by Emma Creed
“Jackson,” Prez’s voice comes from behind Jessie.
“Yeah, sir?” I watch him step around Jessie.
“Jess, Tac, get as much manpower down here as you can pull together, we’ll clear the vestry and get Nyx and Skid on the fuckin’ road as fast as possible.”
“Sure thing boss.” Jessie nods. “Good work.” He leans in and kisses me on my cheek before he rushes off with his phone pressed to his ear. Prez nods his head at me to show his appreciation too.
“There anything I can do to help?” I ask.
“You’ve done enough. Head up home Maddy… and thanks,” he adds the words thoughtfully. I half smile at him before I make my way back up to the cabins, then I go straight round to Carly’s to explain over an iced tea what’s happening.
“Mads, that’s gonna go a hella long way with Prez.” Carly places the iced tea on the table in front of me when I’ve finished telling her.
“So… you’ve saved the day… great. Now let’s talk about the important shit like what happened down on the beach yesterday.” She looks intrigued, and I fill her in, watching her shocked face as I reveal way more details then I intended.
“You know what this means don’t ya?” she says, sitting back and crossing her arms. My head shakes in confusion. “You’re Jessie’s old lady,” she tells me, hardly able to contain her excitement.
“Let’s not run before we can walk.” I smile trying not to match her enthusiasm, although crazy as it sounds… I like the thought of it. I’ve never had anyone care about me the way he does. Then suddenly I remember something else about yesterday.
“Hey, you asked me for a favor yesterday. I totally forgot.” I feel awful after all the things Carly’s done to help me since I’ve been here. How had I forgotten that she needed me for something?
“It’s nothing really. It’s just when the guys cleared out Chop's lodge they found this chest full of old paperwork and stuff, there were some cute photos of Chop and Skid when they were younger, and then I found this…” She disappears into her bedroom, coming back moments later with a wooden trunk that she places on the table. She opens it up, shifts through some papers, then pulls out a USB stick.
“I wondered if we could have a look at it on your laptop?”
I take it from her and inspect it carefully, the outer casing is a lot larger than the ones that are made these days. It’s old, but would plug into my laptop the same way any modern one would.
“I was hoping there might be some more pictures on this stick thing,” Carly says, closing the trunk back up and pushing it to the other end of the table.
“Yeah sure. Looks like the guys are gonna be busy today, this will keep us entertained.”
“Cool, I’ll make us a salad for lunch.” Carly hops back up from the table, and I slip the USB into my pocket.
“I’ll grab my laptop after we’ve eaten.” I smile, Carly moves around the kitchen boiling eggs and slicing up ham, while I chop up lettuce and grate some carrots before we sit out on the deck and eat.
“So, what photos you looking for?” I ask.
“I just want some of Skid when he was younger, thought it would be nice to get some photos up around here,” Carly says, placing down her fork.
“I can’t imagine Skid ever being a child,” I laugh. “He’s so manly. I’ll bet he was born with a beard and clutching a spanner,” I tease, making Carly giggle.
“Let’s hope not, or this little one’s baby photos won’t be winning any baby competitions.” She strokes her hand across her stomach with a proud smile on her face.
“What?” I look down to her hand, my eyes growing wider, and my mouth forming a huge smile. “You mean...”
“Uh-huh,” she nods. “I’ve been desperate to tell someone since I found out. You can’t tell anyone, Skid doesn’t know yet and I really wanna make it special.”
“Oh wow.” I reach over the table and squeeze her, Carly is gonna be a fantastic Mom, her natural instinct to care and love has shown since the day I arrived here.
“We’ve been trying a while, I was starting to worry, but turns out I had nothing to panic about,” she beams.
“This is the best news, Carly, just what everyone needs. Have you told your family?”
“No, you’re the only one who knows. I just can’t keep it in any longer, and I need you to help me with a few things... I want to tell them in person but they’re so far away, and I only visited a few weeks ago before I found out. Has your laptop got that Skype thing my mom keeps telling me I need to get?”
“Yes, I have.” I clap with excitement. “I’ll hook you up, show you how to use it.”
