The Winter of Regrets

by Needa Warrant

  After Jack explained what happened, Elena wanted to go back to take care of the babies. Whiskey was glad to escape the hospital; he hated them. Jack offered to watch Josie, but Elena refused. All of them left together, each hoping Kima was going to be fine.

  Kima stirred. V watched his wife longingly, her blonde hair fanning over the pillow. She looked so pale. He hated seeing her like this. Kima was strong and she’d want to go right home. He hated the IV in her arm. She hated it, too. He wanted to touch her, but was afraid he’d wake her. He was tired but he wouldn’t close his eyes until she woke up.

  “Veiko?” Kima whispered as if her throat hurt. “I want something to drink, please.”

  He handed her water with a straw. “Babe, slow sips.”

  “I lost the baby. I was going to tell you Christmas Eve. I’m sorry.” Tears flowed down her face and he reached over to wipe them away with his finger.

  “We’ll have more babies, Kima. I’m never letting you go. Love you forever, remember?”

  “I don’t know what happened. I was in the bathroom and the next thing I remember is seeing the doctor. I’m sorry V, I really am.”

  “Kima, I promised you babies, dogs, and horses. Do you love me?” V looked at her and his hand sought hers.

  “Of course I do. I’m sorry we fought. Love you forever, Veiko.” Kima smiled at him and clasped his hand, grateful that it was there to hold in her time of need.

  The next day, Jo and Nailz showed up at the hospital. Kima smiled shyly at Jo who was crying. “Kima, I’m so very sorry but I came this time.” She sat on the chair and looked at her sister.

  “There will be more babies, Jo. I’m glad you came. I wanted to thank you for nearly getting arrested for me. It was great. Are you feeling okay?” She saw how big Jo had gotten.

  “Well, I had to do something, so I thought, why not sit on the car? Those idiots shouldn’t have tried to take you in, anyway. Did you know Ritchie called me cousin?” Jo smiling was a sight to see.

  “I’m glad, Jo. Please don’t let mom and dad come here. I’m going home later and V’s going to take care of us. I don’t want to worry them.”

  “Nailz already told me not to tell them. I don’t know why you don’t tell them, but I won’t if that’s what you want.”

  “Thanks, Jo. It’s good to see you looking so well.”

  Doctor Allan came in right then, so everyone left the room to give Kima her due privacy. “I’d like you to stay another day,” said the doctor, “but the nurses tell me you’re ready to go home?”

  “I’m going home so Veiko can take care of me,” she insisted. “I know, no sex for eight weeks, right?”

  “No lifting and no riding,” said the doctor. “Come to see me before you have sex, though, alright?” She gave Kima a stern look.

  Veiko shook the doctor’s hand. “Thanks, Doc. I’ll take care of my ol’ lady. I’ll make sure she gets rest.”

  Kima was happy when the nurse came with the wheelchair to bring her downstairs and to freedom. She passionately hated hospitals. Jo and Nailz had left, and Veiko was bringing her car around. She looked at the sun that shined brightly and thought she saw a bit of a rainbow, but that wasn’t possible. She rubbed her eyes and it was gone. Rainbows were good luck, and she felt a new beginning starting for her and Veiko.

  Early spring, 1976.

  It had been a long, cruel winter for the shore. Snow pounded the area and the Bound for Hell MC had been holed up due to the inclement weather. Christmas passed without much celebrating in a few of the families. Some friends were still on the outs and Whiskey and Elena were working on their relationship while he was building up his club numbers in New Jersey.

  Elena and Joy were barely speaking and Jersey was their go-between. It was a shock to Elena when she heard a knock and saw Joy come through the door. She looked at her friend and waited to see what she had to say.

  “I think it’s time to talk,” she murmured. “Jersey refuses to be involved anymore.”

  “As long as you didn’t talk shit about Whiskey, we had no problems,” Elena stated.

  “I found this letter as I was going through Jersey’s drawers,” she said with a sigh. “It’s … addressed to you. I thought I’d run it down. I don’t know why Jersey had it.” She held out an envelope to Elena.

  Elena reached out and took it. She knew right way whose handwriting it was. “It’s from Hunter,” she said, her heart fluttering. She turned it over, not sure if she wanted to read it.

  “Please open it and read it for God’s sake,” said Joy, trembling with anticipation. “You complained about never getting a letter, Elena.” Joy was praying the letter would convince her that she should be with Thrash.

  Elena considered the letter, staring at it for too long a time. “I don’t need it anymore,” she finally decided. “Whiskey and I are building a relationship, Joy. You don’t seem to understand. We’ve got children. We want a life together. It isn’t going to change anything, whatever Hunter wrote. I should just burn it.” Still, she stared at the letter and didn’t move. Elena wasn’t happy about finally getting her letter after all this time.

