Enjoy the Ride

Chapter 4

"So mom, what do you think about Venom," Cody asked me while we were eating breakfast the weekend after our shopping trip with Venom and his daughters. "Why," I asked him, eyebrow raised. "I think he's cool," Tyson said with a smile. "Can I get my ears pierced like Venom?" "Ask me again when you're sixteen," I said to him. Venom had two piercings in each ear and his arms were thick in muscle, covered in tattoos. I had to admit, he was incredibly good looking, but I wasn't looking for anything whether it was a relationship or for a night of fun.

"Well, you guys spent some time alone together at the mall," Cody said with a shrug. "I'm just curious." "He's an amazing father," I said. "I can tell that by looking at how happy his girls are. Towards people who aren't his daughters he isn't really friendly." "He was friendly to us and you," Tyson said to me and I nodded. "He was." For the most part, I thought. Venom was a little bit of a bully too.

"I like him," Cody told me as Tyson nodded in agreement. "Vanessa is really cool too. Jocelyn is a little annoying though."

"That's because she is younger than you three and wants to be included," I told him.

"So mom, I have a question," Cody said a little nervously after a moment. "What is it," I asked him. "Since we still have a lot of money that Venom gave us, can I try out for the basketball team," he asked me. Basketball has always been his favorite sport and he's been wanting to try out for a while but we never had the money. If I am able to keep this job, then the money I have saved up will last a while. Even if he does join the team I would still have money left over.

When I saw the hopeful expression he had, I caved. "On one condition," I told him. "You can't get below a C in any of your classes and exams, and you have to stay out of trouble," I told him. He jumped out of his chair and hugged me tightly, "Thank you mom!" I smiled as I hugged him back.

I then looked at Tyson when Cody let me go, "Is there anything you're wanting to do?" "I wanna try out for the soccer team," he said hesitantly. "I know it costs more than basket ball cause of the cleats and such so if we can't it's okay." "Go ahead and try out," I said to him. He smiled brightly and hugged me.

This was the first time I'm able to give my boys something they really wanted and it was all thanks to that stubborn biker covered in tattoos.

The next day I was at work when Venom came into the diner with a few of his biker buddies and they sat one of my tables. I went over to them with my note pad and handed them menus. I went through the flow of my job without anything more than basic conversation to Venom.

A couple of guys came in, and I got a not so good vibe from them. I approached with a smile, "What can I get you?" Their eyes ran over me and I felt nothing but disgust. "Your number," one of them commented. "Sorry, that's not on the menu, but we have a lot of other options that you may like that are," I told them without missing a beat. "I like the ones that play hard to get," he commented with a smirk. "Take a hint buddy," I said with a sigh. I took their drink orders then left their table.

Venom's POV

We watched her interaction with the guys that came in, none of us liking how they were looking at her. She handled the comments with an ease that said she was used to it, and clearly tired of it. She was a very attractive woman, but she didn't need that kind of attention.

She brought them their drinks and one went to touch her and we all straightened. She grabbed his wrist, "This is your only warning. Don't touch me." She let his hand go and stepped out of their reach. "Now that was rude," one commented. "You should apologize for that." She put her hand on her hip, "How about this, you act like civilized people and order your meals and eat without anymore issues, or you can find somewhere else to eat because I'm not going to serve you while you act this way."

"Stella," Lautner, the owner called out. "Watch your tone with the patrons." I watched the pencil in her hand snap in half. She put the eraser half of the broken pencil in her pocket and put on a fake smile and the pricks smiled smugly at her.

They gave her, her orders and she turned on her heel and went to give it to the cooks. The guys were talking among themselves quietly, but I could tell they were up to something. They got their food, no problem. They ate and she brought them their bill. They threw down a bill, but I couldn't see the worth of it from where I was sitting.

She went over to the table and I could tell from the way she crunched up the bill, it wasn't enough to cover the bill. She went over and popped open the register and took the tips from the pocket of her apron to cover their bill. She slammed it closed and went back to clean the table.

"That was fucked up," Cabel muttered. "Isn't she the chick from the laundry mat that had the two boys," Doc asked. I nodded, "Yeah. Her oldest is friends with Vanessa." "I didn't see a ring," Cabel noted. "She a single mother?" I nodded, "Yeah."

That night we paid the bill with a card, and left all the cash we had on us, on the table for her. As we left and went to our bikes, I looked over my shoulder in the window and saw her eyes had teared up at the gesture.

Later that night I received a text message from her.

Stella: Tell your biker buddies I said thank you. I would have texted sooner, but I leave my cell with the boys when I work on weekends.

Me: Don't worry about it. We saw what those pricks did.

"It's rare you ever get a text. Finally get a girlfriend," Cabel asked me while at the compound. I shook my head, "No. It's Stella. She was thanking us for her tip." "You have her number," Cabel asked with a raised eyebrow. "Our kids are friends, and her son doesn't have a cell," I said with a shrug.

"Plus he did her a solid after the shoot out. I still want to meet her to ensure she's worth replacing her car," Spark said. "Come on Spark," Doc said. "She's a single mother with two kids. Just replace her car, not like we can't afford it."

"I've met a lot of single mothers who aren't worth shit," Spark said to him. "I'm not into spending money on people who aren't worth it." Spark looked back to me, "We're having a cookout for the game this weekend. I want to meet her and her kids." He wanted to meet the kids because one look at a person's kids will tell you whether or not that parent is a good person.

I nodded, "Okay fine."

Me: My president wants to meet you and the boys.

Stella: y???

Me: because he wants to know if ur worth buying a new car for

Stella: when?

Me: Friday night at 5. We're having a cookout for the game.

Stella: ull have to pick us up but ok.

"They'll be here," I told him. He nodded, "Good."

If I didn't think she was worth it, I wouldn't have bothered, but from my few interactions with her, I could tell she works hard to do what she can for her kids. Because of the rivalry between The Chaos Pack MC and us, she lost something incredibly important that is probably near impossible for her to replace on her own. That's not right. She needs it, and we need to pay up. Simple as that.