The Long Ride Pt. 01

"Uh-huh," taking the last sip of his drink, "Marda why is it every woman here is trying to set me up?" Callum whispered into her ear as he sat down.

"Cal, you know your attractive right?" Marda asked, with a cocked eyebrow.

"So, I've been told," Callum nodded.

"Well, you mix that with how good a father you are, and bam! Instant wet panties," Marda chuckled at Callum's reddening cheeks. "It is time for you to find someone for yourself Cal," she said, reaching over her armrest and gently patting his hand. "You can't live just for Shari alone. You need someone just as much as she needs her mother."

"But is Shari ready to be experiencing that? Me going out, bringing a strange woman around when its time, is she ready for that?" Callum asked, looking over at Marda, seeing her fifty-seven years of experience in her eyes.

"I can't say Cal, but it's been eight years since you've dated anyone. Don't you think it's time? Shari is old enough to know what dating means. Plus, her mother's come back so you'll have someone to count on if those dates become stay overs," Marda said wickedly, as she wiggled her eyebrows.

"I think you just want to know about my sex life," Callum teased, as he nudge Marda's elbow.

"You have to have... well, look at you getting yourself some, you little sneak," Marda laughed as she lightly shoved Callum as he smirked. "Well, that would explain why you've never taken our offers to set you up, you're already getting laid."

"Daddy! Look at what Bret got me!" Shari shouted as she raced towards him.

"Oh, and what did Bret get you?" Callum asked, as he waited on Shari to unroll the poster in her hands.

"See?!" Shari was grinning from ear to ear as she held the unicorn poster for her father to see. "Can we hang it up when we get home?!" she asked, with pleading eyes.

"Of course honey, now why don't you go give that back to Bret so he can put it somewhere safe until we go home," Callum said, smiling at his daughter.

"Okay!" Shari said happily, before running back into the main building.

"See," Marda's boney finger poked him in the arm, "that right there is why they have soaked panties," she whispered as she gestured to the women who kept an ear out for them. "You know if you were a very, very wicked man, you could have any one of them."

"Even you?" Callum asked, teasingly.

"Oh honey, if you ever got between these legs," Marda's rose colored lips curved into a seductive smile, "I'd drain those balls of yours so quick it'd leave your head spinning." Callum's laughter filled the air at Marda's banter. He knew she was happily married to Rick, the founder of the club, yet Marda did like to flirt. Plus Marda was like another grandmother to Shari.

"Hey Cal!" Came a baritone voice from within the crowd.

"Yeah, how's it going John," Callum said, waving to Regina's husband as the barrel chest black man ambled over.

"Been better," John admitted once he got through the crowd.

"What's going on?!" Callum asked, as they performed the club's hand shake.

"I was wondering if you'd have time to look at my car. Every time I start down the driveway the temp jumps to the red."

"You idling or giving it any gas?"

"Straight idle man," John said, rubbing his bald, shiny head.

"Sure, have it towed to my place and I'll see what I can do on Monday," Callum said, smiling at his friend.

"I appreciate that man, Regina's been on me to get that fixed."

"Yeah, I bet riding in the rain to work isn't pleasant either," Callum chuckled.

"You got me there," John said, joining in on the mirth.

Callum watched from the corner of his eyes as Shari walked hand in hand with Regina around the club grounds as he chatted away with the other members. Some talking about the game that was on the other night. Some about the fight from the other month. Many simply discussing their lives up to that date who didn't get to come last month due to life getting in the way. A smile formed on his lips at the joke one of the guys was telling as he took a sip of another soda. Callum never drank when he had Shari in the side car, and he only had one beer if he was driving his truck. He would never endanger his daughter's life. Watching his daughter's face lighting up as the women of the club clustered around Shari. She was always the center of attention when he brought her along. Not that he minded really, he was happy that Shari was making friends.

"Alright everyone mount up!" Rick shouted when it was time to hit the streets for the poker run.

"You ready for this?!" Callum asked, once Shari reached his side.

"Yeah! We're going to crush those posers!" Shari shouted throwing her arm into the air. Callum bit his lip from laughing out loud at her display. He noted how Marda and Regina and all the other women of the club were fighting back their smiles as well.

"Now that's what I like to hear!" Rick shouted his icy blue eyes twinkled as Shari smiled at him.

"Then climb aboard, we need to be fast if we want that unicorn prize," Callum said, knowing she would have forgotten about that. Her gaping mouth was evidence of that.

