Crow
1070 Words
The rest of my shift, I spent it performing a tense ballet of serving drinks and dodging glances, and when the clock finally struck closing time, I couldn’t deny the sense of relief I felt. I’d spent the whole night, since walking through the bar’s door, riding on anxiety, and I was more than ready to unwind for a little while before doing it all over again the next night.
I’d managed to push aside some of my angst, and was cashing out the register, when Crow came up behind me. "Go home," he growled, handing me a wad of money.
Within minutes of Crow damn near tossing me out of the bar, its neon lights were fading in my rearview mirror, and I couldn't help but wonder what I'd gotten myself into as the pavement rolled beneath my truck’s tires.
When I arrived home, the house was quiet and the only light was coming from the flickering TV in the living room.
Amy, Leo’s babysitter, was asleep on the couch, and gently nudging her shoulder, I jarred her awake.
"How was he tonight?" I whispered, trying not to let the exhaustion I felt seep into my voice.
Amy yawned, rubbing at her eyes before she answered, "He was a trooper. He only had one bad spell, but I called the doc, and she said it's normal with the new meds."
I nodded, handing her the babysitting fee. "Thanks for staying late. I appreciate it."
"No problem," she said, smiling. "He's a joy to care for."
Once she was out the door, I tiptoed into Leo’s room, his small chest rising and falling rhythmically under his Spider-Man blanket. Though his cheeks appeared flushed with fever, the medication seemed to be working, and bending, I kissed his forehead gently before retreating out of his room.
Minutes later, as I collapsed onto my own bed, the weight of my day crashed down on me. The bar, the bikers, Snake’s visit—it was a lot to process. But I couldn’t let it get to me.
~~
The next morning, sitting at a local diner, Leo was consuming a bowl of oatmeal, as I sipped coffee that was a few degrees too hot, trying to plan out my next steps. The new treatment for Leo was expensive but worth it, and I was willing to sell my soul to give him a chance.
Sliding into the booth across from me, Mel's voice broke through my thoughts as she asked, eyes full of concern, "You okay, Oce?"
"Yeah," I muttered, taking a deep breath. "You know how it is. Just trying to figure bills and everything.
She nodded, her gaze understanding, before asking, "How'd it go with Dad?"
"I don't know... interesting, maybe?" I said, playing with the sugar packet. "He's definitely not what I expected."
"And by that you mean?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I don't know," I sighed. "I guess I didn't think he'd be so... intense."
"Intense is one way to put it," Mel chuckled.
We talked for a little longer about the bar and the Renegades, and the weirdness of having a parent that was so deeply involved in a world that felt both alien and eerily familiar. To me, Mel had always been the one with the cool dad, the one who had all the answers, the one who knew all the secrets. But as we sat there, sipping coffee and trading stories, it dawned on me that maybe she didn't have all the answers. Maybe she was just as lost as I was.
"I'm curious. Did Crow ever talk about Phoenix...my dad?" I asked.
Mel's smile faded, and she stirred her coffee thoughtfully. "Only that they were close. Something went wrong between them though." She leaned in closer, lowering her voice. "Whatever it was, he's pretty tight-lipped about it."
We sat in silence for a few minutes, lost in our own thoughts. The sound of Leo's spoon clicking against his bowl brought me out of my thoughts, and with a shrug, I murmured, "Guess it’s a mystery I'll have to solve."
That evening the atmosphere in the bar was charged. The Renegades were on edge, their conversations hushed and tense, and though I tried keeping my focus on the job, my mind kept drifting to Snake's words from the night before and the danger he represented.
The night dragged on and Rouger, Crow's right hand man, and vice president of the Renegades, gave me a break from the monotony as he took a seat at the bar. His eyes, a piercing green, studied me for a moment before he asked, "You holdin' up?"
Forcing a smile, I nodded "Yeah, I've seen worse."
Giving a grunt, and a hint of a smile playing on his lips, Rouger stated, "You got spunk, kid. That's good. You're gonna need it around here."
"Thanks, Rouger," I murmured, for the first time that evening feeling like I might have actually made a friend. "I'll do my best."
He nodded. "Just remember, you're part of the Renegades' family now. We look out for our own."
Rouger didn’t stay long, but in the time he did, his gruffness gave way to a surprising gentleness as he questioned me about Leo's condition. It also became clear that he cared deeply for Mel.
Half an hour later, the door to Crow's office creaked open and he stepped out, his eyes scanning the bar before turning toward me. The music, the chatter, the clinking of glasses—everything seemed to dim as he approached the counter. "How's it going?"
"Good," I murmured. The truth was, I felt like a fish out of water, surrounded by all these rough men.
Leaning a hip against the counter, Crow's gaze searched my face. "You sure?" he asked. "You don't sound so certain."
"Yeah," I replied, plastering a smile on my face. "Just getting the hang of it."
Crow studied me for a moment longer, before, expression unreadable, he nodded. "All right, then. If you need anything, come find me, okay?"
Fake smile still plastered in place, I nodded again. "Sure thing," I replied.
As the night grew later, the bar became more crowded, which increased the tension in the room, and though Crow remained in his office, his presence seemed everywhere and I knew he was watching, assessing, judging if I had what it took to survive in this world.
- Writer
