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“I forgot to mention… Paul stopped by.” He comes at me roughly, forcing my helpless body off the ground and back onto my feet.
“Now, it’s time for some real fun, darlin’.”
“Hey.” Jessie nods over at me when he steps out onto his back deck in just his boxers and scratches the back of his head sleepily.
“Hey, yourself,” I growl back at him groggily.
I ain’t slept a wink all night. I heard Addison come home sometime after ten. And since she headed straight for her and Charlie’s room I figured I’d stay out here and give her space. I’ve been blindsided, too focused on putting an end to all this cult shit to realize that she needs some stability from me. Everything she said last night was right. I can’t keep lying to Mom, especially not now that her and Charlie are in my life.
I’m ready to go into the next phase, I’m ready to make changes. I just need to show her that. I’ve been so worried about keeping them safe that I haven’t been focusing on theuspart. Of course, she’s gonna want reassurance, it’s not just her she has to think about in all of this. The decisions we make affect Charlie and he has to come first. I should have told her all this before she left last night. Ishouldhave told her that I don’t care where we end up living, just so long as we end up living together. And Ishouldhave told her that I want, more than anything, to be Charlie’s father. I loved him before he was born.
“Ya hear the news about Grace and Brax?” Jessie calls over and when I shake my head back at him, he grins. “Squeal delivered their little girl at the side of the road about an hour ago,” he informs me, and I nod my head back at him, too busy trying to think about what I’m gonna say to Addison when she wakes up to ask how the hell that happened.
“They're both okay, got taken to hospital to be checked over, but they should be out later on today.” He lights himself up a smoke.
“You okay, Skid?” he asks when he notices I ain’t exactly with it.
“Just got a lot on my mind.” I shake my head and act as if it’s nothing.
“You speak to Tommy lately?” Jess leans over his divide and crosses his arms.
“No, why?”
“He came to me yesterday and asked if he could take some shifts on at the garage. I thought maybe it would be good for him.” He shrugs casually, and I know Jessie too well not to think there’s something behind the conversation he’s pushing.
“He asked ya if he could prospect, didn't he?” I cut him short on his bullshit.
“He asked me to speak to ya, figures he stands a chance if you offer to be his sponsor.”
“And does he?” I ask, knowing that being on a probation period is a tough stint for anyone, for Tommy it would be hell. He’d be tested to the fuckin’ limit before anyone here even considered trusting him.
“Stranger things have happened.” Jessie lifts his head and strains his neck to blow a thick cloud of smoke into the air. “I don’t know what else we expect him to do, he can’t live down at the Sanctuary all his life.”
“Says the man who I had to beg to spare his life.” I huff a sarcastic laugh when I remember the day I fell apart in Jessie’s basement. He’d called me to say the club had found Tommy after he’d ran away. He’d felt like he had to run soon as he found out what his dad did to Carly. Everyone here was convinced that it was the sign of a guilty conscience and that my nephew knew where to find his cunt of father.
“A lot’s changed since then, Skid.We’vechanged. Ya want my opinion, I think he deserves a chance, but it ain’t gonna be easy. If Tommy wants it, he’s gonna have to find the balls to go to the boss. You steppin’ up and bein’ responsible for him could favor Jimmer’s decision.”
“I’ll talk to him.” I haul myself up and nod at my VP, I can worry about that later. Right now, I’ve got to try and fix things with Addison.
I’ve spent all night hating the idea of her being upset. I hate even more that she never came to find me when she came back from seeing Rogue.
When I step into the kitchen, Charlie’s sitting at the table with a clueless smile on his face.
“Morning, Skid,” he chimes.
“Mornin’.” I ruffle up his hair as I pass him and grab him a bowl so I can fix him some breakfast. “Your mom okay?” I check.
“Yeah, she’s sleeping. I was quiet so I didn’t wake her. She doesn’t sleep too good. Gotta let her have it while she can,” he tells me in a voice that seems way beyond his years.
“You're a good boy, you know that?” I cover the cereal he’s tipped into his bowl by himself with milk.
“D’ya like it here, Charlie?” I take a seat opposite him and study him while he eats. Kids never fail to surprise me by how resilient they can be. This little boy’s whole life has been disrupted and as long as he gets fed and has some toys to play with, he don’t seem affected by it.
“Yeah, I like it here.” He nods. “The people are nice and it’s fun here but…” He drops his head.
“But what? You ain’t ever gonna get in trouble for speakin’ your mind with me, Charlie,” I assure him.
“I miss my room and I like Mrs. Taylor next door, even if she can be a bit grouchy at times.”
