“I remember her. She wasn’t exactly motherly material either,” he remarked, and he couldn’t have been more right.
Popeye’s wife hated me, but she hated her own son too. She was one of those women who shouldn’t have had children but did because she thought that’s what a woman did. She wasn’t abusive, just neglectful and mean, which was why Popeye gravitated toward my mother. She was soft, kind, loving, and wanted me more than anything. Losing her hurt me, and I saw the loss in his eyes.
I think that’s why he was so emphatic about me not being with a biker. I think he worried about what kind of life I would have, and he never wanted me to be alone again. Looking at Dean, I knew my father was wrong about us all those years ago, but we had our chance now, and I wasn’t going to do anything to mess it up.
Dean turned into a parking lot, and I saw the retirement facility up ahead. As he parked under the awning at the front door and turned the car off, I looked at him.
“Are you ready to meet Pappy?” he asked.
I nodded with a smile. Anyone who loved Dean as much as the man who took him in and raised him, was wonderful in my book, and I just hoped he would like me. Dean got out, and I opened my door and stepped out, brushing my skirt down. He took my hand, and we walked up to the doors, which opened as we got closer.
A woman sitting at a desk looked up and smiled. “Dean, it’s good to see you. Mr. Hamilton just walked back to his room to grab something, but he said he’d be right back.”
“Thanks, Delores,” Dean said and guided me over to some chairs along the side wall.
My leg bounced, and he placed a hand on top, trying to calm me down as a snazzy-looking man walked from the hallway and across the lobby to us. I looked up and found an older version of Dean standing in front of us with a wicked smile on his face.
“You said she was beautiful, Dean, but you didn’t do her justice.” He winked at me as we stood, then he extended a hand to me. “Duke Hamilton. You must be Willow.” I shook his hand, and he lifted mine and kissed the back, offering Dean a smirk before releasing his hold. “If you get tired of this knucklehead, you know where to find me.”
“Pappy,” Dean said with exasperation in his voice, “don’t be a perv.”
Pappy bent his elbow and offered, “May I escort you to the car, Willow?”
I chuckled and draped my arm in the bend as he walked us out of the retirement facility. He didn’t seem like he needed any assistance, and I was curious why he was here instead of living on his own. But that wasn’t my business to ask, so I didn’t.
I could hear Dean mumbling behind us as Pappy opened the door for me. I got inside, and he wrinkled his nose and smiled at me before closing the door and patting Dean on the shoulder. He got into the backseat as Dean walked around and got behind the wheel. After cranking the SUV, Dean looked over at me and sighed with a smile.
The drive across town to Pappy’s church was filled with conversation. He asked me about my family, though I skimmed over the details and said it was just my brother and me. He told me about Dean’s crappy parents and how he got the best of two bad apples in his grandson. I glanced to see Dean smiling from his seat as Pappy went on and on about his accomplishments.
The love they had for each other was clear just from the ride across Rapid City. Pappy stepped up and took on a grandchild at an older age, and it looked like they were best friends. I wished I had something like that in my life, and as we pulled into the parking lot of the non-descript building, I realized I did have that.
I had a new group of people who opened their arms to me, welcoming me into their family. I had Dean, who I’d loved for longer than made sense. And as we walked up to the building, I realized I had one more important thing.
I had faith. Faith that whatever life brought our way, Dean and I would be standing together, ready to tackle the toughest obstacles.
THE SERVICE WASN’Tanything grandiose or, I’m sorry to say, life changing, but it was nice. We sang a few songs, we listened to a message of love and acceptance, and afterward, we talked to a few people who came up to greet me.
And Dean was right—there was every level of dress, every color of person, and every kind of love imaginable represented in the congregation. It wasn’t what I was expecting, but I’d come back if Pappy was okay with me joining them.
Lunch was at one of those cafeteria places that served a variety of food and throughout the meal, we laughed and cut up. This was a different side of Dean that I’d never seen, and I loved him more because of the day. He was brining me fully into his life and when we dropped Pappy off at the facility after lunch, he pulled me into a hug, making me promise to come back and visit.
“I promise,” I replied, and he placed a gentle kiss on my cheek before looking at Dean with a smile.
Dean placed his hand onto my lower back as we watched Pappy walk back into the facility with a jovial bounce in his step. I looked at Dean and asked, “Why does he live here, if you don’t mine me prying? Because he seems too chipper to need a retirement home.”
Dean laughed as he placed his arm over my shoulder and turned us back toward the vehicle. “He got tired of having to drive to meet women, and when he found out this place was cheaper than the upkeep of his house, and the women were right down the hallway and ‘didn’t care who shared who’, according to him, well, he practically ran here.”
I stopped and looked at him wide-eyed as I asked, “Seriously? He sold his house and moved here so his booty calls were closer?”
Dean laughed and replied, “Basically.”
“Damn,” I remarked as we got back to the vehicle. “I guess there’s hope that sex doesn’t end when you get older.”
Dean opened the door and helped me get inside before he spoke. “From what Pappy said, the urges get stronger when you get older.” My eyes grew wide, and he laughed again as he closed the door and walked around the front to get behind the wheel.
“Let’s get home and get changed so we can get to the clubhouse. Roughstock asked everyone to be there at four for a meeting.”
“Me included?” I asked, and he nodded as he drove across town to his house.
