A month later, Throttle and Nosedive had shown up in Chicago. Throttle told Nosedive to drive to the Last Chance Garage to see if I was there.

Throttle noticed that there was a car on the lift and I was under it, working.

He walked over to me and tapped the side of the car so he wouldn't startle me. I stopped what I was doing, grabbed the rag from my back pocket to wipe my hands off, then turned around.

"Hey. You 2 get here safely?"

"Yeah we did. I see you found my bike. Police have any idea who had it?"

"No. Fourby came by after I got to the garage. I told him that maybe Brie might have hired someone to take it. I was right. Brie employed Karbunkle after Limburger was taken back to Plutark."

"I would have thought that Karbunkle would have been taken back with Limburger."

"Apparently not. I'm surprised Brie was still around."

"I'm just glad that you got my bike back. Did you go over it to make sure she wasn't messed with? Including the computer?"

"Yep. No virus of any kind. I ran a virus detector through her computer and came up clean. I also gave her a tune up. She was in need of one."

Throttle smiled. "Thanks. Can we go up to the loft and talk?"

I nodded then told Nosedive to watch over everything 'til I come back down.

Nosedive nodded and watched Throttle and I go up to the loft.
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We both sat down at the table and started talking.

"So, I guess you know that Anthony apologized over the phone."

"Yes, I heard. Did you accept it?"

"I told him that I have to think about it. I also told him that what he said hurt me. He told me that he understood."

"Did he tell you that I tore into him for what he said?"

"Yes, he did. Why do you think I left? It seems that I'm not really wanted there. Your mom, Charley and Modo are helping you just fine without me there. Maybe Vinnie was right."

"I always need you with me, Michelle. I'm not complete without you."

"Maybe we should have dated longer before getting married. We're screwing everything up."

Throttle reached across the table and grabbed my hands and lightly squeezed them. I looked at his hands holding mine, then I looked up at him. I saw tears streaming down his face. It broke my heart.

"I'm a horrible person, Throttle. I don't deserve everything I have. Look what I'm doing to my family and to my friends?"

"The last time we went through this, I worried myself sick over you. We can't sever the bond we have. Look what it did to Vinnie and Harley. I don't want that to happen to us. I don't want that to happen to the boys, either."

I had to get up from the table to use the bathroom. I also had to think about what he just said. He was right. That severed connection between us and the boys would kill us all in time.

While I was in the bathroom, thinking about what Throttle just said and thinking about my options with the baby, Nosedive called up to the loft saying something about a phone call.

Throttle knocked on the bathroom door. "Babe, you have a call from the General at the base."

I opened the door. Throttle saw how wet my face was from crying. I wiped my face with my hand.

"What does the General want?"

"I don't know. Nosedive answered the phone. He left a message to have you call him back. No idea what its about."

"I'll do it when I'm not so fuckin' emotional."

"You're emotional cause your hormones are out of whack. Its normal when you're preggers."

"Speaking of the baby. Rimfire called me last night. Him and Christina are married now and looking to start a family. Only problem is, Rimfire is shooting blanks. He wanted to talk to you about impregnating Christina. I told him that you would see it as cheating even though its consensual."

"What's their other option?"

"Adoption. I told him I was thinking about putting this baby up for adoption."

Throttle looked horrified when I told him that.

"And you didn't think I had a say in this decision?"

"Another reason why I left. I knew that if I told you, you'd get pissed."

"You're damn right I'm pissed! This is my baby, too! I have some say in what happens to this baby!"

I wanted to hit him, but I didn't want to get hit back. I knew about what he did to Carbine. I didn't want to be next to get hit. This was him sober and pissed.

"Actually, you don't have a say in this. This is my decision and mine alone."

Throttle turned around and went back down to the garage, got on his bike and left. He was livid.

I went down to the garage and called the General back to see what he wanted to talk to me about.
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Quigley Field scoreboard. Throttle had just arrived at the scoreboard. He got off his bike and went looking for something to take his aggression out on. He couldn't believe that I would just make a life altering decision and not tell him. It pissed him off more and more every time he thought about it.

By the time he finally let out all his aggression on the punching bag, he finally realized what he needed to do. He was going to give me what I want. He's decided that he's going to sign the divorce papers and let me move on with my life. Even though he knows its going to hurt him and the boys. He decided that he's going to ride back to California, sign the papers then send them to me.
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Back at the garage. I had just gotten off the phone with the General. I had told him that I couldn't make it to the base to drill the new recruits due to being pregnant. He understood and to let him know when I can come back to drill the next group of recruits.

While I was working on the car that I was working on earlier, I heard someone pull up to the garage. I stopped working, wiped my hands and turned to see who it was that showed up.

I was not expecting to see Modo show up. I walked over to him and gave him a hug. He didn't return the hug. That was unlike him.

