Truth and Lies: Chapter 1

Walking away from the prison where I’ve been for the last five years, serving a sentence for stabbing a woman who was hurting Zara, my man’s daughter, who was only seven years of age at the time. I beat the hell out of Cara, and when she lifted the blade, I managed to get it off her, and yep, I stabbed the bitch, quite happily. Lucky for me, I suppose, I didn’t kill her, but it got me the time.

The lies that bitch told were staggering, and the sad thing was she was believed. Brad ‘Gunner’ Michaelson was my man. He should have known me well enough.

He knew Cara was low life scum who got pregnant by poking holes in the condoms. Well, he can have her for eternity as I won’t be going back.

Lifting my backpack onto my shoulder, I take the first steps of my freedom away from everything I ever knew and start walking away from this hell and toward my future.

Climbing onto the bus provided by the prison service to the halfway house, I sit near the window, looking out over the landscape. I press my forehead to the glass and close my eyes for a moment, thanking God I survived.

No one will know I was called ‘Blade’ inside because of what I’d done, and they don’t know I had fashioned one as protection inside, but the ones that tried to do me over soon learned to stay away.

Checking how many dollars I have gives me a sense of safety as I earned quite a bit while incarcerated—working hard, keeping my head down, living one day at a time. That is what I’ll continue to do, live one day at a time and move forward.

~~~~

Six Weeks Later

Serving at the local diner, I’m rushing back and forth to tables as we are in rush hour. Suzie is behind the counter today, and Graham is in the kitchen cooking up a storm.

These two have been married for seventeen years, and you can see they still love each other deeply. They started the diner as they didn’t want to spend time apart, and this was an easy way for them to work together.

Suzie is around five-three, has dark collar-length hair, brown eyes, a real sweet personality. Graham is five-eleven, shaved head, has blue eyes, pretends to be a grump, but he’s a kind man, but not a fool.

I’ve been lucky that Suzie and Graham took me on and have allowed me to rent the small apartment above the diner. It also helps them as they can call on me if they get unexpectedly busy. I’m always going to help them as they are helping me.

After settling into my job, I purchased new clothing and dyed my hair black but kept the waist-length in a braid. The property patch tattoo on my shoulder I had covered with a black rose with three red tears leaking from it. I keep it covered at all times. It’s my reminder that you can trust no one as they will stab you in the heart the first chance they get.

‘Mia, table six order ready,’ Suzie shouts.

Picking up the two plates, I hurry and carry them to the table where two men are sitting. I had not noticed them come in and order. I must have been on my ten-minute break

Placing the plates in front of these two, I keep my head down as they are wearing MC kuttes. I try and see the name of the MC, but without stopping, I can’t read it.

‘Thanks, doll.’ one of them murmurs, smiling at me. I return it and quickly walk away.

Keeping one eye on them, I make sure I stay busy and hope they don’t hang around too long. I think I recognize one as Crack, the Enforcer of the club Gunner belonged to, but without looking right at him, I’m not sure.

As they stand to leave, I see the back of their kuttes, Rogue Legion MC. I walk through the kitchen, keeping my head down and side-eye Suzie, who sees me scurrying away.

‘Have a nice day now,’ Suzie calls to them as they open the diner door and leave.

Leaning against the wall in the back hall, I struggle to get my breathing under control. Shit, that was close; the last thing I want is them finding me, now or ever.

Calming myself, I head back to the diner, clear tables, and serve the last lunchtime customers. As the afternoon rolls through, I find myself settling back down again.

The rest of the day flies past, and once Suzie has the main door to the diner locked, we all work together to clean the kitchen thoroughly. This is not part of my job, but I always help them. They are the only people to have shown me kindness in over five years.

Once done, Suzie takes out the three plates she always has for us, and we take our seats near the register wall. I know it’s coming. I can feel it.

‘Okay, Mia, I think it’s time you told us what happened to you and why you nearly shit your panties when you saw those two bikers,’ Graham states gently.

Sitting back in my seat, I take a sip of my coffee and let my mind wander back nearly six years.

‘I was in a relationship with a biker called Gunner. He was part of the Rogue Legion MC. I won’t get into it all but know that he had a daughter with a club whore, and she walked out when Zara was born. When Zara was two, Gunner and I started seeing each other. I wasn’t part of the club. I worked in the town bank at the time,’ I walk over to the counter and pick up the coffee pot and top us all off, ‘Long story short, Cara came back, attacked Zara, and I beat on her, she pulled out a knife, and I managed to get it off her and stabbed her. She told everyone that I was jealous of her and that I had been beating Zara, she tried to stop me, and I stabbed her. I wasn’t believed, so I was arrested, found guilty, and imprisoned for five years. Now I don’t want anything to do with any of them.’

‘Oh Mia, they don’t deserve you anyway,’ Suzie murmurs. She wraps her arms around me and hugs me tightly.

‘Fuckin’ bitch. I hope the truth will come out one day, Mia. It has a way of doing that when you least expect it.’ Graham picks my hand up and squeezes it gently.

‘I did time, Graham, not my time, but I did it. I learned a lot inside, and now I can look after myself. I will always love you both for helping me when no one else wanted to.’ I state, giving them both a warm smile. ‘I don’t want them to find me; it’s one of the reasons I dye my hair, to make me less noticeable as Miriam, which is my real name. But I’m now Mia and Blade to those inside that kept away from me.’

