Back in the house Beth was still sat at the table. She peered over at Ben, who stood at the sink as he furiously washed a baking tray. He’d been working it for a good five minutes before Joanna went over to coax him into sitting back down. He looked so hurt it pulled at Beth’s heart strings. Unlike Emma who mostly lived at college, other than the holidays, Beth spent nearly every weekend with Ben these last 2 years. She was too young to remember her father, so Ben really was the first and only kind of Dad she’d ever had. He was a good guy, sweet if not a bit clumsy about family life, but he tried his best. For Beth, that was enough.
She pursed her lips together in thought and shoved her hands into the pockets of her onesie as Ben stared down into his half drank coffee. Joanna was busying herself with the dishes, and Beth couldn’t stand the rain cloud Emma had left in her wake.
Her eyes widened as her fingers came into contact with something that gave her an idea. She found a long sweet wrapper, folded it length ways with some quick pleated folds, and put it under her nose. She pouted her lips forward to hold it there like an orange moustache and quickly pulled out two more to make a blue and green eyebrow. She held them in position and cleared her throat for Ben to notice her.
He did a double take, stared at her in shock for a moment, and then started sniggering. His laughter drew Joanna’s attention when Beth started to bob her head like a chicken from side to side. Her mother smiled, happy not to interfere with the golden moment. Ben’s anxiety melted away and he reached over to shake her shoulder with a big grin.
“You’re a treasure, you know that?” He seemed genuinely touched and happy.
“Oh I know.” Beth’s ‘moustache’ dropped off her face onto her plate as she spoke, so she lowered the wrappers from her eyebrows too. “I’m the sweet nice oddball kid, no the prickly one.”
“Emma is sweet too.” Ben surprised her with that comment, and a sad smile. “Her passion is to care for other people, and her dream is to deliver babies for a living. Cold uncaring people don’t do that. she’s just…not that keen on me, it seems.” He shrugged sadly.
“She will be.” Joanna appeared beside him and rubbed his shoulders. “Give her time.”
“…another 2 years?” He countered half joking, and half not.
The front door alerted them to a visitor, so Joanna left Beth and Ben alone to answer it.
“Oh, hello Jason.” They heard her say, and Beth snapped upright in her seat like a meercat.
“Shit!” Beth looked down at her blue onesie in a panic.
“Don’t cuss.” Ben berated her with a chuckle. “Better hurry on up those stairs and get dressed. I’ll cover you.” She hid behind Ben as they comically shuffled out of the kitchen and in front of the stairs. Jason was stood in the open doorway. He didn’t get chance to say anything before Beth bolted on all fours up the stairs in a blur of pink. Ben was still chuckling as he took his place beside Joanna.
“Morning Jason.”
“Morning Mr Walker.” He replied politely, though he didn’t smile or look pleased to be here. Ben was about to thank him for being such a good sport with Caleb’s decree, when he spotted a Harley Davidson parked on his drive. It was an old model, customised, and there were two helmets perched ready on the seat. This made him scan the boy over once more. His bony curtain were tousled than usual, and he wore big leather boots, black jeans, a tight red shirt with some sort of rock band on the front, and a black leather motor cycle jacket, which was currently open. Jason scratched the back of his neck as he looked down from his superior hight at Ben, and revealed a flash of biker gloves.
“Are you planning on taking my Beth on that?”
“…yeah?” Jason seemed confused by the question. “Don’t worry. I got a spare helmet and jacket. See?” He pointed over his shoulder to the white helmet and second black leather jacket draped over the bike.
Ben rubbed his beard and felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise. He saw an image of Beth, pressed up against Jason, and being surrounded by her scent. Jason was a hot-blooded male, and Beth was a cute little thing. A young woman he’d been fathering for the last 2 years, and still wore onesies to bed. Perhaps the desire to show off to a pretty girl would take Jason, and he’d go faster than normal? Or do a wheely with her on the back? Ben’s cop nature did not like the idea of Beth on a motorcycle full stop. He’d reported to enough accidents, in and out of Glen Valley, to know the horrors of teens showing off with an engine and too many hormones in the driving seat.
