I walk into the kitchen and wait for Rome. I am a little surprised that Rome has anything to say to me, but I thought it might be coming. I don’t sit at the table. I go and stare out the window and see that the ice outside is beginning to thaw. Rome walks beside me and looks me in the eye when I turn to look at him.
“Bourbon, I love Tara. I know I am not worthy of her, but I will be damned if I let her slip through my fingers. I want your permission to ask her to marry me. When she opens her presents out there she is going to be opening an engagement ring. I should have taken care of this earlier, but we have had a tough few months, so I am asking now.” Rome isn’t talking very loud. I don’t know if it is because he is trying not to show his emotion, or he doesn’t want anyone to hear but I am thinking it is a little of both.
“Don’t you think you should be asking her brother instead of me?” It’s a legitimate question.
“I asked Joey before I ever met him. We talked on the phone and I have his permission.” Rome answers me. I look at Rome and I see sincerity in his eyes.
“Sit with me for a minute.” We both sit at the table. “Some men would just take what they want.”
“I’m not most men. I don’t want any conflict between us. Tara has had enough of that in her life. I want to be the man that gives her the good, not the bad. She is my everything. I need her to breathe. I can’t imagine living my life without her. She doesn’t own my heart, she is my heart. I will do everything in my power to make her happy. If this makes me sound like a pussy, then so be it. Truth is truth.” Rome stops talking and he waits for my answer. I know Rome loves my daughter and I believe every word he is saying.
“Rome, Tara has lost her sister and a child in less than two years. Her mom ran out on her. She needs some good and I believe you want to give that to her. I think the two of you can give that to each other but mark my word son, if you ever hurt my girl, I will rip your heart out and feed it to you. That will only be the beginning of your hell. Do you understand what I am saying?” I look Rome in the eye and never blink so he can see how serious I am.
“I understand and would expect no less. Joey told me almost the same thing but his had something to do with castrating me like a pig.” Rome smiles when he says it.
“I knew that I liked that boy. You have my permission. Now let’s get back in there so you can surprise Tara.” That puts a big smile on my face and his. We get up and walk back into the other room where everyone is waiting on us. I take my seat in my recliner and Rome sits beside Tara on the love seat. “Tara, you are up darling.” Tara picks the biggest box first and shakes it.
“That’s from me” Kat says. Tara rips the paper off like a little kid would. She has a big smile on her face. She looks the happiest I have ever seen her. Tara looks so much like my ma it is scary. If her hair was black, they could pass for sisters from the pictures I have seen. I see Kat has gotten her a bottle of perfume the lid has something that looks like a daisy on it.
“Thank you, Kat. This is one of my favorites and I am almost out of it.” Tara tells Kat and she gets up and walks over and hugs Kat.
“You are welcome sweetheart. I noticed it on your dresser when we were visiting.” Kat tells her. Tara opens the box from me next. It’s her biggest box and I hope she like it. Tara rips it open in no time.
“Oh dad, it’s beautiful! I have been looking for one that would fit me right.” Tara stands up and tries the leather jacket on. It looks exactly how I pictured it. Tara walks over to me hugs me but my heart catches when she kisses my cheek. She looks at the last two gifts but goes for bigger one first. She doesn’t take long getting it open. I see the pair of gloves and scarf in the box. The gloves are nice riding gloves and should keep her hands warm in the colder weather. “Thank you, Joey.” Tara goes and kisses her brother. Then she stares at the last gift and then looks at Rome. He’s giving nothing away. She finally opens it slowly. When she gets to another box she laughs and looks at Rome. She opens it slower. I see she is having a hard time. She gets it open and opens the ring box and I see the tears rolling down her cheek and she looks at Rome.
“I need you to be mine in every way. I want to tie you to me in every way I can, so I know you are not going to disappear on me, Tara. You are my breath of fresh air and I can’t breathe without you. Tara Sue Blount will you marry me and be my everything every day for the rest of our lives?” Rome only has eyes for my girl. That’s the way it should be.
“Yes.” Tara barely gets it out. Rome takes the ring from the box and slides it on Tara finger and then kisses the hell out of her. I am not going to bust his balls over it. They deserve the moment. Tara pulls back and reaches over in Rome’s stack of gifts and hands him a present, but she looks at us. “Can Rome go next? I have something special for him.”
