CHAPTER THIRTEEN

-:- AXEL -:-

Breakfast has been a quiet one for Mia and me. Theme night for us ended on a sour note with Mia telling me she wanted the girl gang to go on a road trip. Not just any road trip, mind you. She wants them all to do Route 66.

Now I’ve done Route 66, and I don’t think she realizes exactly what it would entail. Two thousand four hundred miles in every kind of weather across eight states. The girl gang hasn’t traveled more than a twenty-mile round trip so far on their bikes and trikes. They’d be looking at one hundred and fifty to two hundred miles a day.

Mia isn’t listening when I try explaining that it isn’t just the two thousand four hundred miles of Route 66. It’s also seven hundred miles to Los Angeles to start the Route and then fourteen hundred miles back from Chicago, where it ends. That’s four thousand five hundred miles. She thinks Route 66 is a two-week vacation, but she hasn’t considered getting to the start and getting home at the end of the vacation. She’ll be looking at a month away from the clubhouse.

That is also with no kind of mechanical issues, health issues, ‘ stopovers just because’ , and a million other things that can extend the timeframe.

They’ll also need brothers as security for a trip that distance. There will have to be a breakdown vehicle with spares, tires, and extra gas. They’ll have mechanics in Raven and Cora, and that’s another thing. What happens to the businesses while they are away?

Fat chance will I allow Knuckles to go along or he and Jo would christen every damn truck stop along the route, adding a week to the length of the trip.

She wants to take the kids, for heaven's sake, but no way can she do that. That is not a fun journey with, or for, a bunch of kids. Worse for me is the fact that she wants them to travel in the RV driven by the two sex maniacs that are Suzie and Graham. He can't keep it in his pants and she can’t keep her pants up. I mean, in the food storeroom at TJs? Really? I think it’s their age that makes you think ‘yuck’. I don’t want my kids to be locked in an RV where they might decide to just ‘do it’ at a moment's notice, and selfishly, I don’t want to be without my wife and kids for a month, thank you very much.

“Stop sulking, Axel. We’re having our road trip, and that’s all there is to it,” Mia spits out.

“Mia, you haven’t thought this through fully. It’s not a two-week vacation like you think. There’s more to it than just the Route 66 part.”

“Yes, you keep saying you’ve done it, and it’s not that simple. Well, nothing ever is when it’s for the Ol’ Ladies. Brothers can have their road trips, though, can’t they? That’s different, I suppose.”

“Yes, it is. They are seasoned bikers, and the weather doesn’t faze them. Neither does sitting on a bike for three or four hours at a time, they go a few at a time. The businesses don’t grind to a halt just because there aren’t enough bodies to cover everything.”

“What’s grinding to a halt, Axel? Tell me that.”

“The garage for a start. We’re booked to our potential for weeks in advance. If both Raven and Cora go off for a month, all that planning is for nothing. We’ll get behind and may even lose some of that business.” I’m trying to stay calm and make her see sense, but it’s just not happening. Luckily we were late for breakfast and there’s only Meat around at the moment.

“It’s not a month and you can move someone from Hot Hogs and Cages to help.”

“Yeah, that’s right.” I stand up and start for the door so I can get church underway. “Just move someone from A to B. It’s that simple. Just like when you were going to move Cookie from Club Whisky to TJs. How did that work out for you, eh?” Regretting it as soon as the words are out of my mouth when I see the hurt I’ve caused.

Literally storming into church, I slam the door and shout for silence. I don’t even pick up the gavel, just slap my hand on the desk. You could cut the atmosphere with a knife. “Anything to report on the accounts, to be concerned about?”

TwoCents starts to give his report as usual on the accounts. “Hot Hogs is showing excellent profits…”

“Anything to report on the accounts, to be concerned about? A simple yes or no,” I snap.

TwoCents reports, “No.”

PT’s report follows, “Nothing from me, Pres.”

“Right next, Rock. Why is Ryker still asking me about Jessica’s IQ? I thought you’d had her tested, or whatever it is they do, for child geniuses.” Staring hard at him as I ask, I see him squirm.

“Yes, Pres. She has been tested. Her IQ was better than we expected at…”

“Don’t tell me. I’m not the one that you promised the information to. Get it done straight after we’re done here. If I get another call, it won’t end well for you.” I realize I’m taking my temper out on everyone, but just can’t seem to hold it back.

Drag calls for a ten-minute adjournment, and before I say a word, he has the door open and the brothers filing out. I sit and wait for what I think I know is coming my way.

