Renegade Reject (11 page)

I take a step off the porch, and Wayne walks toward me.  “I told you, and Holt told you, but you didn’t listen.  You broke Daisy’s heart, so now you know what that means, boy.”

I nod in understanding. I know what I did, and I know that I deserve to hurt for it, so I don’t defend myself. I stand and take the punishment, each hit reminding me of what a fuckup I am. My father’s words ring loud and clear in my ears as the world fades around the edges.  He was right. I am worthless. 

My last thought before the world turns to black is:
Goodbye, Daisy.

Part Two

Here we go again!

Chapter Eight

DAISY

“Damn, it’s good to be home,” Dad says as he lies down on the couch. 

We’ve just gotten back to Big Clifty after nearly three years of being away.  When I decided to go with him to Atlanta, I never thought it would take so long for him to get better.  He was only in the hospital for four months before being admitted to a clinic for physical rehabilitation near where his mom lives.  After getting out of there, we moved in with her right outside of Atlanta.

The first few weeks were pretty rough.  Dad could barely take a few steps at a time and had started to get depressed over the amount of physical therapy that was laid out before him.  Eventually, he found his way past the pain and refused to come home until he could walk on his own again.  I agreed to stay with him because, honestly, there was no way I could leave him for Granny Jean to take care of on her own.  He’s a lot to handle when he’s drunk, but he’s even worse when he’s sober.

When he was finally able to walk again, he still wasn’t ready to come back.  It was pure pride that kept him away.  His reasoning behind this was because he couldn’t let his brothers see him until he was one-hundred percent sure he could ride again.  It didn’t take him long to climb back on his bike, but the pain kept him from actually riding.  He’s spent the last year just learning how to bear it for longer than a few minutes at a time. 

Part of me wanted to come home as soon as he was able to get around on his own, but another part of me was glad for the time away.  I talked to Grams and Ice a few times a week to keep everyone updated on Dad’s progress, but the one person I didn’t want to talk about ended up dominating the topic of almost every phone call.  According to them, the Preach I knew and loved is dead and gone.  In his place is a drunk that sticks his dick in anything that moves.  I’ve been dreading running into him since we crossed the state line.  So far I’ve lucked out, but one thing’s for certain; in Big Clifty, everyone knows everyone’s business.  I’m sure Preach already knows that I’m back, which means running into him is inevitable. 

“Go see if the bitch has any food in fridge.  I could take a sandwich if there’s anything in there to make one.  Knowing your mother, there’s a bottle of gin and a half empty jug of orange juice, but nothing else,” Dad says, pulling me away from my thoughts. 

Just as I turn to head to the kitchen, the bitch herself walks in.  I haven’t seen her since the day I left.  Not once, not one damn time did she come to visit.  Even when the rest of the family came to see us, she would always claim to be too busy; doing what or whom, I have no idea, and honestly, I don’t care to ever find out.

“You’re late.  You were supposed to be here this morning,” she says on a huff as she walks around our suitcases. 

“Traffic was a bitch,” Dad says with a shrug.

“Well, you could’ve at least called.”

He looks her up and down, taking in her smeared make-up and wrinkled dress.  “I figured you were too busy to notice if we were a few hours late.”

Knowing that a fight is coming, I walk out of the room.  Sandwich forgotten, I head straight to my bedroom.  When I open the door, I am so pissed I want to scream.  I turn around and head straight back to the living room.  “What did you do to my room?”

Mom looks at me and shrugs.  “You weren’t here, so I put it to use.”

“What the hell’s she talking about?” Dad asks, pushing himself off the couch. 

“She got rid of all my stuff and put a tanning bed in my bedroom.”

“What the fuck?  How much did you spend on that thing?” he asks, completely missing the point that I no longer have a bed.

She ignores his question.  “I didn’t get rid of it.  I just put it in the garage.  You’re older now. I figured you’d get your own place.”

What the hell?  “How am I supposed to do that?  I don’t even have a job.”

She shrugs again.  “I don’t know, and I really don’t care, but I’m not moving the tanning bed.  You can stay in the garage until you find somewhere else to live.”

She doesn’t give me time to respond as she walks to her room and shuts the door.  I look over at Dad, hoping that he’ll tell me just to move the damn thing.  Instead, he sits back down.  “Don’t worry girl.  We’ll fix up the garage.  We can make it into a little apartment for you.”

