by L. Wilder
“Upstairs, sleeping,” I answered. I turned on the small TV by the sink and then looked in the fridge for something I could fix for lunch. I grabbed the hamburger meat and some cheese, and asked, “How about some burgers?”
“Burgers sounds great,” she smiled.
I’d just started patting out the burgers when MJ walked into the kitchen wearing one of my t-shirts and her hair was pulled up in a messy bun. She looked beautiful as she shuffled over to me, wiping the sleep out of her eyes before she kissed me on the cheek and said, “Morning, babe.”
“Morning, beautiful.” I motioned my head over to Emily and the kids and said, “We’ve got company.”
“Hey there, MJ!” Emily smiled. “It’s good to see that you’re back.”
MJ walked over to her and gave her a quick hug. “It’s good to be back.”
“Smokey said he had some news,” Emily started. “You two gonna fill me in or keep me waiting? I’m dying over here.”
I finished putting the last burger in the skillet, then turned to her and said, “It’s kind of complicated. I’ll explain the details later, but MJ’s pregnant.”
“Well, that was kind of anticlimactic,” MJ scolded. “We’ve really gotta work on your delivery before you tell anyone else!”
Emily reached for MJ and hugged her. “That’s wonderful news. Congratulations!”
MJ whispered something in her ear and as she gave her another squeeze, she said, “Thanks for everything.”
Emily wiped a tear from her eye. “I’m just glad you’re back.”
They continued to talk back and forth as I finished up the burgers. I was just about to put them on the table when Emily pointed over to the TV and asked, “Hey, MJ… isn’t that your dad?”
We all looked at the screen and sure enough, MJ’s father was holding a press conference in front of the police station. I watched as the news feed scrolled beneath him, and when I read, “Sheriff Deputy Michaels arrested for murder and obstruction of justice.” I quickly turned up the volume, and we all listened as the reporter explained that her father’s suspension had been lifted and Michaels was going to jail with no chance of parole.
I looked over at MJ, seeing the relief on her face, and said, “Looks like things worked out for your old man after all.”
“Thank goodness,” she sighed. “I was so worried.”
I placed the burgers on the table and said, “I need to make a call. You guys eat up. I’ll be right back.”
I walked out on the porch and dialed Cotton’s number. When he answered, I asked, “Did you see the news?”
“I did,” he answered. “You did good, Smoke.”
“And the shipment?”
“It will go out as planned,” he answered. “We’ll roll out in the morning.”
“I’ll be ready,” I assured him. “See you first thing tomorrow.”
I hung up the phone, and just as I was about to open the door, MJ stepped outside. Her eyebrows were furrowed with doubt as she asked, “Did you have something to do with all this?”
“What?”
She placed her hand on her hip. “With no real explanation, you just up and go over there. Then miraculously, the next day my father has uncovered all this information on this Michaels guy and he’s been cleared of his suspension. You don’t think that sounds a little coincidental?”
“Nope.” I smiled. “Sounds like he got what he needed to clear his name. Simple as that.”
“Smokey,” she sighed. “For whatever you may or may not have done… thank you.”
Unable to confirm her suspicions, I redirected her by saying, “Let’s go grab a burger. I bet our boy is getting hungry.”
“Boy?” she scoffed as she shook her head. “You mean our daughter. Definitely our daughter.”
“We’ll see about that,” I laughed.
Chapter 22
Marley
Two Months Later
It was the perfect Saturday afternoon. The sun was shining bright. There was a cool breeze blowing, and for the first day in weeks, I had no sign of morning sickness. I actually felt good as we drove over to the club to celebrate the birth of Maverick’s son, Thomas. It took thirty-six hours of labor, but Henley managed to deliver a healthy nine-and-a-half-pound baby boy. We’d gone to the hospital to see the baby, and I was really hoping I’d get a chance to hold him, but Maverick would never give him up. He was beaming with pride as he walked around, giving tiny glimpses of his son to anyone who came to see him. Henley fussed at him for not letting anyone else hold him, but he just kept right on cradling his son close to his chest, ignoring everything she said. He was a proud daddy, and no one could blame him for being a little stingy.
When we got to the clubhouse, the guys were already getting things set up for lunch. Guardrail and Clutch were setting up picnic tables in the back, and Q’ and Two Bit were loading up the grill with burgers and hot dogs. Before we got out of the truck, Smokey leaned over to me and kissed me quickly on the lips before he said, “Gonna get this cooler over to the guys. You gonna be alright hanging with the girls for a bit?”
“Well, yeah. I’ve been looking forward to it all week,” I told him as I opened my door and stepped out. “I’m heading inside. Just holler if you need me.”
“You do the same,” he answered as he grabbed the cooler from the back and started towards Clutch.
I stepped inside and headed straight for the kitchen where I found the girls buzzing around like little bees as they got everything ready for lunch. Cass was pulling the beans out of the oven while Wren was gathering all the condiments and paper plates. They were both listening to Henley as she sat at the table feeding Thomas. She was talking a hundred miles a minute as she told them about her first nights at home with the baby. She sighed as she said, “I think I slept, like, two hours last night.”
