Page 12 of Scythe's Salvation
“I like the idea. Would the gently used section be considered with the ‘money’ the families have to buy with?” RiffRaff asks. “I know each family gets an amount they’re allowed to ‘spend’ but to me, gently used should be free since it’s likely it’s been worn by at least two kids, possibly three, by the time it arrives there. Seems it’s ‘paid for itself’.”
I may be tuned into the discussion, but I’m lost as hell right now. “What are you talking about?” I query. “I guess since I don’t really help much in the store, I don’t know how it works.”
Hawg smirks, then says, “Okay, we take applications from families who have a need. It could be for help paying their utility bills or rent, food, or clothes and stuff for their children. Each family, depending on how many are in the household, is given a budget that’s good for six months. Everything in the shop has a price tag and it goes against that budget, just like a checkbook ledger. Food is separate and there’s no charge for that since we box up a month’s worth of nonperishables and meats for them. They’re only responsible for what they drink, that kind of thing. If a kid needs diapers, that goes against the budget, as do the clothes and toys that are picked out. Utility bills and rent are done a little bit differently. We will hire whichever parent is able to work to help at one of the businesses. It could be something as simple as sweeping up at the auto shop and stocking inventory, or if they have viable skills, it could be more. They earn a wage, with a portion of it going to repay the utility bill until it’s paid off, and the rest going in their pocket so they can try and get on their feet.”
“In short, we’re not giving handouts,” I state.
“Precisely, we’re helping,” Brick advises. “As a club, we began buying up a lot of the rental properties and have been fixing them since many are not up to code and need renovations. We basically are their landlords, but we won’t raise their rents at this time since it was our choice to make these renovations and changes.”
I nod because I like the fact that we’re helping out the community we live in, which is a bit more impoverished than Roanoke proper. It’s one of the reasons I became a member; in addition to the brotherhood that’s been built and tested over the years, every man here, regardless of their past, has a desire to see others succeed.
“I say that the gently used section be marked as free,” I state. “Like y’all have said, it’s highly probable that the clothes have been worn by multiple kids already. Now, how do you get the new clothes?”
Hawg chuckles and says, “I had Selah create a program that pinpoints businesses who are going under. We buy in bulk whenever possible so there’s always something new available, especially once school starts again. Kids need to have at least a few new things to wear so they’re not picked on, you know?”
“Yeah, bullying is bad enough these days with social media in everyone’s face. No sense in a kid getting ragged on because their jeans are well-worn,” I reply.
“If we’re all in favor, then I’ll tell her to go wild,” Brick says, smirking. “I’m pretty sure Dragon’s crew will be involved as well, simply because they’ve got a shit ton of kids.”
I start chuckling because before Brick found Ryleigh, all of us were as single as the day is long. Now, we’ve got five ol’ ladies running around, a gaggle of pets, mostly cats, and kids. It definitely brightens up the clubhouse, though the club girls aren’t so happy any longer because they’re only around when the families aren’t and with not only us, but the Cedar Creek brothers and their families here as well, that’s not all that often. Plus, Brick laid down the law years ago and they’re not allowed to go after a brother who’s claimed an ol’ lady.
“Yeah, you’ve got that right, but it’s nice hearing laughter in the halls again,” RiffRaff muses. “Back when most of you were growing up here, y’all were the same. Hollering, chasing one another, playing tricks on the brothers. Brings back some good memories.”
Brick nods and I see him, Ban, and Kracken grinning as they remember some of the shit they pulled. I came along a little later on, after RiffRaff found me scrounging in the trash behind one of the restaurants in town. Never left, either, because I saw something I’d never had before, family.
Maybe you could add to your family,my mind whispers.
“Okay, let’s bring it back around so we can get the fuck out of here and go back to work,” Brick instructs. “Scythe, I know Hawg will have the numbers next week, but how’s Imperial Ink doing? Give me your gut impression.”
