by L. Ann Marie
“Yeah,” Jeremy says looking at them.
Holy shit. I push it all away. I can’t do this now.
“Jesus Je.” Taylor puts his hands on his head. “He says stop throwing it out. You need to get it fuckin’ quick. Trouble is coming here and you need to deal. Mucimi is on the line with the other kids.”
“Why are you talking through him?”
“Because you’re acting like a two-year-old,” Taylor laughs.
“I got it Brother. There’s nothing I can do right now.” I look at Holly with Mucimi sleeping on her and I’m glad she’s sleeping too. Holyfuckinshit!
“See it now. Mucimi already knows.” Taylor’s voice drops and I look away from them to him. “She’s the one Brantley,” he says softly with a shocked look on his face.
I stand and pace. What the hell do I do with this? She’s shy around people is about all I know about her.
“No. Not you,” Jeremy says.
What? She’s not shy with me. She’s had lunch with me maybe ten times, but it was just lunch. We shared a table, but I wasn’t looking for her. We just ended up eating at the same times. Taylor and Jason weren’t around at those times. Holy shit. It’s like Geek with Marty. They still ended up together.
‘Finally!’ Jeremy says in my head and Taylor laughs. I guess he said it to both of us.
Dakota comes in and stops short. “You told him,” he says softly.
“I think Mucimi was a dead giveaway,” Taylor says. “Nunánuk said to bring him up.”
Dakota looks surprised. “Did she?”
I nod, still a little shocked myself.
“It is good,” Jeremy says smiling at Holly and Mucimi.
“I need a fuckin’ drink.” They all laugh softly, but it’s not a fuckin’ joke.
Chapter Six
Brantley
“Seriously?” He’s got to be kidding. “She just had surgery like two days ago.”
“She is recovering remarkably. There is no reason to keep her in the hospital when she and you would be much more comfortable at home.”
I look at him. No one has asked if we are together, they just assume it, so I kept Mucimi here with me last night. I think they believe he’s hers too. The way he’s always sitting with her isn’t going to change their thinking. All I can do is nod.
Holly hasn’t said much. She started talking yesterday. The most we get is, ‘Mucimi is cute’ and ‘thank you’. She’s looking at me right now scared to death. “He’s gone. Prez has HS with you plus Mucimi’s FS is here. You’re safe. You will be kept safe.”
She nods and the doctor smiles. “I’ll get the nurse to bring the paperwork and get you ready to go. You see me in two weeks.”
She looks at me. “She’ll be there,” I tell the doctor.
When he leaves I put a jumping Mucimi back on the bed. He goes right to her and puts his hand on her. I watch her face relax. That’s something. I take in a breath and let it out slow. This is going to be fun...shit.
“Prez had some of your things moved to my house yesterday. There is enough for you to be comfortable for a couple of days.”
She looks at me surprised. “Why?”
“Because you need the Security and someone watching out for you. You’re comfortable with me and Mucimi loves you.”
She looks at him. “I love him too.” She tries to smile, but it looks like a grimace. She has an arced line from her mouth to her ear. The lobe has a scar on it too. There’s a scar from her hairline to her chin right across the other scar. It’s like a funky upside down cross on the left side of her face.
I know what they say is supposed to happen, needs to just happen, but I have to give her a chance. “Do you have a friend that you’d be more comfortable with?” She looks hurt. Shit. “I want you with us. I’d know for sure you’d be safe and I can help you get back to good. I just don’t want you to feel like you don’t have a choice.”
The hurt look is replaced with her shy eyes. “I don’t have anyone that I can stay with. Thank you for letting me stay with you.”
That’s the longest I’ve heard her speak. She doesn’t open her mouth very much, but I understood her. “Good it’s settled. My dad brought some clothes from Nancy, Tiny’s old lady, the one with the store, anyway they’re here.”
She nods and watches me pull the clothes from the bag. “Why?”
I lay them on the chair keeping my eyes away from hers. “They asked me to bring you nightgowns. I don’t know shit about clothes, but Nancy does, so I asked her to get what you would need. She sent clothes for you to go home in too.” It’s actually a dress so nothing is against her stomach but I don’t want to remind her about those scars.
