Page 49 of Always Mine

She was in no mood for a lecture from him.Adam was not supposed to act this way.

“I blame the Internet and Internet shopping.Back in my day, you had to wait for shit.There was none of this binge-watching.You were lucky if television shows even got to video.That’s right, good old VHS, and then some stuff you had to tape off the television.Yep, you had to wait for that shit to be viewed.I was there, when I didn’t have enough money to pay for the movie and had to click on the ‘record’ button.”He laughed.“I was sitting there when ads came on, clicking ‘pause,’ so I could have movies that had uninterrupted breaks.”

She frowned.“Are you for real right now?Giving me a lecture on how it used to be?”

“With care and preparation this wouldn’t have happened,” Adam said.“You want me to congratulate you and say you did a good thing, that’s not going to happen.You are children right now.You’ve been at the club two minutes and you think you know best.”

“I thought you would understand.”

“And I do, but it doesn’t make what you did right.Like I said, at least Lash got to see you guys working as a team, which is great, but you still disobeyed your leader, your prez, and that will have consequences.The first being, he took your patches from you.Some of you might never earn them back.I hope for all of your sakes that it is worth it.”

And with that he got to his feet and walked out the door without a backward glance.

Rachel growled.“Can you believe that?The first time he really talks to me and it is to give me a lecture.I have a good mind to ...fuck.I’m weird because I found his lecture hot, and now I feel like a cretin.What kind of person gets aroused at a guy giving you an old-people lecture?”

There was no response and Rachel sighed.“I miss you, Daisy.I hope for all of our sakes, you come back to us.”

The door to her room opened and Tabitha stepped inside.

“Hey,” Tabitha said.

“Hey.”

Rachel got to her feet.“I better go.”

And with that, she went in search of Adam for a ride.

****

Tabitha sat down inthe chair and looked over toward her friend.Rachel hadn’t lingered, not that she would expect her to.She was no longer a Skull.She wasn’t part of their little group that tried to wipe out the Monster Dogs.

“You didn’t tell me what was going on,” Tabitha said.That stung.Knowing there was stuff going on in Fort Wills and she was not privy to any of the comings and goings.“I get it, and even though to a point I didn’t get it, Anthony is not exactly the kind of guy to make me forget it, you know.”She chuckled, but it was a forced sound.“He’s ...hurting.I get it.You’re not here and it is killing him that you are not with him.It makes him quite dangerous.I’m sure you already know that.”

She tried to smile, rubbing her hands down her thighs and then looking over to where Daisy’s hand lay with her wedding band on.

“I guess a lot has been going on over here that you didn’t tell me about.”Tabitha reached out and touched her hand, stroking her finger across the ring.“I guess there is now a lot you can’t tell me about.You’re married.We’re both married.”Tabitha sighed.“I miss you, Daisy.I miss how it was between all of us.I think it is why I don’t always come around.I know it can be hard because I’m no longer a Skull.There is only so much we can do together, and it is hard.I wish it wasn’t this way.”

She stopped and pressed her lips together.“Nathan is growing up so fast.I told Anthony you were the first person to hold him.That I was ...that I turned away from the nurse and you actually took him in your arms and loved him instantly, whereas I ...you are a good person, Daisy.You always have been.”

Tabitha looked toward her friend.Even as she lay in the hospital bed hooked up to tubes and the beeping of the machines, she saw that little girl.They had once been tiny children with the whole world ahead of them.

“You’re so pretty,” Daisy said.

“And so are you.”

They had hugged each other.Daisy had later told her she wasn’t pretty.Her parents had often said she was an ugly baby, and that was how Daisy had come to see herself.

Tabitha looked up to see Lacey step into the hospital room.This woman’s hair changed colors so quickly it was hard to keep up.Right now, it was a dark brown and rich purple, each color streaked together.

“Hey,” Tabitha said.

Lacey looked toward her.“Hey.Rachel said you were here.”

“Do you want me to go?”Tabitha wasn’t used to people wanting her to leave, but a lot had changed in recent years.

“No, no, stay.I know it would be good for Daisy to hear your voice.I know she misses you.”Lacey came toward her, putting a hand on her shoulder, before adding another bouquet of flowers to the shelf.

“Ink and Darcy asked me to bring these for Daisy.They want to come, but I know it’s hard for them.”

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