A Family Man (29 page)

Maria gave a tiny smile. “Oh please. Beth won't go anywhere. You can keep beating that one with a stick and she’ll still come back for more.” She frowned as Joe turned and headed for the door. “Where are you going?”

“To find my old lady.”

“
No, you can’t go. You promised you’d stay. Please, Joe. Don’t leave me.” She turned to her daughter. “This is your doing. Why couldn’t you keep your nose out, you interfering bitch…No wait. Amy. Where are you going? Don’t leave me here alone.”

“Joe. Wait up.”

Joe stopped and waited for his kid to catch up. “Where do you think you’re going, sugar?”

“I’m coming with you.”

“
Oh no, you ain't. You’re gonna stay with your mom.”

“
But she said…”

“
Don’t care what she said. Just get your skinny ass back in there and make things right.” He took her face in his hands and looked deep into her eyes. “You will never get another chance, Amy. If you don’t forgive your mom, it will eat you up inside. I can’t let that happen.”

“
I don’t want to go back in there on my own.”

“
I know, sugar. I’ll call Ma, get her to come and sit with you. As soon as I find Beth, I’ll come back.”

Sophia picked up the phone. “Hello?”

“
Ma, it’s me. I fucked up. Beth took off. I gotta go find her. I need you to get a cab and come to the hospital to sit with Amy. Maria ain't got long left, and the kid shouldn’t be on her own.”

She sighed. “Okay, son. I’ll get
Tom from next door to give me a ride. I’ll be there as soon as I can. You go find your girl and makes things right.”

“
Might be too late for that.”

“
It’s never too late. Just go and find her.”

“Beth. Please I’m going crazy here. Just pick up the Goddamned phone.” Joe wasn’t exaggerating. For what seemed like hours he had cruised the streets, checked bars, called old friends. Each time coming up with nothing. He must’ve called her a dozen times, but she’d switched off her phone. Pulling up at the side of the road, he rested his head against the steering wheel and closed his eyes. “Shit, baby girl. Where the fuck are you?”

~ oOo ~

She hadn’t been on a bus since being at school, and after less than an hour, never wanted to be on one again. Closing her eyes, Beth tried to block out the gossiping old ladies, the loud phone calls, and screaming babies. She hadn’t been thinking when she’d bought the ticket, and even as she’d boarded the bus, it hadn’t occurred to her that this might be a bad idea. Now, though, with the prospect of a seven-hour journey ahead of her, she realized it was. She opened her eyes as the bus pulled up at a stop. Bay View! She was in Bay view. Quickly she got to her feet and headed for the exit. The bus driver frowned as she made to leave. “Hey lady, this ain't your stop.”

Beth smiled. “It is now.”

As the bus pulled away, she looked around, trying to get her bearings. It wasn’t a place she knew well, but she had a pretty good idea where she should be heading.

~ oOo ~

“Spike.”

“
Shit, Gloria, what now?” He grunted and frowned. “I would like to get this bike built this side of Christmas. Oh, hi sweetheart.”

“
Hi.”

“
Where’s Tiny?”

“
Fillmore. Um. Is there somewhere we could talk?” Beth looked over to Gloria, who was listening to their exchange with interest.

“
Sure, sweetheart.”  He led her into the cool of the empty clubhouse and closed the doors behind them. “So what’s going on?” Beth looked at her hands. “Did you and Tiny have a fight?”

“
No, yes…I don’t know.”

“
Shit. How can you not know if you’ve had a fight or not? If I have one the bitch knows it. Fuck, half the town knows it.”

“
It wasn’t a fight, exactly. But Joe said some stuff, and I got upset and took off.”

“
Took off how?”

“
On a bus.”

“
A bus to Bay View?”

“
No. A bus to LA. I didn’t know it came through Bay View.”

“
Why the fuck did you want to go to LA?”

“
I didn’t. It was just the first bus out of town.”

“
Wow you were that upset?”

“
Yeah.”

“
So why get off here?”

“
Because going to LA is a really stupid thing to do.”

Spike grinned and grabbed two beers from behind the bar. “Tiny know where you are?”

“No.”

“
You planning on telling him?” She shrugged. “You plan on telling me what’s going on?” Again she shrugged. “Listen, if you don’t want to talk to me, I’m cool with that. But if you don’t call Tiny and let him know you’re okay, then I will.”

“
I will, just not now.”

“
Yes, now, Beth.” He scowled as she made no move to get out her phone. “C’mon, sweetheart. Clock’s ticking.”

“
Please, Spike. I need to get things straight in my head before I speak to him.”

“
I ain't telling you to call and give him a speech about feelings and shit. Just call him and let him know you’re alive. Poor fucker is probably going out of his mind.”

She sighed. “I doubt he’s even noticed I’ve gone.”

Spike rolled his eyes and held out his hand. “Phone.” As soon as she handed it over he switched it on. “Nine missed calls. I’d say he noticed.” Before he had the chance to hand it back, it rang. “Yo…. It’s Spike….. Yeah she’s here….On the bus…. Yeah bus…. I don’t know…..Nah, it’s cool bro, I can do that….You wanna speak to her?” He held out the phone. “Here speak to your old man.”

She took the phone. “Hey.”

“Hey, girl. You pissed?”

“
I don’t know. I was.”

“
Why are you in Bay View?”

“
Because that’s where I got off the bus. Decided that running out on you wasn’t what I wanted to do.”

“
Good to hear. Listen, Spike will give you a ride back here. Get him to bring you to Ma’s. I’ll meet you there.”

“
Okay. Joe?”

“
Yeah?”

