“She Came Just in Time. Now She Picks Me Up from School.”

ENTWINED MAGAZINE Every Love Has a Story. CHANCE ENCOUNTER Some meetings are accidental. The love stories that follow are unforgettable. The Biker Boss and the Schoolteacher One woman commands an all-female motorcycle club whose arrival can silence an entire parking lot. The other teaches third grade, speaks softly, and has never raised her voice at a child. Their first meeting involved two dangerous men, a deserted parking garage, torn clothing, and a rescue that came frighteningly close to being too late. Today, their extraordinary relationship has become the talk of an elementary school, the delight of its students, and a source of considerable anxiety for certain parents. At forty, Alexandra "Lex" Morgan is the formidable president of Raven's Crew , an exclusively female motorcycle club whose members range from young riders finding their independence to seasoned bikers who have spent decades on the road. Lex is tall, tattooed, intimidating, and rarely seen without her battered leather jacket, denim club cut, leather chaps, and heavy motorcycle boots. She owns two motorcycle repair shops, a custom fabrication business, and the property housing the club's headquarters. At thirty, Danielle "Dani" Carter is a beloved third-grade teacher at Riverdale Elementary, known for her gentle voice, immaculate classroom, remarkable patience, and extraordinary ability to make even the most difficult children feel understood. Before meeting Lex, Dani's wardrobe consisted mainly of elegant blouses, modest skirts, practical shoes, and understated dresses. Today, those clothes still occupy one side of her closet, while the other holds short leather skirts, fitted black jackets, sheer nylons, high-heeled boots, and the Raven's Crew cut she wears with considerable pride. We met the couple at Riverdale Elementary after the final bell, where several motorcycles were parked outside and a group of excited children were trying to persuade their parents to let them take photographs beside the impressive machines. MAGAZINE: How did you two meet? Dani: (Quietly.) Alexandra saved my life. Or perhaps I should say she saved me from something I don't think I could have lived with very easily. Lex: Two filthy bastards were about to do something unforgivable. I happened to arrive before they could finish what they'd started. Dani: Alexandra... Lex: I'm sorry, sweetheart. But I'm not going to pretend it wasn't serious. MAGAZINE: Can you tell us what happened? Dani: It was a Friday evening, just over a year ago. I'd attended a professional development conference at a downtown hotel, and afterward I stayed to speak with a colleague about a reading program we were introducing at school. By the time I reached the parking garage, it was almost ten o'clock. I'd parked on the lower level because the upper floors had been full when I arrived. I remember walking toward my car, thinking about the spelling tests I still needed to grade, when two men stepped out from behind a concrete pillar. One asked whether I was alone. I said good evening and tried to walk past. He grabbed my wrist. MAGAZINE: What did you do? Dani: I told him to let go. Very firmly, I thought, although my voice was shaking. The other man moved behind me. I tried to pull away, but the first one pushed me against my car. I screamed. One of them covered my mouth, and the other tried to take my handbag. When I struggled, he pulled at my blouse and tore it badly. Lex: (Her expression darkening.) They had her pinned between them. One was holding her, the other was pulling at her clothes. Dani: My blouse was torn open, and I was terrified. I thought they were going to rape me. I remember thinking that nobody knew where I was. And then I heard a woman's voice. MAGAZINE: Alexandra? Lex: I'd been upstairs meeting a customer about a custom motorcycle. The meeting ran late, and I was heading toward my bike when I heard a woman scream. Then it went quiet. Too damn quiet. I followed the sound, rounded a pillar, and saw them. One bastard had her pressed against the car. The other was pulling at her skirt. She was crying and trying to push them away. I shouted, "GET YOUR FUCKING HANDS OFF HER!" MAGAZINE: What happened next? Lex: The one holding her turned around. He told me to mind my own business. I told him he had about two seconds to let her go. Instead, he came at me. Dani: I remember Alexandra moving toward him, and then he was on the ground. It happened so quickly I barely understood what I'd seen. Lex: He swung at me. I defended myself and put him down. The second man took one look and tried to run, but hotel security was coming down the ramp by then. I'd shouted loud enough to wake the bloody neighborhood. MAGAZINE: And Danielle? Lex: She was sitting on the ground beside her car. Her