by Watkins, TM
Chapter Twenty-two
Being wrapped up in Archer's arms was a blissful way to wake, except that I was still suffering the cold. I'd gone from feeling reasonable last night as I ate the soup to absolute shit. With a groan I rolled out of his arms, ignoring the chuckle. A minute later he was back with sweet relief.
“Here, take your pills you crazy woman.”
I sat up, sinking back the pills with a chilled glass of water. It was almost numbing against the burn of my throat.
“Is your father still here?”
“Yeah, think he's paranoid now. There's talk of going to the club house.”
“No.” I said swiftly.
Archer raised an eyebrow as he sat on the bed.
“You could be in danger Rox, I'm not prepared to take the risk.”
His head darted to the door, gazing down the corridor.
“I'm also not prepared to have my old man sitting in the damned lounge room every night, protecting us as we sleep. He's got better things to do than missing out on much needed sleep.”
“He does it because he loves you.”
Archer nodded and kissed my temple.
“Rest, I won't be far away.”
Taking the glass he stood and closed the door as he walked out of the bedroom. I laid back down and waited for the pills to take hold, contemplating and plotting my newest book. With a grin that felt like inspiration, I let the weight of sleep take me.
Day and night had become a long blur of darkness. Archer had put a dark curtain over my thin ones, blocking out the light to allow a more restful sleep. His attention was constant, feed me, medicate me, guide me to the bathroom and the shower and if I was alert enough, he'd stay for a conversation until I became sleepy.
It was Sunday morning before I actually felt human again. My sore throat was gone and even though I still had a mighty headache, I felt well enough to get up.
I had to, it was Sunday. I'd convinced my parents to come here for dinner this week rather than to their house. This was about finding peace, it was somewhere and I was determined to find it. It was mostly because of little maybe, now that there was no maybe growing in me I would still continue to push for them to be a little more sociable and friendly towards each other.
My mind was rattling with thoughts about dinner. I had to ensure that the apartment was clean, I had to get the vegetables started. Cake made, roast put in the oven, clean some more and pretend that I hadn't slept most of the week away.
I sat up and instantly regretted it, finding a whole new level of flu had hit me. How I managed to find the toilet so well was truly a miracle. My vision became blurry, my head was swimming as my stomach heaved yet again.
When I thought that my body had decided to stop trying to turn itself inside out, I flushed the toilet and rinsed my mouth out. After cleaning my teeth and gargling a lot of mouth wash, I realized I was being watched.
“And here I was thinking that you were getting well again.”
“Yeah.” I groaned.
“Back to bed.” Archer ordered.
“Can't, dinner tonight.”
He said nothing as he helped me to the bed, lifted the sheets back and guided me to the best spot for me. Bed. The soft allure of a comfortable bed was irresistible for a sick and tired soul. Surrendering to the lethargy, I fell asleep really quickly.
I woke again when I felt the soft touch of warmth on my forehead, my hair being pulled behind my ear.
“Hello darling.” My mother's voice cooed. “Do you feel like getting up for a little while? Archer's made a lovely dinner.”
“You're talking to him again?” I groaned.
My mother chuckled, helping me sit up.
“Did we ever stop darling? We don't agree with his past but we understand that he's trying to change. And he makes you happy, even if you are rather under the weather at the moment.”
“I feel like shit.”
“You look like shit.” She said dryly. “Maybe a good dinner will help.”
Slowly I nodded, feeling the soft satin of my dressing gown slide over my back. She ran a brush through my hair, commenting about how I always managed to have messy hair after sleeping.
“There, all done. Ready to stand?”
“Yeah.”
“Easy does it Roxy, you've been in bed for a few days now.”
How many was a few days? Was it Sunday still or had the day passed in another sleepy blur? Had the usual Sunday night dinner been changed to a new day so that I wouldn't worry about getting things ready? Knowing my mother, it was likely.
“Is it Sunday?”
“It is but not the one that you're thinking of.”
God, I've missed more than a whole week.
She wrapped her arm around me, guiding me to the door. Light burned against me as she opened the door, I winced and waited for my eyes to adjust.
“How's the house?”
“Being torn down, the fire department said it wasn't structurally sound. At least parts of it wasn't but it wasn't worth saving. Archer knows the value is in the land, not the house.”
Taking that first step into the light seemed like I was crossing into a different land. The difference between the darkened bedroom to the light filled apartment was quite stark. It took some getting used to as we slowly walked down the corridor.
“You know when we arrived, we were a little shocked that you hadn't told us. We thought that maybe he lived in one of the others and we had it wrong. I was so sure you said across the road, your father and I argued about it. I said that you would have said on the diagonal if it was one of the other houses and your father said that you would have rung to tell us if there was something wrong in your life. Then once we got up here and Archer answered the door, showing us the sleeping and sick beauty we understood why you hadn't called us. I would have thought that Archer would have known he could call us but I guess he's had a lot on his mind.”
Yeah.
“Archer told us everything.”
My mother leaned in a little closer.
