Page 10 of Regret

“Mornin’, Love,” I say, grabbing the plate I just filled for her and handing it over while I finish filling my plate. “After we have breakfast Slim and Shy should be here with the girls. They’re gonna hang out here while I drive you to the school so you can take care of everythin’ there. Court is gonna follow us and I think Killer’s gonna hang outside in his place. The girls won’t be left alone and they’re gonna finish packin’ up their rooms so it’s one less thing for us to do when we get back.”

“Sounds good. Thank you, Zach. For everything. I know I’ve acted like an ungrateful bitch, but I really do appreciate you being here when you didn’t have to come back,” Savannah says, her voice barely above a whisper so the girls don’t hear her.

The two of us got really good at communicating almost silently when I lived with them before moving. Anytime we wanted to talk about something they didn’t need to know about, we would whisper or Savannah would write something down and hand it over like we were passing notes back and forth in high school. I still have every note she wrote me in a shoe box in the top of my closet at the clubhouse.

“Vault and Annabell sent me some pictures of the house. They got all the new furniture inside and tried to set things up in a way they know you’d like. We can change anythin’ you want once you see it all put together,” I tell her, following her to the table with our plates. “And you don’t ever have to thank me for bein’ there for you, Love. You and the girls are my priority and one day you’ll believe that.”

“Okay. We’ll see when we get there. I’m sure everything they bought is more than fine,” Savannah responds, walking to her seat at the table.

The five of us eat breakfast and listen as the girls talk so fast about moving and everything they want to do in Pine View. Excitement fills the air and settles over Savannah and myself as I sit back and listen to the excited chatter of teenage girls. It’s been a long time since I’ve been in the middle of this chaos and I missed it more than I thought I would. I can’t wipe the smile from my face as I look around the table and finish eating so Savannah and I can leave for a while this morning.

Savannah and I have gotten everything taken care of that we needed to. The last thing we did was go to the bank so she could withdraw a large sum of money. She already knows she won’t be able to use her debit or credit cards once we leave Benton Falls and wanted to be prepared while having money on hand in case the girls needed something. I wasn’t about to tell her that I got it covered because Savannah would’ve gotten pissed at me. Right now, we’re having a good day and I want to keep it that way. So, it’s just easier for her to think she’s getting her way and knowing I’ll pay for the girls no matter what they want or where we stop on the way home.

I couldn’t stop laughing when we walked through the grocery store before heading to the bank. Savannah told me we needed snacks for the trip and got so much shit I don’t know where we’re gonna fit it all. There’s chips, crackers, cookies, soda, bottles of water, a small cooler for the drinks, beef jerky, some fruit, and candy. My girls love their chocolate and I knew there’d be a good amount of that going in the cart. Savannah made sure I had some stuff in there to snack on during the ride home too. She doesn’t want any of us to starve or spend a second of the trip hungry. It comes from never knowing if they’d have food or not growing up.

Savannah used to eat two meals a day in school and then each afternoon she’d walk home with a bag of food the school gave her. Her mother managed to take that shit from her on the days she was lucid enough to realize what was going on around her. It didn’t take my girl long to start hiding the food somewhere outside where no animals would steal it from her before she could bring it inside. The second her mother was blitzed out of her mind, Savannah would bring in the food and make sure her sisters ate while she went without. Now, she’s always got more than enough food in the house so they don’t ever have to worry about going without.

Pulling back in at the house, I take in all of the chaos going on. There are several trucks lined up in front of the house and the guys are going in and out with boxes. Two trucks are almost completely loaded up already. Savannah and I weren’t gone that long as I park on the side of the house and shut the engine off. Savannah jumps out of the truck as quickly as she can without reinjuring herself to find out what’s going on. I follow behind her in the house to find Shy directing traffic as the girls finish packing up the kitchen.

“Holy shit, Shy,” Savannah gasps in shock as I take a look around to find everything done. “How did you guys manage to get this all done so fast?”

“I called the guys to come over and lend a hand. Gwen and I packed the inside of the house with the girls while the guys started loading everything in the trucks. Valor, do we need to load the washer and dryer or did your brother make sure to buy those?” Shy answers before turning her attention on me.

“I’m not sure. Let me call him and find out,” I tell her, walking further in the house so I can hear my brother.

“Valor, what’s up?” Vault asks, answering his phone with laughter filling his voice.

It’s so good to see everything Vault has overcome since we lost our dad. He’s smiling and laughing again, hasn’t touched a drop of alcohol in years, and is putting himself out there again. It’s been amazing to watch him find the man he’s meant to be again and knowing that he did it all on his own. Vault didn’t ask for help from anyone and did what he had to do in order to get where he needed to be. It was a long, hard road he had to travel, but Vault found his way and Savannah has too. She’s just as strong as he is and I know she doesn’t see it the way everyone else does. My girl is the best person I’ve ever met and I can’t believe it’s taken me so fucking long to realize what’s been right in front of me all this time.

