The holidays flew by quickly, as they did every year. Tess was always amazed at how fast the week went, from Christmas straight into New Years. It had felt good being home with the family, in spite her fears of it being otherwise. She and Andrew had headed home after the dance last week and had arrived a couple of days before Christmas Eve. Her mother was thrilled to see her again and had cleaned up her childhood room so she could stay a few nights. They had turned it into an office after she’d moved to New York, evidently.
The snow continued to fall in Philadelphia as they quickly approached New Years Eve. Tess was looking forward to seeing some old friends from college and hanging out with them and her brother at a friend’s MC. They were about to leave for the party when her father pulled her aside, wanting to talk.
“Dad, we’re about to head out,” Tess told him, annoyed by the interruption. She hadn’t seen her friends in several weeks and was curious especially to see one of her friends in particular, who’d just started dating her brother.
“I know that, but I didn’t want the year to end without having this conversation with you. Please, just a few minutes,” her father insisted, looking somewhat desperately at her. The intensity in his gaze made Tess nervous, but she knew that she shouldn’t say no either.
She looked over at Andrew and said, “Just… give me a few minutes?” When Andrew nodded, a knowing expression on his features, she raised an eyebrow and then turned to her father. “Okay, what?”
“Come with me,” he said and led the way to his office, closing the door. Tess knew that coming to her father’s office was as good as going to the principal’s office. It probably meant that she was in trouble and was about to get a lecture. She could only imagine what this was going to be about.
Her father walked over to the bookshelf and reached for a picture frame, taking it over to the desk. He leaned against the desk and looked at her, holding the frame out. Tess took it and blinked, looking down at the picture. There were two men in the frame, one being her father and the other being her new president. She knew that the MC was friends with Andrew, but she hadn’t known they’d been good friends with him as well. “You know Abe Stenton?” She asked finally, looking up at him.
“Yes, I do.” Her father nodded. “We met at a rally back in Boston a few years ago. His MC and mine were in trailers next to each other. Naturally, we got to talking and a friendship struck. When things were going on with his MC in New York, I sent Andrew to help them because I knew it was something that your brother would be able to handle. I can’t tell you the specifics of what happened, but I can tell you that it solidified a bond between us that cannot be broken. They are allies, Tess. As good as family without being related by blood.”
Tess sat down in one of the chairs, surprised at the words he was saying. Of all the MC’s for her to stumble upon that night, this was the one she had? It seemed too good to be true. “I guess it wasn’t just chance that brought me to Paradise MC then…” she finally said after a while, setting the picture on the desk again. “He’s a really good leader, Stenton.”
“Yes, he is. And angel, there is no better MC that I would want my daughter to be a part of. I know that I’ve been harsh on you this year, and I know that we’ve excluded you and your mother from MC business, but I also know how much you love to ride. I know how you feel free when you’re on the bike, when you do join us on rideouts, and I know that your heart is on the track. So if being in Abe Stenton’s MC is what you want… Then I am proud of you for it.”
Tess leaned back, shocked. It had been a long time since she’d heard those words. “You’re… really?” She looked up at him and met his gaze.
“Yes, really. I’m sorry, Tess. Your leaving made me realize how horribly I treated you. It wasn’t right of me, and I hope that you’ll find it in your heart to forgive me, and give me a chance to be the father I should have, all these years.”
She could say nothing in response, too overwhelmed by the randomness of his words. She stood and walked over to him, wrapping her arms around his waist. He held her tightly and protectively, resting his cheek on her hair. “I love you, daddy,” she whispered, barely even able to speak.
“I love you too, angel… Please, have fun tonight?” He replied, lifting her chin up.
“I will,” she promised and then headed out to join Andrew.
They headed to the MC and Tess had a great time reuniting with her old friends. Andrew and his new girlfriend were adorable together, but it only made her long for Nitro and wish that he was here. After a few card games, the group headed up the track that ascended through the hills and towards the highest part of the city. They rode in formation, as all MC’s did, and used headsets to communicate to each other. Tess loved the feeling of riding at night, seeing the stars overhead as they rode. The group was a lot of fun too, and she really felt like she was riding towards the future, leaving the past behind her as she road on.
