I slipped my cut on and shut the car door as the Freak Riders pulled up. Chibs was standing at the rear of the car. I walked around the trunk to see four familiar guys dismount their bikes, all wearing black leather cuts with white and purple patches. Their bikes were choppers of all kinds, all custom, all tricked out, the color scheme being black, purple, or indigo. They were missing the bright purple chopper that always led the pack. I sighed, not realizing how bad it would hurt to see AJ missing. However, it was good to see their current President, Mr. Milo.
Milo was a giant guy. Around 6' 3", with muscles that made Shane, as well as Rane look like a squirt. His hair was just as big. Head full of ashy blonde dreads, and a black bandana tied around his head to hold them back. He had a gentle face. Friendly brown eyes, huge smile, big beard. Following him were his new VP, Jordie Sacco, and Jordie's twin brother, Jeffrey Sacco. The two were identical in every single way. Long, beautiful black hair, olive skin, dark brown eyes. Same height. Roughly the same weight. The only difference when the cuts were off were Jeffrey's glasses. The last, the Freak Riders' Sergeant at Arms, was Gavin Fabi. He was as far from the others as could be. Light brown hair that touched his shoulders, blonde highlights, a lip ring and eyebrow piercing. About Chibs' height. Excluding the absence of their dearly departed Prez, none of them had changed a bit.
"Milo," Chibs greeted, offering his hand.
Milo smiled and shook it.
"You must be Chibs," Milo replied.
Chibs nodded. Milo looked to me and his face lit up.
"Callie fuckin' Shepherd! Goddamn, girl!" he shouted, his big voice bellowing off the trees.
I smiled and walked up to hug him.
"Hey, man!" I said, my body getting swallowed by his arms.
We parted and Jordie pulled at the sleeve of my cut.
"Holy shit! Old VII royalty, turned SAMCRO royalty. Hell yeah!" he said excitedly.
I just laughed.
"Probably the safest place for her," Milo said, then bro-hugged Chibs, "Hey, thanks for keeping her safe, man. You have no idea how much she wanted to be a part of a club."
Chibs gave him a small smile and patted his back.
"No problem," he said.
Jeffrey patted my back and Gavin perched his chin on my head. I laughed at them. I had forgotten how goofy they could be.
"Where's the rest of your club?" Jordie asked.
"On a fake-out run," I replied.
Milo looked concerned.
"We've been havin' a local problem with our ever watchful sheriff," Chibs explained, "Had to bring a cage."
"And a fucking nice one!" Gavin added.
I smiled.
"Well, I wish we came with good news. Unfortunately, it's not," Milo said.
"Yeah, but don't think we don't want The VII dead, too. After what they did to Z?" Jordie sneered.
"Yeah, they're dead," Jeffrey agreed.
"And now putting Cal in danger? Shit, man," Milo said.
"Yeah. They've already dropped two of our guys," Chibs said.
Milo nodded.
"And I heard someone dropped that little Italian prick," he laughed, "Sounds like something the world's smallest assassin would do."
I sat on the trunk of the car and rested my elbow on Chibs' shoulder.
"I wish I could take credit for that one," I said.
Milo grinned.
"Hey! Doesn't matter. They're down to three. They're not a club without four," he said.
"But, they were able to get Jojo out," Jordie said.
I'm sure Chibs' mirrored my disappointment.
"Shit!" Chibs hissed.
"Now it's just three angry guys after SAMCRO. Shane marked Cal a rat, and now they have a hit on the club. Retaliation for killing Tino," Milo said.
"Goddammit!" I growled.
"Hey, we got your back," Gavin said, "You, your Prez. The whole club."
"Absolutely," Milo agreed.
Chibs nodded.
"Well, we have an offer for ya guys," he said.
All attention was on Chibs.
"We need all the intel we can get on these bastards. And we need full credibility from the Freak Riders," he said, "We can compensate for your trouble."
Milo looked upon Chibs with a stern expression and clapped a hand on his shoulder.
"Brother, we can't take your money. We want to form an alliance with the Sons," he said.
"If you break alliances with The VII, they'll kill you the next time they see a window to do it in," I said to Milo.
Milo grinned.
"Who? They're not a club anymore, Cal. I lost my respect for them when Z died. We're on your side," he said.
"They didn't have their shit together, anyway," Jeffrey said.
