Midnight Rider

Chapter 4

It’s been almost a month since I moved back home. I’ve only been working and hanging out at the house. Jason hasn’t tried coming by and I couldn’t be happier. 

I pulled into the parking lot at work and straightened my scrubs.  I work at a small cancer treatment center. It’s a sister building to a bigger cancer treatment center closer to the college. I usually do CAT scans on patients to plan for their radiation treatments.  If I’m not busy I will help the nurses giving radiation infusions.  I help by drawing blood for tests, accessing the patient’s ports or starting IVs. Ciara also works here.

People would think that working with cancer patients would be really sad and depressing. It has it’s moments, but you become really attached to the patients.  We sit with them for hours at a time, so we even get to know their families as well. Even though we like the majority of our patients, everyone has their favorites.

I was sitting with one of my favorites today. Her name is Stella, she’s one of the sweetest ladies. She reminds me of my grandma, always has good advice. Stella’s been working on crocheting  a baby blanket for her newest grandson during her treatments. 

“Can you believe this will be my tenth grandchild?!” she exclaimed.

“That’s great! You guys have your hands full. Have they picked out a name yet?”

“They say they have but want to keep it a secret until he arrives.” She was making a ombre blanket with different hues of blue.

“I think they’ll love that blanket, its going to be pretty.”

“I’ve made one for every grandchild. Each with their own color.” She smiled. I busied myself helping with other patient’s until I returned to check on her.

“How are you doing sweetie?” she had put the blanket down on her lap and was looking at me.

I sighed a little but smiled, “I’m doing ok. It still hurts but I know I’m better off”

“That’s right!” she held my hand, “Bad things are usually blessings in disguise. Did you know that I had my heart broken before I married Victor?”

“I don’t think you’ve mentioned it.”

“Well you know Victor and I have been married almost 50 years, but, he wasn’t my first boyfriend.”

“Really? You guys are so great together, I just assumed he was.”

“No he wasn’t the first, William was.  We didn’t date long though but he was my first love.  You always remember your first love. But he left me for a girl named Helen.” She waved her hand.

“What did you do?”

“Well I was sad for a couple months. My older brother let me borrow his car one day to visit a friend of mine. One of the tires went flat on my way to her house. That’s how I met Victor. This was before cell phones of course and luckily he saw me and stopped.  I had just gotten my license but had no idea how to change a tire.”

“That’s really sweet! So he changed your brother’s tire?”

“Yup, I thought he was so handsome! Couldn’t believe when he was done he asked for my phone number! We’ve been together ever since.” She gave my hand a little squeeze before going back to her blanket.

“Well I hope I can have even half of what you two have.”

“Oh you will, sweetie, you will I’m sure of it. Oh! Speak of that handsome devil now!” Stella laughed as we both looked toward the door. Victor was walking in with a bouquet of lilies.  He smiled and gave her a kiss on the cheek.  They are that cute little old couple you always see movies walking along in parks or something. 

“Now were you two talking about me or that was just my earing aids making my ears ring?” he laughed. Stella shock her head and giggled at him. Victor doesn’t even wear hearing aids, but he is quite the jokester. 

“Well Stella was just telling me the story of how you met,” I laughed.

“Oh! That’s my favorite story!” he exclaimed, “I saw the prettiest girl I’d ever seen on the side of the road kicking a flat tire. Of course I had to help her, and get her phone number.” He winked. Stella was blushing over her blanket.

I smiled at the two of them, “Well your infusion is done. You guys are free to go.” They walked out holding hands with the biggest smiles.

I met up with Ciara for lunch. “So are we still on for taking Dominique out tonight for her birthday?”

“Ya, I’m ready to have a little fun.” I smiled. I never really went out much, and now I definitely wanted to have a good time.

“Good I was thinking we could go to Club Dragon, that ok? I can drive.”

“Sure sounds great”

“Alright I’ll pick you up at 8:00, then we’ll go get Dominique.”

I finished the rest of my work day pretty excited.

When I got home Dru was upstairs fixing her hair. “What are you up to tonight?” I asked.

“Your brother’s taking me out for a date night, says it’s a surprise.” She smiled, “What are you doing tonight?”

“It’s Dominique’s birthday so we’re taking her out to Club Dragon.”

“Oooohhhh, well have fun and don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” She winked and giggled.  I showered, then fixed my hair. I decided to wear a shiny halter dress and heels. It showed off my tattoo of cherry blossoms on my back. It’s my favorite tattoo, I got it as a graduation present to myself. I was leaned over the sink putting on makeup when Dru popped her head into the bathroom.

“Looking good!” she smiled.

“Thanks! Are you guys leaving?”

“Yea, call us if you need anything. I don’t know when we’ll be back.” She turned and went down the stairs.

“Ok have a good time!” I called after her.

I had just finished getting ready when Ciara texted that she was outside. “Dang girl you’re looking good!” she laughed as I got into the passenger seat. She had on a silver halter top, black jeans and boots. We pulled up to Dominique’s house and honked the horn. She came running outside, smiling from ear to ear. “HAPPY BIRTHDAY!” Ciara and I yelled as she got in. “You look great!” I said. Dominique had on a leopard print dress and heels.

“Thanks girls! Let’s go have some fun!”

