BABY GIRL II For the Ones We Love

by Scott Hildreth

  “Uhhm, well it was a cancel on that Thursday, and then the poker run, uhhm, I guess it was like day before yesterday. Something, I don’t know. Like three days ago,” she was still rotating.

  “Take a seat, princess, you look wonderful,” I said as I pointed to her seat with my fork.

  She performed a perfect curtsy and sat in her chair.

  “Exciting about you and Erik, huh?” she said as she looked over both of her shoulders.

  “Nothing to be excited about, nothing’s changed. It’s exactly the same. We’re not in love, I don’t love him, and he doesn’t love me. We’re just together,” I said defensively.

  “Whoa, don’t get mad, just asking. Well, that’s weird. So, you’re committed, like dating. You’re together, and you don’t love him?” she asked.

  “Nope,” I answered as I pushed my salad aside.

  “You’re not going to finish that?” she asked, pointing to my salad plate.

  “Nope, not hungry any more. I’m full,” I responded.

  “Slide it over here, I’ll finish it. You got chicken on it, right?’ she asked as I slid the plate toward her.

  “Yes, chicken,” I responded.

  “Are you mad?” she asked.

  “About what?”

  “About me asking about Erik? I didn’t know it was off limits,” she said as she picked through the salad and ate the pieces of chicken.

  “It’s not,” I said.

  “Well, you seem mad, and you’re giving like one word answers to everything,” she said as she took another bite.

  I shrugged my shoulders.

  “Or no word answers,” she added.

  I shrugged my shoulders.

  She shrugged her shoulders.

  I shrugged my shoulders again.

  “You spoiled little brat,” she said, “so why are you mad at me?”

  “I’m not,” I said.

  “Okay, fine. If you see a waitress, I want one more beer, just one,” she said as she sifted through the salad.

  “Okay,” I said as I took a drink of my water.

  “Still on the wagon?” she asked.

  “Yep,” I said.

  “You love him don’t you?”

  “Yes I do,” the words came out before I could stop them.

  “Ha, I knew it. You were mad because I brought it up,” she screamed.

  “Quiet down. Jesus, Heather. Announce it to the world,” I said as I pointed around the restaurant.

  “Oh, yeah, like these stoners in here can hear me,” she laughed.

  “Well, be quiet. Or more quiet. Yeah, I love him. I can’t help it. He does everything I want him to do. For me, he’s perfect. I loved him a long time ago, I even think I may have told you before that I did,” I said.

  She pushed the plate to the side and shook her head.

  “Well, it’s no secret that he doesn’t love me. He likes me. And he’s mine, and I’m his, I could live like this forever. Forever and happy,” I said as I nodded my head once.

  “Seems weird,” she said as she picked her teeth.

  “There’s nothing weird about it, Heather. He’s not in love with me. Love isn’t something that just happens. It doesn’t just show up one day on your doorstep. Love is something that’s developed over a long, long, long period of time. It takes years,” I said in my defense.

  “Oh really?” she asked.

  “Yes, really,” I responded.

  “Well, how do you love him?” she asked.

  I thought of what to say. Not so much of how I felt, because I knew how I felt. I tried to find words that would support what I was trying to tell her.

  “I think I love the fact that he is who he is, and that he makes me feel the way he makes me feel, I don’t entirely love him. That takes time to develop, especially for someone like me,” I paused and continued, “I hope that makes sense.”

  She nodded her head slowly, “Yeah, makes sense. Really, it kinda does.”

  “Good, because it’s true,” I said, nodding my head once.

  “God, where is all the help here?” she said as she looked over both shoulders.

  I shrugged as I took a drink of my water.

  “I hate this place,” she said, shaking her head.

  “You hate all places,” I laughed.

  “I like eating at home,” she said smartly.

  “Maybe for the last month,” I said.

  “Well, eating out is stupid,” she said as the waitress walked up.

  “Can I get one more Bud Light?” Heather asked the waitress, smiling.

  “And the check,” I said as I raised my hand.