‘Can you change your name legally?’ Suzie asks.

‘Yes, but if I do, the tech man at the MC will easily find out what I change it to and find me. So I’m not going to do that. I’ll just stay as Mia and work for cash in hand. I’ll stay here with you as long as they don’t find me.’ I state, then pick up the dishes and take them into the kitchen.

‘You can stay here as long as you like, Mia. These people don’t deserve you anyway. We want you to stay with us, and if they come in again, you can disappear up to your apartment if you need to.’ Graham says as he places his arm around my shoulders, pulling me into a hug.

The next few weeks pass with no sightings of the Rogue Legion MC. I know better than to relax, and although I’m five towns over from their clubhouse, it still means I need to be alert if I leave the safety of the diner.

Washing down all the tables, I’m tired and ready to be closing the door anytime. Suzie is cashing out the register, and Graham is starting to switch off stoves and close out the kitchen for cleaning.

As I finish the last table, the door opens, and four men walk in, talking loudly, and they throw themselves onto a back table.

I give Suzie a look as we notice they are wearing the MC kutte. Fuck I need to keep my head, stay calm, and ride this out. I’m pleased I had re-colored my hair two days back, and the natural auburn color no longer showed through at the roots. The green contacts Graham suggested I wear also help as my warm chocolate brown could have caused some recognition.

Picking up my waitress pad and pencil, I walk over with the coffee pot and cups on a tray.

‘Coffee?’ I state in a bored tone.

‘Thanks, doll.’ one of them responds, but I don’t look up, preferring to keep my eyes down. I place cups out and fill them, then take the pot and tray before walking back again, ‘What can I get you all?’

‘What ya got left, babe?’ one of them asks, looking at his kutte. He’s VP and called Trip. I never knew this man, thankfully.

‘We can make y’all a fry up, bacon, eggs, sausage, hash browns, mushrooms, and toast,’ I state, keeping my voice as bored sounding as possible.

‘Yea, that will do doll, four of.’ the one at the back of the table states, looking up, he is staring at me intently, flicking my eyes down, he’s the Enforcer, Crack it says on his kutte, he was part of the MC when I was with Gunner and I don’t want him to recognize me. I didn’t have anything to do with many at the club, and I hope that works for me.

Crack is six-two, well built, short brown hair, and a beard. If I remember rightly, he was a reasonably okay guy.

‘Okay, it’ll be about twenty minutes.’ and I walk back to the kitchen, giving Graham the order.

Graham leans over and whispers to me, ‘Go to your apartment. If they ask, I’ll say it was your knock-off time. They won’t know you’re in the apartment above.’

I nod and quickly but quietly climb the back stairs to my apartment and close the door, leaning against it taking in deep breaths, trying to calm my racing heart. Shit is getting too close, and maybe I need to leave soon.

I walk into the bedroom and open the top drawer in the dresser and count the dollars I’ve managed to save so far. Seven hundred, not going to get me far. I need to keep saving.

Looking around, the bedroom is not large, but it’s clean, tidy and it’s got a bed, dresser, bedside table, and a small chair.

The kitchen is small and has a sink, small fridge, stove, microwave and lastly a utility with a washer and dryer. The lounge is larger, has a couch, TV, and coffee table. The bathroom has a sink with a cupboard under, toilet, and shower unit, nothing flashy but fair condition.

I can cope living here nicely, after being in prison for five years., this is pure luxury. The MC gutted out the apartment I had before prison, I presume. No one ever came to see me or tell me where my things were. At first, it hurt me that I had lost all that I had worked for, and then to lose what I thought was my family has left me bitter, and I won’t ever trust again.

I quickly shower and change, placing my work clothes in the washer, sitting down to dry my hair which takes forever with it being so long and thick. This relaxes me, and I start to feel the tension in my shoulder leave.

With a soft tapping on the apartment door, I walk over and open it to see Suzie. She smiles and steps inside. Taking the brush from my hand, I walk into the lounge and sit again. Suzie picks up the dryer and starts to dry and brush my hair.

‘They’ve gone obviously, and they didn’t ask where you had gone or even look for you that I could see. I kept one eye on them Mia, but they showed no sign of interest,’ after another few minutes, Suzie takes a deep breath, ‘Do you think they are actively looking for you? Do you think they know you’re out of prison now?’

‘I don’t know, Suzie. No one was at the gate when I was released. I took the bus to the halfway house, and I never saw any of them.’ I respond, running my hands up and down my thighs with nerves. ‘If they look like they’re getting aware, I’ll move on. I won’t put you in any danger.’

‘You will not. We don’t want you moving on anywhere, and if they start trouble, we’ll go to the cops. You served your time, and as you said, Mia, not even your time. I won’t have you run off.’ Suzie is pissed, something I’ve never seen or heard from her before. She is such a calm, caring person, and her anger has taken me by surprise.

‘Let’s just keep calm about it, Suzie. If they keep coming in and show any interest, then we can revise what to do. So far, it seems they are calling in on their way back from somewhere, rather than looking for anything.’ I tell her, braiding my hair and then taking Suzie’s hand and giving it a light squeeze.

Once Suzie has left, I make a hot chocolate and pick up my kindle, which I take to my bedroom and sit on the bed leaning on the headboard. As the room darkens, I don’t put the lamp on as I feel nervous and don’t want anyone to know the apartment is in use. I get ready for bed in the dark after double-checking the apartment door lock and settling down for the night.