The Winter of Regrets

by Needa Warrant

  Another shit bomb hit Jo just then, and Kima’s aim was true.

  Veiko stood there in shock, watching the two of them fight. Jo wiped the horse manure off of her face as well as she could. He could see Kima wasn’t done and wondered if he should step in. Suddenly, he felt a hand on his shoulder. He jumped; usually no one was able to sneak up on him. His brother-in-law Jack and Thorn stood there, both trying hard not to laugh.

  “Let it go,” said Jack to V. “This has been a long time coming. Kima has ghosts, too. She needs to let loose some of the shit she’s got bottled up, pun intended. This is funny as hell.” He kept his hand on V’s shoulder.

  Veiko screwed his face up. “Not to me, it isn’t! What if Kima hits her?”

  “Kima won’t hit her,” Jack insisted. “She knows Jo isn’t a fighter. She might pelt her with more shit, though.”

  “Jack’s right,” Thorn added with a nod. “Shit washes off. Let it go.”

  Meanwhile, Jo stood her ground. “Like hell, Kima! Ever since we were little, everyone told you to be more like me. I was the perfect child! You were the wild child, always getting into trouble. Even now, you have to resort to hitting me with horse shit? Josie doesn’t have a chance in life with you as her mother. What a great example you’ll be!” she spat back acidly.

  Veiko moved forward mad as hell, but Jack and Thorn held him back.

  “Go home, Jo,” shouted Kima. “The only boys who wanted to date you were boys I promised a date with if they went out with you first. Did you know that? I was taught to be kind, and I was always a good friend to you. Out of respect for my parent’s foolish mistake, I tolerated you. I just thank God my brother found a decent woman to marry or else you really might be part of the family. Don’t think I didn’t know you weren’t eyeing Jack up and flirting with him all the time.” Kima looked at Jo with scorn on her face. “You caused Nailz to lose his colors. You don’t have a real friend anymore because you don’t know how to be a friend, you red-haired, shit-faced bitch. And don’t you dare have a girl because that pinky-promise is done. You’re not allowed to use my name. Everyone has always liked me better. Always!”

  Suddenly, Katri appeared from nowhere, flying over the fence. Even Kima was shocked to see her sister-in-law in her face.

  “You leave Jo alone, you bitch,” she shouted, shaking a finger in Kima’s face. “Only you would be low enough to attack a pregnant woman. Shame on you!”

  Veiko groaned while Jack and Thorn grinned. They were truly enjoying this and V rolled his eyes. He hoped his sister had the sense to leave Kima alone after saying her piece. Knowing her, she’d end up face down in a pile of manure—and he knew his ol’ lady well.

  “Damn, this must be my day,” mocked Kima. “The paid nanny’s coming to the rescue?”

  Kima started to laugh until Katri shoved her.

  Sighing, Kima looked at Katri. “You just made a big mistake, Katri. I didn’t put my hands on you. This fight doesn’t involve you at all. You do know JJ dumped your ass for Amy, don’t you?” She wiped her hands on her jeans. “What’s that saying? … Birds of a feather flock together?”

  Katri shoved her again, and Kima got that hard Regan-look on her face. She stared her sister-in-law down, then shot forward and grabbed a big handful of Katri’s blonde hair.

  Jack laughed as quietly as he could when Veiko let out another groan.

  Thorn was grinning widely. “Damn, I wish Tears was here to see what’s coming next. I give it a second more before Kima loses it.”

  Sure enough, Kima yanked Kat’s head down and punched her in the gut. Katri grunted as she dropped to her knees. Kima’s boot connected with her stomach again and she was flat on the ground.

  “I never liked you much, Katri,” she said, staring down at her. “You know that saying ‘eat shit’? If you don’t, then you’re about to.”

  She pulled Katri’s head over to a fresh mound of manure that Sugar had dropped when she rode him. Katri was screaming murder while Kima just laughed, pushing her sister-in-law’s face into the mound.

  “I’d shut the hell up before you really do eat shit,” warned Kima. “And don’t bother to threaten me with Veiko because my brother Thorn and Veiko have been watching us this whole time. I’m sure Nailz and my mother will get the true story. Jo, word of advice, Jack is the favored child. Now you stay off my property or I’ll get peacocks. You think your twins will sleep through their screeching? Think again. Have a nice day, ladies.”

