Page 10 of The Biker & the Baker

“It smells absolutely divine!” Bart exclaimed from the kitchen’s doorway, sniffing the air. “Don’t tell me you baked cinnamon rolls!”

“Sorry, what did you say?” Albert, busy with taking the croissants from the oven, replied. “For a few moments, I didn’t pay attention, and…”

“Please, don’t apologize.” Bart flashed a huge grin. “With this talent, all your sins are forgiven in advance.” He walked inside and took a bite from a cinnamon roll. “The first verdict stays, it’s absolutely divine!” The man tilted his head backwards, moaning in bliss.

“Yay, cupcakes!” Blaise ran into the kitchen, closely followed by Alana, Antoinette, Dane and Jeremy. “Dad, can wehave one, please?” The seven-year-old boy looked at Bart, his expression a mix of hope, uncertainty, and joy.

“You already know that’s a yes from me, if you promise to eat at dinner, but we also have to ask papa.” The man caressed his son’s blond, slightly curly hair, so much like his own.

“Ask papa what?” Brian, carrying sweet, shy Simon, who was clinging to him like a small koala, was the embodiment of paternal happiness. “Oh-wow, that’s what I call a welcoming atmosphere,” he exclaimed, the smile on his face becoming wider and brighter.

“I’m going to get Breanna and let you talk to our firstborn, who has a very important question for you.” Bart rubbed against his husband, who lightly slapped his ass. “There are cupcakes, croissants, and cinnamon rolls, in case you didn’t notice. That’s the subject of the conversation between you and Blaise.”

“Make way for the princess,” Lawrence’s melodious voice made Albert, who was finally done with cleaning the improvised workspace, flinch and slightly blush. “I thought you were at your sister-in-law’s, packing the children’s things.” He frowned in confusion when his eyes met the baker’s.

“It turned out they have a social engagement tomorrow, a last-minute thing, and I didn’t want to interfere in their plans.” Albert explained, then gestured to the sweets neatly stacked on some large trays. “Help yourself.”

“Um…do you mind if I take a few to go? I have guests this evening, two young ladies who will spend the night at my place, and they appreciate sweets of all kinds very much.”

“Who, Terry and Tracy again?” Bart asked, then shook his head laughing when the biker nodded affirmatively. “Oh, man, you’re hopeless, they have you wrapped around their pinky.”

Albert took three food containers from the cupboard and started to fill them with cupcakes, cinnamon rolls, and croissants. All the joy from earlier was gone.

CHAPTER 8

“What was it about earlier?” Brian asked his childhood friend. It was close to midnight, and the two of them were sitting in the rocking chairs on the porch, voices low to a whisper. “Something happened, your mood got gloomy, and I want to know why.”

“It was nothing, really.” Albert waved his hand in a dismissive gesture. “Alright, there was something that made me think about all the bad things that happened to me and how they were caused by my own inability to correctly judge people’s characters. For instance, I thought your friend Lawrence is gay, only to find out he’s attracted to women. As in…plural, two at the same time.”

Brian burst in a wild fit of laughter. “You mean Terry and Tracy? They are two little girls from The Base, rescued from an abusive, neglectful, toxic family environment. From the first moment they came to the sanctuary, Lawrence became their favorite person. He plans to adopt them.”

“Oh, fuck, no!” Albert groaned in embarrassment, covering his face with both hands. “How could I be so fucking stupid?” He looked at the librarian through his spread fingers. “See, I was right when I told you I’m the only one responsible for the mess my life is now.”

“Hey, buddy, take it easy on yourself, will you? The fact that you’re interested in Lawrence, although the two of you only met yesterday, and care about him enough to be jealous of twopersons you thought were the competition doesn’t make you an asshole.”

Albert dropped his hands into his lap and stared blankly ahead. “I was married, too, but, after six happy years, Clayton, who was everything I could ever wish for in a husband, passed away. Three years of grieving later, I decided to try again. He stopped and inhaled sharply before continuing. “For this one, I was a punching bag and hole to fill. I’m not interested in starting another relationship. Not now, and not with a biker.”

Brian stayed silent for a while, hands balled into fists, then spoke between clenched teeth. “I know a few guys who would beat the fucker to a pulp. Just one word, and…”

Albert cut the librarian short with a gesture of his hand. “I hate the fucker, but no one can beat him, no one would dare. He's this big, mean, strong biker.” The man shook his head vehemently. “You don’t know Rick, he’s a devil.”

“I said the same thing about my ex, Cole.” Brian closed his eyes and breathed evenly for a few times before continuing in a shaky, barely audible voice. “I'm a survivor of domestic violence. That monster mentally, verbally, emotionally, sexually and physically abused me for four years.”

“I…I’m sorry you had to go through that.” Albert whispered, taking the librarian’s hand in his and looking into his eyes. “It makes me twice as happy for the life you have now.” He tried to smile. “Don’t worry about me, it’s over, he can’t hurt me anymore, and the kids are safe with my sister-in-law, who’s a police officer.”

It was Brian’s turn to shake his head. “Albert, you can't do this alone. Cole came after me three times, and did unspeakablethings. He was going to beat me if I didn't go with him the last time. He kept trying to hurt me. My friends here helped me put Cole away for good. I know what kind of man you’re dealing with, because it happened to me, too.” He swallowed hard. “Please let someone help you even if it isn't me.”

Albert let out a long, heavy sight. “I have no one to turn to. I didn’t go to the police, it would have been in vain; you know what most of the officers think about gay men filing complaints for domestic violence. They would have laughed in my face while asking me about my favorite position. Besides, I didn’t want to put my sister-in-law in a bad light, plus, what if one or more of the detectives were on the bikers’ payroll?”

Brian nodded in understanding, his eyes filled with compassion for the man sitting next to him. “I know what you mean, I kept everything secret, too, and didn't even tell my parents. However, you need to make friends, have a support system you can rely on, people you can talk to whenever you feel overwhelmed.”

Albert huffed a bitter laugh. “Friends, you say? They are the first who turn their backs on you, or sell you down the river; please don’t say it’s not true, I experienced it firsthand right after Clayton’s death. Plus, I was never good at making friends, you were the fortunate exception.”

Brian smiled and leaned forward, looking into the other man’s eyes. “When I first came to the Base. I was broke, starving, and homeless. My car even broke down on the way here. I lost everything. They gave me a place to stay and an amazing job that I love. My employer was concerned about me and sent me to the clinic. I weighed one hundred fifty pounds and was malnourished. They took care of me and can help you, too.”

Once the walk down the memory lane started, Brian couldn’t stop; he felt the need to go to the beginnings of his own story of surviving abuse, so Albert can fully understand why it was so important to open up to other people. The right people, like those at The Base, who would take from their time to listen to him and offer the support he so much needed in rebuilding his life.

Brian started with the morning after that fateful frat party he attended at twenty-one, when he woke up nauseated, confused, and naked, a handsome guy laying next to him, also naked. With a huge grin on his face, the stranger in his bed told the then-college student how great last night was, and how much fun the two of them had between the sheets.

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