Page 5 of A Mountain to Climb
“Malcolm grew up in California. He said he was around different clubs, but I don’t know exactly what he knows or doesn’t.”
“Well then, give him a call and find out. I hope you saved his letter from last Christmas.” I did. Malcolm wrote me a letter to let me know he was out of the service as well, and to hit him up someday soon. Looks like today is going to be that day.
So here we sit, over a dozen years later. The Rebel Vipers Motorcycle Club is flourishing.
My brother, Andrew, became my Brother, Brick. He’s our club Secretary.
Malcolm King jumped at the chance to move here and help start a club from nothing. He now goes by the road name Bear.
My high school friends, Frank and Leonard, round out our original five members as Butch and Skynyrd.
One day while riding around, Brick saw a ‘for sale’ sign in the empty parking lot of an old meat processing factory. The next day, we looked at the property and were sold ten minutes into the tour with the real estate agent. We signed the deed to one hundred acres a week later, and we had finished renovations just over a year later. The five of us lived on-site while fixing up the main building, what we now call the clubhouse. We built bedrooms, bathrooms, and one giant kitchen. We set up a room for Church and filled the main room with plenty of couches and recliners. It may not look like much, but it’s our home. We’ve updated a few things over the years, but that’s all part of the club growing.
“What you doing over here all alone, Pops?” Connor drops down across from me and breaks my reminiscing.
“Just thinking about how the club started and that I’m glad you’ll be in my place one day.” I’m not sure how much a ten-year-old understands about what it took to get this club to where it is today.
“I know I’ve got a lot to learn, but one day, I’ll know it all,” Connor says with a serious face before taking a way too big bite of his burger and making us both laugh.
CHAPTER FOUR
LANA
Dear Lana,
I hope this letter finds you. If Mother doesn’t get it first. You know how she is. That’s why I had to leave the way I did. I hope you’re doing okay.
I wanted to write and let you know some news. I just had a baby. Not what I planned for my life, but Mountain loves Connor so much.
Maybe you can come visit one day.
Miss you, Roxy
I refold the letter and gently slide it back into the envelope. I’ve been holding onto this wrinkly paper for ten years now. Roxy was right about one thing—our mother did hide it from me. She threw it away, and had I not accidently dropped a spoon into the trash, I never would’ve found it.
I saw my name written on the envelope and recognized my sister’s handwriting. I shook off the coffee grounds and ran to my room to hide it. When I read the letter, I was nineteen and naïve, but it didn’t take me long to figure out why she really left. When Roxy didn’t blindly go along with what my parents wanted for her, they disowned her and she left. Our parents tried to do the same thing to me, and when I didn’t give in, they tossed me out too.
That’s what brought me to where I am now—sitting in my car, parked in front of a butcher shop, in downtown Tellison, Wisconsin. I’m so far away from home. Growing up in Florida was nothing like this town. For one thing, I’m nowhere near the ocean. The largest body of water I’ve seen on my drive was Lake Michigan. It’s a beautiful sight, but until now, I’ve never been north of the Mason-Dixon line.
I tuck the envelope into my purse, climb out of the car, and stretch my sore muscles. Maybe driving straight through wasn’t a great idea, but I wanted to find Roxy and get away from my parents as fast as possible.
“Can I help you find something?” I hear a voice ask. I turn around and see an older gentleman wearing a white apron stained pinkish red on the edges.
“I’m really hoping you can.” I bump the car door shut with my hip and step up the curb. “This may sound like a weird request, but I’m looking for a man named Mountain. Would you know where I can find him?” There was no return address on the envelope, but the postmark tells what post office it came from.
“Did you say Mountain? You would be looking for the motorcycle clubhouse then.”
“Motorcycle club?” What the hell did Roxy get herself into?
“I know it sounds scary, but the Rebel Vipers aren’t all bad. They do great things and have brought lots of business to our town.” This guy is getting defensive, and since he knows where I need to go, I can’t push any more of his buttons.
“I’m sorry, no judgment here. I just need to find Mountain. Can you tell me where he is?”
“Sorry, ma’am. I just don’t like strangers coming here and judging our people.”
“I totally understand.” This isn’t the first impression I wanted to make.
Pointing to the right, he starts giving me directions. “Take a left at the stop light and drive a few miles. The road is pretty curvy, so watch where you’re going. The clubhouse is on the left when you come around a sharp curve. It’ll sneak up on you quick, so don’t drive too fast, because you’ll drive right past.”