Old Lady (Iron Disciples Book 2)

by Daniella Tucci

  “Shut your damn mouth!” She shouts, interrupting me. “And you are you anyway and what are you doing in my house?”

  “Auntie, this is my house remember? You live with me now.”

  “I do not!” She protests.

  “You moved in with me four days ago Auntie.”

  “I did no such thing!”

  “Look around you Auntie. This is not your home.”

  “Where’s Lucille? I want to talk to her.”

  “Great idea. Let’s give her a call.” I reply. Maybe Lucille can get through to her.

  “No…I want to talk to her. Here, face to face. What have you done with Lucille?” She rants. “Why isn’t she here?”

  “I’m taking care of you now. Lucille was getting too old and needed to retire. Pretty soon she’ll need someone to care for her.”

  “That’s preposterous! Why would she need someone to take care of her? You tell her to come back and take care of me.”

  “I’m sorry Auntie, but I’ll take care of you. You did such a good job taking care of me when my parents died I just wanted to return the favor. You should have family caring for you, not strangers.”

  “Lucille’s not a stranger. You’re the stranger here.”

  Oh my god. I really should have thought this one through. I had no idea how awful this disease could be. I just thought she would be confused and things, not…not abusive. This is really horrible. At least when I wasn’t her caregiver I could just keep the fond memories of her in my mind and remember her that way. Now I’m gonna end up remembering her this way; argumentative and downright mean. This is not the way I want to remember her. I really need to just focus on her needs and making her comfortable. That is the least I can do for the woman who became a second mother to me.

  A sudden crash jolts me back out of my dark thoughts. She’s thrown another one of my plates on the floor. At this rate we’re going to have to start using paper ones. So far she hasn’t moved on to my glasses so that’s a step in the right direction. Maybe I should have read up on dealing with people with Alzheimer’s disease. That’ll the first thing on my to do list if I can get a moment’s peace. I glance at my watch it’s nearly three in the morning. I decide to just start picking stuff up and maybe it’ll sink in what she’s doing. Plus I don’t want her to cut herself on any of these shards.

  After a few more minutes of pacing around and muttering to herself she finally leaves the kitchen. I follow her discretely down the hall. Fortunately she goes into her bedroom and crawls under the covers. I breathe a huge sigh of relief and return to my clean up job in the kitchen. Finally my emotions come rushing at me like a freight train. Like it or not, my poor aunt seems lost to me forever. A half hour later I finally sit down at the kitchen counter and pour myself a much needed glass of wine. My aunt has never been a late sleeper and according to Lucille when we talked last, my aunt still rises early. That means I’m probably in for maybe three hours of sleep before she wakes me with who knows what. With dark thoughts filling my head and heart I polish off my glass of wine and crawl into bed praying morning won’t come before the sun does. My last thought as I drift off is that I should not have just drunk that glass of wine. I keep doing this and I’m going to hurt my child. Tomorrow I’m going to remove anything that has alcohol in it and I swear I won’t drink a drop until I give birth.

  I wake the next morning to the sounds of rustling around in my room. My aunt is standing at the end of my bed holding one of the broken plates from last night. I guess she dug it out of the trash. I don’t think she broke anymore this morning.

  “Morgan,” she says to me. “What happened here?” She asks, indicating the plate in her hands. “I found dozens of pieces in the trash too.”

  “Oh yeah, I was just going to rotate my dishes and I dropped a whole box of plates last night. Did I wake you up?”

  “Oh no honey. I slept right through the night.”

  I wanna say, like hell you did, but the expression on her face melts my heart. I can tell she doesn’t believe my story. I’m thinking she may remember more about last night than she lets on. I take a deep breath and let it out, along with some of my anxiety about having moved her in with me. Yeah it was a horrible night, but it’s over. Auntie is back and everything is fine; for now.

  “How about I fix us some breakfast?” I ask her cheerfully.

  She actually smiles and it just warms my heart. Maybe I am doing the right thing here after all.

