Dodge

They hated me.

Maybe I was exaggerating. Romania seemed to warm to me straight away, but the boy, he couldn't stand me and I couldn't blame him. We didn't know each other and even in the two weeks we'd spent together, he'd said hardly a word to me. So we still knew nothing about each other. I'd tried. I asked him questions, but he'd ignore me. I'd left him alone, thinkin' he'd soon come around. However, he hadn't.

The kids were still dealing with losing their mother. Not that it was much of a loss, which I found out the first night with them. Still, it'd be something to deal with, thrust outta one situation and into another. Knowing it was hard for them, I didn't push anything on them.

Romania was a cute, smart kid. One who went with the flow on things. Her, I could deal with. The boy and his attitude, not so much. Still, I had to give him time to adjust.

As soon as I'd walked into my sister's house, I knew I was gonna have trouble with Texas. Jennifer introduced me to them as they sat together on the couch. Romania jumped up with a smile and flung her tiny arms around my waist to hug me. Texas took one look, turned up his nose at me and walked outta the room. Romania, who told me I could call her Rommy, skipped out of the room after her brother. I learned then that they also had no father; he'd died five years earlier, and it wasn't like he was even in their life before that, either.

Fuck. The kids had no one.

Except me.

It was then I decided I'd try my best to be there for them.

Having no one sucked, and I knew how they felt because I'd felt it after my shit, until I was welcomed into Hawks. Now, I had a huge-arse family and I couldn't be happier.

A vision of Willow smiling at me as we sat on the couch slipped through my mind.

Yeah, I needed to make things right when I got back.

God, I was such an arse.

The two weeks with the kids had been the hardest in my life. Kids and me? I had no fuckin' clue what I was doing. So after Jennifer left that first night, I sat on the couch and stared at nothing. My mind couldn't think on what to do next.

Did I have to feed them?

Was I supposed to make sure they washed?

Fuck. Was I supposed to tuck them into bed and read them a story? That thought actually scared the crap outta me.

Rommy came out hours later and sat next to me. I blinked down at her as she placed her tiny fuckin' hand on my arm and said, "It'll be okay."

I nodded, not knowing what else I was supposed to do. Shouldn't I be the one reassuring her?

"Ah, you hungry, kid?" I asked.

"Yes." She smiled.

"Got the number to a pizza joint?"

"On the fridge." She beamed and skipped off to get it.

"You a biker?" was asked from behind me. I turned to find Texas standing just in the mouth of the hall where the bedrooms lay.

"Yep."

"You moving us with you?"

"Yeah, you'll like Melbourne."

"I won't. I'll hate it."

"Don't know that for sure, kid."

"My mother hated you, but she hated us more, which is why she left us to you in her will, so we'd suffer more."

My body tensed. What in the fuck?

"You don't know that, kid."

"I do. She told me. She hated us because our father didn't like us and he left because she kept us around. If she had gotten rid of us, then she'd still have had him."

Jesus fuck. Jesus. Fuck.

I'd thought she'd got rid of him.

My sister. Always the bitch.

Those were the first and last words he'd spoken to me while we were in Sydney. His replies took to grunts and head shakes, or he'd confide in his sister and she'd mention something to me instead of him coming to me.

The pain of loss I'd felt for my sister was wiped away that night from her son's words.

Instead, I wished she were alive. Then I'd harm her myself for letting her kids believe she'd hated them, and for making them believe they weren't worth being born.

Rommy came back in with the pizza list. After ordering, we sat in front of the TV she'd turned on. Out the corner of my eyes, I'd looked down at her. She'd chosen to sit next to me, as close as she could get while she sang along with some theme song for some kid show.

The pizza arrived, and I opted to sit at the kitchen table. While I set out the pizza on the bench and found some plates, I asked Rommy to go get her brother. He walked in with his head hanging low, loaded up the pizza for him and his sister and then sat at the opposite end from where I did. Rommy sat next to me.

