by L. Ann Marie
“Ops One to HS, PD, fuck, Driscoll. Grid sixteen at red three,” Brantley says. He’s flustered but still alert.
I see ‘Roger’ and watch the grid. An accident. It looks like kids around it. Shit.
When I look back Sheila has her hand on Eliza’s back and they’re walking out. Eliza is pale and Dakota stops her with a hand on her arm. She thanks him, but he doesn’t let go. Prez is waiting at the door shielding them from Hyde. I pan the cells seeing every one of them are dead. Good. When Eliza walks out she looks better. She’s not smiling, but isn’t white as a sheet anymore.
I feel the ring in my pocket and think it will have to wait for this to settle. Chevy touches my arm. “No Brother. You don’t wait until this is gone for her. You do it when it’s right there staring her back in the face. She needs to know it isn’t who she is.”
I nod. “Thanks Brother.”
When Prez and Dakota come in, Prez thanks Chevy, Josiah and Brantley and tells them it goes no further than here. They nod. I see Sheila in the hall.
He looks at me. “He wouldn’t give anything right away or it would have ended sooner. We wouldn’t have put her through that Brother.”
“Where is Eliza?”
“You need to go home Brother. I had Hyde get her there, but she needs you right now,” Dakota says with his hand on my arm.
I throw chin and walk out. Sheila is against the wall crying. I’ve never seen her cry. Taylor comes up the stairs and holds her. He says Prez called, but his words don’t show. I nod and walk out. Fuck.
***
Eliza
I make it home and take a shower. I cry and can’t stop. The fuckin’ jerk wouldn’t stop. I’m so glad he’s dead. Never again. Prez said they cleared Ops. I know Darren was in there. He isn’t ever going to want to see me again. Even dead the fuckin’ jerk will hurt me. At least I have a job. Prez will move me to the PD in a couple of weeks. It will be easier.
Arms go around me and lift me up. “I’m sorry, I should have told you everything.”
“Stop babe.” I look in his eyes, he’s not pissed. “You didn’t have to share anything. That’s yours to tell or keep. I am so fuckin’ proud of you. Seeing you face them shows how fuckin’ far you’ve made it away from that. You did good babe.”
Oh my God. He’s proud of me? I love fuckin’ Oz. I kiss him and then I’m against the wall. Holy shit I’m glad we have no clothes on. “Wrap your legs babe.” I do and he’s in me. I can’t think of a damn thing but touching every part of him. “On your tits Eliza.”
Damn I love how he watches and move my hands. “Harder.” I look at him and almost laugh. His glasses are on and all fogged up. He moves faster and I forget about the glasses and everything else and feel him hit right where he needs to.
When I can think I look at him. He’s got his back on the wall and he’s breathing heavy. Always a good sign. “I love you Darren.” I kiss his chin.
“Love you too babe. Let me get you clean now.” He smiles.
He gets us clean and dry then lays me on the bed. “I had the guard order pizza and Chinese. I’ll have them send it down.” He pulls glasses out of his box and calls them as he walks out. I run in the bathroom and get his other set then clean the lens and put them in the box. He leaves them everywhere. When he comes back he has two beers and the food bags on a tray.
I smile and sit up. “Thank you this is great.”
He looks serious so I wait. He puts the tray at the end of the bed and sits looking at me. “I had plans tonight then thought I should wait. A wise man told me it is the perfect time, but fuck if I’m not nervous now.” Since he looks nervous I nod.
Taking my hand, he looks right at me. “You’re my old lady already. Everything I never knew I wanted. Strong as steel and soft as a baby. You have it all babe. I want that every day for the rest of my life.” I nod happy that he’s not kicking me out.
“Marry me Eliza. I want you to wear my ring and have my name on paper. Marry me and I’ll give you happier tomorrows. I say that because today sucked.”
I jump on him. Oh my fuckin’ God! After today he wants to marry me. I should run the other way because he’s crazy but he’s mine. “Yes!”
“Jesus.” He pulls my hand and slides a ring on it looking relieved. I’m already his I don’t know why he’d be nervous.