“And I do mean everything.”
Did that include thinking that I was pregnant? Archer was still alive so I guess my father hadn't killed him, maybe he'd left that part out.
“So he said that if the insurance pays out he'd build something a little sturdier and if it doesn't then he'll sell the land and maybe make himself a nice little profit.”
She stopped and looked at me, crinkling a smile.
“Your father likes a man with a plan Roxy and Archer has a plan that your father definitely likes. He's got a terrible past but sometimes we can't help that. We all make mistakes, that's why pencils have erasers. Walking away from being a member of a motorcycle club must be difficult, I would imagine it would be like walking away from a blood family member. We're not here to pass judgment, we just want you safe and happy. We know that between Archer and Mathias, they've kept you safe and we know that Archer makes you happy.”
“Mathias is still here?” I whispered.
She nodded a little surprised. “Been here since the fire.”
Which means he's been sleeping on the lounge.
My mother guided me out to the dining room where everyone was seated, after a lot of hugs I sat down at my allotted seat beside Archer. Seeing Mathias sitting beside his son was a little warming and I was grateful I'd bought the table that could be extended for extra guests.
“Feeling any better?”
“Not really.” I muttered. “Maybe I need to go to the doctor.”
Archer nodded and started to load my plate, little piles of food. It was like he remembered exactly what I ate and how much, an almost mirror image of my plate from our last Sunday dinner together.
“Myrtle's son stopped by this morning.”
“Oh?” I said quietly, looking up at Archer.
“I'll take you downstairs in the morning to say goodbye, the extension is almost done and the apartment is going on the market tomorrow.”
“Going to mi
ss Myrtle.”
He nodded again, not offering a word. I wondered how much she reminded him of his own grandmother, the one that had passed away and left him the inheritance that had bought the now burned down house.
Eddie was across the table from me, quietly eating his dinner. James never said much at the table anyway so his silence was normal. But for Eddie it was bizarre, the man could talk under water with a mouth full of marbles.
Maybe it was because I'd been off the radar for several days now, he was probably worried about me. I'd missed our ritual Friday night which if I wasn't sick, we could have gone out. Now that I wasn't pregnant I could return to my partying ways. Though he had said that he wasn't too concerned about not going to Honeys ever again now that he had James. Maybe I was destined for a new life that was a quiet one, at home with two handsome friends and an even more handsome boyfriend.
That wasn't such a bad thought, it was an incredibly good thought. New Year's was coming up and if I perfected my poker playing skills I might be able to convince the handsome neighbors into a game of strip poker. Maybe I could chase two of them down the street in little red g strings rather than just one.
As grateful as I was that I could drink again and more so with New Year's approaching, I couldn't help but feel the sting of disappointment as I remembered that I wasn't pregnant. I was beginning to warm to the idea, looking forward to meeting the life that was supposedly growing within me. But it wasn't.
Dinner was slow going, I picked my way through the meal. Eat something and make sure it stayed down, try another thing and wait. When I was sufficiently full I stopped, not wanting to push my luck any further.
“Saff's going to be home for Christmas.” My mother announced excitedly. “She's got the tickets booked this time so it's definite.”
Nothing was ever definite with my sister Saffron. Last Christmas she said she was coming home and then she got an offer to go to Paris for free so the tickets were canceled and she was off. I was beginning to forget what she looked like.
“That's great.” I offered.
“It is. I think a big family dinner at home. That includes you too Mathias.”
She patted his hand with her usual warm smile, Mathias cleared his throat and offered his begrudging thanks. I could imagine he wasn't fond of holidays when the majority of his loved ones were dead.
“Have you confirmed details with your families boys or am I setting two more places at the table?”
Eddie looked up from his plate, his eyes darting down to my mother.
“Maybe for dinner? We're going to my parents for breakfast and a late lunch at James's parents.”
“Oh good.” She said warmly. “Dinner sounds lovely.”
Even my father smiled, something he hadn't done since dinner started. My mother said that they might have been okay with things but I think she was being a little too loose with her choice of words.
With my head beginning to pound again I carefully pushed my chair back.
“I'm rather tired, if you don't mind I might be rude and go to bed.”
“Not at all darling, feel better soon.”
She offered a pained smile, worrying for me as expected. Archer stood and helped me to the bedroom, waiting for me to ready for bed. With a fresh night dress pulled over my head and clean underpants, the man that was normally amorous with his hands remained well behaved. I was in bed with more pain relief being offered and under the sheets within a few minutes.
“I'll wake you in time to say goodbye to Myrtle, okay?”
“Okay, thanks.”
“And I'll make a doctor's appointment for you too.”
“Good.”
Laying down in bed I felt the soft touch of his lips to my temple, his weight lifting from the bed and the soft click of the door shutting. Sleepiness hit me hard, I remembered nothing more after the click of the door.
Chapter Twenty-three
A gentle shake roused me from my deep sleep, I wearily rolled over and looked at Archer. Looking incredible as always, he'd showered and dressed without me. Depressing.