  “Did you guys hear? They caught the guy that killed that guy over by Augusta,” the waitress said.

  “Oh, wow,” Heather said.

  “Yeah, I thought maybe you guys knew. They haven’t said anything on the news, but they’re going to. Some cops are in here, and Katie sees one of them a little bit, well they hang out sometimes. Anyway, you guys hang out with those biker guys, right?”

  My heart rose into my throat.

  I nodded.

  “Who?’ I asked.

  “Who what, dear?” the waitress asked.

  “Who was it?” I clarified.

  My heart raced.

  “I don’t understand what you’re asking, sweetie,” she said.

  “Who got fucking arrested? What was his name?” I asked, worried about the club.

  “Oh, I don’t know his name hun, some biker. That’s why I thought you two might have heard,” she said as she turned and walked away.

  “Why were you being mean to her?” Heather asked.

  “I wasn’t being mean, I was just trying to get her stupid ass to answer a question,” I said as I motioned to the waitress.

  “Did you read about that in the paper?” Heather asked.

  I nodded, thinking about reading the article. It was weird, because of the fact that although I didn’t know the guy that was killed, I knew of him. I was in love with someone in a motorcycle club that had to have a meeting about some things that he stole. I knew that much. It was just kind of weird that I had any knowledge what so ever, but I did.

  I didn’t want Erik to get in trouble. At all. I didn’t want Erik’s club to get in trouble. Or anyone that was close to Erik. I wanted more than anything for the guy that killed him to be from somewhere else.

  Some motorcycle club from Colorado, or Wyoming, or South Dakota, or wherever.

  My heart felt heavy as I thought about the possibilities of what might happen or be in the process of happening.

  I wondered what the guys in the club do to protect their own. When someone gets in trouble with the law do they walk away from them? Do they support them or do they ‘for the betterment of the club’, have to just walk away and let whatever happens happen?

  I wondered if Erik was involved, if he would tell me. I decided that he would not. He would not want me to worry. He would not want me to know. He couldn’t let me know. Club business.

  I felt about half sick.

  The waitress brought the check and dropped of Heather’s beer.

  “Hold on,” I said as I raised my hand.

  As she turned, I handed her my credit card and the check.

  “Thanks, Kelli,” Heather said as the waitress walked away.

  “No problem,” I looked at her full beer, “finish your beer quick, I feel sick. And I need to get back to work.”

  “Oh really what’s wrong?” she asked.

  I’m in love, that’s what’s wrong.

  ERIK. Living a drama free life isn’t always drama free. Tuesday night should be a simple drama free night. Should be.

  “I’ve never been big on baggers, I don’t know, Crash. We’ll see.”

  “Well, I’m just sayin’ if you’re gonna have a woman, treat her right brother, treat her right. Get ya a bagger, and ride in comfort. Stereo, cruise control, and a windshield to keep the bugs and shit off ya,” Teddy said as he pointed into the parking lot
at his bike.

  Bagger was a term used to describe the style of motorcycle that Teddy rode. It was a touring bike, and had saddlebags on the back. The bags were capable of acting like a permanently attached piece of luggage, and hold whatever you wanted to stuff into them. Clothes, boots, shoes, coats, personal effects, whatever your heart desired. Most baggers had cruise control, a fairing with windshield, a highway bar – which was a place to rest your feet while the cruise control was set, and a more comfortable seat for you and the passenger.

  That style of bike, to me, was confirmation that life as a biker was over. It was admission that I was either old, or that I had a wife. Riding a chopper was the epitome of the original fuck the world type of bike. The movie Easy Rider was the beginning of the chopper craze, and from that movie, they’ve developed considerably. Still uncomfortable, impractical, and unconventional.

  Perfect for me.

  “I don’t care what you have, as long as I can get on the back,” Kelli chimed in.

  I wrapped my arm around her, “That’s my girl.”

  “Choppers are cool to look at, but I don’t know,” Heather laughed.

  “That motherfucker looks like it’s on fire with all them flames painted on it,” Teddy laughed as he stuck his finger in his mug of beer and pointed at my chopper.

