“Take all the time you need. I’ll make sure the guys know to leave you alone until you come back to the compound. If either one of you need anythin’, call us and we’ll be sure to get it for ya. I know the two of you got shit to work through and it will take time. Just check in every few days if you aren’t gonna come back right away,” Reckless says, clapping me on the back because he knows this is important to me and if anyone understands getting over the past between two people, it’s him.
I leave without saying another word and get back on my bike. Pulling up my bandana after starting the engine, I secure it tightly before pulling on my helmet and securing it on my head. I never saw Taleah’s riding gear, but she must still have it if she’s kept her brother’s bike all these years. We always stressed the importance of the girls wearing riding gear whenever they were on the back of a bike. The two of us went with them to buy jackets, pants, boots, and gloves. We also took them to get their helmets when we were out shopping for ours. I’m sure Taleah has upgraded her gear over the years, but I’ll have to make sure because she needs new stuff after using it for so long.
Leaving the garage, I head for Taleah’s new house. I’m riding right back the way I came because she found the one house for sale near the compound. This time, I don’t focus on the scenery passing me by. My thoughts are on the bike I just saw after so long. I can’t get it out of my head. Part of me wants to yell at her for calling the garage to have it towed to. The other part of me is happy she called my brothers because I know they’ll do the best work and ensure she’ll be safe on the bike. They won’t use used parts or say they did the work when they didn’t. The guys are fair and will do the work after she okays the repairs.
Pulling up to Taleah’s house, I park my bike right in front of the garage that’s not attached to her house. I didn’t even notice it before because I could see the commotion going on inside her house and needed to know what was going on. To ensure Taleah was safe. I just didn’t expect to walk into her home and find her standing over a beaten and bound TJ in the middle of her living room.
I walk to the door of her home and hear music playing from inside. It’s not loud enough to disturb her neighbors, but it tells me everything I need to know. Taleah doesn’t always work in the house with music playing. She’s more likely to have some show streaming on her TV instead. One she’s watched a million times and knows by heart. The only time she plays music is when she’s upset or scared and the shows she watches aren’t doing anything to help her. She’s lost in her head about TJ showing up at her new house and I wonder if she’s really going to stay here or if she’ll move again. I don’t blame her for either choice she makes and will do what I can to support her. I knock on the door and listen as she moves around in the house slowly.
“It’s me, Doll,” I call out, hoping she can hear me and listen as her steps quicken and the door is unlocked before being flung open fast and hard.
“What are you doing back here, Rex?” she asks though I can see the relief on her face as her shoulders slump and she looks up at me with wide eyes. Right now, they’re a darker blue than normal and the green around the center is present so I know she’s been crying. Even if her face wasn’t covered in red streaks, that’s her tell when she’s cried even for a few seconds.
“Thought you could use the help unpackin’ and I wasn’t sure if you wanted to be alone in the house after everythin’ that happened earlier,” I answer her honestly. “I can help you unpack if you want and just be in the house so you’re not alone.”
“I’d like the help. I was looking for my ladder and can’t find it. Did you guys bring it back?” she asks, stepping aside so I can move into the house with her. I close and lock the door behind me and head for the kitchen. “It’s in here. Count thought you’d need it to put your dishes away because you’re on the short side.”
Taleah glares at me because she hates being called short even though it’s the truth. My girl barely stands over five feet tall and usually wears heels or wedges to make herself appear taller. The only time we were ever able to get her out of them was when she was on the bike. My sister is the same way and we always joked about their height when we were younger.
“Very funny, Rex,” she says, taking the ladder from me and moving into the living room where the fireplace is located. “I’ll get Count back for that one way or another.”
“So, I saw somethin’ strange today. I stopped at the garage on my way here and saw your brother’s bike. I didn’t realize you still had it and rode it alone now,” I say, grabbing a box of dishes and setting them on the counter because I know Taleah will want them washed before they’re put away. It’s what she’s always said from the time we were young. Even when herparents bought new things, they had to be washed before anyone could use them.
“Yeah. I was out riding and it just died on me. I had just put gas in it before taking off so I know that’s not the problem. A couple days ago I went and took care of the chain, checked the tires, and did everything else Bhodi showed me when you guys were taking care of the bikes. You two taught me how to do all the work so that’s what I’ve been doing. Hopefully they can find the problem because I won’t get rid of the bike. That will be with me until it no longer runs. Even then I won’t get rid of it,” she answers me, measuring the wall over the fireplace and making two marks.
“They’ll get it runnin’ again and you’ll be able to ride it. Link will more than likely do the work on it with the help from Reckless if he needs it,” I tell her as she grabs the hammer and a poster hanger from the mantel beneath her. She’s leaning and the ladder is balanced precariously. Taleah never pays attention to things like this when she’s focusing on something that needs to be taken care of.