“I don’t know what’s eating you, though like the brothers, I think I can guess, but you need to calm the hell down, Pres. You’re out of order speaking to them like that, and I wouldn’t be much of a VP if I didn’t tell you.” Knowing he’s right doesn’t make my mood any better.

“Sit tight while I get you a coffee, decaf with cream and sugar. You sure as hell don’t need caffeine.”

As Drag leaves church, I hear him say, “No one in, or out. Got it?”

Hearing BS, Buzz, and Wings answer him, I know those three have automatically gone on guard duty at the door. Now I know I’ve gone too far.

There’s a light tap on the door, and I call, “Come in.”

Mia walks in with a coffee, and I see Meat close the door behind her. So now there are four at the door, but I don’t make the mistake of thinking they're all for me. Meat is there for Mia on this occasion… Not me.

“I’m sorry, Axel. I wasn’t hearing what you were trying to say. I knew you’d be against it, so I wasn’t prepared to listen to any negatives. Meat has explained all that would be involved in a trip that size, so I realize it’s not possible as quickly as I wanted. I’m not giving up on it, but I see how much planning and organizing it will take.”

Sitting in my lap as she’s been talking, I pull her close. “I’m sorry too. That comment about Cookie was uncalled for.”

“No, you were right in what you said, and it was the shock I needed to stop and make me think. Meat said straight away that you were right.”

“Oh, well. If Meat said I’m right, I can sleep easy tonight.”

“After we’ve made up, you can sleep.”

“Oh yeah? Maybe we need to make up sooner than that?” I smile and kiss her cheek.

Running her tongue across her lips, she pouts, “Maybe we should take a leaf out of Suzie and Graham’s book and make up more than once. As long as it’s somewhere private where no one is going to walk in on us.” Mia kisses me on the lips and then hops away before I can take it any further.

Drag taps on the door and calls to say the ten minutes are up. Mia leaves and I watch the brothers file back in, some grinning, others more cautious.

“Okay, church is reconvened. I need four volunteers.”

Being mostly prior military, no one puts their hand up, so I just sit there and wait. As I look around the room, only four try to hold my gaze. Everyone else looks away.

“I see. No volunteers, so I’ll pick the four I need. Beer, you’re up. Brag, you too. Chisel, you can wipe that grin off your face. Last but by no means least, Chaos.” This brings quite a reaction from the brothers as they clap, cheer and boot stomp. “Chaos, you have military experience, so you’re in charge. The four of you are now the security detail for Jo’s next book signing. You’ll need to arrange your schedules to fit around it. If you have any issues arranging work around it, see me. Any private life issues, I assure you, you don’t want me to sort them.

“Also, to go along with the security detail, you will need to report to Paisley. Make sure when you do you are showered, shaved, or if not, at least tidied up, in good clothes and footwear.”

TwoCents is sitting up now as he does not know where this is going.

“All four of you are going to be photographed, both as a group and individually, as cover models for Jo’s books. Oh, don’t worry too much about a shirt or tee shirt as you’ll be topless. You may want to work out in the coming days, to tone up.”

Chaos looks over at Jig and I can see something brewing in that thick head of his. “Hey Jig, you’re always wanting to be the hero for the women. Why don’t you do this?”

Church goes silent as Jig has made it clear that he doesn’t enjoy being made fun of as a hero. Before Jig responds I step in, standing and leaning on the table with my knuckles I demand, “Is there any brother here that wouldn’t stand up for his, or any woman, that needed help? Whether she was in physical danger, being verbally abused, or just broken down at the side of the road? Is there anyone that would walk, ride, or drive by without helping? Don’t be shy. Stand up.” Giving everyone time to stand up or make themselves known, I wait.

“Right, I’m glad that’s cleared up, because if any of you had stood up, I’d have had your kutte and you would no longer be a brother of this club. It also points out that every one of you, no ‘ us’, me included, would be willing to be a hero. This hero calling stops now. I am proud of Jig for stepping up when he was needed. Jig, you get free drinks from the clubhouse bar for the next week. Now… If there’s no other business? Get the hell out of here. Jig, stay behind.”

Waiting for the room to clear I walk over to Jig, and as he stands I shake his hand, then pull him in and slap his back. “I meant what I said there, brother. I am damned proud that you’ve stepped up when you have. Stopping at the roadside to help the psycho, the hospital incident and getting those bitches thrown out on Saturday. In my book, they are all heroic acts. Now get on your way.”

“Yeah, about the psycho, Pres. Please don’t call my future Ol’ Lady that.”

“That, Jig, can be a story for another time. I need a drink.”