A Gypsy Oath

Yours, mine, and ours

Laila-

We walk into the mast bedroom that is a whole house in it self. The back wall is all one way glass from roof to floor over looking a beautiful pool with a water fall, there is a massive sitting area to one side of the room, to the other is a giant four poster king size bed that has to be the tallest bed I have ever seen before and next to the bed is a shot gun. When we walk into the master closet to one side is Bo’s cloths all sorts and hung or folded to perfection , boots and sneakers line a shoe wrack, then to the other side is a closet made for a woman with two roof to floor shoe wracks tons of space for hanging cloths an island with draws all the way around a sitting area with built in vanity. I mean this is a closet if I ever seen one, however the large gun rack full of guns and bullets in the middle of the closet is just a touch disturbing.

“Hey Bo, odd question but is this ranch a cult thing?”

He pops his head in the closet and give me an odd look.

“No, why?”

“Cause you have a whole David Korean Waco vibe going on with the guns”

“Laila it’s a working ranch, at any hour of the day or night we can have many different things happen around here and you have to grab and go just like jeans and boots, you keep your pistols close for when you gotta go. However that case they are in isnt just for looks, it’s a safe you need a five digit code to get in to it”

“Or a hammer”

“The glass is bullet proof”

“Oh well then ya you need a code then”

“There is also a safe room, in the house and the house has an alarm system with a pad in every room along with monitors in every room”

“Oh so your going more for a Fort Knox thing rather than wack thing got it, is there a room full of gold we can swim in that your protecting?”

“No, cartel has been known to run across our land some times. It’s better to be safe then sorry. Come on and I’ll show you how to use it all and where everything is and tomorrow I’ll take ya out back and we will go shooting”

I take his hand and he shows me the panic room which really give off crazy surviver vibes, he shows me how to use the security panels and give me the code. I don’t bother to tell him I already know how to use a gun. I figure he will learn tomorrow. Then after all that, he sits on the living room sofa and I wonder back to the bedroom and find my duffel bag of cloths, I dig around and find my pjs and go take a hot shower, then I crawl into the big giant bed and pass out cold.

Bo-

I turn on the local news to see what the weather is going to be like for the next few days, laddie makes his way over to me and wants to be loved on so I give him belly rubs for a bit. He’s a big spoiled dog who got use to laying in here on a pillow while I did all the work. Laila went to explore and I give her, her space but when she doesn’t return after a half hour I start to wonder what’s going on, after forty five minutes of her being missing I go on the hunt. What I find is my wife, curled up in my bed, she’s even on her own side. I go into the closet and find a pair of pajama pants and change into them, when I get in the bed it seems to big, and her to far away. Every night since we got married she has slept basically on top on me. Now I lay over here by myself and I don’t like it. I don’t want to wake her up but I don’t want her that far away either. Finally I brake down and pull her across the bed to my side and snuggle her close to me. After a few minutes she tosses and turns till she flips over and wraps herself around me and all seems to be right in the world. This girl who some how stole my heart, has not took over every part of my life and seeing her in my bed tonight a sleep and peaceful was perfection. I hate that some one is trying to harm her, I hate that she just can’t be left alone, I wish there was a way to make it all better, but there isn’t. I lay awake most of the night trying to think about things and trying to find a way to make things better but there is no way. Around six am I feel her start to wake up, I act as if I’m asleep while she gets up and puts on a yoga set and goes to the gym. She is gone a few hours, time in which I get up, shower and shave, get dressed and head for the kitchen for coffee and breakfast. When she comes back in and finds me over a frying pan, she seems shocked.

“What ya doin”

“Making breakfast”

“Why”

“Because some of us eat in the morning because we put in full days of work and need food to make energy. Plus I’m hungry.”

“I meant why didn’t you tell me I would have cooked it for you”

It’s my turn to freeze, I know she can cook but there is a side of me that is scared of that.

“It’s fine, you was busy I’m use to making my own food. I made some for you to just incase you was hungry”

She scrunch’s you her nose and the scrambled eyes and bacon.

“Just coffee for me I don’t eat a lot of breakfast food on the norm”

“As you wish, how do you want it”

“Strong and black”

I pour her a cup of coffee and hand it to her as she hops onto the side board next to the stove top. When I come back I hold her coffee back till she kisses me, she laughs and jokes with me as I eat and she drinks her coffee. I make my way to the living room to put my boots on to get my day started, late but start.

