Chapter 14: What He Signed

Dean's POV

The man from Erie came with a flatbed at two o'clock and paid cash.

I stood in the lot and signed the title over on the hood of his truck.

My Softail had two hundred thousand miles on it, and I had rebuilt it twice.

Di used to ride behind me on it with her cheek against my back.

"You sure about this?" the man said.

"I'm sure."

"It's a good bike."

"It's the best one I ever had," I said. "Take it before I change my mind."

He strapped it down, and I watched it go up the street on the back of the truck.

Then I walked into the bank on Front Street and put his cash down on the note.

The loan officer agreed to move what was left onto the shop alone.

She slid me a paper to sign.

It said Diana Ruskin was released from all liability on the loan.

I signed it three times, and I thought: that's one thing I've given back.

It was the smallest thing I owed her.

At four I drove to Mill Road.

It was a weekday, and the clubhouse lot held six bikes.

My father was alone in the long room, at the head of the table, with a cup of coffee and the Pittsburgh paper.

My cut was still on the register table where I'd left it.

Nobody had touched it.

"You came for it," Vernon said, without looking up.

"I came to tell you I'm done."

"You're not done. You're angry."

"I'm done, Pop. I sold the bike and I cleared Diana off the shop loan. I'll pay off the rest myself."

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