I stare after her, my mouth hanging open in confusion and shock. “Ummm… What the hell just happened?” I ask, keeping my eyes on the swinging door to the kitchen as if Alice will appear again and everything will magically start making sense.
“My Alice happened,” Clay chuckles, “she means well honey. But seriously, think about it. My sister lives in a duplex, one side of it has been empty for a while and she’s looking for a tenant, it’s a nice place with two bedrooms. I did the renovation myself a few years ago and I think you and your boy would fit there perfectly. My Alice has already taken to your little boy and anyone who can raise a sweet little man like that is alright in my book. The offer stands,” he says, placing his hand over mine on the counter and squeezing it in encouragement.
“I... Ummm… I mean I guess I don’t have any other options lined up right now… but why do all this? You don’t even know me! I could be a serial killer! I could have stolen that baby and be on the run!” I say, pulling my hand away from his and clutching my coffee mug like a lifeline, my eyes going wide and almost frantic.
Clay laughs and cocks his head to the side, “Did ya Darlin’?”
“Well… no… but I could have for all you know!” I exclaim again pathetically, meeting his gaze with clear panic on my features.
“I have a good sense of people and you aren’t making my Spidey sense tingle. I think I’m willing to take a chance on you and your boy.”
“Spidey senses? You know Spiderman??” I ask in surprise, my shoulders relaxing and a measure of panic melting from my expression.
“I’m old Darlin’… I ain’t dead. And not for nothing, Spiderman premiered when I was ten and I was all over that shit. So, in reality it’s you who’s doing the catching up there, not me,” he says with a cheeky grin as he takes another sip of his coffee.
“Well I guess I can’t say no, can I?” I resign, looking down into the mug still clutched in my hands.
“Not a chance,” he chuckles again, “So it’s settled. I can take you and Evan over to see the house and meet Betha tomorrow afternoon. Gives me a chance to make sure it’s all set before you two swing by. You can stay at the motel again tonight.”
“I, uh, don’t have much. I can give first months’ rent but I don’t have any furniture. Where’s a good place for me to go rent some things?” I ask, my voice taking on a resigned tone, almost ashamed to admit just how little I have with me.
“Don’t you worry about a thing Darlin’. Just come with me tomorrow and it’ll all be taken care of,” he says, offering me a warm, grandfatherly smile.
“Umm… I don’t know what to say…”
“Just say yes Darlin’. What can it hurt?” he asks, a clear challenge in his eyes.
“Alright Clay… twist my arm why dontcha” I say with a small smile.
“Now you’re sounding downright Minnesotan honey,” Clay laughs and clinks his mug against mine in cheers. “You better eat that before it gets cold,” he says, sliding the maple syrup my way.
Well… THAT just happened. What could go wrong?!
Chapter 4
Sawyer
A week after the little bar brawl, I'm finally starting to feel human again. Last year I was visiting oblivion for at least a month, so only a week this time around is a substantial improvement. Finally feeling fit for human consumption, I’m sitting in the common room eating a late breakfast with a couple of the Brothers. I’m never going to be able to handle that day but Axel’s right, drinking myself to death every year? That’s no tribute, and fuck if that’s what Bumblebee would have wanted.
Tully’s ridiculous story of his latest attempt at snagging some pussy is interrupted when King and Clay walk out of King’s office and head our way.
“... And that’s when the EMT’s showed up to cut me outta the damn swing. Last time I let Bones play wingman!” Tully laughs around a mouth full of Roxy’s famous french toast. King rolls his eyes and smacks Tully upside the head.
“Yeah, had the cops come and break up a swingers party I was at once. Hauled a guy off with the tapper still up his ass,” Old Man says offhandedly, taking a drink from his coffee like that is the most normal comment he could have made. The rest of us freeze, staring at one another not sure we heard him right and honestly hoping we didn’t.
“Umm… what the fuck Old Man?!” I ask, not sure if I should laugh or cringe.
“60’s man,” He says with a shrug, clearly believing that’s a sufficient explanation to another one of his stories.
“Okay then,” Clay says, trying to break the tension. “You lazy assholes just now eating?” he says through a forced laugh, shaking his head as he drops into the seat next to mine.
“Shut up gramps, not all of us have our prostate wake us up for senior coffee at the crack of dawn,” I growl at him over the lip of my mug. Clay rolls his eyes at me and smacks me upside the head before swiping a piece of bacon off my plate.
“Respect your elders ya whipper snapper,” he shoots at me through a mouthful of my stolen bacon, “and it’s the late-night liquor that’s waking me up.”
“Naw, some of us only have Old Man’s frightening tales to kick start us in the mornings” Remy, one of the Prospects, chuckles from his spot sitting across from us, shoving a mountain of scrambled eggs into his face. Old Man raises his drink toward Remy in salute but thankfully doesn’t offer any further details.
“You ladies about done? Got a job for ya,” King says with an eye roll, pulling a chair up to the head of the table and settling into it with his own mug of coffee.
“Got someone moving into the rental this afternoon. Need ya to take a couple of the Probies and go get some furniture for the place. Deck it out, living room, kitchen shit, bedroom set, and a nursery so get a crib; one of those that changes into a bed when the kid gets older” Clay informs us.
“Take Roxy with ya too. She can help pick out all the decorating shit,” King says to the table. “And Remy,” his eyes cut to the man who now has a chunk of egg hanging out of the side of his mouth. “Need you to go with Tinker and set up a new security system. Full spread.”
“Who’s moving in?” I ask, leaning back in my chair.
“Does it matter?” King asks, raising an eyebrow at me.
“Guess not,” I concede with a small nod.
“Good. Now go do the neighborly thing and get your ass moving. Need it all in there by 4:00 PM,” King states before pushing away from the table and walking off down the hall toward his office.
“Neighborly?” I ask, directing my question to Clay.
“My rentals across the street from your place,” he offers, taking a sip of his coffee and swiping another piece of bacon from my plate.
“Oh! The place next to Betha’s? Damn your sister makes the best fuckin’ cookies man” Remy exclaims around yet another mouthful.
“That’s the one. Oh, and next time she bakes for you boy and you don’t bring me any, I’ll kick your ass,” Clay says, shooting Remy a pointed look. Remy raises his hands in surrender and shoots him a lopsided grin before returning to his breakfast. With how skinny he is, I can’t help but wonder where he puts all the food he’s forcing down his gullet.