Chapter 7
Christmas Threw Up
T hunder
I heard the commotion in the main room as I walked out of the kitchen with a soda in my hand. Stopping to watch, I couldn’t help my amusement.
“It’s not straight.” Flo was standing in the middle of the room looking at the fireplace where Meredith was pinning a Christmas stocking.
“Do you want to hang them?” Meredith snapped over her shoulder.
“Not really, but if you’re going to do it, make them straight,” Flo chuckled.
“I am making them straight,” Meredith reiterated, placing one hand on her hip and flipping Flo off with her middle finger behind her back. I didn’t appreciate the gesture toward Flo, but I’d cause more drama if I said something.
Drama was the last thing on my mind when I noticed the back of Liz’s head as she sat at a table, facing the girls. She had been watching them with JR in his bouncer on the other side of her. Making sure that Slate was nowhere near, I pretended like it wasn’t a big deal as I sat in the empty chair next to her.
“Were they always like this?” I asked her, but she didn’t respond. I had noticed that her mind was slipping, but I had tried anyway. If I wanted to have an actual conversation with her, I’d have to wait until she was lucid again. Instead, I placed my soda on the table and bent over so that I could see JR. “Hey, buddy. You watching the drama?” I asked him. “Who you going to bet on?”
“We can hear you,” Meredith said over her shoulder. “The whole clubhouse can hear you.”
I didn’t pay any attention to her as I stood up from my chair and picked JR up from his bouncer. The motion caught Liz’s attention, and I watched out of my peripheral view as her eyes refocused on the world around her. When she’d first arrived from the hospital, it would take her hours to be aware of her surroundings, but she wouldn’t remember any of the conversation. They said she was getting better and could make a full recovery, but it still took her a few minutes on a good day.
“Thunder, I…you,” she said to me, with a slight smile.
“Don’t worry about it,” I said, settling JR against my shoulder and taking my chair again. Pointing at her nieces, I asked again, “Were they always like this?”
“Can still hear you,” Flo said, but she smiled and there wasn’t any heat behind her words. She had walked over to Meredith, and they were standing side-by-side.
“No,” Liz laughed. “Only fighting…Gerry…encouraged…younger. They work…well.” Her gaze shifted first to Grace and then to Meredith.
“We can hear you,” they both said as they turned with their hands on their hips to face us.
“Good.” She laughed at them and waved her good hand to encourage them to get back to work.
“Alright, enough of this. How many stockings are there?” Meredith asked Flo.
“Fifty-ish.”
“How did you order fifty-ish? There had to be a set number.” They had turned to face each other, but they were standing so close, it made me nervous. Meredith wasn’t stable, and even though I didn’t think they would fight, I wasn’t taking any chances. I shifted with JR towards the front of my seat, in case I had to put him back into his bouncer and break them up.
“Well, there was, but I had to add a few at the end, and I lost count.” Flo shrugged, like it was not a big deal.
Meredith rubbed her hand across her face. “You’re killing me. How wide are the stockings across the top?”
“I don’t know. I thought they were cute and didn’t bother to measure. Plus, some of the longer names fit easier, so I didn’t have to worry about it.” Flo shrugged again. I was watching them closely, and I was pretty sure Flo was acting clueless. It was a plight to keep Meredith functioning. It could also have been a sister thing that I would never understand.
“Did you do this on purpose?” Meredith rolled her eyes as Flo approached her aunt.
“Aunt E, make her stop.” Flo moved JR’s bouncer out of the way and flopped down on the other side of Liz, placing her cheek on Liz’s shoulder. Liz brought her good hand up to pat it.
“No.” Liz nodded in Meredith’s direction with a smile on her face.
Meredith wasn’t paying us any attention. She’d whipped her phone out and was trying to figure out the placement for the stockings. It was good to see her taking part, even though tomorrow might be another day. She stopped typing and then opened the box on the other table. Looking inside, Meredith placed her head in her hands. “Of course you did,” she aimed at Flo.