“So what are you doing today”

“I got a call with my father to other family’s about the Turk and the problem at hand this morning then I’m riding out to the heard to check on things then I’ll be back this afternoon and we will try shooting”

“Okay”

She looks around as if she doesn’t know what to do.

“Why don’t you get some of the girls together and go into town go shopping or something”

“Do you think this house is going to clean it self and I might go to the grocery store today get stuff to make dinner and such”

“Darlin, the house keeper will come clean the house. She gets to this house about noon. So you don’t worry about the house and anything you want from the store just write it down on that butcher paper on the wall there and Rosita will make sure it’s in here.”

“I don’t want a house keeper, I can clean a house and go to a*****e I’m not that bad off”

“I never said you was, it’s just how things are done here, but if you want to clean and do all that I’ll text Rosita to skip the house”

“Do you think I need a house keeper and some one to go to the store for me, do you think I can’t do it myself”

The way she ask the question isn’t in a angry way, but a sad way as if to ask if I think she doesn’t know how.

“Darlin I know you can take care of the house I have no doubt about it. If it’s what you want to do then that’s fine. Rosita has worked for my family for over ten years she cleans all the houses daily it’s nothing personal it’s just her job but I can tell her to skip our house unless you tell her to come in”

“Ok I’m going to get started then so I can shower and go into to that H.E.B store I seen up the street”

“Can you get a few loads of the hot French bread”

“Ya I guess but why do we need a few loafs?”

“Cause it’s good”

“Oh ok then”

As I go to put my hat on and to walk out the door she stops me in my tracks.

“Bo, I hate to ask this but can I borrow a car and maybe have some cash to go to the store on”

When I turn around the look on her face is one of shame and sadness and it guts me. She’s prideful and I’m welling too bet she’s never had to ask for simple things like a car and money. Truthfully what kind of ass am I that I didn’t think about it before she had to ask.

“Im sorry, I forgot to tell you the keys to all the cars are in a cupboard in the kitchen, you can use what ever car you want. Everything I have is yours now Laila, you don’t have to ask me for anything. I gave you a bank card there is money on there, but there is a safe in the closet in the corner by my boots I had the code changed to our anniversary and you can take what ever you want out of there”

“I’m not going to drive your cars with out asking and I’m not going into your safe, I’ll only use the card for only the basics I promise”

“Laila, stop that. Don’t do that, the cars are as much yours as they are mine and I don’t care how much you spend or where it’s your money now to”

“No it’s not Bo, I have my own money for stuff that I want and stuff like that, and those are you cars I’m not going to use them as I want. What if I got into a wreck or something and ruined one of your cars I would feel terrible”

I reach over and grab her by the hand and lead her to the garage, I open the door and we walk in. I have five cars in here, a truck in the drive way and then at the very end is Rositas beat up old jeep that I told her to park in here so it wouldn’t be out in the heat of the sun because she has kids to drive home and the ac isn’t the best in the car.

“Pick a car, which ever car you want pick it.”

“What”

“Pick a car which ever one you pick is yours. I’ll sign the papers over and that way it is all yours. Just pick”

She eyes all the cars, even my truck for a minute and then she points to Rositas old jeep.

“That one”

“That’s not mine”

“Who’s is it”

“Rositas”

“Oh well can you get me one of those”

“An old junker”

“Ya”

“No I can’t, no wife of mine is going to drive around in a old junker. Pick one of the cars Laila.”

“Can I just borrow your truck it looks pretty sturdy if some one hits me or I hit them or I hit something in that tank I don’t think it will do much damage.”

“You ever drove a one ton crew cab long bed dooley before?”

“No I have never drove a truck before, I live in New York City I take taxis and ubers everywhere. I have hardly ever drove before. I only learned enough to get my license so I could say I had one .”

With that statement I start to understand more, it’s not about the car, she isn’t use to driving and is scared of doing damage.

“Darlin, This isn’t about the cars is it?”

