thought were important were suddenly trivial, and things I thought were niceties in life, like financial security, and planning a future, were suddenly, absolutely, important."
"That's why I gave up the Sergeant at Arms position, and why I don't do the bodyguard work anymore except as an adviser, and why I'm very content and happy with those decisions. So, no, I didn't give anything up. I just let the dead weight fall to the side of the road."
"Are you happy, Elias?" she asked.
"Very. So very, very happy. But I would be happier if I could finish my work day now." He smirked.
She playfully slapped his shoulder. "Brat. I was trying to have a moment."
"We'll have a moment when you get back from Doc's, how about that?"
"I may not want one then," she teased, and got out of his lap. "Do the voodoo that you do. I have to get going anyway."
"Taking the bike?"
"I thought it would be nice. Dad is jealous as hell, still."
"I would buy him five if he would accept them," Elias said, flicking back on his computer monitor.
"I know. He's just…"
"He's just a man, like me, and the rest of the brothers. We like earning our own way, and don't enjoy handouts," Elias finished for her.
"Something like that, yeah," she agreed.
The Dyna Low Rider was the most fulfilling ride she had ever experienced. The tank and frame had a custom paint job, done by Elias. The bike was his wedding present to her. The base color was a blended metallic blue which shone with a reddish gold in the light. Painted on the tank was a phoenix, rising up from a torrent of flames, and the vanity plate read "PHENX."
She loved the bike. Loved it and rode it as often as she could, which wasn't as often since Julia arrived in their lives, bringing with her things like mini-vans, diaper bags, and car seats.
Wearing leather pants and a tight, laced-up leather vest with no shirt or bra, she mounted the bike, adjusted her helmet and sunglasses, then idled the bike out of the backyard and to the road. There she checked the street, and then with a grin of pure joy, opened the throttle, and let the big engine roar her down the street toward Doc's office. She passed the Log Cabin and saw a few people waving. She returned the greeting, but didn't slow down. Hitting the boulevard, she glided through traffic, feeling the Texas sun warm her skin almost as fast as the wind cooled her.
Entering Doc's office, she gave Maria a smile and asked, "Is she ready for me?"
"Yep, her last client left a few minutes ago," Maria assured her.
Chelsea nodded and went into the office, closing the door behind her.
She met with Doc only once a month now. Most of the time it was just a quick talk about how the meds were working. She'd had four major med changes, but the last set seemed to be holding up. Her focus and memory were clear. She rarely had an episode anymore, and her sleep was sound and refreshing. Sex wasn't a problem. Sometimes social gatherings made her feel a little uneasy, and sometimes thoughts about Julia being hurt or injured would plague her. But none of these things were strong or overbearing any longer.
When Julia was first born, Chelsea was terrified her child would be hurt or kidnapped by someone. She spent many sleepless days and nights sitting in Julia's room by the crib, protecting her. From what, she didn't know, but she couldn't leave. She even had a gun in there with her, though she hid it from Elias. But after a few months, that passed, and it didn’t return.
"Hello, Chelsea," Doc said as Chelsea sat down in the chair across the desk from her. "How are you felling?"
"Very real," Chelsea told her. "Very real."
They talked for a bit, and then Doc brought the subject over to her father’s visit, which was a major minefield since his first visit for the wedding.
“I’m still not ready to discuss this with him. He knows something happened, and that I’m seeing you
"That's why I gave up the Sergeant at Arms position, and why I don't do the bodyguard work anymore except as an adviser, and why I'm very content and happy with those decisions. So, no, I didn't give anything up. I just let the dead weight fall to the side of the road."
"Are you happy, Elias?" she asked.
"Very. So very, very happy. But I would be happier if I could finish my work day now." He smirked.
She playfully slapped his shoulder. "Brat. I was trying to have a moment."
"We'll have a moment when you get back from Doc's, how about that?"
"I may not want one then," she teased, and got out of his lap. "Do the voodoo that you do. I have to get going anyway."
"Taking the bike?"
"I thought it would be nice. Dad is jealous as hell, still."
"I would buy him five if he would accept them," Elias said, flicking back on his computer monitor.
"I know. He's just…"
"He's just a man, like me, and the rest of the brothers. We like earning our own way, and don't enjoy handouts," Elias finished for her.
"Something like that, yeah," she agreed.
The Dyna Low Rider was the most fulfilling ride she had ever experienced. The tank and frame had a custom paint job, done by Elias. The bike was his wedding present to her. The base color was a blended metallic blue which shone with a reddish gold in the light. Painted on the tank was a phoenix, rising up from a torrent of flames, and the vanity plate read "PHENX."
She loved the bike. Loved it and rode it as often as she could, which wasn't as often since Julia arrived in their lives, bringing with her things like mini-vans, diaper bags, and car seats.
Wearing leather pants and a tight, laced-up leather vest with no shirt or bra, she mounted the bike, adjusted her helmet and sunglasses, then idled the bike out of the backyard and to the road. There she checked the street, and then with a grin of pure joy, opened the throttle, and let the big engine roar her down the street toward Doc's office. She passed the Log Cabin and saw a few people waving. She returned the greeting, but didn't slow down. Hitting the boulevard, she glided through traffic, feeling the Texas sun warm her skin almost as fast as the wind cooled her.
Entering Doc's office, she gave Maria a smile and asked, "Is she ready for me?"
"Yep, her last client left a few minutes ago," Maria assured her.
Chelsea nodded and went into the office, closing the door behind her.
She met with Doc only once a month now. Most of the time it was just a quick talk about how the meds were working. She'd had four major med changes, but the last set seemed to be holding up. Her focus and memory were clear. She rarely had an episode anymore, and her sleep was sound and refreshing. Sex wasn't a problem. Sometimes social gatherings made her feel a little uneasy, and sometimes thoughts about Julia being hurt or injured would plague her. But none of these things were strong or overbearing any longer.
When Julia was first born, Chelsea was terrified her child would be hurt or kidnapped by someone. She spent many sleepless days and nights sitting in Julia's room by the crib, protecting her. From what, she didn't know, but she couldn't leave. She even had a gun in there with her, though she hid it from Elias. But after a few months, that passed, and it didn’t return.
"Hello, Chelsea," Doc said as Chelsea sat down in the chair across the desk from her. "How are you felling?"
"Very real," Chelsea told her. "Very real."
They talked for a bit, and then Doc brought the subject over to her father’s visit, which was a major minefield since his first visit for the wedding.
“I’m still not ready to discuss this with him. He knows something happened, and that I’m seeing you
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