A Family Man

by osborne, Sarah

  Tiny laid back on the bed and closed his eyes. "Nothing a good night's sleep won't fix."

  "Okay, if you’re sure. See you in the morning."

  He opened his eyes. "Hey, Samson. Thanks."

  "No problem. You know where to find me, if you need an ear." The nomad president closed the door and headed back into the bar.

  Barney looked up from his beer. "Tiny okay?"

  "He says he is. I'm guessing that bitch has got him all bent outta shape again." Samson shook his head. "I love Tiny, and I trust him more than anyone. But I will never understand how he can be brought down like that."

  Barney smiled. "You've never met her, have you?"

  "I take it by that, you have?"

  "Yeah, a few years back. She's a real stunner, man. Knock any of the bitches here into the shade. Got a way about her, I dunno how to explain it. I mean she was fucked up when I met her. Real bad habit. But she has this…I dunno, charm, I guess. Trust me, man. If you met her you'd understand why Tiny gets so twisted up over her."

  "Sounds like she weaved her magic over you too."

  Barney shrugged but said nothing. Oh, he'd fallen for her charms. Hook, line and sinker.

  NINETEEN

  Maria flinched as the door slammed and Amy stormed out. She really didn't know how much longer she could put up with this. For the last two and a half years she had managed to stay sober, more or less, and she was proud of the way she was coping. Now Jack had started school, she had found herself a part-time job and was actually acting like a grown up for the first time in her life. Not that she had much choice. The child support checks from Rob were pretty sporadic these days. It was only when she threatened him that any money was forthcoming. Sometimes she thought that she should have gone to the authorities. She worried that he could have another little girl in his sights. The only thing that was stopping her was the thought of Amy having to give evidence. She knew a decent defense lawyer would tear her to shreds. So in the end she had decided to let it go. She had to put her daughter first. Something she should have done a long time ago.

  Karma, though, was a bitch, and as soon as Amy hit her teens she had started to turn into her mother. This year alone she'd had three temporary suspensions from school and was almost constantly on report. That's when she bothered to turn up, of course. Maria rubbed her hand across her forehead. Nothing anybody said got through to her. All she wanted to do was hang out with that bunch of lowlifes she thought were her friends, getting up to god knows what. She had tried everything, but it seemed like history was going to repeat itself.

  Amy stormed down the street. Why couldn't her mom get off her back? She was such a hypocritical bitch, and as far as she was concerned, had no right to tell her what to do.

  If it wasn't her mom bitching at her, it was Beth giving her a hard time. Not that she saw much of her these days. Her aunt had moved to Oregon nearly two years ago and was now a PA to a top lawyer. It wasn't like she gave a shit about her niece anyway. All she cared about was her precious career.

  She contemplated going to see Nana Sophie. She hadn't been to see her for months, and felt a little guilty for neglecting her. She knew she was in pain all the time, and struggled to get about. But spending time with her was so boring. She'd rather hang out with her friends. They were the only ones that understood her, unlike the adults in her life. Even Joe spent most of his time yelling at her. She didn't call him anymore and managed to avoid him when he was in town. He wasn't her dad, she didn't have to listen to him. It wasn't like he was perfect anyway. He was an outlaw for fuck's sake, and everyone knew what they were like.

  She turned as a mustang pulled up next to her. "Hey Amy. Wanna take a ride?" She grinned and climbed into the car. She guessed it was stolen, but didn't care. All she wanted to do was have some fun and forget how shitty her life was.

  She sat back and watched the scenery flash past. It had been so much easier when she was a kid. Before she'd realized just how dysfunctional her family really was. They were all so wrapped up in their own shit, that they didn't care about her. Not really.

  It wasn't Sophia’s fault that she got old, but she didn't have to be so irritable and snippy all the time. It wasn't her fault Joe moved away or that she had a life now.

  When Beth wasn't mooning around over Joe, she was climbing the career ladder. As soon as Amy starting falling behind in school and skipping lessons she lost interest in her. She only cared about her when she was a perfect little girl. All she bothered about now was her little brother.

