by Bijou Hunter
“I’ll move around my schedule, Emmie, and drive into Tumbling Rock next week to see you. I’ll have a talk with Pat and meet my daughter-in-law.”
“You don’t have to come,” I say even though I hoped she would offer.
“While the Charleston club won’t let my boy visit me, they can’t keep me from visiting my boy. I have to go now, but I’ll call you tomorrow with my plans.”
Ma doesn’t let me talk her out of coming. Knowing she’s set on driving into Tumbling Rock, I hang up relieved she took the bait. No one scares my idiot uncle like his big sis.
53 Train Wrecks - Poppy
After we leave the Mart, Justice relaxes at her house while the kids and Court pamper her. No doubt she plays up the stressful experience way beyond what’s necessary.
Unfortunately, no one is around to baby me at the main house. With Mom and Jared still at work, I turn on a cheesy horror movie and crawl to my spot on the floor.
Emmett’s reaction to the fight at the Mart surprised me, but I don’t know why. He’s an alpha, and I belong to him. Squashing threats is in his wheelhouse. Too bad squashing this threat will bum out his mom, and he’s a big stinky mama’s boy.
I’m dozing when he enters the house with the key I added to his chain days earlier. Smiling at the thought of having such a sexy roommate I can hump, I don’t dare move. My period doesn’t believe in love or romance. It only knows suffering, and I’m its bitch today.
“You okay?” Emmett asks, squatting down next to me.
“Yeah.”
Caressing my cheek, he asks, “Are you lying?”
“Yeah.”
“Want me to crawl up next to you?”
“Naw.”
“How come? Do I smell?”
“Yes, baby. It’s summer. Everyone smells. That’s not why I need my space.”
“Is your period that bad?”
I glare at him with a wrath even Midol can’t soothe. “Don’t talk to me, Emmett Mercer, or you will lose a nut.”
Smiling, he stands up and walks to the kitchen. I watch him dig around the fridge until he piles a bunch of leftovers on a plate. Returning to the living room with his food and two beers, he settles on the couch.
“I called my ma about what went on with Pat. She’s driving here in a few days to sort it out. Whether he leaves town or dies, my uncle won’t bother you again.”
I close my eyes and imagine meeting the woman from the picture on Emmett’s phone. “Your mom is gonna hate me.”
“No, she won’t. You’re perfect.”
“I know I am, but shockingly, other people often find me obnoxious and rather horrible. I’d care more if I cared about anyone’s opinion besides mine. Anyway, I’m not saying I’m upset that she won’t like me. I’m just warning you.”
“Ah, she’ll like you plenty.”
“You’re full of shit in the sweetest way,” I murmur while pulling up the plush blanket until only my head is visible. “Even if she hates me more than anyone she’s hated before, I hope she’ll understand how no other woman will ever love you the way I do because we’re meant to be together. Silly or not, I believe in fate, and I believe my sisters and mom found their one true loves. When you came into my life like a pervy redneck, I wondered if you might be my one love. Now I know you are and I won’t let you go. I know I’m babbling, but that's how I feel. Your mom’s a smart woman, so I bet she’ll understand how we work.”
“That she will, baby,” he says, setting aside his food and crawling down to where I’m curled up. “Can I get you anything?”
“No.”
“You know, if I remember right, my sister had bad cramps and then she got on birth control and they got better. How come you never tried the pill?”
Staring at the man I love, I consider beating him with my fuzzy pillow. Emmett only smiles at my glare.
“I did once,” I growl, struggling against the period-induced rage stirring in my crampy gut. “I nearly killed and ate Justice.”
Standing up, Emmett walks back to the couch before laughing. I exhale hard and try to find the humor in a situation I would normally enjoy.
“In my defense,” I mutter, “Justice was working at Burger King back then, and she smelled like a Whopper, so the cannibalism attempt wasn’t totally my fault.”
“How do I handle you when you’re like this?”
“Handle me?”
“Yeah,” he says, ignoring my animalistic tone. “What do you want me to do?”
