Setting it on the bar top, I impatiently wait until I can fire the screen on.
“I told you, Viking had me a little occupied. The phone wasn’t on my radar when he was around.”
“Then you lost it when you came home and ditched your shit all over the apartment like normal, yeah, but you didn’t think to check the couch or behind the throw pillows?”
“You know I never sit on that couch; I checked the chair.” The phone beeps with voicemails and text messages that I’ve missed. Once it’s finished catching up and updating, I pull the notification bar down. “You called and texted me one hundred and fifty-seven times?”
“I told you! Duct tape!”
“You watch way too many movies if your mind automatically thinks that I’m being held against my will.”
“Can you blame me? The last time I heard from you was Thursday when you were off to meet Viking at the bar. That’s the same place where you were attacked and is always full of rebel bikers.”
“Rebel bikers?” Laughing, I glance up to find her glaring.
Suppressing my smile, I try to make peace with my best friend. Who only knows what else was thinking up in that crazy mind of hers. “Okay, okay, I can understand your concern. I would have been as well if it were you.”
“Exactly. Thank you.”
“So what have you been up to then?”
“Well, I may have freaked out and stopped over at your mom’s last night.”
“Are you fucking with me right now?”
“No. I’m sorry! I wanted her to get your dad in case one of his bikers took off with you.”
“Oh my God. I can’t believe this. She’s probably flipping out, calling in old favors.” Scrolling through my missed texts, I scan for her number. She knows I hate talking on the phone a lot so she would have texted first.
“She didn’t answer the door, so I never got to speak to her.”
“Thank God. Never do that again. Unless I’m missing for like a week, then ask if she’s seen me.”
My eyes find one recent message marked ‘Home.’
Home: Hey honey, just checking on my Princess. It’s been too long, please come and visit. I miss you. I’m sorry that Dad answered the phone and upset you. We need to talk. Love you more- Mom
Reading her words, I can’t stop from tearing up; it’s like I can hear her saying them.Damn it. I miss her.
She was my freaking best friend growing up, not just my mom, but my everything. That’s why this mission was so important, and I’ve done absolutely nothing but blow it. I needed to fuck a couple of asshole bikers and rub it into my father just enough that he would back off. I figured he’d be disgusted with me screwing his brothers that he’d leave mom alone for good.
I wonder if he’s still at her house.
It doesn’t matter anymore, at least not really. The mission’s dead and over with. I found Viking, or well, he found me, I suppose. I don’t even hate bikers anymore. This entire time I’ve been blaming them all for my father’s faults. I don’t want my dad hurting her anymore, but maybe Bethany’s right and I need to back off. My mom’s dealt with him for like thirty years or so.
I thought bikers were all bad, but they’re not all selfish like my father. Viking’s brothers seem nice and loyal. At the bar, they made sure I was safe and comfortable when he wasn’t around.
Then yesterday we ate at the picnic table with Spider and Scot. Both guys were polite and funny the entire time. I enjoyed myself to where I was hoping we’d see them again. It was the total opposite of how I’d always thought bikers acted and treated people.
Was my mom lying? No, I can’t go there. Dad seriously hurt her. I remember the days she’d lie in bed all day, face puffy from crying because he hadn’t been home to see her, or he suddenly cut off contact. She never even went on a date with anyone else; I don’t get it how she didn’t eventually move on. The crazy thing is she’s feistier than I am and she lets him treat her like this.
I remember one time we had to go up to my dad’s old club. I think I was like eight years old. Anyhow, some woman kissed my dad in front of my mom. He pushed the lady away, but it didn’t stop my mom. I remember my brother flying out of the car toward them and when I looked over my mom was straddling the woman just wailing on her. Once they were able to pull her off the lady, she slapped my dad in front of his brothers and then cried hysterically the entire drive home.
That time she stayed in her room for four days, only coming out to feed us until she felt better. No, she’s not lying; I remember too much shit that happened. He’s still the fuck up who screwed our family away.
I should call Brently this week. He needs to get the hell out of there and remember why we stayed away from Dad in the first place. I wonder if he’s been to see Mom. That could be why she wants to talk and for me to visit. Dad probably left again, and she’s going through her motions, alone.
“Yoo-hoo?” Bethany calls and I glance up, not paying attention to whatever she’d been saying. “Was the text that bad?”