Page 98 of Justice for Radar

“Come on,” he said and undid my seatbelt for me. “You can’t get to know anyone and let them decide if they like you sitting here.”

I bit my bottom lip in a bit of dismay and nodded, gently slipping my seatbelt off of me and letting it retract into the door.

He was out of the car before I could think, say, or do, anything else. I took a deep breath and got out myself. He was waiting for me on the curb in front of the bar.

I looked at the plank of wood nailed above the door, beneath the light. The bar’s name burned into the wood:The Plankand beneath that in gilded script,it’s beachy, it’s manly, it’s made of hard wood.

I choked back a laugh at that, and he caught my attention with a soft ‘hey’ and his hands on my hips.

I tore my gaze from the front of the bar and turned them to Radar who searched my face and said with all seriousness, “They’ll love you becauseIlove you. That’s how this works.”

“I don’t understand,” I murmured. “I mean, that’s insane.”

“It’s not,” he said, shaking his head. “It’s how this family works.” He sighed and smiled up at me.

“It’s not how family has ever worked for me,” I replied softly, and he nodded.

“Fair, it’s not how your family works, but it’s how this family works and make no mistake, baby. This is your new family now.”

His words were a comfort. I rested my forehead against his and smiled faintly.

“Thank you,” I murmured.

“Anytime you need the reminder, you just let me know,” he said.

“Okay,” I whispered.

He led me to the bar’s front door and opened it for me and as I went through a great shout and cheer went up, startling the shit out of me. I jumped as everyone called out, “Surprise!” and confetti poppers went off showering me with streamers and fluttery paper bits.

A big, home-made sign was draped in the archway that led to a back room that read, ‘Welcome Home Justice!’ in big, bold, hand drawn block letters, flowers painted boldly around them making them pop. It was beautiful and touching and had clearly taken time along with all of the ribbons and balloons that filled the main barroom.

I put my hands over my mouth, totally taken aback, and turned to Radar who winked at me as Atlas came up and hugged me tight.

“Missed you, baby. Welcome home.”

Next was Hope, Faith, Charity, and Serenity in rapid succession and then finally Cutter and Marlin.

Atlas took a beer from a nearby brother I hadn’t met yet, who had eyes for Charity, and I thought that must have been the elusive Galahad that had been on shift both days of the beach parties I had attended.

“Radar!” Cutter bellowed over the music being cranked. “Welcome home, buddy! Gonna talk to your woman a minute, bro.”

“Come on back with us, sweetheart,” Cutter said to me, and he and Marlin flanked me and walked me back to the back room that the banner hung over.

In the back room there was an honest-to-God electric chair; or so it appeared – it could have been a replica, but I didn’t think so.

“Have a seat,” Cutter said and gestured to the chair. I blinked and went over and perched on the edge of it, delicately. He took one of the two chairs that Marlin dragged over, and they sat down in front of me.

“Just wanted to fill you in,” Cutter said. “Your stuff’s been put into a storage locker at the marina. Here are the keys, it’s unit twenty-one and it’s rent free for the first six months.”

“Monty owes me a favor or three,” Marlin said. “Sorry I couldn’t get you longer than that.”

I blinked at them, first one then the other stupefied.

“Why would you do all of this?” I asked. “I don’t understand…”

“Radar explain you’re family now?” Cutter asked, leaning back.

“Yes but—”

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