“Don’t talk to me or touch me. I’d prefer if you didn’t look at me either. You may think of me, though.”
“Are you thinking of me?”
“Emmett, I’m fricking talking to you, so yeah, I’m thinking of you.”
Leaning his head back on the couch, Emmett lets out a roar of a laughter that echoes through the empty house. My period makes me feel like a miserable hag, but I can’t help giggling at his reaction. I’d worried my hormones would scare him off. Instead, he takes the entire freak show in stride.
Like I said, he’s my one true guy.
54 Train Wrecks - Emmett
My ma loves dresses and skirts. She told me once how men always compliment her legs and the praise went to her head. I didn’t like the idea of anyone making moves on my ma. Not because she’s still technically married to my dad. More because no one was ever good enough for her, including my father.
Poppy teases me for being a mama’s boy. She ain’t wrong, but my ma’s worth acting stupid over. She raised me in a rough world without losing her ability to be tender. Without her, I wouldn’t be a man capable of loving Poppy so completely.
“You look great,” I say after opening her car door.
Remaining in her seat, Ma announces, “Let’s go talk to your uncle.”
“Do you know where he’s holed up?”
“Yep. Let’s have a chat with him before I meet your wife.”
Joining her in the car, I make small talk since her silence makes me edgy. I know she’s pissed at Pat, but Ma doesn’t like conflict and she’s about to hand her brother a big bowl of trouble.
Pat has a room at a motel near Rockwell. While he’s still in Rawkfist club territory, the asshole remains far enough away for me to avoid spotting him.
“Why is he still around here?” I ask while Ma parks her sedan in front of room 107.
“He doesn’t know where else to go.”
“If he has the money to hide all this time, he has the money to hide in another fucking state.”
Using the rearview mirror, Ma fixes her fair brown hair and checks her makeup. “Pat is too old to run far. He doesn’t want to start over. He wants someone to fix his problem with the people he owes money to.”
“Are these people willing to work with him?”
“They don’t like how he ran off. Letting him weasel out of paying back everything he owes now makes them look weak. They see only one way to end this problem.”
“So what are you planning to do?”
Ma says nothing before climbing out of the car and walking to room 107. She knocks twice before Pat answers, looking hungover and long overdue for a shower.
“Adriana,” he chokes out.”
“Why do you look surprised? You knew I was coming.”
“Yeah, I guess I did.”
As we enter his foul motel room, Pat doesn’t even look at me. His gaze remains locked on his sister.
“It’s time to come home, Pat.”
“You know I can’t do that.”
Ma looks around the dump and then focuses her dark gaze on Pat. “I talked with Harry, and he agreed to let me get you paid up.”
“Why now?” Pat asks, scratching his sunburned bald head.
“You know why.”
“I really don’t.”
Ma presses her hands on her hips. “You’ve been harassing my boy and his new wife.”
“They ain’t married.”
“Shut up, asshole,” I growl at my uncle.
Ma p
ats my arm to get me to settle down, but her gaze never leaves Pat. “If you stay here, Emmett’s club will kill you. I know you have nowhere else to go. This is my solution, but I won’t pay your debts again. Do you we understand each other?”
Pat studies his sister for a long time. He knows Ma’s view on using her money to save others. More than once, she’s declared charity is for strangers, not family. Her loved ones ought to know how to care for themselves. Now she’s breaking that rule for him or more likely me.
Except she isn’t breaking her rule. Ma said as much when we arrived. The Charleston guys need to make an example of Pat. I know what that meant and Ma does too. She’s a pragmatic woman, and I wish I inherited more of her smarts.
Pat agrees to return to Charleston now that Ma’s fixed his problem. Giving her a hug, he promises not to fuck up again. She hugs him back and pretends to believe him.
I watch their embrace and wonder if Ma will lose sleep over this decision. Somehow, I doubt it. She didn’t come to Tumbling Rock to protect Poppy and me. She could have easily made Pat go away by letting me do the deed.