"A unicorn?!" Shari squealed. Before her little legs carried her quickly over to his bike. "Come on Daddy! Unicorn!" Callum just shook his head and chuckled as he walked over to his bike. "We're getting that unicorn!" Shari released her battle cry as they pulled out of the club's parking lot.

"Daddy I'm thirsty," Shari said, as they pulled to a stop at the second marker to get their cards.

"Okay, here's five dollars go get you a drink while I get our card," Callum said, handing her the bill. Twisting to the right as he heard the sound of a sport bike's engine revving as it pulled into the Sonic parking lot. Keeping Shari in her seat as the bike pulled alongside Shari. Callum tried to keep his eyes from shooting to the woman's ass as her leather molded to it as she eased off her bike. Her light brown hair spilled out, down her back as she lifted her helmet.

"Can I go now?" Shari asked, wondering what the hold up was.

"Sure Shari," Callum said, his brain starting to function once again.

"Hi cutie," the woman cooed as she waved to Shari as she passed. Callum's eyes slyly followed after her, running along her perfect nose, in his eyes, her fine jawline, the smile when she greeted... Regina. Shaking his head, he wasn't going to get involved. Hopping off his bike when he was sure Shari was waiting in line. He was hoping to get back on the road before Regina could set her plan into motion. That was his hope anyway, yet that didn't work out as he was sliding the card into his inside jacket pocket as Regina called out to him. Sighing in his mind as he turned to greet her.

"Cal, this is Itzel, the woman I told you about," Regina said, smiling as she introduced the two of them.

"A pleasure to meet you," Itzel said, with a warm smile as she held out her hand.

"Pleasure," Callum said, wondering why he was becoming tongue tied; something that had never happened before.

"So I hear you have a little girl." Callum's eyes darted over Itzel's right shoulder as Regina mouthed 'I told her everything, your welcome!'

"Yes, I do."

"Was that her in the side car?" Itzel asked, slyly running her eyes down his chest. She had gotten a very good look at his rear while he waited in line, and she liked what she saw. She wasn't looking for some fling. She wanted to put down roots. To finally stop being chased by men and start a family. This was why she left the west coast, where most people were so shallow and stale. If what she'd heard from Regina, which was a lot since she talked to her about Callum almost every chance she got while they were at work, was right then she might have to stop looking.

"Shari! Where you going?" Callum asked, as she tried to sneak her drink into the side car.

"Nowhere," Shari said, with child-like innocence.

"You have to finish your drink before we can get back on the road." Itzel remained silent, she had to see for herself at how he dealt with his daughter.

"But Daddy," Shari pouted.

"You know what happened last time you tried that," Callum said, sternly. "You don't have to drink it all at once, you know," he sighed as Shari pinched her nose as she fought to thaw out her brain.

"I take it this is your daughter?" Itzel asked, her steel blue eyes glanced from Shari to Callum. Wondering how a man younger than her could have a child as old as Shari appeared to be.

"Shari come here and meet Regina's friend," Callum said, waving his daughter over.

Shari eyed the woman before her as she drew upon her straw. "Hello," she said sweetly, before getting another sip of her drink.

"Hi! I'm Itzel, and you are?"

"Shari!" Her innocent smile beamed up at Itzel.

"Oh my! She's so adorable! Get a hold of yourself Itzel!" She berated herself in her mind. She had to know if the man was decent enough before she fell head over heels for his daughter.

"You done Shari?" Callum asked, once he heard the straw sucking up nothing but air.

"Yes Daddy," Shari said, looking up at him.

"Go toss it in the trash and we'll get back on the road. It was nice meeting you," Callum said, with a friendly smile.

"The pleasure was all mine," Itzel whispered as she listened to the two of them.

"Told you he was the catch, didn't I?" Regina snickered behind her friend.

"You didn't tell me he was so young?!" Itzel said, turning around. She thought Callum was in his thirties with a kid that age.

"I did say he was about as old as you are if I'm not mistaken."

"But how can he have a kid that old?!" Itzel asked, keeping her voice low.

"Shari's mother had her when they were sixteen, Cal's raised her ever since," Regina said, matter-of-factly.

"He... raised a child, on his own at sixteen?!" Itzel asked, flabbergasted.

"He told me his parents helped a lot when Shari was still very little. But he mostly did it on his own," Regina said, waving to Shari as Callum backed out of his parking spot. "So that the kind of man you're looking for? Hard working, stable, good looking, responsible, good with kids?" she asked, with a coy smile.

