Blackjack

by Elizabeth Knox

  “Blackjack and I talked, sweetheart” He continues slowly, averting his eyes from me. “We both that you should move in together.”

  “You’re doing this again.” I shake my head, pushing my hair out of my face with frustration. “You both are agreeing on something I have no say in. I thought we were going to put a stop to all this?” The events in the last few weeks have bothered me to no avail. I was frustrated and almost to my breaking point. Yes, I owe these men a lot. They helped nurse me back to life, back to the old Ashley that I thought was long gone but that didn’t give anyone the right to keep making decisions for me.

  “Ashley…” He mutters aloud.

  I put my hands on my hips, biting the inside of my cheek. “Be honest with me, Dad.”

  “Always.” He leans forward in his chair and I give him a long stare.

  “Are you trying to protect me or control me?”

  My father’s eyes widened in surprise but the hurt on his face was evident. I didn’t know what to say when it came to these types of situations. It didn’t matter whether my father meant well, I wanted him to know that I was more than determined to have a life where I didn’t feel trapped, if that was by an abusive husband or a controlling father – it didn’t matter. I didn’t want to constantly depend on him and the club for protection like some sort of victim. Even I have to say that I’m more than that. I can be strong too.

  “I’m not just doing this to protect you, Ashley.” He finally admits. “I’m doing this, so I know you can finally be happy.”

  “Oh, Dad” I let out a sigh and walk over to him. My hand reached out to his and I gave him a good squeeze. “I am happy – happy that I’m finally home, back here with you.”

  “You know what I mean, sweetheart.” He chuckles and shakes his head. “I’m not going to be around forever, you know.”

  “Which is why I should be spending the rest of my days with you.” I argue.

  “No, darling. That’s where I draw the line.” There was a twinkle in his eye when he smiled at me.

  “I know Blackjack will take care of you. The two of you were meant for each other from the very start, goddamn it. Tell me something, will you?”

  “Anything”

  “Did you really think I never knew?”

  “Knew what?” I inquired.

  “Oh sweetie. You aren’t that dumb. I’m talking about you and Blackjack. And don’t give me some bologna that you don’t know what I’m talking about. I saw you kiss him that night, shit, I saw the way you always looked at him and knew I was in for trouble. I was going to kill him for even touching you, I had it all mapped out in my head and then two days later he was gone.” My Dad shut his eyes, opening them slowly to look at me. “I hated what that did to you. You were heartbroken when he left, but I understood why. He was too old for you, and you were surely too young for him, but I was never a dumb man little girl. You two were always gonna be somethin’” It felt like everyone knew one way or another that the two of us always were meant for each other, even my dear old Dad.

  “He’s a good man.” Was all that could come out of my mouth.

  “I know he is.” I couldn’t help but smirk at my father’s words.

  “Then won’t you do your Dad this favor?” He insists, taking my hand in both his palms. “Just be happy with him. I know you two have wanted each other for years, I saw that with my very own eyes. I know the circumstances surrounding this…union…aren’t what either of you wanted. I could imagine that you’d want this on your own terms, but life doesn’t always give us what we want darling.”

  “Fine, but you have to answer one last question for me.”

  He nods, waiting patiently for once.

  “Was this your idea or Blackjacks?” I demanded to know.

  I watched him as his lips purse at the question before he stroked his beard slowly. He was obviously contemplating on how to answer.

  “A little bit of both.” He admits, laughing.

  “Daddy!”

  “But most of it was all on Blackjack!” He chuckles.

  “What do you mean most of it?” I ask skeptically.

  His shoulders rose up to his ears and he shrugs. “That’s up for him to tell you.”

  “And where do you think you’re going?” He asks, eyes following me as I searched the counter for my wallet and car keys.

  “Out.” I announce once I left the kitchen.

  “Out where?”

  As soon as I followed through the hallway by the stairs, I found my wallet and keys waiting at the end table where I’d left them from the walk. I snatched the two and pulled off my little frayed bag from the coat hanger to shove them inside.