blouse was ripped, her skirt was torn, and she was trying desperately to cover herself with her hands. She kept saying she was sorry. That nearly broke my heart. Dani: (Looking down.) I remember that. Lex: I took off my leather jacket, crouched beside her, and wrapped it around her shoulders. It was big enough to cover most of her clothes. I told her nobody was going to touch her again. Dani: She asked permission before putting her arm around me. Lex: I wasn't about to grab a frightened woman who'd just been attacked. Dani: I nodded, and she held me while I cried. I don't remember how long we sat there. MAGAZINE: Were you injured? Dani: I had bruises on my arms, a cut on my lip, and some scratches. At the hospital, they examined me and made certain there were no more serious injuries. Physically, I was fortunate. Lex: She was fortunate I got there when I did. Another minute or two... Dani: (Placing her hand over Lex's.) But you did get there. Lex: Yeah, baby. I did. MAGAZINE: Did Alexandra stay with you afterward? Dani: She stayed until the police finished taking my statement. Then she waited while I was examined at the hospital. I was still wearing her jacket. Lex: She looked like a little kid wrapped in a blanket. My jacket practically swallowed her. Dani: I wanted to give it back, but she wouldn't let me. Lex: Her blouse was ruined, and I wasn't sending her home like that. Dani: She bought me a new blouse from the hospital gift shop. It was rather dreadful. Lex: (Laughing.) Ugliest thing I've ever bought a woman. Dani: Pale yellow with enormous flowers. Lex: It was the only one they had in her size! Dani: I still have it. MAGAZINE: Really? Dani: Of course. Alexandra bought it for me. Lex: (Quietly.) You kept that? Dani: Yes, darling. MAGAZINE: When did you see each other again? Dani: Four days later. I wanted to thank her properly, so I baked a lemon cake and took it to the clubhouse. Lex: (Bursting into laughter.) Oh, sweetheart, you should've seen their faces. MAGAZINE: What happened? Lex: Saturday afternoon. Twenty women sitting around the clubhouse, drinking coffee, working on bikes, arguing about engines. Then this beautifully dressed schoolteacher walks through the door holding a cake box. She asks, very politely, whether Alexandra Morgan is available. Nobody says a bloody word. Dani: I thought I'd come to the wrong place. Lex: One of my girls finally asks, "Honey, you sure you want Lex?" And Dani says, "Yes, please. She saved my life, and I've brought her a cake." MAGAZINE: How did you respond? Lex: I came out of my office, saw her standing there, and nearly swallowed my tongue. Dani: Alexandra was very kind. Lex: I was trying not to grin like an idiot. Dani: She offered me coffee, and we sat in her office talking for nearly two hours. Lex: And she kept calling me Ms. Morgan. Dani: I was being respectful! Lex: I told her, "Sweetheart, if you're going to bring me homemade cake, you can call me Lex." MAGAZINE: Tell us about Raven's Crew. We understand it's an exclusively female motorcycle club. Lex: Always has been. Women only. No exceptions. I started the club with six other women twelve years ago because we were tired of being treated like decorations at somebody else's motorcycle events. We wanted to ride, build bikes, look after one another, and make our own damn rules. Today we've got forty-three full members and a few women working toward membership. MAGAZINE: And Danielle is a member? Lex: She's my partner, and she wears our cut with pride. She hasn't gone through the regular membership process, so technically she's a recognized club partner, not a full riding member yet. Dani: I'm learning to ride. Lex: Slowly. Dani: Very slowly. Lex: She still thinks the throttle is something you should negotiate with politely. Dani: (Laughing.) I prefer arriving in one piece. MAGAZINE: What do the other women think of your relationship? Lex: They adore her. Every last one of the traitors. Dani: Alexandra! Lex: Before Dani came along, I was the boss. Everybody listened when I spoke. Now I say something and half the girls look at Dani to see whether she agrees. Dani: That's not true. Lex: Baby, you told them I was eating too much fried food. The next day somebody replaced the clubhouse snacks with fruit. Dani: I was concerned about your health. Lex: I know, sweetheart. That's why I ate the bloody apples. MAGAZINE: How did friendship become romance? Dani: Slowly. I was still recovering emotionally from the attack, and Alexandra was very careful not to rush me. She called to check on me, sometimes brought dinner, and occasionally invited me to the clubhouse. At first I was nervous around so many women in leather, but they were wonderfully welcoming. Lex: Dani helped one of our younger members prepare for her high school equivalency examination. Dani: She was struggling