L. Ann Marie (5 page)

Three weeks

Bob

I had a talk with Chet this morning, letting him know me and Mandy are together.  He already knew and wished me luck, leaving with a smile.  I wanted to fuckin deck him.  When I thought about it, I figured out I'm pissed at him because he fucked her.  No other Brother has been with her.  It's not like I wasn't there; I've got no right to be pissed at him.  I need to get the fuck over myself.

It takes me some time to focus on my job but I get to it and work through lunch.  I can’t wait for the day to be over.  I finish the schedule and check it against the families’ one last time.  This is for when I’m at Laconia so I need to make sure everyone is covered.  Cloud and CJ will have Pres and Danny’s kids.  Tess is staying home, she’ll have Tiny’s girl.  I have double coverage and no one leaving the yard.  If I could, I’d have them on lockdown until everyone is back.  With the kids still on high alert, Pres is nervous.  He needs to show for a meet so keeping everyone covered is priority.  An Officer will be with them every day just in case.  While work has been crazy, Amanda has been amazing.  She’s excited to be going up.  She loves riding as much as I do.  I like that she’s not trying to bring a ton of shit with her.  She has a backpack of clothes; I laugh because fuckin Patches carries more than she’s bringing.

Rich comes in for the schedule.  I hand it to him with the families’ schedule.  He sits and reads it.  I think he’s nervous about leaving Tess.

"Has she had a vision Brother?"

He looks at me, "No, she hasn't had a bad one in a while."  He's not saying something.  I wait.  He wipes his hand down his face.  "She's pregnant.  She didn't even know.  It makes me nervous.  She knew she'd have the twins two years before she had them."  Fuck.

"She doesn't see everything, Brother; maybe this one’s different too."

He looks at me, "I think she won't have this one.  I have a bad fuckin feeling Brother.  Christian is on edge, when he's on edge I know it will be bad.  I need to go to the meet but I'm coming right back, I won't be staying."

I nod, "Do you want me to stay back?  I'm not required at any of the meets, I volunteered for your dad.  He doesn't need me, especially with Alan and Chet there.

He smiles, "You need to take Amanda, pop her cherry and all that.  She's going to love it.  I'll call if we need you.  Worst comes to worst, we delay your time until the majority get back."

"If you still feel it's off before we leave I'm staying.  You've never been wrong, Brother.  Having more than half the Brothers and HS away isn't going to ease that feeling or leave you with enough help to keep everyone safe."  Fuck, I don't want to leave now.

He stands.  "Let's just keep the plan as is.  I'll let you know beforehand."  He walks out leaving me feeling uneasy.  Fuck.  It's been a while since we've had a major threat; I need to check my spare and ammo.  Shutting down I pack my bag and lock my door on the way out.

I was planning on seeing Amanda later but I need to be ready.  I call her as I hit the front stairs.  "Babe, I need to make sure my gear is ready.  Do you want to come up to the Club tonight?"

"I can do that.  I'll grab a bag and be there by ten thirty."

I can hear her smile.  "Thanks, I was hoping to taste that sweet pussy tonight."

"Fuck!  Sometimes it's so good to hear shit like that, now just wasn't one of those times.  I could have used the silence."  She sounds like she's in pain.

"What happened?"

"I cut my hand with the razor I was using to scrape the window.  I thought I'd paint a new scene on it.  I need to go, I'll see you at ten thirty with my bandaged hand." She laughs.  Fuckin woman.

I pull up in front of the shop three minutes later.  I hunt her down and find her in her office.  "You're sewing it up?  Fuck, Mandy.  You want to go to the hospital?"

She laughs at me.  "I have an appointment in an hour.  The hospital will take too long.  It's not that bad.  You can do it if you want."  She puts her hand out to me.

I'm no fuckin doctor but I can see it's bad and wince.  "Sorry babe, I was just fuckin with you, I didn't mean to maim you.  Let me take you to Doc's."

She looks at it and closes the first aid kit.  "Ok.  Sewing it myself will be hard because it's on my hand.  You don't look like you're into sewing me."

"No I'm not into sewing you.  Fuck woman!"

She laughs.  "I was an EMT before I started doing ink full time.  Sewing me doesn't bother me."