  Joy made a grab for it, but Elena stepped back. “I’ll read it, then,” said Joy, annoyed. “Come on. You need to know what Hunter’s last words were to you, don’t you?”

  Resolved, Elena folded the letter in half and put it in the back pocket of her jeans. She gave Joy a dirty look as Jersey knocked on the door. He came in to find Joy standing there with a guilty expression on her face.

  Elena looked at him with a frown. “Joy brought a letter from Hunter,” she told Jersey. “I’m just standing here wondering why the hell you never gave it to me.”

  He turned and looked at Joy with a furious glare. “Elena, Hunter told me to give it to you at the right time. I never could figure out when that was. Maybe you should burn the damn thing.”

  Joy groaned at the thought. “She needs to read it, Jerz. There might be something for Rhiannon in there.”

  Biting her lip in thought, Elena made a decision and walked into her room to hide the letter in a safe place.

  Meanwhile, Joy and Jersey were arguing heatedly. “You’re snooping through my stuff, blondie?” Jersey snarled.

  She tossed her long hair back. “I was putting your winter clothes away. You should’ve given it to her so this madness with Whiskey and Elena wouldn’t have happened.”

  Elena came in on the tail end of that, her mind made up. Joy and Jersey needed to move; she had a place in mind and hoped they’d agree.

  “Stop the arguing, please. Sit down, the both of you.”

  The pair of them took a seat on the couch.

  “I want to offer you a house I have,” Elena finally told them. “It won’t stop us from continuing our partnership with the horses, either. Joy, you work mainly with the track horses, so it doesn’t matter if you live on the farm, does it?”

  “No,” she admitted, “but Jerz did remodel the kitchen.” Joy looked to Jersey to see what he thought.

  Elena continued without waiting for him to speak. “The house on the road leading to the lane, it’s mine. Hunter left it to me and the renters moved out. It has a huge garage and it’s right up the road. It’s bigger and nicer than your house. If you want to live there and rent to own it, that would be fine.” She hoped to hell that they’d grab her offer.

  Jersey knew the house and he knew it was a deal they should take.

  “Joy,” he said, “it’s a great place. We should really consider it. The house backs up to this farm, doesn’t it, Elena?”

  “Yes,” she confirmed. “I suppose I could sell off the land, too, but it needs to be cleared. I was going to offer it to Zero, but maybe you both would be happier there. Do you want the keys to see it?” She walked over to her desk and got the keys anyway, tossing them to Jersey. As he and Joy left, she crossed her fingers they’d move.

  Deidra and Kima walked into the maternity wing to visit Jo. She’d had her baby early and it was a littl
e girl. They had stopped by the nursery to see her first.

  “Look at that red hair, Kima! She’s going to be a handful.” Dee hoped her children would all have the Regan blonde hair.

  “Nailz must be having a fit,” Kima muttered. They located Jo’s room and went inside to find her reading a magazine.

  “Hey, Jo! We just saw the baby and she is beautiful.” Dee was trying hard to be friendly to Jo; it was quite an effort. “I made a baby bank for her.” She handed a package to her.

  “Deidra, thank you. I’ll wait for Nailz to open it. That was thoughtful of you!” Jo was making an effort to be friendlier too, and smiled.

  “Kima, about using your name, were you serious that I can’t name her at least Kimberly?” Jo really wanted to keep her promise.

  “I know the perfect name for your beautiful baby,” Kima said. “She should be named Scarlett Natasha McKay.”

  Jo considered it for a moment. “I like that,” she finally decided. “I get to use your middle name, too, so it would be less confusing. She does have my red hair. You’ve picked the perfect name, Kima. I love it.” Jo seemed back to her old self and they had a nice visit.

  The wind was blowing and the waves were crashing on the beach. A few brave surfers in wetsuits were bobbing in the water waiting for that perfect wave. Thrash watched them as Penny stood next to him. They had a strange relationship. For both of them, it was mostly sex and they didn’t ask questions of each other’s past, or talk about a possible future. They just seemed to embrace the moment.

  Penny touched his arm. “It’s too cold,” she complained quietly. “I’m going back to the shop.”

  He turned and watched her perfect ass in those tight jeans wiggle as she made her way across the street. When he saw her enter the shop, he turned back to the ocean.

  “I still haven’t given up, Hunter,” he said to the waves. “I’ll find a way to get Elena and Rhiannon with me.”

  The End.

  Thank you to Daryl Banner, my fantastic editor, and Tabby Coots, my perfect PA and cover maker. There are so many people to thank: my ol’ man, my family, Warrant’s Wenches, my author friends, but most of all, the readers who like my books. You make me able to have the horses, and to help other horses and animals. Many thanks and much love to all of you.

  Please donate locally to your animal shelters. You can donate your time if you don’t have money. Helping animals is really rewarding.

  Coming soon:

  Satan’s Attitude MC

  &

  Nefarious MC books