“In the meantime, Chaos, get back home and find out everything that you can about their relationship, connection, how they met, anything that will help us get to the bottom of it,” Priest instructs.
I nod and head toward the door, but he calls me back.
“Have you been by there to check on the finishing touches?”
“Yeah. I went by there yesterday.”
“What you think?”
“It’s all good. I signed off on a few changes that I requested them to make, but it’s looking good. I’m feeling good about it.”
“That’s wassup. It’s a good look for you, Chaos.”
“Thanks, Priest.”
I head out and hop on my bike. The only thing that I want right now is to set eyes on Charisma. Although it’s not something that I’m ready to admit, she’s my peace. Being in her presence brings me the same calm that it used to back in the days, and though I may be giving her hell, she’s worth everything that I’ve gone through these last five years.
I lean forward on my bike, Confusion, and become one with it, the road, and the wind. There’s nothing like riding alone with no expectations. It’s the most freeing feeling in the world, as though I’m flying. Cars, trucks, houses, and commercial businesses all become a blur until I’m winding my way through empty stretches of road to get home, to get to Charisma.
“How did you and the senator meet?” Chaos asks when we’re almost finished cleaning the kitchen after dinner.
“Oh, uhm, . . . we met in a coffee shop. I was embarrassed. Made a whole fool out of myself. I was in the coffee shop, and when I turned around from the counter with my coffee, I didn’t realize that he was so close. I bumped into him and spilled it on his suit, the quintessential meet cute, if you will, . . . never mind,” I state, not bothering to explain because of the scowl on Chaos’s face. I hand him a damp, mildly soapy dishcloth to clean the stove as I return to rinsing the last dish to go into the dishwasher.
“Anyway, I uhm, . . . immediately snapped on him, calling him an idiot for standing so close to me, asking what he wasthinking. Then I looked up, realized who it was, started babbling my apologies, that I was sorry, and I don’t normally act like this, I was having a bad morning, how can I make it up to him, can I pay for his cleaning, and on and on.
“Meanwhile, he’s standing there with this smile on his face, and he’s so polite and patient. He tells me that it’s okay, really. He goes on to order his coffee, and I’m standing there looking dumbfounded. After a while, I head out of the shop.
“When I get halfway down the block, he comes out and catches up with me. He says that he knows how I can make it up to him. I think he’s about to tell me that I can vote for him, or get some signatures, or something political, but no. He asks me to go out on a coffee date with him.
“I couldn’t believe it, but after convincing me that he was serious, I agreed. I knew his story, and I knew that he didn’t date, so it was just a good thing for me because I didn’t have to worry about him being a cheater like most guys,” I explain, giggling and cleaning out the sink.
I can tell that my giggles annoy him by the grunt he emits and the dark scowl on his face. So, I change the subject, not wanting to discuss it anymore. I was going to ask why he wanted to know that information, but I suspected it might lead to an argument. I didn’t want to isolate him any more than I already had.
“You never told me where you were all these years or what you were doing. You always just say out of the country.”
He sighs, and I hold my breath, hoping that he’ll finally open up.
“I was in Bangladesh, living my best life and still handling MC business, but from that end of things. Keeping the money flowing.”
“What business? What money?” I ask as we finish cleaning the kitchen and head into the living room.
“You don’t need to worry about that.”
“Drugs?”
“Nah. I never got into that shit. You know that.”
“Guns? You were always into guns.” Seeing the wince on his face, I decide to press him. “Don’t lie to me, Chrishon. Was it guns?”
“Uhm, . . . yeah.”
“You were what? Selling them?”
“Negotiating deals, making sure it went right, and being the go-between for the MC and the men who were buying them over there.”
“What else?”
“Nothing else. That’s it. Just enjoying the culture, the food, . . . and the life.”