“Thank you.”
I look at her. “You were hurt because of Princes. We will do everything we can to get you back to where you were before you were attacked. I’m glad that’s with me. You don’t have to say thank you to me for everything. We grew up learning to take care of our girls and women. It’s just the way it is.”
She nods with her eyes smiling. “I’ve seen.”
I smile and shrug. She’s going to be easy with all this shit.
The nurse that knows Jeremy and Prez comes in and I tell her I’m feeding Mucimi in the waiting room while she gets Holly ready. She gives me a smile and says she’ll come get me when they’re done.
I’m finished and cleaning his face when she comes for me. “She’s going to need some help dressing and she moves slow. No stairs, lifting or overexertion. This little guy is too heavy for her to lift right now. Watch that she doesn’t do too much. She says she’ll see the therapist again.” I nod knowing she will, Lily talked with her and set it up. “She will need that for a while. Call us if you have questions.”
Jeremy comes in smiling. I throw him chin and she gives him a nod. “I will, thanks for taking care of her.”
She laughs. “You have any single Brothers?”
“Yep, Taylor. The older blonde one.”
Her smile gets bigger. “Tell him I’m here until eight for the next two days.”
Jeremy laughs. I drop the container in the backpack and smile at her. “I will. We obviously need a nurse in the family.” She walks away laughing.
Jeremy says, “Yeah.” I laugh walking away too.
Holly is sitting on the edge of the bed, she smiles when I walk in and Mucimi starts his Mexican jumping bean act when he sees her. “Little dude is good for a while. Are you ready?”
“Yes. Hi Jeremy.”
“Hi.” He leans down and gives her a kiss on her scarred cheek. She just smiles.
We get her in the SUV and follow HS. Family stays behind us. At the gate, I tell her about Security and ordering food. They order online and our cards are programmed in so she can tell them what she wants and they will order it or she can order and they’ll deliver it to her. No one comes in the gate unless they’re Security or live here. Her eyes smile at that.
At the house, Jeremy takes Mucimi and Cade helps me get the bags in. “I’ll show you around in a minute. Let me get him changed and we’ll do the circuit.”
She makes a laughing sound that surprises me. Jeremy laughs. “I got it.” He walks down the hall with my boy.
I’m watching her. She hasn’t laughed, she hasn’t had much reason to, but she’s laughing now. That’s a good sign. “I guess we’re doing the circuit. This is the living room.” I take her hand and feel an energy run right up my arm. What the hell? She looks surprised too. I don’t let go, but walk slowly to the kitchen. I show her the deck, then the dining room. “When we first moved here Prez had all the houses fixed up for us, but Uncle Danny built the rest.”
I walk by the bedrooms and show her the office first, then bathroom and Mucimi’s room. She walks right in making noise. Jeremy puts him on the floor and walks out with the diaper. He doesn’t like the pail, making me smile.
Mucimi crawls to her feet. She bends touching his head. “Nice room.” She’s struggling to straighten, so I put my hand out.
“Thanks.” She grips it and straightens wincing. “Like a fairytale.”
“Yeah, he does all the kids’ rooms and they’re all different. The truck is a replica of mine and the teepee is like what he made for us at my dad’s on the reservation. Mucimi likes to take naps in the teepee, but sleeps in the truck at night.”
She nods and I show her my room and bathroom. “There is a room above the garage and the basement is finished with a bedroom that Jeremy and Jacob use when they stay here.” She nods and I see a question in her eyes, but she doesn’t say anything.
“Jeremy used to stay at Prez’s, but since I got Mucimi he stays here or with Taylor. I think Jacob will be moving in with Jason and Billy soon. Josè will be moving to a house. He’s young, but acts older.”
She nods. “Met him at work. He loves Prez.”
“We all do. We grew up together.” She nods. I told her all about us while we had nothing to do in the hospital.
“You’ll sleep in here. No stairs, the bathroom is right here and it’s comfortable. Uncle Danny got all new furniture and he picks the most comfortable mattresses.” I smile. He’s been such a big part of our lives he knows exactly what we’d like.
