Authors: L. Ann Marie
“I won’t lie. I told you I wasn’t leaving,” I tell her lifting her up. After she hugs me she puts her hands on my face and just looks at me. My breath catches. I get a flash of us right here but she’s older. Her hands are on my face just like this. “More fuckin’ flashes.” She laughs and hugs me again. “I won’t let anyone hurt you again Aubrey.”
She nods against my shoulder. “I’m your girl now Geek.”
“We always take care of our girls,” Colt tells her. I look down and he’s smiling up at me. This kid doesn’t talk much, but he’s Badass. A little older than Aubrey, he’ll teach her how she’s supposed to be treated. He takes care of Harley and the others already. It’s cute as fuck. I set her down. “Why don’t we take your friends for a walk by the water? Maybe we’ll find some ice cream on the way back.”
Harley and Colt cheer at the same time. They’re cute. Aubrey just looks at them. “Let’s clean up so we can go!” Harley says all excited. She gets ice cream all the time but you’d think it’s a Christmas present. I just smile at them. They put the blocks they were playing with in a box while I make a to-go cup of coffee. Ally tells me she’ll stay and help with the room.
They’re waiting for me at the door when I come around the corner. It stops me in my tracks. A week ago I never would have pictured this scene. Today the most important thing to me is showing Aubrey the water, getting her ice cream and taking her to the play area. I shake my head and smile at them. “Let’s go troop,” I tell them as Aubrey holds my hand.
Colton takes her hand from me. “We’re big now. We hold each other’s hand so moms and dads can hold hands.”
Whoa! I look at him as he turns and walks in front of me to Harley. She grabs Aubrey’s other hand and they start walking. I follow wondering if she thinks I’m her dad, and then I want to kill her dad. Where the fuck is he that he’s not protecting his family? Marty didn’t write about a man in her life. I put it on the list to ask her.
I walk behind them and watch her limp along. She tries to run and falls twice. I lift her up laughing. She thinks this is the shit. I can’t wait until she gets ice cream. I hold their shoes so they can get their feet in the water then just sit happy to watch them do nothing. Aubrey is laughing and yelling for me to watch like I’m doing something else right now. Kids are easily entertained. We walk the beach to the Cone. Everyone cracks up when Aubrey asks if you can eat it. Harley has her touch it so she can see it’s just plastic. When I hand her the cone she tips it sideways and it falls. I laugh, but she’s got tears in her eyes. Fuckin’ tears. “It’s just ice cream. We can get you another one.”
She looks at me as if I’m lying and I want to yell at her. Jesus, when the fuck have I lied to her. I bring her to the window and get another signing for it telling the kid to take Aubrey and Marty’s name so they can sign on my account. “If you come here with your mom tell her to sign Geek and you can get whatever you want.” She nods watching the cone. I show her how to hold it and we walk to the table to sit with Harley and Colt.
They talk about their favorite, but she doesn’t get it. By the look that crosses her face I can tell she has no idea what some things are. She knows banana and apple but everything else is unknown. I wonder how she talks so well when she couldn’t leave the bed. Maybe she watched TV. She stops talking to Harley and looks at me. “What’s TV?”
Fuckin’ parallel universe shit again. “Like the boards in my office where you watch shows.” Harley starts talking about her favorite shows and movies. She has no idea again. On our way to the gate Harley asks if they can go to the play area. “I need to get Aubrey home and see if Kate sent over the supplies we need. After dinner I am taking her so her mom can see where it is. I can come and get you if you want to come with us.”
She looks at Colt. “We can only stay for a little while. We have Little Brothers and Sisters tonight and Little Ben said it’s important,” he tells her like he’s twelve.
“If you can play before Patches comes for us we can,” Harley tells me like I didn’t hear Colt. Kids are funny.
I nod and guide them against the side street so she doesn’t see the play area and start with the tears again. There are trucks and trailers all over the street. It’s a good thing no one else lives on it. Fuckin’ Brothers are taking care of me when I lost my shit earlier and left them with the mess. Love the fuckin’ Brotherhood.
Aubrey turns and climbs up my leg. I lift her wondering what’s happening. Sam comes closer with a bag. “I was hoping you were here. I brought you lunch. Bob told me Harley and Colt were here. He’s on a job and isn’t sure if you wanted to keep them a little longer. I told him they can come with me until he gets back or Patches or Amanda picks them up.”
“Thanks Brother. They’re no trouble and keep my cling-on calm. I don’t mind them staying.”
He nods. “Evelyn is sending dinner. She heard they like ham so she’s making finger sandwiches for the little one. I’ll let her know to add for the twins.”
I throw him chin. “This is Aubrey. Aubrey this is Sam. He’s a Brother that helps us take care of kids and women.”
She moves her head to look at him then turns back. “Hi,” she says against my shoulder.