I stop and look at her.  The shit I learn about her makes her all the more interesting to me.  "That's fuckin sexy to picture babe."  She laughs and drags me out.

Sally takes care of her in minutes and I get her back on the bike so she can be back for her appointment.  She won't cancel it.  I can't be pissed at her, I would keep working too.  I just don't want her to be in pain trying to hold the gun with her cut hand.  Since it’s her hand and her customer, it's her call.  I pull out of the clinic lot and a car veers right toward us.  What the fuck?  I gun it and call into Security.  "Digs, I got a car that was aimed at me coming out of Doc's.  Pull the video."

Rich: "LP2 on, pussy definitely aimed for you B3."

Me: "Fuckin got that, Brother."

LP2: "HS3 is on his way to you.  Three blocks east.  Fuck Brother, the car is coming up on your left."

I turn to the right and pull my gun.

Me: "I need to get Amanda somewhere safe, Brother."

LP2: "Tiny is a block away from you.  He'll pick her up.  Pull into the pharmacy lot."

Me: "Roger LP2."  I pull in and hear the tires screeching.  A truck blocks my path another hits us from the left side.  Amanda screams.  I hear the shots but I can't fuckin move.  "Mandy."  She doesn't answer.  Fuckin hell, I try to turn and see her but the truck has my leg pinned and my fuckin back feels like it's got a steel rod in it.  My other leg is pinned under the bike, if the truck moves I can get to her.  I feel her arm around me.  Why the fuck isn't the truck moving off us?

"Brother, I'm going to move the truck back.  Doc's on his way."  Tiny is talking but I can't see him.

"Mandy, you alright babe?"  She moans.  Thank fuck.  The truck rolls off pulling my leg.  "Hold up, Tiny!  My fuckin leg feels like it's burning right the fuck off."  I deep breathe and hope the fuck I don't pass out.

Driscoll and Bull are talking.  They lift the front of the truck and roll it back.  "Get Amanda,  Brother."  Doc and Sally show.  Everyone is talking but I'm having trouble following what the fuck they're saying.  Bull lifts the bike up some, easing the pain in my back and on my leg.  Driscoll takes Amanda to Sally when they get her out from the bike.  I try to see her but still can't turn around.  Tiny covers my leg; they pull the bike while holding my leg up.  "Fuck!"  It feels like they’re pulling my fuckin leg off.  Doc yells something but they're fading out.  "Take care of Mandy, Doc.  I'll be fine."

Amanda

“Bob.”  I’m being moved and it fuckin hurts.

“I got you, Little Inky.  The chopper is on its way.  Doc is with Bob now; Sally is going to check you out.”  The voice is familiar but my head is pounding so loud in my ears I can’t tell who it is.

I fight to open my eyes.  “Tiny.  Two trucks.  One blocked, the other rammed us.  I need to see Bob.  He turned the bike, please let me see Bob.”  My voice is whiny, it sounds like I’m drunk to my own ears but my head is pounding so what the fuck do I know.

“He’ll be on the chopper with you.  Doc is helping him now.”  Tiny says.  His voice fades away.

Fuck, my head is too heavy to move.  “Bob.”  Someone moves my hand; I feel a hand under mine.

Whoever moved it pats my wrist.  “He’s right here, Amanda.”

I don’t know the voice.  It’s so loud and my head is pounding.  I hold on tight.  “I love you Bob!  Don’t you dare leave me!  I can’t do it again!”  I squeeze his hand.  “I can’t do it again.”

Three days

Bob

I use the bar they got hanging from the ceiling to lift up.  Pain radiates down my back and into my legs.  At least what’s left there.   Pres just walked in, I need to sit so I can see him.  He paces too much for me to try following from lying down.  “Did she wake up?”

“They’ll bring her out today.  She’s being moved in here with you after some scan test.  The nurse said within the hour.”  He starts his pacing.  “Security will be easier to handle with you in the same room.”

“Did I fuck up, Pres?  I can’t remember what happened.”  I look down then right back up.  I don’t want to see down right now.

