Chapter 12

6.2K 189 18
                                    

Whew!! I'm finally on track with posting the correct chapters. I hope you enjoy this one!! I'm really enjoying how this story is turning out.


********


I was really looking forward to the following Sunday.

That day, I put my yellow shirt she'd worn on with pride. I knew she wanted me almost as much as I wanted her, but I had to be careful.

She needed time to work through what she went through.

"Sniper, office," Pres shouted as he walked through the clubhouse. I sighed and pulled my cut on before following him.

"Sir," I entered his office.

"It's your week to do the grocery shopping," Pres fumbled through his desk. "This is the list. Feel free to add anything you'd like." I took the piece of paper from him and glared down at the long list.

It was fair to split the responsibility with everyone, but it damn well sucked. I couldn't bring my bike, either.

"Got it. I'll be back later," I muttered. Pres reached out, shook my head, and nodded to excuse me from the office.

I stopped by the Odison's shop first.

"Hey, sweetheart," I smiled and greeted Beatrice in the way I did before everything happened. Beatrice looked over and smiled. She was makeup-less, standing behind the counter, customer free.

She wore a yellow turtleneck and black jeans to try and hide as many bruises as she could.

"Sniper," she greeted, and didn't yell for her father immediately.

"How are you feeling?"

"Better. I thought it would feel good sleeping in my old bed but your mattress was so comfortable," she laughed.

"That's good to hear," I smiled back. "Any word from...him?"

"No. My dad took me back to my house and his things were all gone. We grabbed my stuff and gave the landlord a notice," she murmured. "Good riddance."

"Exactly," I smiled. Mr. Odison exited the back room.

"Flirtin' with my daughter again, Sniper?" He grumbled and took the order sheet from me.

"No, sir," I answered with a smile that said otherwise. He grumbled under his breath and moved to the back of the store again.

"You're relentless, Sniper," Beatrice laughed.

"If you want me to stop, just say so," I smiled, thinking back to her dad's accusations.

"Never," she whispered right before Mr. Odison came out once again. I smiled, thanked them both, and sadly turned away from Beatrice. I didn't miss her eyes trailing over me as I left. I drove to the grocery store with a smile on my face.

The manager was at the front of the store, and he'd remain there until I left. It was like this with every member.

"How's it going?" I shook the manager's hand with a smile and grabbed a shopping cart. This was probably a sight people didn't see every day: a big ole' biker with a small ass shopping cart and a huge-ass list.

"Noah? Is that you?" At the sound of my birth name, I turned quickly. My mother was standing pale at the end of the aisle with a shopping cart of her own.

"Um, hi," I stammered. My father rounded the corner, a jug of 2% milk in his hands, and he didn't notice me until he'd placed it carefully in the cart. My mother's eyes drifted to my cut, then back to my face.

"It's good to see you," she whispered quietly. I nodded back. It was difficult to speak past this lump in my throat.

"Son," my father nodded his head at me. I greeted him the same way.

"I-I should get going," I stammered nervously. My mother nodded quickly, mumbling some excuse, and said goodbye to me before I could say anything back.

That was the first time I'd seen them in almost ten years. I tried to swallow the lump in my throat and looked for Rooster's stupid oatmeal before moving on to the next aisle. We needed plenty of chips and dip, so much so that I almost had to get another cart, but it kept my mind occupied.

While the cashier scanned the overflowing cart, I watched my father load groceries into our old station wagon out the window. I remember—

"Total is $178.94, sir," the cashier interrupted me. I handed him the money blindly and loaded my groceries into my cart before slowly making my way to the car.

"Noah! Wait just a second!"

I turned to see my mother scurrying, coat, purse and all, over to me right as I arrived at the truck.

"What can I do for you?" I questioned in as light a tone I could muster. I began to load the groceries into the bed of the truck.

"Um," she began nervously, "I was hoping to have lunch with you this week. Catch up." I was silent for a moment, maybe two, then turned to her.

"I've been gone for almost a decade, mom. Why now?" I rested both hands on the cart and leaned on it. Her hands twisted together nervously.

"I want to get to know you," she swallowed thickly, "again."

"I'll think about it," I muttered and swung the last bag, a bag of potatoes, into the truck. I slid the barrier over the top so nothing blew away and grabbed the handles of the cart, ready to put it away.

"The house number is the same," she murmured right before I walked away. I nodded curtly and shoved the shopping cart into another in a shopping cart return before getting in the truck and watching my father help my mother into their car in my rearview mirror.

I hadn't heard from my siblings those ten years either. Did they have kids? Did they move? I shook my head and clenched the wheel, waiting until my parents were clear from the parking lot before making my own journey home.

What changed in the past decade that made them want to be in contact with me? As soon as they'd found out I joined the MC, they kicked me out. It didn't matter at the time—I already had a room at the clubhouse—but I was told never to contact them again. Now they wanted to talk?

Almost as soon as I put the truck in park in front of the clubhouse, Rooster, Reaper, and Ripper were unloading groceries.

"How was it?" Rooster asked while grabbing both of the milk jugs and a bag or two. I came around to the back of the truck and grabbed a few bags myself.

"Fine," I muttered. My mind was still racing. It took more than a few trips to get everything inside. Maya, Jasmine, and Blade were giggling while unpacking each bag.

Our large pantry was stuffed to the brim, as was the fridge and freezer when we finished putting everything in its designated spots.

Life kept going. The earth kept moving.

What the hell was I supposed to do about my parents?


********


Hope you enjoyed!! More coming soon.

Sniper | Fallen Angels MC #3Where stories live. Discover now