  Kima whistled and Sugar came running full speed, stopping suddenly, kicking dust all over Katri. Kima pulled herself into the western saddle and looked at where the men were standing now, two of them howling in laughter. She shot them the middle finger.

  Bringing Sugar closer to Katri, she leaned down. “And don’t you ever come on my property again,” she shouted. “Not for any reason. If I find you on my land—near my barn, near my animals or my house—I’ll hurt you. Badly. Stay out of business that doesn’t concern you and things you know nothing about. Now get the fuck up and get moving before I have my horse trample you.”

  Kima’s voice was no nonsense and Katri had the sense to get up and rush back over the fence as fast as she could. Kima stayed on Sugar until she saw both women depart into their house. Then, she rode back to the barn, leaving Veiko, Jack, and Thorn staring after her.

  With a sigh, she removed Sugar’s saddle and let him wander in search of what grass was left in the paddock. The emotions still racing through her, she went into the barn office and collapsed into the desk chair. She started to laugh as she went through the index box of numbers she had. Finally, she found the one she was looking for. She dialed the number and waited as the phone rang.

  “Hey, Jerry,” she said into the phone. “You still raise peacocks? I want about a dozen adults. Male ones, and maybe a female or two. If you can deliver them today, I’ll pay in cash. Yup, to my grandparent’s old house. I need them to keep unwanted guests off the farm. I’ve got a coop in the back. Just add a sack of food to the price.” She nodded as she listened. “Yes, three o’clock is perfect. Thanks, Jerry.”

  She hung up the phone, a satisfied smile on her face. She got up and rubbed her hands together. If Jo wanted a fight, she’d be ready. Veiko would have to learn to like peacocks. He’d be gone when they arrived, but she was hoping her brother or Thorn would check out the old coop. A shadow blocked the door and she looked up to find Jack and Thorn.

  Her brother wore a grin. “V’s changing a shitty diaper. Stunk to hell,” he added with a dry chuckle. “What do you feed Josie?”

  She didn’t answer as she watched Thorn remove a rake from the corner. She grinned back at him. “So you heard I’m getting peacocks?”

  “You were a bit loud and excited, Kima. I know you’re going to ask for help making sure the coop is clean. Veiko needs to get to work, so we’ll make sure it’s got clean sawdust.” Thorn winked at her.

  Kima made a fast decision. “Thorn, tell Tears she’s hired. I plan to board horses and she needs a job. I don’t want to see her dance, and she wants to make her own money. I have calls each day to board horses. Tell her I need her badly,” she added, her voice coaxing. “I don’t want her to have dancing rubbed in her face like it was just rubbed in mine.”

  “Thanks, Kima. She’s determined to make money even though Nailz is off the will. I’ll feel better if she’s with you. At least I know she’ll be safe. Dancing isn’t an option for Tears, anyway; she couldn’t take the pressure.” Both Thorn and Jack broke out laughing.

  Kima puckered up her lips. “I guess I better go up and take Josie off Veiko’s hands. I’m not telling him about the peacocks … yet. Thanks for handling the coop.”

  She moved into the mudroom to change when Veiko popped his head around and looked at her.

  “I gotta run, babe. I’ll tell Nailz and your dad about today. Behave yourself. We’ll talk about this tonight, alright?”

  He smiled that crooked smile of his, but there was a hint of laughter in his
voice. Kima blew him a kiss and smiled back. She’d make an animal-lover out of her ol’ man. It might take time, but he’d learn to like the peacocks. In truth, they were a great and reliable alarm system.

  Veiko approached Nailz during his smoke break. He was going to laugh like hell when he told him about Jo being hit with horse shit, but he wasn’t sure how Nailz would take it.

  Nailz watched him as he walked over, a grin on his face because he was happy to have company. Veiko had coffee and he needed some badly.

  “Got here late today, Veiko. Lazing around in bed?” Nailz inhaled some nicotine.

  Handing the coffee over, V grinned back. “Nope. I watched my ol’ lady hit your ol’ lady with horse shit, then saw my sister get her face pushed into a fresh steaming mound of it. I never saw a fight quite like the one I just saw.”

  Nailz choked on his coffee. As soon as he could speak, he asked V to repeat himself.