“Sure thing, sweetie.” Kat says. Tara smiles at us but then she only has eyes for Rome as he opens the small gift.
“This isn’t your only gift. I left them at home, but I thought you might like this one the best.” Tara tells Rome. Rome carefully pulls the paper away and everyone smiles but Rome looks in shock. Rome looks at it closely.
“Is this what I think it is?” Rome asks looking at Tara. His eyes show the signs of tears, but he is trying to hold it together.
“It is. I’m pregnant!” Tara says, and I see the tears are rolling down her cheeks again. Joey gets up and walks to his sister and hugs her and then sits back down. Rome pulls Tara over in his lap and he whispers something in her ear but we all try to respect their privacy. I put my recliner down and go over and give Tara a hug and shake Rome’s hand.
“Congratulations to both of you!” I get out. I’m going to be a grandpa.
“Congratulations to you too gramps!” Tara says through her tears. I laugh as everyone congratulate the couple. Rome, Rye, and Joey open their presents and we all see the thoughtful gifts everyone pick out. Kat opens hers and when she gets to the one I gave her she looks at me. Kat opens it and picks the necklace up and looks at it. She hands it to me to put on her but Rye notices what necklace it is, and he just can’t keep it to himself.
“Isn’t that Ma’s necklace? Have you kept that thing all these years?” Kat turns her head and looks at me. This necklace was special to our ma. When I got paid for the first job I did for the BlackPath MC, I bought this necklace. It’s a teardrop diamond solitary pendant. It’s not the biggest but ma said it was perfect. She wore it until the day she died.
“Been waiting for the perfect person to wear it.” I shut the clasp and kiss the top of Kat’s head. Kat turns and looks at me.
“Thank you for trusting me with it. I won’t let anything happen to it until it is time for Tara to wear it.” Kat kisses me softly. I know now is not the time for our celebration, so I let Kat back away. “Your turn.” Rye stands up.
“Nope. Not just yet. I have an envelope for each of you.” Rye starts handing them out. “I had these already, but I was going to give them to everyone when I got to it. This saved me the time of tracking you down. Rome and Joey have gift cards from the tattoo shop in Lawton. Tara and Kat gift cards from the leather shop. When the hell these places started having gift certificates is beyond me, but I printed them straight from the computer.” Rye is laughing.
“I didn’t know you knew how to work a damn computer let alone a printer.” I laugh along with my brother. It’s a good day when we both have a laugh and good family time.
“I know somebody.” That makes us all laugh. No doubt some woman. “Now it is your time Bourbon. Brace yourself.” I eye Rye. He knows something that I don’t. I look around the room and they all do. Hmm. I open the box from Tara and Rome and it is a picture album. I take it out of the box and open it. There are pictures of Tara in it. Not a lot but a few at each age. I look at each one and wish I had been there. I notice in most of the pictures that Tara isn’t smiling or laughing. I should have been there. I look at Tara and she has tears in her eyes again.
“Thank you, Tara. It means the world to me.” I am choked up, but I keep it together. Tara looks at Rye and I can see the longing in his eyes.
“Uncle Rye, I have yours of Joey and Sheila started as soon as it is finished I will get it to you. I’m sorry but I thought of it too late to get it finished.” Rye looks at Tara.
“Thank you, Tara. I am looking forward to it.” Rye tells her. I open the box from Joey and he got me a bottle of what else but a straight Kentucky bourbon. One of the best. I get up and shake Rome, Rye, and Joey’s hands and thank them. I hug Tara and when I turn around Kat looks like a deer caught in the headlights, but she sees me looking at her and she walks up to me and takes my hand. “What are you doing Kat?”
“It’s time you get my gift.” I look at her and wait for her to hand me something but instead she takes me by the hand and leads me to the front door. Everyone is following us, and I don’t know what the hell she is doing, but she has my curiosity piqued. She opens the front door and leads me out to my front porch. As soon as I am outside I see two rocking chairs. What the hell? I look at Kat.
“There nice chairs babe, but I am not ready to retire to a rocking chair.” I don’t get what Kat is up to, so I try to make a joke. Kat is smiling.