“It’s beautiful thank you!” I have the best boyfr fiancé! The ring has the Club logo with a tiara in the middle and pretty pink stones like my necklace and the other ring but better! I want to stomp my feet, but I kiss him instead.
He pushes me away and laughs. “I’m fuckin’ starving babe. We’ll never eat if we start that now.” He pulls the tray over and opens the pizza box. “Inside your ring says HS Princess.” I watch him bite into the pizza and laugh. He may not be the most romantic guy, but he’s mine and I’m hungry too.
Chapter Nine
Darren
Now that I’ve asked her and we’ve set the date, I don’t know how to tell her I can’t dance. Every fuckin’ wedding everyone is dancing. I think of how to get Samantha’s number to ask her. I’ve seen her dance; she has to know how I can learn.
Dakota comes in and sits down, but doesn’t say anything. “Yeah Brother?”
“I am waiting until you are finished.”
I give it a good thirty seconds then start laughing. “Finished with what Brother?”
He smiles. “Samantha and dancing. You already have the tools you just need the technique.” I nod for him to go on. “Your earpieces pick up the vibration. Your glasses give you the words. You just need the moves like Jagger.” He is so serious I laugh.
“Moves like Jagger? Who the fuck is Jagger?”
“Did you grow up under a rock Brother?” He waves his hand. “I have seen your whole family dance. You cannot be that clueless to music.”
I’m pissed. “I’m deaf Dakota. Music wasn’t important. I would make noise for the boys, but it was because they would get comfort from the vibration like I did. I don’t get music at all.”
“You have never danced?”
“Yeah I learned when everyone else did, but I can’t get the music. Everything was about leading a girl. I couldn’t lead myself. No one danced with me, so I sat.”
“So you have some Jagger moves. Jess and I can teach you. I know what you are missing and can help with what you need first, then we bring the women in. Yeah?”
He makes me smile with his mix of biker and Dakota. “Yeah, thanks Brother.”
He stands up. “You have nothing to do now. We can start and tonight we can learn together.”
Fuckin’ Dakota. “Okay. You won’t leave until I do and I need to know so she won’t be crying on her wedding day.”
“She does not know how to dance. We will fix that and teach you dances you can both get. Everyone will be surprised and happy.” He walks out the door. I laugh and follow him. At least we’ll learn together.
In his office he sits in one of the chairs in front of his desk. I sit in the other. He pulls an iPod to him and hands me the earbuds. I put them in and he turns the iPod on. I feel the vibration right away. It’s steady and I get different levels. He puts his hand out. “This will not work where you can understand music.” I give him the earbuds. He leans in and puts the pieces over my ear letting it hang down. I feel it by the wand. He does the same to the other ear then turns on the iPod. I get separate levels then I get a beat I can pull out. “It is very loud, but you get the music now. We can clap to this beat.” He starts clapping to the strong low vibration and I get it watching his hands.
I got this and start clapping with him. It changes and he goes faster. I do too. When it changes I slow down to the original time. “Yes. You have it. When you dance that is what you are looking for; the beat you clap to. You get sound easy with the wand, but not so easy if it is not loud. I think any vibration is what makes you scan around you. You know when someone is behind you because you already know what is in front.”
I nod. “Th
at’s what VP told me one time.” The iPod is going, but my glasses pick him up easily.
“He is correct. We can ask Jared to change the volume setting and you will pick up more. I tell you this because last year you were losing the clarity in your speech. Mitch made you new pieces and your speech went back to very clear within a month. I do not think the wands are not working, but I hear what you are getting and I think it can be better. You have no reference so you do not know the difference.”
I look at him. “My speech wasn’t clear? No one said anything.”
“Brother, you would get pissed when anyone talked about your hearing. Jessie asked Mitch to look at your earpieces because of your speech. She did, they were fixed and you talked fine. There was nothing to say.”
Shit. Jessie knew and was looking out for me. Love the fuckin’ Brotherhood. I smile. With the glasses I’m not getting pissed like I was. I don’t always feel like I’m a step behind either. Jesus I must have been a dick.
