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I grimaced. “You lived on a fucking boat. What a moron.”
Pops ran palms down his now stressed face. “Not exactly, boy.”
I snarled, “Meaning?”
Possibly knowing he was about to piss me off, he calmly said, “Look through your enemy’s eyes.”
“No.”
He didn’t give up. “How could he benefit from her not being able to swim.”
My stomach rolled like the waves Elle could drown in, causing me to mumble through horrid thoughts of Elle trapped by water. Not realizing I had even moved, I now held Elle’s face in my hands. And I was trembling. “If you are ever on a sinking boat and I haven’t yet taught you to swim, jump. If I’m there, Elle, you fucking jump. I swear to fucking God I will swim for us both. No matter what.”
There was no way in hell she was setting foot on a boat until she had an Olympic gold medalist approving her soon-to-be-learned swimming skills, but she understood I was talking about more than boats. I was vowing to do all I could to protect her in any situation.
Those beautiful light green eyes were astonished… “It’s so hard to trust what’s happening inside me.”
I nodded, totally relating. “A hundred percent.”
“But…” She swallowed. “I’ll jump.” She whispered, “For you.”
In a sense, she already had. She had left all she knew behind for me.
I pulled her into a hug, my arms over her shoulders, holding her tight. It felt like I was holding my fate in my embrace. I swore I’d never let go.
Behind Elle, Pops grabbed his chest with one hand and pointed to the sky with the other, silently talking to Mom. This was new for him. Maybe Elle was making believers out of all of us.
Then he carefully lit a cigarette, worry starting to possess his face.
From over Elle’s head, which was tucked under my chin, I asked him, “What is it?”
He exhaled smoke upward before answering, “You both need time for this.” He gestured to our embrace.
Looking out to the water, I sighed. I understood what was bothering him. Even though Elle and I needed time for this relationship, we didn’t have any. Heat was turning up again. It was time to get back on the road.
Deep inhale…
With the truck loaded, Saltbone’s Enforcer and Road Captain were talking with Vice about our bikes having full tanks. Trailer and truck tires were topped off with more air… but all I saw was Elle, smiling at Sweets, who was giving her a gift. “This way you can easily travel with your drawings.”
Elle held the art backpack to her chest, speechless, but her tears said everything.
As they fell into a hug, Brass shook my hand. “My Old Lady has never fallen for anyone like she has yours.”
I vowed, “They will see each other again.”
Then I looked to the waiting truck, hoping the ache in my gut was only my wound and not a bad omen.
Chapter nineteen
Holding Miracles
Lynx
With miracles, there is sometimes violence before the actual phenomenon can be revealed. As I see it, if a situation wasn’t hostile to begin with, would a miracle even be needed?
Trying not to make a sound, I stepped out of the rundown motel room and into the brisk night to find Pops, Dagger, and Vice waiting for me. Protectively keeping my back to the now-closed door, I lit a cigarette to join them in a smoke break. It was approximately two AM. The dark parking lot, between the two motel buildings in the middle of nowhere West Virginia, was covered in a layer of snow but otherwise practically empty.
Vice gave me a nod. “Thanks for the knuckle rap on the wall.”