“We’re gonna be headin’ out soon. The guys already got most of the stuff loaded up and Shy’s finishin’ up packin’ the house with the girls. Savannah got everythin’ taken care of that she had to for the girls to move. Did you get a washer and dryer for the house or do we have to bring the set here with us?” I ask my brother, watching as Savannah laughs with her sisters as they make quick work of packing the kitchen stuff.

“We got a washer and dryer. I got two even though they’re those new fancy ones that wash and then dry the clothes without havin’ to switch them over to the other machine. You guys will be able to get a ton of laundry done when you get home. I know how Savannah is and she’s gonna wanna wash everythin’ after it’s sat in boxes. Thought it would be easier on her. How’s she doin’?” Vault informs me before checking on Savannah like he has every day since I got the call from Ava.

“She’s okay. Still healin’, but that’s to be expected. As you know, her ribs are gonna take the longest to heal. They’re still givin’ her trouble, but she’s handlin’ it like she does everythin’ else,” I answer him, not taking my eyes off my girls.

“You start gettin’ sorted out between the two of you?”

“Yeah. Talked about things last night. Part of it was nothin’ more than a misunderstandin’. The day I helped the house bunny when the water lines ruptured and flooded the laundry room? Savannah saw me walkin’ back that way with her and thought I was takin’ her somewhere to fuck. It didn’t help that the bitch told her I’d been fuckin’ her the entire time I was with Savannah. I guess she finally told my girl the truth. Plus, she knows how I thought I felt about Kasey. We talked about that too. I’m not sure if she believes me or not, but I’m gonna do whatever it takes to prove to her I’m serious when I say I love her and that I want her,” I tell my brother as Savannah moves around to the table and sets a box on the top of it.

I watch as she grimaces in pain. She’s doing too fucking much and we both know it. Shy is saying something to her and I have to stifle my laugh as Savannah puts her hands in the air like she’s surrendering and steps away from the box and kitchen.

“Fuckin’ skanks. I just had to put the three we got here in their place again. Annabell was workin’ in the kitchen and they once again thought they’d corner her and talk shit. You know my wife isn’t gonna do somethin’ stupid since she’s pregnant and I happened to hear them. They’re on their last chance and all of them know it. I hope they take me seriously because they’re lucky they’re even gettin’ this chance after the first time they went after my girl,” Vault states, his voice hard and cold since he’s talking about someone fucking with Annabell.

“Let them say somethin’ to Savannah when we get there. She’ll fuckin’ gut them and leave them on the floor for the others to clean up. She’s not the one to fuck with and you know that. I think we need to talk about limitin’ their access to the clubhouse since the girls will be there now and you’re gonna have a baby soon. We need to keep them away when the kids are around,” I tell my brother as we bullshit for another few minutes before I hang up and make my way inside to find Savannah as she goes through the house to make sure all the rooms that have been emptied so far as clean and nothing was forgotten.

Helping the guys load everything up in the trucks, Savannah, Shy, and the girls make their way to the clubhouse to load up the SUVs with the kids and the rest of the ol’ ladies. The Prospects will remain here to keep an eye on things while we’re gone. This is going to be a club trip and I’m excited to have them see what we’ve been doing at the clubhouse in Pine View. It’s been a very long time since any of them were there and things have changed for the better with Annabell running certain things. Plus, I want to see Annabell and my girls reunited. They were close at one point and I hope their friendship goes back to that when they’re all in the same place. Finally, just before dusk, we load up and head out, stopping just outside of town for dinner before making the journey to Pine View. I’m with my girls and it’s not long before they all fall asleep leaving me to think while driving home with them.

Chapter Eight

Savannah

SLEEPING MOST OF the way to Pine View did nothing but fill my body with aches and pains. I couldn’t get comfortable in the seat and slept almost straight up and down. Not the best position to sleep in when I’m not hurt. After what Conrad did to me, it’s even worse than normal and I’m going to suffer the rest of the night and tomorrow. Valor and I didn’t talk when I woke up just before getting into our new city. The music was playing softly in the background and I just took in my surroundings despite it being dark and not being able to see hardly anything around us. We were on a highway and each side either had nothing but trees or shops and restaurants of every kind. I can’t wait to explore this city and see everything it has to offer. Especially since Annabell told me we don’t have to travel forever to get to a mall. There isn’t one in Benton Falls and we have to travel for the large stores we want to shop in. Now, the girls and I won’t have to do that. It might be kind of nice.

“I’m gonna take us straight to the house so the girls and you can get some more sleep. How are you feelin’?” Valor asks me as his fingers twitch on the seat next to him and I know he’s stopping himself from resting his hand on my thigh like he used to before everything exploded between us.

“I hurt. Well, ache is a better word, but it sucks because I’m so tired and just want to sleep,” I answer him as he takes his eyes off the road for a second to look over at me.

“I’m sorry you’re hurtin’, Love. If I could take the pain from you, I would in an instant. Have you thought about what you wanna do for work after you and the girls get settled in and they start school?” he questions me, his voice filling the truck as the girls continue sleeping in the back all cuddled up to one another.

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