by S. C. Adams
“That’s for Rebecca,” says Cody. “And for attacking the club.”
This isn’t the first time Cody has taken a life, and he seems fully willing to take another.
Fortunately, for the remainder of our time at Ultra-Cycle, we are just cleaning up after ourselves. Hell-Snakes would occasionally stop by, and we tell them all that if we see any of them in Reno again, we will hunt them all down one-by-one, and they’ll join Jacob.
Just like that, the Hell-Snakes scatter away and slither out into the desert. Ultra-Cycle is closed, and my wife has been avenged.
I get home at five, expecting to order dinner in for us. I am emotionally drained from everything that happened, and I don’t want to work in the kitchen, but as I make the walk from my driveway up to my front door, I can smell pleasing aromas wafting from inside the house.
I get inside and am greeted by a beautiful woman, my two beautiful sons, and a big Shepherd’s Pie waiting to be eaten on the dinner table that they’d all made together. I am overwhelmed. It has been a long time since I’ve arrived from a hard day’s work to a hot, home-cooked meal.
I’m still in a bit of a weird place since everything that has happened earlier. Luckily, the three of them do all of the talking. They fill me in on their day. Mason and Austin both rave about what a great time they have hanging out with Megan playing games (video games, board games, hide-and-seek, they did it all) and they say they want her to come back.
Megan claims that Mason and Austin both talked to her, but she “pinky-promised” she can’t divulge to me what all they discussed. Since the boys are toddlers, and I can tell Megan wants to be “cool” with the kids, I decide not to press for the information. I’m a little jealous since Mason is usually so quiet. I’m more impressed that she got them to talk more than anything.
We keep things simple after dinner, but it is truly what I needed. The four of us are all on the couch, sitting snuggled together, just watching a movie and hanging out. It somehow feels right. Even Megan seems right at home.
During the entire movie, everything is going great and it is a redemptive evening. Then, Austin randomly asks Megan a significant question.
“Megan, are you our new mommy?” Austin asks.
From the moment those words leave Austin’s mouth, I can see her freezing into place. She is uneasy and unsure of how to answer his question.
“Austin,” I interject. “Megan’s your new friend! Didn’t you like hanging out with Megan today?”
Both boys nod in response.
“She’s not your new mommy,” I tell them. “Okay, Austin?”
I think I have successfully brushed it off, and I assume that we will just move onto something else. Instead, Megan gets up on her feet.
“It is getting late,” she says. “I think maybe I should get going, gentlemen.”
“So soon?” I wonder.
“I have been here all day, you know.” She chuckles. “I’ll see all you guys soon, okay?”
I try getting on my feet, but she holds her hand up.
“You really don’t need to walk me out,” she says. “I can get back to my car by myself. Thank you for hanging out with me today, Mason and Austin!”
She gives them both a quick hug and gives me a quick wave. As she makes her exit, I find myself getting reabsorbed back into the couch.
While the boys are drifting to sleep, I wonder if Austin’s earlier inquiry about Megan being “their new mommy” has indeed scared her off and given her the kick she needs to get out the door.
Then I think, She’s never coming back now.
52
Megan
Kelsey is driving us randomly and aimlessly through the streets of Reno so that we can talk. We are supposed to be heading to work at our new job, but I’m getting jittery. I’m convincing myself that I can’t go through with working for Dustin. I’m not even sure what I will say to Dustin whenever I hear from him or see him next.
“Do we really want to be late on our first day?” Megan eventually asks.
“I’m not even sure if I can face Dustin right now,” I say. “It’s so crazy. I’m more freaked out by what Austin said than I was when people were shooting at us.”
“Why do you think that scared you away?” Kelsey asks.
“I’m not sure I’m ready to be ‘mommy’ to someone else’s kids,” I tell her. “I don’t even want kids yet of my own!”
“Megan, he’s three,” says Kelsey. “I’ve seen four and five-year-old’s call their teachers ‘mommy’ before. It’s a simple mistake.”
“Maybe so,” I say. “But now I feel a lot more pressure. I love having fun with Dustin, and I think he’s a really good guy.”
“Do you actually like Dustin?” Kelsey asks.
“What? Like more than friends who sleep together?”
“Yes.” She laughs.
“I do,” I admit. “I do like Dustin a lot… way more than I expected to, and even that scares me. I’m a fucking mess.”
“You’re a woman!” says Kelsey. “We’re all a bit of a mess. Sounds like this guy is really on your mind.”
“That’s putting it mildly,” I say.
“Do you like his kids?” Kelsey asks.
“Yeah, they’re great,” I say. “Why?”
“Well, you have to like the boys if you want to be with Dustin,” she points out. “They are a package deal. If you wanted to really be with him, you’d have to fill out some role with the boys. So, what do you want to do?”
“I don’t know,” I repeat. “Hence, why I’m confused.”
“Well, you’re going to have to confront Dustin at some point,” she says. “It sucks that you’re uncomfortable, but we need to be punctual.”
“I’m not looking forward to this at all,” I groan.
And of course, when we get to Dual Wheel Duo, the first thing that happens is Dustin coming up to me in order to pull me aside and talk with me. I guess he figured the best way to deal with things is to do it right away.