“Well darling, bikers claim their territory with a tattoo. I am claiming your ass with a rocking chair. You are always trying to stake your claim on me well this is me claiming you in front of everyone. This is me, letting you know, even when you are ready for a rocking chair I intend to be right here with you.” Kat is stunning standing out here in the cold with her cheeks all red and the wind blowing her hair. I’ve never wanted a woman so much in all my life. “We are going to be in rocking chairs and rocking babies. Grandbabies, our grandbabies. All the way to rocking ages and the day they put us in the ground. I am still going to be here. I am going to be your ol’ lady and you are going to be my ol’ man. Do you have a problem with any of that because if you do when everyone is gone tonight then I will fuck it right out of you?” I hear Rye’s laughter and I look at him and he is getting a kick out of this. I look at Rome and Joey and they can barely contain themselves. Tara even has her hand over her mouth, so I can’t see the grin on her face.
“Nope, I can’t say I have a problem with any of that, but you can damn well bet there will be fucking going on as soon as everyone is gone. In fact, what is the hold up? We need to eat, and everyone needs to get the hell out of here.” I tell the woman that has my heart.
“TMI, you two. I do not need to hear this.” Tara says.
“Well let’s get this show on the road so you can go and then you won’t need to hear anymore or see it either.” I laugh as I tell Tara. I hear a ringing.
“The rolls and pie are done. Tara, you want to help me get the food on the table.” Kat asks.
“Let’s do it.” Tara answers and the two go back in the house. I know Rye is going to say something and I am ready for it.
“Looks like you have a claim staked on your ass. What’s next brother? You going to be giving up your bike for this rocking chair? What’s next you going to be giving up the booze for tea and coffee? This is awfully domesticated if you ask me.” He says it with a laugh in his voice, but I know he is concerned for me. We are both on the far side of our better days but that doesn’t mean that we don’t look out for each other. We have been doing it for many years.
“It’s about damn time Kat puts her claim on me. I’ve been trying to claim her ass for two years. I won’t be giving my bike up until the day they put me in a box. However, spending some down time on this porch with my woman in one of these rocking chairs as the sun comes up or goes down doesn’t seem like much of a hardship; if every night I get to have Kat in my bed. Being in a rocking chair at our age instead of a wheel chair seems like a win to me and Kat can throw a shot back with the best of them.” I laugh and look at my brother. “But drinking more tea and coffee might help with the damn hangovers the booze gives me. Whoever said hangovers hurt more than they used to, knows what they are talking about, but don’t you worry Rye, I have told you many times that you can build you a small cabin right over there.” I point to a part of my land that I cleared off just for that purpose. “So, you can laugh your ass off while I am rocking away with my woman or I’ll extend the porch out and we’ll get a chair to rock with us.” I laugh again and they all laugh with me, but I see in Rye’s eyes he was worried he would be left by himself. A man doesn’t get this old without thinking about his last days. Rye and I will both be lucky to have Kat by our sides. Not that it will be anytime soon, but the thoughts are there anyway. “Now let’s go show Rome and Joey the presents they are getting from us while Kat and Tara put the food on the table.” I start walking down the steps of my porch and Rye surprises me.
“I think it is about time that I start that cabin. One of these days I’m going to need to start slowing down so some of the younger brothers can start earning their way.” I know that was hard for Rye to say.
“Truth brother.” The three men are following me to my small shop. I keep different projects in here that I tinker with. I put the code in the security box to get in and open the door and we all walk in. “It’s warmer today but if we don’t hurry up we are going to freeze our asses off.” I walk over and pull the soft cloth covers off the two bikes that Rye and I have been working on for years. These are our favorite two motorcycles that we have owned. They were pieces of junk when we bought them, and we have replaced them with shinier new bikes, but a man never gets rid of his first love and these were ours. We already gave Whiskey’s first bike he loved to Chief and he has since passed it on to Tazer. Rye and I thought some day we would pass ours to Chief’s other two sons but since Rye found out about Joey and me about Tara, we rethought our decisions. Since Rye has Joey now and Rome and Tara are together these two seem like a better fit for us to pass on our past to. I had thought about teaching Tara to ride but the thought of me having enough patience to do it properly doesn’t seem likely. I see the surprised looks on both Rome and Joey’s faces when the soft tarps are removed. “Rome, I am giving you my 1984 Wide Glide. All the bikes I had before this one was just that, ordinary motorcycles, but this one has been my baby from the start. When I found this lady, she was in shit shape, but I rode her for five years and let me tell you, there were many of times my girl left me on the side of the road, but I never gave up on her. I bought me a newer bike, but I put my lady up until I had the money and time to restore her. Today she would bring a mint, but she is never for sale. There are only a little over eight hundred in existence. The old man I bought it from didn’t know what he had, and I should feel bad for not telling him, but I don’t. If you hurt my daughter I will put you to ground but if you hurt my baby I will make you wish I had put you to ground.” I look at Rome to be sure he knows exactly how serious I am, but he has a smile glued to his face. I feel the same way. “I see you feel me. One promise I do want from you is this will be passed down to one of my grandchildren and you will teach Tara to ride.”
