Amy
Small flames, one by one, filled the space as mourners lit their candles. The fire sent a warm glow across each of their faces and reflected in the tear tracks on many faces.
I stood surrounded by the MC and actually felt safe from prying eyes as I held my own candle. They all towered above me as we stood at the entrance to the field where the crash happened. Because it was still an active crime scene, we couldn’t go in, but at the gate were piles of flowers and soft toys. The crowd was bigger than I imagined, and I guessed many were relatives of those who’d died. Others were here to genuinely pray, while a good number, I reckoned, were nosy fuckers looking for a juicy piece of gossip.
Unsurprisingly, the media were also here, and they’d tried to get several shots of me. One of the brothers blocked them each time.
A vicar stood by the gate, praying as we lit candles and listened. A couple of relatives said some words about their loved ones, and I curled into Vortex’s chest as tears threatened.
The Unwanted Bastards MC didn’t just protect me. Mari was here with Papa and Dad, and they also surrounded her as Mari buried her head in Papa’s shoulder. They’d been friends since their childhood, and it was only natural that Natasha andI had become friends too. Now we stood together, a family, and mourned our loss, and it was deep. Dad wrapped his arms around Papa and Mari and held them close.
I don’t care what anyone said. Papa might have been in the army, but he still had emotions, and he’d loved Natasha and me. Mari and Tash had spent every Christmas with us. What one girl got, the other did. We were brought up as sisters. Even when Papa had moved around for his job, he’d stayed in contact with Mari with weekly calls. Vacations were always held together. Papa, Dad, and Mari had provided Natasha and me with wonderful childhoods.
A couple of hours passed as we stood in the bitter cold, listening out of respect as people spoke about their loved ones. Mari and I had both refused to comment, as had other families, but we supported those who needed to talk. It ended when the vicar said the Lord’s Prayer, and mourners began moving away.
“There’s food at the clubhouse,” Vortex murmured to Papa, who nodded. He and Dad were supporting Mari as we walked along the road towards a lane that would take us through a shortcut to the town.
“Vortex!” a woman cried, and I stiffened. What was with this bitch? Was she really so desperate for attention?
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Vortex snarled.
Nope, there she was, dolled up to the nines. This was a fuckin’ memorial vigil for Christ’s sake, and tottering towards us on six-inch-high heels.
“What the fuck do you want, Kyleah?” Vortex demanded.
“Need to talk,” she said and batted her eyes.
“Here? Right now? Are you for fuckin’ real?”
The MC still surrounded Mari and me, but we could feel people stopping to watch the drama.
“You won’t talk to me!” Kyleah pouted.
“Because you’re batshit crazy! This alone proves it. What type of bitter, twisted, sick bitch decides to push her personal agenda at something like this?” Vortex snapped.
“Then you shouldn’t ignore me. Just because you’ve thrown me over for her, you can’t decide I don’t exist!” Kyleah snarled. Tears welled in her eyes, and I saw the sideways looks she was giving the crowd. Oh, she was playing to the audience, alright. “Vortex, I’m the mother of your child!” Kyleah let out a sob.
People started murmuring, and I guessed some had their phones out. This was a clusterfuck.
“We need to go,” I murmured, and Vortex offered me a clipped nod. He began turning away, but Kyleah wasn’t having that.
“Don’t ignore me! Our baby needs you,” she wailed.
“Deadbeat dad!” someone muttered. Vortex’s face turned to stone.
“Didn’t wanna do this in public, Kyleah. Didn’t wanna ruin the vigil, but you fuckin’ asked for it. You’re batshit crazy. I broke up with you six months ago! Six. We were together for three months. Believe me, that was a prison sentence with your insanity.”
“Doesn’t excuse ignoring our child!” Kyleah sniped.
“How could it be mine when your kid is two months old? That means it was conceived eleven months ago, and I didn’t know you then. You got with me to dump someone else’s bastard on me. That won’t work. Now fuck off, Kyleah, and take your lies with you. I’m not an available wallet for you!”
Muttering rose amongst the onlookers as many swayed to Vortex’s side.
Oh. I’d not realised that Vortex had already looked into Kyleah’s child. Honestly, it had fallen by the wayside with everything else that was happening. I felt bad that I hadn’t asked about that situation. How selfish of me.
“It was premature!” Kyleah shrieked, and the crowd murmured, swinging back to support her.
“Fuckin’ big baby if it was eight weeks early, never heard of a preemie weighing over nine pounds. Take your lies and shove them, Kyleah. What the fuck is wrong with you? Are you so desperate for attention that you have to interrupt a tragedy to get it? People came to pay their respects out of decency, and then there’s you. Shame on you, Kyleah, you’d have done the world a favour if you could have swapped places with one of the dead. Because you’re nothing but an embarrassment,” Vortex spat harshly.
