Page 4 of Broken By It

Cancer is not cut and dry. The future isn’t clear and it’s definitely not within our control.

My whole family has decided to focus on the things we can control. Like me coming to work here with my mom and learning to do her job. Mariella is still in high school; she’s taken on doing things at home like laundry and meals. My brother helps my dad with the yard and cars and man stuff as they call it. I think man stuff is more like spending time in the garage chit-chatting with an occasional loop around the yard on the mower.

We are just opening up when my dad walks in the office with a man following behind him carrying a baby in a car seat carrier thing. Dad drove us to work, but he went right over to the garage next door to work while mom and I came in here to get the office going.

The new guy stands with my dad just inside the front door. He’s a prospect. No one has bothered to tell me his name. Sure, I have seen him around, but we haven’t spoken. With my dad being a Hellion, I know what the cut means and the patches. He’s got the cut, but no insignia and only his prospect patch. He has to do his time and earn the brotherhood. How they earn it? I don’t have a clue. How long it takes? It seems to vary. I can’t pinpoint any two prospects working it out in some steady timeline.

This man is a beast. Tall, broad shoulders, a chiseled jaw line, he is seriously hot. There is a seriousness to him that I feel tension literally rolling off him.

“Vida,” my father greets my mother then looks to me, “Maritza, glad you’re here today, hija.” He walks beyond me to my mother and kisses her.

This is something he has done for years. It doesn’t matter who is around, what he needs to say, he always kisses my mother before expressing anything else. For the longest time it annoyed me, grossed me out, and I don’t know but I didn’t like it. With my mom’s diagnosis, I actually treasure and respect that he makes loving her a priority above any conversation they need to have.

“Dillon here needs some help today,” my dad explains as the man lifts the car seat up and onto the chair in front of my mother’s desk. He hasn’t been around when I have been much, I didn’t realize he had a baby.

My mother nods with the same smile that has always brightened every day for me. “Of course, what can we do for you, Dillon?”

“It’s my son, ma’am. I’m sorry to ask this. I need this job. His mother, she’s not feeling well and dropped him off with me here. I wasn’t expecting this. Again, I’m sorry. I don’t have other arrangements made.”

About that time Danza strolls in breaking the lock I have on the man. “Hanging out in the office doesn’t fix my car, Prospect,” he states firmly. I find myself standing up straight while moving closer to the stranger and his baby. My instincts want me to tell Danza to calm down, but I’ve lived this club life and no better than to insert myself into any brother’s business.

Danza is always a wild card. Even at his age, he doesn’t slow down. He has always been intimidating, especially as an original. It’s also because he’s hard to read. Sometimes, he jokes with sarcasm, and I can’t tell he’s being silly. How he can always keep a firm face is a true gift.

“I’m sorry, Danza. I will get right back to it. I have to get things squared away for my son. I need this job. Anna, she isn’t well today.” He is sort of rambling while explaining. His unease makes me uncomfortable as I want to comfort him. “She showed up while Ruby and I were working on your ride. She dropped Hollis,” he gestures to the car seat, “off and left. I don’t have childcare arranged. I’m sorry.”

My dad, Ruby is his road name from the club, reaches out and gives Dillon’s shoulder a squeeze. “Calm down, Vida will watch him. No need for the boy to be in daycare when his momma is just having a day where she needs some rest. My girls have him. Nothing for you to worry about or apologize for.”

Danza looks to my mother, “Vida, you good with that?”

She smiles proudly, “of course, I miss those days with little ones.” Now I’m the one beaming with pride. My mom is the best mom, there isn’t a moment of my life or my siblings’ lives that she hasn’t been our rock.

“Prospect, drop the boy, and let’s get to work,” Danza orders and the man’s face softened.

“I can keep my job?” He asks not hiding his surprise.

Why is he worried about his job? I’m curious as to who this man is and what he has going on.

Danza’s eyes widen, “Dillon, I told you, things change for you now. The moment your ass rearended my hot rod we are tied together. When I heard that woman screaming through the car at you, I told you I have your back. You aren’t doing this shit alone anymore. Vida is a mother of three, Maritza here is one of her children. She didn’t drop one of them babies on their heads ever.” We all stare at him, and I know my mouth drops open with his statement. “Hollis will be fine.”

Danza shrugs, “what? You get dropped on your head Maritza? Ruby, you didn’t tell me Vida was a baby dropper. Sheesh, ya think you know someone.”

I shake my head as I laugh, only Danza to which he grins a shit-eating smirk.

He continues not missing a beat, “Dillon, your son will be fine here. You can work fixing my car and whatever else comes in, make a paycheck, and then come get your son and go home when the day is done.”

“I don’t know what to say.” Dillon replies in shock.

“How about, here is the diaper bag? Then you add is usual schedule for eating and naps,” my dad encourages, “unless his momma breastfeeds him, there ain’t anything he needs that my Vida and hija won’t be able to do.”

Danza laughs, “yeah, we don’t have anyone lactating around here to help feed him. Sometimes the prospects bitch and whine more than a woman so they should have periods and produce milk, but they don’t.” He furrows his brows getting a serious look, “unless you’re gonna be one of them prospects that whines and nags, then I’ll see about buying you a breast pump to induce lactation.”

“Danza,” I gasp, “you’re embarrassing him,” I explain watching Dillon’s face blush. I extend my hand to him. “And while lactation induction can be possible for some persons born female, I don’t know that Dillon here has the necessaryequipment.” I step to the prospect, “I’m Maritza Castillo, Ruby and Vida’s oldest daughter. I grew up in the club and your son will be fine here with us.”

“I’m Dillon Jacoby, I don’t know how to thank you or pay you.” He shakes my hand, and fire shoots up my arm at the contact. I guess we have static electricity or something.

I smile, “this is an internship, I don’t get paid regardless, see payment is not necessary. We got your kiddo, and you can focus on whatever jobs they need you to do.”

Moving to his side, I take the strap of the diaper bag pulling it down off his shoulder. “Danza makes a point,” I smirk. “Does he breastfeed or bottle feed? And what’s his schedule?”

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