"Uncle Trey?"

Fuck. Hearing her say it in her sweet little girly voice was something special.

"Yeah, darlin'?"

She giggled. "Do you work?"

"Sure do, I'm a mechanic."

"What's that?"

"I work on cars and bikes in a garage with a heap of other guys."

"Cool." She smiled and took a big bite of her slice.

"Uncle Trey?"

Smirking, I said, "Yeah, darlin'?"

She giggled. "What's the school like?"

Shit. I had no clue. I wasn't even sure there was one near me. I'd have to ring Josie to look into the best one around our area. I guessed Texas would be going to a high school. Kinda wished they were closer in age; I knew I'd prefer Texas with his sister to protect her.

Christ. What if she got bullied? What if he did? I couldn't beat the shit outta some kids. How in the hell was I supposed to deal with stuff like that?

I'd have to call Talon and ask him.

"Ah, not sure just yet. We'll both take a look when we get to Melbourne."

"Yay." She grinned. "Uncle Trey?"

"Babe, I'm right here. You don't need to say my name every time you wanna ask a question. Just ask it, 'kay?"

She bit her bottom lip. "But." She stopped and looked to her brother, who was silently eating his pizza and watching the table. Rommy shrugged and then blew me the fuck away. "I like saying your name. I haven't been able to say it, and now that you're here, I like to say it because...because it...it means you came here to help us and, and you're like family and, well, because you came, it must mean you care about us." She looked up to me with hope shining in her light blue eyes. "Am I right?"

Fuck me.

Even though they both looked like their mum, with blond hair and blue eyes, they acted nothing like her. Rommy was pure heart. Texas, even when he sat at the end of the table all tense and shit, I could see he was holding his breath, waiting on my answer. The kids cared. Nothing like my cold-hearted sister at all.

"Yeah, darlin', I'm here because I care."

Texas scooted back his chair quickly and left the room. When I felt a small hand over mine, I looked down at Rommy. "He gets cranky, but I'm sure he likes that you care."

I wasn't sure she was only seven.

*  *  *  *

The funeral sucked. No one turned up. It was me and the kids and that was fuckin' all. It was obvious she'd made no friends and from the way she treated her kids, I understood why.

I sat on the end of the bench as the reverend talked up front about a sister I didn't really know. About how loving and great she was. It was all full of fuckin' shit, and I would have stormed outta the place if it wasn't for the kids. When Rommy started crying, I curled my arm around her and brought her in close to my side. I looked down at Texas sitting next to Rommy. He watched his sister in my arms with tears in his eyes, but they never fell. I stayed sitting there listening to the crap for those kids. It was their chance to say goodbye to the woman who birthed them and, from the way Texas fought with his emotions and won by not crying, I swear it was his way to stick it up to my cunt of a sister. It was his way to show he didn't care she'd left the world.

I was fuckin' proud of him because I would have done the same.

The rest of the week was spent packing up shit and getting stuff sent to Melbourne, so it'd be there when we arrived. Pick had rang me. They'd offered to set up the kids' rooms. It meant I'd have to get rid of my home gym so the kids didn't have to share a room, but at that stage, I didn't care.

All I wanted was to give them the best chance they could, something that became obvious they'd never had. They'd had a shit life with my sister. Hell, they'd cringed when I'd shouted at the TV over some game and would cower if I moved suddenly.

She must've yelled at them a lot, and I was worried she'd hit them, as well. All the signs were pointing in that direction. After just a few days, I'd wished she were alive so I could fuck her up for it.

They were good kids. At least Rommy was. Texas, with time, I'd know more about, but he was still gettin' around like a robot. Least he did what I asked. Rommy was a ray of sunshine. She actually made me laugh when she asked stupid shit. I'd see her brother roll his eyes at his sister, but every time, I didn't miss the small smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

I was nervous about getting them back to Melbourne and into my house. It meant it was final. It meant I was permanently in charge of two young kids. They'd be under my roof until I saw fit they could move out on their own. Would be a long fuckin' time coming. They'd have to find the safest place to live and the right people to be around.