“I want to see their faces rather than tell them over the phone.”
“So when you gonna tell Skid?” I ask. “He’s gonna be so happy.”
“Well I did have this idea, I saw it in a movie and thought it was kinda cute,” she tells me, suddenly looking embarrassed.
“Go on?” I urge, this was just the distraction I need.
“So this woman, cooks up her guy’s favourite meal, gets his favourite movie, lights some candles, and when they sit down to watch it, she’s replaced the DVD with a DVD of herself telling him he’s gonna be a Daddy… it's ridiculous right?” She rolls her eyes. “But it made me cry.”
“Carly that is the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard, and we can use my laptop to do it. There’s a recording function.”
“Really…? Then let’s do it,” she says, her voice full of excitement.
We finish lunch and I nip back to Jessie’s cabin to grab my laptop. Carly makes more ice tea, and we set to work. I set her up a Skype account and show her how to use the movie maker app, before she drives into town to buy some recordable DVD’s while I clear up the lunch plates. Carly already has all the ingredients out for the pot roast she’s making for Skid, she’d even offered to make one for me and Jessie too. So, I figure I’ll save her some time and start taking care of her for a change. I make two separate pots, then carry them both round to Jessie’s and place them in his oven so I can keep an eye on them while I clear the kitchen up from breakfast.
I’m putting out the trash when Carly’s car pulls up.
“You get what you need?” I call across the yard, and she hold up the bags smiling.
“I’ll return your laptop soon as I’m done making the DVD,” she says.
“Keep it for tonight, you can Skype your mom together after.” I check around me to make sure no one is around to hear me. “I’ve made the pot roasts, I’ll bring yours round when it’s done,” I tell her.
“Really?” Carly looks back at me stunned.
“Thought I’d save you the time. Get used to it, I’ll be taking care of you from now on.” I wink.
“You know, Maddy, I got this amazing feeling that you’re gonna do wonderful things. Not just for Jessie but for the club too.”
“You’d do the same for me.” I shrug it off.
“Sure would, girl. It’s nice having someone around.” She smiles at me before heading inside her cabin.
The pot roasts are cooking nicely, and with no laptop to distract me I sit in front of the TV and watch some of the daytime crap that Hayley had gotten me into.
I don’t know how long I’ve been out for, but the sound of tires skidding out of the yard disturbs me from my sleep. I leap up and rush to the oven to check the dinner. The smell when I open the door at least gives me hope that I haven’t been out long enough to have ruined dinner for everyone. Thankfully it’s still looking good.
My cell vibrates in my pocket, and like a thirteen-year-old girl my stomach flips when I see Jessie’s name flash up on the screen. I swipe to answer it, pressing the phone between my ear and my shoulder while I place the pots back inside the oven.
“Hey, darlin’,” Jessie's voice soothes through the speaker.
“Hey.” I smile to myself, loving his voice when it’s soft.
“Whatcha doin’?” he asks.
“Just made us something for la
ter,” I tell him, swinging the oven door shut with my foot.
“Mmmmm, you know I could get used to this,” he tells me.
“How's it going down there?” I ask, hoping they’ve managed to get things clear.
“No sign of the feds but we’re ready for them. Skid’s just called, he’s made the drop and he’s on his way back.”
“That’s good.” I’m relieved that they’ve managed to get everything done in time.
“I’m just sorting a few things out then I’ll be home. Skid tried calling Carly, you mind popping your head around and telling her he’ll be a little late tonight?”
“Sure, she’s probably in the shower. I’ll drop in and tell her now,” I say, about to hang up.
“Hey…” he stops me before I do. “Anyone tell you today that you’re amazing?” he asks, his voice sounding sexy as hell.
“No, but you can tell me when you get home as many times as you like,” I try to sound sexy back, but, I’m pretty sure I fail at it.
“Sure thing baby, be seeing you in a little while.”
“Get off the phone before you grow a fucking pussy,” a voice shouts out from the background I already recognize as Squealer’s.
