I was putting Everleigh into the car when the roar of bike engines caught my attention. I counted at least 10 pulling into the lot. Marco hadn’t left yet and it had almost been a week.
Blaze had been locked up all this time.
Clipping the straps to her carseat into place I closed the door as Jared approached.
“Where you going?”. He asked pulling a cigarette from his cut and lighting it up.
“For icecream”. I was taking Everleigh out and away from the clubhouse for a bit. It felt like we had been here constant.
“Can I come?”.
“Really?”. I made a face. “Haven’t you got better things to do?”.
“Nah darling”.
“What about Sasha?”.
“She’s visiting family”.
Family? Where?
I wasn’t getting into that subject with him. I shrugged as I got into the drivers side and closed the door. We still didn’t have bail money and I was swithering on whether to go back and see Nate.
“You know you can visit him?”. He spoke clipping his seatbelt into place.
“I know”. I started the engine and pulled out of the lot and onto the road.
“So, why haven’t you?”.
“I don’t know Jared”. I shrugged.
I didn’t want to visit him. I didn’t want to see him locked up, I didn’t want to see the orange jumpsuit. Jail was never a place I had on my bucket list to visit.
I also didn’t need the pressure from anyone telling me I had to visit. If I was going to it would be my choice.
“Can come with me next time?”. He offered.
“Yeah, maybe”. I was going back to work tomorrow. I cut my vacation short because really what was the point when he wasn’t here. Everleigh wasn’t old enough to understand but that didn’t stop her asking for him.
“You back at the house yet?”.
“Not yet”. I shook my head. “But I’m going back tonight. I’m working a double tomorrow”.
“Ain’t you on vacation?”.
“I was but not anymore”. I pulled up outisde the icecream shop and cut my engine. “And we need all the money we can get right now”.
“You ain’t gotta worry about money Ava”.
If I didn’t have to worry about money Blaze would be out by now. They may have money but not enough to pay his bail.
I shrugged. “It’ll be a distraction then”.
I did think about packing a bag and taking Everleigh away for a few days but that was pointless and I didn’t need for anyone to think I was running. I wasn’t bailing out, I would be here when he got out.
If he got out.
“It’s only temporary Ava you gotta keep that in mind”.
“He’s been locked up for always a week and there doesn’t seem to be any progress with him getting out”. Nobody seemed to be doing anything. Sammie may be doing all she can but it wasn’t enough.
“We’re working on it”.
That’s all I ever got which is why I stopped asking. Whatever they were doing they weren’t doing it fast enough. Was it bad I wanted him out? I would understand if he had comitted a crime but he did nothing.
At least this time he did nothing. If you’re going to arrest someone then at least make sure he’s guilty first.
“I still don’t understand why he’s there in the first place if they have no evidence. What’s the lawyer saying?”.
“He’s working on getting him out. Everyone’s doing the best they can we just need to sit tight and wait it out”.
“And if he actually gets sent to prison?”.
“Ava”. He sighed.
“Right, fine I won’t bring it up again”. I unclipped my seatbelt and got out walking round to Everleighs side. If they were doing their best then I was going to keep my mouth shut from now on.
“Look darling stop worrying about it. He’ll be home soon I can promise you that”.
“Don’t do that”. I got Everleigh out her seat and into my arms. “Don’t promise me anything Jared because you don’t know what’s going to happen”.
He was promising to shut me up and drop it. I would drop it, I would keep my thoughts to myself from now on but I wouldn’t tolorate false hope. I’d rather he told me he was going to prison than get my hopes up.
“And if he goes to prison?”. He asked following me into the shop.
I wasn’t talking about this in here when there were people around. An icecream shop wasn’t the place to discuss whether he goes to prison or not.
“Get me vanilla I’m going for a smoke”.
“Are you okay baby?”. She had been awfully quiet since we left the clubhouse and that wasn’t like her.
“Yes mommy”.
“Do you want icecream?”.
She shook her head. “Sore tummy mommy”.
“Should we go home and watch peppa?”. I kissed the top of her head.
“Yes and I see daddy?”.
My stomach tightened. “Soon baby”. I about turned and made my way back to the car. Jared was leaning against the hood a smoke hanging from his mouth.
“You alright?”. He asked.
“She’s not feeling good but I’ll wait if you want to go get something”.