Dakota laughs. “Prez and Jessie love you like you are part of them. They do not ever see you as a dick. Everyone thinks your glasses have helped you, but they cannot imagine how it was before them. You are admired for all you have accomplished in this world of hearing when you are just now getting the tools to deal with it. You only see what you know. For us we see what you do despite not hearing. No one else scans constantly. You see everything and we know that it is because you hear nothing. Do not diminish all you have learned and accomplished because it motivates many people. You can learn music and dancing and give everyone one more thing to see you accomplish.”
I nod and he changes the song. It is vibration, but not a clear low or high I can pick out.
“We need to fix the volume first.” He stands and walks out. “We are going to the garage. I cannot go alone, my Security is reassigned for the rest of the day and I would have no purpose to be at the garage alone.” He’s smiling.
I follow him and we ride to the garage. Jared hooks the glasses up to the computer and calls Mitch. She does something to the computer and we see a pop up then a graph. He talks, but I have no clue what he’s saying. He gets a tiny screwdriver and takes the arm apart. I want to yell no, but what if Dakota is right and it could be better. He’s talking to Mitch again then he smiles and uses the screwdriver inside the piece. The pop up shows again then the graph. The lines are darker. He does it again and apparently he’s happy with the newest graph because he puts it all back together. I put them on while he’s talking to Mitch and checks the wands against my skin. He takes them off me and bends the arms then puts them back. They feel snug but I can hear the sound better than the regular earpieces. I tell him and he pulls the phone from his ear. He thanks her and hangs up smiling.
“I swear if she wasn’t my mother I’d avoid her. Since she’s mine, I fuckin’ love her.” I laugh.
“She’s incredible.”
He nods and Dakota agrees. Jared tells me to drop the others with him. I thank him as we’re leaving.
We go back to the office and he gives me the earpieces again. “In your ear this time.”
I put them in and he turns it on. “This is the Indian beat we danced to at the reservation.”
“Yes. It is a song of celebration. You get the beat and the voice much clearer now. I can pick them out better.”
“You get what I’m hearing?”
He nods. “Yes. It is much better than the straight vibration from earlier.”
I look at him. “Am I hearing?”
He laughs. “You are the most hearing deaf person I have ever met. Even with the muffled vibration you are clearer than most hearing people.”
Good to know. I smile and he changes the song. I get this one and laugh when I read, ‘got the moves like Jagger.’
“It is Maroon 5. It was a very popular song a couple of years ago.” He claps and I do too. I got this now. I am hearing high and low and can tell when the voice comes on. I hear a different pitch and I know it’s the door, I turn and Prez is smiling at us. The music goes off.
“Jared fixed his glasses and he hears the pitches better. He also picked up the door even with the music. He is very good with sound for someone that does not hear it.”
Prez laughs. “He always has been. What was wrong with the glasses?”
“Everything was muffled, but it was the way it was set. Jared talked with Mitch and she directed him to fix it. Now he is hearing clear pitches through the vibration.”
“You’re talking clear. Were the pieces better?” He is concerned.
“No this is better than any of them. Jared is going to fix the pieces and the other glasses so they’ll all be this clear.”
He shakes his head. “You’re too much Brother. Even not working right you get more shit than most. I’m glad he got you to good with them.”
“Thanks Prez.”
He throws chin as he’s leaving.
We get back to the music until I’m called to Ops. They’ll come over at seven and we’ll start tonight.
Another awesome fuckin’ day.
Chapter Ten
One week
Eliza
Jessie and Jess are awesome. He lifts her and she’s laughing the whole time. I’m surprised he came with her, he strikes me as dangerous, but he’s smiling and not so scary looking. Once they’re done they do it slow so we can see the moves flow into each other. This is so much easier than freestyle. Darren lifts me and I open my legs while he bends forward. “Look out Eliza. Smile at whoever is watching,” Jess says. I do.