“I can do that.” I step back away from the bike that has meant a lot to me for, so long. Rome steps up to it and he is checking everything out. “Can I leave it here until I have somewhere proper to store it and a good enclosed trailer to haul her?”
“You can leave her here as long you like. Just let me know when you are coming up to get her.” I tell Rome.
“Joey, this one was Rye’s. Tell him about it Rye.” I look at my brother and I can tell this is hard for him. Rye has never adapted to change very well.
“This wasn’t one of my first bikes or even the most expensive, but she is one that I fell in love with. It’s a 1983” Rye doesn’t get it all out.
“Sportster. It was barely street-legal and fast. Some drove them every day, but they were used at the track for racing too.” Joey finishes. “Thank you!” Joey looks at Rye and Rye back at him. The emotion in their eyes says it all. Rome steps over to me and puts his hand out to me but I don’t take. I pull him into me and give him a half hug like we men do.
“I’ll handle her with care and respect.” I know when he says it he is talking about the Wide Glide and Tara and that I can accept without a word.
“Hey, can I crash this party? Damn, those are some serious rides.” Devil says. He’s early. Him and Callie weren’t supposed to be here until much later. I see he has Kellan and Killian with him.
“Cool bikes.” Kellan says.
“Cool bikes.” Killian repeats his brother. I have spent a bit of time with the two small boys being they are my nephews and I have spent some time at their home. They remind me of Whiskey, Rye, and myself when we were growing up. I think when I see these two together is when I miss Whiskey the most. Since he has been gone it’s like a piece of me is missing, a piece of us is missing.
“Ma said for me to tell everyone it is time to eat.” Devil speaks up.
“I thought you were coming up later.” Rome says to Devil. Devil laughs.
“That was the plan, but we had our alarm set for four this morning, but Katy Bug woke up around midnight and she woke her brothers up before us, so as soon as they had everything open and we ate, we got on the road.” Devil explains.
“Mama is having another baby. We think it is a boy this time.” Killian says.
“Damn, get a fucking hobby and leave that woman alone. Nearly every time I have seen my niece since she was eighteen she’s been knocked up.” Rye spits out laughing.
“Why fix what’s not broken?” Devil comes back. “As far as I am concerned we will be having as many babies as Callie is physically able to have. Callie is a terrific mom and she is woman enough to handle us all so until she says it is enough or the doctor says it will hurt her then we are going to keep going. Don’t worry Rye, if we need a babysitter you are the first one on our speed dial.” Devil laughs.
“You keep knocking up Chief’s daughter and he is liable to cut your balls off.” Rye counters. The rest of us are just listening. Killian pulls on Rome’s pants leg. Rome bends down to Killian’s level.
“Papa won’t cut daddy’s balls off, will he? I don’t want my daddy hurt.” Rome looks up at Rye. Rye does not look in the least bit sorry.
“No buddy, your papa wouldn’t hurt your dad.” I even laugh at that one. Chief would hurt Devil, if he hurt his baby girl again, but Killian doesn’t need to know that.
“Unca Rome, what is knocked up?” Killian asks. Rome looks at Devil and then stands back up straight. “Ask your dad bud. I think it is time to eat.” Joey and I both laugh. Rome hands one of the tarps to Joey and he picks up the other one and they cover the bikes carefully.
“Come on boys let’s get washed up for lunch.” I tell Killian and Kellan. Kellan comes over by me.
“Uncle Bourbon, we are going to stay the night with you tonight. Grammy Kat said we could.” I have a feeling that my plans for the night have just been put on the back burner for the rocking babies part of Kat’s claiming. That’s alright for once on Christmas day I am not drowning my sorrows in the bottom of a bottle or in a faceless piece of ass. For once I am completely happy with my life and it Is Just in Time For Christmas…
The end for now…