  “Damn, Crash. When are you going to just figure out that the beer here is cold, and it’s not going to change? Cold. Always cold,” I asked as I shook my head.

  “But damn, Doc, feel it,” he said as he hoisted his beer mug and shoved it in my direction.

  I looked at the mug, and looked back at Teddy.

  “Feel it, it’s cold as a motherfucker,” he said, shaking the mug.

  I stuck my finger in the mug and quickly pulled it back out.

  “Chilly,” I said as I wiped my finger on my jeans.

  “That ain’t anywhere near chilly, it’s cold as fuck. And I got this bad boy about fifteen minutes ago. It’s half hot now, compared to a fresh one,” he tipped the mug and took a long slow drink.

  “Gross,” Heather said.

  “What’s gross, babe?” Teddy said as he placed his mug back onto the table and wiped his mustache.

  “Erik’s finger. Gross,” Heather laughed.

  “Yeah, ain’t no telling where that fucker’s been, huh? Probably in Kelli’s pooper, knowing these two weirdos,” Teddy laughed.

  “I’m standing right here, Teddy. And my ears work well. But, just so you know, was that his right hand?” Kelli said as she looked at my hand.

  I picked up my water glass and started taking a drink as I smiled.

  “Yeah, right before we came up here he had his right thumb in my pussy and that finger in my ass,” Kelli laughed.

  I choked on my water until it came out my nose. I grabbed one of the cloth napkins from the table and wiped my nose as I laughed.

  “Damn, baby girl,” I chuckled.

  “Well?” she said.

  “True story,” I laughed.

  “Gross, you two are gross. Babe, let me get you a fresh beer,” Heather said.

  “Hell, I ain’t worried,” Teddy said as he tipped his beer mug up and took another drink.

  “You been in a fine spirit today, Doc. What’s got into you?” Teddy asked.

  I quickly tilted my head back toward Kelli.

  “Gotcha. Yup, they can make a difference, that’s a damned fact,” he said, smiling as he placed his mug back onto the table.

  As he put his beer mug down on the table, the rumble of bikes approaching made us both turn around.

  “Fuck!” I said as soon as I noticed the cuts the riders were wearing.

  “What?” Teddy said.

  “Great Plains,” I said as I took a step away from the table.

  “So?” Teddy said with a puzzled look on his face.

  “Slick was riding with them, or at least it’s who he was hanging around at the run. That’s the bunch he was with when A-Train and I were talking at the beer kegs,” I said as they pulled into the lot.

  “Well, fuck,” Teddy said as he stepped away from the table and looked around the patio.

  “With Train in jail on suspicion of shooting that prick, you know why they’re here,” I said.

  Teddy nodded toward the girls, reminding me of their presence.

  “You girls go sit at the table in the rear of the patio. No, just go inside. You two go inside, and come back out here when we come get you,” I said sternly as the group parked their bikes.

  “I’m not going to go inside, Erik. Teddy, I’m staying out here,” Heather said.

  “Well, go over there,” Teddy said, pointing to rear table.

  I looked over my shoulder, “Go with her.”

  Kelli smiled.

  “Baby Girl, this one isn’t anything to smile about, go sit over there, act like you don’t know me,” I said.

  “Erik?” she said in a worried tone.

  “It’ll all work out, baby girl. Go!”

  “You packing?” Teddy asked.

  I nodded.

  “Mine’s in the fucking saddlebag,” Teddy said as they started walking across the lot.

  “That’s a god damned fine place for it,” I whispered across the table.

  Teddy shrugged and smiled a half-smile.

  “How we gonna do this?” Teddy asked.

  “Play it by ear?” I answered as I rolled my shoulders and popped my neck.

  “You got it, Doc. There’s four of them. Pick two, I got the rest,” Teddy chuckled.

  I nodded and smiled.

