Page 79 of Sugar and Skulls

A knock on my door pulls me from my thoughts.

“Hey, you want help me on a job today?” my dad asks, poking his head in my door.

I sigh loudly before answering. “Yeah, sure.”

He pats the door frame a few times. “Good deal. I’ll meet you at the truck. Dress comfortable.”

I nod, fighting back stupid tears.

It’s just my birthday. Just another ordinary day. I don’t know why I’m letting my emotions rule me. I’ve spent the last eight without anyone acknowledging it so, what’s the big deal. I didn’t sit on my pity pot then, today is no different.

As I walk through the warehouse I search for any sign of Dirk or Raffe. Nothing. I didn’t specifically tell them when my birthday was. It hasn’t been something we’ve talked about much. We’ve been focused on getting to know each other. There have been times things have heated up between us, but they always pulled away before it got too far.

My dad is waiting for me when I get to his truck. “Did you eat breakfast?” he asks.

“Yeah.” I take one last glance around the yard for Dirk and Raffe.

We drive over to the town I grew up in. It’s only about thirty minutes from the lake. I haven’t been here in years. My dad is chatting away about the changes he’s made to the club. He’s making everything legit. Not much illegal is going on anymore. Besides doing bike repair, the club has invested in real estate. Maybe that’s what we’re doing today, collecting rents.

I search the streets for my grandparent’s old house. It’s sad I can’t even remember where it is, the town has changed so much. But, when he pulls into a driveway, I stare through the windshield as my heart drops into my stomach.

He shuts the engine off and turns towards me. “Your grandparents left you everything. It’s been in trust until you turned eighteen.” Slowly I drag my eyes from the house where I grew up, when they land on his he smiles. “Happy birthday, baby girl.”

“I thought you forgot,” I say shyly.

“I’ve spent every year wishing I were with you on this day. Today I am.” He reaches over and squeezes my hand.

“So, there’s no job?”

He laughs and shakes his head. “Want to go in?”

“Yes, oh my god, yes.” I nod enthusiastically.

We both get out and walk up the steps. As he is unlocking the door he tells me that he had a cleaning service come over after my grandparents passed and had them clean. He hired someone to keep an eye on it for me as well. They’ve kept up on the yard work and repairs.

It’s a simple three-bedroom ranch style home with a big fenced in back yard. When we step inside I’m immediately thrown back to another time. It’s exactly like we left it. A sob escapes me as I stare at my grandparent’s recliners. My dad hugs me around the shoulders.

I came home from school and thought they were asleep. When I couldn’t wake them, I ran back to school and told my teacher. I haven’t been back since that day. The suit lady picked me up at school and took me to my first foster home. I didn’t even get to pack my own things. She gathered what she thought I needed and that was that.

I make my way to my bedroom, my dad following close behind. He stands in the doorway as I run my hand over everything. I grab my jewelry box off the dresser and sit down on the bed. When I open it the little ballerina twirls to life, the clang of musical notes filters out. My dad sits down next to me.

With shaky hands I reach in and pull out my mom’s mood ring. I laugh as I stare at the cloudy color of the stone. I slip it on my finger, and it turns beautiful blue.

“I remember that,” my dad says.

I look at him. “Thank you for taking care of all of this for me.” I motion around the room.

“It was the least I could do. I wish things could have been different.”

“We have each other now. That’s all that matters.” I bite my bottom lip to keep it from trembling.

He pulls me into a hug. “I love you so much, Jesse. You are the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

“I can still live at the warehouse though, right?” I ask hesitantly.

He laughs. “Yes. The warehouse will always be your home, even when you decide to leave and go out on your own.”

I sit up straight. An idea popping in my head. “Why don’t you and Candice live here with the girls?”

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