“I hope so. This is the first major problem the bike has had since Bhodi owned it. I just want to continue to honor him by riding it and living out the life he wanted to have,” she says and I catch her voice breaking but don’t call her out on it because she has every right to be emotional when she’s talking about her brother.
“Just give them some time. I’ll be in the kitchen if you need me,” I inform her as I watch her hang up the poster frames filled with her brother’s football jerseys. “So, you’re gonna stay here this time? You’re not gonna let what happened with TJ force you out of the house you just bought?”
“No, I’m not. This is my home and he was only here for a few minutes. TJ didn’t ruin anything for me because I foughtback and got the better of him. He didn’t win, Rex. But if I move again and sell this house, he will. TJ doesn’t deserve to win anything. He’s taken so much from me and I refuse to allow him to take anything else,” she responds, focusing on the work she’s currently doing.
“Good. I was hopin’ you would keep this house. It’s really nice and perfect for you,” I tell her and find myself meaning the words.
Taleah gets off the ladder once they’re hung up and checks to make sure they’re straight and even. When she’s satisfied, I watch out of the corner of my eye as she places the championship football in the center of them. Two pictures of him go up next. One has the four of us in it with our bikes sitting behind us. The second one is just him. It’s one of his senior pictures as he sits on his bike in front of the lake in the next town over. This is Taleah’s shrine to her brother and she has the right to have one when he was so important to her as they grew up mostly alone. He was her best friend, protector, brother, and someone she truly looked up to. I felt the same way about him because Taleah’s brother was one of the best men I’ve ever known. No one will ever replace him for either one of us.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Taleah
REX SHOWING BACK up at my house was perfect. I didn’t really want to be alone after knowing TJ found me so easily and was able to almost break my door down. Every time I turned around, I was hearing noises that made me believe someone was there ready to pick up where he left off. No, he didn’t get his hands on me this time, but it doesn’t mean someone else won’t. He knows a lot of shady people who won’t have a problem putting their hands on a woman in one way or another. Plus, I never got a good feeling when I was around his father either. Thankfully, I wasn’t taken to his house very often and could avoid his father more often than not. I didn’t lie when I told Rex I wasn’t about to let TJ run me out of this house. I plan on making this into my home and won’t allow him to ruin the happiness I feel when I look in each room and imagine turning it into something all my own. Or sitting by the pool as the sun beats down on me. I also finally have a place to bring Bhodi’s bike so I don’t have to keep it in the storage where I’ve kept it away from TJ.
The two of us worked on unpacking the living room and kitchen as music played in the background. Rex even remembered that I won’t use the dishes until they’ve been washed. It’s just something I’ve done for as long as I can remember. I believe I learned it from my grandma when Bhodi and I used to spend time with her if our parents had to go out of town for work.
After I get the jerseys, football, and pictures of Bhodi up above the fireplace, I move back and make sure everything is perfect. This is the one thing I’ve always wanted in my home but never really could because of TJ. He would have destroyed everything in a heartbeat just to hurt me. Now, I can put everything where I want it and display how proud I am of my brother. He might not be here with me, but I can show him off from when he was in the prime of his life. When he was truly happy, in love, and coming up with one dream after another for how he wanted to live his life.
Next, I unpack the boxes filled with all of my candles, pictures, and a few books I always keep on the end table by the couch. It doesn’t take me long to get everything in the living set up exactly how I want it. The only thing left to grab are the throw blankets currently being washed. I have one for the couch and one for the recliner I just bought. No matter where I choose to sit, I tend to always cover up with a blanket even on the hottest days. I’m not sure why because I’m not always cold. It must be a comfort thing I do. The blankets have to be soft and big enough to cover my entire body. I also have a few small throw pillows waiting to be washed. I'll add them to the couch once they’re dried.
When I’m done, I make my way into the kitchen with Rex. I can’t do much else in my bedroom because I have to wash my clothes and the rest of my new bedding. I could work in my bathroom, but it won’t take me very long at all to put away everything I have for that room. I’ll have to go shopping for more things at some point, but I don’t want to until everything in the house is set up so I know what I need for each room and can make one trip.
“I see you went out and bought groceries already,” Rex says when I step up next to a box he has yet to unpack.
“Yeah. I got them on the way home from the hospital earlier today. I wanted to be able to make myself dinner the first night here. I know we had pizza and stuff earlier, but I’m kind of hungry. Are you?” I ask him, as we work together to load the dishwasher.
“I could eat,” he responds as I abandon the box and head for the refrigerator.
“Anything in particular you’d like to eat?” I ask, taking a look at the fruits and vegetables, steak, hamburger, and chicken I have out for me to cook.
