Page 69 of Nomad

“Damn irritatin’.”

Cann laughed. “I bet.”

They chatted amiably for a few minutes about the club’s network of investments and small businesses.

Cann stopped when Bud set a plate down in front of him. She’d changed her shampoo, but he could still smell her underneath.

“Thank you,” he said, but she didn’t respond.

Brash noticed, but looked away.

That set the tone for life at the SSMC.

Brenda left for Arizona the next week, but by that time Bud had the confidence she needed to be the new house mom. The club members learned to love her, even more so when the pregnancy began to show.

Cann came into the kitchen one day when Axel was asking, “When are you due?”

“End of May,” she’d said without turning away from the stovetop where she was working.

“Well, what are we gonna do then?” Axel almost whined.

Bud laughed. “I’m sure we’ll figure it out.” When she turned to look at Axel, she noticed Cann and her smile fell. As it always did.

She seemed to be doing okay, but he’d made up his mind to hold off on his plans until he knew for sure that she was going to be fine.

The weeks came and went. Her body began to swell and just before Thanksgiving, the inevitable happened. Cann arrived at the club house at four forty five, earlier than usual. Bud was already on duty behind the bar and couldn’t avoid him.

“What’ll you have?” she said.

“Beer. The good stuff.”

“Every one of you has a different idea of what ‘good stuff’ means.”

“The Bad Deadpool.”

“Bad Deadpool it is.”

She popped the top and set the ice cold bottle in front of him.

“How are you doin’?” he said.

“Okay. You?”

“Same. You like your job here?”

“Sure. Gettin’ this job was like findin’ a bird nest on the ground.”

Cann remembered his conversation with Brant.So that’s where he heard it.

“You feelin’ good?”

“Yes.”

“You need anything?”

“Look.” She finally looked him in the eye. “What is this? Am I good. Do I need anything. That’s horseshit. You know what I need. Either give it to me or shut up and leave me alone.”

The door opened and four bikers came through, laughing about something Burn had said.

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