Owned (11 page)

“
One
, I own you, understand that,” I whispered into her ear then moved away.

We took a few steps. I kept my hand on her neck as we walked side-by-side toward the group. As we approached the group, I pulled her head close to mine, and nibbled the bottom of her earlobe.

“
Two
, I’m proud of you today,” I whispered, and released her neck as we stepped to the table where everyone was gathered.

She turned my direction, made eye contact, and smiled.

“Fifteen minutes, Kelli. We’re leaving in
fifteen
minutes,” Heather jumped up from her seat as we approached.

“Let’s get saddled up. Colors in the front and colors in the rear. Get ‘em lined up, fella’s,” Bone said, holding his hand in the air.

“We’re gonna put some shit in your bag, Crash,” I said to Teddy as he stood from his seat.

“Fuck that, make her hold her own shit,” Teddy laughed as he slapped Kelli on the back.

As we walked to our bikes, I took Kelli’s purse, shirt, and the packet. I placed them in Teddy’s saddle bag, and secured the latch.

“I put that shit in your right bag, Crash,” I said to Teddy as he got on his bike.

“I saw ya. Get on babe,” he laughed as he started his bike and motioned to Heather.

I held my hand in the air to help Kelli onto the bike. She grabbed my hand, stepped over the bike, and rested in her seat. She wrapped her arms around me and gave me an exaggerated hug, squeezing me hard, and then released me.

“You ready for this, baby girl?” I asked as I started the bike.

She leaned close to my face and whispered into my right ear, “Yes sir,” and then positioned herself into her seat.

I turned toward her, and reached around with my right hand, and slid it to the rear of her neck. Pulling her close to me, I kissed her lips. I pulled away, looked into her eyes and then kissed her again, softly. I tilted my head, and whispered into her ear.

“
And three,
I’m going to fuck you on this poker run today. Somewhere, before this is over, I’m going to fill you with cock. Do you understand me?’ I asked.

“Yes sir,
Doc
,” she smiled.

As much as I enjoyed the fact that she made all of the right moves, and had all of the right answers, for some reason I yearned for her to make a mistake. To do something irritating, to make some form of identifiable error. This would allow me to understand that she was human. So far, she was perfect, and no one is perfect. Not for very long.

As all of the participants walked to their bikes, we positioned ourselves into formation. People began to start their bikes and rev their engines. The sound, as always, was satisfying and exhilarating to me.

The police officer waved as we pulled out into the street to lead the beginning of the ride. Side by side, there were ten ranks in front of Kelli and I, and approximately five behind us. This group we started with would ride together in this formation throughout the day, until the event was over. Smaller groups would filter out behind us, everyone riding the same route at their own pace and fashion.

The first stop was about fifty miles away at a small city south of Wichita. The stop was a local restaurant that provided support for the club. The reason for the annual event was ultimately to raise money for a particular charity. The premise was to filter a thousand bikers into the establishments that supported the group and helped sponsor it through posters, flyers, and word of mouth. This familiarized the bikers with the establishment, and bikers typically being a loyal group – would continue to patronize the establishments in the future.

As we pulled in and parked, Heather screamed from the back of Teddy’s bike.

“Oh my God, Kelli, this is so much
fun
,” she squealed.

Kelli stepped off the bike, and I put the kickstand down and parked.

“Probably have a hard time keeping
her
off the back of your bike, Crash,” I laughed.

“I’m gonna have to get me one of those shirts that says,
‘If you can read this shirt, my bitch fell off’
and start wearing it, I guess,” Teddy laughed as he put his kick stand down.

“So
there’s five stops?” Kelli asked as she adjusted her ponytail.

I nodded and started to respond.

“And the next one is in Douglas at the fire station?”

“Very good,” I responded.

She couldn’t contain her pride, and smiled. She wrapped her arm around mine and we started walking toward the restaurant.

“Each stop gives each player a random ‘card’ from a deck of fifty-two playing cards. You don’t actually get a card, but you get a ‘punch’ on your ticket,” I said as I pulled our ticket from my pocket.

“See? There’s fifty-two spaces on this envelope. They’re numbered one through fifty-two. When we go inside, they’ll have you reach into a sack, and pull out a numbered chit. They’ll verify the number, and punch it on the card,” I pointed to the numbers on the envelope.

“Each person has an envelope, with a card sealed inside. The card inside has each card in a deck of cards depicted on it, but you can’t see the inside or see how you’re doing. At the end, you turn your envelope that holds the card in to the proctor, and they open them and grade them individually. The best ‘poker’ hand wins the best prize,” I handed Kelli the envelope that held the card.

“So, you want like a full house or four of a kind, but you don’t know until the end if you’re winning? Until they open your card for you?” Kelli studied the card as she spoke.

“Yeah, it keeps fuckers like
Shakey and the Easter Bunny from cheatin’,” Teddy laughed as we walked inside.

“Been doing this twenty years, and I ain’t never won shit, these things are rigged,” Bunny laughed.

“Amen,” Shakey agreed.

“Pick a good one,” Teddy said as Kelli reached into the sack.

“Seven,” Kelli said as she handed the woman the chit.

The woman punched the number seven on the card, and handed it back. Kelli handed me the card, smiling.

“Keep it, baby girl. You’ll need it four more times,” I nodded at her as I spoke.

“I don’t get it,” Heather complained.