There’s no way I’m living in the garage.  There’s not even any insulation or sheetrock, just exterior walls.  “I can’t live in the garage.  I’ll either have to move the tanning bed or go stay with Grams.”

“If we touch her shit, she’ll throw a damn fit.  You know it’s easier just to let her have her way.”

Of course it is.  My entire life, she has always gotten her way.  Not once has he stood up to her in my defense.  “Fine, I’ll just go stay with Grams.”

It’s not a bad idea.  Grams has always told me I would have a home with her if I ever want it, but Mom wouldn’t ever let me go.  She knew if she did, she’d have to get off her dumb ass and do something. 

Dad shakes his head.  “You can’t move out.  You know when my hip gets to hurting that I can barely get out of bed.  I need you here to help.”

He needs me here, but he’s not willing to make her mad by giving me a room in the house.  “You really expect me to live in the garage?”

“I’ll give you a couple of hundred dollars to fix it up, and she’s barely here anyway.  You can stay in the house most of the time.”

He makes me sound like a dog, something that gets the privilege of being let in from time to time.  “Is a couple of hundred dollars gonna pay to put walls in and the insulation?”

“I got that space heater.  You shouldn’t get too cold out there,” he says with a shrug.

Our conversation ends as I watch him grab the remote and turn on the TV, effectively putting an end to any hope that I was dumb enough to have.  I truly thought he would see how messed up this whole situation is, but nope; he always lets her win.  I wish I had the courage to grab my suitcase and walk out, but I don’t.  No matter what, he’s my dad.  I can’t just leave him.  Shaking my head at the situation, I walk out of the living room and head toward the garage. 

PREACH

I’ve just finished another shot of Jack when Ice and Reese make their way across the room, taking seats next to me at the bar.  Ice is so pissed she’s shaking.  “How much do you think it’s gonna cost?”

“I don’t know, Wahine.  We’ll just have to see.  If it’s too much, we can take up a donation.  I’m sure the brothers would help.”

“What’s going on?” I ask, wondering what the hell has her so pissed.

“That stupid bitch, Lula, stuck Daisy in the garage,” she says in a near shout. 

My glass slips from my hand as a wave a shock rolls through my body. “Daisy’s back?”

“Yeah, she came back to find out that her mom moved her to the damn garage,” Reese says, missing the bigger picture. 

She’s back, and I didn’t even know it.  She’s back after nearly three years—three fuckin’ years without even a damn phone call.  “When did she get back?”

“She and Maker came home a few days ago.  If you weren’t so damn drunk, you would’ve noticed we’re having a party for him tonight.” She motions toward a group of old ladies carrying in food.

Shit!  Sober is the last thing I want to be. It’s something that I have been very little of over the last few years. 

For the first couple of days after Daisy left, I figured she’d be back soon.  When that didn’t happen, I thought about going after her, making her come home with me, but I never did.  That’s a mistake I will regret for the rest of my life. 

As the weeks turned into months, I finally realized that she wasn’t coming back, so I was forced to face the truth.  I had lost the only woman I’d ever loved, maybe the only woman I ever will.  After that, I didn’t give a shit about anyone or anything.  I lived for the brotherhood and nothing else, and I still do.  Unless I have to do something for the club, I’m drunk or with one of the club whores, sometimes more than one. 

“We have to do something.  It’s cold enough to see your breath in that garage,” Ice says, bringing me back to the conversation.

“She’s living in the garage?” I ask as her words finally sink in to my alcohol-muddled brain. 

“Yes!  That bitch put a fuckin’ tanning bed in Daisy’s room.  She moved all of Daisy’s shit to the garage, so that’s where she’s sleeping.”

“Maker got the bright idea to make it a pool room a few years back.  He closed off the garage doors and added a bathroom, but you know how he is.  He got bored and gave up.  There isn’t even any insulation in the damn walls, just bare beams and a concrete floor,” Reese adds.

Ice motions for a drink before turning to look at me.  “Maker gave her two hundred dollars to fix it up.  That wasn’t even enough to cover half the insulation, so she spent it on another heater.”

Reese shakes his head in disgust.  “She took care of him for all this time, and all she gets is two hundred dollars and an empty ass garage.  That shit ain’t right.”

“No, it’s not,” I say, my own anger starting to rage.  “Don’t worry about the money.  I’ll take care of it.”