“Before we start working today,” he begins. “I want to check on you first.”
“What do you mean?” I ask him.
“I wanted to know if you are okay after the other night when you kind of ran out,” says Dustin.
“Yes, I’m okay,” I assure.
“I’m sorry about Austin’s… ‘mommy question’,” he continues. “You have to understand: Austin is really young, and sometimes he doesn’t really know what he’s saying.”
“Was it just a mistake?” I ask. “I want to spend time with your boys, but I don’t want them to just think I’m replacing their mom.”
“That’s not it,” says Dustin. “It was just a mistake. I guarantee it. They’ve both accidentally called Cody ‘Daddy’ before. I didn’t take that to mean they wanted to replace me with Cody.”
I chuckle. “Right…”
“Look, Austin’s forward just like his dad,” says Dustin. “And he doesn’t always think before he talks. He doesn’t always know what’s appropriate, either.”
“He’s only three,” I say. “It just kind of freaked me out when he said it. I’ve never imagined being anyone’s mommy.”
“You don’t have to be their mom at all,” he says. “I’m not asking you for anything except to work for me here. If you weren’t comfortable with sleeping together anymore, now that I’m your boss—”
“Let’s not get carried away,” I tell him. “I like sleeping with you.”
“I do too,” he says. “Which is why I ask that you just give me a chance. If you think being with me is too much, I won’t stand in your way if you want out.”
I want to just give in and give him a chance. I don’t want to see him look sad or disappointed, but I don’t want to make the wrong decision just because I might hurt Dustin’s feelings. I have to do what is best for all of us, the kids included.
“I need some time to think about it some more,” I tell him. “Since you are all sort of a package deal, I have a lot to consider.
”
“I totally understand,” says Dustin. “Take as much time as you need.”
With that out of the way, I am free to go about my day and figure out how things work around Dustin’s bike shop. Since I’d been trained over at Jacob’s shop, I know how things operate for the most part.
The day is slow. I get two customers that are coming in just for a tire repair, and Kelsey is already hard at work on filling out her W2 form.
I see Dustin frequently during the day. I’m hoping that being around him through all hours of my workday will help me discover what my best course of action is regarding our relationship status.
I’m still unsure of what to do.
53
Dustin
Megan starts working for me on Monday. A couple of days later, on Wednesday, she is still as antisocial and quiet as she’d been on her first day. I know that I’ve told her to ‘take as much time’ as she needs, but each day feels like a week when I would go through the many hours at the shop and not even hear her voice. I’m not going to keep going to work and get nothing from her.
We have a busy morning, so I don’t bother Megan that much at first. I suspect that business is already coming back now that Ultra-Cycle is without a team.
Once things have slowed down, I go up to the front desk and join her.
“How are you doing today so far?” I ask.
“Good,” she replies. “You?”
“Well, I’m happy to see that we’re getting a good surge of business,” I say. “I’ve got to admit, I’ve been a little down lately.”
“Why?” she wonders.
“I miss you,” I tell her plainly. “I wanted to keep things light and simple, but I can’t. We’ve been through too much already for us to just pretend like we aren’t thinking about each other.”
“Dustin, all I’ve thought about is you,” says Megan. “You, the kids… I’ve been thinking about all of it.”
“Could you share some of your thoughts with me?” I ask.
“I’ve been thinking about a lot,” she repeats. “I don’t know where I’d begin.”
“Just tell me about your main concerns,” I say.
“Well, I still worry about Jacob,” says Megan.
“Everything regarding Jacob has been handled,” I tell her. “You have nothing to worry about. He and his cronies won’t be coming anywhere near Reno for quite a while.”
“What does that mean?” she wonders.
“Jacob and the Hell-Snakes are out of Nevada,” I declare. “You have no reason to worry.”
“Do I want to know?” she asks with raised eyebrows.
“Probably not,” I reply. “But you can take my words as gospel. He’s gone. You’re safe. We’re all safe.”
She licks her lips. “Well… that is good to know.”
“Right!” I say. “So, what do you say? Will you talk to me again?”
She walks right up to me, leans on her tiptoes, and we share a kiss.
“Nice,” I mutter.
Megan giggles and begins playing with my shirt. “Sorry I’ve been so quiet.”
“Don’t apologize,” I say. “You don’t have to like… be my girlfriend or something. I just need you to talk with me.”
“I want to be with you,” says Megan. “I want to be your girlfriend, and I want to be there for you—and the kids. I won’t get scared off if one of them says the ‘m-word’ again.”
I laugh. “I’ll have a talk with them so they know not to call you that.”
“It’s okay if they say it again,” she says. “I won’t panic.”
We hold hands, not caring if anyone sees us. I finally feel I can breathe easily again.
“Why don’t you and the boys come over to my place this evening?” Megan offers. “I’ll cook dinner for all of us. It’ll be great. What do you say?”
I kiss her forehead. “I say we’ll see you tonight.”
I pick up Austin and Mason from Karen’s and bring us all straight to Megan’s place. She’s made us spaghetti with meatballs and freshly baked bread.
