Laughing, I grabbed a hold of her waist and pulled her against me. She was wearing a long-sleeved black dress that came almost to the floor, but the V-shaped neckline exposed enough skin for me to attack. I rolled my tongue against her skin and she laughed, squirming out of my hands and away from my tickling beard.
Precious moments like these made all the shitty times bearable.
Uncle Jaime’s service was held at a large Catholic church. We drove Jessica’s car, and as we parked in the attached lot, the unmistakable roar of motorcycles drew my attention. Link knew about my uncle’s death, but I hadn’t requested the club’s presence or even invited them to attend. It wasn’t that I didn’t want them there, but I hadn’t even thought about it. I’d had too much on my plate to think about much of anything.
Still, they came.
Every single one of them.
Link and Havoc rode in front, followed by Wasp, Eagle, Specks, Sage, Flint, Morse, Tap, Zombie, Brick, Buddha, Bull, Rabbit, Stocks, and Frog. Jake, Tank, and Buffalo, the three active old guys, had even saddled up to come along. Bringing up the rear was Hound, a brother who’d been so injured in the service he could barely sit straight to ride.
But he was there. They all were.
American flags waving from the backs of their bikes, they circled around the parking lot before parking in an organized, perfectly straight line. They were my brothers and Uncle Jaime’s veteran peers and they showed him every respect by showing up and representing.
I didn’t cry at the sight, but it sure stung the hell out of my eyes.
Jessica squeezed my hand. I met her gaze to see that she was crying hard enough for both of us. “I understand now,” she said. “The club initiation was well worth it.”
Truer words had never been spoken. I brought her hand up to my lips and kissed her knuckles. “Yes. It was.” Uncle Jaime’s PTSD might have caused him to live alone, but he was sure as hell surrounded by friends and family now. I wondered if the ornery old bastard was somewhere laughing at the irony of it all.
The club wasn’t the only one who showed up for the funeral. Jessica’s family also turned out to pay their respects, and I finally got to meet her parents and shake her father’s hand. Watching Jessica hold her adorable little niece made me think about how beautiful she’d be with our baby in her arms.
It was strange the way death made people think about life.
After the funeral and the reception, everyone but immediate family headed out. Jessica and I stayed behind to help my parents and siblings clean up the mess and get the food all covered and ready to transport. I was wiping down one of the tables when my mom pulled me aside.
“I want you to know that your Padre and I are proud of you, Tonio,” she said, surprising me. “I know we don’t say it enough, but we are. Your Padre can be stubborn and foolish, but he wants what’s best for you. We both do.” She handed me an envelope with my name scrawled across it. “Your tio left this for you.”
The once sealed envelope had been opened. Flicking back the ripped flap, I asked, “Did you read this?”
“I’m your madre. Of course, I read it.”
Of course, she had. Chuckling, I pulled out the single sheet of paper and unfolded it.
Antonio,
If you’re reading this, I’m worm food. I’m sure you’re sad and all that bullshit, but you need to get over it, because you’ve got shit to do. I have a $500,000 life insurance policy. All the information for it is in the box by my chair. I’m leaving $100,000 to Javier to buy you out of his goddamn company and get him off your back. If he can’t replace you for $100k, he’s a shitty businessman and needs to hang up his fucking hammer.
The other $400,000 is going to you for cost of living while you’re in school, and any school expenses your GI Bill doesn’t cover.
There. By kicking the bucket, I’ve taken away all your lousy fucking excuses. Don’t be a pussy. Enroll your dumb ass in school and become the goddamn man you want to be. You were never meant to cower in your old man’s shadow.
Tio.
“Is this real?” I asked, reading the letter again.
“Yes. I found the insurance information and I’ve already started the claim. You and your father will each receive a check.
“A check for four-hundred thousand?”
“Yes.
My hands shook. I’d set that dream aside so long ago, I couldn’t even imagine revisiting it. It had always been a dream—up in the clouds—and I lived firmly on the ground.
But now… with the money Uncle Jaime had left me… I felt like I was floating up to join it.
“He loved you,” Mom said. “We love you too, Tonio. Go to school. Become an architect and build those buildings you used to draw all the time as a child.”