"Yeah, we always pushed Z to challenge Shane. Change leadership. Maybe then they would act like a real MC and not a fucking mob," Jordie said.
"After Z died, it all went to hell. Now we know why. We want to help you guys," Milo said, "We'll give you all the intel. Trust me. I can see how much Callie loves you guys."
He reached down and picked up Chibs arm, pointing to the tattoo on his wrist. Chibs looked shocked, and Milo smiled.
"I never miss a tattoo. She's obviously found her way home," he said.
Chibs was speechless. Milo reached up to me and patted my cheek.
"You picked a good Queen," he said.
Chibs smiled and looked to me. I smiled back at him.
"You have my word, brother, the Freak Riders have your back," Milo said.
Chibs looked back to him and shook his hand.
"If ya guys need anythin', call," Chibs said.
Milo nodded.
"Absolutely, brother," he replied.
I smiled at Milo and Chibs. We needed this alliance desperately, and I was so glad to see them again. It gave me a sense of closure, and I wished everyone had been there to meet them. We had four new brothers, and a sudden idea flew through my head as we began to leave.
"Patch over," I said.
Chibs stared at me over the hood of the car.
"What?" he asked in surprise.
"After this shit blows over, let's patch them over," I said.
We sat down in the car and buckled ourselves in.
"SAMLONG?" he asked.
I laughed.
"Yeah," I said.
Chibs started the Challenger and put it in gear.
"Well, Tiggy does love a good patch over party," he said.
I laughed at that. I'm sure he did.
Chibs leaned over and I was greeted my a quick kiss.
"We'll see, love. Right now, I wanna get home," he said.
I just laughed.
"I bet you do," I teased.
Chibs grinned and looked over his shoulder, backing up and pulling up the drive. When he stopped at the turn, I leaned over and fiddled with the flap of his breast pocket.
"But this time, leave the cut on," I said lowly.
His eyes rolled back and his head fell to the side, staring at me with a grin.
"You wear it," he said, then stomped the gas, speeding out of the driveway.
The three hour drive took only two and half hours, and we barely made it back down the hall.
For the next few weeks, all was quiet. Business at TM was moving along steadily, and we heard nothing from our newest allies, or much from Althea. It made us all very nervous.
The tail had stopped hanging around, and Tig checked all cars on the block every day just to make sure. We heard that the investigators in Huntington had taken Shane and L in for questioning, but nothing more. Chibs suggested we keep a look out. Watch our backs at all times. It was the only thing we could do for now. I felt like a fish in a barrel. It could be days before The VII tried to strike again, or it could be hours. It made my anxiety shoot through the roof, and I hoped that was the cause of my stomach rolling.
I sat on a stool, slumped over the seat of the Suzuki while Tig helped me change the oil. My eyelids felt heavy, and had felt like that all day. It took Chibs nearly an hour to get me out of bed, much less eat breakfast. I was exhausted, and as the day rolled on, so did my stomach. I had ignored the cramping, passing it off as indigestion as I rode alongside Chibs to TM, keeping extra close. At TM, I downed two cups of coffee, and by the afternoon, I still could not wake up.
"Callie, hand me that wrench, baby girl," Tig said.
I opened my eyes, his words going unheard.
"Callie!"
I jumped and looked up. Tig snapped his fingers.
"What is up with you? Are you okay?" he asked, concerned.
I just shook my head and laid back down, blindly reaching for the wrench and handing it over. He took it and stood up, running a hand over my hair and feeling my cheeks.
"You're not hot," he said, "But you don't look so good, either."
"I'm just tired," I murmured.
He exhaled sharply and cast a glance to the clubhouse.
"I'll kill Chibby," he said.
I smiled slightly.
"I had a full night's sleep. I just can't wake up," I replied.
I had a feeling I was in for one hell of a period.
"Go get you a coffee, sweetheart," he said, sitting back down.
I snorted.
"I've had so much coffee, it feels like I'm gonna puke," I said.
Which was no lie, and as I spoke, I felt my stomach cramp. I hissed and clutched it. Tig sighed and put a hand on my shoulder.
"Go lay down, baby girl. I'll finish this for you," he said.
I just nodded and used all of my strength to haul myself to my feet and walked to the office, feeling a little dizzy. Chucky looked up at me and frowned as I entered.
"Hey, Cal," he said.