"Why do I get the feeling you're holding back something," Itzel said, looking over at Regina.

"Because she is," Marda said, sauntering up. Itzel felt herself tensing up as those jade eyes of hers ran down her body. "Do you think you're the only one after that man?" she said, shooting a glance at Regina. "I take it that she didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what? And who are you anyway?" Itzel asked, looking to her friend for an answer.

"Shari's godmother," Marda said proudly, as she placed her right hand on her cocked out hip. "So, I'm in the position to know if you want that man, you have a lot of competition," she said, as she walked towards Itzel. "A man like him, as good a father as he is to Shari, trust me, he's one of the good ones, men like Cal don't stay single for long when they finally start looking but that's just my advice to you. I wish you luck and enjoy the rest of the run. You're welcome to come to the cookout after... Cal will be there if you're wondering," Marda said, as she walked towards her husband's trike.

"Going somewhere?" Regina called out to her friend as Itzel walked towards her red Yamaha MT-01.

"I'm already behind, I might as well catch up," Itzel said, with a smile on her lips as she pushed her visor down.

******

Callum's eyes glanced at his right mirror as he noted the ever advancing motorcycle that was gaining ground on them. Moving over to allow it room to pass, turning his head, arching an eyebrow when he heard the bike slowing. His eyes darting rapidly along Itzel's body as she pulled apace with them.

"Hey," Itzel cooed as she flipped her visor once they stopped at a red light.

"Yo," Callum greeted wondering why she had slowed down, and trying to keep his eyes from roaming down her body. Looking down as Shari peeked over his thigh.

"Hi Shari!" Itzel waved to her.

"Hi!" Shari said happily. "You aren't after the unicorn prize too right?" she asked worryingly.

"What?! They have the unicorn prize?!" Itzel feigned shock and surprise. Which earned her a smile from Callum at Shari's 'Yeah?!' Her eyes flickered over as the yellow light flicked on. "Well then, shall we get that prize," she said, looking right at Shari. Biting her lip at how adorable those hard set eyes of determination sat within that cute face of hers was, it was melting her heart. Quickly flipping down her visor, feeling her face heating rapidly. Glancing out the corner of her eye when Callum shrugged at his daughter.

"You stay with Marda while I go get our prize okay?" Callum said, once they had reached the end of the run. Trying not to eye Itzel as she glanced at him while she talked to Regina.

"Okay Daddy," Shari said, as Marda lightly patted the hand she was holding.

"Hey Cal, wait a moment," Itzel called out as Callum neared the prize booth. "Mind if I wait in line with you?" she asked, with a flirtatious smile.

"No," drawing out the word noting the eyes of the men there, "so... that's an interesting bike you've got," Callum said, making small talk.

"Thanks, its... fast that's for sure," Itzel said, slyly lowering the zipper of her jacket. "Can I ask you something?"

"I don't see why not," Callum said, trying to keep his eyes on her face and not the tops of her breasts.

"What's up with the getup?"

"Shari wanted to be Greasers for this event, so we're Greasers," Callum said, reaching into his coat for the cards. The real reason he did these things was to spend time with Shari and for her to see the town and not be stuck cooped up in the house all the time. Plus to teach as well, why they were going to the natural museum next weekend to see the dinosaurs.

Itzel moaned softly in her mind when Callum said that. "Does she always ride along with you?" Itzel asked, slyly glancing over at him.

"Always," Callum nodded.

"Umm... Regina mentioned you raised her from when you were sixteen, is that true?"

"Yeah, why do I look that young to you?" Callum asked, with a coy smirk.

"To have a daughter that old, no offense, but duh. Did you always want to be a father? Is that why you raised her at that age?"

"Huh?! I honestly can't say on that matter. The day Vanessa told me she was pregnant with Shari something just... like flipped -- is the best way I can describe it -- inside me when the news finally soaked into my grey matter. Then well... things happened," Callum said, recounting the battles he had to go through to prove that he could be a father to Shari before she was even born and the legal battle with Vanessa.

"And you raised her all on your own?" Itzel asked, arching an eyebrow.

"I did have help, but yeah, all me."

"Not to be nosey," feeling her cheeks heat as his eyes glanced over to her, "where was her mother in all of this?" Itzel asked, her steel blue eyes glanced over to him.

"I wouldn't know, the last time I saw Vanessa was at high school graduation, and that wasn't to talk about the child we have together."