“Bye Jess.” I hang up the phone. Then, quickly jump in the shower, giving the pot roast the extra twenty minutes it needs before I take it to Carly.
I’m careful as I walk across the yard holding the handles of the boiling pot with a tea towel, and I have to use my elbow to push down the doorhandle when Carly doesn’t answer the door. I figure I’m past the stage of knocking on Carly and Skid’s door now, there’s not a day since I’ve arrived that I haven’t spent time in their cozy home.
“Only me,” I call through the house, kicking the door shut behind me. I scan the room, but there’s no sign of her. The heat of the pot is starting to burn through the towel, and I quickly head towards the kitchen table so I can place it down. My eyes catch something sticking out from the other side of the sofa, something that when my brain registers what it is makes me lose the function of my hands.
I ignore the loud crack the pot makes as it hits the floor and the boiling splatters that scold the bottom of my legs. The sight of Carly’s arm lying awkwardly across the floor tells me something is very wrong, I rush towards her. My body prevents me from taking any more steps when I get close enough to see her face. Her skin is completely drained of color, lifeless eyes strained red and etched with terror.
I open my mouth to scream but nothing comes out, I’m choking, completely paralyzed by shock, sadness, and fear. This can’t be happening, not again. I look away, unable to handle the sight for another second. That vacant look blazing deeper and settling into my memories with every passing second. Suddenly, like my feet have been released from the sinking grip holding them, they finally move, and I run…
I bang on every cabin door hoping someone will answer. This has to be the Bastards. Have they come for me? Are they still here? Part of me wishes they are and they would just take me. No pain can be worse than this. I would go with them freely if it meant they’d stop taking the people I care about.
Nobody answers as I continued to pound on the doors, my sobs and pleas for help getting fainter and fainter. I can’t leave her all alone up here, but I need help. I rush back inside Jessie’s cabin and grab my cell from the table, my hands fumbling as I try to scroll to my last caller. Hitting call, I wait as it rings once, twice.
“Hey,” he answers with a beautiful ignorance to his tone. I try to speak, but all I can manage are muffles and sobs as I slide my back against one of the kitchen units and settle in a heap on the floor “Maddy!” Jessie’s voice switches to worry.
“Maddy, you okay?” Still nothing comes out of my mouth. “Fuck, Mads, what is it? Speak to me… I’m coming up.” The phone goes dead, and my hand automatically drops it to the floor. I wait for a sound, any sign that he’s coming. I need him and that safety that always comes with him.
I can’t close my eyes, if I do all I’ll see is Carly’s face, and I start to panic when already I can’t remember how she looked when she had color in her cheeks, or when she smiled…
I’d been asleep.
I try shutting my eyes again, hoping to get her back how I want to remember her, but the deeper I look the worse it becomes because now, I see Hayley too. Her eyes still bright with color but an equal blankness in her expression.
I breathe slowly. In and out. Not wanting to open my eyes. Too petrified to keep them shut. I see his hands. Jessie’s hands, soaked, dripping with dark red blood. They reach out for me, they touch but I jump back.
“Hey… hey relax it's me, it’s just me.” I open my eyes, and he’s here, no blood. Just Jessie, his face wracked with worry as his arms wrap around my head and cradle me tight to his chest.
Just me and him. Safe.
“What’s happened? Christ, Mads, you’re shaking.” The way he rocks me reminds me of how he held Hayley when she slipped away in his arms.
“Maddy. Fucking speak to me. You okay?” He checks me over, that look of worry on his face heartbreaking to see again.
“It’s not me, I’m fine,” I tell him, feeling his body sag as his chest lets out a long breath of relief.
“It’s Carly,” I whisper. The rocking suddenly stops, his body stiffens against mine again and I hear three words spoken in a weak voice that doesn’t sound anything like his.
“Oh god, no.”
I swear my heart doesn’t make a beat from the time I cut Maddy’s call till I have her in my arms. Feeling her chest move, hearing her sobs is enough to let me know she’s okay but something’s happened. The ghostly whiteness of her skin, the fear in her eyes, all tells me that whatever it is freaked her the hell out.