I sit back and think about the weeks since we opened then grin so wide my cheeks are bound to hurt later on. “Cuda and I are both booked out for the next few months already, and our new guys are doing well. Chloe is willing to apprentice with us, but for the time being, she’s staying on the front desk since she’s got us organized so well, it wouldn’t be fair to bring someoneelse into the mix just yet. I suspect we’re going to exceed our expectations, brother,” I finally say.
“Good to hear. Hawg just put in an offer on the property next to the auto shop. We’re busy enough that we can expand and probably still not keep up with what’s been coming in. We’ve also had some interest in working on bikes, which I’m all for, especially if one of you fuckers wants to get himself certified. I know we can all do the basics, but when Hawg did a search, the only places to get more than the basic oil change done are the dealerships. Not knocking them one bit, but if we can provide the same quality service at a lower cost, that’ll bring in bikers from nearby counties.”
“I’ll do it,” Gypsy, our tail gunner, says. “May as well since my function is to make sure all our bikes are road ready, right? I’ve already got my ASE mechanic certification, so will check into what it takes to get certified to work on bikes ‘officially’.”
Brick nods and looks around the table. “Anything else?” he asks. When we all shake our heads, he slams the gavel down and announces, “Church dismissed!”
I walk into the main room of the clubhouse to absolute bedlam and almost keel over laughing at the expression on Brick’s face as he stands in front of his ol’ lady. While I’m too far to hear what she’s saying, I’m not blind and can see that all the tables have been put together and the ol’ ladies from both clubs are systematically stacking clothes that they’re pulling out of totes. Seems Ryleigh got the jump on Brick, which is hysterical.
“Roxy’s massage therapist reached out to her to ask if our community thrift store accepted gently used clothing, so we thought it might be a good idea to go through the clothes all the kids have outgrown, honey,” Ryleigh says.
“Funnily enough, we just voted on that in Church, Ry,” he replies. “You beat me to it. We figured that we’ve got more than enough to get our kids whatever they need new, so why not add to the thrift store?”
“Brilliant minds think alike!” she exclaims, raising her arms up and doing jazz hands.
And for the record, theonlyreason I know what the fuck those are is because Kimber, RiffRaff’s new daughter, had a sleepover here at the clubhouse and that’s what those teenaged girls wanted to watch. I swear, if I never hear a bunch of girls literally spewing each line from a movie again, it’ll be too long!
“I’ll leave you ladies to it then,” Brick replies, leaning down and kissing his ol’ lady. “Let me know when y’all are ready to have it hauled to the store and we’ll get the prospects to take care of it.”
I snicker because she rolls her eyes at his words, which he doesn’t see because he’s already turned toward the door. No clue what we’re about to do, but I’m pretty much right behind him. He heads to his bike and circles his hand in the air then yells, “Anyone who’s available, let’s ride out to the property Hawg found.”
The ground rumbles as all of us except the prospects and a few of Dragon’s crew crank up their Harleys. There’s nothing quite like that sound; it soothes something deep inside of me, that’s for sure. With Brick and Dragon at the helm, the rest of us filter in based on our ranks and we head out, dust flying behind us sohigh it’s impossible to see, which makes me glad I’m toward the front of the pack.
While the trip doesn’t take long, any time I can get wind therapy is a good time, as far as I’m concerned. Almost as if we orchestrated it, we pull in and shut our bikes down as one. I hang my helmet on my handlebar and get off my girl, lightly stretching to ease the tightness in my lower back, glad that I’ve already got another appointment scheduled with Tamara.
Damn, she’s got some magical hands. As my thoughts drift in that direction, I realize I’m getting hard. Fuck me. The last thing I need is to get an erection with my brothers surrounding me! I’ll never hear the end of it, that’s for damn sure.
I walk up to where Brick, Banshee, Dragon, and Wrecker are talking, arms moving over their heads as they describe what the new property will look like once it’s done. “One of my guys can get his certification as well,” Dragon states. “Because if this takes off like I suspect it will, we’re going to be hammered by the workload.”