“Fuck! Jesus!” A tattooed pussy flashes in my damn head. I hold my eyes with my free hand. “You remind her of someone. He doesn’t have a Mohawk though.” When I put my hand down he’s just watching me. “Flashes.”
He nods. “I’ll drop this in the kitchen and let Evelyn know about the twins.” He walks away fast. Shit.
“Thanks Sam.” I say to his back.
“That went well. He’s a good guy and he doesn’t hurt kids.” She nods.
“This is going to happen a lot,” Colt says. I laugh. Fuckin’ kids.
“Let’s get everyone cleaned up so we can eat lunch.” I tell them leading the kids upstairs. I don’t put Aubrey down until I get into the bathroom. We get hands and faces clean and I lift Aubrey to find out if Kate sent supplies. I find Cloud in her room. They are too fuckin’ much sometimes. They have Ally’s old tree house in here. She’s looking at everything with huge eyes. I laugh and kiss her head. She’s fuckin’ cute. “Are her clothes in here?” I ask Cloud.
“Yeah, the old ladies are shopping for her, but she’s got some stuff and Kate sent a bag for you.” He’s pissed.
“Thanks.” I put her down and look in the drawers for panties.
“She needs all clean Brother.” He growls out.
I look at my shirt then her. She’s scared shit. “She was running on the beach and fell a couple of times.” I pull clothes that are matched together. They made it easy. “Can you keep watch of the twins for me?”
He nods so I take Aubrey back to the bathroom with the bag and clothes. “Well Half Pint, we need to wash you before we get you dressed in clean clothes.” She’s still scared. “Do you hurt?” She looks at me, but doesn’t answer. I undress her and put her in the tub using the handheld to wash her. I left the door cracked open but I still feel weird washing her up. She doesn’t say a word which makes it easier. I dry her and put the little pad on her panties like the directions said. Once she’s dressed she puts her hands on my face just holding it and looking at me. Weird again. “I can ask Harley’s mom if we can give you some medicine to feel better. It will stop you from hurting at least.” She kisses my cheek and nods. “Let’s go see your room, then I need to change.”
“Sorry Geek,” she says looking up at me.
“We’re good kid.” My heart skips a beat when she smiles. Fuck.
A scream has me sitting up before I realize she’s on me. I put my arm around her before she falls. “Right here Half Pint.” Harley and Colt come running from my room. She screams my name and I hold her tighter. “I’m right here Aubrey.”
“She’s sleeping,” Colt tells me. I turn her so I can see and she is. “Just hold her Geek, she needs to know your here and taking care of her.” I nod because what can I say to that?
It takes some crying and a couple of minutes for her to wake up. Harley has a cup of water for her and Colt holds her hand. “You guys are good at this.” They nod making me smile. When she’s fully awake I get her to the bathroom and we change the little pad thing. I’m happy to see it’s not bad. CJ came with some Tylenol for her and told me to throw the clothes away and watch her. If it is still heavy I need to call Samantha. I don’t need to call Samantha so I’m relieved. Once she’s clean and dressed I turn to leave and Marty’s standing at the door. Aubrey stands behind me. I sign, ‘it’s slowed down.’ She nods with tears in her eyes.
“Let’s show your mom your new room,” I tell her taking her hand but she won’t move.
Marty moves out of the doorway and I walk her to the room. I need to find out how to get her to look at her mother. This must be fuckin’ hell for Marty. I’m a total stranger and I’m putting fuckin’ pads on her kid. Harley is waiting with a smile for Half Pint. They go in the room and Harley tells her all about it. Aubrey is amazed. Hell, I’m fuckin’ amazed. They took all the furniture out and put Ally’s tree house together in here. They even have the swing up. I stand at the door and watch them. I feel Marty on the side of me and slide around her so she can watch.
“She ran on the beach today and put her feet in the water. She laughed the whole time. I took them to the Cone and she dropped the first one not knowing how to hold it. She looked like her world just ended.” I laugh remembering. “She likes vanilla. She doesn’t know any other flavors. She’s never had it or doesn’t remember. It was a good day for her.”
She looks at me with a question in her eyes but signs, ‘Thank you for telling me.’
“Because she doesn’t know who you are, doesn’t mean I don’t. You need to know. She’ll need more Tylenol in an hour. I told her we’d bring her to the play area after dinner. She may need it for that.”
She nods. ‘Again, thank you.’ She signs but it’s like the little kids.
“Where did you learn to sign?”
‘The computer.’ She signs. She looks like she’s thinking. ‘The doctor can’t help me. They made sure I’d never talk again.’ I see the tears in her eyes. Fuck. Never is a fuckin’ long time. A tear falls and I pull her to my chest. As soon as I do she breaks.
“Colt you got the girls?”
“Yeah Brother,” he says making me smile.
“I’m in my office right next door.” The little badass throws me chin. Fuckin’ kids.