  “Jo was screeching at Kima,” V explained. “Called her a bad mother. Kima said some nasty things back, then hit her with horse shit. Katri came outside to defend Jo and she got smashed face-first into a pile of horse shit.” Veiko tried not to laugh, wiping tears out of the corners of his eyes.

  Nailz sat down on his log and shook his head. “Jo started it?”

  “Nah, I think I did when I hung up on Jean this morning. Every fucking morning she calls Kima and ruins her day. I’d had enough of it, so I told her to knock it off. Seems she called Jo to bitch about me, and when Kima was riding, she went outside to confront her. I was cleaning up the cup Kima threw at me so I saw it all go down. Jack and Thorn did, too. I left them to deal with Kima. I’ve got to talk to John now.” Veiko sipped his coffee and looked around. “It’s starting to come together. Looks good, far enough off the road. You’re still doing the fences with barbed wire?”

  “Yeah,” said Nailz, still recovering from what he’d just been told. “Not investing all this money to have anyone fuck with the machines. Did you know there was a one-room cabin over here? I didn’t remember that. I might be living in it.” He laughed a bit harshly.

  “I thought you’d just tear that down. Is it worth saving? Let’s check it out.” Veiko stood up, abandoning his coffee by the log.

  They walked down the short path to an ivy-covered cabin. It had a metal roof and looked in fair shape except for the vines. Nailz pushed open the door, stunned to find Thrash sitting on one of the few chairs near a window. He looked as shocked as Nailz and Veiko to see them there. Veiko pushed Nailz behind him.

  “What the fuck, Thrash? You scoping Nailz out?” Veiko roared.

  Thrash rose slowly, his face twisted in rage. “Little brother, get out of the way. Me and that bastard got something to settle. Hitting Elena? You think I’ll let that go? Now, she won’t even talk to me at all. I owe you, motherfucker!” His eyes were shooting sparks at Nailz.

  Nailz tried to move toward Thrash, but V wasn’t letting him; he’d had enough confrontations for a day.

  Finally, he lost his temper and roared, “Nobody is hitting anyone over Elena getting a slap! It was an honest mistake. You want to bring dirt up, Thrash? I’ll bring up yours. Nailz, Jersey, and I covered your ass over China stealing from the club. Did we ever mention it to you?”

  Thrash sat back down in the chair, his face turning red. He thought he’d covered that up well.

  Veiko stared at him, furious. “We used to cover each other’s backs without question. You would have lost your colors. Tramp saw what Nailz did and he called it. Do you see Nailz scared of you?” V looked hard at his older brother. “I don’t hear him asking when he’s getting them back. Tramp is pissed off and he’s handling it. I got to see Kima hit Jo with shit, hear my ol’ lady is a bad mother, and our little sister finally got to eat shit. How’d you like a morning like that?”

  Thrash finally smiled. “Kima went off on Jo and Katri?”

  Nailz finally spoke. “Jo deserved it. She is pushing everyone’s buttons. I tried to get her to see the doctor, but she refuses. I started drinking to deal with her bullshit. Jean keeps calling it ‘the baby blues’. Some fucking bullshit that Jo is depressed over getting pregnant so fast after the boys were born. My parents say she needs a fucking shrink. Try telling that to Jo,” he said miserably. “Nothing makes her happy. I don’t know where the chick I married went.”

  Thrash looked at him. “You should’ve told us shit was that bad, Nailz. Just like I should’ve told you all more about China. I’m sorry, man. I really am.” He put his hand out and Nailz grabbed it, pulling him in for a hug.

  Veiko looked happier finally; one less thing he had to stress over.

  “So, think this would make a decent office?” V moved over to the kitchen area to check it out.

  “It has running water, a bathroom, and the electric works,” answered Thrash. “Needs some updating, but I’ve been hanging out here. The roof doesn’t leak.”

  Just then, they noticed his sleeping bag on the old wood floor. All of them laughed at the sight of it.

  Veiko had a bit more on his mind and needed to talk about it. “Holidays are coming,” he began. “We had our toy run, but I don’t see any point in trying to do more than that this year, not with the ol’ ladies all fighting. I figure Ocean Cove can do it this year and we just give the toys to the local fire department. You all good with that?”

