Page 102 of Angels and Skulls
I stand from my seat. “What if Jesse was following protocol? She lives and breathes the club motto. What if she wasn’t doing ittoyour mom … what if she was doing itforher?”
“For her? I’m confused.”
“She opened the door to Jenny’s cage, coaxed her out, and then she made sure she could never lock herself back in.”
“Wow, that’s … that’s a little fucking crazy.”
I chuckle to myself. “Yeah, yeah it is, but that’s the Jesse I fell in love with.”
Maggie opens the door and joins us on the porch. “What the hell has been going on?” she asks with her hands on her hips.
Jackson and I both shake our heads. “We’re as clueless as you, Grandma,” Jackson answers.
All of our phones go off at once. It’s a message from Jesse.
Jesse: One of our own needs help. Jackson’s mother lost everything in a fire early this morning. She’ll be moving into my and Dirk’s room at the warehouse. Let’s make sure she has everything she needs and a warm welcome.
The three of us look at each other after we read the message. “That’s actually not a bad idea,” Jackson says.
“It’s a terrible idea. She should be with family,” Maggie grumbles, lowering herself into the chair I vacated.
Jackson’s phone starts ringing, and he laughs. “It’s Lily.” He answers. “Yeah, it’s true. Mom’s here now.”
He listens for a few seconds. “Yeah, okay. I’ll tell them. Sounds like a plan. I’ll send a few guys over to help.”
Maggie stares at me as her grandson speaks to his sister. “Did you do this?”
I shake my head. “No, ma’am.”
Jackson hangs up. “Lily wants to furnish the room with some pieces from the shop. I’m going to have some guys run over and get started. She’s also sending Lexie and Kelsie out to get Mom some clothes and personal items. She was wondering if you had anything of Jenny’s we might include in her room to help her feel more at home.”
Maggie sighs, rubbing her temples. “I just assumed she’d come stay with me.”
“We all thought that way, Grandma, but Mom’s been alone for a lot of years. Why don’t we just go in and ask her if this is what she wants before we go moving a bunch of stuff around?”
The three of us head inside, finding her and Aspen coloring together on the floor.
“Hey, Mom. We have a question for you.”
Jenny looks up, and even though she seems calm, I can see a storm brewing behind her eyes.
“You know you’re welcome to stay with any of us, but there is a room at the warehouse that is open. They’re more like little apartments. Jesse and Dirk just moved out, so one is available. It’s the nicest room in the entire building.”
Jenny sits up taller. “The warehouse? Where Bill lived?”
Jackson nods. “Yeah.”
She turns away from everyone as she thinks about it.
“You’d have the privacy of your own space while never being lonely at the same time. There’s always someone around over there. It’s real pretty, and it’s by a lake.”
“I know. Bill described it to me,” she says, smiling.
“While we’re getting it set up, you can stay here with us.”
He looks at me, letting me know he’s not having it any other way. It doesn’t offend me. I’m proud of my son for taking care of his mom.
“Aspen would love to have a sleepover with Nana and Papa on the living room floor tonight, wouldn’t you, baby girl?”