“They were cute.” Flo smiled at Liz, and when she returned it, it was easy to tell which side of the family the girls took after.
“Do you need help?” Slate said from behind Liz, his hands on either side of her shoulders. I had been so engrossed with the girls that I had missed Slate walking into the room. I wanted to tell him to get the fuck away from Liz, but she wouldn’t understand why I was territorial about her. Slate would just laugh at me, and then we’d have to settle this outside. As we were two of the oldest in the club, the rest of the brothers would never let us live it down.
She turned around, and that was when the light went out from her eyes.
“You okay, Liz?” he asked her.
“Let her be. Next time, don’t sneak up on anyone,” I said.
“I didn’t sneak up on her. She saw me enter the room when she turned towards Flo.” Slate made sure his hands grazed her shoulders. She was in such a mental state that she shook. Her mind couldn’t process that she was safe. All she knew was that she was being touched.
“It’s alright, Aunt E. Why don’t you come sit closer to me?” Flo stepped in, shooting a look at Slate over Liz’s head. “It’s okay, no one will hurt you. I’ll make sure of it.” Liz couldn’t process anything that was being said, but Flo’s tone would soothe her until the light shined back in her eyes.
JR whimpered in my arms, sensing my tension. Before he wailed, I handed him back to Flo, so that I could get away from Slate. If we hurt anyone over our stupidity, Sabre would dish out punishment and not even ask twice. I didn’t blame him. I would have done the same thing to protect my family.
I stood from my chair and rolled my sleeves up, preparing to hang stockings with Meredith. “Would you like some help?” I asked her as I grabbed the stocking she’d placed on the table. Doing a double take, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. It was a white fluffy cuff with Sabre’s name sequined at the top. The actual stocking was red with Santa riding a motorcycle. I didn’t know what to say, and I was sure my face was stuck in shock.
“I told you she was insane. There’s one for every person.” Meredith pointed at the stocking I held up. “There are even a few with reindeers on bikes.”
“They were cute,” Flo piped up, still watching Liz. Slate had moved on to the bar, but he was sitting on a stool facing the room.
“It’s going to look like Christmas threw up in here,” Meredith complained, pulling off Grizz’s hoodie she always wore.
“It’s JR’s first Christmas, and the club hasn’t celebrated a holiday in a really long time.” Bouncing JR in her arms, Flo brought him closer to her so that his feet could bounce on her leg. “We’re going to help Aunt Meredith find her Christmas spirit.”
“I am hanging your stockings. What more do you want?”
“I don’t see any hung by the fire with care,” Flo pushed. I hid my smile so that I wouldn’t get caught in the middle.
“Oh my God, fucking shit. Would you leave me alone?” Meredith screeched towards Flo. She couldn’t have timed that perfectly. No sooner had the words left her lips than Liz became lucid.
“What did I miss?” she asked.
It was the right thing to say because it diffused the frustration in the room. Saying nothing, Meredith grabbed the level and went to work. I waited until she got about ten stockings ahead of me before I joined in, pinning them to the wall.
I was almost done when I felt a hand on my elbow. Looking over, I saw Flo standing next to me with JR in her arms.
“Say nothing. Just nod if you agree. I need a Santa. If I get the outfit, would you do it?” she whispered.
I shook my head. When Sabre and the others were little, one of the wise men would dress up as Santa for the kids. I’d been a newly patched brother then, and I didn’t want to think about how many years had passed.
“Please, Thunder. The kids will love it.”
I still shook my head. I wanted no part in this.
“I’ll have pictures with Santa for JR.” The little traitor cooed as she said his name.
I would do anything for that kid, but I didn’t want to play Santa. My eyes narrowed at her as she went in for the kill.
“My aunt might even smile at you for doing such a nice thing for her nephew.”
“Fuck.” I’d just agreed.
