MC: Moniz: Book 9 (10 page)

“They need anythin’ tell us. We owe it to them. Little Ben lost track of her because of all the shit that was happenin’. It wasn’t until later we started keepin’ track. It was new to us.”

He’s explaining it to me? “I don’t hold Little Ben or the Brothers responsible. It was Casper. He should have known better but it can’t be undone. I meant what I told Lilly, I’m fuckin’ pissed, but he’s dead. He was a good Brother up until then.”

He just sits and we finish our beer.

We waited so long for them to be done. She had the surgeries back-to-back. Her foot has a plate that will keep her ankle straight so she won’t be limping like she was. The doctor said the brace she wears will keep her walking without pain. It’s a Baxter design. Mitch even measured Aubrey herself. The second one took out the scar tissue, but she may need another surgery when she gets older. Now we wait for her to wake up. Marty, Jeremy and Jacob are here waiting with me. Jeremy hasn’t let her go since they brought her down to the room. The Brothers and old ladies are in the waiting room with Lilly and Brenda.

She moves and I’m over her. I promised her I’d be the first person she sees when she wakes up and I’ve been waiting for fuckin’ ever to keep that promise. When her eyes open it takes her a minute to focus. “Geek.”

I put my hand on her face. “Yeah Half Pint I’m here.” She smiles and closes her eyes. I look at Jeremy ready to ask if she’s all right, but he’s smiling. Marty is standing on the side of me with her hand on her mouth. “With Jeremy smiling, I’m saying she’s good.” Jeremy laughs.

“She’s good Geek. She won’t need another surgery. Jeremy said she’s perfect,” Jacob says.

Jeremy grabs my hand, “Like Rayne.”

It takes me a minute. Rayne got the metal back and Jake said he’s walking with robotics now. I nod. If Half Pint can walk with no limp she won’t keep falling and that, to me, is perfect. He nods.

When she wakes up again she stays awake. Marty takes Jacob out to tell everyone she’s awake and they can come in. The room fills with people, flowers, balloons and toys to keep her busy. While Little Ben is with her I walk the corridor feeling relieved, but needing to get rid of the stress of waiting all day.

Cloud comes out of the room with his phone to his ear. He walks right to me. “I need to go there’s trouble at Baxters.”

“Thanks for showing Brother.”

He man hugs me. “Jeremy says she’s going to be fine. She does good with you Geek. I didn’t know Casper, but he fucked their lives up not seeing what was right in front of him. Pay attention to the visions Brother. You’ve seen too much to fuck it up, but you don’t understand all of it either. Trust in the kids, they know more than we do. Christian saw you, Marty and Aubrey years ago. It didn’t happen like it was supposed to, but here you are all living together. Don’t fuck it up for a second time. Who knows if there will be a third.”

I don’t have a thing to say to that. “Yeah.” He slaps my back and jogs down the corridor. I start pacing again, but now I’m wondering what the fuck I need to do to make us a family. I know I’m not letting Half Pint go. What the fuck am I supposed to do to keep Marty with me? She’s a good woman. She does everything she can to make sure Half Pint is taken care of. She’s even giving her the time she needs to heal at her own pace. She’s funny, smart and driven. I can’t even remember what it was like without them in the house.

“Maybe that’s because you weren’t in the house for long before they got there,” Rich says slapping my back.

“Fuckin’ Brothers need to wear warning signs.”

He laughs. “I’ll have Patches send you a list. Follow the list.”

“She doesn’t even know me. What if she’s not interested?”

He looks at me like I’m fuckin’ nuts. “Casper changed the course of her life and she still ended up with you and you’re still, for all intents and purposes, her kid’s father. I’m pretty sure she ends up with you. Don’t do anything to fuck it up and it will work.” No pressure though. Fuck. He laughs. “Follow the list it works. We’ve all followed them and they work.”

“All of you?” Who the hell does Patches give lists to?

He nods with the fuckin’ smile. “Bob, Digs, Cloud, he didn’t use it, he listened to me though. He gave different ones to Little Ben, Jessie, Darren and Ricky.” They’ve all got good women except the kids, but the whores don’t ever complain about them. They must be doing something right.

“She’s a good woman. She’s been through hell. What if she’s not ready?” I start pacing again.

