AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Smile unguardedly for the first time since I met Kevin.
I can finally live my life again. Finally, do all the fun stuff I’d begun to believe I never could do again while I hid in my house, afraid to go out, afraid I’d run into him wherever I went. I’m finally free.
CHAPTERONE
Present Day. . .
Sarge
If you ask me, there isn’t a better day to be riding out to my parents’ house. I’m on Route 5, heading south. I just got my Harley out of the paint shop. It’s a completely customized Harley Davidson Softail Fatboy 114. With a twenty-one-inch rear wheel and the new paint job of crimson red, it’s looking as flashy as ever. Up front, I had a twenty-three-inch wheel added, which really makes this bike look as bad as it is.
I made quite a few upgrades to this bike over the last couple of years since I’ve had it. Now I can finally say it’s customized just the way I want it. I’ve upgraded the fenders, handlebars, suspension, and even the cosmetics like the seat. I’m sure when I roll up to my parents’ house later today, they’re going to be thrilled, especially my dad. He went with me when I bought it from an old timer who didn’t want it anymore. I could have bought something newer. I didn’t want to. I wanted something a little older that I could bring back to life.
I should be arriving at my parents’ house in a little over an hour. Luckily, my family lives within driving distance of Los Angeles. A lot of my brothers at the club can’t say the same. They usually have to fly out or ride for days before they arrive.
I grew up in the small town of Julian, California. Los Angeles is a little over two-and-a-half hours away as long as you don’t hit too much traffic on the way there or the way back. Depending on the time of year, I’ll forgo taking Route 5 and will go up Route 15, then hit Route 91. On the way home, I think I’ll take that way. Not because I believe the traffic will be bad, but because I like the mountain scenery. The way I’ve taken today gives me some beautiful scenery of the oceanside.
This is why I love riding. You take in everything so differently. When you’re in a car, you obviously see what’s around you, though I find on a bike, you really take it in. There aren’t barriers on a bike, whereas being in a vehicle blocks you from experiencing a lot.
I continue on my way to my parents’ house for the next hour. It takes me a little bit longer to get there than I thought because of construction, but sure enough, I’m pulling down the back road that leads up to their house. It’s remote, ten minutes away from any county or State roads. They own forty-five acres, and the peace I get whenever I’m here is surreal. It’s so much different from living in a busy city like Los Angeles.
I make a sharp right and head up their driveway. It takes a couple more minutes, and then I can spot their two-story log cabin home. My childhood home. My parents bought this house right after they got married. Neither of them were from California. They grew up in Ohio and were high school sweethearts. I asked them why they would want to leave the only place they ever knew, and they told me that sometimes the place they love the most can suffocate them.
I really resonated with that. Julian never suffocated me, but I knew as a young man that I’d never be able to get the kind of opportunities I wanted here. I knew I’d have to move away, and when I moved to Los Angeles, I met Breaker and the rest of the club. The rest was history.
They’ve had some renovations over the years, but they never take the character away from the home. I continue up the driveway, and one of the garage bays is already open, so I pull my bike right in. I barely have the kickstand up when my father’s coming out through the mud room door. He’s all smiles as he takes in what I’ve done to my bike.
I turn off my ignition so I can hear him. “Is it done now? It looks phenomenal, son!” Dad’s happy as can be, and I’m glad he is because I am too.
I nod. “Yeah, I think it’s just the way I want it. Of course, I’m gonna say that and then find something else I want to do.”
“Naturally. Just don’t screw it up. She looks really good right now, Brennon.” God, I haven’t been called by my birth name in so long. Sometimes it’s weird as hell when I hear it. Usually, my parents or sister are the ones calling me Brennon, and everyone in the club calls me Sarge.
“I don’t plan on it.” I get off my bike and walk over to pull my father into a hug. I feel really lucky to have been raised by him and my mother. They gave me and my sister stability when we needed it the most. Growing up, we saw all sorts of family dynamics. I’m pretty damn certain Fannie and I realized how lucky we were, given what our classmates were dealing with back at home.
“Perfect. Your mother, sister and the girls are already inside. I think dinner should be about done.”
“Good.”
My father chuckles lightly. “I don’t know if it is good. Fannie’s the one cooking.” Fannie is my younger sister, and she’s never really been a good cook. God bless her because she’s trying. I honestly don’t know how she kept my nieces alive when they were younger. I know Mom would make them a lot of meals, but Fannie must have had a meal prep service for the rest of the time.
“Has she been cooking a lot for you guys lately?”
Dad shrugs. “A little bit.”
“Okay, so how’s it been?”
“It’s hit or miss. Depends on what she’s trying to pull off.”
“Okay. Let’s hope tonight’s meal is a winner.”
“I’m praying for it, son. If not, you and I can always run out to the grocery store for something.” Dad coughs at the end, and I get what he’s saying. He’s the one who’s taught me to be mischievous. I think I get my sense of humor from him too.
“Uncle Brennon!” Ashlynn, the eldest of my two nieces, screams in excitement as she sees me. She has dirty blonde hair, just like my sister, and is really the spitting image of Fannie. Tall like a giraffe and thin as could be.
Her little sister McKenzie comes running over too and grabs onto my leg, giving me a hug. “Holy crap, when did you get so big?” I ask her. She’s growing like a damn weed, I swear.
“I dunno. Mom said the same thing.” McKenzie furrows her brows and looks over at Ashlynn like she can give her some advice on what to say. McKenzie looks more like her father. May he rest in peace. She has more of Malcolm’s personality too. He was very mellow, and he was a damn good man to my sister. Some days I can’t believe he’s passed. It feels like a sick, twisted dream. One that I’ve never wanted my sister or nieces to have to go through.