  “Why don’t you go get dressed and I’ll be ready by the time you come back to the kitchen.”

  “Okay honey.”

  She walks out and I throw on a robe and go to the kitchen to fix breakfast. From what I remember, my Auntie still likes scrambled eggs and crispy bacon. I’m just setting our plates on the table when she comes back into the dining room. I set a tall glass of orange juice in front of her plate and coffee for me. Looks like it’s going to be a pleasant morning after all.

  Chapter Fourteen

  War

  When the pounding first begins it sounds like someone’s trying to break down my front door. Both I and my aunt jump three feet, dropping out forks mid motion of stuffing our faces. Who the hell is at the front door? I go into the kitchen and grab the longest butcher knife I can find and hold it behind my back as I pass my Auntie.

  “Don’t worry,” I say to her. “It’s just the delivery man.”

  She’s returns to her breakfast and doesn’t seem to notice. I jump again when the second round of pounding starts. What the fuck is going on here? I fish around in my pocket for my phone but I left it in my purse in my room. Once at the door I holler loudly.

  “Whoever the hell you are, get the fuck off my property before I blow your head off!”

  “Morgan, open the door now!”

  Shit! It’s Cade doing the big bad wolf thing on my door.

  “Quit your huffing and puffing!” I shout. “I’m coming.”

  “Morgan there’s trouble. You gotta let me in.” He says through my still closed door.

  “This is not a good time Cade!” I shout. I’m trying to shout just loud enough for him to hear, but not loud enough to upset my aunt.

  “There’s never gonna be a good time for what I’ve got to tell you, now just open your damn door already!”

  “Can you tell me through the door? I’ve got my aunt here and you’re upsetting her.”

  “Really? Now you bring your aunt here? Just let me in please.”

  I turn the lock and take the chain off the door; all because he said the word please. I make to slowly open it but it just comes flying open. I barely get out of the way without getting a face full of door. In walks Cade carrying some kind of big handgun with what I can only assume is a silencer. Immediately following Cade is another brother with what looks to be some kind of sawed off shotgun. What the fuck is going on here?

  The other guy whom I have never seen before closes and locks the door, then grabs a chair from the dining room table and carries it into the living room. He plops himself in front of the living room windows with the shotgun resting across his knees.

  “Is this really necessary?” I ask.

  “How long do you and your aunt want to live?” He asks.

  As we talk he proceeds to check every window and door twice. I guess he’s making sure everything is locked down tight.

  “Would you mind telling me what the fuck is going on here?” I ask when he finally stops moving and returns to the living room.

  “Is that your aunt in the kitchen?” He asks.

  “Yes and unless you guys disappear soon it’s going to flip her out. She has Alzheimer’s and is in the very advanced stages. She’s almost never lucid and if you guys go parading around here it’s gonna freak her out. You do not want to see her when she’s acting out.”

  “I don’t what to tell you Morgan. I have to keep you safe, and that’s exactly what I intend to do.”

  “I have to admit, I didn’t expect to see you back into my life so soo
n.”

  “Well just because I’m protecting you doesn’t mean anything between us has changed Morgan. You still ratted me out. I’m still pissed. But I’m not going to let personal feelings keep me from my obligations.”

  “Your obligations? That’s what I am to you now, just one of your obligations?”

  “I don’t know what you are to me anymore Morgan. Why don’t you tell me?”

  “Tell me first what’s going on here. Why’d you come here nearly breaking down my door and posting a guard here in the living room?”

  “My brother and I were betrayed by the Outkasts and the Kings about an hour ago. Eddie and I went to our scheduled meeting and instead two SUV’s loaded with soldiers showed up and tried to wipe of off the map.”

  “Holy shit! Are you kidding me? Why did they attack you?”

  “Hard to tell, but I got a theory about it. But right now the whole club’s in lockdown. That means you pack and we get you and your aunt to the compound. Man you sure picked a shitty time to play nursemaid.”

