3.30: Sample Sunday

Transparent image with hands crossing at the pinkies with a red infinity line.
A black woman with afro, large hoops with white straps.A black man with beard, gold chain.Grey text boxes with “Ares C. Sutton” and “Nova R. King” in box

Please note this is an unedited scene from one of my novellas

Nova has been on my mind all night, that's nothing new. What is new is the dreams of her in my bed, belly swollen with our child, her chasing our children around in our backyard, mini versions of us chasing each other. It all felt so real until I woke up. I step out of the shower, steam rising into the ceilings, I wipe the fog from the mirror to stare at myself. The water falls down my chest in small droplets. Her initials and a crown sit on my left pectoral, right over my heart, a part of me she’s owed since the day she introduced herself to me all those years ago. I quickly get dressed, I have to meet Lorenzo so we can go to the local Motorcycle Club, The Mayhem Ryders- Ryan’s Creek Chapter, to help some of them keep their maintenance on the bikes, I make my way down the stairs of my house, out the door and into the truck, the club is on one side of town and the shop is on the other.

I stop at the local donut shop, Amelia’s, and grab a baker’s dozen for the shop and two dozen for the club. I pick up Lorenzo at the shop; he grunts something like took you long enough and we’ve set off. We make it to the compound, past the security gate, in about 15 minutes. That's 15 minutes early, one thing about me I don't do late. Stepping out the car I grab the donuts from behind the driver's seat and head into the clubhouse, opening the door with the code and several guns click off at us. Enzo holds his hand up in surrender, like we don't deal w with this every month, “Whoa gentleman it's just me and Enzo and we bring gifts” lifting the pink boxes from Amelia’s, the guys set their guns down. A Bike Vixen saunters towards me to retrieve the donuts. Donovan, or “Killa”, as they call him, The Enforcer of the Club, strolls to us and greets us. “Ares, Enzo, good to see y'all, we always appreciate y'all coming to do the maintenance on our bikes for us.”

 Usually bikers don't trust outside people to maintain their bikes, it comes with the territory of being dangerous, but Enzo and I are vetted by a trusted member so we’re trusted. “No problem, Mimi says hi, by the way.” Killa rubs his cheeks, a light pink stains them, never seen a biker blush, I'll have to see her soon, she's always so sweet to me. I chuckle, “let's get to work” walking past the bar where the Bike Vixens are cleaning, one winks at Enzo, he smiles back. I reach forward, smacking him upside his head; “we aren't here for pussy, we're here to work”, I remind him. I swear this dude is always thinking with his other head. As we make our way out the side of the clubhouse; over to the garage on the compound, out the side of my eye, I can see Enzo is dying to ask me a question he gets this face,

“Aight, what do you want?”, opening the door of the garage, The Ryda’s have their bikes lined up so we each can take a side and get more done. “Is it true?” He inquired, “That you kissed her and left her in a daze?” my eyes roll, going to the mechanic’s drawer to grab the tools I need. “You believe the town scuttlebutt? You shouldn't believe everything you hear.” I try to hide the smirk behind my work towel, “Aye man, you can gaslight all them other people but you can't gaslight me I saw you run out the shop yesterday and come back with your lips shiny and glittery.”, making my way to the first motorcycle, a Harley Iron, “then you have your answer man. Let's get to work the quicker you start the quicker we can get out of here.”

I swear can hear his eyes roll but he  makes his way to the other end of the bike line and we make quick work, at about an hour the garage door opens and we hear a low whistle. “I heard the town’s golden boy and his sidekick were on the compound. I had to come see for myself.” The familiar voice sounds out. I stop working and look up from the 6th bike. I'm working on a Ducati. Why would someone want to ride on this small ass seat for 15 hours straight, I would never know? Marco Marco, “Marco” Or VP, to the club is a part of Mayhem Ryders MC- Clawson Chapter, The Mother Chapter actually. “Marco, what are you doing here?” I wipe my hand to give him our signature handshake. Just like me & Lorenzo, Marco grew up here in Ryan’s Creek, unlike us he left at the first chance he got, running to Clawson, a small city in Oklahoma and about 6 hours from here. He and the current president, Dante, affectionately known as Diablo had to overthrow the last president and VP and cabinet members because they were found to be trafficking, women and children, from what we were told, it wasn't a pretty sight, Marco had been on the road for the last six months, checking the other clubs under them making sure that the ones who were in on it were taken care of.

 “I was in town, but I heard THE Nova King was back home. I had to check on you, plus it’s maintenance day, and my baby needs a check up.” He pulls his 1979 Moto Guzzi, affectionately named Mollie, his grandfather gifted it to him as a college graduation gift because he didn't think he would make it through. One thing about Marco is that he takes bets seriously especially when he was getting something in return, I shook my head “You came here to talk about Nova?” Marco nods, his lips turning up in a smile, “There is nothing to talk about.” “That fool  lying!” Enzo says as he walks up to Marco, doing the signature handshake, standing beside him. Marco smile “I heard through the grapevine he met her at the house and dry humped her in broad daylight.” he and Enzo, apparently have the same idea and start humping the air. “What are y'all twelve? and that is not what happened.” scoffing, “these rumors are getting too much.” They both laugh “I know that's not what happened, I’m waiting to hear it from the horses’ mouth.” Marco says between breaths. sighing, I know they won't give until I tell them. I give them the run down since apparently that's the most important thing. My best friends cling to my every word, like it’s the best news ever. “I left. I always kept her wanting more before she left all those years ago. I don't think she was expecting me to full out kiss her in broad daylight, but I did the shit so if any other man thought about it they would hear that she was not on the market.” Enzo’s eyebrows rise and Marco chuckles. “you’ve got it bad, like Usher, the girl wasn’t in town for a whole 30 minutes and you've already put a claim on her, you bout bad as Dante with his ole lady.” I remember how Marco told us about Diablo letting his lady go,She wasn't happy about it, She attempted to get married and he came and snatched her off the altar, taking her to the nearest judge on their payroll and marrying her, I shake my head, “She's back in town on my turf, there's no way I'm letting her slip through my fingers this time.” “I mean yeah, you wouldn't or that house you built for her would be in vain.” Enzo speaks up, He’s right most of that stuff cost a fortune and I imported it from all parts of the Country. “Aight, aight enough about Mr. Certified Lover Boy over here,” Marco pats me on the back.

 “Get back to work we’ll meet at Rickey's.”