MC: LaPonte-Karr: Book Three (4 page)

"Where are you from?  We should probably get in touch with your family; at least tell them you're ok."  She holds my hand.

"They're dead or sold.  The men killed them in church.  They took the girls and a couple of women.  The girls got sold.  I don't know what happened to the women."

She has tears.  I put my hand on her face and feel them.  She pulls me to her just holding me with her arms around me.  I don't move.  Something in me breaks and I cry.  She holds me while I cry.  My family is gone.  My friends are gone.  I cry because I'm free.

Kate holds me until Rich and Patches get back.  She brings me into the bathroom and helps me get dressed.  I look like her in jeans and a t-shirts.  She put a tank top that squishes my boobs at first.  I have shoes and socks.  They feel funny on my feet but Kate ties them.  Looking at me she says, "they're a bit big but they'll do for now.  When we come out Patches hands me a coat.  Kate tells me it's a hoodie and puts it on me, she says it’s until we can shop for bras.  I nod because I don't understand or know what to say to that.

"Are you hungry?" Patches asks.

I'm always hungry so I tell him, "always."  Rich leaves.  I hope he comes back.  They laugh; Kate tells me that's Ally's favorite word.  I smile.  "I saw Ally in my dream; she said her grandmother says she could help me."  Kate just looks at me.

"Your dream?" She asks.

"Ally said hers; Rich's and Patches' strong will help me.  Her grandmother said they could do it."

Kate hugs me with tears again.  "If anyone can they can.  They are very strong people.  I can see you are very special.  How old are you Tess?"

"I think I'm twenty one." I tell her she nods.

"Where did the Outlaws take you from?"

"Church in Connecticut. It was a small white church.  We lived in the parsonage."  I put my hand on my heart to stop it from hurting.  I feel the tears.

Patches lifts me up and holds me to him holding my head against his chest he rocks back and forth on the chair.  Rich comes in with a bag and food.  I can smell it, my stomach growls.  Patches laughs, "Let's get some food in you.  You may want a nap after that.  We'll figure out the best way to get you home."  I nod.

Rich puts the food on the table with a fork and napkin.  I feel tears on my face.  Kate holds my hand and brings me to the chair in front of the food.  She sits on the side of me with her hand on my back.  "It's been a long time since you ate at a table.  We'll take it slow.  You can put your napkin on your lap."  I do.  "Use your fork and enjoy your meal."

I laugh.  For the first time in so long I laugh, then I cry.  "Sorry."

She hugs me. "No, not sorry.  It just is.  Go ahead and eat."  She lets me go.

Rich

Fuck how the fuck did she eat?  They washed her like a dog, they fed her like one too I bet.  She scoops the food like she's eating with a spoon and this is her first meal in weeks.  Patches is watching with tears in his eyes.  Fuck, I turn and start packing my shit.  They fed her like a fuckin dog.  Patches packs, we get our bags by the door and wait for Tess to finish eating.  He starts packing her clothes leaving the boots out.  She has food all around her mouth and down her chin.  I get a towel from the bathroom, when I come out Kate is wiping her face with the napkin.  I bend in front of her and wash her face.  She smiles with barbecue sauce on her chin.  Kate chuckles.  "We'll work on that."  I tell her.  She smiles and nods.  "I need to talk to Pres and my dad.  Do you want to lie down while I'm gone?"  She looks scared.  "Patches will stay here with you."

She nods with a relieved look.  "Thank you for the food.  It was the best I've ever had."  Fuck.  I give her chin.  She climbs on the bed and lies down in the middle curled into a ball.  I look at Kate; I don't know what to do.

"You'll have to tell her everything.  It's been a long time since she's been with people.  She doesn't know what to do anymore."  She's looking between Patches and me.  I nod.  Patches goes to the bed and shows her how to lay with her head on the pillow.  She moves and smiles when her head hits the pillow, she touches it giving it a squeeze.  Her hand finds Patches and she closes her eyes.  Patches body freezes, his eyes find me.  I nod and walk to the door.  Kate follows me.  When I stand aside for her to walk through she's shaking her head with a smile on her face.  "I think she's going to be just fine Rich.  As Little Ben and Jessie used to say, 'You'll use your strong to fix her inside.'  I think Ally is going to help too."

