Page 37 of Atlas

In the few hours that we’ve been gone, Tyrant assembled the officers and went into a quick church meeting. Many of the old ladies arrived that the clubhouse with their kids. With my parents here, my sister, and a good portion of the other families, it feels more like a reunion than lockdown.

We’re not going into another lockdown. That’s the first thing I hear from Bullet when I walk into the crazy, loud fray. It’s chaos in here and it certainly isn’t controlled, with kids running around all over the place, and a buzz of conversation that would drown out any music anyone turned on, even at full blast.

Willa is right behind me, with a not so reluctant Agatha tottering along beside her. Whatever they talked about in the truck, it seems to have worked. Agatha didn’t try to bolt the second we helped her out of the back seat. In her beige, old person comfort shoes, turquoise polyester pants, and a bright purple and pink floral blouse, she stands out like a beacon in the sea of black and leather.

I wish we would have thought to put together a bag for Agatha, including her pills.

I want to facepalm myself for the oversight. I’ll have to talk to Tyrant and see what he can do. Adam Archer might be able to put something together. For a plastic surgeon, he’s alright. His basement clinic has saved our asses more than a few times, and I have to say, he’s pretty much magic with those hands of his. Ifhe could work miracles with a line of stitches and putting broken bones back together, hopefully he can do this solid.

As for clothing, my mom probably has lots that would fit Agatha and she’s always willing to lend her things out.

Willa edges up to my side. She takes Agatha’s hand in hers, but it’s me she questions. “Are you okay?”

I blink into the full on chaos. My mom and dad also stick out, since they’re not wearing leather, and Georgia too. They’re all in the kitchen with a few of the other old ladies and the kids, following Lynette’s instructions.

They’re not just making one apple pie.

They look like they’re assembling enough to feed an entire army.

With the number of people here, they might just need all those pies. There’s only one oven. It’ll be cranking them out for hours.

“It’s nice to see this place full. It’s the loud, crazy days that remind a body that this truly is one big family.”

We’re just in the lounge right now, but I can see clear across to the open part of the kitchen. Tyrant and Lark’s daughter, Penny, picks up a whole apple and gets ready to hurl it at someone who I can’t see. I hope they’re watching. I open my mouth to shout a warning, but Gunner’s old lady, Diletta, uses her teacher’s instincts and plucks the apple clean from Penny’s hand when she winds up.

Diletta never taught Penny, since she goes to a different school, but it’s clear that she knows kids. She says something to Penny, picks up two more apples, and starts juggling them.That’s more than enough to help Penny forget her nefarious plans.

“One day, you’ll have to bring me to a club party.” Willa has never been allowed to go. Lynette was firm about her not wanting Willa involved with that side of the club.

That was also months ago, and to look at Lynette now, she’s lost the rigid posture she used to carry herself with. She’s glowing, laughing, animated, and at ease. She’s only been to one biker Friday night herself, but she has stayed over at the clubhouse with Bullet a few times, and not because she was forced to either. Ask her, and she wouldn’t be afraid to say that she judged Bullet as a criminal when she first met him, a wormy apple who she didn’t want to take on as a client, but then she lost her wholeholier than thoumorality when she fell hard and fast for the man beneath the hard biker exterior.

She’s so much more than just the club’s lawyer now. She’s a part of this family.

Seeing her so in her element and at ease amongst all the old ladies—some of whom are as tough as their men—gives me hope that maybe she’ll come around to the idea of Willa being a part of this family as my old lady.

As. My. Old. Lady.

We’re a long way away from that yet. How is it that my heart aches when my chest floods with warmth all around it?

“They’re making my mom’s recipe, if Lynette has anything to do with it, and it looks like she haseverythingto do with it.” Willa takes Agatha’s hand in hers. “Would you like to help? There’s always room for improvement, even on tried and true recipes.”

“I’d love to!” She looks around Willa and gives me the old lady stink eye, her lips puckering in on themselves. “Don’t think I’ve forgotten about that promise to let us use guns, and we had better be able to launch at least one of those grenades when all this is over. That’s the price for my silence as to the fact that you tied me up and kidnapped me.”

“Grenades?” Just what on earth did Willa promise to get Agatha to fall in line?

Her smile is absolutely all sheepish guilt. “She has lots of land. I’m sure we could set something up. Bullet would know. He’s good at that kind of thing.”

“Grenades?” I repeat.

She just laughs and brushes her hand discreetly up my back. She leans in, glancing around furtively to make sure we’re not being watched. She has that private look on her face, one that I’m coming to know is just for me, and is all devilment.

“Just so you know, I’m going to sneak into your room tonight. You better make sure I know where it is and what your security code is. It would be pretty damn terrible if I got it wrong. The room. Not the code.”

“My god, you can’t do that. You’re going to be sharing a room with Agatha! What if she wakes up and finds you gone, lets herself out of the room, and starts going on a hunt for weapons?”

She laughs. “We’re about to let her into the kitchen. I can’t think of a more deadly room than that. She probably has wooden spoon skills that are absolutely killer, never mind all that talk about throwing knives.”

“I might be old, but my hearing hasn’t gone yet,” Agatha snorts, leaning into both of us, her lips puckering madly as sheworks her dentures around her mouth. “If you want to sneak out for a few hours to get it on with your man, I promise I’ll be on my best behavior.” She pops her dentures out and pretends to throw them over her shoulder.

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