He offered a worried smile as he pulled back the bed sheets.
“Myrtle's son has just arrived, the moving truck is here. He's going to wait for you to come down okay?”
“Sure.”
“How are you feeling?”
“Woozy and I need to pee.”
Archer chuckled and helped me to my feet. When I was at the door to the bathroom I waved him off, not needing company. It took a lot of effort to maintain a vertical position but I got there. As I passed the vanity I looked at the used pregnancy test in the bin and gave it a sneer.
Sneaking dread slipped through me, wondering if the test was taken too soon. I was already struggling not to upend the contents of my stomach which consisted of nothing. My hand was shaking as I opened the draw, removing the last test.
Was it possible? Had I taken it too soon or was it that my hormone levels weren't high enough for the test to be accurate?
I didn't want to get my hopes up but I was praying. This girl was not religious by any means but I sat on the toilet and said a prayer. Once I was done I put the cap back onto it and put it on the vanity, staring at it as I waited for the minutes to pass.
“Roxy, are you okay?”
“Yes.” I said meekly.
Did I want to get his hopes up and tell him that I was taking the last test. He had been so eager with the previous one, wanting to watch it with me, just as desperate as what I was now.
“You don't sound okay. Hope you're decent because I'm coming in.”
I opened the door and turned to flush the toilet.
“Rox, why did you do the last test?”
“Call it a sneaking suspicion.” I groaned, washing my hands.
He looked down at it, turning it flat to the counter and watched as the second line appeared.
“I guess I will need that doctors appointment after all.” I murmured.
I looked up at Archer, watching the soft smile grow on him. His arms were wrapped around me to hug me, lifting me off the ground with undiluted happiness.
“Okay.” I groaned. “Still suffering sickness.”
Archer settled down, placing me onto my feet.
“Much too early for the test.”
His lips pressed against mine, gently kissing me.
“We need to talk about this, don't we?”
“Yep.”
With a nod Archer took my hand and guided me to the front door. Evidence of Mathias having set up camp on my lounge suite was everywhere and as much as I wanted to grumble at the disarray, I didn't. The man was giving up his life to protect his son and me, and now his grandchild.
“Where's your dad?”
“Club business.” Archer murmured. “He'll be back for dinner. The man knows where the plate hits the table for him.”
“Why didn't you move him into the spare room?”
Archer looked at me as he opened the door, offering a slight frown.
“It's not my place Rox.”
“Okay, considering that we've managed to create a life together, your house has burned down rendering you rather homeless and you've slept at my place more than your own, I'd say the issue is rather irrelevant.”
One protective arm slipped around my lower back, the other took hold of my forearm as we began to walk down the stairs.
“So is that your way of asking me to move in?”
I scoffed. Like I had any choice. I think out of the few weeks I've known him, he's spent all but a few nights in my bed. His father has set up camp in my lounge room and I've got my own little biker baby growing inside of me.
“I have no idea.” I said dryly. “But I do know that we've got a lot of things to talk about. List worthy and distraction free.”
He stopped at the bottom step and leaned in.
“Does that mean you want the old man to disappear for a few hours?”
“Your father is fine Archer, I just want a little structure
and a definite path for us. It's not just us anymore, we have to consider the child now.”
He grinned, wrapping me into his arms to lift me off the ground again. This time he swung me around, making me a little ill.
“I can't believe it's real.”
“Yeah.”
“You don't seem too happy Rox.”
“I'm still sick, give a girl a break.”
Archer's happiness slipped away as he set me to my feet.
“I am happy, I was kind of upset that we got the second negative. I just worry for the future.”
“It's going to be okay Rox, money will always flow and I'll always be around.”
“But will you?” I asked, watching the shock slowly registering. “I can't help but see this child facing the same future as Georgia and Jasmine. You need to consider this child the next time you ride out for the club. I'm not telling you want you can or cannot do but I'll be damned if I have to bury my child's father so make sure you keep that in mind next time you get on that bike.”
Even though the world swayed, I made my way to Myrtle's door, gently knocking on the door. She opened the door with her sweet smile beaming up at me.
“Morning deary.”
“Hi Myrtle, I heard you're going to live with Vic today.”
“Oh yes, got myself a nice little place so that I can keep a good eye on him.”
Vic chuckled as he shook his head. Myrtle's head tilted to the side of me, smiling at Archer.
“Hello handsome, are you going to visit me when I'm in my new home? You promised a ride on the beast, I'm holding you to that.”
“Sure.” Archer offered, rather amused.
So much for not remembering things. I think she had us all fooled.
“How about now? A quick ride to the end of the street and back again.”
“You can take me to Vic's place, it's just around the corner.”
Vic grimaced at the thought but nodded.
“I'll bring the bike over.”
Archer kissed my cheek and departed the lobby of the building, leaving me with a bright smiled woman.
“I expect a wedding invitation.”
“Of course.” I offered with a laugh. “But that might be a long way off.”
She nodded and perked up at the sound of Archer's motorcycle bursting into life.