Trying my best not to interrupt, I walked over to Cass and asked softly, “Is there anything I could do to help?” Cass was Cotton’s old lady and ran the bar for the club. She also did whatever it took to make sure things ran smoothly at all the gatherings. If there was something to be done, she’d know what it was.
“Could you grab the coleslaw and pickles out of the refrigerator?”
“Sure,” I told her as I headed over to the fridge. I stopped at the table to get a peek at Thomas and said, “How’s our big guy today?”
She looked down at him and her eyes sparkled with absolute adoration as she said, “He’s good… but he’s a stubborn little thing, just like his daddy. I may never sleep again.”
“It’ll get better,” Cass assured her. “You’re both just adjusting.”
“I’m the one who’s adjusting,” Henley sassed. “He’s the one who’s getting his way about everything!”
“That’s because you’re spoiling him,” Cass told her sister playfully.
Wren walked up behind her and peered down at Thomas. “Who could blame her? Have you looked at this baby? He’s beautiful. And those eyes… How could you ever tell him no?”
“No way!” I smiled. “He’s just too cute for words.”
“Well, someone in this group is gonna have to learn how to get this little guy in line, or we’re all going to be in a mess,” Henley laughed.
“You’ll figure it out,” Wren told her as she patted her on the shoulder.
“So I have to be the bad guy,” Henley pouted.
Cass turned to her. “You’re the momma, so yeah… you’ve got to be the bad guy.” She leaned down and lifted Thomas from Henley’s arms. “But you also get to love him and watch him grow up. And you can put him in all kinds of cute little clothes and spoil him now and then. He’s your son, and there’s nothing better than that.” She paused for a minute and then smiled when she said, “Damn, this kid is cute.”
“Yes, he is.” I looked around the room and smiled as I asked, “So where’s Maverick? I’m kind of surprised he isn’t hovering over him right now.”
I’d barely gotten the words out of my mouth whe
n he walked in and asked, “How’s my boy doing?” The roar of laughter filled the kitchen as he stood there with a surprised look on his face. “What’s so funny?”
“He’s fine,” Henley answered. “And I am too, just so you know.”
He walked over to her and placed his hands on the arms of her chair as he leaned towards her, giving her a quick kiss on the lips, and said, “I was coming to check on you, too… just so you know.”
“How’s it going out there?” Cass asked. “Is everything almost ready?”
He stood up. “Getting there. Two Bit sent me to get the buns for the burgers and hot dogs.”
Wren grabbed them off the table and handed them to him as she said, “Here ya go. We’ll be out in a bit with the rest.”
He looked at her sternly. “No lifting anything heavy.”
“You sound like Stitch,” she laughed. “I’ll be careful. I promise.” Wren was getting close to her due date, and over the past few weeks, Stitch had been watching over her like a hawk—even more than usual. Apparently, he had the guys doing the same.
“Good. Wouldn’t want Stitch on my ass,” he laughed. Stitch was the club’s enforcer, and even though he was completely different when it came to Wren and Wyatt, no one wanted to get him riled—ever. With the buns in his hand, he strolled over to Cass and gave Thomas a kiss on his forehead before he said, “Better get these out to the guys.”
Once he was gone, Wren ran her hand over her stomach and said, “I’m about to think this little girl is never going to come. I don’t think I can wait another six weeks.”
“She’ll be here before you know it,” Henley told her. “Sleep while you can. You’re going to need it.”
“I can’t sleep!” Wren fussed. “Just when I finally get comfortable, she kicks me in the side, or worse… my bladder. Don’t get me started on how many times I go to the bathroom at night. And Stitch has been treating me like I’m a china doll. He’s so worried something’s going to happen when he isn’t around.”
Cass laughed. “Hasn’t he always been like that with you?”
“Don’t get me wrong… I love that he is so attentive and all. I’m just so damn irritable all the time. Everything is getting on my nerves. Poor Wyatt can’t even play his video games around me without setting me on edge. If I hear one more beep, I’m going to lose my mind.”
“I think we need a girls’ night,” Cass suggested. “Let’s go eat pasta and go to a movie. A funny one.”
“That sounds like a great idea!” Henley cheered. “When do you want to go?”
“Anytime is good with me,” I told them. I loved being with them and thought a girls’ night would be the perfect time for me to tell them that I was pregnant.
“How does next Friday sound?” Wren proposed. “By then, hopefully Liv will be back from Memphis.”
“I thought they were coming home yesterday,” Henley told her.
“I don’t know all the details, but they’re staying an extra couple of days. Something is going on with one of the brothers down there, and Clutch wanted to stay until it was sorted.”
“I hope everything’s okay,” Wren said with concern. “If they aren’t back, we can wait until next weekend. Anytime is fine with me.”
“I’m good with whenever too,” Henley answered.
“We’ll get it figured out.” Cass reached for the baked beans and laughed as she said, “For now, we better get this stuff outside before the boys start fussin’.”