"What's wrong, Modo?"

"Throttle just called me while on his way back to California."

"And?"

"He's giving you what you want. He's going back to sign the divorce papers then send them to you."

"He could have called me to tell me that. You didn't need to."

"He's still mad that you made a decision to put the baby up for adoption without asking him for his input."

"At least the baby is going to someone I know. Its not like its going to strangers."

"You already have someone lined up?"

"Almost. I need to call him right now."

I walked over to the phone and called Rimfire. I waited for him or Christina to pick up.

A few mins. later, Rimfire picked up.

"Hey Rimfire. I gave it some thought last night and decided that you can adopt this baby after its born."

"How's Throttle like that?"

"He's pissed that I didn't talk to him about it. He's on his way back to California to sign the divorce papers."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. Vinnie was right. We did rush into this too fast. Your uncle is here at the garage. Why don't you 2 swing by for a bit."

"We'll do that. I haven't seen him in a while. We'll be there soon. Thanks." Then I hung up. I turned around and saw the shocked look on Modo's face.

"Rimfire and Christina are going to adopt the baby? Why can't they have one of their own?"

"He's shooting blanks. He wanted Throttle to impregnate Christina, and I told him that it would be like cheating."

"Throttle would think that. Michelle, I'm sorry for tearing into you after getting here. Throttle and I have been friends for a long time. It bothers me that this is happening between you 2. I'm also sorry for giving you the cold shoulder when you hugged me. You're family. I shouldn't act that way to family. Forgive me?"

I smiled and hugged him. This time he hugged me back. "You're forgiven, Modo. I'm afraid Throttle is going to say something to the boys that could make me the bad guy and make the boys hate me."

We talked a little more when Rimfire and Christina showed up. Modo couldn't wait to hug his nephew. Its been a while since he saw him last.

It wasn't long after Rimfire got out of the car when Modo hugged him. "Easy uncle Modo. I'm happy to see you too." Rimfire hugged his uncle back.

"Heh, sorry Rimfire. I didn't mean to hug you so tight. Its been a while since I've seen you."

"I heard you moved to California with Charley."

"Yes, we did. Nice little town. Michelle here, had a place built for us."

Rimfire looked at me. "Really? Where?"

"On my property. Actually, my parents left it to me after they died. Throttle, his mom and my boys live in the main house."

Christina came walking up to Rimfire and wrapped her arms around his right arm.

"Michelle, I'd like you to meet my wife, Christina. Christina, this is Michelle. She was Throttle's wife."

"You got divorced?"

"Getting divorced. Throttle is on his way back to California to sign the papers I had sent him."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"Don't be. We rushed into marriage straight from dating in one day. Our friend, Vinnie, may he rest in peace, told us we rushed too fast. Hate to say it, but I think he was right. We should have listened to him. When we found out I was pregnant, Throttle wanted to do the right thing. Maybe we should have waited longer to get married."

Rimfire looked shocked. "Wait a minute. Vinnie is dead?"

"Modo didn't tell you?"

Rimfire looked at his uncle. "Apparently, not. What about Harley?"

"Also dead. When they lost their daughter, they both fell apart. Vinnie committed suicide by riding his bike straight into a tanker truck and died instantly. A few months to a year later, Harley sliced her wrists at my house in California. Throttle found her dead in the upstairs bathroom."

Christina's hand flew to her mouth and covered it as she gasped in shock. "That's so horrible. I'm so sorry."

"Thank you, Christina. Michelle was nice enough to bury both Vinnie and Harley on her property."

Christina looked at me. "You've done a lot for them."

"Yeah, I have. Charley and the guys have become my family. Silverdawn, too."

Modo turned to me and hugged me. I hugged him back. "I've been blessed with great friends since living here."

"We're the blessed ones, Michelle. I'm just sorry you and Throttle are going your separate ways."

"Don't be, Modo. I knew this day was coming. I was prepared."

"You had a divorce lawyer on hand?"

"Yep. I took precautions in case it ever happened. He can still live in the house with his mom. I'm not going to kick them out. We're also going to have shared custody over the boys. They can live there with their father and grandma and I'll come visit them during the weekends. Nothing is getting split down the middle."

I looked at the digital clock on the wall. "Shit! I have to finish up the car I'm working on then get ready to go with Nosedive. We have an awards benefit to go to tonight."

"Why don't I finish it up for you, Michelle. You go on home and get ready."

I smiled at Modo. "That is very sweet of you, Modo. Thank you. Can someone give me a ride back to my apartment? My only means of transportation left hours ago."

"You came back here on Throttle's bike?"

"Yeah, I did. I walked down here this morning and now I wish I hadn't."

"Rimfire, sweetie. Why don't you take her home and I'll wait here for you to get back."

"Ok babe."

Rimfire and I got in the car and he drove me home.