“There you are,” I said.
“Hey, sorry I had to finish the final inventory. You can come in if you’d like,” she offered.
I mean, what else was I going to do right now? I walked into the place, noticing some of the knickknacks around. This was your average small convenience store, and it was quite boring. Why was such a beautiful girl working here of all places.
After she finished putting the last of the boxes away, she sighed, “God this is a ton of work.”
“You said it,” I agreed.
“Yeah, I’m kind of the main employee here. It’s partially why I work here. Plus, it makes my parents happy,” she told me.
Her parents? Why did that matter?
“What’s wrong with your parents?” I asked.
She paused, looking down. Crap, did I say something wrong? But then, she shook her head.
“You’re the only person who really knows but…my mom is very sick. She’s been fighting off cancer, and right now…it doesn’t seem like she’s going to make it. My parents are doing all they can, and I want to help them, but I always feel like I’m screwing up and that I’m not really doing a damn thing for them,” she said.
Oh, wow. I felt bad for asking.
“I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to make things weird for you,” I said.
“It’s fine. I have nobody to talk to about this, anyways, so it’s nice to vent, even a little bit,” she said.
I mean, if that’s what was good for her, then so be it.
“Right. Anyways I’d like to take you on a ride. Your parents won’t be mad if you’re back late, right?” he clarified.
“Nah, I told my dad I’d be out with a friend. Which wasn’t necessarily wrong. Though a friend might be a stretch,” she told me with a grin.
I laughed.
“Oh, I definitely think we’ll be more than friends at some point,” I told her with a wink.
She laughed.
“You know; I was expecting you to be kind of a dick. But you’re actually…really nice,” she said.
“Ouch,” I said with a snarky tone.
“No, not in a bad way. I just…you’re a bad boy and I’m a good girl. It all feels so weird, you know,” she said.
“Yeah I get that. I’m just messing with you. Don’t worry, though, I just want to make sure you’re okay too,” I said to her.
“Thanks,” she replied.
After she finished up, we went out to my bike. I popped the seat open, pulling out the helmet. She looked at it with surprise on her face.
“Is that for me?” she asked.
“You think I’m going to let you on this without one? Put it on,” I instructed her.
She hesitated, but then put the helmet on.
“There we go. Ready?”
She nodded.
I got on the bike, patting the seat behind her.
“Hold onto me. I’ll keep you safe,” I said to her.
She hesitated. I could tell that this was her first time on one of these bad boys. Which was fine; there’s a first for everyone. We drove off into the distance, ready for an adventure.
I had the perfect place for her.
We rode for about twenty minutes. She held onto me for dear life. I could tell that she wasn’t used to this kind of thing, and she was scared. But I wanted to be there for her, to be a guiding force and someone she could rely on.
After about twenty minutes, we finally reached the spot. I parked the bike, turned off the engine and looked to her.
“Here we are. One of my favorite spots in town,” I explained.
She looked at me with slight surprise, but then she walked over. When she got to the edge of the road, she looked down, shock settling on her face.
“Wow,” she said.
“Right? This is the overlook. It’s quite a nice place,” I told her.
She gasped as she took in the sight, amazed by it.
“This is just…wow,” she blurted.
“Yeah, I agree. It’s the perfect place to take a beautiful girl like you,” I told her.
She turned away, obviously embarrassed.
“I don’t get you, Lloyd. You’re so different from what I expected. Why are you like this?” she asked.
“What do you mean?”
“Like…you’re really nice. You’re not some mean biker unless you want to be. What’s your story?” she asked.
I hesitated. Do I tell her the truth? About how I was really a good guy until…it happened?
“It’s a bit of a long story. But since you told me about your folks…truth is, I didn’t used to be like this. I was not always a biker,” he said.
“Yeah, I can see why. You look so different from the other bikers I’ve seen. They’re usually scary guys who have this threatening energy. But you don’t have it. Yours is so different,” she said.
“I get that a lot. But yeah, I’m not a bad guy. Just…stuck in certain circumstances that have forced me to take up this life,” he said.
“What…what kind of circumstances?” she asked.
“Simple. My parents both died. A rival gang killed them, and I ended up having to fight them myself,” I stated.
She looked at me with surprise.
“No way,” she said.
“Yeah. About three years back, when I was 21, I was a normal guy. I went to college; I was a good kid; I had it all. Until one day, my pops got into a bad situation with the local gang. They came and killed my parents in cold blood. I was…I was so mad. I set out to get my revenge,” he said.
She didn’t say anything, and the truth was, I expected her not to want to have anything to do with me after this. But instead, she reached over and gave me a long, tight hug.
“I get it. You’re hurting,” she said.
I was hurting. This was the first time I had told anyone about this, and it felt refreshing to admit it someone, anyone at all.
“Yeah, I have never fully recovered. it sucks. I wish I could just move on. I want to find someone I can rely on, someone I can tell things to, someone I can be with. I still...I never found them. I know they’re around, but I have never found anyone after that day. I’m upset about it, but I also know that revenge isn’t something I should be seeking. I should be living my life,” I explained.
