Page 59 of Resilience

When Athena nodded, Mom headed to the party room.

Feeling sick again, not knowing how much was worry about Sam and whatever the Bulls had decided and how much was her body still being fucked by that toad she’d stupidly, briefly thought maybe she loved, Athena went to dispose of the evidence.

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~oOo~

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The Bulls were riding to Nevada. Immediately. Only Christian and Duncan were staying behind to protect the family with Uncle Rad, who would be in charge of the clubhouse. They wanted everybody who had enough age and experience to be trusted with a gun to be armed. That included Athena.

She still had no idea what had happened in Nevada to put the people in Oklahoma at risk, but enough club shit had happened in her lifetime for her to believe there was real danger, and it was somehow really big.

And Aunt Deb and Aunt Leah were going with the club.

There was a fight about that, one that looked like it was probably loud, right after the club had come out of the chapel. Nobody was signing, so Athena had to read lips. She didn’t have the entire story, but she got enough to fill in most of the gaps. The Bulls had not wanted the women to leave lockdown. Uncle Simon would be in Nevada for Sam, and the whole club for Uncle Gun. It wasn’t safe for the women to come with them.

Aunt Leah and Aunt Deb were simply not having it. Uncle Gun, Leah’s husband and Deb’s brother, was badly injured and might not make it. Sam was Deb’s son. They would not be left behind.

Uncle Simon and Aunt Deb went literally toe to toe, shouting at each other right in the middle of the party room. Deb was crying, and it distorted her mouth so much Athena had trouble making out any of her words, but she figured she could guess. She felt a similar fear, a similar need to get to Sam—but she knew no one would even consider letting her go. They probably weren’t considering her at all just now.

Uncle Simon was saying to Aunt Deb over and over, “I can’t lose you, I can’t lose you.” Then Mason jumped in and begged his mom to stay. That finally made Deb think twice.

But in the end, Uncle Simon and Mason relented, the club relented, and Deb and Leah were going to Nevada. They trailered Simon’s bike and hooked it to Deb’s SUV; Simon would drive them.

As the club readied to leave, and Athena’s parents were having their goodbye, Athena finally got to Sam’s mom, who seemed so surprised to see her. Athena thought she might have actually forgotten she existed.

“Hi, love,” Aunt Deb signed. “You doing okay?”

Though Sam’s mom looked like she might keel over from her own frantic worry, Athena answered honestly. “Not really. I’m worried about him, and nobody’s told me anything since my dad first said he’d been shot. Is he okay?”

Aunt Deb’s face cramped with worry and more tears, but she mustered up a fraction of a brave smile. “He lost a lot of blood, and he’s still unconscious. They’re worried he lost too much—they downgraded him to critical condition about an hour ago.”

Everybody really had forgotten Athena. Nobody had thought to keep her informed. Would they have if they’d known that Sam was more than her best friend?

“I want to come with you.”

Deb was shaking her head before Athena was done signing. “Absolutely not. The club won’t hear of it, and your mother would disembowel me if I tried to make a case. You need to stay here, where you’re safe. I will bring your love to him.” She caught Athena’s hand and gave it a squeeze. With her free hand, she signed. “I saw you and him the other night, by your car. I know things are different between you.”

She and Sam had had a real goodbye that night. Their relationship had changed, and he was going on a dangerous run—Athena’s heart kicked hard at that thought—so they’d had a lover’s goodbye.

His mom knew. It was both terrifying and wonderful that somebody knew. It was real.

The tears were upon Athena before she could do anything to stop them. Deb pulled her into a tight hug and held on until she calmed.

“I’m glad, sweetheart,” Deb signed when the hug was over. “So glad. I will make sure he comes home to you. Okay?”

Athena could only nod. When she started to cry again, Deb pulled her into her arms again, and they cried together.

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