I smile, my little sister is so sweet, she’ll love Tess.  "Where will she live?"  I don't want her to leave my side but I don't know what's right for her.

"I'm going to ask your dad if she can stay with us until she's ready to be on her own.  Not taking anything away from you and Patches, I just think she shouldn't be left alone.  She a grown woman that needs to learn how to be a grown woman.  She's been with them for at least five years. Anything that she knew, she lost being a slave.  It’s kind of like being brainwashed.  The kids will know what to do and give her what she needs."

I know she's right. "Yeah."  Fuck, I don't want her to be farther than arm’s length from me or Patches but she needs to be with people.

Going up to my dad’s room my fuckin head is spinning.  I follow Kate in.  My dad, Pres and VP are sitting at the table.  This room is a suite.  Nice.  I throw chin and wait for Kate to sit.

"I'd like to keep Tess at our house until she's ready to live on her own."  She tells them.

They all look at me. "They treated her like a dog.  She cried when Kate sat her at the table to eat. She didn't use utensils so she scooped with her fork like it was a spoon and this was her first meal in a fuckin month.  She didn't know how to lie down on the bed.  I'm pretty sure Kate washed and dressed her."  She nods.

"She can stay in Patches room."  My father says without hesitation.  I let a breath out.  Thank fuck!  I throw chin.

"Her family was killed or sold.  She was taken from a church in Connecticut.  She's positive they're dead.  Her father was the pastor.  She lived in the parsonage.  She thinks she's twenty one. They've had her since she was sixteen."

"Fuck!"  VP says.

"Yeah."  I say.  "We need to get her home before the Outlaws try getting her back after the money changes hands."  They nod, they had the same thought.  "However much they want I'll pay it."

"It's done Rich."  Pres says.  I nod.

"I had to explain you didn't buy her but bought her freedom.  She wanted to know who she owed."  I tell them. Pres stands up quick.

"You know how she'll try paying people back.  Get that fuckin shit right out of her head and do it quick before someone takes advantage of it."  He's looking at me.  He's not asking.  I nod.  Kate puts her hand on his arm; he relaxes and sits down blowing a breath out.  "Fuckin Outlaws."

VP looks at me. "Groups leavin today.  Some of ours, some the chapters south.  Petey is drivin back with them.  She can't be on a bike with you or Patches she's in the truck.  Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Petey will have our gear from the PD.  Whatever you need to keep her safe is what you do."

"Thanks VP."  I look at them, my family.  "When do we leave?"

"Five, gives you an hour and a half."  Pres says.

"Anything else I need to know?"  I ask.

"Don't put her in a situation that she doesn't know what to do.  If she needs a bathroom walk her there and back, she won't know how to navigate through people.  It might be better if you kept her away from crowds.  If she gets scared or goes back to that blank look, just hold her until you get her back.  You’ll notice she lowers her eyes when men get close.  She’s not used to looking men in the eye.  I’m amazed she looks at you and Patches without any problem.  You have good instincts with her, keep following them.  When you need it, it will come to you."  I nod and look around the table.  When they have nothing to add I stand.

"Thank you."  I hug Kate throw chin to my Brothers and get back to my room.

Patches is on the bed.  Tess is against his side, her head on his chest.  "Nightmare or flashback." He says softly.

I nod giving him a smile.  She looks calm now.  She'll learn how to sleep in peace with time.  We have time.  "We leave at five."  He nods.  "She'll be staying with my dad and Kate."

"Thank fuck.  I was hoping they didn't put her in a shelter.  She needs people around her.  The kids will be perfect; they'll teach her without judgment."  He's always overlooked and I can't figure out why.  He's a smart fuckin son of a bitch.

"Yeah.  Kate says we need to stick close.  If she needs the bathroom on our way we walk her there and back.  Keep her out of crowds and if she has a meltdown or turns blank just hold her until she's back."  My eyes leave her face to look in his.  He nods.  He knows.   "Something drew me to her and her to me.  She knew you Patch, she asked me when I was carrying her here.  Do you think she's the one?"

"Yeah.  It's going to be hard though.  She needs time."  He says looking down at her.  "Can you lay with her so I can run to the booth with jewelry?"

"Yeah Brother, are you getting her the survivor necklace?"  I ask.

"Yeah."  He smiles at me.  I lay on the other side and he turns her.  She lays flat on her back putting her feet flat on the bed legs open she spreads them wide lifting them up and puts her hands above her head.

