for signs of their night last night.
When Connor went for his nap, Tatum helped out with the cleaning. Jeannie came to the kitchen and began drying the dishes Tatum was washing. They both did so silently for a while before Jeannie spoke.
“After April passed, he was in rough shape. Really rough shape.”
Tatum knew she was talking about her son.
“He did more drugs than he sold I think,” she laughed, but with concern. “More than one morning I came over to find him on the boy’s bedroom floor with a bag and a bottle next to him. Barf all over the floor.” Tatum turned to look at her now. “The boys stayed with me and May during that time,” she said answering Tatum’s unasked question. “Then he kind of sobered up. Became really attentive to the boys. He got…really quiet,” she said, not being able to find the right words. “That scared me more than the drugs. When he told me he was taking the boys and going east with the guys I had a nervous breakdown. I didn’t think he’d come back.”
Tatum didn’t know where all of this was coming from.
Jeannie went quiet again, drying the dishes with a faraway look in her eyes. When they were all done and put away she turned to Tatum, grabbing her shoulders. “Thank you,” she said, “for bringing my son back. He’s happier now than he was before she died.”
Tatum looked at her with a loss for words. “We’re really not… together…” she started to say but Jeannie cut her off by shaking her head.
“I know, I know. He has no reason to deny it or to lie about it… Aside from Phil I guess. If you say you’re not together I believe you. You’re still the reason that he is happy now.”
Tatum still didn’t know what to say.
“I always wished April was more like you,” Jeannie began, letting go of Tatums shoulders and steering her towards the front door. She pulled out her package of cigarettes and lit one up. “I see myself in you,” she said and Tatum did her best not to cringe. “You’re tough. You understand the guys and the life. April didn’t. She was… softer.”
Tatum had already gathered that.
“I hope you stick around,” Jeannie said grabbing her purse off the back of the chair and heading out to kiss Matthew before leaving, only giving Tatum a flick of her hand on the way.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Tatum knew that night the guys were planning something. Although they didn’t tell her, it hung in the air, like a cloud filled with tension and excitement. She wasn’t stupid. She’d been in their position before. They wanted to protect her. Knowing what she was capable of didn’t take away from the fact that she was a woman and a daughter of one of their brothers. Jager didn’t say it out loud, but he just couldn’t wrap his head around the thought of her, being in a room full of men with weapons in their hands. No one wanted to risk it.
They had figured out who the gang was that blew up Tatum’s club, a nationwide group who specialized in arms. Bill had apparently banned one of their members for brutality against one of his girls. They were looking for any reason to retaliate against him. Tatum was Bill’s successor and these guys had a hard time, apparently, with the word no. Their boss, the ‘head’ lived in California and Jager had convinced them that they wanted to buy guns from them. The drop was later that night. He decided that only five of them would go, while five hung back. They would ambush the gang and take them all out. He knew that the head, Norman, often visited their club. Placed some hefty bets on sports and at the blackjack table. Likely, if word got out that it was Jager and his guys who did this, his club would take a hit. They’d lose out on the money that Norman dropped on them, as well as any of the other gangs in San Francisco who were associated with Norman and the club.
Tatum sat at the table with Jeannie and Ava. The boys had long been put to bed before Sugar burst
When Connor went for his nap, Tatum helped out with the cleaning. Jeannie came to the kitchen and began drying the dishes Tatum was washing. They both did so silently for a while before Jeannie spoke.
“After April passed, he was in rough shape. Really rough shape.”
Tatum knew she was talking about her son.
“He did more drugs than he sold I think,” she laughed, but with concern. “More than one morning I came over to find him on the boy’s bedroom floor with a bag and a bottle next to him. Barf all over the floor.” Tatum turned to look at her now. “The boys stayed with me and May during that time,” she said answering Tatum’s unasked question. “Then he kind of sobered up. Became really attentive to the boys. He got…really quiet,” she said, not being able to find the right words. “That scared me more than the drugs. When he told me he was taking the boys and going east with the guys I had a nervous breakdown. I didn’t think he’d come back.”
Tatum didn’t know where all of this was coming from.
Jeannie went quiet again, drying the dishes with a faraway look in her eyes. When they were all done and put away she turned to Tatum, grabbing her shoulders. “Thank you,” she said, “for bringing my son back. He’s happier now than he was before she died.”
Tatum looked at her with a loss for words. “We’re really not… together…” she started to say but Jeannie cut her off by shaking her head.
“I know, I know. He has no reason to deny it or to lie about it… Aside from Phil I guess. If you say you’re not together I believe you. You’re still the reason that he is happy now.”
Tatum still didn’t know what to say.
“I always wished April was more like you,” Jeannie began, letting go of Tatums shoulders and steering her towards the front door. She pulled out her package of cigarettes and lit one up. “I see myself in you,” she said and Tatum did her best not to cringe. “You’re tough. You understand the guys and the life. April didn’t. She was… softer.”
Tatum had already gathered that.
“I hope you stick around,” Jeannie said grabbing her purse off the back of the chair and heading out to kiss Matthew before leaving, only giving Tatum a flick of her hand on the way.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Tatum knew that night the guys were planning something. Although they didn’t tell her, it hung in the air, like a cloud filled with tension and excitement. She wasn’t stupid. She’d been in their position before. They wanted to protect her. Knowing what she was capable of didn’t take away from the fact that she was a woman and a daughter of one of their brothers. Jager didn’t say it out loud, but he just couldn’t wrap his head around the thought of her, being in a room full of men with weapons in their hands. No one wanted to risk it.
They had figured out who the gang was that blew up Tatum’s club, a nationwide group who specialized in arms. Bill had apparently banned one of their members for brutality against one of his girls. They were looking for any reason to retaliate against him. Tatum was Bill’s successor and these guys had a hard time, apparently, with the word no. Their boss, the ‘head’ lived in California and Jager had convinced them that they wanted to buy guns from them. The drop was later that night. He decided that only five of them would go, while five hung back. They would ambush the gang and take them all out. He knew that the head, Norman, often visited their club. Placed some hefty bets on sports and at the blackjack table. Likely, if word got out that it was Jager and his guys who did this, his club would take a hit. They’d lose out on the money that Norman dropped on them, as well as any of the other gangs in San Francisco who were associated with Norman and the club.
Tatum sat at the table with Jeannie and Ava. The boys had long been put to bed before Sugar burst
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