Page 56
Tracker looks at me and asks, “Do you want to say a few words, Miri?”
“No, I don’t, but thank you for asking. I think we should scatter the ashes and let it be done,” I say this with sadness, but know there is nothing that can be done for Geri now, and I’m ready to move on.
Joker takes the urn from me and kisses the top of my head. “Do you want us to scatter the ashes or bury the urn?”
“Scatter them, please.”
I watch as Joker scatters Geri’s ashes across the ground. Cilla steps forward and drops a rose on top of the ashes, as does Rory. I drop the one I’ve been clutching in my hand and, with Joker, turn and make my way down to the clubhouse.
Kissing my temple while keeping an arm around my shoulders and me tucked into his side as we walk, Joker whispers that there was nothing I could have done for Geri. That life has twists and turns we never see coming. Fate is a fickle thing, and in Geri’s case it ended badly.
In the common room, I take a seat while Joker fetches me a drink. I’m having a soda while it seems brothers are making Geri’s scattering, as I like to think of it an excuse to have a hard drink.
Two hours later I’m amused at the way Scalpel and Whistle are playing Slapjack, but when one wins, they get to watch the other drink a shot. They are both legless, if truth be told, and are going to have a bad head in the morning, if not a case of projectile vomiting. You’d think Scalpel would know better.
“Come on, let’s go home,” Joker whispers in my ear.
Taking my hand, he leads me out of the clubhouse and to his bike. Joker, as always, places my helmet on, making sure it’s fastened correctly. Checks my property cut is fastened and then climbs on, waiting for me to climb on behind him.
The ride to the house is freeing. I feel the tension of the day leaving me, and mentally I say goodbye to Geri. When Joker puts on a burst of speed, I grip him tighter but laugh at the rush of the wind in my face and the feeling of freedom that rush brings.
Once home, we head upstairs, shower, and spend the night loving each other. Sometimes fast and fierce, sometimes slow and intimate. “Let’s get married?” Joker asks, taking me by surprise.
“You want to get married?” I’m shocked because we’ve never discussed marriage.
“Yeah, let’s fuck off, get married and have a house full of kids and pets.”
I turn into Joker, practically lying on top of him. “When? Where?”
“I can get Keys to hack into the system and get us a license. We can run off and do it at City Hall, or we can get Pres to do it quietly in his office. Unless you want a shindig?”
Giggling, I stutter, “Ssshindigg. Oh, my goodness. I’ve never heard a wedding called a ssshinndiiig before.” I can’t help it. I roll onto my back and laugh until tears roll down my cheeks.
It’s the invitation Joker needed I’m thinking, as he rolls over on top of me, kissing me silly through my laughter. “Let’s do it, Thumper.”
I’d forgotten about being tabbed as Thumper, or even Fuse by Tracker. It has me gently smiling, because it makes me feel included, wanted, and loved.
“Okay, but let’s just do it in Tracker’s office, quietly. I don’t want a fuss. We have only just scattered Geri’s ashes and I don’t feel like a celebration of any kind is right.”
“Okay. I’ll deal with it,” Joker grins broadly, looking like he won the lottery.
The next morning, I am at the three-bedroom house on Lark Avenue with my team. “Bastian, can I leave you in charge of the others?”
“Oh, what the fuck, Miri, do you really have to leave that asshole in charge?” Colter pretends to be devastated.
I giggle at the way he’s holding his hand on his chest, rolling his eyes and sticking his tongue out at Bastian. Who I have to admit is smirking like a fool.
“Yes, I do. When I’m not here, which is more than half the time someone has to be in charge and answerable to me if things go wrong.” I say this with a huge smile on my face, because Bastian isn’t laughing anymore.
Colter looks at me, then at Bastian right before throwing his head back laughing. “Yeah, you can be boss, Bastian.”
Parker and Land are shaking their heads at the exchange they are witnessing, but they are not getting involved. I think they are sensible to stay out of it, right until they both start chuckling.
“Okay, you have full access to everything you need. I can’t do building work, renovations, and the like. But I will keep your supplies coming, anything you need throw my way. You good with that, Bastian?”
“Yep, l can do all that. Come on, let’s get started.” Bastian walks out of the house to the truck I acquired for them to use for the business. I have also spoken to Coin about purchasing a van for business use. I’m lucky that the club trusts me to do a good job, and that I’ll recover the costs of what we need to get started.
I make my way to my vehicle where I’m going to head to the recovery office. Before I get into my vehicle, I shout to Land, “Hey Land. What happened to the two veterans who were coming?”