with mathematics. Lex: Six weeks later she passed. Came into the clubhouse crying her eyes out, hugged Dani, and announced that our schoolteacher was a bloody miracle worker. MAGAZINE: When did you realize you were attracted to each other? Lex: First time I saw her, once I knew she was safe. Dani: Alexandra! Lex: What? I'm not saying I was thinking about romance while she was hurt. But afterward, when she came to the clubhouse with that cake, I couldn't take my eyes off her. Dani: I was attracted to Alexandra too, although I didn't understand my feelings at first. She was so different from the people I'd always known. MAGAZINE: Who made the first move? Lex: I asked her to dinner. A proper date, not another evening with twenty women hovering around pretending they weren't watching us. Dani: She wore a beautiful black leather jacket and actually brought me flowers. Lex: Don't tell the girls. Dani: (Laughing.) She was terribly nervous. Lex: I was not. Dani: You knocked over your water glass. Lex: Faulty table. MAGAZINE: And the first kiss? Dani: Outside my apartment. Alexandra walked me to the door and asked whether she could kiss me. Lex: She said yes so softly I almost didn't hear her. Dani: And then she kissed me. MAGAZINE: What was it like? Dani: Wonderful. Lex: Best damn kiss of my life. MAGAZINE: Danielle, your wardrobe has changed considerably since meeting Alexandra. Dani: (Laughing.) It certainly has. Lex: She's still my beautiful schoolteacher. But she's discovered leather, and she's developed quite a taste for it. MAGAZINE: We noticed the short leather skirt and high-heeled boots. Dani: I enjoy dressing differently when I'm not working. Alexandra gave me my first leather jacket, and then I bought a skirt to go with it. Lex: And the boots. Dani: Yes, the boots. Lex: Gorgeous black leather, beautiful heels. I nearly fell off my chair when she came out wearing them. MAGAZINE: Do you wear those to school? Dani: No. My teaching clothes are still elegant but appropriate for working with children. I spend a great deal of time moving around the classroom, kneeling beside desks, and helping students with their work. I need to be comfortable. After school, however, I enjoy changing into my leather skirt, nylons, boots, and cut when Alexandra and I go out. Lex: And when we ride, she changes into proper motorcycle pants and protective boots. I don't care how gorgeous she looks in a miniskirt, she's not getting on my bike without suitable protection. Dani: Alexandra can be rather strict about that. Lex: Damn right. MAGAZINE: So you have two different wardrobes? Dani: More or less. I don't think my students would recognize me at a club gathering. Lex: Oh, they'd recognize her. She's still the same sweet woman. Just with better boots. MAGAZINE: How did your family react when you told them you were dating the president of an all-female motorcycle club? Dani: My mother was quite shocked. My parents were enormously grateful that Alexandra had saved me, but they hadn't imagined we would become romantically involved. My mother asked whether Alexandra had a proper job. Lex: I told her I owned two motorcycle repair shops, a custom fabrication business, and the clubhouse property. Dani: Which surprised her. MAGAZINE: And your father? Dani: He wanted to know whether Alexandra was dangerous. Lex: I told him I'd never hurt his daughter and that I'd do everything I could to keep her safe. Dani: Then Alexandra asked him if he'd like to see the motorcycle she'd restored. Lex: Turns out her dad rode when he was young. We spent two hours talking engines. Dani: Mother was not particularly pleased. MAGAZINE: Has the family adjusted? Dani: Very much. My parents came to the clubhouse for a barbecue last month. Lex: Her mother made potato salad. Dani: And Alexandra's girls treated them like royalty. Lex: One of my members even promised not to swear during dinner. Dani: She managed almost twenty minutes. MAGAZINE: We've heard Raven's Crew sometimes picks Danielle up from school. Dani: (Laughing.) That has become quite an event. Lex: Started when her car was in the shop. I told her I'd pick her up. Dani: I expected Alexandra alone. Instead, she arrived with six other women from Raven's Crew. MAGAZINE: Seven motorcycles outside an elementary school? Dani: Seven beautiful, very loud motorcycles. The children were absolutely fascinated. Lex: Little rascals practically climbed over one another trying to see out the windows. Dani: Alexandra! Lex: Affectionately, baby. MAGAZINE: How did the other teachers react? Dani: Some were amused, but others were rather concerned. One colleague asked whether the school was expecting trouble. Lex: (Rolling her eyes.) Seven women waiting politely in a parking lot. Terrifying. Dani: A few parents complained, too. They were worried about the appearance of the