Page 60 of Whiskey Shivers

We sipped tea and talked about other things, things that weren’t as heavy, and circled back around to some charity ideas to help local kids that the club could be involved with.

I had no idea that they did things like toy runs and rides to raise funds for things like food banks, etcetera.

Something clicked in my mind, and I spoke up, saying, “What about raising money to pay off student lunch debt?”

Chainsaw frowned at me and asked, “Do what now? Lunch debt? What’s that?”

I explained, “Low-income families are eligible to a point, for free and or reduced lunch costs at school. Some of the low-income familiesstillcan’t afford to pay for the reduced lunch and some families make just enough to not be eligible for reduced lunch or free lunch, but can’t afford school lunches for their kids or to send them with lunch.”

“What happens when a kid can’t pay or gets behind?” he asked.

“Well, they sometimes have the lunch confiscated at the end of the line, and it gets tossed. They’re given a cold processed cheese sandwich, an apple, and a milk and that’s that—”

“Holy shit, that makes no goddamn sense!”

I nodded. “I know.”

“Yeah,” Louie said. “I was that kid more than a few times until I got lucky enough to qualify for free lunch. It was embarrassing as hell. The other kids already gave me hell for my unwashed clothes and the fact I only had the one shirt for all of fifth grade. Having your lunch tossed in front ofeverybodywas the worst.”

“That’s some bullshit,” Chainsaw muttered.

“So, if Corliss and I plan it, and get it all figured out, would you guys do a run to clear the school’s lunch debt and put money on the books for these kids?”

“Fuck, it’s a good idea,” Chainsaw said.

“I’d do it,” Louie said without hesitation.

“Okay, then.” Alina looked pleased. “I think we have a cause. Let’s figure out the details.”

I leaned back in my seat and looked from one to the other of the men and woman at the table with me a little shocked.

“You’re serious?” I asked.

“Absolutely,” Alina said without hesitation.

“That’s the shit I’m talking about and why I hate the fucking government so damn much. They talk a good game but to throw out perfectly good food and hand a kid some shitty processed government bullshit because of their parents’ failings or whatever? Come on! We can’t do much but this is a cause I can get behind. We just need to figure out what to do.”

“Crawfish boil?” Louie asked. “Twenty bucks a head, all you can eat, at the club, at the end of a ride that anybody that wants to ride with us can for like ten dollars a head?”

“There’s plenty of RUBs that’d like to get in on that,” Chainsaw said.

“RUBs?” I asked.

“Rich Urban Bikers,” Alina supplied. “Weekend warriors of the biker world.”

“Ah.” I nodded.

She got up and went to the kitchen and came back with a notepad and a pen to jot things down.

Chainsaw got up and went into the kitchen to check what he had going on the stove, calling from the kitchen, “Could do a poker run.”

“I’m sorry. I am so behind on this grading curve. What’s that?”

It turned into a joint plotting session and crash course for me in biker speak and the world of a motorcycle club, but it was fun, and so very worth it. I wondered vaguely what Hex was up to. I hope whatever it was, he was having a good time.

CHAPTERTWENTY-SIX

Hex…

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