“A huh?” Ben cleared his throat and put a smile on his face. “I tell you what son?” Ben clapped a hand to Jason’s shoulder with a big grin. “It’s such a lovely day isn’t it? Why don’t you leave that thing parked here and walk into town with-”
“IS THAT A BIKE?!” Beth came shooting past them like a rocket was up her backside. She wore brown leather boots, blue leggings, and a brown flared dress with a turtle neck and long sleeves. She’d combed her wavy ginger hair and wore a blue headband to keep it off her face. The trio by the door balked at her pouncing at the Harley without even greeting Jason. “Oh wow! This is cool! Is this for me?” She held up the white helmet and spare jacket with a starry-eyed grin. She didn’t wait to put the oversized jacket on and zip herself in. She giggled and struggled to get her head into the helmet with her thick ginger mane.
“Yeah.” Jason smirked and hurried over to help her into the helmet by pushing on the top like it was a button. Beth was a bit startled by suddenly having the helmet on, but didn’t get time to recover. “Quick, get on before grandpa makes us walk.” Jason whispered to her and helped her onto the raised pillion seat by lifting her up by her waist. Like she weighed nothing. Beth flustered and turned her head from side to side as she practised looking out of the visor. Jason put his black helmet on in a hurry and swung his leg over to take his lower seat before her. Beth sat hold upright and had her hands up at his sudden presence. Her knees framed either side of his hips and he waved at her to hold onto him. Gingerly her arms went around his waist, and after a quick yank of her wrists, she was made to sit right against him and hold tight. Her feet braced on the footrests just in time for the engine of the Harley to roar into life.
“This is so cool!” Beth snorted to herself. Jason grinned behind his visor and saluted Beth’s parents. Joanna waved happily and Ben looked very displeased. “Go go go!” She shouted through the visor when Ben made a decisive step that didn’t bode well for Beth getting a Motorbike ride.
“Stick to the speed limit and bring her back without a scratch on!” Ben barked after them as Jason backed down the driveway on his rumbling Harley. “I mean it boy!”
Jason pulled onto the street, faced forward and revved the bike unnecessarily loudly, before taking off at a sensible pace. “Emma was right.” Ben turned to Joanna, and looked horrified by his own admission. “We should have vetoed this arrangement first. Gone with them? I-”
“Hay?” Joanna chuckled and rubbed his back. “I stand by what I said to Emma. I trust her, they are in broad daylight in a small town. We trust the pack right?”
“Yes.”
“Well then. End of.” A heavy pause later, and Joanna chuckled and bumped her hip with his. “You realise we’re suddenly alone…?” Ben blinked, grinned and chased his giggling fiancé back into the house.
Beth’s heart hammered in her chest and she gripped onto Jason tightly. It felt like they were going much faster than they were as they drove down the high street. Many people waved in recognition of Jason, and he even lifted his right hand off the throttle to give a brief salute to a few of them. Beth was enjoying the ride, right up until he drove of the high street and started heading out of town. The country road opened up wide and clear; void of everything but tarmac and trees framing either side. The road boomed with the roar of the Harley as it revved up to a real speed. Beth felt the increasing vibration beneath her and she clung to Jason in a panic of what would happen if she fell off at this speed. The trees were a blur now and she wasn’t having fun anymore.
Jason’s helmet turned to the side as if to regard her reaction and he dropped the speed down accordingly. Slowly Beth uncoiled herself from her plastered position against his back to look up again. He nodded at her through his helmet, possibly trying to convey she was safe, before returning to looking at the road. This prompted Beth to look ahead too, and she saw signs for Portland. They drove for what felt like an hour at least before they entered a vibrant city. In some ways it reminded her of Seattle. People were on the cell phones and scuttling around the place like ants. Superstores, chain restaurants, many coffee houses and café’s, and of course, sleek and shiny buildings. Not as many skyscrapers or very tall buildings as Seattle, but still a monument to modern urban living and working.