"So then... you two hook up on occasion?" Itzel hoped not.

"What?! No, nothing like that," Callum waved her off. "After high school I hadn't seen Vanessa in six years until a few days ago, and she's married. If you're wondering," he said, with a coy smile.

"But didn't she want to be in Shari's life?" Itzel asked, feeling her anger rising when Callum shook his head.

"No, she wanted to abort her, so I had to fight her and her parents for my child's right to live," Callum said, feeling his right hand curling into a fist. It still upset him to no end thinking back to eight years ago.

"I'm sorry that happened Cal, a child, a child should be a joyous event. Not something that fractures a family," Itzel said, sweetly as she lightly touched his upper left arm. "Shari seems to be a very happy girl."

"She is, how can you not be when you got your family around," Callum said, turning to the right waving to his daughter as the ladies of the club kept her entertained as he waited in line.

"Remember... unicorn!" Shari shouted to her father.

"She must really like unicorns," Itzel lightly giggled.

"She does," Callum nodded. "When she was three my mother got her this little unicorn outfit that she would never take off," he said, with a warm smile recounting fond memories of that time.

"I bet she looked so adorable in it," Itzel said, with a bashful smile.

"Her?! Oh, you better believe it," Callum chuckled.

"So Cal, what do you do for a living?" Itzel asked, wondering if this would lead anywhere. From what she had seen of Callum and Shari then she knew Callum would make an excellent father to her own children if they got that far.

"I'm a mechanic, what about you?" Callum asked, as he looked over at her.

"Oh, I work in an athenaeum," Itzel said, with a coy smile.

"Is that even a word?!" Callum asked, arching an eyebrow.

"It so is!"

"You sure?!" Callum asked, curiously.

"Look it up, it's a real word I swear!" Itzel said, with a warm, broad smile.

"Then spell it," Callum said, pulling out the cheap smart phone he had, only to keep in touch in case something happened to Shari.

Itzel didn't miss that fact and that made her like him even more. Leaning in, her breath hot in his ear as she whispered every letter to him. She put a little purr to the last letter as her lips brushed along his ear. It's been a while since she's flirted with anyone. Especially since moving to Deadwood, not that the men who came to the library where she worked with Regina didn't try when they came in with their children. She hated men like that, and she told them so; if they couldn't stay loyal to their spouses then they shouldn't have gotten married in the first place.

"You're a..." Callum took a dry swallow as he kept his eyes from running down Itzel tight little body, "librarian," he stammered as he looked at her.

"Mmmhmm," Itzel nodded, resting her right arm on his left shoulder. "I bet you were thinking I did something else, hmm?" she asked, with a seductive smirk.

"Umm..." Looking away as he felt his cheeks heating.

"You know you're very cute when you blush," Itzel cooed before her left eye peered out of the corner of it knowing they were next in line. "After you, can't keep that beautiful daughter of yours waiting," she said, gesturing him to go first, "all so I can stare at that ass," she quickly added to herself drooling in her mind.

"Umm... excuse me could I like trade this for the unicorn one?" Callum asked, once the person handed him the concert tickets that he had won with his full house.

"Sir?!" The woman asked confused seeing that the tickets cost more than the twenty dollar stuffed animal.

"Please?! I'm not going to go to a concert, but my daughter would love that unicorn," Callum said, pointing at the two foot long, purple, stuffed animal.

"Sir? That prize is for the simple pair. It would be wrong to switch them out..."

"Who's holding a pair!" Callum called out to the crowd behind him. "I'll trade you my full house for it!" he said, holding up his cards.

Itzel stood back and watched it all. She couldn't believe he was giving up his very expensive prize for something that would make his daughter very happy. "Just who is this man?!" Itzel asked herself as she watched him handing the tickets to the man, who was just as old as Callum was, who ripped on Callum for choosing the stuffed animal, rather than going to see a well-known rock band.

"Yeah, say what you want, I'll remember the smile on my daughter's face far longer than I would a stupid night at an arena," Callum said, blowing the man off as he thanked the woman once she handed him the unicorn.

Itzel blew the man off when he tried to hit on her after he couldn't ruffle Callum's feathers. "You honestly think you have a shot with me after that?" Itzel asked, arching an eyebrow. "I don't date boys, only men, and he will be more manly than you will ever be, so get out of my face," she hissed when the man wouldn't take no for an answer. Walking off hoping that she could catch up to Callum before he and Shari left.