  He pulled a joint out of his cigarette pack and lit it up. Nobody mentioned Nailz had no say because he didn’t have his colors. Veiko and Thrash had been his brothers for so long that the colors didn’t matter to them. Nailz was Bound for Hell MC and always would be.

  Nailz, however, had one question. “Is the fucking charmer okay with it? He loves Christmas. He used to spoil Tears like mad.”

  Thrash kicked the chair over to him and told him to sit. “You okay, Nailz? Your color isn’t too good. You laying off the drinking?”

  “Yeah. Not drinking, just sticking to smoking and pot.” He sighed. “I was thinking maybe I’d give up cigarettes. Can’t smoke in the house anyway. I was thinking of how much I fucked up with Tears and Thorn. I miss her, y’know? I didn’t mind Thorn as a son-in-law. Fucking Jo never stopped bitching about them both. I can’t reach out to them,” he said with a sad tinge to his voice. “Tramp said to let it go for now.”

  Thrash remembered something. “I have a letter for Thorn from Hunter. I think I should give it to him now. Nailz, Thorn made the best move for himself. Would you want to be in the same club as your father-in-law and me and Veiko? Hell if I would be! I always understood why Jack and JJ didn’t join us.”

  Veiko didn’t like the way Nailz looked and he thought of Hunter. “Bro, you’re getting checked out. If you won’t see a doctor willingly, I’ll have Tramp hold your colors until you do. We’re not losing another brother like Hunter.”

  The three men went silent thinking of Hunter. Everyone missed him and Nailz finally nodded yes. “I’ll make an appointment. Wanna come?”

  It was Thrash who answered. “I’ll go. It stays with the three of us.”

  “Agreed,” Nailz grunted back. The others nodded.

  “Now, any idea of how I can get Elena back?” asked Thrash. “Hunter gave me his blessing, and I love her and Rhiannon.”

  Nailz grinned, looking a lot better already. “Yup. Use the club charmer Jersey. He’s on her good side and his ideas seem to work. Jersey always has some idea or another. I’d let Elena have some space, honestly. Thrash, you’ve got a new tat shop. Put yourself to work and let Elena come to you. Chasing her didn’t seem to work, did it?”

  Thrash rolled his eyes. “I hired guys for both shops. I could help you work on this place instead. Maybe if she sees us getting along or hears we are, she will talk to me at least.” He looked around the cabin. “I could do some cool shit in here. You know I fix up all my shops myself. You want some help working this into a decent office?”

  Nailz looked around himself. He didn’t see anything special about this place, but it did have high ceilings. If
Thrash thought he could make it look good, he’d take the help. “Do you think we could put a child-safe loft up there with maybe a sleeping area? In case Jo wants me to take the boys when they’re older, I’d have a place they could play … and a place to crash if she gets crazier.”

  Thrash looked up at the peaks. “I think there was one up there long ago. I don’t see why not. We need to get rid of the ivy and update the electric. You got the money to do this?” He was curious how Nailz could afford all he was doing. He’d never wanted money from his parents before.

  “It’s all taken care of,” Nailz insisted. “My father’s a silent partner in the equipment part. We’re going there for Thanksgiving too. I didn’t want to wreck the Regan’s holiday. Jean wasn’t too happy, but my mom called her and it’s all worked out. We have to take Katri, though.”

  Veiko had shit to do and decided it was time for him to leave. “You staying or going, Thrash? I need to talk to John, and I think I should set Jean straight. Guess this day is wasted so … I may as well take care of business. Don’t forget to get your shit outta here.” He shook hands with the men and left them standing in the old cabin making their plans.

  Veiko pulled into his father-in-law’s driveway and saw Jack’s truck there. Good, backup was present. He wondered how many cars Jack had. Jack was never hurting for money and he was running some of the old man’s businesses. Must be nice to have a rich father, he thought. Hell, he couldn’t complain; they treated him well and Kima had money. He’d make his own way in the world. He always had, and he wanted it that way, but he’d be a fool if he hadn’t taken John’s offer of help.

  He went in through the kitchen and found John and Jack at the table having a beer. He walked over to the fridge and grabbed himself one.

  Jack smiled widely. Even John was grinning.

  Veiko took a swallow before he spoke. “You came over and told your parents about Kima and Jo’s fight?” He looked at Jack.