I stood hand in hand with my dad Herman and my sister Malia at the foot of our mom's grave. She was taken from us too soon. She'll never see us graduate college, be married, become mothers ourselves.
"I can't believe she's gone." Malia sobbed. Her chest heaving and her breathing broken. "I miss her so much. I love you mom." She dropped to her knees and tossed a handful of dirt onto the casket that rest inside of the grave.
"It's ok Mali." I sat down beside her. "She's watching over you." I tried my hardest to believe the words that were coming out of my mouth but I just couldn't get into that mindset. I wasn't religious enough.
"You don't even believe in God Dasha." Malia shot back at me. Her eyes narrowed and dark, the mascara she applied more out of habit than for beauty purposes stained her porcelain skin.
"Doesn't mean I don't believe she's watching over us from some place." I rubbed her back. "It's going to be ok, we just need to stick together like she taught us to."
"She's right Malia." Our dad crouched down between us. "You two are always better together than when you're at odds. For your mom, you two need to stick together and look out for one another now."
"Whatever dad." Malia stood and walked away from us and over to her car.
"She'll get better." He said. "She has to. How are you holding up?"
"I've been better, I'm not falling apart if that's what you're asking. I've been taking the medication. It's helping to keep me in balance." I stood up and dropped my own handful of dirt into the grave before tossing the rose from my hair in as well.
"I'm glad." He pulled me into a hug and kissed the top of my head. "We have to talk about where you two will stay. Obviously there's no home for you two anymore since it was burned down."
"Are you inviting us to stay with you?" I searched his face. "In Tacoma?"
"Yes, I am." He smiled. "I wouldn't leave you to fend for yourselves. I'm better than that."
"You've been keeping us away from there for so long." I sighed. "Two lives that never intersect."
"Things are about to change. I can't leave you here. I can't leave her here. I have no choice but to bring you two to Tacoma. You won't be at the clubhouse. That's still of limits but you'll be near by." He looked at me. "I need to keep you two safe, I always promised your mom I would."
"I know." I smiled. "I wouldn't mind moving to Washington. I think the rain and snow will be fun."
"I hope your sister feels the same way. She hates changes." He frowned as he looked her direction. She was sitting on the hood of her car smoking.
"I know, she's difficult." I shrugged and smiled at the sight of her.
"What needs to change is your hair color." He tugged on it softly. "Purple is no your color."
"It's not purple, its orchid and silver." I swatted his hand away and walked towards my sister.
"Dad." She whispered. "Where am I going to live?"
"How do you feel about Washington?" He asked her.
"I guess I don't have any choice." She dropped her cigarette to the ground and slid off the hood. "When do we go?"
"No better time than now." He hugged her. "You don't have shit to pack up."
"Thanks for that fucking reminder." She laughed. "It sucks, all the pictures and movies are gone."
"I have some copies at my parent's." He smiled as he pulled open her car door for her.
"I guess we're going to Washington sis, you'll be in heaven with all the rain and snow." She smiled at me before she got in.
"Snowboarding." I felt myself start to drift off to fantasy land. "Let's go."
"Let's." He said as he climbed on his bike and started it up. "Follow after me."
I got in my own car and started it up, putting the top down to enjoy the Texas sun for the last time. "Bye mom." I said as I looked at her headstone. "See you when I see you."
I pulled off behind Malia, her Supra giving off an obnoxious noise as she drove impossibly slow through the cemetery. I should have parked in front of her. I revved my engine and she honked at me. This was going to be a long trip. I just hope she picked up her speed when we hit the highway.
#
"God. Stretching feels so damn good." Malia said as she climbed out of her Supra and leaned against my Mustang. "So good."
"If you had a bigger car you would be more comfortable." I said. I walked around to the trunk sat down.
"Are we really doing this?" She looked at me. "Picking up and starting all over?"
"Yeah, we have no choice." I shrugged as we watched our dad stretch his legs. We had only driven six hours and it was already taking it's toll on the three of us.
"I'm nervous. I hope the job market there is better." She lit up a cigarette. "Can't live off dad there."
"Yeah I know, but we'll get the settlement from the insurance company for the house, and mom had life insurance, so we'll be ok after we get it all. We just need to get part time jobs." I looked at her and smiled weakly. "You can be a stripper." I laughed.
"Nope, can't do that there! Dad probably frequents them." She shook her head. "I bet money on it."
"I don't doubt it." I chuckled. "We'll work at a coffee shop then. They probably have thousands of them."
"I hate coffee." She tossed her cigarette down. "I'm more of a tea person."
"You smoke but won't drink coffee. You're a strange one." I hopped off the trunk and grabbed her.
"Let's get snacks and gas up already." She pulled led us over to our dad who was on the phone having an intense conversation.
He held up a finger and we stood at a distance and waited for him to finish before we went inside.
