Jinx (Kings of Carnage MC) - Chelsea Camaron Page 0,22
to Kalini’s funeral I simply treated her like every other person paying their respects. That’s all she is and ever will be, another person from another lifetime.
Outside of the Kings the only person who matters is asleep in this bed. He’s paler today than usual or maybe it’s just my mind playing tricks on me because he’s lying in a hospital bed on stark white sheets.
He begins to wake up. Blinking eyes look to my face. “Koa, take off the sunglasses, you’re indoors, son.”
I do as he requests sliding my sunglasses up on top of my head. “You gettin’ some rest Pops?”
“Same bed, different set-up, but I sleep anywhere. I’m too old to fight the shit anymore.” He jokes and is aware he’s in the hospital. The episode of confusion has passed.
“What did the doc say?”
“Said I took a fall because I’m not using the cane or the walker. I told his ass, it was the carpet had a bubble.”
I let out a laugh. “Pops, you got hardwood through the whole room. There ain’t no carpet for you to trip up on.”
“Doc here don’t know that.”
I swear this man has an answer for everything. “When you bustin’ outta here?”
“Pretty soon, now. They took the IV out and said I’m cleared to return.”
Settling into the chair by his bed, I relax. I’ll stay as long as I need to until he’s back in the bed at the facility. Although, I’m not there twenty minutes and the EMTs are coming in and preparing Pops for the transport.
Within an hour, he’s settled back in at his home and I’m back on the road.
If I’m lucky, Apple will be waiting in Little Five Points on my way back to Uprising. I’ll snag her and give her a quick tour of the clubhouse before calling it a night.
At least Pops transitioned back to the facility easier this time. I take the good days and cling to them because the bad seem to come more frequently reminding me my time with the old man is precious.
With him back on the mend, I can focus on Kings business. My life is Pops and the Kings.
I don’t want it any other way.
Six
Talia
“People will notice the change in your attitude towards them, but won’t notice their behavior that made you change.” Brochure on a table at a homeless shelter – I’ve been so closed off for so long now, I don’t even know that I have an attitude about anything anymore, Talia.
I should have left. I should have walked my ass straight to Atlanta and left all thoughts of Katie and her innocent face behind me. What’s that saying, not my monkey, not my circus. She is not my problem. See this is what happens when I give anyone attention beyond a casual hello, I care.
My nature is to nurture. Maybe it was the way I was brought up, the grooming given to me in my early years. I don’t know. I just know I can’t stop myself from assisting someone in need even if it’s to my own detriment.
When will I learn.
Stay in my lane.
No one ever comes to my rescue. No one ever picks up the pieces when my life shatters time and again.
Katie could be on her way home. On her way back to parents who love her and only wanted to give her boundaries. Even for me, knowing if I had stayed my life would be a sick way to live as a wife to my sister’s husband who is also my family, there are times it would have been safer.
From what Katie shared, her parents genuinely loved her. She wasn’t just a machine to produce the next generation. She wasn’t a pawn in a game. Katie is Katie, their little girl that they maybe didn’t want to watch grow up and fall in love with a boy like Caleb.
Obviously I don’t know the details. What I do know, is Katie was absolutely comfortable and happy in a way about going home. That was until we ended up here in front of Caleb.
One thing I know is I can’t try to convince her to go home. I’ve seen more than one young teen thinking love will conquer all. People who think love is all they need.
No, there is more to life than love.
Granted, I guess being raised like I was, it’s easy to know life is about more than love. I have never experienced love in action. My parents weren’t in love. They were devoted