We decided to rent a truck to get around while we were in Kentucky for the week. We went and visited Dad's grave, I hadn't been there to see him in a few years. I missed him, and broke down and cried while we were there. I told him about Brantley and I getting engaged, about becoming a nurse, and how Mom pulled her shenanigans after he passed. Of course our life with her wasn't all sunshine and roses either when he was alive. She made our life hell, and I had a sneaking suspicion we would run into her while we were in town, since she moved back to Kentucky right after he passed and was brought back there for the funeral. And my suspicion was right.
I could feel someone standing behind me, it wasn't Brantley because he was sitting next to me at Dad's grave. I turned around to see if anyone was there, and that's when I saw her, all 5'10" and looking like she was on drugs, which she probably was knowing her because I could probably knock her over with a leaf since she probably didn't weigh more than 110. She had aged a lot, even though she was 65, she looked 80.
"What the hell are you doing here? After what you did to him, and me! You have no right to be here!" I proclaimed as I stood up and crossing my arms over my chest. She just stared at me, looked at Brantley who was now standing next to me, then back at me, then she finally spoke.
"Nice to see you too." She replied sarcastically.
"Babe, who is this?" Brantley asked.
"I'm her mother, and you are?"
"Brantley, Ellie's fiancé." He replied.
"Yes, mother, that's right. He's my fiancé" I quipped.
"He looks like that biker trash you loved to hang around. Guess you never could get Drew to propose. After all, he was the best one out of them all." She retorted. I clenched my fists at my side, I could feel my blood pressure rising, and my face turning red. Brantley stepped between us and faced me rubbing both my arms with his hands and looked me in the eyes and whispered "calm down baby, she's not worth it. She don't know you now, she don't know who I really am." I nodded and looked over his shoulder at her, she was just standing there smirking. She always hated that I loved the biker lifestyle, hated even more that her own nephew, Cliff, disowned her and took me in and under his wing after she took all dad's money and ran before the dirt settled on his grave.
"If you must know, mother, Drew and I are just friends. I know you wished I would have married him because Stephen had money, but Stephen died four years ago. And that wasn't even his real father, which you would have known that if you weren't too busy scheming. And Brantley here, is the farthest thing from biker trash. He's known this family for a long time,we just never met until several months ago. And if you look real good, you may just see you do know who he is. But you never did tell me why you're here. You have no reason to be!" I replied.
"What do you mean he's known this famous for a long time? I'm sorry that you and Drew didn't work out. He was good for you, better than this punk"
"If you must know, he has known Cliff since he was living here and riding with the Angels and Outlaws, then when Cliff moved to Georgia, he became President of our MC, Brantley is the Vice President. And Brantley treats me better than any man or boy I've dated. He pushes me to be a better person, I keep him in line, along with his momma, who I must say is more of a mother to me than you have been my entire life! Brantley has shown me what it's like to feel completely loved" she looked t both of us. My phone rang, " Bottoms Up" was my ringtone for PJ, it's odd he was calling me and not Brantley, something he don't do unless there something up. Brantley looked over at me and nodded like he knew, but if course he did. "What's up PJ?"
"Princess, now I don't know who that woman is or what's going on, but I know for a fact your Daddy wouldn't appreciate y'all fighting on his grave."
"BG II where are you? And how do you know what I'm doing?" He started cackling so Louis I pulled the phone from my ear.
"A guy never reveals his secrets" he replied assuredly.
"Uh huh. Thanks buddy, I needed that. We will see you back at the bus. Or before since I know you're lurking on the shadows" I said, just when I saw him pop out onto the clearing.
"Anytime honey" he replied. We hung up and he gave me the look that PJ was close by if we needed him.
"So, you're telling me, that my nephew knows this hoodlum, and he's one of them too?"
"With all do respect ma'am, I'm not a hoodlum. Yes, I do ride motorcycles, but so does your daughter. I also have a career, as does your daughter, the rest of those hoodlums you are talking about are either veterans or active duty soldiers and they all have jobs if they aren't disabled" Brantley told her matter of factly. She looked like she had been slapped in the face. "Career huh? So what is it you do now Ellie? Last time I had spoken to you before you cut me out of your life you were working in the CVS pharmacy and taking classes at University of Georgia trying to decide what you wanted to do. And you, what do you do? Career criminal?" My mother asked. The more I was around her the angrier I got.
"Yes, mother, I have a career. I'm an ER and SICU nurse. I graduated from University of Georgia, I also help organize benefits for families of fallen soldiers, help organize the bike runs the club does. And Brantley is a musician, he also does a lot of charity work, and humanitarian work" she stood there speechless, I could see the wheels turning in her head. When she finally spoke, it wasn't a term of endearment from her, because he'll would freeze over before I got that, it was one of her snide ass remarks.