“It ain’t to be
got
, babe. We ride, we eat bar-b-que at the end, and we drink beer. That’s all that matters, babe. Doc’s anal retentive, he’s got to explain everything to everyone…‘less it’s answering a question, and then he talks in circles,” Teddy laughed as Heather pulled a chit from the bag.

“Eleven,” Heather screamed as if she’d won the lottery, “my favorite number.”

“Good job, babe,” Teddy said as he leaned toward her, kissing her on the lips.

Seeing Teddy and Heather made me feel as if Kelli and I being together just
might
work. I’d seen Teddy with women over the years, but I’d never seen him happy like this. He appeared to be a different person. He seemed full of life. Even when we’re truly honest with ourselves, it’s difficult for us to see who we
really
are. To see what and who other people see in us. As I watched them turn to walk away, I wondered what others saw in me.

After everyone was finished with the restroom and drinks, we walked out to the bikes. Heather was on Teddy’s back piggy-back riding to his bike. I looked at them and shook my head
lightly in disbelief. Not disbelief in
what
they were doing, but in the fact they had achieved this in such a short period of time.

“Bunny, do I look happy?” I screamed at Easter as he got on his bike.

“As a clam, Doc,” he said over his shoulder.

“You didn’t even look my direction,” I screamed.

“Don’t have to, Doc,” he said as he started his bike. He revved the motor and cupped his hand to his ear.

I stepped onto the bike and held my hand up to assist Kelli. As she placed her arms around me, I wondered what she was thinking - what she saw when she looked at me. What she felt like. What she thought when she looked at
us.
Full of an unidentifiable emotion, I started the bike. As I revved the motor and waited for the rest of the riders to prepare, I wanted.

I wanted closure.

I wanted to turn the page.

I wanted to end.

And to begin.

My mother.
My father. Kelli running the dealership. My house. Slick. The trial. Kelli’s father. Kelli. Us. Attempting a relationship. Potential failure.

“Doc!
You straight?” Teddy screamed.

“Yeah, I’m good,” I responded, looking up at the road.

“We’re pulling out Doc, it’s
on you
,” he screamed over the sound his exhaust.

Staring ahead, I realized that the group had pulled out onto the road and was well on their way. I released the clutch and accelerated rapidly to catch them. Kelli squeezed my waist tight as I sped up. I shifted into high gear and released my hand from the clutch lever.

With my left hand I reached toward her, while focusing to the road ahead. Her hand met mine, and she fumbled with it for a moment. Her fingers slid across my palm, and clasped around my index finger. As she squeezed my finger lightly in the palm of her hand, I felt relaxed, comfortable, and at peace.

My baby girl.

ERIK.
Life has proven to me that the most amazing things happen at the times you least expect them. God’s greatest offerings can often, by the best of us, be overlooked. I have always believed that God provides us with opportunities, and it is our responsibility to recognize them as such. We then need to choose to either take advantage of them or continue along the path we were on when they were presented to us. Not all of life’s offerings are good ones. Knowing how to identify and separate these things is what allows us to potentially live a richer life.

Living life is simply making a series of decisions. Making good ones allows a blessed life to be lived. Making bad ones leaves us wading through the muck and mire, wanting and wishing for more.

“Holy shit,” I stopped and stared in disbelief. Not much over five feet tall, she stood there, as beautiful as ever, her once blonde hair now somewhat grey.

“Kelli, I want you to meet someone,” I let go of Kelli and opened my arms.

“Aftiel, you crazy witch. What in the devil are you doing here?” I hugged her tightly.

“Kelli, this is
Aftiel. She’s the only witch I know,” I said as I released her from my grasp.

“How’s the coven?” I asked as Kelli reached out and shook her hand.

“Pleasure’s mine, love. Kelli, is it? With an “I” I’m sure,” Aftiel said as she studied Kelli.

“Be careful, Kelli,
Aftiel
knows
things about people,” I laughed as I patted her on the shoulder.

“The coven is good. We’re growing older each day,” she said as she looked up and down my frame.

“You make me nervous when you look at me like that, what are you doing?” I asked.

“Just wondering how you are. I shipped you the talisman, and it was returned,” she complained, raising her eyebrows as she spoke.

“Now, you’ve known me for years. I get my mail about once every four months. I hate mail. It was shipped back because the mailbox got full, I’m sure. Or if I had to sign for it, well…anyway. My apologies,” holding my hands out, palms up, I apologized.

She reached into her purse, and pulled out a small envelope about the size of a pack of cigarettes, and a third as thick. She shook it in front of me as she spoke.

“This has been blessed. The talisman, the cord…Erik, this is important. Holding the talisman in your left hand, burn the paper that it is wrapped with in a bowl and then toss the ashes into the air. Secure the talisman with the cord, and wear it, hang it in your house, or use it as a charm. Do not, and I mean do not let anyone but you touch it. It’s been blessed specifically for you,” she said as she handed me the package.

“Are there instructions in here? And no one touches it before or after the ritual?” I asked as I took the package from her grasp.

“You should be the only one. Whoever else may touch it can allow whatever they possess that is bad to be absorbed into the talisman…and you. Don’t let anyone else touch it. Not unless you know that they’re pure. Erik, just keep people away from it - don’t make this difficult,” she said as I placed the package into my front pocket.

“Well, everyone has gone in. Come in, join us,” I said as I wrapped my left arm around Kelli’s shoulder.

“No, I have to go. I have a million things to do,” she wiped her eyes as she spoke.