With our arms full of food, we headed outside and started placing everything on the serving table. Wren was putting out the plates and utensils when she looked over to me and asked, “How are things going at the farm?”
“Really good. Smokey’s been really busy in the orchard, but I don’t mind. I really love being out there.”
“I’m glad things are going so well. It’s good to see you both so happy.”
“I was worried there for a little while. I’m just glad everything worked out.”
“I heard about that guy who tried to frame your father.”
“Yeah. Dad came by the farm last night and told us all about it. I can’t believe someone really killed him.”
“He’d done some pretty awful things… and with a dirty cop in jail, it’s not really all that surprising that someone got to him.”
Before I had a chance to respond, Two Bit came over. As he placed the tray of burgers on the table, he said, “It’s ready, folks!”
In a matter of seconds, the kids were all lined up to fix their plates with the rest of us following close behind. We all gathered around the picnic tables and spent the afternoon talking and sharing stories. In such a short time, they’d all started to feel like family. I loved being there with them, and I was almost disappointed when Smokey came over to me and said it was time for us to go. We quickly said our goodbyes and headed back to the farm. When we pulled up to the barn, Wes and the crew were busy going through their picks of the day, sorting through all the different sacks of apples as they loaded them into the large crates for delivery.
I followed Smokey over to Wes and listened as he asked, “Was it a good day?”
“It was a very good day,” he smiled. “Looks like it’s going to be a great harvest year.”
“Good to hear. You need any help with anything?”
“We got it covered. Once we finish this up, we’re calling it a night. We’ll be back early tomorrow,” he replied. “I want to make sure we don’t get behind.”
“I’ll come give you a hand.”
“I can come help, too,” I offered.
“That’ll be great,” he smiled.
“We’ll see you then.” Smokey took my hand and started leading me into the house.
Before I went inside, I turned to Wes and said, “I’m planning on a big dinner tomorrow night. Why don’t you and Crockett come for dinner?”
“Wouldn’t miss it,” he chuckled. “Thanks, MJ.”
I followed Smokey into the living room and sat down next to him on the sofa. He picked up the remote and started flipping through all the channels, and finally stopped on one of the football games. I curled up in the crook of his arm and laid my head on his shoulder. “I had fun today.”
“It was nice,” he answered with his eyes glued to the TV.
“Thomas is such a cutie.”
“Mmm-hmm,” he mumbled.
“His little hands are so tiny,” I sighed.
“Mmm-hmm.”
I looked over at him and noticed that he wasn’t paying attention. “Too bad he has those two extra fingers.”
“Hmmm.”
I elbowed him in the side. “Are you even listening to me?”
Without looking at me, he answered, “Of course I am. And I’m pretty sure that Thomas doesn’t have any extra fingers.”
“So you are listening?”
He looked at me. “If you’re talking, then I’m listening.”
“Okay.”
I laid my head back on his shoulder and returned my attention to the TV. I had no idea who was even playing, but it didn’t really matter. I couldn’t imagine anything I’d rather be doing. There was nothing better than being right there with him. We sat there quietly watching the game for over an hour, and when it was finally over, Smokey kissed me lightly on my temple and said, “We should get to bed. We’ve got an early morning with Wes tomorrow.”
“It’s good to see that things are going so well.”
He stood up and helped me to my feet as he said, “I wasn’t so sure we’d be able to pull it off, but Wes has done a great job with it.”
“You both have.”
We started up the stairs as he said, “I just hope we can keep it going.”
“I have no doubt that you will,” I assured him. “I’ve been thinking about something…”
“Yeah? What’s about?”
“It’s about the farm. I have an idea.”
Epilogue
Smokey
Two Years Later
When I got no answer, I went to go check the barn. I stepped out the back door and realized it was later than I thought. Several cars were already parked out by the back lot, and people were steadily streaming into the barn. So much had changed over the past year. MJ left the law firm and started working full-time with Emily in the orchard. They’d added on to the barn, creating a small store for jams and cider, and they’d worked it out with Wes to open a section of the orchard for public picking on the weekends. When she first came to me with the idea, I was skeptical, but seeing that she really wanted to give it a try, I told her to run with the idea. Turned out she was right. Folks come from all over for fresh apples and just the experience of getting to come out to the farm with their kids and family.
When I walked into the barn, Addie was sitting in her highchair eating Cheerios, while her mother was busy restocking the shelves with all the different jams and flavored butters. I went over to Addie, seeing the mess she’d made with her cereal, and said, “Morning, sunshine.” I reached out and pulled her out of the chair and smiled. “Looks like you’ve got more on you than in you.”
MJ turned to face me and smiled when she said, “She’s a little grumpy this morning. I don’t think she slept very well last night.”
I looked down at my beautiful daughter, seeing her big, blue eyes staring back at me, and kissed her on the forehead. “Is my girl grumpy?”
Her little nose crinkled as she pouted. “No!”
No was her answer to everything these days. Didn’t matter what I asked her, I always got the same answer. It was just one of the many phases she’d gone through over the past eighteen months.