Make Yourself at Home

Chapter 3

“I’m scared.” Amelia said as she nuzzled close to Juice in the cab. “I want them to like me.”

“Oh they will,” he laughed. “They’ll love you until you don’t side with them.”

There was a pause before she nodded. “Can you imagine it though? White picket fence, 2.5 kids, some scruffy rescue in the yard, sounds nice.”

“You got the scruffy rescue already.” He tried to sound lighthearted but Juice barely cracked a smile. “You know that wouldn’t work. Just us and no other family, it can't work, I'm sorry, Princess.”

“I don’t think either one of us would be happy, I wish we could be, but were bound to Charming.” She said dramatically with a smile to try to ease the agitation between them. The driver stopped abruptly, so much so that Amelia had to brace herself on the front seat. “Shit.”

“Thanks, man.” Juice paid the cabbie and slid out to the sidewalk, offering Amelia his hand as she did the same. “You don’t have to kiss her ass.”

They made it up to the apartment door and Juice knocked, the sound alone turning Amelia’s stomach. When the door swung open Amelia was greeted by the varied smells of food she was sure she’d never tasted before and the reunion of a heartbroken mother who truly loved and missed her son. It was the type of hug she’d longed for from Desiree and just as she felt her heart fall Juice’s mom turned and wrapped her arms around Amelia.

“Come in, come in, both of you.”

“Mom, relax.” Juice couldn’t hide his smile even if he wanted to. Greeting his sister and Tory, for the second time, he turned and pointed to Amelia, beaming with pride. “So, Mom, Luciana this is Amelia, Meely, my mom and my sister.”

“Hi,” she said meekly. “It’s nice to meet you.”

Completely unexpected Amelia was hugged by Luciana and again by Juice’s mom. They gushed and shared sweet compliments about each other but mostly Juice who was the clearly the love of both of their lives. Mothers and sons have a special bond and little sisters adore their big brothers, even Juice’s wrong turns couldn’t change that. The only different between Luciana and her mom was how harshly they judged Juice, the latter forgave while the former held every indiscretion against him.

When they sat, the glow had faded just slightly. Juice began pointing out what Amelia would like and what she should skip. It felt horribly rude but Amelia knew she couldn’t force herself to eat anything she wouldn’t like and she was picky. Juice’s suggestions saved both of them a lot of embarrassment.

“Tory tells me you two work together?” His mother asked and to Amelia it seemed innocuous enough.

She nodded, covering her mouth as she swallowed a mouthful. “Kind of, he’s in the bays under hoods and I’m mostly paperwork, invoices and payroll.”

“Goes to show who has the brains.” Tory commented eliciting a laugh from the females.

“Maybe you can talk him into coming home more often, staying longer.”

“We like our home, Mom.”

“Are you two living together?” Luciana asked, finally looking up from her plate.

Juice shook his head. “No, I meant Charming. Club’s there, her dad is member and her mom is close by. I come when I can Mom, you know that.”

“You’re leaving right before the wedding.” Tory said with distain in his voice.

“It was short notice, I got a thing.”

“What thing?” His mom asked with genuine interest while Luciana and Tory waited for an excuse.

“The club,” Amelia started. “They do a run every year, to raise money for a children’s hospital and they all donate blood. It’s a huge thing.” It may have been a bit exaggerated but Amelia needed to up the importance and leave out the guns and cocaine to make a point.

“Is that true?” Tory asked surprised.

Nodding, chest puffed out with pride, Juice glanced fleetingly at Amelia. He wasn’t proud of what he was doing; he was thrilled she so quickly and effectively covered him. “Yeah, we do a lot of charity runs but this one is the biggest. Besides, Luciana, last time we talked we didn’t have the best ending.”

“Because you’re a criminal,” she said with exasperation.

Amelia bit her tongue, wanting to defend Juice but not knowing how much he had told his family. The last thing she wanted to do was paint herself a liar and have them never believe a word she said from then on.

“What do you want to say, Luciana?” Juice placed his cutlery down and stared at her for an answer. “You don’t like what I do, sorry but I don’t do it for you.”

“Juan Carlos,” his mother whispered. “Please, don’t start.”

Amelia put her hand on his thigh in an effort to soothe him but it did very little. “I love you Mom, I didn’t leave because I wanted to I left because I had to but if I didn’t,” he shook his head. “I’m glad I left, I got a family out there, my old lady.”

“Juice,” Amelia hissed. “Don’t.”

“We’re your family.” Luciana said quickly.

“You abandoned your mom, man.” Tory said in supportive of his fiancée.

Juice laughed and stood up, bending over to kiss his mother on the cheek. “I love you, Mom.” He reached over and took Amelia’s hand pulling her to stand with him. “I didn’t abandon her, I ran from those assholes who were trying to kill me. I’m surprised I’m still alive but if wasn’t for my club, I would be dead.”

“Let’s go.” Amelia said quietly. She didn’t recognize the man beside her and it made her shake with fear as they walked toward the door. The warm hellos were a distant memory as they left without another word and remained silent the entire way back to the hotel.

--

“Who are you?” Finally, after over an hour, Amelia spoke as he stepped out of the bathroom from his shower. “What the hell was that?”

“No one thinks I got balls or that I can stand up for myself but I wasn’t going to sit there and let them shit on us, Meels. This isn’t my fucking home, they aren’t my family anymore.” He shook his head and sat on the edge of the mattress. “I wanted to see how it felt out here, with you. You’ve been talking about leaving, how we aren’t really in with the club cause of Tig and my dad but Meely that was shit. I’d take a hundred of Gemma’s fucking dramatic dinners over that. Any doubts I had about who I am are gone. Please tell me I’m not going home alone, that this proved who we are.”

Kneeling behind him, Amelia draped her arms over his shoulders. “I know who I am and I know who you are, you do too. We didn’t need to fly across the country to find out. That fire, that attitude and confidence bring that back to Charming Juice. The guys will respect it and you’ll at least have gained something from this trip.”

“If I didn’t have you or the club, I’d lose my mind.” He admitted softly. “I would do anything for you, all of you.” Amelia nodded, terrified by his words but she didn't say anything.

"Come on, let's go to bed."