Chapter 144: Founder’s Night
*Ness, can you cook something to feed about 150 brothers and possibly just as many family members? By tomorrow night? – Toad*
Nessie stepped back and looked at her work. In the past two days she had completely revamped the dining hall. Additional changes would be done in the next few days.
The salad bar was cleaned and fully stocked. There was a baked potato bar and taco station. Along the main line were brisket, baked chicken and stew. Steamed vegetables, macaroni and cheese, baked beans and corn were set out, with more trays waiting in the warmers. Also in the warmers were freshly baked yeast rolls, biscuits and cornbread.
Chocolate and yellow cakes were chilling in the cooler, sliced and ready to be served.
Nessie had recruited some of the club girls to help her. Several were stationed in the kitchen to run the dishwasher and keep the food stocked. They all wore black slacks and gray polo shirts; picked by Siobhan.
Looking around at the dining hall, which could hold 450 people, she wished that Toad had agreed to table cloths.
“Ness, these guys wear leather and most of them don’t know how to use a razor. They don’t give a fuck about table cloths.”
They may not, but the ladies would. Nessie knew who she needed to convince. The wives and girlfriends. In other words, the old ladies whose men would move heaven and earth to make them happy.
With a plan in her mind, she went and opened the doors. Walking down the hall, she could hear lots of voices. Even though she had been told how many people to expect, she was not prepared to see the bottom floor full of bikers.
“A little overwhelming?” Knuckles asked putting a friendly arm around her shoulders.
“A whole fecking lot overwhelming.” She replied.
“For the most part, we don’t bite. I only bite to bring pleasure.” He gave her a grin and a wink before he started pointing out different brothers and their families. “You need to meet Molly and his pretties.”
“How did he get named Molly? And what are his pretties?”
Knuckles guided her through the crowd to a man holding an infant and a toddler and had a young girl hanging on his back. He was surrounded by women and girls.
“Molly, this is Nessie, Siobhan’s niece.”
The large hairy man with pink ribbons in his beard and a princess tiara in his hair smiled at her. “Slainte!”
“Slainte is tainte.” She replied with a grin and then laughed at his attempt to repeat it back. “Slaw-nchee is taw-nchee. It means health and wealth.”
“Slainte does not mean cheers?” The Hispanic woman asked as she took the baby.
“Common mistake. It actually means health. When yeh toast Slainte, yer toasting to their health.” Nessie explained as another woman handed Molly a crying baby and took the toddler.
“She’s teething.” Molly explained and Nessie plucked the baby from his arms. She softly sung to the baby as she rocked gently on her heels. To the parent’s surprise, the baby stopped crying and went to sleep.
“I haven’t heard that since my own babies.” Siobhan smiled at her niece and they spoke softly in Gaelic.
“The dining hall smells wonderful.” Toad said stepping over and placing an arm around his wife’s waist.
“Thank yeh.” Nessie replied as her uncle glared at Knuckles until the arm was removed from her shoulders. “And how is the cornbread?”
Siobhan turned and brushed a few crumbs off his shirt. “Busted.”
“It was really good.” He admitted with no shame. “Did you put honey in it?”
“Aye. As if there is another way to make it.” She said adjusting the baby in her arms. “It’s all ready when yeh are.”
“I’ll go let Trigg and Brute know.” He kissed his wife and whispered something in Gaelic to her.
“She can’t have one of her own if you glare at any man that looks at her.” Siobhan said in English and loud enough for the people around her to hear. Toad gave her a dirty look before walking away.
Knuckles followed him. “Toad, I know she’s family-"
“I don’t want her to be treated like a club girl. She’s coming off a bad relationship.”
“I know. I’m not going to do anything.” Knuckles said and Toad cocked an eyebrow at him. “I might flirt. Only because it is like breathing.”
“I’d worry if you didn’t flirt.” Toad laughed.
“You flirt with them and Chance fucks them.” Trigg added as he looked around. “Speaking of which, he seems to have disappeared.”
“Go check Nessie’s kitchen.” Toad ordered Knuckles and he nodded as he headed for the hall. He returned a few minutes later with Chance in tow.
“I’m going to laugh my ass off when that boy gets hooked by a woman.” Brute said.
“We’re going to laugh and the club girls are going to cry.” Trigg agreed.
“It’s your house.” Brute said slapping Toad on the back.
“Saints!” Toad called out as he stepped up on the third stair. Brute and Trigg stood one stair below him. The floor got quiet and everyone turned to face the stairs.
“Every year we gather in February to celebrate our founders, Killer and Pops. All three local clubs come together to remember the first Saints. Those of us from the Shack would like to welcome our brothers and their families from the Mother House and Pop’s Place.”
Cheers went up as the different clubhouses were mentioned.
“And our Nomad Brothers. And sister. Hello, Dom. Please don’t kill anyone tonight. Especially me.” He waved at the woman with a blue Mohawk and multiple tattoos. “If you’re staying here tonight, I need to speak with you in the morning. If you’re leaving tonight, come see me before you leave. Please.”
She nodded from where she was perched against a pool table.
“Before Preacher comes to give the blessing, I would like to introduce you to my niece, Nessie. Come here, girl.”
Siobhan gave her a little nudge and the crowd parted as she walked towards him. Just before she reached the stairs, a black-haired teenage girl took the sleeping baby from her.
“Molly, she has a ton of half and step siblings and twice as many cousins. Keep count of your little pretties, she may take one just out of habit.”
“Twenty-three.” Nessie said in her sweet sing song voice. “There’s one of us for each hour. I claim the witching hour.”
“Damn. I thought Molly had a lot of little pretties.” Trigg said.
“This lovely woman, who obviously looks nothing like my wife,” there was laughter as people turned to look at Siobhan as she merely shrugged, “is responsible for tonight’s feast. She and the club girls have spent the past two days cooking and getting the kitchen set up. Some of the club girls will be serving tonight. They are off limits, Chance.”
“Where’s the fun in that?” Chance called out from near the bar doors.
“This lovely lady is a direct descendant of people who performed human sacrifice. And she has a beautiful tattoo declaring that the world would be a much better place if more people drank the blood of their enemies from skulls. Their enemies recently removed skulls.” Toad called back. “If you would like to tick her off, Dom has the playroom downstairs.”
“I like her.” Dom smiled and Chance cringed.
“I like my skull where it is!” Chance replied.
“Pity.” Nessie said and received a round of laughter.
“If you get a chance to introduce yourself, her name is Nessie. Starting tomorrow, the kitchen will be open again for breakfast and supper. And Sticks?”
Sticks nodded and two prospects, Stephen and Law, brought over a large wooden sign. Three feet tall and six feet long dark wood with a lighter wood inlay that read Nessie’s Kitchen. Underneath was a simple outline of the Loch Ness Monster that matched the tattoo on her left wrist.
“Oh! It’s fecking gawchess!”
Sticks walked up and hugged her. “Welcome to the Shack.” He then lowered his voice. “Stay away from Chance.”