He puts his hand on my shoulder and I stop. “Follow the list and ask her. Be honest from the beginning. That’s the most important thing to learn. Tell her what you think right from the beginning. It’s how you set the rest of your lives; keep it honest, so it stays that way. Patches is fuckin’ smart about this shit. Ask him to explain if you don’t get something.”

“Yeah. I got this. Thanks Rich.”

He laughs again. Fuckin’ Brother. “I need to see your girl. I heard she’s going to be fine. Patch will bring Tess and the kids later. I got Jessie to cover for me but he wants to come up too.”

Love the Brotherhood. I throw him chin and call Patches asking him to bring me a list when he comes up. He’s already got it. “Fuckin’ visions.” I say when I hang up.

Marty touches my arm. ‘What now?’ she signs.

Son of a bitch. “I didn’t know you were here.”

She nods but signs. ‘Rich said you need me. You’re not supposed to do this alone,’ she signs a question mark.

Fuckin’ Rich. “It’s about us staying together. Even after Casper fucked it up the first time you still ended up with me. He told me to get a list from Patches so I don’t fuck it up. There may not be a third time. Well, Cloud said that.” I might as well tell her everything. I don’t want to start on a lie from the beginning.

She’s nodding her head. ‘I’ve thought about it too. Tess tells me it’s right. How do you get to right when we just met and all this shit is still so fresh?’

Thank fuck! I’m relieved and want to kiss her. Holy hell that came out of nowhere. “Maybe the list will help. Did Tess give you a list?” She shakes her head no. Maybe only the guys get them. I shrug. I don’t know why I get one and she doesn’t but I’m relieved she thinks the same way I do.

Rich comes out of the room with Jeremy and Jacob. “My dad is coming for them. Jeremy is exhausted and Little Ben told him to go get some sleep. Patches will be here after dinner when things calm down.” I hug the boys thanking them and throw chin to Rich. Guiding Marty back to the room I’m happy to see it’s slowing down.

Little Ben stands. “I need to get to Security there’s shit going down at Baxters.”

“You need my help?”

He looks at Aubrey then Brenda and Lilly. “I’m not saying no, I don’t want to pull you from here, but it may happen. If Lilly and Brenda can hang I’ll call if we need you.”

Brenda nods. “I wasn’t leaving until they kick me out.” Everyone laughs.

Little Ben looks back at me. “I’ll let you know.” He kisses Aubrey telling her he’ll see her tomorrow.

Fuckin’ politicians. I’m just getting back to the hospital and check the time. Fuck. It’s three-twenty. I prepare for a problem walking in the only door that’s open at this time. Driscoll is at the desk. “VP called. You’re cleared to her room.” I throw him chin happy I don’t have to deal with the sour-pussed old man behind the desk.

“It’s good to see you back at work.” He throws me chin. On the way up I realize Driscoll is manning a Security post. I need to ask about that. When the doors open I see Marty curled up in a chair.

I wake her up and she smiles. Thank fuck she’s not telling me to get away from her. “Why are you here?”

She gets tears in her eyes and I’m pissed. ‘I didn’t want to leave her.’

I grab her hand and pull her to the room. At the door she yanks on my hand causing me to stop. ‘They said only one person in the room at night. If she needed something I wanted Brenda there. At least she would ask her.’

I feel like I just got slapped. “You were sleeping out there so she would get what she needs?”

‘You could put it like that.’ She nods.

“You are her fuckin’ mother. You stay in the room where you need to be so she gets what she needs. I don’t give a fuck about one person in the room or that Brenda is still here. This is your place and you take it. If someone has a problem with that tell them to see me. I leave and want to know she’s getting the best care and that’s with you. I don’t want to come back and find you in the waiting area while she’s in the room. You get me?”

“Sir you’ll have to quiet down or leave.” A nurse comes down the hall at a fast clip.

“And you need to understand this is Aubrey’s mother. She is in the room with her at all times. If I can’t be here she is.”

Her hands go on her hips. “Only one person is allowed overnight.”

“You check with the admin office tomorrow. Take your bitch attitude and deal with three of us in the room tonight. MC Security is in the building and I can guarantee they’re better than your hospital rent a cops. I will call more if I have to or sign her out and get a nurse at the house. I’m sure the Chief of Staff would love that?” I’m not quiet and I don’t give a fuck. When I turn toward the room Curt is standing at the door. “Thanks Brother.”