We eat together and have another nice evening of fellowship. The three of them once again do most of the talking, but that’s how I want it. I love watching them all get along so well. I can tell that she feels incredibly relaxed and really cares about my boys.
Neither Austin nor Mason call Megan ‘mommy’ or any of its synonyms. In fact, Austin even calls me ‘mommy’ by mistake at one point, causing Megan and I to burst out laughing.
After dinner, we all decide to go for a walk together. The boys are being rambunctious, running around and roughhousing with each other. I hold onto Megan’s hand and squeeze it tight.
In that moment, I feel whole finally for the first time in a long time. Both Megan and I feel like something beautiful is blossoming here. I wonder if this can be the start of a new family, a chance to have what I’ve always wanted again. I’m not going to rush things, but I have a good feeling.
“What are you thinking of?” Megan asks me.
“I’m wondering when I’m going to wake up and realize I’m dreaming,” I tell her.
She stands on her tiptoes again and kisses me on the cheek. “I think you’re awake.”
I also feel a strange sense of tranquility that I haven’t felt in many years, too. I wonder if I might finally feel at peace. I’ve gotten closure with my wife’s passing, my shop is still up and running, my sons are growing and healthy, and the Crimson Wheels have successfully deported the Hell-Snakes out.
I look up and see a beautiful sunset over the gorgeous Nevada sky. I sigh and relish it all, wondering what is coming up next for Megan and me.
Epilogue
Megan
Six Months Later. When I wake up that morning, it occurs to me that Dustin and I have been together for six months. It is jarring to me. I can’t believe how fast the time has gone by.
I look over in bed, watching Dustin while he sleeps. He is breathing heavily and looks like he is deep asleep. I run my fingers delicately along his back, wondering what he is dreaming about.
I moved in with the Walkers a little over two months ago. For a while, I didn’t even work at the bike shop. After I took a few days to move myself in, I ended up being Austin’s go-to babysitter whenever Dustin would go to work and Mason would get dropped off at elementary school.
Dustin had said to me over dinner last week that I’ve helped him with the boys far beyond what he’d expected from any girlfriend. I have to admit, I’ve gone beyond even what I expected. When Dustin and I first started dating, I thought I might neglect the children somewhat in order to focus intently on Dustin.
But I’m in love with those boys just as much as I am in love with their father. I love all of them dearly and can’t picture life without them. They are my family now, and I want nothing else.
Later that night, the four of us all go out for dinner. It is a pleasant evening, but all of the boys are acting unusual: Mason and Austin are barely talking at all, and Dustin seems incredibly anxious about something. It doesn’t make much sense to me during our meal, but I don’t acknowledge it because I don’t want to seem paranoid.
Then, after we finish eating, we head back home. When we get back into the house, I notice that the boys are still acting funny and giving me weird little looks.
“What’s going on with you two?” I ask them. “What are you up to?”
“Nothing!” Austin says with a big smile.
I turn to Mason. “Got something you’d like to share, Mase?”
Mason simply smiles and looks behind me.
I turn around fast and see Dustin there, with his hands behind his back and looking more antsy than I’ve seen him in ages.
“Hey,” Dustin says to me.
“Hello!” I reply. “What’s going on with you fellas tonight? It’s not my birthday. What’s with all the weird looks?”
Then, Dustin gets down onto one knee, moving his hands to reveal that he is holding a tiny jewelry box.
“Oh my God,” I gasp.
“Megan, I’ve got a question I need to ask you,” says Dustin. “I’ve been thinking about it for a bit now, and it’s going to kill me if I don’t just ask.”
He opens the case to reveal a stunning diamond engagement ring. I clasp my chest, bewildered by what I am seeing. He holds the ring out, awaiting my response anxiously.
“I love you, Megan,” says Dustin. “I love our little family, I love how you are with my two handsome little men over there, and above all, you’ve made me want to be truly happy again.
“So, what do you say? Will you marry me, Megan?”
I nod furiously, happily giving him my hand to slide the ring on my finger.
“Yes,” I say through tears. “Yes, I will marry you.”
The ring goes right on my finger perfectly, fitting like it is destiny. I leap up into his arms, hugging and kissing my fiancé joyfully.
I turn from Dustin to his growing boys, the young children who may very well become like my own. I get on my knees and take both of them in my arms.
“What do you say?” I ask them both. “Can I marry your dad?”
I pull them in closer for a big hug, squeezing them tight. I can’t wait to start my life as Dustin’s wife and stepmom to his beautiful children.
After the boys are put to bed, Dustin and I retreat to our bedroom. We close the door behind us, and instantly, we are all over each other.
We sit in bed for several minutes, just kissing and touching one another. It almost feels like I am touching a different man. Even though he is still the Dustin Walker he always has been, knowing that he is my fiancé now makes our intimacy even better.
Our hands are always travelling, and our kisses only become more intense and passionate as the night goes on. We rip each other’s clothes off, making sure to massage and fondle every part of our anatomies as they become revealed. I feel like I can cream for him at any minute. I’m so enraptured that I honestly feel like it is too much. Which means the sex is going to be incredible.