“Nah darling let’s just get out of here”.
I strapped Everleigh back into her seat and headed home.
It wasn’t long before she was sleeping again. It made me think she was coming down with something but she didn’t have a temperature. Maybe a stomach bug.
“I’m giving it untill day 7 and if we don’t have the money I’m going back to see Nate”.
A sigh fell from his lips. “It’s not something that hasn’t been discussed at the table but your dads not for having it”.
“Why?”. I frowned. “He has the money”.
“The why is club buisness darling and you know I can’t tell you that but he’s not for letting it happen”.
“Does he know I went to see him?”.
“Didn’t hear it from me”. He shrugged. “But you gotta think of the other side of this darling. Blaze finds out the money came from Nate and it’s game over”.
“So, we sit tight and hope for the best?”. I frowned.
“We’re trying our best Ava but it’s better than a blood bath”.
“He’s still his brother Jared. I understand he will never forgive him but we literally have no other option”.
“We wait”.
If I’m honest I’m a little surprised Jared had thought about asking Nate. Well maybe not asking him but for Nate to even pop into his head. He disliked him as much as Blaze did. But it also told me he wasn’t very confident about how this was going to play out.
“Okay”. I sighed. “I’ll drop you off and then I’m going to head home”.
“Straight home Ava because I know what you’re like”.
I frowned. Because he knew what I was like? I swear it felt like he could see inside my head at times. He knew me better than myself and that freaked me out.
“Straight home”. I rolled my eyes.
“Don’t do whatever it is your thinking of doing”. He warned.
“I’m going straight home Jared”. I wasn’t but I had to do this. Blaze could be angry at me all he wanted but at least he’d be home.
I was my own worst enemy. I was constantly going over the pro’s and con’s in my head but I couldn’t sit back and do nothing.
“You do what I think you’re going to do and he’ll finish it”.
“But even you thought about doing it”. I spoke.
“I can take a sore face darling but it ain’t worth the risk and you know it”.
“Fine okay I won’t do anything”. After he got out the car I drove off down the street heading for our house.
I hadn’t been back here since the night of the accident. I wasn’t sure how I was feeling right now. My heart was hammering in my chest, my stomach tightened as I pulled into the driveway.
I couldn’t stay away forever. This was my home, our home and I’ll be damned if the law was going to keep me out of it. I couldn’t let them win. They had already taken something from me but never again.
“Mommy”.
“Hi baby”.
I turned the car off got out and helped her from her car seat.
“How are you feeling baby?”. I took her hand in mine as we walked the short distance to the front door.
“Hungry mommy. I want milk and chips”.
Oh, she was definitely feeling better if she wanted to eat chips. I opened the door letting her go inside before I followed making sure to lock the door behind us.
“How about you watch peppa and I’ll get you some snacks?”.
“iPad mommy”.
“Okay baby”. That was me told.
I set her up on the couch with her iPad and the tv on in the background. I don’t know why but she loved to have her programs playing on the tv as well as playing away on her iPad.
You can tell who ruled the roost in my house.
I made her a little snack plate so she wasn’t just having chips. Pouring some milk into her cup I took them to her.
I swear she was 3 going on 13 at times. Laying on her stomach, her hand propped against the side of her head her eyes glued to peppa pig.
“Does your tummy still hurt Everleigh?”. I asked.
“I okay mommy just hungry and sleepy”.
Yeah, baby I feel you on the leeping part.
I kissed the top of her head placing the snacks beside her. “Mommy is just going to talk with uncle Jared I’ll be right back”.
That was my go to when I was slipping out the back for a cigarette. It was the worst habbit I ever picked up again and I wished I’d never started. Although a few a week weren’t going to keep me hooked forever.
I took the hidden pack of cigarettes and made sure to grab the cooker lighter before heading outside. I had just lit up when I heard the knock on my front door.
I wasn’t expecting anyone but that didn’t mean someone wouldn’t show up uninvited. I stubbed the cigarette out and placed it on the step for later and made my way back inside.
Another knock.
“Mommy”. Everleigh pointed towards the door.
“I know baby mommy’s going to get it”. I unlocked the door and pulled it open. The shock on my face was evident.
He couldn’t be here.
“Bail’s posted he’ll be out in the next few hours”.
Nothing else was said. He walked back towards his car got inside and drove off.
Wait what just happened?