“You have to let them handle this, Blaze. Please don’t do anything stupid”. I followed after him as he stormed him way towards my dad.
He was talking with Jared and Sammie.
“The fucks going on?”. He asked. “You shouldn’t fucking be here”. He glared.
“Blaze”. My dad warned. “Leave her be”.
“Fuck that Franko. You locked them fuckers up yet?”. He asked.
“It’s not as easy as that Blaze. What happened to Ava-…”.
“What happened to Ava”. He laughed cutting her off. “They attacked my old lady in our home, she lost our fucking kid and it’s not as easy to lock them fucking up”. He yelled. “So, what does it take then?”.
“Time”. She answered.
“Fuck this”. He about turned and made his way inside.
I didn’t follow because right now he wasn’t thinking straight, and the last thing I needed was for us to be arguing. There was no talking to him when he was in this sort of mood.
“You sort it Sammie and you sort it quick cause I don’t know how much longer I can stop that one from taking things into his own hands”. My dad spoke.
“Then he’ll be arrested Franko”.
My dad laughed. “Not the way Blaze works sweetheart. He’s the best I’ve got”. He winked. “Don’t come back till you’ve got something solid”.
I took myself away from the situation and instead of going inside I walked towards the old swing set. It wouldn’t be long until I had to pick Everleigh up.
“How you holding up?”. Jared asked.
I shrugged. “This whole thing is a mess Jared”.
“Wouldn’t worry about it darling”.
“Did he cause the fire?”. I asked.
“Nah wasn’t anywhere near it. He was at the house darling just like he said he was”.
I did believe him, but I couldn’t help the little nag in the back of my mind. He may not have caused it but that didn’t mean he had nothing to do with it. Any prospect around here would do anything he asked.
“Okay it’s just”. I paused when I heard the roar of a motorbike. “Tell me that’s not him”.
“He’ll just be clearing his head. He’s trying his hardest to stay out of it Ava”.
“You mean he’s running”. I sighed.
“Nah darling he’ll be back”.
“He’s frustrated I get it, but I don’t want him doing anything stupid. He’s not thinking right because all he can think about is revenge”.
“Damn fucking straight Ava”.
“Jared”.
“Until it’s handled the dust won’t settle darling”.
“And what if it’s never handled? What if they don’t go to jail then what?”. I asked.
“Then we handle it”. He smirked. “Wouldn’t be the first time and it certainly won’t be the last. They fucked up big time Ava and we can’t sit back and do nothing. It’s not our style darling”.
What the fuck. He was just dampening my mood.
“So, you want to go to jail?”. I settled my feet on the ground, so I was steady and so I could look at him. “They’re cops Jared, you can’t go up against cops”.
He shrugged. “Can’t put us in jail if they don’t have proof besides it wouldn’t be my first rodeo”.
The shit they do had done in the past didn’t even surprise me anymore. I just didn’t want anyone getting into trouble on my behalf. I would deal with this whole situation the best I could, but I couldn’t do that if I was in constant fear of them all being sent away.
“I’m going to pick up Everleigh soon and then I’m going to go back and stay with my mom. If you see him, can you tell him that’s where I’ll be”. I stood from the swing set.
I had a feeling I wasn’t going to see him for the rest of the night.
“Aye sweetheart”.
“Please don’t let him get inside his own head”. I whispered.
“Nothing to worry about Ava”.
I wasn’t convinced one bit, but I left him to it and headed inside. My mom was behind the bar holding a mug of coffee. She seemed deep in thought.
“Mom are you okay?”. I asked.
“Always sweetheart”. She smiled. “How are you doing?”.
“I’m good I’m okay. I just wish this whole thing would be over”. I sat on one of the stools as she poured me a cup of coffee.
“You want it to be over then you let Blaze handle it”. She spoke.
“What?”. I frowned.
“It’s going to happen whether you want it to or not. It’s what they do Ava, it’s what they have to do. They have to send the right message”.
I wasn’t going to lose my head because I knew where this was going. Word would have spread about what happened and if they didn’t retaliate, it would show weakness. They could become a target for other clubs and the last thing they needed right now was a fight on their hands.