When we’re done, Jessie stands on the side of Darren and we do it to the music. He stays with him talking, giving him numbers and moving as if he’s dancing with a partner. At the part where Darren dances alone he is right beside him. I’m clapping and Darren smiles at me. He’s got it!
At my time I run and jump, he’s swings me around then sets me down and I’m back to dancing. I love this!
We have this one down and Jess starts a slow song. I hate this kind. Dakota tried it and we suck. Jessie gives Darren an ear bud and Darren smiles. He takes my hand and pulls me to him with a spin. I laugh and we dance. He knows what to do and keeps me swaying and stepping right. Jess claps telling us it’s perfect. I’m so damn happy I kiss him.
Jessie pulls him away. “You two are like fuckin’ explosives. We got more shit to do, you aren’t dragging her away and I’m not fuckin’ waiting.” I smile and Jess laughs and claps her hands. She’s so like her mom sometimes.
We get the waltz and some trot and thank God we are done. I had my first kickboxing class at HS today and I’m tired. Taylor is a demanding teacher. I’m glad I knew shit and feel bad for the first timers. My legs feel like Jello.
Darren brings me up to the tub. Yes! When I’m undressed he lifts me in. “So glad we got the dancing thing down. Dakota will come over Tuesday and Thursday.”
“Oh good. I have kickboxing again on Wednesday. Taylor is hard on us.”
“Fuck. I forgot about you starting that today.” He rubs down my legs. I moan and he turns me doing every bit of them. He doesn’t say a word and I’m not complaining. I’m just about asleep when he’s down to my feet.
***
Darren
When I look at her she’s got her eyes closed. She looks tired so I wash her quick leaving her hair. She doesn’t wash it every day, since she’s falling asleep in here, I count this as an off day. I dry her and get her into bed. She thanks me and turns. “Going to the patio babe.” She makes a noise, but my glasses don’t tell me what. I smile. It says ‘grunt.’ When I programmed some names I put ‘moan’ with her sounds, but ‘grunt’ must be Mitch’s.
I walk in the patio, grab a beer and sit. No lights anymore. I smile. I love my fuckin’ glasses.
Prez laughs and tells Jessie. “I love them too. You’re happy Brother. That makes them worth everything,” Jessie says watching the water.
I think about being a dick when I missed shit. “Yeah.”
“I think Eliza may
have something to do with that too.” He looks at me, “She good after what went down?”
“Yeah. Some nightmares, but she isn’t remembering them.”
He nods. “Good. She needs something let me know. MC claimed her after learning how she got to be there. They have help waiting if she needs it.” I nod. I knew, but it’s good to see they’re all in with her.
Taylor comes in and sits by Jessie. “It’s been a day. Fuckin’ glad it’s over.”
“What’s up?”
“This has got to be the whiniest fuckin’ class yet. I dropped three already and it’s been a week.”
Prez looks surprised. “Eliza and Sheila helping?”
“Yeah Prez. But the Brothers are so busy checking them out they aren’t seeing the skill. Where did this group come from?”
“We have two towns wanting in; we took eight from each. These are supposed to be a mix of their better men.”
Taylor nods. “That’s the fuckin’ problem. The better PD is fuckin’ shit. The last two we’ve had are better Security and we got Eliza and three others in HS. These pussies are like fuckin’ prima donnas.”
Prez looks his way. “I didn’t know that. I’ll have Dakota mix them with all levels. I thought this one would be easy.”
“No offense, but they fuckin’ suck. We did the first kickboxing class and I wanted Eliza to kick the fuck out of them. One told me he didn’t like to sweat. What the fuck kind of man is that? I had them go thirty extra because of that asswipe.”
I smile. No wonder she was sore. She was going to the church for the free class, but Taylor is military and has no patience for bitches. Driscoll comes in.
“Glad you’re all here. I wanted to let you know I have the outskirts on the three covered. We can take full surveillance.” He’s smiling. Nice.
“That’s fuckin’ perfect. We need to get on the trafficking and the other MC Ops. You’re a full six months early Brother. Nice fuckin’ job.” Prez man hugs him then we all do.
