I let out a sigh. Things are complicated but I’m not sure I’m ready to explain exactly how complicated, to my newly-found brother. “Not exactly. They wanted me to stay. Part of me wished it was because they saw me as a daughter after all those years. But I know they just saw me as an unpaid childminder. But instead of getting money from the state to care for me, they made me give them some of my living grant.”
“Shit!”
I’m silent for a while, wondering whether to tell them the rest. Then I decide I can’t lie to him. “I ran away. Kind of. I got so fed up with my life I just took off.”
“So you do want something from me?” Rick asks, the defensive look on his face is back.
I shake my head. “No. Really, I don’t. I don’t have anywhere to stay, that’s true. But I needed to start fresh somewhere, and I thought I’d come here. Be close to my family.”
Rick’s eyes drop to the table where his hands are folded together.
Bear’s voice comes out harsh and aggravated. “Do not make me beat your fuckin’ ass for being a stubborn fool, bro.”
Rick ignores his friend, but when his eyes lift to mine, I can tell he believes me. His expression fills with hope and the same kind of happiness I feel. “Alright. You’ve convinced me. Now that we’ve found each other, we stick together.”
My face lights up. “I was hoping you were going to say that. I want to get to know you and make up for lost time.”
When my brother smiles at me fully for the first time, I don’t feel alone anymore. “You can stay with us,” he says suddenly. “We’ve got room.”
“I don’t want to be a problem,” I say. “I’ve got enough money to pay for a motel for a couple of weeks. I can start looking for work today.”
Rick’s chair scrapes as he stands. “You’re not a problem. You’re the only family I’ve got, and I plan to take good care of you.”
Something warm blooms in my chest at his open acceptance. This conversation might have gotten off to a rough start, but we found our way through it. Now I have a brother. And that makes every single thing I’ve been through worth it. This is the start of a new life for me, and I plan to make the best of it.
Rick gets up, saying, “I’ll be right back.”
I watch him make his way towards the back of the cavernous room and disappear behind one of the doors.
When I glance at his friend, he’s quick to reassure me. “You did right comin’ here.” His voice is calm and earnest. “Rick’s a good person,” he says. “I’ve known him for a long time. He’ll do right by ya.”
I can’t help but smile at Bear. “Thank you for being his friend. I’m sure he really needed one growing up in care like he did.”
“We both grew up getting punted from one foster care home to another. It was for different reasons but we both felt continually discarded by the system.”
“I’m sorry you went through that as well. Just so you know, any friend of my brother’s is a friend of mine.” Hesitating a second, I add, “I’m not here to mess up his life. I just want to get to know him.”
“You don’t have to convince anyone of anything, darlin’. Rick is one lucky fucker to have a long-lost sister, and he damn well knows it. If you need anything at all when Rick’s not available, you can call me. My cell phone number is on the card he gave you.”
Before I can answer, Rick comes back. “We can head out if you want. I’ll show you our place.”
“Now?” I ask. “I didn’t mean to wreck your whole day.”
“You’re not,” he says with an easy grin. “Siege gave me the morning off so I can take care of my new sister.”
I can tell by the way he says sister that he likes being able to say that. It’s such a relief to be someone’s priority at long last. When I get up, he places his hand at the small of my back and walks me towards the front door.
Rick glances over at his friend and says, “You got the morning off too. Wanna come with?”
“Sure,” Bear replies, falling into step behind us.
It occurs to me to wonder why these two men seem locked together at the hip. The idea flashes through my mind that they might be a couple. They live together, work together and are in an MC together. Glancing up at Rick, I decide right then and there that if that’s the case, I’m gonna accept his partner into my heart right along with my brother. They both seem like nice men, so that shouldn’t be any kind of hardship.
Chapter 3
Bear
By the time we arrive at our apartment, I’m absolutely fuckin’ green with envy over my best friend getting a shiny new sister. Waking up one day to find a blood relative that actually wants to know you is the pie-in-the-sky dream for most of us in foster care. We’ve both long since accepted that life screwed us over when it came to family. I never knew mine and Rick wished he’d never known his mother. She was an addict who neglected him for years. I’m glad they took Natalie at birth, so she didn’t have to experience any of that.
