Indigo
Jekyll was quiet... well, quieter than usual as he drove us to the gravesite. It had taken almost a month for the coroner to release Scrappy’s body to his mother for burial, so this day had been a long time coming.
Mina was spending the night at Walker House, and she surprisingly didn’t fight us on it. It may have been the promise that Bellamy would be with her, and they would be having ice cream sundaes for dessert, with ten kinds of ice cream to choose from.
We’d suffered through the ridiculously long funeral service. Jekyll and I had sat near the front, but far enough from the casket not to see Scrappy. Scrappy’s mother had insisted on an open casket, and for the life of me, I had no idea why, but I, personally, didn’t want to see his dead body.
I didn’t want to see anyone’s dead body, and I’d made that very clear.
The whole thing was sad. Sadder than I could have imagined, because a mother had lost her son and a brother had lost his only sibling, and the mother had made it known that she didn’t want Scooby, whose real name was Crew, anywhere near the club, lest he end up like Scrappy, whose real name was Otis.
Sundance had received the full measure of her anger and grief, along with a few of her flying fists, but never once had he reciprocated or avoided her rage. He took all of it, letting her tire herself out before holding her so she didn’t collapse.
He’d guided her to a chair, then Scooby and Scrappy’s closest friends (including Jekyll) carried the casket to the awaiting hearse.
I hobbled my way behind them, waiting by my car for Jekyll, who helped me in and then followed the hearse. My leg was almost back to normal. Jekyll had insisted I bring my crutches today since it would be a long one and he worried I’d get tired.
I reached over my middle console and linked my fingers with his. “Whatever you need, honey.”
He gave my hand a squeeze but that was the only acknowledgement that he’d even heard me. Pulling up to the grave, Jekyll parked as close as he could, then walked to my side of the car to help me out and onto my crutches.
“I’m okay, honey,” I said.
He slammed my car door shut, then slid his hands to my arms, leaning down to get eye-to-eye with me. “I need you to hear me because I don’t have the faculties to say this over and over today, okay?”
I nodded.
“You are my priority. Yesterday, today, tomorrow. Today’s gonna fuckin’ suck, but being able to focus on you and make sure you’re okay helps distract me, so I know, baby... Iknow... you’re okay. But I also need you to know that the fact I’m all over you like a fuckin’ bad rash isn’t just because I don’t think you’re okay. It’s because you’re my emotional support human. Okay?”
I smiled, kissing him quickly. “Okay.”
“Love you.”
“Love you, too.”
He kissed me again, then we headed to join the crowd where Jekyll made sure I had one of the few seats set up in front of the grave.
He joined the rest of the pallbearers, and they carried the casket to the grave, setting it on the straps that would eventually lower it into the ground. A few minutes later, the entourage of bikers and mourners arrived, and I did my best to fade into the background, mostly because my leg was on fire, and I really didn’t want anyone to know.
Once everyone was gathered, the priest said a few words and then Scrappy’s mother threw a rose on the casket, followed by Scooby, and the rest of the club.
I stayed put, as did a young woman I didn’t recognize. I assumed she was with Scrappy’s mother, but when she didn’t sit beside her or drop a rose into the casket, I wondered who she might be.
Instead, she sat by me and gave me a tentative smile but didn’t say anything. She wore a black hippie type skirt, and a long cloak with a hood that covered her hair. I could tell she was blonde under the covering, and she reminded me a bit of Stevie Nicks back in her heyday.
As the crowd began to disperse, Scooby made his way over to her, leaning down to kiss her cheek. “Thanks for coming.”
“I wouldn’t miss it.”
“Are you fuckin’ kiddin’ me?” Wrath growled, and before I could register what was going on, the woman was lifted out of the seat and thrown over his shoulder.
“Wrath!” she squealed, pounding on his back. “Put me down.”
Wrath faced Scooby keeping the screaming woman firmly where she was, and jabbed a finger at him. “You! I’m gonna fuckin’ deal with you later.”
“Wrath,” the woman screamed again. “I’m going to rip your dick off if you don’t put me down.”
“Swear to Christ, Sierra, you need to shut your goddamn mouth.”