"A nurse huh? Had to go and get my dream job didn't you! And a coordinator for veteran motorcycle rides? Always have to be involved with biker trash don't you? Won't be long before you get knocked up with some bastard child and the dad won't ever pay any attention to it"
"Newsflash, MOTHER! You dropped out of school in the ninth grade, you couldn't even pass the GED test because you suck at math and wouldn't study! And being a nurse was my dream, you just so happened to say it was yours when I declared my major. And yes, I always have to be involved with the club, because after Dad died, and you took everything for yourself including the money he left me that club became my family, your own nephew hates you for what you did to Dad and me. So how does it feel to be alone? Oh, and the comment about a baby, guess what? I did have a baby, by your precious Drew, when I was 18, but I miscarried at 12 weeks. It wasn't planned, and I never told him because our relationship has always seen more of friends with benefits anyhow. And if I did get pregnant now, I would have the man I love and am going to marry by my side, the whole club, and his family whom I adore." I tell her. I'm just done with her. The first time I saw her in five years, and she had my blood boiling. I'm praying she doesn't figure out who Brantley is, because knowing her she'd leak the news of his engagement to me to the media.
"Ma'am, Ellie has done well for herself in the time I've known her. She is hardworking, smart, loving,caring, can stand on her own two feet, and never asks for help from anyone, and she certainly can defend herself if anyone tries to kick her ass. I only know what Ellie told me as far as what happened between you all, but I can say this, Ellie is much happier and less stressed when you aren't around. She doesn't have to feel like she is constantly walking on eggshells, she can be herself and not have to worry about saying the wrong thing and having you to have an episode on her, that's right-Ellie told me about your bipolar and how you won't take your meds. She also doesn't have to always worry about you and your needs and your thought process that you must be the center of attention and no one else matters. Ellie is right, you don't have any right being at her fathers grave. You stole from him and her" Brantley replied matter of factly.
"Is that what you think Ellie?"
"I've thought it for years, you need help, and I will not have a relationship with you until you in Therapy, you detox, get help, and get the right treatment for bipolar, and don't contact me again. I still don't understand why you come to dad's grave after all you did to him! He put up with your shit for years, the verbal abuse, suicide attempts, you crying wolf all the time, the addiction, stealing his money and causing us to almost lose the house, he had to set up several accounts that you didn't know about just so he could have something to leave me. He made sure he covered my college for all four years so I wouldn't have to get loans. What you stole from him and from me, was what he wanted you to think he had. That was his old will, the one he wrote up when I was a kid, you manipulated him into changing it to put it all in your name because you are a selfish, vindictive, slut like your sister did to your mother; but newsflash, I already go the things Dad wanted me to have before he died. The CD's, investments, the farm, his rental properties, it's all mine! You have what you stole and that's that" Brantley wrapped his arm around me and calmed me down. Just as we were about to leave, she stopped us.
"He's not your father" was all she said, barely audible. "What did you say?" Brantley and I said in unison. Hanging her head, she repeated the words, "he's not your father." I felt my whole world stopped turning, we had always suspected it, due to the fact that I didn't really look like him other than his eyes and maybe the nose. "What the hell do you mean? Have you gotten a DNA test? Because we all know that's the only way!" This ought to be good I thought to myself.
"No, because he wouldn't ever give me one. I have known ever since I got pregnant you wasn't his that you were Tom's."
"We have done been through this crap mother. We even went to Tom to get a test, he wouldn't give it to me. I even told Dad about your little sexcapade and he told me he didn't want the test, that it didn't matter if I was or wasn't biologically his, he raised me and I had his last name. So nice try in trying to make it all about you...again. Just leave. You aren't wanted here. Dad made the mistake of staying married to you for as long as he did. I can guarantee if you weren't around he'd still be alive. Go back to your miserable life. You won't be getting an invite to the wedding either."
She turned and walked off, it took me a bit to calm down. Brantley stood there and hugged me. PJ walked up and gave me a hug.
"So that's the famous mom, eh?"
"Yeah, that's her all right. All fifty shades of crazy of her. I swear the less I have her in my life the happier I am." Brantley and PJ looked at each other and gave each other a knowing look. Brantley replied "I can see why baby girl. You've got us, Cliff, the club, mama, and Kolby." "That's all the family I need" I responded.
We said by to my Dad, I placed a kiss with my fingers on his gravestone. Brantley and I got in the truck and we headed back to the bus. We grilled out for dinner and made a bonfire. I had to unwind from the encounter with the wicked witch of Kentucky.