No, she’s making a statement to anyone in Charleston who thinks she’s weak. Her survival instinct is what I did inherit from my ma and why I ditched my old club when they no longer offered what I needed.
As odd as it feels to say goodbye to my uncle and knowing I’ll never see him again, I feel invigorated. Ma’s way feels cruel but necessary. I don’t live a safe life, and in the future, I need to be willing to do ugly things to keep myself and those I love safe. The mama’s boy in me is never more grateful to have this woman as my mother than when she writes off Pat.
55 Train Wrecks - Poppy
Justice’s voice booms from outside. Normally, I wouldn’t give a crap, but I’m waiting for Emmett and his mom to show up. Having my sister howling like a banshee isn’t how I want to start off the visit. I hurry outside to where Justice stands with an honest to goodness bullhorn.
“Shut up!” I tell her.
Turning to me, she puts the bullhorn to her mouth and asks, “Why?”
“My mother-in-law will be here any moment.”
“I don’t acknowledge your marriage. Besides, I’m trying to get the kids to clean up for the visit. You should be thanking me.”
“Why do you have that thing?”
“Hey,” she complains when I forcibly lower the bullhorn, “Court bought this for me.”
“Why would he do that?”
“Because someone said I was loud.”
We both look at Jared sitting on the back porch with Mom. I overheard them earlier talking about renovating the house as soon as I move out. Troublemakers, the both of them.
“Please, don’t embarrass me with Emmett’s mom.”
“Oh, sweet Poppy,” Justice says, tenderly patting my cheek. “Frick you.”
Balking, I want to knock her down and tickle her senseless. Unfortunately, she’s with child and falling on the ground is probably a big no-no.
“You embarrassed me when Court first visited. And when Felix first visited. You were always a pain in the butt and now I have my chance for revenge.”
“Fine.”
“No, not fine. You will not accept this lying down. Not when I’m seriously considering taking a crap on the floor in front of her.”
Rolling my eyes, I walk away. “You don’t have the balance to pull that off.”
Justice lifts her bullhorn and says, “That’s what the kids are for. They’ll hold me up.”
I laugh at her threat. No way will she crap on the floor. Of course, she’ll probably talk about crapping on the floor. I’d expect nothing less from her.
Back in the house, I wipe down the kitchen counters one more time. The house looks and smells great. I’ve spent the last day scrubbing the place, even enlisting Otto and Matilda in my chores. Felix only swept the porch before deciding I was a jerk and he wasn’t helping me anymore.
Though I shouldn’t laugh at Felix’s newfound assholeness, I find him endlessly entertaining. No doubt he’ll settle down somewhere in between those extremes by the time he’s an adult. Felix is his father’s son, through and through.
My thoughts linger on my nephew just long enough to distract me from the last ten minutes of waiting for Emmett and his mom. They arrive in a long gold sedan. Peeking out from behind the shades, I watch him open the door for his mother.
Adriana Mercer is a tiny thing with reddish brown hair wrapped in a perfectly coifed bun. She wipes the wrinkles from her green skirt before looking up at her big, sweaty son. I smile at how no matter where Emmett is that he never changes. He’s still the always hot sex machine I worship.
I run to the bathroom, check my teeth for gunk, and then run back to the front door to welcome Emmett and his mom.
“Hello,” I say, sounding nervous.
Emmett’s face lights up, and he wraps an arm around my shoulders.
“This is her, Ma,” he says like the proudest fucker ever.
Adriana doesn’t miss a beat. “She’s beautiful, but I shouldn’t have expected anything less.”
“Thank you. I guess I ought to lie and say Emmett gets his good looks from you, but you’re more like a delicate flower while he’s a big hunk of man. I’m assuming he takes after his dad.”
“Oh, that he does. Hoss is still a very good looking man. In case you were curious about what Emmett might look like in his later years.”
Leaning my head against my man’s chest, I smile up at him. “I don’t care if he gets fat and bald and has hairy shoulders. He’ll always be the sexiest bastard in the room.”
