Page 38 of Inglorious
One of Casanova’s cuts was inside with his name and patch showing. Forever sealed and immortalised. A few words of remembrance were also engraved, and I choked as I read them. No doubt, Inglorious had given the engravers the epitaph to etch. Beside Casanova was Satan, a similar grave but with different memorial words. Darkness was next, and then Chap. If they held a position, that was also marked.
Each grave held a flower-filled vase. Someone had been looking after them, and I wondered who.
Inglorious hadn’t failed them. Nor had he forgotten the past, I realised as I spotted a tall standing monument. With a hiss, I saw it contained the names of the good brothers inscribed on it, with their dates of birth and death and their position. It ended with Heat’s name. Three times over, Inglorious had honoured his brothers. Blast, I’d treated him like shit for not having their cuts and pictures on the wall of the clubhouse.
“Can I help you?” a man inquired, and I turned around and saw an older guy, perhaps about sixty.
“No, thank you. I’m visiting my brother,” I replied.
“Which one?”
“Psych.”
“Ah, the VP. Good man, by all accounts. Inglorious talks a lot about him,” the man murmured.
“Who are you?” I demanded, because I didn’t have a clue.
“Name is Hank. I lived in a shack over there. When the club bought Merritt, they could have kicked me out. Inglorious gave me a house and had it restored. Now, I’ve got me a nice little home. In return, I agreed to tidy things up. Guess you could say I’m the grave keeper. I clear the weeds away, keep the grass down, and order the flowers, placing them each week. Hell, I even check no moisture has gotten into those boxes with their cuts in.”
“Hank, you’ve done an amazing job. The cemetery looks wonderful, and it’s very peaceful.”
“Thank you, Ma’am. Why are you wearing the president cut?” Suspicion was in his voice. “Has that boy topped himself finally?”
“No. But Inglorious has a problem he’s getting help with. Guess I’m the stand-in for now.”
“The drinking. Ain’t never seen so much agony inside a man. Cut him and he’d bleed out before that pain eased. Inglorious getting therapy?” Hank asked.
I shouldn’t be discussing Inglorious with Hank. That was club business, but there was something trustworthy and steady about him.
“Yes. He is,” I replied, though.
“Good. Man needs to ease up on his guilt. From my understanding, he couldn’t have done anything differently. Men are human and fall to human whims.”
Hank turned away, and I suddenly realised he was wearing a cut with the Unwanted Bastards’ patch.
“You’re a brother?” I exclaimed.
“Yeah. I enjoy riding and own an old Indian. Inglorious said I didn’t need to own a Harley to join. Claimed he didn’t have muchof a club, but when he rebuilt, I’d have brothers. Told Inglorious I prefer being alone and dislike parties and shit. The man replied that it was fine, but I could ride with him. That I can do. Not that there have been rides. I knew some of these; they were good men. It’s my pleasure to watch over them,” Hank said.
“Sorry, I didn’t know about you.” I felt awful.
Why hadn’t Chill and Razor told me about Hank? Mind you, if Hank wasn’t a regular brother, he’d probably slipped their mind.
“Not surprised. Inglorious agreed I could be alone and join them when I felt like it. That suits me. He also gave me this,” Hank touched his name patch, and I saw it said ‘Gravey.’
“That’s apt, I guess. How are you managing? Do you need money?”
“My percentage goes into the bank automatically, and there’s a separate account for the care of this place. Guess you ain’t got to grips with everything yet,” Gravey replied, and I blushed. Was Gravey chiding me?
“No. Suppose I’d better sit my ass down and study the accounts,” I said.
“Off you go, lass, I’ve got grass to cut.” And with that, Gravey dismissed me and wandered away.
“Well, damn!” I muttered and looked down at Psych’s grave. “Did you see that, Seth?”
Laughing under my breath, I headed back to the clubhouse. Those financial reports that I kept getting interrupted with needed some serious studying.
Inglorious