  “Out to find my fiancée.” I respond sardonically and start to the door.

  The kitchen fills up with his bark of a laugh. “That’s something I didn’t think I’d hear ever again!”

  I exited the front door of my childhood home and trekked across the field to walk to the clubhouse. All I could do was think about the circumstances surrounding my life, Blackjack was my new rock in this cruel world and maybe that would help me move on from these terrible memories. For the time being however, I just didn’t know how we were going to make this sudden move work. Would we move into his place or would it be his house at the club, or would we start anew and find a fresh start in a new home?

  What I should’ve been asking was how his son was going to react to all of this. Dex and I hadn’t even spoken once since I came back home which was strange enough.

  I’d have to set aside that awkwardness just for once and talk to him about the whole thing. I was going to be his step-mother after all…I remember babysitting the boy when he was five, and with these years that went by…I’m sure he’s changed a lot. Lord knows I have.

  I made a mental note in the back of my head to stop beating around the bush and talk to Dex. As I made my way through the clubhouse doors I could feel the cool AC hit my face like a refreshing day dream. I nearly forgot just how hot it was outside. My eyes scanned the bar tops for Blackjack or any familiar faces that might’ve crossed paths with him during the day––but I couldn’t find him at all. Most of the guys who were here had been drinking for quite a while.

  Along the corner of the bar was a boy that looked years too young to be sitting on the stool. We were a lot of things, but we never allowed kids to sit at the bar. Sure, they’d be around when we had club family events, but I thought it was interesting that there was a random kid here with no parent within reach. I approached the bar slowly with my eyes focused on Havoc, the bartender preparing what could’ve been the seventh whiskey on the rocks for the afternoon. If anyone might’ve seen Blackjack during the day, it was likely that Havoc could’ve spotted him during his shift. I pulled myself up to one of the stools at the counter and leaned forward in my seat when he noticed me at last.

  I put up a hand and waved, saying his first name. “Hey, Edd.”

  “Well, if it isn’t the liquor cabinet thief.” He snorts before snaking his hand behind him to take a rag for the counters, “Come to pour out the rest of my tequila?”

  “I didn’t drink all of the tequila last week, Eddy.”

  He gives me a little smirk. “Sure you didn’t, Ash. Sure.”

  I roll my eyes and throw my hair behind my shoulders, “Have you seen Blackjack today, by chance?” He shook his head as he wiped the counters, leaving behind thin trails of water every time he went over the surface.

  “Haven’t seen him since…oh gosh.. when was it?” He contemplates aloud, averting his attention to the floor. “You remember, boy?”

  “Thursday.” The boy next to me responded. I looked across from me to where the kid sat with his face practically buried in a thick American history textbook. All I could think about was if I was studying American history when I was his age…I don’t remember having textbooks that big!

  “Yeah, that was him.” Edd picks up his bald head and continues his wipe down at the bar.

  “So,
you haven’t seen him since?”

  He shakes his head. “Not that I can remember.”

  “Thanks.” I mutter lowly before climbing off the barstool.

  “What’s the matter, sweetheart?”

  I took out my phone, checking for the time. It was almost five in the afternoon. “I’m sort of in a rush to find him.” I respond idly.

  “What’s your hurry?” He cocks a bushy brow and throws the rag back where he found it. “You guys in a rush to get married already?”

  “Jesus, no!” I bat at the counter. “It’s not like that.”

  “Then what’s it like, Ash?” Edd grew more curious with that little smile on his face. “You are telling me that you’re getting hitched to this guy with no strings attached?”

  “That’s not it either. Have all of you forgotten – I have to get divorced before I can marry him.” I scoff, his humor getting on my nerves.

  “Can I have a root beer?” The boy beside me finally speaks up, shifting in his seat.

  Edd’s attention falls on the young man and he nods, “Coming right up, boy.”