I walked straight to the couch and flopped down on it.
"Could you go get me a water, Chucky? Please?" I asked.
I heard him move.
"Absolutely. You okay?" he asked.
"Just dehydrated," I replied.
Chucky said no more as he left. The more I thought about it, I realized I could very well be dehydrated. Coffee only did so much, and I did not remember having a water the day before. Just Coke and coffee. I cursed myself for not drinking any water, and my stomach cursed with me.
Chibs downed a shot of whiskey and walked out of the office after cleaning up and doing some book work that he thoroughly detested. As he walked out to the bar, he spotted Chucky walking to the kitchen, straight to the large, industrial-sized refrigerator.
"Hey, Chuckles," he said.
Chucky turned his head and smiled.
"Hey, boss," he said, then opened the refrigerator door.
Chibs put the bottle of whiskey back behind the bar and wandered over to the kitchen. His eyes felt dry from staring at maps and numbers, and he needed a pick-me-up. Chucky always made him laugh, so he decided to engage him. See how the smaller man's day was going before he went out to the garage. He walked inside the doorway of the kitchen and leaned against the frame, watching as Chucky selected a chilled bottle of water. Chibs' eyebrows furrowed.
"Is the mini-fridge empty?" he asked.
Chucky grabbed a paper towel and wrapped it carefully around the cold bottle.
"No, there just wasn't any water in it. Callie wanted one. I don't think she feels good," he said.
Chibs' spine went rigid as he stared at Chucky in alarm.
"What do ya mean?" he asked.
Chucky shrugged as he walked by him.
"She didn't say anything. Just that she wanted some water. She didn't look too hot," he said.
Chibs fell into step beside him, his steps quick and determined.
"Where is she?" he asked.
"Office," Chucky replied.
Chibs nodded and followed Chucky across the compound to the office. Callie had not been herself all morning, and now his worry had kicked into high gear.
I heard the door open, and opened my eyes to see sunlight on the ceiling. I rolled onto my back to see Chucky enter, another figure behind him. He smiled kindly, opened the bottle, handed it to me.
"Thank-you, Chucky," I said.
He smiled and nodded before returning to the desk. I sat up and sipped the cold water, enjoying the relieving chill as it hit stomach. Chibs had followed Chucky in, and I could see the deep concern written on his face.
"Hey, darlin'," he said softly.
I looked up at him as I put the cap back on the bottle. He sat on the edge of the cushions and put an arm around my shoulders.
"Ya okay?" he asked.
I shook my head.
"Headache?" he asked.
I settled back down and let my head rest against his hip.
"Stomach," I replied.
He sighed and turned to me.
"Can ya sit up for me, love?" he asked.
I grunted and pushed myself up. He slipped himself under me and I laid my head in his lap, turning my head to rest the side of my face on his stomach.
"I am never eating Molten Cantina tacos ever again," I grumbled.
Chibs chuckled and brushed my fringe out of my eyes.
"It's probably the lava sauce. Overdid it," he replied.
"I know, but it was good."
Chibs reached down and lightly rubbed my stomach. It actually helped relieve the cramping, and I was able to rest in peace for a moment.
"Have ya puked or anythin'?" he asked.
I shook my head.
"Nothing," I replied, "Feel like I could."
Chibs sighed.
"'Kay. Well, I'm done here for today. You good to ride?" he asked.
I shook my head. Doubt I had the strength to hold my bike up.
"Alright. Ya can leave the Suzuki in the garage. I'll run home and get the car and come pick ya up, okay?" he asked.
I just nodded. He slipped a pillow under my head.
"Love you," he said softly.
I opened my eyes and smiled. He kissed me lightly.
"Love you, too," I murmured.
He smiled and ruffled my hair before telling Chucky to keep an eye on me.
Chibs walked out to the garage to find Tig finishing up on Callie's bike.
"Hey," Chibs said.
Tig looked up from wiping oil from his hands.
"Hey, brother," he replied.
Chibs pointed to the bike.
"Ya finished with this beast?" he asked.
Tig nodded.
"Yeah. I was going to push it back out. I'm scared to ride it," he said.
Chibs laughed.
"I'll just move it to the side. Lock it up in here. I'm gonna run to the house and get the car. Callie can't ride," he said.
Tig cringed.
"She's been out of it all day. Is she okay?" he asked worriedly.
