The Mechanics of The Heart (Unedited)

61

Amara

The house was rather large, especially just for two people. The rooms massive in size and not lacking in glaring sunlight with the large panel windows.
The furniture itself was very obviously old, dust touching every square inch of any and all surfaces.

I scrunched my nose as it tingled with an oncoming sneeze. The kitchen was glorious with a stone top island and a walk in pantry. There were carpeted stairs that led to the bedrooms and framed photos of baby Hunter and Bambi framed the walls, a few with a mountain of a man with the same chestnut colored, mullet like hair that Bullet had. The one photo at the top of the stairs held the man who I'm assuming is their father holding a large fish by the open mouth, sunglasses marred most of his face but next to him, maybe hip high with shaggy brown hair that looked like bangs. Smiling with a missing tooth and holding a fish of his own, other hand in a proud thumbs up was Hunter.

The picture inwardly made me smile, his dimple was on full display and his entire body seemed to radiate happiness. It was endearing.

Standing in this house I could see Hunter growing up here, his room was what seemed to be left in his early teens. Bikini posters of girls that looked like they came straight out of a video game were tacked to the walls, a few football trophies and old textbooks and a single library book from his old middle school occupied the bookshelf.

There was a full king bed that was made and it felt like I was in a museum dedicated to Hunter. There was no doubt in my mind Bambi's room was the same.

"There you are." Yanked from my thoughts I look over at Bambi, a car seat in one grip and Bayou her toddler on the other hip.
She really was super mom.

"Hey, yeah sorry, got lost exploring. Hey buddy."
I reach for Bayou who clings to me with ease and Bambi smiles, seeming grateful for the weight loss as she moves to place the car seat on the bed.
Waving me off,
"Please, don't apologize, this is your home."
My cheeks hear at her words, there's no malice or hidden bit to them and they smooth over some of my nerves like a balm.

"I just feel so odd, gutting your guys child hood home. And what if he changes his mind, from what I hear there's plenty of women at the clubhouse interested in becoming his old lady." I mutter, Bambi has always been easy to talk to. Confiding in her felt natural, but as her spine straightens, abandoning her fuss with little Honey to pin me with a gaze.

"Who you hear that from?"

Shrugging it off, the tips of my ears burn "My own conscious."
I confess as Bambi shoots me a wry smile. The sudden tension in her body melts and she grips my shoulders.

"Amara, I need you to hear me when I say; you are Hunters old lady. In this life, in this world." She gestures to the space around us in a grand gesture, "That's the equivalent to marriage. You chose him as he chose you and the ride may feel fast and bumpy at times but you need to trust your old man to keep you safe and loved. Because if there's nothing else these men do when they claim you, they love you with every ounce in their being and I can tell you for a fact- my brother loves you with every breath in his body. It's up
To you to know that now too."
Her voice is firm but her eye glisten with a softness only a mother can have.

"This house is just things, filled with things we didn't hold any attachment to then, and definitely don't now. We've had plenty of 'childhood homes' this is just one of many. Gut it, burn it down and rebuild it for all
I care. Just be happy because god knows you and my brother deserve that at the very least." She huffs, stepping back and I sniffle as Bayou busies himself with my braids. "You hearing me?" She urges, hands plucked onto her hips and Honey coos so softly from her car seat.

I smile, nodding "I hear you." Her stern expression withers away as she smiles widely. Clapping her hands twice, "Great! Now, where do you want to start?" Bambi slides into an easier topic like butter. Smoothing over an insecurity like balm to a burn before redirecting and reinforcing my attention to the house that was now going to be my home. With Hunter, a house he had grew up in and claimed were some of his happier memories with his father took place was now something he was trusting me to turn into something for the both of us.

I felt foolish now, questioning if this man would change his mind. Not after he had made love to me all night and looked at me like I hung the moon all morning before leaving with a searing kiss and stolen touches at the door with pure reluctance to leave. All before placing his bank card in my hands, the card was thick, metal and black and when I asked for a limit I got a shrug in response and "Money isn't an issue for us, baby. I've pretty much lived for free since I've been patched, never had anything worth spending my money on. Till you."
He had disappeared with a kiss on my nose, shuffling out the door with a pep in his step that made me giggle behind my hand to see him so physically happy. It made warmth flood my veins, pummeling my chest until my heart squeezed.

"I really can't thank you enough for coming to check out the house with me." Bambi and I swung softly on the swinging bench on the front porch we were definitely keeping, Honey was cradled to her mom's chest as Bayou chased the dragon flys in the yard in front of us.

"Oh please, I've wanted a sister for the longest time. Now that I finally got one, good luck getting rid of me." I chuckled as Bambi winked.

"Got that backwards, sister." We burst into a fit of giggles. I don't bother mentioning how familiar I am with how shitty sisters can be, how evil and spiteful my born sister was because Bambi was none of those things.

"Auntie Mara! Look! Look!" Bayou squeals loudly, stunning me by his words, glancing to Bambi she only smiles as Bayou continues point erratically down the road and I stand to follow his pointed gaze, my own smile echoing as I spot Bullet flying down the hill on his bike.