He stops and looks at me.  “No Brother, she told Tiny about you being boxed.  There were two trucks and a car.  You turned so the truck would hit you before her.  We all watched the feeds; you had no fuckin way out.  You didn’t even have time to raise your gun.  It was intentional.”

I let out a breath.  Thank fuckin God I didn’t fuck up.  She’s in a fuckin coma.  “I didn’t turn enough.”  I look out the window.  “She was awake after?  That’s good right?”  I hate asking but I've been drugged too fuckin much to think clearly, today they let me hit a button for drugs.

“Yeah Brother.  She told Tiny about the two trucks and kept asking for you.  She said she loves you and you can’t leave her because she can’t do it again.  She kept repeating it over and over.  Tiny moved her hand so she could feel you but it didn’t help.”  He runs his hand in his hair.

She loves me.  “Fuck, she doesn’t know I’m ok.  It’s been three fuckin days and she doesn’t know.”  I hope they get her here quick.  I need to talk to her, let her know I’m waiting for her, that I love her.

“Brother, I know you talked to Trey but you’re not reacting the way the doctors are expecting.  Are you in denial?”  He says it in a rush like he's embarrassed to ask.

I look at him, I’m pissed.  “No I’m not in fuckin denial.  My leg is gone, it’s not like I can get it back.  I knew as soon as I saw Trey.  I don’t know him well enough for him to be doing a bedside vigil.  Life ain’t stopping for this to play out.  Trey works and still runs Security when the Baxter’s need him, he lost both his legs.  I’ll have to learn how to deal.  It’s not like a have an alternative here.”

He nods then smiles.  “Danny did the same thing.  He never once pulled the poor me.  Fuckin Badass Brothers.”

Thank fuck, maybe he’ll let it go.  “Who stayed with her last night?”

“CJ, she left when they took her for tests.  Tess has a schedule so she wouldn’t be alone.”   He smiles.  Tess is fuckin cute but I need to see Amanda.  I hear the door open and try to turn to watch my girl come in.  It’s fuckin Trey again.

He laughs.  “You can roll your eyes all you want.  Since you got no way up, you can’t throw me the fuck out.”  He looks at Pres giving him a nod.  “Pres.” He looks back at me.  “I just came to let you know they can get you into the robotic in five weeks.  Mitch has a Badass design, she’s researching metals right now.  She thought you'd appreciate the name.  You’ll need to get measured, they do it with a thing hooked to a computer, Mitch said she can bring it to you.  She's making a brace now and asked if you want brushed metal, chrome or black.  It will actually look like a web, nothing in the middle.  She said you can get it the same color of your bike later but she needs to get the first brace in lightweight first.  You need to heal more for the weight of the heavier brace then robotic.  So what do you want?”

I’m fuckin shocked.  “They said it would take months.”

“Mitch doesn’t play by their rules.  Five weeks, what do you want?”

“Fuck, thanks, black is fine.”  Five weeks.  I can do five fuckin weeks.

He turns to leave.  “Good.  She already started, I told her black.”  He walks out.  Fuckin guy makes me smile.

Pres laughs.  “Five fuckin weeks, she’s unbelievable.  Fuckin strong smart women.”  I can only nod.  I’ll be up and learning how to walk again in five weeks.

Another commotion at the door has me hoping for Amanda.  Pres moves to my side.  I turn myself and wait for the orderlies to roll the bed in.  She’s so fuckin small in it.  “Pres help me into the chair.  I don’t know how to do it yet.”  He moves the chair to the side of the bed.  I put my hand on the arm and it moves.  “Fuck, lock the wheels.”  I growl, balancing, feeling the fuckin pain through my back.  I put my other hand down and pull my body over.  “Can you get my leg over?”  I grunt but make it.  Fuck, that’s not fuckin fun.  I’m sweating and need to catch my breath.  The nurse is doing something with the machines.  I wheel around and move so I can get at her hand.  I forget the pain once I touch her, my fuckin girl, still in a coma because someone rammed us with a fuckin truck.  I want to tell her I’m sorry.  I can’t even remember what the fuck happened, I hope to Christ she doesn’t.

“You shouldn’t be out of bed, Bob.”  I turn my head and see my nurse standing with her hands on her hips.  She's not real friendly but right now she's got bitch written all over her face.