Chibs put his hands on his hips.
"She says her stomach hurts. Could be indigestion," he said.
"Brother, she fell asleep while I was trying to talk to her. Something's not right. Was she up all night?" Tig asked.
Chibs shook his head.
"Nah. She went to bed around 11:00. Out like a light," he replied.
Tig shook his head and put his tools up.
"Well, it can't be food poisoning. It would have already hit her. You don't think it's her appendix?" he asked.
Chibs' eyes widened. That had not crossed his mind.
"If she gets worse, we'll go to St. Thomas. I doubt that's it, though," he said, "She'd be running a fever."
"Yeah, she wasn't hot," Tig agreed.
"Might be the worst part of the month for her, if ya know what I mean," Chibs replied.
Tig cringed and held his hands up.
"Stop!"
Chibs grinned.
"Could be dehydration, though. But, we'll see. I'm gonna head to the house. Keep an eye on her, yeah?"
Tig nodded.
"Absolutely, brother," he replied.
With that, Chibs hugged his VP and said goodbye to the other mechanics and club members on duty before walking out to his Dyna and speeding home.
I sat curled up in one of the recliners, dozing in and out while watching TV. After a nap, my stomach finally settled, leaving me exhausted and just simply drained. The cramping had ceased, and the rolling was gone. However, I still felt like shit. Chibs was doing various house chores, leaving me to nap. When I woke up again, it was dusk, and some weird movie was playing on TV. I had lost track of the remote, so I settled for whatever was playing, only to find out it was Alien Vs. Predator after the commercial break. I had never seen it, and thought it might be interesting. However, I had missed part of it, so it did not make any sense. I twisted myself around in the wide recliner, pulled my blanket up, and found myself drawn to the blonde dude on the screen. He looked like someone I knew.
Chibs entered the living room and walked up to me.
"Hey, darlin'," he said softly.
I looked up at him and smiled.
"Hey."
He rubbed the top of my head.
"Whatcha watchin'?" he asked.
I shrugged.
"Alien Vs. Predator," I replied, "I normally don't like these kind of movies, but I thought I'd give it a try."
Chibs lightly rubbed the back of my neck. I looked up at him, then back at the screen to the blonde dude and smiled. He slightly resembled Chibs in a way.
"Ya feelin' any better?" he asked.
I nodded.
"Ya think ya can stomach somethin'?" he asked.
I shook my head.
"Ya didn't eat lunch, love, and ya barely ate breakfast. Ya can't try something simple? Crackers? Toast?" he asked.
I shook my head again.
"Maybe later," I replied, more to satisfy him than anything.
I did not want anything in my stomach. If I felt that pain again, I would surely vom.
"'Kay. Well, can ya at least drink this? Keep yourself hydrated?" he asked.
I looked up to see him holding a bottle of blue Gatorade. I nodded and took it, opening it and sipping it. I was a little thirsty. He smiled and ran his fingers through my hair.
"Can I sit with ya?" he asked playfully.
I smiled up him and shrunk into a corner. He slid in and I climbed into his lap. He leaned the recliner back and pulled the blanket over my legs. I settled against his shoulder, my left side and butt sliding into the corner of the chair. He wrapped his right arm around me and draped the other over my legs, rubbing a thigh through the fleece. I pointed to the screen.
"You see that blonde dude?" I asked.
Chibs squinted.
"Which one, love?" he asked.
I stretched my arm out, as if it would make a more precise point.
"That one right," I paused until the camera was on him again, "there!"
"Oh! Yeah," he replied.
I looked up at him and smiled.
"He could be your twin," I said jokingly.
Chibs burst out laughing.
"Jesus!" he said.
I laughed and looked back to the screen.
"Well, he could be," I said.
"I would never bleach my hair. Not in a million years!" he said.
I laughed at that. I did not think he would make a good blonde either.
We settled in silence, Chibs making fun of the special effects. They were a little shabby. Reminded me of the Power Rangers show a little. I lost interest in the movie after a while, and nuzzled against his collarbone. I put an arm around his torso and closed my eyes, having a sudden desire to cuddle. He did not object, and shifted so he could hold me and kissed my forehead. I let my hand clutch the beads around his neck as little Thomas had. He did not seem to mind, and with his body heat and a thumb rubbing my lower back, I was lulled to sleep once again.