  Her mom. Shit, she could hardly stand to be in the same room as her. Maybe if she hadn't been such a selfish bitch, Joe would have stuck around and they could have been like a normal family. But no, she had to drive him away. It wasn't like she knew who her real dad was, despite asking and asking. Her mom probably drove him away as well. All she'd ever wanted was to be loved, but the older she got, the more she felt like her mom thought she was an inconvenience, the cause of all her troubles.

  Then there was Joe. If anything, he pissed her off more than the rest. She had loved him so much, trusted him. She had thought that, when they moved back to Cali, she'd see more of him, that he'd be around more. But he’d moved away and she'd hardly seen him. On the rare occasions their paths did cross, he'd yell at her. According to him, she was letting herself down. What a fucking joke! He was always in and out of jail, nothing he did was legal. What would he know? It wasn't her fault that she couldn't keep up with her schoolwork. She couldn't help being dumb. Why should she bother turning up when all that was going to happen was that she'd get yelled at by the teachers and picked on by the top bitches in the school.

  She took a long drag on the joint her friend passed her and urged him to go faster. She knew his driving was on the ragged edge and there was a good chance they'd end up in a wreck, but she didn't care. Her life wasn't worth shit anyway. No one would really miss her.

  Beth parked her Lexus outside her office and headed inside. She enjoyed her job and loved her apartment, but she still couldn't shake that feeling of displacement, and despite her best efforts, her feelings for Joe were as strong as ever. She knew she would never stop loving him. She had dated numerous men from all walks of life and none of them measured up in her eyes. She had contemplated moving back home. She knew Maria was struggling to keep Amy on the straight and narrow and Sophia wasn't getting any younger. Beth's career was important to her, but her family was always going to come first.

  ~ oOo ~

  Joe rode past the 'Welcome to Bay View' sign and gave a sigh of relief. He had been on the road for twelve straight hours, only stopping for gas or to piss. He loved to ride but even for him there was a limit to how long he could be on his bike before his muscles seized up and he lost all feeling in his ass. He would be in Bay View for the best part of a month. They had several protection runs planned plus a large shipment of car parts to be packed and distributed, and they were stretched pretty thin. Joe didn't mind helping out. He loved spending time in the small town next to the ocean and it would be nice to get the chance to spend some time in Fillmore. He knew his ma wasn't well, and he wanted to catch up with Amy. From what he'd heard she was heading the same way as her mother. He wasn't sure he could fix that, but he sure as shit could try.

  Amy leaned on her front door and watched as Joe dismounted. In the past she would've run into his arms, but now all she wanted to do was run in the opposite direction. She couldn't believe her mom had called him and ratted on her. So she got arrested? So what? She hadn't been charged with anything. It hadn't been her who stole the car. She looked up and her eyes met his as he marched up the garden path. Shit, he was furious. She swallowed. "Joe?"

  He scowled. "You got all your shit?"

  She nodded. This was bad. Her mom had been so pissed, she'd asked Joe to come and take her to Bay View for a few days till she'd calmed down and, amazingly, he'd agreed. At first she'd thought it was a good idea, so keen was she to stay out of her mom's crosshairs. But now, looking at t
he expression on his face, she realized that her mom would be a picnic compared to a pissed-off Joe. Shit. This was very bad indeed. "Joe. You mad?" Stupid question, she knew.

  "Just get on the bike, Amy. I ain’t getting into it here."

  "Joe?"

  "Just get on the Goddamned bike!" Amy took a step back. It wasn't the first time he'd yelled at her. In fact, these days it was pretty commonplace. But it was the first time she'd been scared of him. Joe shook his head and reached out to her. "I ain't gonna hurt you, sugar. But please. Do as you're fucking told."

  The instant he touched her, everything was alright. The belligerent fourteen-year-old disappeared and in her place stood the little girl who loved him more than anything. Yes, she had fucked up and, yes, he was mad. But he loved her and she loved him. She allowed him to pull her into his arms. "I'm sorry, Joe."

  He kissed the top of her head. "What am I gonna do with you? C'mon, let's get you to Bay View."

