Page 53 of Deacon

“You don’t understand, Marvin. My niece is lying in a plot over getting involved with a man?—”

“Who isn’t Deacon. Listen, I know Chelsea’s death hurt and put fear in your heart, but it's not fair to punish people who had nothing to do with it,” Dad interjects.

Facing Mom, my face falls at seeing the slow tears easing down her cheeks, and I pull her into my body, rubbing her back.

“I know it's hard, Mom, but you’ve gotta stop looking at everyone suspect. Baxtown Iron nor its members deserve your anger or hurt,” I say.

Mom has never gotten over Chelsea’s death, and I understand, but it's not fair for her to assume that every person who wears a motorcycle club vest is bad. It makes sense to me why since I now know that Chelsea’s killer is in a motorcycle club. Over the years, Mom and my aunt assumed that the person responsible for her death was part of the group she’d been hanging around with. Until now, I didn’t understand because the trauma of witnessing Chelsea’s murder somehow blinded me to everything about the man except his eyes. I was fourteen, and mentally, it had been more than I was able to comprehend despite being old enough to identify the man.

“I know. I just miss her so much,” Mom cries.

“So do I,” I say.

Grief has no timetable, and although Mom has been projecting hers onto innocent people, I understand some of her reasoning. At the same time, I want her to judge Deacon and his club members only for the actions they give her firsthand.

“Maybe it's time for me to find someone to talk to,” Mom says, pulling away from me with her watery eyes shifting from me to Dad.

“Whatever you think will help, honey,” Dad says lovingly.

“I have a way for you to see Baxtown Iron in a better light,” I say, biting my lip.

“Oh, Lord. What do you have in mind, little girl,” Mom says, rolling her eyes.

“Will you agree to go somewhere with me tomorrow, no questions asked?” I ask.

“I don’t know if I like the sound of this, Janelle,” Mom says hesitantly.

“I’m in,” Dad says, smirking, although he doesn’t know what’s going on.

Silence stretches like a rubber band around the room, and my heart is thumping wildly while I fidget with my fingers.

“Fine, but it better not be no mess, Janelle Capri,” Mom says in a chastising tone that matches the serious expression in her eyes.

“Oh, this might be fun,” Dad says when we pull into the parking lot at Gripley Park.

Under Deacon’s suggestion, Baxtown Iron is hosting a community day at the park; all members must be in attendance. Also, the members are working the concession stands, games, bouncy houses, and dunk tanks rented for today’s event. The conversation Deacon and I had the day after the cabaret, where he told me his plan had me falling hard for him.

“Aye, Squeak, are you sleeping?”

Sincerity and bliss are the two things I’m experiencing while lying in Deacon’s arms, attempting to go to sleep despite the heaviness of his dick moistening my panties.

“Not yet,” I whisper.

“I’m gonna plan a community event hosted by Baxtown Iron. I need you to convince your mom to come through. It’s important that she sees not only Baxtown Iron but me in a light that frees her from the lie she believes about us. You will be my wife, and I don’t want us to have any division in our family. Your mom is key to me getting an opportunity to fully love you. Can you do that for me, love?”

Oh my God, now he wants to woo my mom.

“I love you, Deacon.”

“Mhm, answer my question. Can you get your mom to come?”

“Dang, you’re dismissing my decree?”

“I didn’t need your words to confirm what your eyes have already told me, Squeak. I love you too.”

“Ooh, there’s a dunk tank. This is nice,” Mom gushes when we exit the car and walk further into the park.

There are kids and adults all around the area, with one of the local radio stations playing family friendly music. A wide smile upturns my lips at seeing who I’m assuming are members of Baxtown Iron from the vests I can see in the distance. While the community will benefit from this event, I know that Deacon will accomplish what he’s setting out to do due to Mom's grin and happy expression.

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