Lenny sends a sad emoji.
Ronnie
Crush ’em, champ!
Dean
No doubt about it.
Theo
Buena Suerte!
Meadow
Thank you guys!
Talk to you soon.
They all came to Michael’s funeral even though they never met him. Dean told everyone how crushed I was to have lost my best friend and they all hopped on a plane and flew here.
Who does that? Leave everything; their job, duties, and responsibilities for someone they didn’t even know.
Family.
It is not about blood relatives but everyone who intends to become a part of our life and stays there, for better or worse.
That is why the pain cuts so deep.
For me, pain is the countless love we have toward people that we call family and they can come from anywhere on the map and become a scar around our heart and etched in ink on our skin.
Not everyone deserves our love, whether they are family or not. But there are people out there who deserve it. People who will stand beside us no matter what.
I throw on some clothes and head to the store since I promised to help Dad. With Chaos and Arrow on either side, I walk past Blakely’s room. The urge to knock on her door forces me to ball my hands into fists and resist it by stuffing them into my pockets.
This is for the best.
As long as she hates me she will keep her distance and all I need to do is keep our routine in check—I talk back at her, and she talks back at me.
I step inside the store. The dogs sit outside and bask under the morning rays of light. A few people already waiting in line at the counter for their coffee orders.
I quickly replace Dad and swipe a credit card in the card machine so he can go and make the orders.
They hired someone this summer but he is not here yet so they asked if I could step in when I’m free. I see it as some quality time with them and as long as I’m here, I will always help when they need me just like they have always been there for me. They are the reason I even have a career as a pro motorcycle racer.
Around noon, Mom steps inside the store, sighing loudly.
“Are you okay?” I cross my arms over my chest. “Do you need to rearrange the candies to feel better?”
“Haha,” she kisses me on the shoulder as she passes me and puts her stuff in the back. “I did it yesterday, Blakely can vouch for me she was here when I did it.”
Terrific.
“She had a great day, met a new friend, and went on a ride with some bikers.” She extracts the broom from behind the back door and starts sweeping the floor. “They seem nice.”
A new friend.
Bikers.