“I don’t want him to end up in jail”.
“He won’t”.
“Dad did”. I whispered.
“He did”. She nodded. “But that was a long time ago and things have changed since then”.
I knew this was a touchy subject for her so instead of continuing the conversation I changed the subject.
“Is it still okay for me to stay?”. I asked.
“Did I not hear Blaze say you were going back home?”. She frowned.
“I doubt I’ll see Blaze for the rest of the night”. I sighed. “I’m terrified he’ll do something stupid”.
“They know how to handle themselves Ava. Don’t stress about something you have no control over and besides, you should still be resting not worrying about all of this”.
I rolled my eyes at the resting comment. I was fine. But it was hard not to worry when one stupid mistake could decide what lay ahead. I couldn’t control what might happen, but I’d never forgive myself if he was sent to prison.
I didn’t want Everleigh growing up without her dad. But I knew Blaze would never let this lie. It would kill him not to do anything about it. They went too far this time and maybe my mom was right maybe I should take a step back and let them handle it.
Let them do what they do what they’ve always done.
“Is dad in?”. I asked.
“In his office but please don’t put him in a bad mood”. She made a face. “He doesn’t need the stress”.
“Everything okay?”. I asked.
“Just the usual”. She sighed. “I want him to give it up but once again he’s not ready”.
Ah, famous last words. I don’t think my dad would ever be ready to give up his club. It’s all he’s ever known.
“Are you two okay though?”.
“A divorce isn’t on the table just yet”. She laughed.
“A divorce will never be on the fucking table Aubrey”. My dad grumbled as his office door slammed shut behind him.
My mom rolled her eyes, but I could see the hint of a smile behind her mug. My parents shared the kind of love you only get once. Their relationship had never been simple, but they made it back to each other.
“You’re coming with me. Your mom’s picking up the kid”.
“Where are we going?”. I frowned.
“For a drive let’s go”.
I glanced at my mom who shrugged her shoulders.
I guess I was going for a drive with my dad.
..
I had no idea where we were going but it had been so long since it had been just us. I didn’t really hang out with my dad. We had our differences, but he was always there when I needed him.
Like now.
“You doing okay?”.
“I’m fine”.
“You’re not fine darling. You lost a kid”.
“Dad”. I warned.
“You need to know you’re not alone in this Ava. You might not want to talk to me, but I think you need to talk to someone”.
“Is that so”. I nodded. “And who do you think I should talk to?”. I asked.
I didn’t want this to turn nasty, but I didn’t want to talk to anyone because I wasn’t ready to. I didn’t know how to talk about it or even what to say. I lost our baby and there was nothing I could do about it.
Maybe it just wasn’t meant to be.
“I just want you to be okay sweetheart”. He turned at the end of the road before pulling up outside Tony’s gym.
“Why are we here?”. I frowned.
“It helped before, didn’t it?”.
“It did”. I chewed the inside of my cheek. “But I think this time I have to deal with it a different way. I’m good dad I really am, and I appreciate you and mom so much but I’m not ready to open up about it yet”.
“I get that darling but you promise when you are you’ll talk to someone”.
“Yeah”. I smiled.
“Mom’s cooking tomorrow. You be there?”.
“Family dinner?”. I sighed.
A laugh fell from his lips. “It’s been a while, and she wants everyone together”.
“Like a last supper?”. Maybe this was him retiring?
“Fuck no”. He huffed. “Still a lot of life in me yet sweetheart”.
“But has mom?”. I asked.
A sigh fell from his lips. I could see him side eyeing me. It was true though. He may think he has a lot of life in him but how long was my mom going to put up with it?
She already made it clear that she wanted him to step down. She wanted him home for good and I wasn’t sure how long she was going to wait for him.
“Ain’t the right time Ava”.
“Is it ever going to be the right time?”.
“Aye darling eventually but right now it’s not”.
“And why is now not the time?”. I asked.
“Cause Blaze ain’t ready to take over darling. This whole thing needs to blow over before I can hand him my club”.
Ah, and there it was.
Was Blaze ever going to be ready?