Back at home, after a fun night, Tess reached for the phone and called Nitro. She’d needed to hear his voice and they talked for another hour before finally going to sleep. Tess knew that this was her childhood home, but she couldn’t wait to get back to her new home at Paradise MC.
~Come Ride the Track at Scorpion MC!~
The snow continued to fall in Philadelphia as they quickly approached New Years Eve. Tess was looking forward to seeing some old friends from college and hanging out with them and her brother at a friend’s MC. They were about to leave for the party when her father pulled her aside, wanting to talk.
“Dad, we’re about to head out,” Tess told him, annoyed by the interruption. She hadn’t seen her friends in several weeks and was curious especially to see one of her friends in particular, who’d just started dating her brother.
“I know that, but I didn’t want the year to end without having this conversation with you. Please, just a few minutes,” her father insisted, looking somewhat desperately at her. The intensity in his gaze made Tess nervous, but she knew that she shouldn’t say no either.
She looked over at Andrew and said, “Just… give me a few minutes?” When Andrew nodded, a knowing expression on his features, she raised an eyebrow and then turned to her father. “Okay, what?”
“Come with me,” he said and led the way to his office, closing the door. Tess knew that coming to her father’s office was as good as going to the principal’s office. It probably meant that she was in trouble and was about to get a lecture. She could only imagine what this was going to be about.
Her father walked over to the bookshelf and reached for a picture frame, taking it over to the desk. He leaned against the desk and looked at her, holding the frame out. Tess took it and blinked, looking down at the picture. There were two men in the frame, one being her father and the other being her new president. She knew that the MC was friends with Andrew, but she hadn’t known they’d been good friends with him as well. “You know Abe Stenton?” She asked finally, looking up at him.
“Yes, I do.” Her father nodded. “We met at a rally back in Boston a few years ago. His MC and mine were in trailers next to each other. Naturally, we got to talking and a friendship struck. When things were going on with his MC in New York, I sent Andrew to help them because I knew it was something that your brother would be able to handle. I can’t tell you the specifics of what happened, but I can tell you that it solidified a bond between us that cannot be broken. They are allies, Tess. As good as family without being related by blood.”
Tess sat down in one of the chairs, surprised at the words he was saying. Of all the MC’s for her to stumble upon that night, this was the one she had? It seemed too good to be true. “I guess it wasn’t just chance that brought me to Paradise MC then…” she finally said after a while, setting the picture on the desk again. “He’s a really good leader, Stenton.”
“Yes, he is. And angel, there is no better MC that I would want my daughter to be a part of. I know that I’ve been harsh on you this year, and I know that we’ve excluded you and your mother from MC business, but I also know how much you love to ride. I know how you feel free when you’re on the bike, when you do join us on rideouts, and I know that your heart is on the track. So if being in Abe Stenton’s MC is what you want… Then I am proud of you for it.”
Tess leaned back, shocked. It had been a long time since she’d heard those words. “You’re… really?” She looked up at him and met his gaze.
“Yes, really. I’m sorry, Tess. Your leaving made me realize how horribly I treated you. It wasn’t right of me, and I hope that you’ll find it in your heart to forgive me, and give me a chance to be the father I should have, all these years.”
She could say nothing in response, too overwhelmed by the randomness of his words. She stood and walked over to him, wrapping her arms around his waist. He held her tightly and protectively, resting his cheek on her hair. “I love you, daddy,” she whispered, barely even able to speak.
“I love you too, angel… Please, have fun tonight?” He replied, lifting her chin up.
“I will,” she promised and then headed out to join Andrew.
They headed to the MC and Tess had a great time reuniting with her old friends. Andrew and his new girlfriend were adorable together, but it only made her long for Nitro and wish that he was here. After a few card games, the group headed up the track that ascended through the hills and towards the highest part of the city. They rode in formation, as all MC’s did, and used headsets to communicate to each other. Tess loved the feeling of riding at night, seeing the stars overhead as they rode. The group was a lot of fun too, and she really felt like she was riding towards the future, leaving the past behind her as she road on.
Back at home, after a fun night, Tess reached for the phone and called Nitro. She’d needed to hear his voice and they talked for another hour before finally going to sleep. Tess knew that this was her childhood home, but she couldn’t wait to get back to her new home at Paradise MC.
~Come Ride the Track at Scorpion MC!~