L. Ann Marie

by Tailley (MC 6)

  Bob

  Tiny is at the door. Pushing it open I wonder what’s going on. “I told Rich I’d ride along with you, he’s got HS with Little Inky.”

  I’m confused. “Sally is coming here.”

  He shakes his head no. “Tess has them meeting up at the Diner. Chet will be picking her up once he gets Tess. Someone else from HS is following. I’m with you. You’re supposed to go to Security when you’re finished with Doc.”

  I nod and step back. “I need to grab my keys and let Mandy know I’m leaving.” In the office I stand at the door. “Come here, babe.” She smiles and meets me in the middle. “You’re going to the Diner for lunch.” She nods. “I’m leaving with Tiny. I have a meeting at Security after Doc’s. Call me if you need me.” She nods again with that sweet smile. I kiss her and tell her I love her, she loves me back; I’m smiling as I walk down the hall. The mirrored walls remind me I need to talk to Pres about the house. I grab my keys and bag then check my gun.

  “I like how it turned out, Brother. Danny said she did the work herself and it’s all right. Talented fuckin old ladies. They all have something.” I smile hitting the alarm as I walk out; she is talented and fuckin smart. This is the first time the 'old lady' registered with me; I like the way it sounds.

  It doesn’t take long to get my hand comfortable working the pedal. Tiny doesn’t say a word as I squeeze too hard or not hard enough. Once I get it right, I do three-point turns and parallel park. When I’m satisfied I drive to the gate. Doc takes me right away and gets me out the door in twenty minutes. I want to talk to Sally about the twin thing but I don’t want to say anything to Doc about it. I’ll catch her this week or I’ll call her and ask to meet. I know she can’t say anything to anyone; I don’t want to embarrass Amanda with this.

  At Security, I pull into my spot and almost fall as I slide out of the truck. Fuckin leg. It hurts my back but I get myself straight and get the crutches from the back. I’ll be fuckin happy with whatever the fuck Mitch comes up with. I need two fuckin feet.

  Tiny stands behind me as I climb the stairs. He probably saw me stagger out of the truck. I don’t want a fuckin keeper or someone waiting to catch me every fuckin time I take a misstep. I pull the door hard and it slams open. I put the crutch in front of it so I can walk through without help. I keep going to the meeting room. Everyone is here and they have lunch, I smile as they throw me chin.

  “Got your regular.” VP says. He’s getting good with the brain probing thing or maybe he knows what everyone gets like Danny. “Know yours.” He says making me laugh. “Fuckin good, too.” Everyone laughs.

  “Thanks, VP.” I lean the crutches against the wall and sit by Rich. We eat and I listen to them talking about what’s been going on for the week. I know I’m not here just for lunch and wonder what the hell I’m here for; the pain is creeping up to pill level.

  “You got pills on you?” Rich asks.

  “Get the fuck out of my head. Yeah, I have one in my bag.”

  Tiny leaves, everyone is still talking so I don’t pay attention. My bag appears on the side of me and I look over. Fuckin Tiny left for my bag, I throw him chin and pull the baggie from the pocket. No one pays attention to me so I take the pill and finish my grinder. Doc, Bull and Driscoll come in and sit. We ball our trash and the barrel is passed around.

  Pres stands up. “Half the Brothers went to Laconia. I'll be flown in for the meet. No one in High Security left, they want answers. We need to move people around. Max at Baxter’s was shot yesterday. He’s doing ok. It was the same set up as with Bob. For some reason the head of Family Security is being singled out. What the fuck this has to do with Baxter’s is still a mystery. The leads on the trucks and the car are played out, telling us nothing. They were stolen from different cities, all a week before they were used. Ben from Baxter’s is running into the same thing, all stolen. HS is handling Family Security and we will alternate teams. Bob, I need you to keep the schedules running. No one is to know he’s still running it, we’ll run everything through Driscoll first, then Tiny, then Bull, then Rich, then VP. Everything needs to get to Bob. That will happen through written reports; get your info to someone on the compound and we’ll get it to Bob. Every three days we switch who’s in charge. The teams will be informed of who’s in charge during their daily meet.” He looks around. Everyone nods.

