Page 6 of Keg's Revelation

“Mom, you’ve got to see the bikes before we leave,” Ry said, unsuspecting of the tension in the air around him.

I forced my eyes away from Reed and looked at my son. “You didn’t touch any of them, did you?” I asked while fighting for enough composure to get me through the encounter. I needed to delay the overdue discussion with Reed even for one more day. I wanted to have the discussion on my terms. But my gramps could very well have taken it out of my hands.

Ry sighed, “Come on, Mom. I know not to touch a guy’s ride. I’m not stupid. Geez.” Ry looked at Reed as he swung his head to the side to get the too long hair, which was in bad need of a trim, out of his eyes. “Women, they just don’t understand that guys are protective of their rides.”

I glanced at Reed and noticed his lips twitching while the men behind me didn’t even try to hide their response and laughed. “Ry, you have several years before you’ll need to worry about that.”

“It’s not that long. Besides, time goes by fast. At least that’s what you say every year on your birthday.”

“Ry,” I said wearily as Reed chuckled. Evidently, he had no problem laughing at my expense.

It was hard for me, but I refrained from rolling my eyes because this had been an ongoing conversation from the first time Ry had seen a motorcycle. He’d been fascinated and talked nonstop about having one. And with the move back to my grandparents’ place and all the land surrounding their house, he’d started pushing extra hard for a dirt bike. After today, I was sure Ry would up his game even more with not-so-subtle hints on how his life would be better if he had a dirt bike to ride. I’d been able to push off getting him a bike or four-wheeler for the last year, now...it was just a matter of when I gave in to him. I couldn’t let my fear bleed on to him.

Before I could tell Ry it wasn’t the time nor place to have this discussion, Reed leaned into Ry and lowered his voice, “Working way too hard to sell it, buddy.”

“You don’t know her, she won’t give. Kids younger than me ride dirt bikes. She wouldn’t even let me have a four-wheeler where we lived before and all my friends had them.”

“She’s not those other kids’ mom. She’s yours. And I’m sure she has her reasons, so why not cut her a break?”

My stomach tightened, and I felt an ache under my left breast as I watched the interaction between Ry and Reed. Especially when Ry looked up at Reed with a noticeable look of respect, maybe even a little awe, in his eyes and agreed with him easily, instead of continuing to rant. “Yeah...okay.”

The pain and regret I was feeling were placed on hold when Reagan decided she’d been quiet long enough.

“If I can’t have a dog, butthead can’t have a dirt bike.” I looked down at Reagan as she stared up at me, then added, “Right, Momma?”

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath while chuckles surrounded me. My children’s manners were off on a break, so it seemed.

Anyone who says parenting is easy doesn’t have kids, or they have nannies who handle most of the raising while they participate when the mood strikes them.

“Reagan, what have I told you about calling your brother names?” I opened my eyes and lifted a brow at my daughter, whose facial expression told me she was contemplating her reply.

“Well...you said not to, but he calls me fart face when you’re not around. And that’s not nice.”

I silently wished the ground would open beneath me, but that would require some luck. And it was more than apparent to me that I must be out of my quota for the day. Left with nothing else, I shifted to the side so I could see the men who I’d turned my back on when Ry called out to me. Once everyone was in view, I apologized, “I’m sorry. I swear they don’t normally act like this.”

“No reason to apologize. Name calling between siblings is natural. It’s almost a rite of passage between siblings,” Pinch, the one who had met me in the parking lot when I first arrived, said while the other two men beside him nodded in agreement.

“Good to know. Being an only child, I didn’t get to partake in that experience. Though, I often wonder what having a sibling would have been like.”

“A pain,” Reed replied. “Sami and I used to go back and forth enough that Wild Bill threatened both of us with military school. Still,” Reed looked down at Ry before he continued, “even though my sister and I give each other a hard time, there’s nothing we wouldn’t do for one another. And part of being a big brother is that you watch over your sister. Understand?”

“Yes, sir. You’re saying I can pick on her for bugging me, but others can’t.” I smiled at Ry. The respectful kid seemed to have reappeared.

I continued to smile as I thought about Reed’s sister. Sami always wanted to hang around us and Reed would run her off. She’d call him a few choice names, then huff and stomp away mumbling how she’d get even with him. Which she did quite often.

“Hell, Keg, you still argue with Sami.”

“Really, Pinch, like you and Madison don’t?”

“That’s because Madison doesn’t listen to dick.”

Before I got the chance to remind the two men about young ears being present, Reagan proved that kids don’t miss much when she asked, “Who’s Dick?”

Both men stopped talking and glanced at me, then down at Reagan as if they’d forgotten she was there. Instead of waiting to see how the men would answer, I used the pause in the conversation to try to make an escape.

“Well, we should be on our way. We’ve taken up enough of your time. It was nice meeting everyone,” I said as I looked between Reed and the others.

“You, too, Raven. And thanks for getting here so quickly. I know Freak appreciated it. Not to mention, you’re much better to look at than old Doc Newhouse,” Pinch said, then winked.

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