  I cross my arms, waiting for his response with an equipped apology. Edd finally looks up at me, noticing my irritation. “I’m just joking with you, Ash.” He shakes his head before turning his back to me to open the bottom fridge. “You’re a good girl but I never know what’s going on in your head.”

  “Well, you should ask the right questions.” I scowl and finally gesture to the boy. “Take this guy for instance. Shouldn’t you be asking him for his ID before letting him sit at the bar?”

  Edd turns around slowly with a root beer in his hand before closing the fridge. He looks to me and then back to the kid only to smile even wider than before we began this conversation. A hoarse laugh escapes him and suddenly the bottom of the root beer slaps the counter tops as he clenches his gut, practically guffawing.

  “What’s so damn funny now?” I demand to know.

  “Oh, sweetheart…” He pants, letting out a low sigh before he finally quit. “You honestly don’t know who’s been sitting next to you this entire time?”

  I opened my mouth to say something smart but stopped in my tracks as soon as I turned my head to see who he was even talking about. Then and there, I was staring into the most familiar brown eyes but it didn’t take long for me to recognize they belonged to Blackjack’s son, Dex.

  Chapter 14

  Ashley

  I can’t believe that the boy sitting beside me is just nine years old. He looks like he’s pushing eleven or maybe even twelve. I had to do a double take at him, sure enough, he carried his father’s deep brown eyes along with that stern jaw. The corners of his lips were so stiff it made it look like he hadn’t smiled for days. Who could blame him though? I’m sure he was just as confused as to what’s been going on. As my eyes ventured up, I noticed that his hair was a few shades lighter than Blackjacks. Blackjack’s hair was jet black but I suppose with time, his son’s hair would darken down to his father’s shade unless he took after his mother. Speaking of which…

  I never did ask Blackjack about her, or go into full detail of what happened, the only information I knew was just general gossip amongst the club and from word of mouth.

  While I took my time staring at the boy beside me, Edd had the stupidest smile on his face as he watched the two of us. Finally, he gives out a low snort. “You can’t be telling me this is the first time you’ve seen the kid since you’ve been home”

  I whip my head around to scowl him. “Believe it or not, I’ve been busy these past couple of weeks.”

  Edd gave me a high brow expression. “I’m sure.”

  Rolling my eyes, I finally focused back to Dex who began to close his book shut. I straighten myself back to the seat and slowly exhale. I honestly didn’t know what to say to the kid. Here he was before my eyes and never in my life did I think it was going to be this hard to say something like “hi”. Obviously, this was going to be awkward.

  “Sorry about that, Dex.” I finally say, smiling sheepishly. “It’s been so long since I’ve seen you”

  He nods, giving me a small grin which took me by surprise. “My, Miss Ashley. Never did I think I’d round these part’s again. Especially after your newspaper incident” The boy gestures with his bottle.

  My lips broke into a laugh as I recalled the so-called incident that he’s talking about. “Hey. Now don’t you go blaming that on me. You, my little man decided to “help” me with my delivery that day. Instead of helping you grabbed ‘em and started throwing them every which way. You nearly pelted me!”

  “That was an accident.” He’d insist, eyes going wide with embarrassment.

  “Oh yeah? And what about the Murray cat?” I cock a brow with a knowing look.

  Dex looked away, suddenly growing more interested in his root beer. “Whiskers was asking for it.” He mutters at the bottle before taking a swig.

  Edd and I exchanged looks at one another and before we knew it, we were both laughing at the memory all together as if it happened just yesterday. The two of us were ripping our sides apart over our laughter while Dex could only shake his head at us like an adult looking over a couple of kids. Slowly, I gathered myself together with a slow shed of a tear, continuing to laugh.

  “Murray never did let that one go.” Edd gave us both a toast as he drank from his own beer.

  “You’re kidding me…” I scoffed, shaking my head “Murray hasn’t even let go of the fact that I hit his car when my tricycle didn’t brake. I was three years old, god that old man”

  “The man doesn’t forgive or forget.” Dex agreed with a frown. “Well, unless you count the time Dad helped him with an oil change.”