"Fuck."  We both whisper.  I pull her over positioning her with her head on my chest.  Patches has tears in his eyes again.  He walks out without a word.  I feel the fuckin tear roll down my cheek.  I haven't cried since I was a kid.  Fuckin Outlaws will pay for this.

Patches

I walk out of the room and down to the lobby.  I find the men's room and stand inside against the wall.  She was fed like a dog.  Never wore clothes.  She rolled over spreading her legs because that's what she was trained to do.  Hands over her head so she wouldn't touch them.  How the fuck will she get out of that?  We have to be strong for her.  I wipe my eyes, take some breaths and walk out.  I can do this.  She needs us like the women from the shelters.  We can do this together.  I walk out finding the booth halfway down the through way.  I don't know why I showed this to Rich yesterday. I had no reason to pay attention to fuckin jewelry but I saw it and came closer to see it better.  Today it has a purpose.  We can put a tracker on it and it's an open heart with survivor written on the side.  The stone in the middle matches her eyes.   I find a bracelet for Ally and Elizabeth.  Since we're leaving early I grab t's for all the kids.  I pick funny ones for Aaron and Alex.  I know Rich got them all Swiss Army knives.  He had their names put on them.  He got Ally a bracelet for her ankle that matches the one I got her.

Getting back she's still sleeping on Rich.  I smile as he opens his eyes.  He smiles at the bags.  I sign the kids.  He nods signing he didn't get for Elizabeth.  I show him the extra t I picked up on the way in.  I get this shit packed and take out the chocolate.  Looking at my watch I tell him the time.  He nods then kisses Tess' head.  He's so gentle with her I smile.  It's good for him.

She opens her eyes, he tells her it's almost time for us to leave.  She nods and looks at his dick.  He lifts her chin.  "Patches got you some chocolate.  She looks at me and smiles."

"Like M&M's?"  She asks.  I show her the bag, she tears it apart.  I stop her hand as she lifts it with three pieces.

Sitting down I pull her over to the table.  She sits.  "All of them are for you.  You don't have to share them if you don’t want to."  She looks down and puts her fuckin hand out to me.  "No thank you Tess.  I got them for you to enjoy."  She moves her hand back toward her mouth.  Fuck!  I stop her again.  "They're different flavors in the middle.  If you put them in all together you won't find out what your favorite is.  She puts two down and stuffs the last in her mouth fast so I don't stop her again.  I hold my laugh in.  She smiles at me with fuckin chocolate running down the side of her chin.  I get up and get a towel for her face.  Rich grabs the bags and walks out.  He's pissed again.  At least this time he has a good reason.  I clean Tess up and get her to bite the chocolate in half.  She likes dark chocolate.  I tell her it's my favorite too.  She gives me that fuckin chocolate smile again.  I laugh cleaning her face.  I roll the bag up and tell her I'll put them in her bag for the ride.  She watches the bag as if someone is going to come in and steal the fuckin thing.

I get her boots on her; she doesn't seem to like shoes on her feet.  Jess and Kate will laugh at that.  I bet they fix that quick too.  I smile at her.

"Perfect Biker chick look you got going on Tess."  She spins, happy with her clothes.  Rich comes back with leather for her and says it's time.  She grabs the chocolate bag.  I laugh.  I put her shoes in the truck with Petey and get back to them.  Rich is waiting.  I just look at him.  She needs to decide who she'd be comfortable with.  She goes to Rich, I smile.  He signs 'is it ok with you', I tell him I want her to be comfortable.  He smiles signing thanks.  When I look up Pres is watching.  He signs 'good job be safe'.  I throw chin and roll out on the side of Rich.  Tess is holding on for dear life, she has her face plastered to his back.  I laugh.  She opens her eyes and smiles at me.  After a while she relaxes.  Rich looks over at me.  Something has him worried.   He signs 'two exits Outlaws'.  I stop and text VP.   Catching up I see he's more relaxed.  Tess is looking around.  She likes the bike.  Thirty minutes from home we stop at a rest area to get water.  Tess gets her chocolate and bites one piece.  I smile at her.  She rolls the bag and puts it back in her bag.  She rides with me for the rest of the way.  Rich seems happy watching her enjoy the ride.