Holy motherfuckin' shit.

My chest got tight.

They'd eventually want to date.

I'd kill anyone who fucked with them.

Kill them slowly and painfully.

Jesus. That was if all of it didn't kill me first.

It was the last night in their house when Rommy came into the spare room where I slept. I was sittin' up in bed talking to Pick on the phone, finding out they'd still had crap-all on Baxter when Rommy walked in like a bloody zombie, rubbing her eyes, hair all crazy. I quickly told Pick I had to go and asked Rommy what was wrong.

She shook her head, climbed onto the bed and shocked me when she proceeded to sit on my lap, her head resting against my tee-covered chest.

"Rommy, darlin', what's up?"

Tiredly, she asked, "Do you think Mummy is happy now?"

I turned to stone. Shit like that I was no good at. I didn't know what to say, and I knew I'd fuck it up in some way.

Still, I had to give it a go. She was feeling the loss. Even if her mum was a shit mum, I still knew Rommy loved her. Pure heart of gold, that kid.

"Yeah, babe. I reckon your mum is happy, even though she'll miss you. I mean, who wouldn't? You're a great kid to be around. Same with your brother. Even when he's being a moody shit...hell, I mean..." Ah, crap! Don't swear in front of kids. I felt Rommy's body shake. She was laughing. "Rom, the answer is, yeah, your mum would be happy."

She sighed a content little sigh. "Are you, Uncle Trey?"

"‘Course, darlin'. Only a fool would not be happy if they got to have you and your brother in their life."

"'Kay." She shifted on my lap to wrap her arms around my neck. "Love you, Uncle Trey. So, so, so, so, so happy you came to get us."

My eyes closed. It felt like I was punched in the gut at the same time my heart grew double its size.

I'd kill any fucker who fucked with them.

*  *  *  *

The flight home was uneventful. Both kids behaved themselves, both on the plane and off. Rommy was a ball of excitement, loved everything she saw, and regularly pointed shit out that I'd seen a million times over. Texas sat in the front of the car looking out the window, saying nothing except for when his sister said something to him. At least he wasn't freezing her outta his life like he was me.

Give him time.

How much time did a kid need when it was a sure thing to say he didn't like his mother?

As soon as they were settled in, I'd be havin' a word with Texas, and he'd better listen if we're to live under the same roof.

We weren't long home before the kids were in their rooms checking out their new things. Rommy loved her girly room, no doubt thanks to Josie. She squealed and pounded on her new junk. All I saw was pink crap everywhere. Texas was even surprised about his room. It held posters of skateboarding people, motocross guys, a desk, a new bed and some other stuff scattered around. What I liked the best was the smile I saw. Only, he quickly wiped it away with the back of his hand. When I asked if he liked it, his answer was a shrug.

Walking out, I picked up my bag and went to my room to dump it. That was when I saw the fuckin' note. Goddamn Low tried to give the money back from the shit I bought her. It was not happenin'.

I was home. Things had to get back to what they were before I fucked it all up, and I was gonna see to it.

I'd already written my own note when there was a knock on the front door. I stalked down the hallway and swung it open to see Pick and Billy.

"Fuckin' good to have you back." Pick smiled and slapped me on the back before moving around me to get into the house. "You had dinner yet? We're thinkin' about pizza. Wanna join us at Dive's?"

"Who's ‘us’?" I asked after greeting Billy with the same slap to the back.

Pick shrugged. "Josie, me, Billy and Low."

"Sure, I'll give it ten, though," I said.

"Why?" Billy asked.

"Need you to run next door, give Low this, and the note."

"Fuck. You sure you want to get her fire goin' before seein' her?"

"Always loved a good fire brewing before I got to it." I smiled. Billy shook his head, but walked back outta the house with the money and note.

"Hey," I heard Pick say. I turned to find Texas standing in the living room.