  “Your old man helped him with that?” Edd furrowed his bushy brows.

  “Sure he did.” Dex smiled cheekily. “One morning, Murray just came up to our house with the most godawful smell coming from…”

  As I watched him remember the story aloud, I realized that it was hard even for me to remember that Dex was Blackjack’s son. I felt like all that’s happened over the past few weeks is Blackjack making sure that I’m okay, checking up on me, us slowly catching up to where we used to be all those years ago. I was inconsiderate and didn’t once ask him about Dex.

  I smoothed my hands down on my lap and listened to the two of them recount old Murray’s good spots. Every time Dex so much as laughed, it was like seeing a split image of his father all over again. You did well with him, Rob… I couldn’t help but think to myself, smiling fondly all the same. Dex’s eyes drew back over to where I sat silently, confusion spreading through his face.

  “You alright, Miss. Monroe?” Dex asks suddenly.

  I blinked at the question.

  “Ms. Monroe?” Eddy cackled, “That’s new, ain’t it, Ash?”

  Dex’s fair skin turned deep burgundy in embarrassment as the bartender filled the room with a thick laugh. I gave Edd a look before swatting him across the shoulder. He dodged at the swat and turned back to his counters with a chuckle. No one called me Miss. Monroe unless they were referring to my mother.

  “Sure, I’m okay.” I look back to Dex, nodding pleasantly, “It’s just been a long day talking with my dad and all. You don’t have to call me Miss. Ashley or Miss. Monroe. Ash or Ashley is just fine, okay?”

  “Sorry… Ashley.” Dex says slowly, adjusting to the name before changing the subject. “How is your father by the way?”

  “My dad?” I tilt my head to the left, puzzled. “He’s doing alright, I suppose. Why do you ask?”

  “No reason.” The boy shrugs, “He talks to me about you from time to time. Said he missed you a lot since you were gone.”

  “Did he now?” I rest my head into my hand as my elbow lifts to the bar.

  “Yeah…says I remind him a lot of you when you were my age.” He scratches the back of his neck. “I don’t know why though. Only thing I said at the time was how much I wanted to get my motorcycle license early even if Dad said I could
n’t. He keeps fighting me on it, but the day I turn sixteen I’ll be a biker!”

  I could see Blackjack saying no to that. Even though he was aloof, there was no way he’d put his boy at risk out of getting an early start with a bike. It didn’t seem that long since I told Daddy I’d run away if he didn’t let me get a motorcycle license.

  As I was thinking about it now, it made sense why he said no with me being the only person left in his life. Hm, I really did come across as a reckless child back then. I honestly thought that he was being sexist at the time when he forbade me from getting a license behind his back. Even now, he was still trying to control aspects of my life for my own good––always keeping in mind that I’m still his little girl. I guess I should’ve thought of that before I moved out of Montana to live with Harry. Perhaps even then I could’ve put an end to the loveless marriage before it had even started. It would have done me a lot better in life rather than looking to the closest way of getting out of the house.

  I looked up at Dex and brought my hand up to his shoulder, giving it a small squeeze. His eyes found mine, almost startled at the gesture. “Don’t ever be in a rush to grow up.” I say softly, meaning every word. “That license is still going to be waiting for you at the end of the road. Your dad knows how much you mean to him so it’s only natural he’d want you to be safe rather than sorry.”

  “Yeah, I know.” Dex nods, an understanding coming across his eyes. “We’ve got each other, and he’s always been looking out for me.”

  “You probably know your father better than anyone.” I collected my hand back at my side, pulling a stray piece of hair behind my ear.

  “Well, not anyone.” He raised his brows at me. “You seem like you know him pretty well.”

  As he finished that sentence, I could feel my face grow heated as a deep blush ran from my cheeks to my ears. I averted my gaze to the bar counters, collecting myself nonchalantly. That’s right, Ashley. You’re dating his dad for crying out loud.