***
Sabre
We pulled into the parking lot of the Old McMillan Place. Grizz was to my right, and Cyph and Count rode behind us. The two of them had worked together to figure out the best way to buy this place for Grace.
When Pretty had told me that the brothers would help with the renovations, I didn’t know what to think. My first thought had been that they’d trusted Grace’s skills to make it profitable. My second was that she’d been able to fit in. I couldn’t be without her. She was my other half, and I didn’t know what I would have done if they hadn’t accepted her. When I’d asked for the official vote, it had been unanimous.
We parked the bikes and pulled off our helmets. “You two ready?” I asked.
“Yeah, should be easy,” Cyph said. “I already greased the wheels, and Count just has to close it.”
“The deal should already be done. You just have to decide if you want to go through with it.” Count ran his hand over the top of his spikes.
I looked up at the building, but all I saw was a money pit. There was nothing to confirm my feeling, but as I stood there, everything seemed old. “Do you think we’ll have to redo the whole thing?” I asked Grizz.
“Not sure. We’ll have to hire out for an inspection and then go from there.” He smiled. “My ass isn’t getting up on that roof unless I have to.”
“Meredith would probably climb up after and tell you how to do it.” Cyph snorted.
“Nah, she would push me off if she thought it would get her home quicker,” Grizz snickered. “Actually, she’s pretty knowledgeable, so it wouldn’t surprise me if she helped. Her ass isn’t going up on that roof, though.”
I had every confidence in Grace, but I also didn’t want the club to accuse me of thinking with my dick if things went sour. They had approved the renovation spending, but I couldn’t help the dread that crept into my stomach. What if we sank more money into this place than it was worth? It had clearly seen better days. “Last chance,” I asked. “Should we walk away from this?”
Cyph laughed. “Do you even know your Old Lady?”
I couldn’t catch the growl that escaped my lips. I pivoted towards him with my hands planted on my hips, feet shoulder width apart. The frown on my face was so prominent that I could feel it sinking into my skin.
He backtracked quickly. “Her little marketing agency generates at least a million for her smallest client, which is a mom-and-pop bakery. When she works for El Sombra Roja, you’re looking at twenty million on the low end. Let’s not forget, she did this all the while playing trophy wife from her kitchen table. I think you’re good.” He laughed some more as he took off running towards the front door with Count.
“I’ve seen Meredith’s designs. I am not sure whose ideas they are, but there were sketches for weddings, corporate events, and holiday parties. They’re not thinking small, Sabre,” Grizz said.
“If it was just me taking the risk, I wouldn’t care. As much as I believe in Grace, I can’t let the club suffer. I needed a Christmas present, and this is what she wanted.” I could be honest with Grizz. He was the only one who would understand.
“I get it, but maybe have a little faith in her. She put a lot of faith in you when she brought JR home to the club.” He shifted his feet and looked at the ground for a second, gathering his thoughts. “I don’t think she would have gone to this much trouble if she didn’t think she could turn it around. It might even be our best business once she gets it up and running. It won’t be overnight, but you shouldn’t be worried about letting her do her thing.”
We smiled and chuckled as I slapped him on the shoulder. Walking towards the front door, we prepared ourselves for the inside. There were no lights on, and I wasn’t sure if they even had electricity on in the building. A distinctive musty smell invaded my nose. The place must have been closed up for a while. I closed my eyes and tried to calm my nerves without breathing in too deep.
“Here,” Grizz said to me, holding out a piece of paper. “I grabbed one of Meredith’s designs so that you could see what they’re thinking. She doesn’t know I have it.”
There was a generic bride and groom standing underneath a wooden altar. This place sat on a hill, but the windows faced the water. Meredith had drawn an open concept room, using the windows as the focal point. However, a small drawing showed the windows on a track that could slide open and closed. “A beach wedding without the beach,” I mumbled.
“Yeah, and I know where we can get those. They’re not actually as expensive as you would think they are.” Pointing his finger, he continued, “She put curtains in the rafters, probably with twinkle lights or some shit like that. As long as the roof is good, we can open the room, and it’ll make it look bigger than what it is.”