She can’t speak, and when she eventually manages to tell me it isn’t her that’s hurt, for the briefest of seconds I get relief. She’s safe. My girl is safe. A little fucked up, but unharmed. Then my heart sinks again when I hear her say Carly’s name.
Having to leave Maddy in the state she’s in tears me apart. I want to comfort her, tell her whatever it is, it’s gonna be okay, but I need to help Carly.
“Baby, where is she?” I lift Maddy up from the floor and carry her to the couch.
“Home,” she whispers as I pull a blanket over her, hoping it’ll stop her from shivering.
“Stay here. I’ll be back. Okay?” Maddy doesn’t answer, just stares right through me. “Mads, I’ll be back, okay?” I tell her again, grabbing her face in my hands and holding her until she focuses.
“Okay.” She nods, her hands pressing over mine, gripping me like she doesn’t want me to leave.
“Okay.” I kiss her forehead, then rush out of my cabin having no idea what the fuck I’m gonna find when I get to Skid’s place. The sound of bikes come from the dirt track, alerting me that help’s on the way. I’d been with Grimm when I got Maddy's call and left him in charge of assembling backup. I rush across the yard to find Skid’s door wide open.
Soon as I step inside its clear there’s been a struggle. Stepping over the broken crockpot on the floor, its contents still steaming and soaking into the wood floor. There’s upturned chairs and a broken lampshade, and then there’s her… Beautiful, not an evil bone inside of her, Carly.
Her distorted body bent awkwardly across the floor. I don’t need to feel for a pulse to know I’m too late. The whiteness of her skin and the expression on her face gives that much away.
“What's going on? Grimm said there was… Oh Shit.” I look up from Carly to Nyx, who’s frozen in his tracks when he sees what I’m looking at.
“Is she?”
“Yeah,” I nod unable to take my eyes off her. Carly is a massive part of this club, and she’s gone. Hayley, now her, I can’t make any sense out of it. “Go sit with Maddy, Nyx, she’s on her own in my cabin. I need to know she’s safe.”
“But…”
“Go,” I snap back, thankfully he knows what’s good for him and doesn’t argue. I bac
k out of the cabin and onto the porch just as Grimm, Troj, Thorne, and Tac pull up in the yard.
“What is it?” Troj dismounts his bike and races towards me with a real worried look on his face.
“Carly,” I manage hoarsely, rubbing my hand over my face. I steady myself to sit on the porch step because the world feels like it’s spinning under my feet. Troj speaks into his phone, panicked words that I can’t pay attention to. The only sound I hear is the hollow sound of Carly’s wood chimes as the wind touches them. I’ve never noticed them before. It ain’t long before the power of a flat-out shovelhead engine drowns them out.
Skid looks wild when he pulls up, and luckily Grimm is waiting to take hold of his bike, or I swear he’d let it drop. He storms towards his cabin, and I stand back onto my feet. Troj’s shoulder presses against mine, forming a two-man wall to stop him from getting inside.
“Move out of my way…” Skid barges his body into ours. “Carly… Carly,” he calls through the gap between our heads, fighting to get past us, the two of us only just manage to hold him back, at one point I think he’ll scramble over the top of us.
“Man, you don’t wanna go in there,” Troj tells him, closing his eyes like he’s seeing it all over again.
“Move, or I’ll fucking kill the pair of you, brothers or not,” Skid threatens. I take a breath and step aside.
“Let him through,” I tell Troj, who’s still struggling to hold Skid, looking at me like I’ve gone crazy. I nod solemnly and he backs down.
Skid races past us, and when Troj goes to follow him I block him with my arm and shake my head. The cabin won’t be a safe place for anyone when Skid sees what’s happened.
Pain stabs at my chest when I hear his cries, sad ones at first, that gradually build into angry roars. I’ve been there, felt it all when I lost Hayley, and I’m feeling every step of it over again alongside him. We all wait it out, no one outside speaking a word. Not even making a glance at each other. There’s no concept of time. It wouldn’t make any difference anyway, it could be minutes, hours, or days. We would all still be here for him when he walks back out that door.