"Sounded important." I said and he just shrugged.
"I have one thing I need you guys to promise me." He grabbed our hands and looked us in the eyes, his ice blue eyes growing dark. "When we get there, you're not to get involved with anyone wearing a Kutte."
"Alright." I nodded. "Fair enough."
"I can't make any promises." Malia shook her head and her blonde curls bounced.
"Promise me Malia!" He yelled. "I'm trying to make sure you're safe."
"Fine!" She slouched. "No one with a kutte. What if he takes it off?"
"You're not allowed to get involved with any member of the Sons of Anarchy, not even a prospect." He looked between us and both.
"Alright dad." We said in unison. "No Sons."
"Good, let's gas up and go." He walked towards the station.
"I wonder what's so bad about the Sons." I whispered to Malia.
"Besides them being outlaws. I don't know D. Maybe it's because they're killers!" She rolled her eyes.
"That's a given." I said. "I meant like they have to be different outside of the club, I mean look at dad. He's caring and nice and shit. I can't seeing him being the same while he's doing club shit. There's a whole new side to him that we don't know about or see."
"I'm pretty sure that's a good thing." She smiled as she grabbed chips, candy, and beer. "Essentials."
"Don't drink and drive dumbass." I took the beer from her and put it back. "Have a water or soda" I gestured towards the other refrigerator.
"Buzz kill." She muttered as she walked off, leaving me standing in front of the beers and contemplating buying a tall can. We still had a long trip ahead of us.
"You got what you need?" He looked at me and I nodded slowly. "Your sister bought enough to feed a small army."
"I saw. I'm set with jerky, chips, water, and sour candy." I dropped my items on the counter and smiled at the guy ringing it all up.
"Mali." I frowned at her. "Seriously?" She was chugging a tall can.
"You said not to drink and drive! I'm not driving right now am I D?" She cackled and finished off the can. "Loopholes are my friends." She let out a small burp.
"I can't believe you let her do that dad!" I smacked his arm.
"She's an adult, I can't tell her not to drink." He smirked as he cracked open a can of his own and started in out it as we walked out of the store and to the pumps.
"You two are the same." I shook my hand and tossed my bag into my car before moving to pump the gas.
#
"Sketch." Malia said as we opened the door of the motel room we had gotten for the night. "So sketch."
"Disgusting is more like it." I smacked the bed and watched the dust rise. "When was the last time this room was used?" I frowned as I looked around at all the outdated furniture and technology.
"I'm not sleeping on that." She wrinkled her nose in disgust. "Refuse to. I rather attempt to sleep in Spencer." She pointed out the window to her car.
"Still can't believe you named your car Spencer." I laughed.
"You named yours Bawse." She rolled her eyes. "Think this place has bed bugs?"
"I think it just might." I kicked the bed and tried to detect any movement.
"Pretty sure the bugs are nocturnal like roaches." She laughed.
"The only roaches you've come across are the ones of the herbal nature." I pinched her side. "Are you dry or are you holding?"
"I'm dry." She frowned. "First time in forever." She raked her fingers through her hair.
"I wonder if we can find a dealer here or at least a friendly person with weed." I walked out of the room and over to my car, she followed. "Help me, I got sleeping bags in the back seat."
"Why?" She peaked into the car.
"Because I went camping and never took them out." I smacked her ass and she fell forward into the car.
"You better not have had sex in these." She tossed them at me and jumped up and down waving her hands.
"No, I didn't." I picked them off the ground and shut the door and set the alarm. "You think dad is sleep already?"
"Yeah, I do." She said. "He probably didn't even check the bed."
"Remember when we stayed at that bed and breakfast? He woke up covered in bites and it didn't even phase him until the itching set in and he was in the hospital." I grimaced at the memory, he looked terrible, he had fallen victim to bed bugs.
"Ew, don't even remind me. Let's just try to get some sleep." She slipped into her sleeping bag fully clothed and I followed suit. Hoping that if we kept the lights on we wouldn't meet the fate our dad did at the B&B.
#
Washington was gorgeous to say the least. It was what I pictured and then some. It would take me awhile to adjust to the weather but I couldn't complain. I was surrounded by nature and that was something I loved.
"Tacoma be good to me." I smiled to myself and turned off the radio. Listening to the rain hit my front windshield.
I followed behind my sister, who managed to always get in front of me and slow down. She was loving the roads here, I could tell by the way she handled her car when we hit winding curves.
We pulled in front of a house and parked. I waited for Malia to get out of her car before I got out of mine.
"Who's place is this?" She asked as we walked up the path behind our dad.
"Yours." He said as he opened the door. "Fully furnished, was a bitch to get over the phone but I managed it."
"Killer." Malia said as she bounded into the house after him.
"Thanks dad." I kissed his cheek. "I got dibs on the master bedroom!" I ran in after my sister.
