Page 7 of Pooh

“She’s trying to drown me!” shouts Craig. I notice what appears to be eggs and ketchup in his hair and stuck in one of his eyebrows.

“It was a wet washcloth and I was trying to clean your face enough to see your eyes!” Tammy says, exasperated.

“Well, I didn’t like it. Keep the damn washcloths away from my face. I’m fine as I is,” states Craig, a bit calmer.

“As I am,” I correct his English.

“Yeah, damn straight, Pippa. As you is too.”

“Craig! You need to watch your language,” Tammy interjects.

“Watch my words. Wash my face. Pick up my toys. Bitches are ragging me constantly here. A guy needs a break, you know?”

With that little bomb dropped, Craig turns and stomps toward the house, muttering to himself the whole way there.

I swing my eyes to Tammy’s and pronounce, “I’m never having boys. Ever.”

I see the smile hit her eyes before it appears on her lips.

God, I love this woman. Tammy, or Mama Tam, as I called her when I was young, decided to become my foster mom when I was thirteen. I was a mess, as most teenage girls can be, but especially so because I’d just lost my parents. They were killed together, on their way to one of my softball games, by a teenager texting while driving. With no family willing to take in a young teenager, I went into foster care. Luck was on my side because my first and only foster home was with Tammy.

Being a widow at a young age, Tammy had no children of her own. So, she opened her heart and her home to a heartbroken young girl and we’ve been together ever since. She is my rock, my best friend, my Mama Tam.

Looping her arm through mine, we start walking to the back door.

“I saw all the stuff the Devil’s Angels delivered yesterday. I hope they know how much good all that will do for these women and kids. Craig went on and on during breakfast that his new friend is coming to play the Xbox with him today. He’s so excited. He also filled me in on the excitement yesterday. He said he didn’t get to see any of it because Pooh had locked him in his room so he was safe. Said he wished he could have seen Pooh kick that guy’s “pansy ass”. His words, not mine,” Tammy says, with a chuckle.

“Pooh didn’t kick his ass but it was obvious he was struggling not to do just that. Cops came and hauled him away. One of the younger guys had grabbed John and kept him from hurting Maisy. But the look in Pooh’s eyes should scare John away for life.”

“I worry about your safety, Pippa. We need to rethink our security system. We can’t do anything about a guy finding this place, but we need a better way to keep everyone safe if they do.”

“I agree. I’ll do some thinking on that and maybe ask some other shelters what they do.”

Walking into the back hallway, I notice Craig’s door is shut again. I smile to myself and walk to my office door. Entering, I flip open the window and turn on my computer. Taking a seat behind my desk, I get down to work. A while later I receive a text.

Pooh: Be there around 3pm.

Me: Cool. Park in back. I’ll let you in.

Pooh: kk

I sit looking at my phone for a moment. I open my contacts and rename Pooh’s contact to: BILF (BikerI’dLike toFuck).

I laugh at myself, thinking I’m pretty clever. Before I can go back and delete it out, Maisy walks into my office. I sit my phone down and get to work.

Pooh

Walking through the main room of the Devil’s Angels MC clubhouse, I spot Axel and his dad, Big Petey, sitting at the bar drinking a beer. I walk toward them and then also see Mac strutting himself up and down the bar while arguing with Axel. Mac, a Macaw, belongs to Ava, our club president’s wife. And he is a shit stirring bird.

“You are too fat and too lazy to migrate anywhere but your perch,” I hear Axel telling Mac. I’m not sure what this argument is about but these two bicker like an old married couple. It’s always a toss-up as to who is going to win too.

“Talk to the wing,” screeches Mac.

“I’m just saying that you have put on some weight and if you put on anymore, you’d make a nice side dish at Thanksgiving,” taunts Axel. Petey is grinning big and shaking his head at these two idiots.

“You’re fat!” replies Mac.

“Bullshit! I’ve lost weight!” argues Axel.

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