Chibs kissed Callie's forehead. Her eyelids fell closed, glassy blue eyes disappearing, and her breathing becoming steady. She fell asleep in his arms, and he hated that the only thing he could do to soothe her was this. Of course, if he could spend all day holding her, he would, but he knew she was in pain, and that bothered him. He wished there was more he could do. It was natural for him to get anxious when someone did not feel themselves. He was someone who wanted to help in any way possible. His inner doctor. He wished there was a pill, or band-aid to make this right. Something he could rub ointment on or stitch up. A kind of pain that could be remedied by stretching and massaging the muscle. Something he could physically do, knowing he was making a difference. In this case, there was nothing to do but wait.
He sighed and laid his head against hers, ignoring the movie and his stomach growling, ready for the leftover Molten burrito in the refrigerator. He was no stranger to ignoring hunger, and he was not about to get up and rouse his Old Lady. He would sit with her all night until she was well again. Or at least, until he was sure she was on the mend. Until she needed him. He was right there.
The next day came with only a simple headache from dehydration and an itch to go outside and ride my bike. The pain was gone, and had remained that way throughout the night. When I woke up, it was the break of dawn, and surprisingly enough, Chibs was still beneath me, snoring softly. He had not moved throughout the entire night. I smiled and laid my head back on his shoulder. I reached into my pocket for my phone to check the time. I knew it was early, but I needed to get up, have a shower, and get to TM before they opened so the guys could help me put the finishing touches on the Sportster.
I opened my phone, noting its battery was low, and saw that it was almost 6:30. However, when my eyes fell upon the date, I did a double-take, blinking is disbelief. I even closed my phone and opened it again to see that the date remained unchanged. Suddenly, my mood shot through the roof, making my morning instantly better. I was never one to keep track of dates, but this was a pleasant surprise.
I carefully slipped off of Chibs, who sniffed sharply and woke up.
"Morning, baby," I said as I caught the blanket before it could hit the floor.
Chibs looked up at me and smiled.
"Mornin', sweetheart. Ya feelin' better?" he asked.
I smiled and nodded, then leaned over and tilted his chin up to kiss him.
"You can go back to sleep. It's still early. I'm going to go take a shower," I said.
He nodded.
"'Kay," he said sleepily.
I knew he would probably pass out again, but that was okay. It gave me time to get ready without him needing in the bathroom. The curse of a one-bathroom house with more than one occupant.
After my shower, Chibs had his while I made myself breakfast. I did not even dare make anything heavy. Just toast with butter, then afterwards half a glass of water to wash everything down. If I was starving by 9:00, that was fine. So long as I did not get another stomachache. I still had no idea what brought it on. I never puked or had to surrender to the toilet. Just a weird day of misery, I suppose. Whatever it was, it seemed to be over with, and I felt pretty good today. A little stiff from not moving much yesterday, but other than that, I was fine. I even had coffee ready to go by the time Chibs returned from his shower, wearing a gray, short-sleeved t-shirt and blue jeans with his brown lace boots.
"Hey, sweetheart. Coffee's hot," I said as I rinsed my plate.
He tucked his necklace into his shirt and glanced at the coffee machine.
"Thank-you, lovely," he said, then walked by me and kissed the top of my head, "I'm gonna have a smoke. Did ya eat?"
I placed my plate in the drainer and finished my water.
"Yeah. Toast," I replied.
He nodded and smiled, glad that I was on the mend. He slipped out onto the back porch and I followed, not interested in having smoke. Since I had almost choked myself after the nightmare I had before I received my crow, I had not wanted to touch another. The cravings were hell, but I pushed through it, as hard as it was. I just kept myself busy and remembered how I thought I was going to die from choking to death.
Chibs was leaning against the railing. I perched myself on the wooden beams, facing him.
"You have your phone on you?" I asked.
He nodded.
"What's today?" I asked.
He pulled his phone out of his pocket and checked it.
"May 14th," he replied.
I nodded. My phone was accurate.
"Why?" he asked, taking one of my hands in his, "What's so special about today?"
I bit my lip. I did not want a big deal to be made when I told him, but knowing him, he'd figure out some way to glamorize it.
"I turn 34 today," I said, acting like it was no big deal and looking away from him.
He froze.
"You're shittin' me!" he exclaimed.
I shook my head.
"Today's your birthday?" he asked, eyes as big as baseballs.