  VP stands and Pres sits. “Rich, split the teams in half every day, mix em with Security. The other half will work on leads and the odd shit happenin. Danny, you’re on HS every day. Need to get your top guy in place to take it over for you.”

  “On it, VP.” Danny says while typing something on his iPad. Everyone smiles. He takes orders the same way every time and he's never told twice.

  "Bob, you're workin light. Come to Security, get work done then leave. You work from home, show for three or four hours. You take Security everywhere." Fuck. I nod. "Know you are Security, right now you’re with a tag."

  "Yeah, Brother."

  Pres looks at me. "Any news on the leg Mitch is building?"

  "Not yet. I'm not healed enough so I couldn't use it anyway."

  "No, Brother, the one like the brace for Amanda. Said you could be walking with a cane instead of the crutches."

  Doc laughs. "It was a surprise. The doctor is due this afternoon. You suck at keeping secrets, Pres." Everyone laughs.

  Pres runs his hand through his hair. "Fuck sorry, Brother." I can only smile. I'll be walking with two legs.

  "Fuckin good news." VP says. I nod.

  Pres stands again. "Once Rich gets the schedules done he'll get them to you. I've got nothing else until something breaks. Does anyone have anything?"

  "Whore said someone is asking questions at the Plank. Trying to get with the whores. She's nervous because of the last one coming up missing." Driscoll says.

  "Geek’s watchin the feeds now." VP tells him.

  Driscoll nods. "Was an Associate that noticed."

  "That's good. We have more than one report. Make sure you're listening to everyone, even if you think we have it, bring it to us. This is when we'll miss the important shit." Pres says. We all nod. "Anything else?" No one has anything.

  I'm anxious to get home but I don't think I can drive. I look at Tiny. He throws me chin, thank fuck I don't have to say it.

  Danny stops me at the door. "Bob, when does your doctor release you?"

  I turn, "Six weeks."

  "Don't push it, Brother but we need your help. If you do two hours here that will work for the message we want sent." Pres says.

  "I was going to ask if you could put some time in with Cloud. Little Ben asked for more training at the range. Everyone is flat out." Danny watches for my reaction.

  "I can do an hour at a time." Fuck everyone is waiting for me to get out of the doorway. I move back in. "I'm not sure about driving the kids though." I don't want to admit it but I just started using the new pedal today.

  "I get that, took me a while to have kids as passengers too. I can have them brought up, I think it's just five of them. I'll let Cloud know. He's at Baxter's helping run leads down, he'll be off our schedule for a few more days."

  I nod. "If you get me a time a couple of times a week, I'll work the meds around it."

  "I will, Brother. I'll see you tonight." He slaps my shoulder and walks out pulling his phone.

  I make it out the front door and to the stairs. It dawns on me that going down is way different than up. I'm fuckin shaky on the crutches because of the meds. If I swing out too much, I’m going down face first. Tiny moves in front of me and Doc moves to my side. "Going down is worse than up." Doc says with a hand on my arm.

  "I was just thinking that." I get two steps in, it fuckin pulls on my back and I stop.

  They stop too. "Still got the back pain?"

  "Yeah, Doc." I'm glad he notices that shit because I wouldn't tell him. I get down the last four and steady myself. Fuck.

  "PT starts tomorrow morning, she'll be over at eight and d
o forty five minutes. Let her know about your back so she can plan around it."

  "I will. Thanks, Doc." I make it to the truck and hand Tiny the keys.

  He pulls into the road and I have to ask. "How did you know?"

  He smiles watching the road. "When I first made it into the Brotherhood, my mentor lost his leg in an accident. Told me all the shit that was hard for him. Use to make me walk in front of him whenever he went down stairs. He was a good Brother until then. He started drinking and killed himself with the bottle. He wasn't like you and Danny. He fuckin whined all fuckin day. By the time I was moved into High Security I hated the fuckin guy."

  "Fuck. Thanks for the help. I didn't realize there would be a difference going down."

  "Danny took care of the other things you probably wouldn't realize too. There's a bench in your closet. Bars in the bathroom. Chair rail in the bathroom and closet for you to hold, it sticks out more and is in solid. Little things that will make it easier and keep you from having to rely on the crutches or cane before you get your leg on."

  I laugh. "I noticed it all this morning, mostly because I used it. That and the bar on the shower ceiling."