“You?”
“There are other rooms here.”
Her forehead scrunches, but she doesn’t say anything. I bring her back to Mucimi’s room and let her hand go. He’s playing with a light up toy so I take it and him and walk her back out to the living room.
As soon as I put Mucimi down I hear a chopper and look at Jeremy. “Old ladies and Aubrey.”
“Fuck! How did they find out?”
“I need Tess and Aubrey.” He looks at Holly. Shit.
“Holly the women will be here any fuckin’ minute. They mean well and are all sweet. Just go with it. Tess and Aubrey are like Jeremy. They help people.” Her eyes are huge, but she nods.
Taylor walks in smiling. “We get dinner again?”
I laugh. “Yeah. It’s the old ladies.”
“Fuck that didn’t take them long.” Jeremy sits by him and touches his arm.
“How is it doing?” Holly asks him.
“I’m good.”
“Make yourself at home here. The women will treat you like glass and make sure you’re taken care of, but know this is your home for now. Whatever you do, don’t ask for a dog.”
Jeremy and Taylor laugh and she looks confused. “No dog.”
“Just keep saying that.”
Mucimi crawls to her and he pulls himself up against the couch. I pick him up sitting him on the side of me, but he moves right to her. I wish for the days when he’d sit still. Jeremy laughs. He climbs on her and I move to take him, but she stops my hand and helps him sit. He lays on her chest and she has smiling eyes looking down at him. I hear the click and she looks up, eyes huge, then tears fall and her head is down with her hair covering her face.
Fuckin’ Taylor and the pictures. I give him a look and lift her chin. “You should know us by now. It’s what’s inside that we cherish.” Jeremy stands behind her and touches her shoulder.
“It’s a beautiful picture to see Mucimi like that with you. It shows how he feels when he can’t tell us,” Taylor tries to explain.
I look at them and he’s right. She goes right from hurt eyes to shocked eyes as the women walk in. Aubrey runs to Jeremy and pulls him down kissing his cheek. We all smile watching.
Tess kisses me. “It will be good Brantley.”
“Thanks Tess.”
My mom, Penny, Joey, Nancy, Judy, Lily and Dakota come in. No one moves Mucimi, but they all touch his head, back or arm. Taylor is standing at the wall and I move to his side. My mom kisses Holly’s cheek introducing herself and Nancy. She tells her she has a job for today and will see her when it calms down then goes to the kitchen with Nancy while Tess introduces everyone else.
Mucimi smiles and holds on to Holly. I look at Taylor. “I’m going to work.”
He laughs. “I’ll save you food.”
“No you won’t, but Mom will.” I wade through women and kiss Mucimi’s head. “I’m going to work for a couple of hours. Jeremy is here and the gate keeps us all safe.” Her eyes are huge. “Remember, no dog.” Her eyes smile and she makes a laugh sound. I kiss her head and go look for my bag. I should stay, but they’re not leaving anytime soon so I’ll see them later. I want to see how Billy is settling in and have other shit to do. Geek left me a file for trafficking that I need to get on and who knows what’s piled on my desk.
With my backpack over my shoulder I look for my mom. She’s in the kitchen with Nancy and a million bags of food. “Thanks for the clothes Nancy. She liked them. Prez had some of her stuff moved, if you want to see what she likes, they’re in my closet. Can you send her more? She always looked nice for work, but I don’t know how long her stomach will take to heal. She was in pain bending; I’m glad you sent a dress.”
She hugs me. “Of course. I’ll have Heather pull it and send it back with the chopper.”
I give her a squeeze. “Thanks. Can you just sign for me and send the invoice to Joey?”
She smiles. “Got you covered Brantley.”
“Mom, Holly can’t lift anything and it hurts her to bend. Mucimi is too heavy for her to lift.” She gives me a weird look. “He climbs all over her himself.” She laughs shaking her head. “Can you watch he doesn’t hurt her and she doesn’t try to lift him?”
She hugs me. “I will Brantley. How bad is her stomach, back and arm?”
The doctor sent me the before and after pictures, I pull it up. I’m not looking at them again so I hand her the phone and look out the back as they go through them. “Can I send them to Amanda in case she wants a tattoo? Just the stomach and arm.”