I nodded meekly.
"Yeah. Lost track of the days. I keep thinking it's still April," I replied.
A smile slowly appeared on his lips, and he lifted the hand he was holding to kiss my knuckles. I smiled and his lips crashed against mine.
"Happy Birthday, sweet girl," he said, "We'll do somethin' special tonight."
I smiled and put my arms around his neck.
"You don't have to do anything out of the way. It's just another day to me," I said.
He smirked. He already had a plan in his thick skull. I could see it in his eyes.
"Bullshit, Callie. We'll do somethin'. Party at the clubhouse or somethin'," he said.
And he wouldd have all the arrangements made within an hour.
"How about we just go riding?" I suggested, "My bike will be finished today. We can go out to the overlook. Chase off all the teenagers?"
He smiled at that.
"Sounds good to me, love," he said.
I kissed him once more before he finished his smoke and we returned inside.
At TM, Happy was waiting for me. He waved me into the garage and away from the guys.
"Is it finished?" I asked.
"Yeah! Check this shit out," he said excitedly.
He brought me over to the airbrush station and produced the tear-drop gas tank that would soon be added to the rest of the bike and refilled with gas. When I saw the artwork on it, my jaw dropped. On the widest end on the right side was a bright yellow sun, its rays fanning out across the tank.
"Holy shit, Hap! This is beautiful!" I gushed.
He smiled.
"You like it?" he asked.
I smiled and hugged him.
"I love it. You did an amazing job," I said, "Thank-you."
"You're welcome, kid," he replied.
We parted and looked back down at the tank.
"Can I ask why you wanted a sun on it?" he asked.
I smiled.
"You'll see. I want to show it to everyone first," I said.
Happy nodded. We heard Chibs' voice carry into the garage as he spoke to Rane, and quickly recovered it with a sheet. He held his index finger to his lips, shushing me. I smiled and we walked away from the tank to our Prez and waited for the rest of our brothers to arrive.
It did not take long for everyone to come in. Tig and T.O. arrived at the same time, and Rat shortly after. Montez was the last to arrive. Happy carefully wrapped up the tank and led us to the clubhouse as the garage opened up for the day. Chibs fell in step with me and gestured to Happy.
"What's he doin'?" he asked.
I smiled up at him.
"He wanted to show you guys how well the airbrush kit works," I replied.
Chibs just shrugged. Happy led us inside the clubhouse and brought the tank around to the pool table.
"You let him airbrush your tank?" Tig asked, "I thought we were sticking with red and black?"
"Ruined," Rat said.
Happy looked ready snap the boy's head off.
"Would you guys just shut up?" I asked, then turned to Happy, "Show them, Hap."
Happy smiled and pulled the sheet off, revealing the candy apple red tank, and turned it so the guys could see his artwork.
"Holy shit!" Chibs exclaimed.
Tig leaned over for a closer look.
"Oh wow, Hap. That's beautiful," he said.
Happy smiled, then cut his eyes at Rat.
"What do ya gotta say about it now, fool?" he asked.
We laughed and Rat cowered.
"I was just kidding. Damn!" he said meekly.
I walked by him and patted his back.
"That looks so real," Tig commented.
Chibs gave Happy a thumbs-up.
"Flawless," he commented, then turned to me, "Why a sun, though?"
I sat on the edge of the pool table and looked down at the tank.
"Juicey," I replied, "I wanted some kind of tribute to him."
Chibs smiled warmly, then walked up to hug me.
"It's beautiful, sweetheart," he said.
"That is fucking beautiful, Callie. Good job, Hap," Rane said.
I watched him give the Sergeant at Arms a high-five.
"Well, let's go out there and put the bike together," Tig said, "All of your parts are in."
"Let's get on that, and then tonight, I want everyone back here at 7:00. All of us," Chibs said.
The boys looked confused.
"Why?" Rat asked.
Chibs put an arm around my shoulders and smiled. I felt my face fall.
"Oh, Chibs. Come on!" I protested.
"Our Callie thought she could get away with not telling us today was her birthday," he replied.
The guys smiled. Tig attacked me with a hug.
"Happy Birthday, baby girl. Why didn't you want us to know?" he asked.
I shrugged.
"It's no big deal," I replied.
Tig's eyes were terrifying.
"Bullshit," he said.
Chibs laughed.
"That's what I said!"