"Don't be rude, man," I warned.

"Hi," Texas said with a glare. "You a biker, too?"

"Sure am. Name's Pick."

"Tex."

So, he didn't like Texas, either.

"Good to meet'cha." Pick smiled.

"Uncle Trey!" was screamed from Rommy as she ran down the hall. "Uncle Trey." I ignored Pick's laughter beside me as Rommy ran into the room and headed straight for me. I braced. She attacked and clung to me with her arms around my waist. She looked up at me and smiled. "I love my room. Love it. L.O.V.E it so, so, so, so much. Already I love living with you because you haven't yelled at us once. You yell at the TV, but not us and you don't get cross when we do things wrong, like when I spilt my drink. You don't smack us." Her head turned to its side. "Is it wrong to like it here when Mummy's not here?"

Fuck, fuck, fuck me.

"No, kiddo. I don't think it is."

Shit. I shoulda realised it. I shoulda felt the change in the room, but Rommy had all my attention.

Looking to Pick, I warned on a growl, "Brother." His eyes snapped to me. Christ, he didn't like the fact my fucked-up sister treated the kids badly. "Cool it."

"She smacked them for spilling drinks? She yelled at them?" he snarled.

"Tex, take your sister to get cleaned up. We're gonna have dinner next door."

"But," Rommy started, "I wanna meet him. Hi." She waved at Pick. With his clenched jaw, he gave her a chin lift.

"Tex. Now, kid."

"Rommy, come on."

I caught her eyes and said, "Darlin', you can meet a lot of my friends soon, yeah?"

"Okay, Uncle Trey." She smiled and walked to her brother, who took her hand. He gave one last, strange look to me and Pick then walked her outta the room.

"She smacked them about. Yelled at them. What else did she do, brother?" Pick asked low.

Running a hand through my hair, I said, "It's as much as I know. Tex hasn't really opened up to me, and Rommy isn't one to talk bad about her mum. But Tex said the first night I got there that she often told them she hated them. If they weren't around, she'd still have her low-life husband. She didn't treat them good, brother."

"Fuck," he hissed. "Fuck!" he roared.

Grabbing his neck, I pulled him close. "Look at me." His rage-filled eyes hit mine. "They're good now. They have a good place to stay and we'll all make sure of it. Won't we, brother?" He said nothing, his eyes closed, his breath heavy. "They'll never feel fear again. They'll never be treated like shit again. They'll know they're worth something and we'll all make it so. You get me, Pick? They'll be happy from now on, brother."

He nodded.

I let go of him and said, "I'll go get the kids and we'll head over. You calm down, yeah?"

"I'm good, brother."

"Good. Besides, I need to get the fuck over there to see to my woman." I smirked.

He snorted. "May take a while until she agrees she's your woman."

"I'm lookin' forward to the fun and games then." I left Pick chuckling in the living room and walked down the hall.

"Uncle Trey," I heard called as I passed Tex's room. I looked in and found him sittin' on his bed.

"Yeah, mate?" I asked, hands to the doorframe. Excitement ran through me from hearin’ my nephew call out to me for the first fuckin’ time. Progress was a beautiful thing.

"Is...your friend, he okay?"

I nodded. "He just hates to hear about kids being treated the way you and your sister were. But he'll be cool now."

"Okay," Tex uttered and glanced to the floor.

"You all right, kid?"

His eyes met mine and he said, "I-I think I will be."

"Good, I'm glad.” Bloody ecstatic, I couldn’t comprehend the relief I was feeling. “Now, where's your sister?"

He actually smiled then, and fuck was I glad to see it. "She's in her room trying on clothes."

Fuck. There'd be a huge mess of girly shit everywhere, one I didn't want to see.

"Ah, you wanna go get her and we'll head next door for some pizza."

"Cool."

Knocking on the doorframe twice, I moved off towards the living room smiling. Hell, things could actually work out. I just needed my little bird back in my life.