I look at her. “No Mom. You should know, so she doesn’t hurt herself and Nancy for the right clothes, but they’re not going past that.”
She pulls my shirt. “You’re right Brantley. I’ll watch out for her.”
“What time are you leaving?”
“We’re doing a girls’ night out down here with the Princesses. Little Ben has a chopper bringing us back late. I’m meeting everyone at Kate’s at eight to get ready, so take your time.”
“Thanks Mom, call if you need me.” I kiss her cheek and walk out the back then stick my head back in. “Mucimi ate an hour ago and Taylor’s looking for dinner again.” They laugh.
In Ops, I stand back against the wall and watch Billy run for Chevy. Chevy is looking better than he did, Taylor switched and took my donated shift yesterday giving him that little break. He looks back at me throwing chin. Fuckin’ readers. He smiles.
Billy is good and has never had a problem running with Darren, Jessie or Taylor. I’m happy to see him consistent with Chevy. I wonder how that will work with Dakota. He’s quick with orders, but if you don’t know him it sounds like he’s pissed. He worked so hard so everyone would understand him, but he speaks in bullet points running Ops. It’s like working for VP at the MC.
Chevy holds his mic looking back. “I can try it if you want?”
I step closer and ask Billy if he ran with Uncle Steve. He’s typing like crazy keeping ahead of the cameras. “Yeah he was my favorite.”
I smile at Chevy. “Dakota runs like him.”
He flips his mic up. “Sweet! I was going to miss the crazy bastard. Dakota is a little crazy himself. This is fuckin’ awesome.” He watches his board and flips his mic down. “PD on the right in five hundred. I’ve got him standing down.”
I throw chin at Chevy and step back. Billy didn’t miss a beat. It will be good to have both him and Jason on control. I clear my desk and pull Geek’s file. Fuckin’ trafficking never quits, it’s better than it used to be, but it’s still running. I key in the first address and follow, getting lost in cyberspace until my alarm goes off. I save and close out of everything, shipping Geek what I have so far with my job progress sheet.
Shaking my head to clear the code, I take a minute to focus and go through what’s going
on and who is where. When my head is straight, I pick up my bag and head down to Ops. Dakota is on with Josiah. “Billy is excited to work with you Dakota. His favorite at the MC is VP.”
He smiles, but keeps his eyes on the boards. “That is good. Jason said I am like him. I am both honored and alarmed by this.”
Josiah cracks up.
I smile. “I’m heading home. Thanks for seeing Holly this morning.”
“I am glad to help Brother.” He’s always right there. I slap his back.
Pulling in the driveway it looks quiet throwing me calm. I go through the garage and smell food as soon as I open the kitchen door. My mom, Nancy and Penny are putting food in containers. “I hope one is for me.”
They turn and smile. My mom holds one up. “They’re for all of you, we made enough so everyone could have dinners for a week. You can freeze and microwave them.”
She’s so happy, but I make a face. I hate the microwave. “You did teach us to cook ya know.”
“You’re the only one that does. I don’t know why you all don’t cook one day and share it with the rest.”
“We’re fuckin’ men. We cook when we want, not on a schedule. Shit to do and all that.” She gives me a look for the ‘fuckin’’, but doesn’t take away my dessert. I smile at her. “Besides, what would you do all day when you’re here? We’re not stupid men.” They laugh. “How is Holly doing?”
Penny and Nancy look at my mom. “She had some trouble sleeping. Tess, Jeremy and Aubrey are with her again. They finally got her to sleep with Mucimi’s help.”
I smile. “What’s my son done now?”
“He laid down with her. That’s all she needed.”
I nod. She was like that at the hospital too. I walk toward the bedroom, but turn when I hear voices in the living room. Holly is against the arm of the couch. Why didn’t they move her? That can’t be comfortable.
“She was nervous,” Tess says softly.
“I’ll put her on the bed. Mucimi can stay with her.”
Aubrey touches my arm. “I’ll stay with them too Brantley.”
I kiss her head. “Thanks Little Bit.”