I pull Marty in and go right to the bed to check on my Half Pint. Her eyes are open and she’s smiling. “Did I wake you up Half Pint?”

Brenda laughs. “I think you woke up the whole floor and you are right. They shouldn’t have kicked Marty out. She made them come back three times before she left. The last time was because their guard followed the nurse in.”

I look at Marty smiling. “Good to know you didn’t go easy; I won’t let that happen again, you will be by her side the whole time.”

She nods and tears fall. Fuckin’ tears. I put my arm out and she walks into it putting her head on my chest. She just got out of being a prisoner but was willing to stand up to the nurse. Bet the fuckin’ guard scared the shit out of her, but she stayed in the waiting area anyway.

“You came back,” Half Pint says like she’s surprised.

“I told you I’d be back after the job.” She’s looking at me and I know she wants to put her hands on my face. “Give me a minute Marty.” I move her over and bend getting my smile. Her hands go to each of my cheeks and she looks in my eyes. I wonder what she gets from this; she seems to need it at least once a day, whatever it is I give it to her. When she lets me go, I kiss her head. “Get some sleep kid you have a long day of resting to get through tomorrow.” She giggles making me smile. I love that sound.

“I can get out of here. I’ll get back tomorrow after some sleep and a shower,” Brenda says standing up and stretching.

“Why didn’t you sleep in the bed?”

“I knew you’d be back and have Marty back in here. I didn’t think she’d go far.”

Marty makes a sound and I look at her. She’s smiling signing, ‘Never.’

She gives Aubrey a kiss saying she’ll see her tomorrow. “Thanks Brenda.” I follow her to the door and tell Curt to have someone walk her to her car. I move the bed so it’s closer to Half Pint and lay down. “You can try the chair again, but I’m not taking the whole bed. Use the other half.”

She looks away, but I see her face turn red. That’s not something I normally see. I think about that as she climbs on the bed behind me. I’ve been with whores or Club chicks since I started with the MC. The old Pres took me off the streets when I was sixteen. When he found out I could run a computer he gave me a room and a job. He was good to me, even though I didn’t agree with everything he did–he was always good to me. There were always women around, but not like today. They were treated like shit back then. I’ve been with a couple of women for a few months, but it’s always easier with the whores. There’s never any drama. They never blush either. I fall asleep wondering what else would make her blush.

I wake up to him shaking my arm. I smile glad that he’s back. He promised he’d come back after the job. Aubrey was asking about him before they brought the guard in to take me out. He’s kept all his promises to her. Considering she was a virtual stranger to him I find that admirable.

He’s pissed dragging me to the room. Damn the man, he’s not giving me a chance to tell him about the nurse. I pull him to stop and let him know. He’s yelling and a nurse comes running. Dammit! He’s going to get us both thrown out.

Once he threatens to get MC Security up here I see the nurse back down. Since he’s pissed I just follow as he pulls me into the room. He’s so gentle with the kids but especially Aubrey. Brenda tells him about the guard and I start crying like an idiot. Shit. He’s happy that I didn’t meekly walk away and I’m relieved he gets why I couldn’t. For three years I’ve worried by myself. I’ve cried for my baby. I’ve seen her beaten and bleeding from a computer screen. No one knows what that feels like. I couldn’t protect her, couldn’t talk to her and couldn’t hold her when she needed me to. Helpless doesn’t even come close to explaining it. I never gave up, so hopeless isn’t it. Whatever it was I think he understands because he’s always pushing or pulling me to her. I lay beside him thinking about how happy she is. She loves him.

I thought he wanted us to leave, but he doesn’t. Tess said I don’t leave him and it’s right. My whole life I’ve never been right. My mother couldn’t stand the sight of me. When I found Casper I thought I was finally growing up and I screwed that up too. He was using me and I was too stupid to see it. Looking back I see he wasn’t really seeing me. He did things that were nice, but not like Geek. I guess intentional is how it feels. Geek does things with a purpose, sometimes it’s to make me laugh, or give Aubrey a new happy memory, but they have a purpose. Casper never did that. The day he took me to bed was the last day I saw him. He said he was busy and I believed him. I can’t believe how stupid I was. When Lilly was talking I knew she was right and Casper didn’t want me. I never really dreamed of what could have been with him. I must have known on some level.

I fall asleep thinking about how much has changed. Aubrey smiles now, I see her in real life, and she smiles.