  TWENTY

  The Freaks MC had a reputation for being a lot of things. They were violent criminals, womanizers. Hell, they were killers. What people were less aware of, was that they gossiped more than a bunch of old washerwomen, and right now their latest subject was climbing off the back of Tiny's bike and following him across the parking lot towards the clubhouse.

  Long John craned his neck to get a better view. "Shit, I know Tiny likes 'em young. But there's no way that's legal."

  "Nah, there's no way he's hitting that, she's just a kid. Joe likes his women to know what they're doing. Sweet little virgins ain't his scene." Stubs lit a cigarette. "Think he likes his women to have tits as well."

  Spike rolled his eyes and pushed himself away from the picnic table. "You better not let him hear you talk about her like that. That's his kid."

  "Tiny has a kid?" Mac's jaw dropped open. "Nah, I'd have known."

  Vince, the president chuckled. "That can't be Tiny's kid. She's a pretty girl."

  "She don't share his DNA, but if you ask, that's what he'll tell you." Spike followed Joe and Amy towards the clubhouse.

  Amy couldn't remember the last time she felt so uncomfortable. It was clear from the moment she climbed off the back of Joe's bike that she was going to be the center of attention. "Am I going to be staying here?"

  "No, sugar. We're gonna stay at Spike's place, I just need to get the key from him."

  "Okay." She looked up as Spike walked in, closely followed by another huge Freak with a patch over one eye. Amy wrapped her arms around herself and shrunk closer to Joe. She'd never really thought about it before, but these guys were pretty intimidating, and as much as she wasn't looking forward to being alone with him—she was pretty sure he wasn't going to let her off lightly—she didn't want to stay here a moment longer than she needed to.

  Joe gently laid his hand on her shoulder as they approached. "You remember Spike, don't you? And the ugly fucker with him is Long John. I know he looks scary, but trust me, he's a pussycat."

  Spike grinned and handed Tiny his key. "I sent the prospect round to clean the place up. It's all yours for as long as you need it."

  Amy frowned. "Aren't you staying there?"

  "Nah, sweetheart. It's only got two bedrooms and I ain’t sharing with that ugly fuck. I can sleep here." Spike laughed. "An' I reckon he'll want somewhere private for when he rips you a new one."

  Amy paled and Joe scowled at his brother. "Way to go, Spike." Taking her hand he led her back outside. He had planned on leaving her here while he was in chapel. He could see now that was a mistake. She may have been mouthy round him at times, but here in the clubhouse he was reminded that she was still a kid and was nowhere as tough as she thought she was.

  He had nearly made it back to his bike when Gloria, Vince’s old lady, pulled onto the lot and climbed out of her car. Shit, he had kind of hoped he'd be able to slip under her radar. He could tell by her expression that she wasn't happy about him bringing such a young girl to the club.

  "Tiny. Are you going to introduce me to your little friend?"

  "Gloria, this is Amy. She'll be staying with me at Spike's for a while. She and her mom have got some shit going on. They need a bit of space from each other."

  Gloria gave a tight little smile. "Hi, Amy. I'm Gloria. Welcome to Bay View."

  Amy smiled and opened her mouth to speak, only to be dragged away by Joe. The last thing he wanted was Gloria getting into his shit. She may have been the president's wife, but as far as he was concerned she was just an old lady, and old ladies should know their place. "Joe. That was pretty rude."

  "Don't give a fuck, sugar. C'mon let's get you to Spike's."

  The prospect had done a half-decent job, and Spike's place was tidy and smelled fresher than the last time he had visited. Joe dropped her bag on the living room floor. "You can have Spike's room. It's at the top of the stairs on the right. Don't worry, the sheets are clean."

  "Okay." She frowned as he stared to leave. "Where you going?"

  "Back to the clubhouse. Got church. Don't worry, sugar, I won't be long. I'll pick up a pizza on my way back."

  "Okay. Joe?"

  "Yes, sugar."

  "I'm sorry I'm such a fuck-up."

  "You ain’t a fuck-up, Amy. You're a teenager. We'll figure this out."

