Claimed by the Biker Giant (Maxine and Tank) novel Chapter 271

Cloe POV

It’s been three weeks since my fall in the bathroom, which now has handrails in it, as promised.

I am at Grams, who was completely bedridden, and for some reason, I am the only one she doesn’t yell at. I have lived here for two weeks, sitting with Grams, and missing Storm. Each day, I try to get her to eat soft, gooey food, like baby food, but she can no longer talk. Today I was not successful; they had a drip in her arm, giving her nourishment, but everyone knows it’s a losing cause.

So, I gave her a warm body wash and was in the middle of brushing her hair, talking about the flowers in her greenhouse, which were blooming. When I heard her chest rattle, I knew she had taken her last breath. I reached over and pushed the call button, but didn’t leave Grams. I took her hand and kept talking to her, kissing her cheek. The nurse ran in, took one look and knew as much as I did, and called the doctor. I called Gramps on the phone. He had gone out, at my insistence. Hanging around waiting was hard; he would go for a walk while I groomed Grams.

“Hello?” Grampa answered the phone as a question

“She has gone,” I replied softly, an edge of sadness in my voice.

“Thank you, I will be back as soon as I can,” Gramps replied and hung up. He would need a moment to gather himself before returning to the room. I stayed in the room, still holding her hand, when Grampa came in.

“You have been a lifesaver. I don’t know what I,would have done these past few weeks if you hadn’t been here. She loved you very much.” Gramps soft softly in low husky voice, full of emotion.

“That’s kind of you to say so. I loved her too.” I let a tear roll down my cheek, and Grampa pulled me to his chest, and I think we both cried softly for a little while.

“The funeral will be on Saturday, and they will read after the funeral. I would like you there. She has left a few things for you,” Grampa said. He contacted the funeral home and the family, advising them of Gram’s passing. It all felt unreal. Any moment, she would call out my name. Well, she would call out Jan, but everyone knew it was me she wanted.

I was staying here till the funeral, Gramps said he would like my company for a little while longer. I quickly learned it was because he wanted to talk about his wife, and, as I knew a lot about his courtship and early days, he felt comfortable talking to me, getting his feelings heard, before the family all arrived, and he would put on a brave face I felt for him; he was alone in this big house.

Yes, there were a lot of staff about, but it was not the same as having family about. Fixer had convinced him to move in with her, and he was going to do it. After the funeral, he needed time to sort out his affairs and get any last-minute details place.

The funeral day came, and Gramps pushed my chair to the front of the church, using me as a barrier for those wanting to give him hugs; he did not want their sympathy or pity, from so called friends; he needed their help weeks, if not months, ago, they were always too busy, in which I had ended up filling without realising how much I was needed at the time. I saw Storm and the family, who came and gave Gramps a hug, which he happily accepted. They had been there for Gramps, visiting every other day. Fixer had stayed overnight once, talking and signing papers; they had me sign some, needing witnesses to the signatures, or something like that.

“How are you holding up? It must have been hard, but I am glad Grams was not alone when she passed on.” Storm gave me a quick kiss on the lips now was not the time for something more. They sat behind Gramps and me, who were in the front seat of the church, a place I had never been before. My spot was always the back row. The service was lovely. Grampa and I had picked out the pictures that rolled on a screen the whole time, and the songs, which had been Gram’s favourites.

At last, it was over, and Grams was in the family plot. Guests left in dribs and drabs. They had been trying to get Grampa’s attention, but he firmly kept hold of the wheelchair and only gave a shake of a hand. He was disappointed in his lifelong friends, and so was Gram’s when she could remember anything at all.

Slowly, Grampa wheeled me to a waiting car, and then to an office in town, where we would hear the will. It felt odd to be included, since I wasn’t officially a member of the family.

“What do you want me to do?” I countered, not wanting to get into this tonight, but I doubt Storm would sleep till he had answers..

“I want to be with you.” Okay, that was simple, didn’t answer a lot, but it was a start.

“Would you move to live with me in that large house?” I countered; it looked like we were both conflicted by this sudden inheritance, neither of us having seen it coming. The silence that followed was loud, an undercurrent of words not spoken, or don’t want to speak them. I could feel Storm’s heart beating fast as he thought about my question. Lots of emotion ran over his face before he could hide it.

“I think so, I don’t know.’ He eventually said, and I got what he meant, because that was how I felt. His life has always been here, with his family and friends; he most likely never thought to leave here. He had a club he was part of and a job with his Dad, though he didn’t need to be here to do it.

He was not short on money, nor were we now, so he could fly back and forth if he wanted to.

Was Storm ready to fledge his wings and fly from home?

Me? I could move; it would hurt at first, but I have had enough hurt to know that eventually it passes, and life goes on. I would be a temporary blimp on his road of life. I could still work for Fixer in her IT area, which she wants me to be part of.

I can’t sort out Storm’s dilemma; he has to work that out himself. Can he leave the life he knows and start again? Fly in when the club calls; he would have a long ride before he could join the guys on road trips or meet halfway, making the trip hardly worthwhile. That was up to him to make that call.