“What the fuck difference does it make if I’m sitting there or here?  At least here I can hold her hand so she knows she’s not alone.”

“I can already see this is going to be a problem.”  A bitchy tone is not going to work; Amanda doesn’t need to hear her bitching.

I turn the chair around.  “It WILL be a problem if you’re going to keep being a bitch.  She doesn’t need that right now.  I don’t plan on sitting in the fuckin bed and looking at her from across the room.  She needs to know I’m here and that will happen by me holding her hand.  If this is a problem for you, find me another fuckin nurse that gets it.”  Her face gets all red; she’s ready to start yelling.

Fuckin Pres laughs.  “The doctor wanted him to start moving around.  I think this is good motivation.  He got out of bed and into the wheelchair.  If that’s a problem maybe you should call the doctor back in so he can write that down for you.”  I throw him chin and turn back around to hold Mandy’s hand.  I pull her hand to me and kiss it.  “Wake up, baby.”  I tell her softly.  Pres and the nurse are still going back and forth.

“Why don’t you take this out in the hall?  It can’t be good for them to have to listen to this.”  Danny makes me smile.  He puts his hand on my shoulder.  “No change?”

“Pres said they’re taking her out of the coma today.  They just brought her in, no one but a nurse has seen her so I don’t know what the fuck is going on.”  I look at him but keep her hand in mine.

He nods and moves away.  “I’ll go find someone to get an update.”

I’m so fuckin glad it’s him that’s here.  I’m more comfortable with Danny than Pres.  “You need to wake up, baby.  I’m the worst fuckin patient and need someone to talk to these crazy ass people before Pres starts a war in the hospital.”

Tess laughs.  I turn and see her smiling.  “He isn’t going to start a war and she’s going to wake up.  You’ll be happy together.”

“Tess!”  Sally talks to her like she’s a kid.  Tess just laughs, Jeremy and Jacob are holding her hands smiling.

“Hey, Little Blackhawks.”  From the day I met them, I never had a problem telling them apart; Jeremy has a light to him that makes it easy.  He puts his fist out and I bump mine to it.  He’s fuckin cute.  He climbs on the bed with Amanda.  I look at Tess, she shrugs with a smile.  Jacob fist bumps me and moves to the other side; he takes Jeremy’s hand and puts his other on Amanda’s.  Jeremy looks at Tess.  She laughs and takes his hand.

I watch, I’ve seen Jeremy do this before.  I’ve guarded him when he’s been to the hospital in the City.  He’s like an angel, healing people with his weird energy and different language.  Danny comes in with a doctor.  I turn the chair and nod to the doctor and throw chin to Danny.

“I’m sorry I didn’t come sooner, I had an emergency to deal with downstairs.  You are her only family?”  He looks like he doesn’t believe it.

“Yes.  When will you wake her up?”

“We’ve already taken her off the medication.  We don’t actually wake her up.  The swelling is down, now it’s up to her body when she wakes up.”  Fuck.  He’s not very comforting.  Where the fuck do they find these people?  “What are they doing?  There are only supposed to be two people at a time visiting.”

“They’re Native.  They do everything in threes.  Right now they’re calling on the spirits to heal her.”  Danny says, like it’s normal.  I smile, watching the doctor’s face.  “I’d move them but the little guys are fuckin ninjas and they’d probably kick my ass.  One I could take but I’m not sure about both.”

I laugh.  Cloud laughs behind me.  “He isn’t kidding.  The fuckin kids are freaks of nature that don’t have a problem taking a grown man down.”  I’m still fuckin laughing.  The doctor doesn’t know what to say to that.

“Besides the coma, what else is wrong with her?”  I ask still smiling.  He’s looking from Danny to Cloud.  There’s no missing Cloud is Indian and Danny has a scar across his face and a patch over his eye.  They’re both six three.  Sally is standing with her arms crossed and a frown on her face.  She's not impressed with the fuckin doctor either.

He finally looks at me like he's fuckin bored.  “She has some bruising on the inside of her leg but that's about it.  There’s scrapes on her outer leg and arm.  She’s healing normally in those areas but she’ll be sore for a while.  Our main concern was the swelling and concussion.  If she had had a helmet on, this could have been avoided.  You people think you're invincible until something happens then you expect us to fix you in a day.”  He says it like an accusation.