"Nooooo." She pouted. "You can't call dibs! Dad tell her she can't call dibs."
"I'm older anyways, so I get it regardless." I stuck my tongue out at her. "Suck it, bitch!"
"So mature Dasha." She rolled her eyes as we walked into her room. It wasn't too much smaller, it just didn't have m attached bathroom. "I have a better view!"
"Lucky!" It was now my turn to frown. "I should have picked better."
"You two come here." Our dad called and we walked out to find him sitting on the sofa. "The rent will be paid by me and I'll pay the other bills too. Just until you find jobs and can pay them yourselves. No Sons remember and try not to get in too much trouble."
"Sounds good. Can we go shopping at least. I have no clothes and I know Mali doesn't either." I sat down on the floor and faced him.
"Yeah." He pulled out his wallet and handed us each a few bills. "Its all I got. You two are still draining my pockets."
"It's what we do." I smiled at him. "You coming with us?"
"No." He stood up. "I rather get my teeth pulled than shop with you two little shits. Give me hugs so I can go tend to club business."
He opened his arms and Malia hugged him and I stood up and joined in. "Group hugs." She whispered. "All we're missing is mom."
I sighed. "Yeah, she gave the best hugs. Always smelled good too. Dad you smell like leather and cigarettes."
"That's the scent of badass biker." He laughed. "Stay out of trouble Malia. Dasha you watch her."
"Hey, how come you warned me and not her." She places her hands on her hips and scowled.
"Because she's the good one, Miss Criminal Record." He smiled at her. "Be good and take care of each other, I'll check in tonight if it's not too late."
"Love you dad." I said as I hugged him again. "Thanks for this."
"Love you daddy." Malia joined the hug once more.
"Love you guys two. No trouble, no Sons, no parties." He pointed his finger at Malia.
"We got it." She said. He walked to door and smiled.
"Bye." He walked out and we watched him until he was out of sight and we could no longer hear his bike.
"So this is our new life and new home." I sighed. "I like it so far."
"Me too. Let's find a Walmart or Target. I need some female essentials." She grabbed my hand and tugged me out of the door before locking it behind us. "We'll take my car."
"Alright. Let's go. I'm in the need for shampoo. My hair is feeling nasty." I frowned as I felt it.
"We should look for a new color for your hair too." She looked at me. "Maybe teal or red."
"Or both." I looked at the tattoos covering my hand and right arm. "You think there are good tattoo artists here?"
"Probably, we'll Google it when we get new laptops and shit."
"Yeah." I looked out the window as her navigation system directed her to the nearest Walmart which wasn't far from our house.
Walking through the Walmart here was a whole new experience from the way it was back home. The people were more calm and shit was thrown all over the place. It seemed like all the employees had OCD and couldn't afford to have a single item out of its rightful place. Which made it more tempting for me to rearrange the shirts I was standing in front of while my sister looked through them.
"D, seriously? Stop that, its fucking annoying." She smacked my hand away and a stack of shirts fluttered to the floor.
"This store is too clean." I laughed. "It's freaky."
"Clean stores are a good thing." She tossed a few shirts in the cart and I did the same, not even bothering to check the design just the sizes.
"Creepy." I shuddered and nudged her. "Look, he's fine!" I whispered as I watched a tall man with a tattoo on his head walk past us. "I'm in love."
"He's like dad's age!" She yelled causing him to look in our direction. I smiled and he just looked at us with dark eyes and turned away quickly.
"Oh my god Malia." I felt my face grow hot. Way to draw his attention our way.
"My bad!" She said. "I just got creeped out, he's too old for you anyways."
"I'm not trying marry him! All I did was say he was fine. Because that's the truth!" I pulled her ear.
"He was alright." She smiled. "I'll go ask him for his number for you if you want me to."
"Umm, no. If we come across him again then I'll ask. Let's just finish shopping and go get food and go home. I need a real bed to sleep in!" I pulled the cart and we went on a search for everything else we needed.
When we walked outside the guy was leaned against the wall with a cigarette dangling from his mouth.
"Look!" She tugged on my shirt. "Go get your man." She smacked my ass.
"I don't know! I am nervous." I bit my bottom lip and looked back in his direction.
"Stop! You can so do this!" She pushed me in his direction and I had no choice but to approach him. I looked back at my sister and she gave me a thumbs up and smile.
"Hey." I said cheerfully as I reached him and he just stared at me. "My sister and I are new here and I was wondering if you could tell me of any good places to eat around here."
He didn't answer he took another drag of his cigarette and dropped it to the ground and stepped on it. "Is that really why you came over here?"
I blushed. "No." I rubbed my hair. "I actually came over to ask for your number then I sorta of wussed out."
He smirked and bobbed his head. "I can't give you mine but I'll take yours." He held his phone in his hand and I gave him my number.