Club Dragon is probably what you’d imagine from the name.  It’s in a old warehouse building that was remodeled into a club with two levels. The bottom level has a bar and dance floor, while the upper has a smaller bar, lots of seating and pool tables. You can look down and see the lower level from the upper level. There’s even a large dragon sculpture that hangs from the ceiling. 

We took a couple shots at the bar and then went to the dance floor. We danced all night and had a few drinks. Some good looking guy caught Dominique’s eye on the dance floor. He even bought us a round when she told him it was her birthday. I was starting to feel tipsy after that. We were taking a breather by the bar. Dominique was chatting up her admirer while Ciara and I sat down.

“My feet are killing me! Maybe I’m getting to old for these shoes!” I laughed over the music.

“I feel the same!” Ciara laughed. All of a sudden Ciara looked over my shoulder and her expression changed. I turned in the direction of one of the staircases leading upstairs.  Oh f**k. Jason was coming down the stairs.

“Does he see us?” I asked Ciara turning away.

“Ya I think so, s**t, he’s headed this way.”

“You know what I’m getting tired anyway and I don’t wanna ruin Dominique’s birthday. I’ll run into the bathroom, text when the coast is clear and then I’ll grab an uber outside.”

“Ok, I’ll let Dominique know.” Ciara stood up to block Jason’s view of me running into the bathroom. I used the bathroom and waited for her text. About ten minutes later she texted “Coast is clear, I don’t see him, text me when you get home.”

I breathed a sign of relief and practically run outside to the curb. I was trying to bring up uber but my phone was close to dying. That’s just my luck! I was silently cursing my phone and telling myself to get a new battery for it when I heard a voice behind me.

“I knew you’d be out here, trying to run away from me.” Jason said. He sounded angry and drunk. He staggered over to me until he was breathing down on me.

“Leave me alone Jason. I don’t want to see you or talk to you.” I backed a few steps away.

He kept taking steps towards me, “Well maybe I want to see you Angel, you can’t just ruin what we had by ignoring me.”

“Ruin it? You did a damn good job of that yourself!”

He looked down at me, “I’ve been watching you all night. I know it’s only you and your friends here now. What’s wrong? Haven’t been able to get a date yet? If you just forgive me, we can forget all this ever happened.”

“At least if I had a date he’d be of legal age! And why would I ever forgive you?!” I was shaking I was so mad. I had my hands balled into fists cutting my nails into my hands. He was so close my chin was touching his chest as I looked up at him.

“Face it Angel, you’ll never have anyone like me.” He smiled.

“Thank God! It’s that the f*****g point?!” I screamed at him and tried pushing him away. He grabbed one of my arms, but I was able to get my right hand away from him and slapped him hard across the face.

“f*****g b***h,” he had managed to grab both my arms and was trying to pull me away from the curb. I was screaming for him to let me go when I heard a gruff voice behind me, “Hey! You got a problem here?”

As Jason and I argued I had heard motorcycles up the road but had been distracted and didn’t see that they had pulled up behind us. When I turned to look over my shoulder I realized it was the same bikes I saw outside the apartment the night I left. This time one of them had a girl on the back of a red Harley Davidson. They all had stopped but the rider in all black was who yelled at Jason.

He kept his helmet on so I couldn’t see his face. Jason let me go and looked at the three guys, “ No, no problem here.”

“Good then get out of here!” the rider yelled at Jason again.

Jason glared me at and turned back into the club. I started shaking I was so angry and scared. I hope that’s the last I see of him!

“Hey are you ok?” the girl asked me.

“Ya I’m ok thanks”, I gave her a small smile.

“Do you need a ride somewhere?” The rider in black was looking at me. Of course I’m a grown women with a rational mind who doesn’t take bike rides from strangers! So why was I so compelled to say yes? He did help me out so he couldn’t be that bad right? And I don’t want to go back inside and ask Ciara to take me home, it might ruin Dominique’s birthday. 

“If you don’t mind, I do need a ride.”  The girl on the red bike smiled at me and at the rider in black. The third rider on a white bike looked at the rider in black and said, “Hey man, we’ll catch up with you later.”

The rider in black nodded as they took off. He pulled a black hoodie out from a weird compartment hidden by his gas tank and handed it to me, “ Here, you’ll need this.”

I hastily put the hoodie on and climbed on the back of the bike. I held tight to his chest as I gave him directions to my house. His body by the way! He had on a leather jacket but I could tell underneath he had an amazing body. Even though I’d just seen Jason and had an argument with him, I completely forgot about it all during that ride.  I don’t know if it’s because I haven’t  been around guys in a while or if it’s because I’m really tipsy but I had the biggest smile on my face when we reached the house.

This guy probably thinks I’m a lunatic!

He pulled into the driveway and stopped, “Is this it?”

“Ya thanks,” he helped me off.

“No problem, see ya around.” He started to back out of the driveway. I let myself into the house. Dru and Christian were still gone on their date. I was walking around with a big smile on my face and no idea why. I don’t even know him! I must be really drunk. What is wrong with me? He said he’d see me around? Would I see him around? Why am I hoping to? Oh my goodness this hoodie smells amazing! It smells like good cologne mixed with the exhaust of the bike.

I made my way upstairs to plug my phone into the charger and flop onto my bed. I texted Ciara that I was home and that I had a crazy story to tell her. I passed out before I could change. I smiled as I dreamed of the rider in black.