“Young love is the best love,” Adriana says with too much sincerity, and I immediately wonder if she’s making a dig at me.
Emmett would be blind to anything ugly his mom might say or imply. He’s gone full mama’s boy with his adoring gaze. I don’t know if he’s ever looked as charming as he does right this moment. If our son pulls the same look with me when he wants a cookie or has already stolen the cookie and wants to wiggle out of punishment, I’ll be putty in the kid’s hands.
56 Train Wrecks - Emmett
Ma walks around the Earlham property, meeting everyone. She and Christine make chit chat about gardening and work. I sense neither woman is all that sure about the other. Poppy follows behind us, walking with a wobbly Ike. My woman is gonna make one amazing mother.
Jared and Court work on the back porch, grilling steaks while Journey cooks up some of her famous potato salad.
“My sister is a great cook,” Poppy says, shuffling by us with Ike. “My mom is a great person.”
Ma grins at Poppy’s comment while I admire my girl’s ass in the air as she holds Ike’s hands to prevent him from falling on the uneven ground.
“She’s great with kids,” I tell Ma after Poppy’s shuffled away.
“I always thought your sister would end up having a number of bastards and ditch them with me, but she is good at remembering her birth control, is infertile, or has a well-worn path to the abortion clinic. Your brother promised to give me a grandbaby, but I never figured he would after he dated that one girl with the hot tub and an affinity for kicking him in the balls. I bet he doesn’t have a single swimmer with any aim at this point.”
“Well, Poppy and I are working hard to give you a grandson. I already told her how you said we’ll have two boys.”
Ma studies everyone going about their business in the adjoining yards. I point to a corner of unused land.
“That’s where we’ll put our house.”
“Are you sure you want to be so close to the rest of her family? A young couple ought to have some privacy.”
Laughing, I hug my mom. “Poppy can’t breathe without her family. That’s who these people are and now I’m a part of their family too. Court and Donovan are like brothers and not just the club kind. Oh, and Jared says I can help him fix up an old car he bought.”
Ma gives me a frown. “You better not replace me.”
“Nev
er,” I say, kissing the top of her head. “It’s good here, Ma.”
“I’ll be honest that I wasn’t happy to hear you’d fallen so hard for someone so young,” Ma says while looking up at me. “When you said you’d gotten married, I was even more worried. I love you, but I figured you’d made a huge mistake.”
“Ma.”
“Let me finish,” she says, patting my gut. “I came here picturing your woman as a pretty country girl with a big rack and a small brain. Instead, she’s got small tits and a big mouth. Poppy is nothing like I pictured, but she’s the right girl for you.”
“She really is,” I say like a proud fucker.
“She won’t take your shit. That’s a good quality in a long-term marriage.”
“I won’t take hers either.”
“Oh, I don’t know about that, son. She barely has to wiggle her ass and I feel your brain losing focus.”
“Well, maybe I’ll take a little of her shit. I’d hate for her ever to stop being a big-mouthed beauty, you know?”
Ma reaches up and cups my face. “I’m really proud of you. I worried you’d lost your way after you got out of prison. Moving here and starting over made no sense to me, but you were right to try something different. That’s where your father always goes wrong. When he gets out of prison, he’s the same man as went in. Nothing changes and he knows no other way to live. Your brother and sister are the same way. Not my Emmie though.”
“I love you, Ma, more than I can express, but please don’t let Poppy know you call me that. It’ll be her new nickname for me, and it won’t sound half as cute when my woman says it in bed.”
Ma surprises me by laughing. She’s been so damn serious since arriving, and I’d figured she hated everything about Tumbling Rock. Even after saying I did right by moving here, I worried she was only being the good mom.
Her laughter is real and flows out of her easily. Relieved, I hug her again and then scan the area for Poppy. I spot her at the little basketball court by the detached garage. Even from this distance, I can tell Otto and Felix are arguing over the ball. Poppy watches them, and I suspect she makes snarky comments to encourage their argument. I’d expect nothing less from her.
