Chapter 164: Cancer
*Are you sure that’s the name you want? It’ll be your name for the rest of your life. – Toad*
Within a few days, Siobhan, Toad and Stephen were headed to Scotland. Toad had agreed to let Stephen go when Nessie told him that the younger man would not be coming home.
When he pressed his niece for more information, she shook her head and gave him a sad smile. He didn’t understand it. Probably never would.
But Toad trusted the woman. And did his best to honor her wishes.
Nessie hugged Stephen close. "Yeh'll find yer peace. It's beautiful back home."
She then shocked everyone, including Stephen, when she pulled him down and kissed him. When he pulled away, it was with an understanding.
“It’s time.” He said softly as he pushed some hair behind her ear.
Nodding she whispered, “Aye. 'Tis. They’ll put yer body in the family crypt.”
“Thank you.” He said as he took off his cut and handed it to her.
He then took off his necklace and his gold ring. On the chain was a smaller feminine version of the ring he wore. Stephen handed both rings to Knuckles.
“They belonged to my grandparents.” Stephen said with his voice cracking as he looked between his two friends. He didn’t have many, and those that he had, he treasured.
Knuckles accepted the jewelry and then hugged the other man, giving him several hard slaps on the back. “I’d be honored.”
“You’re not going to kiss me too, are you?” Stephen asked stepping away from him.
“Nah.” Knuckles grinned. “Maybe Clay?”
The three of them shared a laugh before Stephen walked out of the clubhouse. And their lives.
On the third day after arriving in Scotland, Stephen was dead. When he did not come to the dining room for breakfast, Toad went to find him. Painlessly, he had slipped away in his sleep.
The coroner was called out and the death investigated. The body was released only a few days before Toad and Siobhan flew home. As promised, her family laid him to rest in the family crypt.
Before the phone beside her bed even rang, Nessie knew.
Sadly, she carried his cut down to the bar and placed it on the back of a chair. She then asked Noel what he drank and she poured a Dr. Pepper with no ice.
“Yeh’ve earned yer rest.” She whispered setting the glass in front of the empty chair.
Spider walked into the bar looking a little shocked. “Noel, everyone gets a shot of whiskey. Ness…” his eyes fell on her saddened face and then on the empty cut.
“I know.” She whispered. “He’s at peace.”
Knuckles pulled her to him and kissed her hair. “No more cancer.”
She nodded as she clutched the rings hanging under his shirt.
“He had cancer?” Spider asked as he stood next to the cut. Knuckles gave a soft yes as he comforted Nessie.
Spider laid a name plate on the table. “He requested that his roadname be Cancer. Under Toad’s orders, we are to vote on his membership. Also under his orders, we are to vote him in.”
Typically the road names were earned, given to you. More often than not, they commemorated a moment most would rather forget. Such as getting your first tattoos written across your knuckles.
Or a moment of bravery. Or stupidity. Occasionally, a combination of the two. Just ask the man who had his name legally changed to a woman’s name
Sometimes, they were from a physical or personality trait. The man who was built like a bear, or the one obsessed with a sweet treat.
Even if a name was requested, it usually was not given. There were exceptions. Such as a young man who lost his grandparents within months of each other from different types of cancer.
“No vote needed for our brother.” Bearcat declared as he raised his shot glass. “To Cancer.”