“Do they only have the one room?” I asked him. We were alone, and I had no clue where the other two were in the building.
“No, there’s three total. This one, and each side has a small room on the wing.”
“How do you know so much about this?” I was getting suspicious about Grizz’s motivations. He seemed to have an answer for everything.
“It makes my woman smile.” He shrugged. “She won’t want to be a part of it, but she’ll help Grace come up with the concepts and designs. That’s what they’re already doing now. If it gets Meredith out of bed, I’ll help Grace as a thank you.”
I changed the subject quickly, not wanting to drag him down when he was trying to help me. “How much do you think renovations are going to be?” I was still staring at the paper. They had thought of everything, and I wondered if I wasn’t putting enough trust in it. This was what Grizz had been trying to tell me. It was a business. There would always be things to worry about.
“It’s the roof and any structure damage that will cost, and you know that depends on how bad it really is.” He pointed towards the drawing. “All of this cosmetic stuff I can do, like the arch. Most places rent them out, and it’ll be easy money for Grace.”
“Do you agree with this?” I asked him, needing to confirm I had been overthinking it.
“As long as we stay within budget, we can always sell the place later.” He smacked me on the shoulder.
“Yeah, I guess you’re right.”
Cyph and Count walked back into the main room with a short, balding man between them.
“Prez, this is Ezekiel Jones. He’s the real estate agent for the property,” Count introduced.
“Mr. Hudson, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” Mr. Jones held out his hand, sweat dripping off of it. I took one look at the water drops landing on the floor and didn’t bother to offer my hand. I wasn’t touching any of that. “Yes, well, I was told you were interested in purchasing it today. We’ve had the property evaluated and priced accordingly at one million. Mrs. Richardson isn’t willing to negotiate.”
I might have been president, but this was Count’s show as our treasurer, and I knew to keep my mouth shut.
“Have you talked to Mrs. Richardson today?” he asked, squinting at the man.
“No, I haven’t.” Mr. Jones’s bald spot started to sweat and pour down his face.
“You need to call her.” Count’s spikes rattled as he shook his head and rubbed at his forehead. I’d seen these types of situations in the past. Count was going to wipe the floor with him, and Mr. Jones wouldn’t see it coming until it was over.
Mr. Jones rubbed his hand over his balding head, getting sweat everywhere. We all took a step back. No one wanted to be near the man.
“I don’t like to be kept waiting, so either you’re going to call her, or I am. You don’t want me to tell her about this incompetence. I could easily offer to run her portfolio with half the time you bill.” Count wasn’t lying. He probably could if he wanted the job.
“Yes, sir.” Mr. Jones took off running.
“Told you,” Count said to Cyph.
“Yeah, I shouldn’t have doubted you.”
“What just happened?” Grizz asked, crossing his arms over his chest.
“I had Cyph trace who actually owned this place. It’s a Mrs. Betty Richardson, and she inherited it from her late husband.”
“Then why is it called McMillan?” Grizz asked, interested.
“Her late husband named it after his mother’s family. From what I can tell, the mother didn’t approve of her son’s marriage, and they never got along.” Count wrapped his arms around his middle. “Mrs. Richardson couldn’t care less about this place, and she didn’t want to put any money into it. I told her if she took our offer, it’d be our problem. She agreed, and you were supposed to sign the paperwork, Prez.”
“How much am I spending for this?” I was going to take Grizz’s advice and let it play out.
“A hundred and fifty thousand. A hundred thousand to wipe away the taxes, and fifty thousand for her troubles. You could cut me the other fifty thousand for my troubles. You’re welcome.” Count smiled.
Mr. Jones came running over with a stack of papers. “I found these on the fax machine.”
Cyph couldn’t hold his laughter in at the old technology and walked away.
Count looked at the documents. “Tell her I’ll have them to her by the end of the day.”
With that, we walked out. The deal was done.