Prodigal Son(36)

“This the one?” I asked as I handed it to him.

“Yeah. You’re gonna be a natural, Luke.”

I watched while he tightened — or loosened, I wasn’t quite sure — a bolt on the bike he was fixing up for me. I’d told him that I could probably afford to buy a new one, but he’d insisted that if we worked on one together that he could teach me more. I had enough money in the bank to buy all of the Sons new bikes, but I figured that I should keep that information to myself.

“Well, I don’t know about that, but I guess if I pick up a little here and there, the Sons will be more likely to vote me in as a prospect on Sunday.”

Joker put down the wrench and headed over to the refrigerator in the corner of his garage. He pulled out another beer. “Want one?”

“Nah. Little early for me,” I answered, astounded at my biological father’s capacity to consume alcohol.

“Luke,” he said after he’d taken a drink. “You got nothing to worry about on the vote. I’m the President of this MC, and you’re my son. You’ll be voted in.”

I’d learned a lot over the last few days, having spent time with Joker, Zeno, and even with Bug. I’d learned nothing that improved my impression of the VP, and I knew that even though he hadn’t officially made Krystal his old lady, I still probably wasn’t supposed to be taking her out tomorrow night. I’d decided that my game plan was going to be to beg for forgiveness if I got busted, rather than asking for permission ahead of time.

“Joker, I ‘m pretty sure Bug doesn’t like me. It only takes two votes to keep me out, right?”

Joker laughed. “Son, Bug don’t like anyone. I’ve already talked to J.C., and he’s gonna to what I’ve told him to do. Everyone else will fall in line. Trust me.”

“And you’re sure I should pitch the dispensary idea on the same day?”

“Yup. Every one of us is hurting for money. You give us a plan, and the Sons will be on your side. Even Bug will see the sense of keeping you around if you’re giving the MC some income.”

“Yeah. I talked to my buddy in California last night, and he said it’s going to take some time to get the license approved. Since the government’s involved, everything will take longer.”

“He give you any ideas about where to get some merchandise before we get out own supply planted and harvested?”

“Yeah. I wanted to talk to you about that.”

“Shoot.” Joker went back to work on the bike.

“He knows a couple of guys in Arizona who’re growing the same strain that we did in college. He said that he can hook me up with them and that they can probably sell us enough high-quality weed to get the whole state high.”

“Sounds good.”

“I thought we could maybe take a ride to Arizona. I think I’m ready for a longer ride.”

“Well, we can bring it up in church on Sunday. See if any of the guys want to go along.”

“I figure some of them might be pissed that I’m gonna be a prospect after only having been around for a week, and that might give us a way to get to know one another.”

Joker shook his head. “Look, Luke, I get what you’re saying, but I wouldn’t talk like that — all touchy-feely, psychology bullshit — in the meeting.”

I must have looked a little taken aback.

“We’re brothers, but we don’t usually talk about bonding and shit. You just do it, but you don’t really talk about it. Make sense?”

I nodded and thought for a few minutes while Joker started up the bike and listened for something only he could hear. While he made minute adjustments to fix whatever problem he’d perceived, I realized that I had a lot farther to go than I’d realized. I wasn’t just going to have to learn how to ride and maintain a bike. I was going to have to learn what it meant to be a part of a whole new culture. I wasn’t used to thinking of women as property or feelings as embarrassing. The last thing I wanted was for Bug to tell me to man up.

Joker killed the engine.

“I get it, man. I can do this,” I told him with confidence.

“Of course you can. You’re my son.”

The door from the house opened, and Sable walked out into the garage, saving me from having to respond to Joker’s statement. I was happy that he was so enthusiastic about meeting me and opening his home and his MC to me, but it still felt strange. It was almost too much, too fast.

“Beer for breakfast, Daniel?”

“Mind your own business, woman,” Joker replied, rolling his eyes.

“Did you get everything set up?” I asked Sable.