Tig smiled and shook his head.
"We're partying. I'll have Venus make you a cake. How old are you?" he asked.
"34," I replied.
"Then, 34 candles it is. We're partying hard tonight, darlin'," he said.
I just smiled. There was no getting out of this.
Chibs clapped his hands together.
"Out with all of ya! Hap, take that tank back out so they can get started. I need to talk to Callie for a minute," he said.
I turned my head to look up at him in confusion. What did I do now?
Happy recovered the tank and toted it back out, following the rest of our brothers out the door. We waited in silence until the door was closed before Chibs spoke.
"Why don't ya want us celebratin' your birthday?" he asked.
I looked down, ashamed of myself. For years, since Z died, I had detested the day. It became a dark day for me. That and Christmas. Happy days did not hold any joy when you lived alone, the people dearest to you were six feet in the ground.
"Never had a reason to be excited about it. Didn't think I'd make it to this one, either," I replied quietly, not meeting his eyes.
Chibs sighed and pulled me into a hug.
"Well, get excited. Ya have seven of us who want to see as many of your birthdays as possible," he said, pulling back to cup my cheek, "This is gonna be the best one. I promise."
I smiled at that, and he leaned over and kissed me.
"I'm holding you to that," I said.
He grinned and took my hips, helping me down from the table.
"Come on. Let's go finish that bike," he said.
I agreed and followed him out the door.
"What happened to you yesterday, baby girl? Food poisoning?" Tig asked as I helped install my custom seat, which allowed me just a little bit more leg room.
"I don't fucking know, man. It was weird. It quit by the time I got home. Most likely dehydration. I have a little bit of a headache today, but other than that, I'm fine," I replied.
Tig fought with the seat, as the stud beneath it refused to cooperate.
"What the hell is wrong with this? Where'd you buy this?" he asked, frustrated.
"Harley. It's supposed to work just fine," I replied.
Tig wiggled the seat and moved it at an angle before it finally slipped into place with a loud click.
"Got it?" I asked.
Tig sighed.
"Yeah. Shit," he said.
I laughed and held up the screw so he could finish the installation.
"Chibby thought it might be…you know? The bad time," he said.
I furrowed my eyebrows. It took me a second before I realized what he was talking about.
"Oh! That!" I said, "I sure fucking hope so!"
Tig laughed and finished installing the seat.
"Viola, baby girl! Your bike is complete. I'll see if we have a gas can sitting around. We can fill it up a little and you can take it to the gas station down the street and top it off. Chibby said you wanted to go riding."
I nodded.
"When you get back, we'll go after we close and go eat. Wherever you want. On me," he said.
I smiled and walked around the bike to hug him.
"Thank-you, Tiggy," I said.
Tig gave me a light squeeze and kissed the top of my head.
"You're so welcome, baby girl. And Happy Birthday," he said softly.
I smiled up at him. He had no idea how much I appreciated everything he, as well as the rest of the club did for me.
"What are ya gonna do about that one? That's four bikes and a car at Chibby's," he said.
I cast a glance at the Suzuki. So much money had been spent on it. Changing the wheels and the seat. Turbo-charging it. Many things I could not even bring to mind. Now, it just reminded me of Juice's bike, and how much of a beacon it was for people who wanted me dead.
"Get me a For Sale sign. Put the money in the treasury account," I said.
Tig's eyes widened and his jaw dropped.
"Are you fucking kidding me? You don't want it anymore?" he asked in surprise.
I smiled at him.
"Zero started me on Harley. I didn't realize how much I missed it until I started riding with you guys. I think it's time to get back to it full time," I replied.
He smiled.
"Once a Harley rider, always a Harley rider," he said.
I laughed as he patted my back.
"Hey, Rat?" Tig barked across the garage.
Rat's head popped up from a bike he was working on.
"Yeah?" he asked.
"Find a gas can. See if you can find one with some gas in it so we can get this bike warmed up," he said.
Rat nodded and passed off his work to a mechanic he was helping before pursuing the gas can. He returned with one a few minutes later and passed it off to Tig. Tig shook it, listening for how much it contained.
"That should be enough to get ya to the gas station," he said.
I nodded and took the can, opening the tank and filling it. Afterwards, I started the bike and let it warm up for a minute.
"I'll let Chibby know you ran to get gas. Are you carrying?" he asked.
