself jumping to their defense.

  “What do you mean by that?” I question.

  “Well, you know, women who fall at a biker’s feet, you’re one of those.”

  I can almost feel the steam coming out of my ears. I'm so livid right now I’m shaking. “Shona, you don’t know me or my history, so I’ll let that comment slide for now. However, that being said, you’re being extremely judgmental about a group of people who have businesses in our community, do a lot for our town, and have always, always been supporters of this place, ever since Juan opened it. I think you need to check yourself.” Okay, so the slang may be out of date, but right now, I don’t give that first fuck. These people are my friends, kind of anyway, and I won’t allow anyone to demean them.

  Shona starts to say something and is interrupted by Juan. “Shona, I think you need an early night tonight. Go ahead and clock out, we’ll handle it.” I glance at him and judging by the firm set of his jaw and the fact his arms are crossed over his burly chest, I know he heard most if not all of what she said.

  “Juan, we’re really busy. I didn’t mean anything by it.”

  “Shona, here’s the thing. I’m a third generation Mexican American married to a black woman who has Native American ancestry. I’ve dealt with people casting aspersions on me as well as my family most of my life and vowed that I would take my mother’s teachings to heart. She always told me to treat others the way I wanted to be treated, to look at what a person does, not what they say, and to never judge them by their appearance because good comes in all packages, as does bad. Those men and women have hearts of gold and have done more for this town than any person who’s ever been tasked to run it. Not only that, but each of the men served our country, which tells me more about their character than anything else, including the fact that they like to ride Harleys and wear their hair longer. Now, clock out. I think you need to reflect on your attitude to see if you are, in fact, a good fit here.”