“Hmm, I don’t know what your talking about”

“Yes, ya do. You don’t drive in . Your not use to it”

“I can drive”

“I never said you couldn’t, I seen you drive when you took the vet and tried to leave me in a parking lot talking to myself”

“I just don’t want to hurt your cars that all”

“I understand that but trust me I don’t mind if ya do. My sister have wrecked enough of my cars that I’m not attached, you wreck it I’ll get new, how about that”

“Do you think Uber comes here, I think they would”

“For Christ sakes Laila, just pick a damn car”

“I did it’s not yours tho”

“I love you I do but woman your driving me up a wall”

“How about this I’ll just wait till you get home and latter on today we can go to the store together”

“That’s fine by me but Darlin you have to have your own car to drive”

“I’ll look on the internet and see if I can find something cheap for me to use”

“I’m not buying you a used car, I’ll buy you a new car form a car lot but no used cars”

“That’s to much I don’t want that”

“Why”

“Because I just don’t ok, just like I don’t want your money alright”

She storms off back into the house and slams the door behind her. I’m left talking to myself wondering what the hell just happen. It’s not till I hear the giggles from behind me that notice Avery walking up the drive way.

“You wanna tell me what Im missing”

“She has this thing, she likes to make her own money. Back home she worked at a little flower shop. Her mother gave her money to buy all the expensive stuff with but once her stuff gets here you’ll see she isn’t as spoiled as you’d think. She doesn’t believe in maids or even sending her laundry out to be done. She doesn’t like being waited on or anything like that. She always cleaned her parents house and did all the house work and then went to work. She’s really down to earth about everything.”

“Really”

“Yep, so question is what do you plan on doing about it?”

“I plan on being an adult and sitting down and talking to her about it. Being a house wife is a full time job and I know, my momma didn’t raise no fool. I got a call to make that if I don’t hurry I’m gonna be late for then I’ll come back and take the day to sort this out.”

“Ya, it should be simple like that.”

“I know I’m setting myself up, but you’ll see”

“Yep, you’ll show me”

Avery has a smile splitting her face. I Know she’s only joking around, but there is a side of me that wonders if Laila will accept things if we sit down and talk about them. I can’t think about that right now tho, I have a call with the other Kings about Mark, the Turk and their dealings with each other. The fact that I am dealing with the elders and also their sons who will, like myself be totally taking over soon is a big deal. The generation gap is one thing but having the wisdom of the elders at work helps move things in the direction I want them to move. This Turk wiz a treat to my marriage and my marriage is a connection that is bringing the south and the east together to form one. It will be me and Landon who rules side by side. Landon is easy going and will make a good leader unlike his older brother Mark. I make my to my parents house, I grab some of my mother’s bacon and a slice of toast as she hands me a cup of coffee that could double as a mini keg and I make my way to my fathers office. As I close the door behind me the phone on his desk starts to ring, he gives me a pointed look that tells me this is my rodeo and answers the call on speaker.

“Good morning gents, I take it we are all on the line now?”

A round of voices come across the speaker to say good morning and agree they are there and ready to listen.

“Good, I’m going to cut to the quick of things and let my son explain what has happen and what has took place. I request silence from all and all questions be held till he finishes and then we can hatch this out.”

Every one agrees and my father nods his go ahead.

“As all of you know I have took a wife, the marriage was arranged by a oath. I had zero problem with the oath however I did take it upon my self to make contact with my wife before the meet, seven months ago I made a f*******: and made contact threw there. It wasn’t long after that we spoke over the phone till three weeks before the meet. She did not know it was me because I made the f*******: under my given name and middle name. I did end up telling her the truth after the meet tho, both families was knowledgeable of the oath. When Don brought Laila here for the meet I convinced her we should elope and speed things up. As the oath was already made and we was heading that way anyways I didn’t see the harm. Neither side was upset by this, Don was nothing but accepting of the marriage and my father was as well. Unbeknownst to any of us, Mark, Dons eldest son has been in leagues with a Turk, he’s in deep to. Don has already disowned his son Mark because of previous indiscretions. Hiss father seen something in him that would not make a good leader and did what he had to do which I imagine was not easy for him to do. Now he has exiled him from his family and has forced Marks hand while on my honey moon it came to my attention that Mark is under the opinion that he can demand my wife leave me and that by his order she should then become the property of a Turk. When he came to our hotel room and demanded she leave me and that didn’t go to plan, he then thought he could miscall another of our woman and call her out of her name so we beat the s**t out of him. The hotel called the police and we had him arrested the next day two special agents one from the FBI and one from the atf visited me. They have been investigating and watching Mark and this Turk for months now and they are into some really messed up s**t, kidnap, human trafficking, drugs, just to name a few but Mark got into this by borrowing money when he hit it hard. His wife I believe to be involved in this as well as she called my wife and told her that she needed to listen to Mark and do as he told her. This can not be allowed and can not be condoned. I am asking all of you to join my family and my men as we go to battle this.”