I looked out, noticing the big, vast land beyond. it made me feel better. But then, I felt a pair of arms around me. It surprised me to say the least. I didn’t expect her to touch me like that.
“Sorry, I just felt that you needed this,” she said.
I nodded, hugging her tightly. The two of us stayed that way for a bit.
“You’re great, Annette. I knew talking to you that night was a good idea,” I confessed.
“Yeah, I wanted to know who my savior was. That night I…I did look for you again. It’s partially why I always walked home,” she explained.
I laughed at those words.
“Yeah, well, not a good move, my dear. There are bad guys out there, guys that will want to hurt you. I don’t want you to get hurt,” I said.
“You’re…you’re really nice, Lloyd,” she said.
I laughed at those words.
“You think so?”
“Yeah. You’re sweet, and you really are a good guy. You just fell into a bad trap. I’m sorry you had to go through that,” she said.
“Thanks, Annette. Do you think…do you think things will ever get better for your family?” I asked.
She shrugged.
“I don’t know, Lloyd. I wish I could say. But I’m glad I told you. It’s something that’s been sitting on the tip of my tongue, something I’ve wanted to talk about for a long time. I just…never met anyone who would listen to me for long enough to let me get it out without making it sound like some pity party bullshit. I am hurting. My mom may not make it through the year. But talking with you about it has been cathartic, to say the least. I don’t feel scared. I don’t feel threatened, but instead…I feel stronger. I want to help my dad as much as
I can,” she explained.
I smiled.
“Yeah. And I want to help you. However, the hell I can. If you ever need anything, please let me know. I know our stories are different, but I really do feel a connection with you,” I said.
And it wasn’t just because she was smoking hot either. She was beautiful sure, but it was those words, those feelings she let me see, and that connection that she was willing to make with me that changed my life.
We kissed for a long time. I wanted to have sex with her, but I felt that…it was better if we didn’t do it here. It would be better to take this shit slow, and we newly experiencing the feeling of one another.
For a long time, I didn’t say anything. We simply stayed there. I felt like she was the one I had been looking for. I was a broken man, a man hurt by the past, and for the first time in a long time, I was starting to recover.
And it felt very nice.
I brought her back to the store about an hour later, and when we parted ways, I turned to her for a second to look into her eyes.
“By the way, Annette…thanks,” I said.
“For what?”
“For…listening to me. You gave me a reason to continue on, a reason to be who I really am. And for that, I thank you,” I explained.
She smiled, and I realized that I had been smitten the moment I had first seen her.
“You’re not too bad yourself. Get home safe, alright?” she said.
I nodded, watching her walk off, with a feeling of relief in the process. Things were looking up, and I was happy.
Chapter 5
Annette
I got home, feeling happy with the way things were going with Lloyd. He was a good man, and I was comfortable around him. I gave him my number, but I did say that I’d be a bit busy over the next few days, what with taking care of mom and all. They were planning on moving her back to the hospital.
Everything was great though till I got home and saw Dad sitting in his chair.
“Where have you been?” he asked, bluntly.
“Out. I told you I was with someone,” I said.
“Yeah, well, I tried to call you a few times. Your mom isn’t doing too great. They have caretakers with her right now. But…I don’t know if she’ll make it through the night,” he said woefully.
My eyes immediately widened.
“Oh no!” I said. I raced upstairs, heading to see my mother. There were a couple of nurses, and she looked like a mess.
I felt terrible. I wished I could’ve seen her sooner. But she reached out, touching my hand.
“There…you are,” she said.
“Mom…”
“It’s alright. You were out with a boy, weren’t you?” she asked.
I blushed, but then nodded.
“I knew it. Your father is upset because he didn’t know if you’d be back in time, but you made it. I’m happy about that,” she said.
“Yeah, Mom. I’m so sorry I didn’t make it sooner,” I said.
“It’s okay. I’ll see how I do tonight. They say there’s a chance I can make it through and survive, but I don’t know,” she speculated.
I nodded, listening to her and sighing.
“You don’t have to do this alone, Mom,” I said.
“No. I’m not alone. I have both of you. You’re taking care of me now more than ever. I’m really sorry to worry you. It’s why I didn’t tell your dad to call. You’d make it back eventually,” she said.
Tears filled my eyes. This could be the last night I would see my mother, someone who was always there to support me. I hated it. But then she leaned forward to kiss the tip of my head.
“Thank you for being here, Annette,” she said.
“You’re…you’re welcome, Mom,” I said.
“You need to take care of yourself too. Don’t let this hold you back. Anyways, I’m going to sleep,” she said.
“Alright. Night, Mom,” I said.
She passed out and I made my way back downstairs. Dad was sitting in his chair, sighing.
“You should’ve come back sooner. Let me guess, it was a boy,” he said.
“Why does it matter, Dad? I’m here now,” I sputtered.
