Page 6 of Bayou Knights
“A husband?” Tex asks.
“She doesn’t have to tell us if she doesn’t want to,” Gator warns them.
“It’s all right. I mean I am a celebrity in a way. It will come out eventually, might as well just air my dirty laundry since we’re not really sure we’re staying. I thought someone broke into my house, so I called 911 and, instead of waiting for the police, I decided to walk my happy ass into my house. I heard noises inside and told the dispatcher what I heard, which I said was knocking or something.I opened the door to my room and found my husband and sister in bed together. Neither of them cared.Police arrived and I pressed trespassing charges. It’s my house anyway, my sister has been jealous of that.Paparazzi ended up on my doorstep to film this by the way since my sister is a reality star.I knew it would get bad so I loaded up what I could and just started driving.That’s my embarrassing story.”
Everyone is silent for what feels like an eternity. My life really sucks right now so I do what I did before when things get tough, I run. Well, I walk. I thank them for the food and take my plate back to my room to finish it and then cry.
* * *
Zion
I wake up early since it’s kick off day. I have shit to do before festivities begin and I will need to stay for those even if I want to retreat to my cave. Bones is right, I mourned a relationship that was one sided.I should say fuck that bitch.If she ever did grace my doorstep again, I might shoot her for trespassing, just saying.
I shower and dress, pulling my cut on and sliding onto my bike.The only time I feel alive is when I’m riding my bike.It’s freedom at its finest.
I ride to the gator tours first and see that Cupid is hard at work. He salutes me and I move on. I ride past the clubhouse where I see some of the guys already have been out hunting.Everyone in town, all 200 of them are setting up tables and chairs. A stage is already up for music.Everyone waves as I go by and I just grin.They appreciate us here. Most places we go, we get the scared looks, women pull their kids out of the way because we’re bikers. But here, we’re needed.
I pull up to a stop outside the bed and breakfast and frown. Gator didn’t tell me we had guests already.I’m a cautious guy and like to have our guests checked out before they arrive.
“Prez,” Gator greets me as I walk in the door.
“Care to tell me something?”
“Walk ins. A mom with her kid.Before you get all mad on me, they really needed a place to stay. She drove from California, trying to get away from something. She hardly stopped and really needed to sleep.”
“You should have called me,” I say, with a little bit of an edge.
“Zion, they’re harmless,” he waves his hand out to the deck where I see Ziggy and a young kid talking.The kid can’t be no more than sixteen, tall though.
“His name?”
“Gage.She hasn’t left her room since we asked some dumb questions. Gage says she’s taking whatever drove her away from her home pretty hard.”
“You know what it is?” I ask him.
“I do, but I think you should ask yourself when she’s up to talking. Hate to tell her, but her car is in need of repair. I don’t know how she didn’t hear it, but she was dragging her muffler the whole way here.Her axle is bent, that’s when Gage was driving. She checked in for three days, but her car is going to have to be towed to NOLA.”
“We help people, and you say she needs help, make it happen,” I snap, and he heads off to do that. A woman and her young son drove straight through to here? Why?What is she running from?
“Oh hey, prez,” Ziggy greets me.
“Prez?” the kid asks.
“President of the club, also my dad,” Ziggy tells the boy.
“I’m Gage,” he holds his hand out like a man and I take it.
“Zion. Your mom still in bed?” He nods.
“I think so,” he says, “as a man, can you just leave her be for now?”
I am taken aback that he would ask that. I can’t fault him for looking out for his mom.I like the protectiveness in him.
“Yeah.Can you just tell her to talk to Gator about the car when she gets a chance?”
“Yeah. I ran over something in the road, but I knew she wouldn’t have felt safe sleeping at that rest stop. I put her in the passenger seat and just started driving. I didn’t mean to do it.”
“No one said you did. We’re going to take care of it,” I assure him. I don’t even know this woman and yet we’re footing the bill.I don’t care. Gator seems to think she needs help, so we help. That’s why we’re loved here.