  “Oh and I was supposed to know you were gonna almost get your ass blown away and maybe waited to bring my aunt home? Sorry, we’re not going anywhere.”

  “Sorry, but I’m not asking.”

  “You know what, you’re right. Let’s get packed. Could you help me get my bags down? I don’t like balancing on stools especially when I have a tall handsome man around.”

  “Lead the way.”

  Instead of going to my room I lead him to Auntie’s room. A few moments ago I saw her leave the kitchen and head for her bedroom. This should be good. I walk into the room and over to the closet without acknowledging her presence. She however acknowledges us. The second she sees Cade she launches into a very vocal protest.

  “Who are you?” She asks Cade. Before he can frame an answer she asks, “Who let you in my room?”

  “I’m Morgan’s friend.” He says calmly. “She invited me over. She’s told me so many wonderful things about you I just wanted to meet the woman who raised her.” He says diplomatically.

  “Well, you met me.” She begins. “Now you can leave.”

  I could help bail Cade out here but I really don’t want to leave here and I’m in no mood to make this any easier.

  “Actually I’m also here to help pack. The City is doing some work on their water supply and everyone is going to be without water for a few days so I wanted to make sure you two got to a nice hotel.”

  “Who are you?” She asks again.

  “My name is Cade. I’m a friend of Morgan’s.”

  My Aunt turns to me. “Are you my nurse today?” She asks.

  “Um…yes. Yes, I’m your nurse for the next couple days.” Better to play along with her I guess.

  “What happened to Lucille and Gertie?”

  I have no Idea who Gertie is. “They’re taking a couple days off.” I reply.

  “Well I want them back!” She announces.

  “In a couple days they’ll be back.”

  “No dammit! I want Gertie and Lucille back right now or I’m calling the police.”

  “Auntie…”

  “Why’re you calling me that? The only one who gets to call me that is my niece Morgan. My name is Mrs. Swift, and you’d do well to remember that!”

  Oh boy…it’s about to blow. Cade picks this moment to assert his alpha maleness.

  “Look Mrs. Swift, I understand that you’d like your other nurses back and you don’t want to leave here but we have no choice. The police will be checking every house in the neighborhood to make sure residents have left. If you stay you’ll get a ticket. We’re just going to a nice hotel for a couple days.”

  She looks at him for a minute like she’s letting it all sink in. Just as I take a breath and sigh in relief she explodes like a bomb going off.

  “Help!” She shrieks. “Help me police, there’s a strange man in my house. Help…help…help!”

  Right in the middle of her fourth help Cade’s friend pops into the room with a grim look on his face.

  “Hey brother,” he says to Cade. “A black van just parked across the street from us.”

  “Help!” Shrieks my Aunt.

  “Shit!” Cade says. “What do you think?”

  “Don’t know. They parked a minute ago and have just been sitting there. The windows are tinted black so I can’t see shit inside the van.”

  “Strange men…help!”

  “Okay…uh… get back there and watch them.” Cade hollers above the din of my aunt’s voice. “If anyone gets out holler. Keep your finger on that trigger and be ready.”

  “Got it boss.”

  If my aunt gets anymore worked up she’s gonna have a stroke or something. I turn to Cade. “Get…the…fuck…out of here! Go protect us from out there.”

  This time he doesn’t argue with me, and he and his buddy leave shutting the door behind them. I turn back to my aunt. She opens her mouth to shout again, and then catches herself.

  “Morgan, what are you doing here?”

  Oh my god, this is completely crazy. “We need to go to a hotel for a couple days Auntie. Some workers are coming to do some work on my house so it’ll be impossible to relax or even sleep at night. My roof needs replacing.”

  “Your roof? But why am I here?”

  “Morgan!” Shouts Cade from the living room. “We really need to be getting out of here.”

  “Working on it!” I shout back.

  “Who is that yelling out there?” She asks.

  “A friend who’s helping us.”

  “If he’s helping, why’s he yelling at you?”

  “It’s a long story Auntie, and we have to go now. I’ll tell you when we get to the hotel.”

