Ash n' Leather

The Issue on the Table

I take in a shuddering breath as Jack closes the blinds on the clouded window even though they would only see our silhouettes. He turns to me and reaches his arms out. I immediately start to tear up and step into him, wrapping my arms around his back and resting my head on his chest. 

Petting my hair he finally asks, "What are you doing here Ashley? I told you not to come back after what happened."

I sniffle into his shirt, "Did you really think that would keep me away?"

"Of course not but I had sorta hoped," I feel the rumble in his chests as he laughs.

"I've missed you Jackson. God, I've missed you so much." I wrap my arms tighter around him and breathe in his cologne. The same one he's always used, Cedar Cypress No. 6. It brings me a sense of comfort.

"I've missed you too Ash. I've missed you too." He takes a moment but brings my reason for being here up again, "I need to know why you're here doll." He places his hands on either side of my head and lighty pulls it away from his chest, wiping my tears with his thumbs. My heart fluttters at the name.

I look up at him with glossy eyes, "Jack... I was gonna just send you a letter like always, but I needed to tell you this in person. I needed to convince you. She wanted me to. I agree with her so please just hear me out, I just..." I ramble on unable to get to the point in fear of him rejecting the idea.

"Ash calm down I don't want you having a panic attack, it's okay. Just tell me what you mean."

I take a few breaths, calming myself down a bit. "Jack, we thought she was doing better, I know that's what we said in our most recent letter, but right after that her health declined, a lot." I hear him suck in a breath. I look away from him and mumble, "Your mother wants her and I to move back here."

"I'm sorry, what was that? I'm sure I just heard you wrong." He looks aggrivated as I turn to face him again.

"Jack your mother wants her and I to move back here. Then she ca-," Jack stops me.

"No." 

"But Jack-"

"I said no. I sent y'all away so she could get the treatment she needed and y'all could be safe." 

"But Jackson. The treatment isn't working, she already signed the papers to stop it a week ago. She wants to spend her last moments with her family. And as for keeping us safe, Jack your mom knows the dangers and so do I. We grew up together. You know better than anyone that I'm well aware of what this life has to offer. Besides, if it comes down to it, you know we would have plenty of protection here. Please, let us come back. Even if you don't say yes you know your mom would be more than happy to ignore your no... and so would I." I give him a pleading look. 

"I need to think about this."

"Of course. I understand." He grabs my arm and quickly pulls me into another tight embrace, shoving his face into my neck, and taking a deep breath. It sends shivers down my spine. 

"C'mon, let's go so you can say hi to the others." He brings his head back up and kisses my cheek. I nod and follow him as he walks back out of the room.

"Finally! I thought I was gonna have to barge in there to say hello to our princesa," I hear as I'm scooped into a smothering hug.

I laugh as I'm being set back down, "Nice to see you too Alejandro." 

The club members that don't know me, which is most of the people here, stand around, confused.

Next, Robert Owen walks up to me, a giant of a man. He has on a straight face, I turn towards him and set my face straight as well. I put my hand out, "President." I nod at him.

He puts his hand in mine as if were about to shake but then a smile breaks out on his face and he pulls me into a hug. "Damn, I never thought I'd see you again Ash. Been too long sweetheart."

"Oh c'mon Robert, you know me better than that, I've been scheming a reason to come visit since I left," I say laughing.

Robert has always been like another father to me, right after my own and Jackson's dad. He turns to the rest of the club and sets his face straight again, "You all see this young lady here? She has run of the bar, all of it. If she wants in somewhere, she gets in, no questions asked. She needs information, she gets that information, no questions asked. She is a senior in this club. You will address her as Buckles, no matter what you hear us call her. Do you understand?" 

There was a chorus of "yes sir!"s and head nods. 

Robert adds while cracking a smile, "She also has my personal permission to beat y'alls asses if you bother her." There was a wave of chuckles until his face falls once more. "I'm serious." The men start to look uncomfortable till Robert pats me on the back and starts to walk down the hall. "Carry on with y'alls days."

Everyone slowly turns back to their original conversations, some curious eyes wandering over to me. I shrug them off and continue saying hello to the rest of the seniors seeing as they're the only ones who remember me. I feel his eyes on me so I turn to look at him. He's sitting in the booth, our booth, with a beer in his hand, watching me. 

I walk over to the bar and ask Reaper to pour me some of the premium 94-proof Single Barrel Select Whiskey. "I feel like remembering my father today, in honor of me being here." Yet again a silence falls over the crowd as Reaper smirks and pulls the bottle out of the locked display case above the bar, pouring some over the daimond shaped whiskey stones. Only elite members get the pleasure of drinking out of the display case. "You owe me an explanation later about why you weren't in the meeting earlier."

"Of course Buckles," he says with a smirk. This causes me to scoff.

"We may not have known eachother extemely well but you still have the  privelege of calling me by name."

"You still call me Reaper."

"I call you that cause you don't like your name spoken out loud. I respect that. There's a difference hun."

"You're right, thank you for that Ash. Now if you don't get yourself over to that booth in the next few seconds I do believe Jackson is gonna come and do something about it. Walk your fine self over there like a woman on a mission. Heaven knows he needs to see that." That makes me laugh and spin around on my bar stool. 

Glass in hand I slowly walk over to him, striding in my heels. I get to the table, set my glass down, grab the edge of the table on the opposite side of the booth from him, and slide into my seat. I hear him groan in approval as my ass sticks out for a moment before I'm situated.

We both sit in silence for a while, him drinking his beer, and me nursing my whiskey.

"You've been burning holes in the back of my head Jack."

"Well every single man in here has been looking at you like you're a piece of meat. That doesn't sit well with me."

"Really? Well maybe I ought to talk to some of them," I grin as I start to slide back out of the seat when he catches my wrist.

"You will do no such thing."

"Oh really? And why not? I am single, have been for about 3 years now. I haven't had a man's touch in 3 years. Maybe I need to jog my memory of how it feels." That pissed him off.

Jackson let's go of my wrist and stands up. "C'mon, you're staying at my place while you're here."

I try to protest, "I already got a motel room booked down the road Jack."

"At Rusty's motel? You know I love Rusty but there is no way in hell I'm letting you stay there. It's dirty, the beds hurt your back, and people go in and out of there constantly that I don't think I trust. I can protect you in my home." I roll my eyes but don't argue, getting up to follow him out of the bar, setting my glass in front of Reaper and smiling at him. "Later boys, see you tomorrow. It's getting late which means Reaper's gonna be closing up soon." 

I turn backwards as I walk out the door, facing the men, then I salute them and say, "See yall tomorrow, don't argue when Reap says it's time to go," before letting the door close.