“Because I trusted you’d be back sooner! And now here you are late. You almost missed this. You can’t just be out there fraternizing with boys. You have a family; you have me. Your mom may not make it, and you should be there for her and—.”
I held the table, shaking my head.
“No, Dad. I like this guy. He’s a good man. I know you don’t trust anyone who isn’t some sort of goody-goody, but…this man saved my life….and I like him,” I said.
I wanted to stand up for myself. Dad was in shock, but he scoffed.
“I take it I’m not going to get it through your head,” he said.
“I realize what’s happening to Mom and that I need to be there to support you. But also, Dad, I want to live my own life. This guy he…he is helping me,” I said.
“Well, I don’t want you to see him,” he ordered.
“Why not?”
“Because I said so. I don’t trust him,” he replied.
“You don’t trust anyone. You haven’t since the cancer got Mom,” I muttered.
Before Dad could say anything more, I went up to my room and sat on my bed, crying. Why didn’t he understand?
For the first time, I was happy and I liked Lloyd a lot. I wanted to prove to my dad that he wasn’t a bad person. He was a good ma, and I wanted to be with him. He had me interested, something most guys never did for me.
Over the next couple of days, I continually came back on time. I didn’t need Dad giving me shit. But, one night when I was working in the store, I heard the door open.
“Hello?” I said.
“Hey,” Lloyd replied.
He had on a black wife beater and black slacks. He looked so damn hot that I bit my lip, just looking at him.
“W-what are you doing here?” I asked.
“I wanted to check on you. You…you didn’t return any of my calls or anything,” he said.
“Sorry. I did see the number but wasn’t sure who it was. It’s my family. I’m sorry, my mom is dying, and my dad is being a bit of a dick because I went out with you. It’s just…it’s a lot, you know,” I said.
He reached out, touching my arm and looking me dead in the eyes.
“I know. And I understand your pain. I’m here for you,” he said.
I sniffled, and then nodded.
“Thank you, Lloyd. I appreciate it a lot,” I said.
When we parted ways, I gave him another hug and another kiss. I didn’t want to lose him. But I was scared that if I had to stick around with my mom and make sure she survived, this would happen.
We eventually took her to the hospital. Keeping her at the house wasn’t doing her any good, and she needed nurses around the clock. It was sad to see. She did pull through the night, but it was rough watching her slowly degenerate like this.
But I had hope. I felt that even with all of this going on, by some goddamn miracle, she would pull through and I’d get to see her smiling and happy face once again.
I spent almost every night with her. She needed someone more than ever. While Dad helped during the day, at night I sat by her side. I didn’t sleep much, but I hoped she would pull through.
After about a month, by some miracle, Mom started recovering. She still was on a ventilator but was able to breathe without too much trouble, and the cancer was slowly reducing in her body.
I was relieved. I was so happy Mom was doing better. But I also worried about Dad. He wasn’t around as much. One night, when we were about to change our shifts, I noticed that he had never come in.
“Where’s Dad?” I asked Mom.
“I haven’t seen him, dear,” she said.
I tensed. I feared the worst the moment I heard that. I was scared of the different things that might happen because of this. I was about to leave when I saw a motorcycle revving down the stree
t.
It was Lloyd.
Chapter 6
Lloyd
I knew that I saw what I saw.
I was on my way to the usual spot to see what the guys were up to when I heard the slight screams. I quickly rode my bike towards them, heading past the hospital where Annette’s mother was. I thought about stepping in to say hi, but it wasn’t my place.
I heard about a commotion on 3rd avenue from one of my guys. I drove down there, parked my bike and headed out. I heard the screams clearly at this point.
I quickly made my way down the alley in the distance, surprised at what was happening. That’s when I saw it. A middle-aged man being held up at knifepoint. He had the blade right up against the victim’s neck.
“N-no, please! Don’t do this,” he was pleading.
“Come on, give me your money,” the assailant demanded.
The older man looked about, unable to find anyone. He looked panicked, and it was at this point that I knew I had to do something.
“Come on, give me your fucking money,” aid the assailant, holding the blade steady.
I had to do something. I couldn’t just sit there and watch some half-baked bastard hurt this old man. I reached for my gun, holding it to the guys’ head.
“You’re trying to start shit with a guy like this? An old man who probably doesn’t have much money? God, you’re pathetic. My men scared you guys out of our turf, and now you’re here harassing random strangers. Pathetic,” I said.
The guy turned around, fear obvious on his face. He didn’t want trouble with me, but I wasn’t going to just sit there and let him continue to bother people.
“P-please don’t kill me,” he said.
“Then get the fuck out of my sight,” I told him, holding the gun, and nudging it there.
“But—”
“Get the fuck out of this town. Take your men and go somewhere else. If you do that, I’ll let you live. Promise me,” I ordered.
He hesitated, and I could see the worry in his eyes. He didn’t want this to happen, but it was high time someone stopped people like this. Finally, he started to pull away, running off.
“Good, and if I catch you and your guys in this city one more time, I’ll kill them,” I told him as he progressed.
Mr Lloyd Page 2