They pulled up to a shopping mall and Jason drove down into an underground parking lot. There was an allocated zone for bikes he headed straight for, showing he’d been here before. When he pulled up into a bike bay he nodded at Beth to get off. Her legs were like jelly and she stumbled over her feet a few times as she moved back for Jason. He swung his leg over like a pro and unlocked one of his panniers on the back to retrieve a thick chain. He dropped to a squat and threaded it through his front wheel and a massive metal pole to the right of the bike parking bay. It had a combination lock he span a few times, and then stalked over to her.
He looked even bigger and oppressive in black leather and biker helmet. It suddenly dawned on Beth that she’d been driven well out of town, with a strange guy who manhandled her the day before, with no real backup. No Emma or Ben to come and defend her. In the heart of Portland city and with no means of transportation to get back home. She didn’t even bring her wallet.
In fact, Beth was totally dependant on Jason for her safe return home…
She squealed when he suddenly knocked on the top of her helmet. When she did nothing but flinch he shook his head. He took his gloves off first, shoved them into his pocket, and then unclasped the chin strap beneath his helmet. Beth realised that the ‘tap’ he gave her was meant to be her cue to take off her helmet. She fumbled with the strap and pushed it off so frantically it leapt up out of her fingers. Beth squealed frantically and pawed at the helmet twice before she caught it securely enough to hold against her chest. She lifted her big brown eyes up to look at Jason, who had taken his helmet off and stared at her odd display. Her thick wavy ginger hair was windswept and a bit flat on top from wearing the helmet. Her expression was a nervous smile, and she looked very tense.
“…I caught it?” Beth offered the helmet to Jason, who
huffed a chuckle at her. “I’m sorry, I’m a bit clumsy, but I didn’t drop it.”
“I saw.” He walked back over to the bike and opened the left pannier open to
put his helmet and gloves inside. He locked it, then opened the right one.
Thankfully Beth got the hint and put the white helmet inside without further
incident. He ran a hand back through his thick ebony curtains to rectify his
helmet hair. He then reached over and ruffled her mane to fluff it back up and
nodded at her. She reminded him of a nervous puppy. On edge, eager to please,
and instinctively came to heel. Those
big brown eyes were puppy dog eyes if he ever did see one. Her skittish and
clumsiness reminded him of a pup by any regard. He rolled his dark brown eyes
and locked the panniers. “Let’s go.” Jason dropped his hand on her shoulder and
prompted her to start walking them towards the elevator. “Got a camera to buy.”
“Yes, thank you.” Beth cleared her throat and thought this was likely the most awkward she’d ever felt around another person. She peered up at him as they waited for their floor. He still held her shoulder, which was more than a bit intimidating, but his expression seemed apathetic. He was very good looking, a biker, and had this too cool to care air about him. Beth had observed the ‘cool kids’ at school, and he would have been a heart throb for sure. Or the rebel bad boy kid that got into as many detentions as he did panties. Her social circle, not that she had one, wouldn’t have included him for sure. “Erm-”
“Yeah?” She gulped. His dark eyes were so intense, she regretted breaking the silence.
“…why are we in Portland? Doesn’t Glen Valley have-”
“Nope.” He cut her off and grumbled towards the elevator doors. “Nothing but local businesses. Great if you want a basic TV, ice cream, your Christmas suit taking in or out, or to eat out, but if you want to buy anything decent you have to go into Portland.” He shrugged. “Kenny’s place sells those disposable cameras, but that’s about it.”
“Ah, I see. Right, thank you, then. For bringing me out here.”
“Sure. Least I could do…my fault you need a new one anyway…besides.” He huffed. “I know a guy here.”
Neither spoke more than the odd instruction from Jason to ‘turn left here’ or ‘this way’, as they headed through the mall. To onlookers they probably looked like a mismatched couple on a date. Beth wore what was clearly his black leather jacket, and he had his hand on her shoulder the whole time. She was more then relieved when they made it to a tech shop that specialised in photography. Even Jason could see the light in her eyes sparkle as she took in the familiar surroundings. They headed towards to a long glass counter with cameras and various high end accessories displayed from wall to wall. Beth tried to take a step forward, but met resistance from Jason’s hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him with confusion. “Wait here.”
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