  Suddenly Cade bursts into the room. “You gotta back door in this place?” He asks.

  His eyes are wide open and he’s got his gun in hand and he looks like he’s ready for battle. Suddenly my heart is pounding and my adrenaline starts to pump. I can’t say that Cade is scared…I don’t think he’s ever been scared. He’s damn concerned, that’s for sure.

  “Go through the kitchen and into the pantry. The door there leads to the washroom and the backdoor to the backyard.”

  Suddenly the other guy is shouting to Cade from my living room.

  “Door’s open Cade! Three…no four guys just hopped out. They got guns!”

  “Hold’em off long as you can brother! We’re bailing out back.”

  Suddenly the brother appears.

  “We’ll try to circle around back and get you.” Cade begins.

  “No you can’t boss.” Cade’s buddy replies. ‘Just get the fuck out of here. Take care of the ladies.”

  “Shoot’em dead brother, shoot’em dead!” Cade replies as he turns to follow us out of my kitchen.

  Shit! That guy, who I don’t even know is going to give up his life for me and my aunt. His blood is going to be on my hands, basically. I don’t know what to think about that. I take my aunt by the arm in an effort to hurry her out. Any second I expect to hear bullets flying by. At the pantry door my aunt stops.

  “Where’s Lucille? Why isn’t she here with us? Dammit stop! We can’t leave without her.”

  Now it’s my turn to lose my patience. I turn to my aunt, putting more pressure on her arm to continue walking. “Lucille doesn’t work for you anymore Auntie! She’s not here, she doesn’t work here, and we have to leave now!”

  “I’m not going anywhere without Lucille!” She shouts.

  “Dammit Auntie I-”

  A sudden explosion of gunfire drowns out my voice. My aunt’s eyes blow up to twice their size and her mouth drops open.

  “What-” She starts to ask.

  “Guns Auntie, those are guns, now let’s get the fuck out of here before we get shot!”

  Finally she gets the picture and I don’t have to help her. She leads the way out. I open the back door shoving her out just as Cade turns around and begins firing. We go stumbling out and into my back yard when I realize a
flaw to the plan. While I may be able to clamber over the fence, no way my Auntie is going to be able to do that. We’re standing in the middle of the yard lost in thought when Cade runs up.

  “What the hell are you still doing here?” He shouts.

  “No gate. We’re stuck!”

  He looks around for a second, then runs over to the nearest section of fence and gives it a mighty kick. Three kicks later and we both squeeze through. Cade turns, squeezes off a half dozen more shots then follows us out. He leads us alongside my neighbor’s yard then cuts down an alley. With each passing second I expect to feel of a dozen bullets shredding my body.

  “Wait right here. If I don’t come back in three minutes you keep going and don’t stop until you’re safe.”

  “Wait, what are you going to do?”

  “Provide transportation.”

  “Are you going to steal a car? You can’t take my neighbors cars. They’re hard working-”

  “Are you really going to argue this right now why my brother’s getting his ass shot off for you?”

  “Fine.” I shout. “But we don’t damage it and we bring it back as soon as we’re safe.”

  He runs off in the opposite direction towards the street without answering me. I look at my watch. Three minutes…no problem. I’m just wondering if Cade’s buddy is still alive when I hear another burst of firing back and forth coming from where I imagine the other man to be making his last stand. I’m surprised he’s lasted this long. I’m momentarily lost in my own gloomy thoughts when I hear tires screeching and a Toyota Prius rounds the corner at the mouth of the alley and heads straight towards us. I experience a moments panic wondering if Cade’s in the car or someone else when he screeches to a stop and sticks his head out.

  “Let’s go!” He shouts.

  I grab Auntie by the arm and literally drag her to the car. When I open the door she gets right in, much to my surprise and relief. The second my ass hits the seat Cade hits the gas and we shoot down the alley.

  “Where we going?” I ask.

  “We’re going to try to pick up Ratface if he’s still alive!” Cade shouts.

  “Who the hell is Ratface?”