“What the fuck?  She did have a helmet on.  A fuckin truck boxed them in while another slammed into them gunning the engine.  It was attempted murder, asshole.”  Danny isn’t raising his voice but it sounds more dangerous because it is low.  He has a fuckin fierce look on his face.

The doctor takes a step back and puts his hands up.  “I’m sorry, she must have been hit hard to get a concussion with the helmet.”  He still doesn't believe him.  Fuckin guy.

“The fuckin helmet is split.  It was sent with her so you would know what she went through.  What the fuck kind of hospital is this?  Our President is arguing with nurses so Bob can sit by her and you don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about.”  Danny is pissed.

“Again, I’m sorry. I never saw the helmet.”

“Bob, Jeremy says she just needs to rest.  She’ll be fine.”  Tess says, looking down.  Fuckin doctor.  She’s nervous and jumps right into fuckin slave mode, I reach for her hand and give it a squeeze.  Jeremy comes to my side and puts his head on my shoulder.  I lift him onto my lap, keeping him to the right side.  He lays back and watches the doctor with his hand on Tess’.

Cloud comes back from the doorway.  “Jamie has Jake meeting us here.  He made arrangements for them to be transferred to the City.  Mitch’s doctor will see Bob there and they have another doctor waiting for Amanda.”  He looks over at the doctor like he's talking to a Prospect.  “The only thing you’re needed for is discharge paperwork.  They’ll be leaving in one hour.  I’ll need clearance to land the Baxter's chopper on the roof.  If you can’t get me that I’ll have Jamie get it.  He’s a little busy and probably wouldn’t like another interruption since he has to get everything coordinated for them to be moved to a friendlier hospital.”

The doctor is shocked.  “The Baxter’s are transferring them?”

“Yeah, they’re close personal friends and I fly for them.  Our medic will be here in twenty minutes.  I need you doing paperwork, little man.  Can you get the chopper clearance or not?”  Cloud is pissed.  I’ve never seen him mad.  I’m glad it’s the doctor he’s pissed at, I'd be afraid he'd scalp me.  Jeremy laughs and looks up at me.  Fuckin kid reads everyone.

The doctor nods and walks out.  “Fuckin snob."  Danny says.  Sally agrees.

Cloud looks at Danny.  “It’s the cut.  I’ve never seen this hospital be anything but nice.  Since we’ve been here everything is a fuckin problem.  Jamie is calling the CFO, I’m going to guess everyone will be nice once he finishes.  He’s fuckin pissed.  I need to get to the office and bring the chopper over.  You got the kids?”  Danny throws chin.  I turn back to Amanda and see Pres just watching.

I hold her hand with Jeremy on my lap.  I feel better since Tess said she’ll be ok but I want to see her eyes open.  I want her to know I’m ok; she must have been scared thinking she’d have to deal with another death.  Jeremy pats my shoulder.  “He said she knows.  She loves you and wants to wake up.”  Jacob says by my side.  I didn't realize his hand was on my shoulder.

“Thank you boys, Tess.”  I watch Amanda sleep.

“You’re welcome, Bob.  Jeremy wants to get down but he doesn’t want to hurt you.”  Jacob says.

Cloud stops talking to Danny and Pres and comes over to lift Jeremy.  I kiss his head before he’s lifted off me.

“I should have asked, you doing ok, Bob?”  He asks as he turns Jeremy onto his shoulder.  He does the same thing all the time.

I nod.  “I’m good, Cloud.  Thanks.”  I turn back to Amanda squeezing her hand.

Once Jake gets here everything moves pretty quick.  We're out of Boston and into the city hospital with Security and nicer nurses and doctors.  The doctor for Amanda is a friend of Cloud and Jeremy.  He explains everything to me, without the attitude, then he helps Jake move my bed so it's up against hers.  I can touch her from bed now.

Danny tells me he stopped everyone from coming by until tomorrow.  "When Kate was kidnapped all I wanted was to hold her, I couldn't think of anything else.  You need some time with her, Brother."