  "He's fuckin smart. He walked through picturing one leg and getting from one place to another. Even got in the tub and tried to get out with one leg. That's why there's a shelf behind it. He put the chair rail and bars at the same height he would need. When you're ready, Baxter's will have you a robotic. He put a plug on the side of the bench for the holder. Fuckin guy thinks of everything." He pulls up to the gate smiling.

  "Fuck, I don't know shit about what I need or how this will work. I need to fuckin Google it."

  He laughs pulling into the driveway. "You don't need to Google it. We got your back, Brother."

  I smile. "Always. Love the fuckin Brotherhood."

  He walks toward his house while I get in and hit the alarm. I'm smiling; I need to thank Danny for the fuckin ramp.

  Chapter Ten

  Two days

  Amanda

  I'm so fuckin happy. Bob washed me in the shower for the first time since we've been here. He's smiling and laughing more. I noticed he stopped using the cane in the house. He limps but still walks without the cane. The braces make life easy; I didn't realize how pain sucks the life out of you. I'm glad the MC is good friends with the Baxter's. I read their book a few years ago but never met any of them. Bob knows them and says they are good people. CJ's husband, Cloud, works for them a couple of days a week. I'm so excited that I'll meet Mitch when Bob gets fitted for the new leg she's building. I'll probably drool all over myself and act stupid but I'll get to meet her, I've never met a celebrity before.

  "Babe?" Bob is watching me.

  I laugh. "Sorry, my brain flew away with the meeting Mitch thing."

  He laughs. "Are you back now?" I nod. "I bought the house; I asked if you'll stay here with me."

  What? "You bought the house?" He just bought a house?

  "You missed ‘will you stay here with me’." He's smiling.

  "How did you buy a house?"

  He rolls his eyes. "I had Jess take the money from my account and put it in the MC's. The house is ours now if you want to stay with me. Do you want to stay here with me?"

  "You have the money to buy a house just sitting in your account?" Who the fuck has that kind of money?

  "Fuck, woman! Do you want to stay here or not?" Damn, he's pissed.

  "Of course I want to stay, I'm already moved in. How the hell do you have enough to just buy the house? Do you want me to give you half? I should give half if I'm staying." That would be fair.

  He kisses me. "Stop talking. You just agreed to live with me. I'm not sure but I think it's a big step and I want to fuckin take that in without all the talk of money."

  I laugh. "Ok. Thank you, I'd love to move in with you. We need to do the split the bills in half thing though. I need to pay my way."

  "Fuck, you're not fuckin easy when you get something in your head. I'm set for money, the house talk is done. I'll do the bill thing with you if you stop fuckin talking about it."

  Damn. He's getting pissed because I want to pay my way. "I'm sorry, it's important to me to pay my way. I've lived with someone before and it was a major issue, I don't want any problems over something as stupid as money."

  He looks at the floor. Fuck, I pissed him off. "I've never lived with anyone. I don't want to know that you have but I don't want money to be a problem either. I'll split the bills and let you know what that is. Is there anything else I should know?"

  "Cleaning, laundry, shopping, cooking and other errands. Family obligations and dates that are important to you."

  "Fuck! Ok. Cleaning is by the maid service; they will be here once a week unless we need them more. I know how to do laundry and always do my own. I don't like shopping for food but don't mind cooking. I don't have family obligations. I'll get you a schedule of dates that are important and why later today. Did I miss anything?" He looks hopeful.

  I smile and hug him. "Nope, you did perfect. I'll shop on Saturday. If you want something specific make me a list." I lift up on my toes and kiss him. He's got me breathing heavy. "I hope my fuckin vibrator made it here." I whisper against his chest.

  He laughs. "No sex, babe."

  "Not talking about sex, just relief." I move away and look for some shoes to wear.

  "Fuck. How about we work something out tonight? No sex but relief." He smiles.

  I shrug my shoulders. "Ok. When did the doctor say is ok for you?"

  "When I can get it up." He smiles. Fuckin guy.

  "Why didn't you tell me? I could have given you relief."