  The list of people that I would just as soon not fight, if it came right down to it, is a pretty short list. Teddy would certainly be on the top of that list. He was huge. His arms were about as big as most men’s legs. His chest was massive. And he was the real nice kind of mean. The type of guy that would laugh and joke all day, even as he was whipping your ass. Drinking beer, riding, or fighting, Teddy didn’t care either way. He enjoyed them all the same. And he had fun doing each and every one of them. Equally.

  As they walked onto the patio, I looked them over. Two were about my size, and the other two were average at best. The two smaller men of the four were about five foot ten, and 170 pounds. Both had their hair buzz-cut. The bigger two were each about six foot two and two hundred pounds. One of the bigger two was walking faster than the others. He had what looked like a skate boarder haircut, only extremely dirty.

  He’s the one that’s in charge of this show.

  “You must be Doc,” fast walker said as he approached.

  “Yep,” I answered. As I focused alternately between his hands and his shoulders.

  “Nervous?” he asked.

  “About what?” I answered.

  “What you staring at my hands for?” he asked.

  He just revealed his lack of experience in fighting. Good.

  “Make you nervous?” I asked.

  “Nope,” he answered.

  “What’s this all about? You fellas hustlin’ up here like this?” Teddy asked as he walked around the group to my side of the table.

  “Nobody’s talking to you, Bear,” the small one in sneakers said.

  “You ain’t big enough to talk to me that way,” Teddy paused and looked him from head to toe and back up to his head, “I’ll whip your little ass on my way to whip these other three fellas.”

  Teddy motioned with his hand in a wide sweeping circle, pointing to everyone.

  “This ain’t got to do with you, Bear,” fast walker said, looking over his shoulder toward Teddy.

  It was pretty clear now that this must be a personal beef between fast walker and I. These guys weren’t about to make this much of anything more than that. If they were, they would have already done so. Their club was about ten members deep at best. We, in two chapters, had about 110 members. I shrugged my shoulders and stepped to the right a little. Crash looked at me and winked. I winked back.

  “He just winked, Prez,” the little one said, pointing t
o me.

  “I think you’re cute,” I said.

  “Oh, you’re about half a smart-ass too, huh?” fast walker said as he turned back to face me.

  “What’s this about?” I asked.

  “Well, you blind-sided my nephew the other night. He had a concussion. He ended up losing three teeth. Any man can get his ass kicked, but blind-siding someone is chicken-shit,” he said.

  “Never blind-sided any man in my life, boss,” I responded as I rotated a half step to my right.

  “Well, you did the other night,” he said.

  “I’m going to guess, considering I’ve been in one fight recently, that you must be talking about that guy that I fought in here about two weeks ago?” I asked.

  “Wasn’t two weeks ago, but yeah, that’s the one. Tommy Jones,” he responded.

  “Tommy. Yeah, sounds about right. Let me ask you something, this between you and I? Seeing it’s your nephew, and all? If it isn’t about our clubs, tell the fellas to step back and take a breather. Teddy, step back,” I said, and nodded to Teddy.

  “Step back fellas,” he said over his shoulder.

  “Yeah this is between you and I. You blind-sided my nephew, and that ain’t right, Doc,” he repeated.

  “I told you once, I didn’t blind-side him. He just didn’t see it coming,” I said in a stern voice.

  “He said you blind-sided him,” he repeated.

  “He’s mistaken,” I said sternly.

  “What are you saying?” he asked.

  “I just said it,” I sighed.

  I looked at Teddy. Teddy smiled at me and raised his eyebrows as he took a sip of beer. The other three guys were sitting with Teddy at the table behind the table where we had been earlier. Teddy was drinking his beer. The other three were chatting softly.

  “He said you blind-sided him,” he repeated.

  “Look, we can do this all God damned night. He said I blindsided him. He’s clearly mistaken. He was facing me, with is back to the bar, and we were talking. I had provided him with a few options. I told him he could apologize for calling my girl a dog, or suffer the consequences. He opted to not apologize. Additionally, when he made that decision, he also decided to try to shove me. Instinctively, in defense of myself and my girls honor, I hit him several times. He fell back into the bar and split his head open. It’s all on film. They have camera’s here,” I inhaled, out of breath from the speech.