"See you around." I turned away and walked away as normal as I could.
"Did you get it?" She asked.
"No, omg I'm so embarrassed. What does it mean when a guy asks for my number." I looked at her. "He was I can't give you mine but I'll take yours."
"Who even knows. He's too old anyways." She started up her car and pulled out of the parking lot when my phone started to ring. The number was blocked but I was curious so I answered it hoping it would be him.
"Hello?"
"Just checking to make sure you gave me a working number." His raspy voice filled my ear and I clutched my sister's arm and mouthed that it was him.
"Yeah, I did." I said.
"You gonna let me take you out for food little girl?" He asked.
"I will let you." I smiled.
"Text me your address and I'll get you later."
"Sounds good." I ended the call and squeezed her arm even harder. "He asked me out!"
"Omg!" She yelled. "We gotta make you cute!" She sped up. "What time did he say?"
"He just told me to text him the address and he'll get me later." I looked at my nails and frowned.
"Text him then we'll rush and get you ready bitch. Leave it to you to get a fucking date our first few hours here!" She pulled into the driveway and turned off her car.
We lugged the bags into the house and quickly put everything away.
"I'm nervous." I said as I slipped on a pair of panties.
"What's the worst that can happen?" She stared at me.
"He could be a psycho and kill me." I wiggled into my jeans. "Or he could be a rapist, or pervert."
"Or he can be sort of normal and wanna sex you up tonight." She laughed and I smiled. "Slut."
"He's sexy, if he's putting out tonight I'm taking him up on the offer. It's been too long since my last fuck." I shrugged.
"How long?"
"A year." I frowned. "Been enjoying my toys."
"Too much information!" She covered her ears. "I hooked up with Bryce the night before mom's funeral."
"Bryce is hot, I don't blame you for that at all." I smiled.
"Yeah, but she didn't get me off properly, had to instruct her." She pulled my hair into a pony tail.
"Well that sucks then." I scowled in the mirror. "Do I look fuckable?"
"If I was into incest, I'd bang you against the wall." She laughed. "Don't stress, he'll like you. I mean you pulled him earlier and you were wearing a baggy shirt and basketball shorts."
"True." I smiled. "Hope he gets here soon."
"Dad texted when you were in the shower. He won't be checking on us until tomorrow night. Went on a run."
"Do you think dad utilizes his military training in the club?" I shook out my arms.
"I would imagine he would. He's always looking like a soldier most of the time." She sat on the sofa and pulled her legs under her.
"I still can't believe they let him in the military." I sat down next to her only to pop up when I heard the sound of a motorcycle approach. "I thought dad wasn't coming."
"Maybe he changed his mind."
"Maybe." I stood and looked out of the window. "No! It's my date!"
"Leave it to you to find a guy like dad!" She tossed the pillow at me and I tosses it back and it smacked her. "If you fuck him use protection."
"If we fuck, I'm bringing him back her to do so." I smiled sheepishly as the doorbell rang.
#
Sitting across from him caused my stomach to flip nervously as we waited for our food to get here.
"You look nervous." He rasped as he ran his fingers over my hand.
"What gave it away?" I smiled.
"You didn't answer my question because you're in your head." He smirked. "What's your name?"
"Dasha." I said, feeling dumb that we hadn't exchanged names when we first talked. "Yours?"
"Happy." He smiled. "Tell me you're at least drinking age."
"Yeah, I'm twenty three." I watched as the waitress set our food down in front of us.
"Thank God, you look illegal." He picked up his burger and bit into it.
"Thanks, I think." I smiled and ate a few fries before taking a bite of my burger.
"Its a good thing, it'd fucking suck if you looked older than you are." He chuckled. "I like your ink."
"Thanks, I did the hand piece myself. Perks of being a lefty." I waved my hands in the air and he smiled.
"I'm an artist myself, are you?"
"No, I just happened to have an ex bf who was one and he left me mark myself up permanently." I took another bite.
"He let you do that to your hair?" He reached over and swatted my pony tail.
"Oh, no." I laughed. "This is all me and my sister. She's a hair stylist and I'm her best client."
"I like it. It's unusual." He took a sip of his beer and stared at me.
"Well I'm unusual." I shrugged and took a sip of my own beer.
"You wanna hangout after this?" He asked as he picked up the last piece of his burger.
"Sure." I smiled. "We can hang at my place."
"That's cool with me." He smiled.
"Good." I finished my fries and pushed my plate to the side.
I strapped on the helmet and climbed on the back of his bike and wrapped my arms around his waist and pressing tightly against him. He started the bike and steered us back towards my place. I hoped the hang out would lead to a hookup but I would be fine if it didn't, I enjoyed his company and hoped to keep it past tonight.
so that was the first chapter, in the next chapters I plan to include Malia's and Kozik's POV just to balance things out.