I nodded.
"Always," I replied.
Tig nodded and kissed my forehead.
"Be safe. Take it easy until you break it in," he said.
I nodded and slowly let off on the clutch, rolling forward and feeling the power begin to seep in. I was so ready to hit the highway tonight.
I rode out of the compound and looked both ways before crossing the road and riding down to the gas station on the corner, being able to change gears for the first time. Tig and everyone else who helped me rebuild the bike knew exactly what they were doing. I had never ridden such a responsive and well-mannered little bike. Even the Dyna tried to bite. This one was just like Tig had said—made for me.
I pulled up to the gas station and selected one of the four pumps. It was a small convenience store that was club friendly, and I had become familiar with the plump lady who owned it. She was always nice to us. Her husband rode bikes before he wrecked and lost his life on a road trip. That was an unfortunate curse of being a biker, but she always seemed in good graces, and gave us free food from the grill. Besides that, she was quite smitten with Rane.
"Hey, girl!" she said as I walked in.
"Hey," I replied.
"How much ya need, sugar?" she asked.
"$10. Pump #2," I replied.
I handed her a ten dollar bill.
"You got you a new bike, I see," she said, looking out the window, "You're riding something different every time I see ya."
I smiled.
"Well, I was having an issue with mine. Borrowed my Old Man's Dyna. Tigger bought me that when I patched in. Just now got it finished," I replied.
She smiled.
"Well, you have fun on that thing. And ride safe," she said.
I nodded.
"I will. Thank-you."
"See ya later, girl," she replied.
I walked back outside, waited for a car to pass, then proceeded across the parking lot to the pump. I wondered if ten was too much to fill it, but the pump stopped just as the liquid made it to the rim. I smiled to myself and hung up the nozzle before replacing the gas cap. I began to put my helmet on when a black van squealed up beside me. I did not have time to react as the side door opened and a guy dressed completely in black climbed out and grabbed me. I screamed and fought against him, but he covered my mouth with a gloved hand and threw me into the van, my bike getting knocked over in the process.
"You got her?" I heard someone ask as I fumbled around the dark van, trying to get up and fight back.
The door closed and the man took his mask off, revealing a little motherfucker I knew all too well.
"Yeah. Let's get the fuck out of here!" he replied.
With that, they stepped on the gas.
Tig returned from using the bathroom and walked out into the parking lot. He was surprised the find that the little red Sportster was still not back. He walked around the corner to see no one leaving or entering the lot. He knew it did not take 20 minutes to get gas. He checked his phone for missed calls, wondering if perhaps the bike had stalled and she was stranded. He found no missed calls, and decided to go find Chibs, thinking he might have been called. He turned on his heel and walked back into the clubhouse.
Chibs was in the office and was just coming out, lighting a cigarette on the way.
"Hey," Tig said.
Chibs looked up and blew smoke out of his mouth.
"Hey. Callie back?" he asked.
Tig shook his head.
"No," he replied.
Chibs froze.
"Well, where the hell is she?" he asked.
"I don't know, brother. She left 20 minutes ago. Has she called you?" he asked.
Chibs began to walk to the door and Tig followed behind. Chibs checked his phone, finding nothing. His heart began to race. It was a five minute drive to the gas station, and took ten minutes on a bad day to get gas. She should have been back by now.
"Tiggy, go find her," he said.
Tig nodded and jogged off to his bike. Chibs sat down on one of the picnic tables and finished his cigarette, nervously tapping his fingers on his pants legs and cursing himself for not going with her.
His phone, which he was clutching tightly in his hand, vibrated with a call just as Tig was leaving. He quickly answered it.
"Hello?"
"Chibs? It's Milo. Brother, The VII are in Charming. We just got wind of their whereabouts. You gotta get Callie somewhere safe," he said.
Chibs felt his blood run cold.
"Chibs?" Milo asked when he didn't reply.
"Aye," was all Chibs could say.
He shoved his phone in his pocket, made sure he was armed, then shot out from under the awning to the garage.
"HAP! WE GOTTA GO! NOW!" he screamed.
Happy bolted out of the garage and ran to the bikes. He did not ask anything as he grabbed his helmet from his gas tank. Chibs started his bike and ripped out of the lot, leaving Happy to eat his dust. He could kick his own ass a million times over, and he swore if something had happened to her, he would never forgive himself.