Order Number 26
1311 Words
*****Sledges P.O.V******
We placed our order at the ice cream shop and sat at the table. Maria talked about her life with Sisquo, and I just sat in awe, staring at her beautiful face. I love hearing about the happy parts of her growing up and even the not-so-happy parts because she's a fighter. I wish she could see what I see.
"Order number 26! Order number 26, please step to the counter!"
I was so into Maria talking I never heard them call for our order, and I failed to look at the order number before I sat down. I didn't realize it was our number they were calling.
An older man stepped from behind the counter and touched Maria's shoulder. "Ma'am, are you number 26?" he asked her smiling.
"Excuse me? What did you s-say?" Her body tensed up, and she appeared to be in shock. She stood up with fear written all over her face.
I stood up, confused; it's okay, Maria, I got it, thinking she may have gotten upset because he touched her shoulder.
Just sit back down. I will take care of it all. I said in a soft tone trying to reassure Maria she was okay.
"I won't go back there!" "I won't," Maria yelled at me. Her eyes were wide, and fear was written all over them.
The room had become silent, people had begun to stare at us, and a few asked if she was okay.
It's okay, Maria, sit down, and I will pick up our order. I told her, moving to pull her chair up where she could sit back down.
"No!" Maria screamed, running out of the ice cream store. I ran after her.
Maria, Maria, wait, please! I was yelling to get her stop and talk to me.
She wouldn't listen, though, and she was running pretty fast. I hopped on my bike and drove ahead of her, parking my bike on the side of the road. She had slowed and was walking, so I caught up with her. I wanted to grab her up into a tight hug, but I willed myself not to. I do not want to make the problem worse.
Her eyes look hollow. She's moving and breathing, but no one is there.
At least let me take you home. I do not want you to walk that far. I said, grabbing Maria's arm gently and leading her to my motorcycle. She flinched away initially but allowed me to guide her to my bike. I was glad she allowed me to. It felt like progress.
As she climbed on the bike, I took my hand and lifted her chin. Maria, you know I would never hurt or let anyone else hurt you, right? I asked desperately. I can't stand the thought of her hating me, or that she is afraid of me. I wanted to go back and punch that old dude in the face. I know he didn't mean anything, and it would serve no purpose other than making me feel good. As good as someone could feel hitting an old man, anyway.
When I climbed on, she did hold on to me. Which gave me some peace, but I still don't understand what happened. I tried to go over our whole conversation and couldn't figure it out. She didn't seem to like the old guy touching her shoulder, but I don't think he meant any harm.
We got to the club house. I helped her off the bike, and she ran inside without saying anything. It hurt worse than being stabbed or hit with a beer bottle (all things I have experienced). I felt like we were losing all the progress we had made. I want to be the person she runs to, but she is running from me.
I sighed and walked into the club, and the atmosphere wasn't much better. Most of the men were watching the news and looked pissed.
"What's wrong with Maria?" Brazen growled with hands crossed over his chest. They really should have called him Pitbull. It would be more fitting.
I don't know, she freaked out at the ice cream shop, and now she won't even talk to me. I said, shrugging my shoulders.
"Fix it!" he growled at me.
Yeah, Pitbull is a good fit! I told myself again.
How can I fix it if I don't know what's wrong? I said as my anger started to boil. I know he is in charge of the club, but damn what did he expect from me?
Symphony walked in the door. "What's wrong with yall?" She said with an uneasy smile, I could tell she was unsure if she wanted to deal with it.
"This nitwit has insulted or done something to Maria, and he doesn't know what he did," Brazen said, still staring at me menacingly.
"How do you not know?" she asked me, looking annoyed. "What did you say to her to make her upset?"
I sighed. This was becoming more and more annoying, I thought to myself. If I knew what I said or did, I wouldn't tell them. I didn't understand why she was upset. I don't know if it was me or the old guy at the ice cream shop that upset her.
Symphony. We went to get ice cream, sat down, talked, and enjoyed ourselves, or so I thought. We didn't hear our number being called, so this old dude came and asked Maria, are you order number 26". She freaked out and started crying, saying, " I won't go back." I told her everything would be okay, but she ran out. When I caught up with her, she had checked out. She wasn't responding to me in any way.
"I don't know why that would have upset her. There has to be something we are missing", Symphony said, looking puzzled.
"You really don't see the problem," Brazen asked sarcastically, sighing again. This man is really starting to piss me off. He hardly says s**t and when he does it is usually an insult. This time it's also directed at his ol' lady, though.
The man at the ice cream shop said," ARE YOU NUMBER 26! " For f**k's sake, I am surprised she didn't end up in the hospital. I am no counselor, but I would assume she has PTSD or some s**t like that. Tech did when he first came here, and he would freak out and stare off into space. It improved after he started therapy with Doc, but it still happens occasionally.
"Ugh, Im so dumb! I didn't even think of this", I need to go find her right now! I told them, ready to go find her and apologize for not catching what was happening.
" Wait a minute, Sledge. Let's talk this out for a minute," Symphony told me, grabbing my shirt sleeve as I started to walk off.
"So Doc is a medical and mental health doctor?" Symphony asked Brazen.
" When he needs to be, he is not technically licensed as a therapist, but most brothers don't want to go outside the club with their business, so he helps them out," Brazen told us.
"Symphony, this is nice and all, but I really need to go find her to make sure she is okay," I told her, walking off. I didn't say anything else to Brazen's smug ass. I wonder if he is like this with everyone or just me. My brothers back home were more like family to me. We had to work to earn respect within the club, which I have done time and time again. I have to start over here because he will not make it easy for me. Which is a damn shame because I am one of the most loyal people he will ever meet.
- Writer