“
I’m sorry.”

“
You got nothing to be sorry for. I’ll see you later. Call me when you get into town.”

“
Okay. Joe?”

“
Yeah, baby?”

“
Are we okay?”

“
I hope so. I’ll see you soon.”

It felt strange, riding with Spike. Both his and Joe’s bikes were similar, and both had many years' experience under their belts. But unlike Joe, whose riding style was fluid and smooth, Spike was more, for want of a better word, aggressive. He would accelerate and brake sharply, and he’d throw his bike into the bends more. Dee didn’t feel exactly unsafe, but it was a relief when they pulled up outside Sophia’s little house. He chuckled as she dismounted on shaky legs. “Didn’t scare ya, did I, sweetheart?”

“
Were you trying to?”

He grinned. “Maybe a little.” He climbed off and held out his arm. “C’mon. Tiny will be waiting.”

~ oOo ~

Joe stood at the window and watched as Spike accompanied his girl across the yard. He couldn’t quite believe how close he’d come to losing her, and as soon as the front door opened he swept her up into his arms. “I’m sorry, Beth. I don’t know what else to say.”

“Shit, man. You ain't gonna win any man points, groveling like that.” Smirking, Spike leaned on the doorframe.

Joe raised an eyebrow and grinned. “Blow me, asshole.” His arms tightened around her. “Thanks for bringing her home.”

“Anytime, bro.” He stood up straighter and patted him on the shoulder. “I’m gonna head back. Try not piss her off again. Next time she might get all the way to Mexico.”

Beth disentangled herself from Joe’s arms and, standing on tiptoes, kissed Spike’s cheek. “Thank you.”

“Was a pleasure, sweetheart.”

Joe frowned. “You were riding like a crazy fucker so she held on tight and pressed her tits against your back, weren’t you?”

“Shit, Spike. Tell me that isn’t true.”

He waggled his eyebrows and gave her what could only be described as a salacious grin. “They are very nice tits.”

“You are a sick and twisted asshole.”

He kissed her on the lips and winked. “And don’t you forget it. Take care, sweetheart.” He raised his hand. “See ya, bro.”

“See ya, and thanks.”

As soon as they were alone, Joe took her hand and led her into the living room. “You hungry? There’s chili, I can heat it up.”

“I’m fine.” Beth sat down and waited for him to speak.

“
I fucked up, Beth.” He sat next to her and took her hand in his. “I took you for granted and that was wrong. What Maria said—it isn’t true. I love you, want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

Beth looked at her hands, and he frowned. “Say something, Beth.”

She looked around. “Where’s Sophia?”

“
At the hospital. Didn’t want the kid to be on her own. Beth, please. Talk to me.”

Beth stood and walked towards the door. “You should be there with Amy. Come on, I’ll come with you and give your mom a ride home. Then I really need to get some sleep.”

“We ain't going anywhere until we’ve talked.”

“
Nothing to say, Joe.” She kept walking, only stopping when he grabbed her arm. “Amy needs you. You should be with her.”

“
You’re pissed, Beth. I get that. But please don’t shut me out.”

“
I’m not pissed, I’m just tired.” His hand fell away, and he followed her to his truck.

~ oOo ~

Sophia looked up from her knitting as her son and Beth entered the room. Both Amy and Maria were asleep, and the only sound for the last couple of hours had been the clicking of her needles. Her smile faded when she saw the expression on Joe’s face. Something was definitely not right between them. “Everything okay?”

“
We’re fine.” Beth’s smile failed to reach her eyes as she held out her hand. “Come on. I’ll take you home. Joe will stay here.”

Sophia said nothing and allowed Beth to help her to her feet. She wasn’t sure that Joe should be staying there, but she was tired and uncomfortable and in desperate need of her own bed.

“Try and get some sleep.” Joe touched Beth’s arm. “I’ll call you if…”

“
Okay.” Without looking at him, she took Sophia’s arm and led her slowly down the corridor, leaving Joe staring behind them.

Normally in situations like this, Sophia would have plenty to say. When it came to Joe’s relationships, she wasn’t above metaphorically banging heads together whenever she thought it was necessary. This time, though, for the entire journey, there was something about Beth’s demeanor that prevented her from speaking out. She looked tired, but it wasn’t just that. It was like there was a wall around her, and Sophia didn’t know how to find her way in. Amy had told her what Maria had said, and how Joe had done nothing to defend her. She sighed and stared out of the passenger window. There was a very good reason she wasn’t asking Beth what was wrong. It was that she didn’t think she wanted to hear the answer.

~ oOo ~

Amy opened her eyes and stretched. “Joe, when did you get here?”

Joe grunted and opened his eyes. “Couple of hours ago.”

“Is Beth….?”

“
Beth’s fine. She’s at Ma’s getting some sleep.”

“
And everything’s okay with you two?” Without waiting for an answer, she swung her legs over the side of the cot she’d been sleeping on, and walked over to where Maria was sleeping. “Has she woken up?”

“
Not since I’ve been here.”

“
Do you think she will?”

He shrugged. “She was restless earlier.” For some reason he didn’t mention that the doctor had been in earlier and had said that she was responding well to the drugs and was starting to rally a little, and it wasn’t because he didn’t want to get her hopes up.

Amy pulled up a chair and sat next to him. “You look tired. Have you had any sleep?”

“
A little. I’m okay.” Maria started to stir, and he reached out and touched her hand to calm her. “Could go for a coffee and something to eat though, sugar.” He handed her a twenty. “There’s a shop by the entrance, how about you go an’ get us some sandwiches or something.”