Page 59 of Truck

Whistle is sitting next to me asking if I have seen Xero and the brothers. I shrug and look around. I don’t see them, but they know about church as I told them yesterday to be here and not be late.

Speak of the three of them and they saunter into church as if they’ve been attending for years. They each take a seat behind me and give me a nod. I nod in return and turn back to the front, waiting for Pres to arrive.

“Are you gonna claim your woman today, Truck?” Whistle asks while looking straight ahead.

I smirk as I reply. “Sure am, Whistle. I had Books order my cut two weeks back, and it’s here today so gonna have it put to the vote.”

Whistle agrees with a nod, offering no further words, yet the subtle twitch of his mouth suggests a smile. The most I was likely to receive from him at this time.

Pres, Cap, and Finger walk in and quickly take their places. Pres opens the meeting without wasting time. We all listen to the officers give their reports before Pres asks if anyone has any business to bring to the table.

“Yeah, I have business,” I quickly say and look at Pres for his nod to continue. “I want to claim Rory as my old lady, and I want it voted on. I’ve got her cut ready, Pres.”

“Okay. Does anyone have any objections?” Pres asks, and nobody speaks. It’s a good thing because I’d have beaten the crap out of them if they had objected. “Show of hands for Rory being Truck’s official old lady.”

Every hand in the room lifts, and I get the usual comments. “Pussy whipped.” “Henpecked.” “Oh, no more runs.” As I said, the usual bullshit. “Shut the fuck up,” I snarl, but have a grin on my face while doing so.

Books hands me the cut and taking the lid from the box I see the name patch on the front. ‘Numbers.’ That is the suggestion Pres gave when I had a conversation with him about claiming Rory. Financial manager, working with numbers, it suits me and I like it, so I ran with it.

“Who chose that name?” Bowie asks.

“Pres suggested it, and it is perfect for Rory. I reckon Pres may be the one to name all the old ladies. He seems to have a flair for it,” Joker laughs, but we are all nodding in agreement.

“Is Rory here?” Cap asked me, and I give him a shake of the head that no, she isn’t here this morning.

I had left her weeding the front yard while talking and laughing with the neighbors who each had a chair next to the front door. I should have brought her, but I knew she’d not like the attention getting her cut would bring, and I need to explain the meaning behind the cut.

“Anything else we need to discuss?” Pres again asks, and again I speak out.

“Yeah, me again, Pres.” I smirk when I hear Cap snort.

“What is it this time, Truck?” Pres asks as he leans back in his seat, folding his arms over his chest.

“The gas station, as you all know, now has the vehicle recovery running their business from the mechanic's shop at the rear, along with the office that Bull had delivered which is now operational. What we also have is a shower area that was used for long-haul truckers at one time. Why don’t we reopen it, give them a pit-stop area, basically. They buy a token which opens the shower area, and it’s all set up as I said. We just have to get it running. Rum thinks we could get a cleaning company to come in and make sure they remain hygienic, and we can report each morning how many of the showers need cleaning. Or we can get our own cleaner who comes in and cleans daily, regardless.” I throw it out as quickly as possible, and the positive comments I’m hearing are encouraging.

“Good idea, Truck,” Judge throws into the mix, and looks at Pres before looking back at me. “If you have regular truckers, it will work. I’ve had a lot of trucker friends over the years, and they’ve all said the same thing to me. They aim for the best stop they know, and they park, eat, drink, piss, and sleep before heading out again. What they all said was lacking was shower rooms with privacy. They’d pay for it, Truck, and as long as it covers the cleaning cost you can’t lose.”

Pres speaks as soon as Judge sits back in his seat. “Okay, Coin, check it out with Books and Keys. Look at cleaning and any other costs that may need considering. Truck, are the showers working?”

“Yes. Rum went in and checked them out.” I chuckle, “He came back to the office wet to the skin, cursing like one of us, and declared them working.”

“Okay, any objections?” Pres asks. Nobody objects, so we call it done. I’ll let Rum know Coin, Books, and Keys will speak to him about the project. That’s what Rum calls it, so he can deal with it.

Pres dismisses us, and I speak with Xero, Echo, and Dice a few minutes before I head home to put my property patch on Rory’s back.

Chapter 31

TRUCK

After church, I quickly head home. I want to get my cut on Rory’s back. I hadn’t wanted to settle down with a woman until I met Rory, and she instantly gained my attention. I’m just thankful that she liked me enough to give me a chance. Everything has happened quickly, which is why I am making sure she knows me and trusts me. I’m in this for the long haul, and I don’t think for one minute that Rory isn’t, because she is not the type of person to lead you on or commit to someone falsely.

Walking into the house, I shout while grinning like a fool. “Honey, I’m home!”

Hearing a giggle, I head to the kitchen where Rory is writing in a large notebook. But she quickly closes the book and steps toward me, grabbing my cut and pulling me down for a kiss. Too right we kiss when I come home, we kiss when I leave. We kiss whenever we feel like it and don’t give a shit who is watching.

“What have you got there?”

“Well, babe. I ordered this and today in church you were officially honored by the brothers when they all voted for you as my old lady. Now, before you say anything let me explain that if someone is, for example, a mean bitch, a brother could vote to stop that person being an official old lady of the club. The old lady of a brother has the entire club at her back. They will protect her, support her, and make sure if anything happened to her man they’d provide if she needed it.” I pause because Rory is standing in front of me with a shocked look on her face and fuck it, a tear running down her cheek. “Don’t cry, babe. It’s a good thing. In the eyes of the club, you are like my wife, but we will get married when we’re ready. So that’s not an issue we need to worry about. It’ll happen when you are ready.”