Everything is so silent I think the call has some how got disconnected but the. I hear whispering on the end of one line. The voice that comes across is a deep voice of a short man that I can’t stand but is also Kathys uncle and king of the west.

“How do you know my niece is involved in this? That is a very serious accusation your making against my family.”

“Because at no point did she ask my wife why she had her brother arrested. In fact she told my wife that Mark was trying to put her into a better marriage then the one with me and that my wife was disrespecting her elders by not listening to her brother and doing as she was told.”

Don is the next voice.

“Kathy is as deep in this as Mark it pains me to say it but they both are knee high is shit.”

Don, Ivan East king of the north, and my father all agree to go to war against the Turks with me. Kathys uncle has remained silent the whole time and Ivan calls him out on it.

“Frank you know what your niece is, you know that girl looks for trouble to get into. This isn’t your first mess but you need to make it the last. She isn’t your child”

“I need a few hours to think about this, I will call the table back by morning”

He hangs up his line. We all know he is going to go and tell everything that has been said, he will go tell his niece what information he has collected and find out her side of it. Once he does that he will harbor in the west but he can’t take Mark in, that would make things very hard on him and it would cut off the flow of money to him that the gypsy nation puts up for lawyers, healthcare, single mothers and widows and so much more. Taking in Mark would cause the west pain and sorrow that would get him over thrown. However harboring his niece is a different story, they can lie and say she came home or something to that effect truthfully I don’t care as long as Laila is safe.

I give the conversation back over to my father and start back towards my own house and the problems I left there but I don’t get far when I find Laila in my mothers kitchen. She’s got her hand over the sink and a rag wrapped around it. I make it across the kitchen in four steps

“What the f**k happen to your hand”

“I slipped and had a plate in my hand and it hit the ground and shattered and when I was picking up the dog barked but I forgot the dog was in the house and I jumped and got cut it’s not a big deal it’s just my wrist.”

“Your wrist, Jesus Laila let me see it”

I grab her arm and open the now red rag and see her wrist pumping blood pretty good, she’s done damage that’s for sure.

“Why didn’t you call me”

“You had work to do and I didn’t want to be a bother she I just walked over here and told your mom. She gone to get the first aid kit then she said we will go to the local what everyone that is”

“Your not going to a f*****g vet ill have my

Mom patch you up and we will go to the hospital in San Antonio”

“A vet, like for animals ? Why would I go there?”

“The local guy is a vet, he lives ten minutes from here and given for normal s**t ya he can patch you up but your not gonna get patched up by a vet, I’ll take you into the hospital”

“The local guy is fine, if that’s where everyone else goes I will to. You don’t have to take me

I know you have other stuff to do. I didn’t mean to bother you during your day, really I’m fine.”

“God damnit Laila, will you stop acting like that”

“Acting like what”

“Like your a bother to me, like your annoying me. Your not, and I’m not taking my new bride to a f*****g vet to get stitches”

“I’m sorry”

“Don’t tell me your sorry you don’t have nothing to be sorry for”

“I’m just trying to blind in, I don’t want any special treatment”

“Well your special to me so if that’s how I want to treat you oh well”

“I don’t want special treatment, I don’t want you to treat me any different then you would one of your other girls friends. Like that waitress, you didn’t treat her special.”

“Ya well your not one of my girlfriends your my wife. And just to be clear the waitress wasn’t my girl friend either she wasn’t anything”

“It didn’t seem that way”

“Jesus Laila there is no winning with you”

“ ya know what I’m fine I’m going to go back to your house and I will figure this out there ok”

She goes to stop out when my mother come back in with the first aid kit. She grabs Lailas arm and gets to work on cleaning the cut. Laila stands looking at the floor and now I’m thinking about what she said and the way she meant it. I never take my eyes off her and every now and then she lifts her eyes and looks at me, I got a feelin that this is going to turn into something, what that something is however that’s a different story.