club, the motorcycles, and the attention they attracted. MAGAZINE: How did you resolve it? Dani: We spoke with the principal. The club agreed to use the visitor parking area, keep the engines off while waiting, and avoid disrupting dismissal. And Alexandra offered to organize a charity ride for school supplies. Lex: The girls loved the idea. We raised nearly twelve thousand dollars for books, classroom materials, and a new reading corner. MAGAZINE: Did that change opinions? Dani: Quite a few. Especially when some of the women volunteered during our community helpers week. Lex: You should've seen Big Jo. Six feet tall, tattooed from shoulder to wrist, sitting in a tiny classroom chair reading The Very Hungry Caterpillar . Dani: The children adored her. Lex: She's never going to live it down. MAGAZINE: Do your students know Alexandra is your girlfriend? Dani: Yes. I don't make my personal life the center of classroom discussions, but when children ask about my family or the important people in my life, I answer honestly and appropriately. MAGAZINE: What do they think? Dani: Mostly they want to know when Alexandra is bringing the motorcycles back. Lex: And whether they can join the club. Dani: Which they cannot. Lex: Told them to come back when they're grown up. MAGAZINE: Have there been objections from parents? Dani: A few, unfortunately. But my teaching record is excellent, my students are progressing beautifully, and my classroom remains a safe, welcoming environment. I understand that people sometimes need time to adjust to unfamiliar situations, but I don't believe my relationship makes me any less capable of teaching their children. Lex: She's the best damn teacher in the school. Dani: Alexandra, you're biased. Lex: Completely. MAGAZINE: Alexandra, has Danielle changed you? Lex: More than she realizes. Before Dani, my whole life was the club, the repair shops, and the bikes. I had women who respected me, women who depended on me, women I'd ride through hell for. But I didn't have anyone waiting at home who wanted to hear about my day. Nobody reminding me to eat dinner, asking whether I'd slept properly, or making me sit down and rest when I'd worked sixteen hours. Dani: You still work too much. Lex: Yeah, but now somebody gives me hell about it. MAGAZINE: And Danielle, what has Alexandra brought into your life? Dani: Courage. I used to believe that being gentle meant I had to avoid confrontation. Alexandra taught me that I could be kind and still stand up for myself. She never asks me to become somebody else. She loves me as I am. Lex: She's tougher than half the women I've ever met. Dani: (Laughing.) I doubt that. Lex: Sweetheart, you manage twenty-eight third graders every day without losing your mind. My crew would surrender by lunchtime. MAGAZINE: One final question. If you hadn't been in that parking garage that evening, do you think your paths would ever have crossed? Dani: Probably not. Lex: I'd like to think so. Dani: Alexandra... Lex: Maybe my bike would've broken down outside her school. Dani: You repair motorcycles for a living. Lex: Details, sweetheart. MAGAZINE: When you look back at that evening now, what do you remember most? Dani: I remember being frightened beyond anything I'd ever experienced. But I also remember Alexandra kneeling beside me, covering me with her jacket, and telling me I was safe. Her voice was so gentle. I never imagined somebody who looked so intimidating could make me feel so protected. Lex: (Taking Dani's hand.) I remember how she looked at me. Like she couldn't believe somebody had come for her. Dani: (Quietly.) I was so grateful you did. MAGAZINE: Any regrets? Lex: Only that those bastards ever got near her. Dani: And that we didn't meet under happier circumstances. Lex: But we found each other, baby. Dani: (Smiling.) Yes, we did. As our interview ends, Danielle gathers her classroom papers, slips into her fitted leather jacket, and takes the motorcycle helmet Alexandra is holding for her. Outside, several women from Raven's Crew wait beside their motorcycles, laughing and talking in the afternoon sunshine. The club's black-and-denim cuts display the familiar raven emblem, and every member greets Danielle warmly. Across the parking lot, several children wave enthusiastically from their parents' cars, while a few adults observe the gathering with considerably less enthusiasm. Alexandra helps Danielle into her protective riding gear, checks her helmet, and gives her a quick kiss before climbing onto the motorcycle. The feared president of an all-female motorcycle club and the soft-spoken third-grade teacher could hardly seem more different. Yet watching them together, it is impossible to miss the affection between them. Sometimes love doesn't change who you are. It simply gives you the courage to become more of yourself.