  Amy was curled up, fast asleep on the sofa when he got back. Joe smiled. She'd always slept like that, curled up in a tight little ball. He put the pizza on the coffee table and sat on the other end of the sofa. She stirred and sat up, stretching like a cat. "Oh, I fell asleep."

  Grinning, he slipped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer. "You always were a lazy bitch."

  "Joe! I was not."

  They ate their pizza and watched some crappy cop show, neither wanting to talk about the reason she was there. Joe couldn't shake the feeling that he was somehow responsible for her behavior. Maria was doing her best, but she couldn't rein her daughter in. And with Beth not around and his ma too frail to take care of her, it fell to him to keep Amy in line.

  Amy stared at the TV screen and chewed on her thumbnail. She knew they had to talk about the stuff she'd been doing. She had thought she was angry with him but as soon as they were together, all her resentment disappeared. Unlike her mom, who just went on and on at her, Joe would blow up at her when he was pissed but as soon as he'd said his piece he would drop it. He never saw any point going over old ground. She took a deep breath. Suddenly all she wanted was to get this over with. "Joe?"

  "Yes, sugar?"

  "Are you pissed at me?"

  "I ain't exactly thrilled with you, Amy. I mean, getting in a stolen car with that douche. Your mom said the cops reckoned it was a miracle he didn't wreck it, the way he was driving." He shook his head. "Fuck, sugar. I thought you were smarter than that."

  "That's the point, though. I'm not smart. I'm stupid."

  "No, you ain’t."

  "Tell that to my teachers. They seem to think I am." She sighed. "Why do you think I skip school all the time? It's just so hard. The other kids don't seem to find it a problem, but I can't keep up. Every time I try to read, it's like the words are dancing around on the page, and when I try to write my spelling is so bad, and I get the letters all muddled up."

  "Have you tried to talk to anyone about this?"

  "Oh sure I'm gonna tell someone that I'm fourteen years old and so dumb, I can't read."

  "I don't think you're dumb. I think you may be dyslexic. Although, what I don't understand, is how it could've been missed."

  Amy shrugged. "I think I got good at hiding it. When I was in middle school, I'd copy from my friends, and at high school, if I couldn't do that, I'd just not hand work in. If there are classes where I have to read out loud, I don't bother turning up. Or if I am there, I'll act out, so they send me out." She laughed. "I'd rather they think I'm disruptive and a troublemaker than stupid."

  "You ain't stupid. I told you. But we are gonna get to the bottom of this."

  "Okay. Joe?"

  "Yes,
sugar?"

  "How come you thought of this when no one else did?"

  "Got a buddy in Seattle who's dyslexic. What you described is almost word for word how he explained it." He grabbed the last slice of pizza. "It doesn't excuse your behavior though."

  "I know. It's just…I get so angry sometimes. I wish I could explain it. I just want to lash out, hurt someone, hurt myself."

  Joe nodded. "Isn't there someone you can talk to about this?"

  "You."

  "Yeah, but I ain’t always around. Can't you talk to your mom?"

  "No. she's just so stressed all the time. It's like every day is so hard for her and I'm just making it worse."

  "What about Beth?"

  "I haven't spoken to her for months. I think she's disappointed in me." She rested her head on his shoulder. "There's only you, Joe."

  Joe gave her a squeeze. He was going to have to talk to Maria. As far as he could see there was only one solution, but he didn't think her mom would like it.

  ~ oOo ~

  Spike sat on the picnic table and took a long drag on his joint. He turned as Long John sat next to him and snatched the joint away. "You okay, brother?"

  "Yeah, just waiting for the brothers from Seattle to turn up."

  They looked up as the roar of Harleys split the air, and their Seattle brothers pulled onto the lot. They watched as they killed their engines and headed towards the clubhouse. Suddenly Long John sat up straighter. "That's who Tiny's kid reminded me of."

  Spike looked over to where Barney was standing, running his hands through his hair. "Whatever you think you know, brother, keep it to yourself."

  "You mean Tiny doesn't know? The resemblance is uncanny."

  Spike shrugged. "If he does, he ain’t saying."