  He looks away. Grabbing his belt he slides it on. He's embarrassed about his leg? How the hell am I supposed to ask him that? He sits and pulls the brace over to him. Finally, he looks at me. "You're still hurt. On top of me not knowing how to live with one fuckin leg, I don't know how to fuck with one leg. It's not something I wanted to say out loud but I don't want you thinking the worst. I know women do that. It really is me trying to figure out how it will work."

  I nod. "I would have thought it was me so thanks for telling me. Since I just told you I'd move in, I think it's something we both need to figure out. I didn't think it would make a difference to you so I didn't give it much thought. We can do that tonight. It might be fun to test and try new things and positions." I say smiling at him.

  His eyes clear and the wrinkle above his brow smoothes out as he smiles. "Yeah." I kiss him and shoo him out the door. "Aleena is here in two minutes."

  "Fuck!" He stands and walks out the door.

  I do a happy dance because I'm fuckin demented. I get to meet Mitch, I'm staying with Bob, he's splitting the bills, a maid service is doing the cleaning and he cooks and does laundry. To top it off, he's going to give me relief tonight while we try new positions. It's eight in the morning and life is fuckin beautiful. Demented but happy.

  I've been working on a picture over the last couple of days and get to my computer to try finishing it up today. I want to surprise Bob with it on his birthday. I know he's going to ride his bike to work today. Tiny put something on it to make it easier to drive. He probably told me five times but I don't get it. I never drove a motorcycle and have no idea what one part or another is. I know where the gas tank on my car is. Anything else is the mechanic's job. That's what they are for; I don't see why we both need to know that shit. I don't expect the plumber to understand about shading his ink.

  Bob

  Cloud is flying Pres up to the meet. Me and Rich will be going with him. Fuckin one percenters have been fuckin with the Brothers. Hammer, the president of our Brothers to the north, has thrown a heavy presence in our absence. I ride the compound roads until I have the hand shift and clutch down. At the gate I wait for my tag. I'm fuckin pissed because he was supposed to be here fifteen fuckin minutes ago. I go into the shack and call Security. Danny rides up and comes in wondering what's going on.

  "One fuckin Brot
her. My tag isn't here either." We hear an engine revving and look out the window. Danny pushes me to the back door. When I fall, he pulls me to the edge of the shack by my arm. What the fuck? The truck goes right through the front of the shack. It hits the steel girders that makes up the back wall and stops. I pull my gun and hold it on the driver’s side trying to pull myself up. Danny moves around me with his gun out.

  "Fuckin move so I can shoot you." He opens the door and pulls the pussy out. I make it to my feet and cover him. The guard is on his phone outside, yelling at someone about something strapped to the truck. "Bob, cover him while I see what the fuck is strapped to the truck."

  "Got him, Brother." I move closer and the pussy moves. I swing and knock him out with the side of my gun.

  Danny looks back. "Fuckin nice and you’re still standing. No problem with balance?"

  I smile, "Not too bad. I didn't think about it though. I want to hear what he has but he was moving toward you. Was just a quick reaction."

  He smiles, "That's why I like working with you, fuckin smart."

  "You think you can fuckin talk later and see what the fuck is on the truck, lights are flashing over here?" The guard yells from outside.

  I laugh and bend to drag the pussy out so the guard will have something to do besides whine. Danny goes to the other side of the truck. "Fuck! Run!" I let the pussy's arm go and jog away from the shack. Danny is right behind me, he ducks and leans into the fence pulling my arm down with him. The explosion is fuckin enormous. Wood is dropping around us on fire. My ears are ringing and fuckin Danny is laughing. I look at what he's looking at and laugh. The pussy is covered in roof like the witch from the Wizard of Oz, all you can see is his feet sticking out.

  "Guess we won't get answers from him after all." I look at him.

  He lifts my pant leg. "That's fuckin cool as shit! Mitch and her fuckin sci-fi body parts. Wait til the kids get a load of this; they already think your fuckin Badass, now you have the fuckin bionic parts to prove it."

  I laugh. Fuckin Danny. It is fuckin cool but we've got fuckin wood burning all around us, a dead guy under the shack roof and a fuckin truck that just blew the fuck up. I use the fence to pull myself up. HS is showing up. The fire department pulls in right behind the bikes. Allan asks how we're doing. Once the little fires are out everyone stands around the roof looking at the guy’s legs sticking out.