I lift her and carry her to the office. When I sit with her on my lap she makes a noise. She’s signing, ‘sorry no trouble.’
“We’re good. Life hasn’t been easy for you. Let the Brothers and old ladies help.”
She signs, ‘Yes, I need help to get her back.’
“Where is her father?” I probably shouldn’t ask now but it’s bugging the fuck out of me.
‘He died before she was born. I didn’t even know I was pregnant until after the funeral. It helped me get through losing him before I even really had him.’ She’s signing but spelling almost everything.
I need to get her into classes. “What do you mean before you had him?”
‘He wasn’t divorced yet. His wife cheated on him but he had kids. He started sleeping at his office and had just told his kids about the divorce, then a week later he was dead. It was a horrible accident. But I had Aubrey to care for. I guess I’ll never know what would have happened, but she got me through the doubt.’
She went through having a baby alone? “Do you have family we need to notify?”
‘It was just me and my mom, she threw me out when I told her I was pregnant. She drinks.’ A tear slides down her face. Fuck. I know what that’s like. At least she would have had a roof over her head while she was pregnant.
“We have you and Aubrey now. We’ll get you straight. The Brothers and Little Brothers will make sure you’re not alone again.”
She signs, ‘thank you’ and puts her head on my chest. Jesus she’s had a hard life.
“Geek we need to eat if we’re going to have time to play at the playground,” Colt says from the door.
Marty jumps up. “Thanks Little Brother.”
‘I’ll go wash my face. There is food from someone in the kitchen. I’ll get it set up when I’m done.’
“Go, the kids are pretty easy. We got dinner,” I tell her walking out behind her.
Dinner is fun with kids. They crack me up talking about the play area and water park. Aubrey asks them questions, but not many, and I wonder if she just sees it like Jeremy.
At the play area they go from one thing to another so she can try everything. At the tree house she misses a step but Marty catches her and sets her on the ladder right. She doesn’t scream, but freezes until Marty steps back. She goes up without ever looking back, but she didn’t scream. Progress.
Amanda shows just before Patches comes for the kids. He lets Blaze and Blake play for a few minutes before corralling them all in the SUV. Aubrey waves looking sad. “Maybe next week you can go to Little Sisters with Harley and Blaze.”
She nods and clings to my legs. I lift her and walk back talking about her day. She’s tired so I get her in the tub then show her how to get her nightgown on. She thanks me for her room and asks if she can see her toys making me laugh. “You can play with them; you don’t just look at them.” She just nods. “I’ll be in the office.” I watch her walk around touching everything. In the office I wonder if she knows how to play with her toys. I hear her talking and smile. She must have figured it out.
I work until just after ten and realize I haven’t heard from Half Pint. I step over a sleeping Marty and check the bed. She’s out holding the unicorn. On my way out I lift Marty and carry her to her bed. She just smiles and my dick jumps. Jesus! I drop her on the bed without a word and walk out.
My hand closes on a beer and someone’s at the door. It’s certainly busier than the Club, but I could use a break. Little Ben, Jacob and Jeremy are here for Aubrey. Little Ben has a bedroll and I laugh. “I’m up at the Club if you got this.”
“Yeah Brother for however long she needs us,” Little Ben says following the boys up.
Fuckin’ sweet. I’m walking through the Club doors ten minutes later noticing it’s light on women and Brothers. I keep walking to the whore rooms and I hear them before I get to the door. The music is loud so I open it door and walk in. The party is here tonight. The women are naked and Brothers are fuckin’ all over the place.
I’m one minute in and get pulled by a Club chick that hangs here on and off. She’s holding Darlene’s hand as she’s making her way to a chaise. The whore lays on it with her ass on the corner. I’m liking this already; they’re giving me a nice picture. The Club chick kneels over the whores face and I moan. Fuck I need this. My dick is ready; I kneel and check to see if Darlene is ready. She’s been fucked already so I cover and slide in watching her eat the chick. Fuckin’ sweet. I lift Darlene’s legs and grab each ones tit getting moans back.
The chick starts talking making this good until she starts talking about fuckin’ with Arial. “Stop talking.” She does, but I’m done with her. I pull Darlene into me hard looking at the women around the room. It doesn’t take much to get me right there again and I’m off. Since the chick isn’t done I leave them with a Brother that came up behind the chick playing with her tits.
I wait for the bathroom and get cornered by another Club chick running her hand up my shirt. Since I’m not into talking I turn her and fuck her against the wall. I slide my hand down and make it good for her hearing her yell over the music. Thank fuck! I let go, steady her and walk into the bathroom wondering what the fuck is wrong with me. Walking out I see a Brother with the chick against the wall. I’m relieved and walk out the door not sure what the fuck I’m feeling. Thank God Tiny isn’t around with his fuckin’ tampons and advice.
I take a ride by the water to sort my head out.