Ice looks at me, shock filling her face.  “You’re gonna pay for it all yourself?”

“Yeah,” I say with a nod.  “It won’t cost much.  I’ll grab a few of the prospects, and we’ll do the work ourselves.”

“Hmmm, I don’t know about that.”

“What do you mean?”

“I don’t know how Daisy will like the idea of you paying for it, and I’m almost certain she won’t want you in her house,” she answers.

Even after all this time, she’s still pissed.  Well, she can just get the fuck over it.  “Just get the damn keys from her and make sure she’s away from home for a few days.  She doesn’t have to know I was the one who did it.  Let her think it was Maker who paid for it, and that some of the brothers did the work.”

She gives me a hesitant nod.  “I have to go to the city next weekend to look at a new sound system for The Kitty Kat.  I’ll get her to go with me, and we’ll make a weekend out of it.”

Knowing that we have to lie and sneak around, just for me to be in her house, pisses me way the fuck off.  I don’t let it show, though, as I pull a long swig from my bottle.  “Sounds like a plan.”

A few minutes later, Ice gives Reese a quick kiss and stands up.  “Later, babe. I’ve gotta go pick up a friend.”

“A friend, huh?  The kind with tits?” I slur out, the Jack catching up with me. 

“Yeah, but you better stay the hell away from her tits,” Ice throws over her shoulder as she leaves the bar.

Reese and I chat for a while longer while I finish off an entire bottle of Jack.  By the time I see Leah walking into the clubhouse, I’m trashed and don’t give a fuck that she’s a bitch.  She’s got a warm and willing mouth, and that’s all that matters.  Sometimes, just seeing her makes me sick, but tonight is different.  Tonight, I’ll use her to burn off my anger.  I push myself from the bar, barely able to hold myself up, and stagger towards her.  I know I’m too drunk to do much more than enjoy her mouth, but that’s good enough for me.  When I motion toward the hall, a wicked smile spreads across her lips.

By the time we make it to my room, she’s already pulling her shirt off.  “No reason to do that.  Just get on your knees.”

She does as she’s told, but I can see the disappointment in her eyes. Who the fuck cares?  I unzip and pull out my dick.  Instantly, her mouth is on me.  She may be a fuckin’ bitch, but the woman knows how to suck a dick. 

DAISY

I hear the horn honk and rush out of the house, hoping to avoid Mom.  She’s pissed that I’m going to Dad’s party at the clubhouse. Truth be told, she’s not the only one.  If it was up to me, I’d stay at home.  The clubhouse is the last place I want to be, but Ice is hard to say no to. 

Climbing in the car, I shoot her a quick smile.  “Thanks for picking me up.”

“What’s wrong with your car?” Ice asks as she starts to back out of the driveway. 

“Uncle Holt took it in to get new tires.  I had to help out Granny Jean with bills, so I’ve been too broke to buy any myself,” I say with a shrug. “Hopefully, I’ll have it back in the morning.”

Silence fills the car, and I start to wonder if I’ve shared too much of my drama.  Ice and I have been friends for a while now, but we’ve never discussed how hard it is for me at home. 

“You need a job, don’t you?” Ice says, breaking the silence.

“Yeah, I do.  I was hoping to go back to work with Shelia, but she’s closed up shop.  I put some applications in around town, but as it turns out, nowhere is hiring.  Guess I’m gonna have to drive to Butler or Harrisonville to find something.”

“You can come and work at The Kitty Kat.  You don’t gotta strip if you don’t want to. You could just waitress.  The wages suck ass, but the tips are great.”

“But you serve alcohol there.  I won’t be twenty-one for another three weeks, so I won’t be able to waitress.”

“Well, shit.  I didn’t think of that.”  There’s a long pause before she continues.  “I know you may not like the idea, but you can dance.  I’ve done it for years, and there’s not a damn thing to be ashamed of. The tips aren’t just good, they are fuckin’ amazing.  Sometimes, I make nearly a grand a dance.”

“That much?” Holy shit!

“Yeah, but that’s not the norm.  Being new, you’ll probably make a few hundred.  Add in what the club pays you, and you’ll be bringing home around five hundred a night.”

The thought of taking my clothes off in front of everyone scares the shit out of me, but I don’t really have a choice. I need to get some money saved up, or I’ll be living in the garage forever. “Okay, when do I start?”