Page 23 of Brave as It

What the hell? I don’t understand why he’s worried about the woman and boy. I nod and make my way to the closet.

Is this what my life has become? Just blindly following instructions?

“Is the woman there on something?” He asks and I can’t stop the hurt from bubbling up inside me

I look out and pay closer attention to her behavior. Her eyes are puffy like she’s been crying, and she’s pacing like she’s paranoid. Drugs, I’m not sure. I don’t have experience in any of this. I like science. Chemical compounds, biology, and anatomy. Ask me the science behind something, it is facts. Psychology of people, the why, the how, there are too many variables. I’ve never been high in my life. I haven’t even smoked weed. Drunk, yes, but even that isn’t something I do regularly.

“I don’t know. She looks tired.”

“I need you to stop the washer she’s using.”

“What!” I whisper yell. “I’ll lose my job if I mess with the machines for no reason.”

“Fuck your job, Emmalee. Come home and go back to school.”

I sigh, is this some ploy to get me back? “That isn’t going to happen.”

He pauses. “We are once again at a can’t versus won’t. Fine. I can’t do this shit right now. Hollis needs to be safe. I need you to talk to her, stall her. I’m getting some guys together to come there and get Hollis.”

“Um, you can’t come here. This is Sons territory. They don’t live by the Hellions codes, Wes. They take outlaw to a whole different level.”

I hear what sounds like him hitting something. “Right now, I don’t care if the devil himself tries to stop us. Karma’s son is not supposed to be taken out of the Carolinas. His mother has kidnapped him, and we are riding in to get him back. That’s gonna take us some time. Need you to stall her in place with the kid.”

“This isn’t my place, Wes,” I argue.

“You can help and be part of this family like I know you are, or you can turn your back and show me that you aren’t worth shit. Choice is yours. Either way, we’re on the way.”

Before I can respond, he ends the call.

What the hell am I supposed to do to keep a stranger here? My mind races. From the moment he muttered the words‘be part of this family like I know you are’, I am all in. Should I use this as my window to close off that part of my life? Yes. Can I do that? No, and I won’t. I can live without Wesson Vaughn. I can’t live with him thinking I’m not driven for family.

A thought hits me, and I go for it.

“Hey,” I greet her, moving out of the closet and back to my jobs. She stops pacing and looks me up and down. “I’m Emmalee. I noticed you have two loads going. I wish I had gotten here earlier; I would have told you the dryers are slow at this location. We have a guy coming. That was my boss that came in,he’s getting the repair man. Our other place is much better and will go quicker for you. Less cost that way too.”

Her eyes grow big.

“I work at both locations. I can help you carry the clothes over. I’m new to the area myself. Haven’t found a long-term rental yet. I have a hotel room just down the way from the other one. I can watch your stuff and you can take your kiddo and use my key card to get in the gate for the pool. I’m sure he would like that to pass the time.”

She looks to him then back to me.

I keep laying it on. “They have the most comfortable lounge chairs. He can swim and you can catch some sun or take a nap.”

Without asking, I go grab a basket right as the washer ends on her first load. I automatically start taking the clothes out.

“I didn’t think this through,” she mutters to herself. “Fuck. He’s gonna get him and I’ll never get him back. I need to think.”

I reach out and she jumps, and I back off. “I’m sorry. You look like you could use a break. I don’t know who you are, and I don’t need to know.” I pause deciding if I’m really going to do this. “I get it. I got something I gotta run from too. My place, they don’t have cameras, they don’t ask questions.”

She takes in my words.

“Look babe, woman to woman,” I look to her son, “mother to mother, “I lie, “we are shit if we aren’t well rested. Let me help you and at least you can get a little sleep while your clothes finish. If you want to go, I’ll pack you and your boy a snack bag and send you down the road. If you want to stay, I’ll book a room for you under my name. No questions asked.”

Her eyes light up. “You would do that for me?”

I look to her son, “for him, yes.” I tell her the truth. I’m not a mom. I don’t know what she’s feeling. What I do know is Hellions take family to heart. That boy of hers, he’s family. For him, I’ll do anything including face my ex.

I don’t know much about Karma, but everything anyone has ever said is he’s a good dad. I don’t know this woman and I don’t know why she has taken off. What I do know is her son seems sad.

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