by Simone Elise
But we both knew he most likely was going to. Reaper had promised to be home by now, and I didn’t know as much as the boys, but I knew he was lying every time he said he would be home by the end of the week. And it broke my heart every time Sunday rolled around and he was nowhere to be seen.
***
“Kade, when are you coming home?” Was I frustrated? Yes. Was I sick of it? Yes. I needed my husband. I needed my support. I needed Reaper. I couldn’t face having this baby without him. I needed him by my side, and I needed to have his hand to squeeze. Brad was great, but he wasn’t my husband or the love of my life.
“I’m coming, baby.” His voice was soft and smooth. Just what I needed to hear, yet I still was sure he didn’t get how much I needed him.
“And so is this baby.”
“I’ll be home by the end of the week.”
“Reaper.” I groaned, hearing his empty promises. I had heard the end of the week before.
“I promise.”
“Reaper, I am promising you, if I go into labor and you are not by my side, I will not forgive you.”
“And I promise you, baby, I’ll be there.”
“You know it is probably a good thing you aren’t here. I’ve gotten so fat since you last saw me.” I sighed and leaned my head against the bedroom window, looking out on the driveway. “You would be second guessing yourself.”
My bedroom door swung open, and I turned to see who it was, thinking why would Kim storming in in the middle of the day.
“Nah baby. I’m sure I hit the jackpot.”
Reaper. The corner of his lips were twitched up into a smirk and the look in his eyes had me stunned on the spot. His leathers were dirty, and he looked as if he had ridden all night and day to be here.
But I didn’t care about the mud up his leather pants or the fact that his vest looked like it hadn’t been washed since our wedding day. No, I didn’t care. I dropped my phone and bolted across the room at him, charging like a bull.
I jumped on him, knocking the air from his lungs at first, but he caught me. I wrapped my legs around his waist. If there wasn’t a giant belly in the way, my chest would be pressed against him too.
He chuckled as his hands ran down my back. I didn’t care if he thought my reaction was funny. I had missed him and wasn’t ashamed to show it.
I silenced him by forcefully kissing him. My hands clamped down on his shoulders, and I kissed him as I had been imagining kissing him since he left. At first my lips met his smile, but then he started to kiss me back hungrily.
I had never realized how strong he was. Sure, I had always loved and admired his muscles. But now as he held me and our baby up, it really hit home. My husband was strong. My husband kept his promise. He was here.
We finally broke apart out of a need for air.
“Hi,” I grinned, resting my forehead against his.
That smirk I had missed was back on his face. “Hi right back to you, sweetheart.”
“So you’re back?”
“Yep.”
“For good?”
“Yep.”
“No more chasing Jacobs?”
“I’ve already wasted seven months, and I’m not planning on wasting time I could spend with you and this little fella.” His hand went to my stomach, and he held me up with one hand.
“We don’t know if it’s a boy.”
“It’s a boy.”
“And what has you thinking like that?” I looked at him smugly, seeing as he had been gone for most of my pregnancy.
“Just got a feeling.”
“Does anyone else know you are here?”
“It’s the middle of the day, Abby.” He gave me a facial expression to say as if I was crazy.
“So you have seen everyone?” I felt deflated knowing others had seen him before me. I had been looking out the driveway, and I hadn’t spotted him.
“Yes.”
“Surprised you could pull yourself away from them to see me.”
“Babe, you’re the destination.” He kissed my cheek. “Now stop complaining about who saw me first.”
He knew me too well.
I gave him a stubborn look, pursing my lips. “Maybe if you kiss me again, I might forget the fact you checked in with my dad before seeing me.”
He laughed at me and nodded his head, his tongue running over his bottom lip while he stared at my lips. “Babe, I’m going to do more than that.”
He closed the bedroom door with his free hand, and it closed with a thud as he walked us toward the bed. And just like that, all the waiting and the wanting was over.
***
I woke up to the most intense pain. Gripping my stomach, I sat up in bed. I felt around me, and sure enough, I was wet. It was happening.
“Kade.”
He grumbled.
He was tired from the long ride. I don’t think he had had a solid night’s sleep since our wedding.
“Kade.”
He rolled over but was still asleep.
I whacked him in the arm as another wave of pain washed over me.
“What the fuck Abby?” He groaned, rubbing his eyes.
“It’s happening.”
“What’s happening?”
I looked at him to see if he was serious. “The baby, Kade. The baby is coming.”
He threw the blankets back and bounced out of bed. “Fuck, what do we do?” He was looking at me for answers while I tried my best to take steady breaths.
I gripped the bed frame as another wave of pain came over me.
As soon as it was gone, I reached for my phone and threw it at Kade. “Call Kim.”
Kade was pulling his jeans on but managed to catch it. He scrolled through the phone and then put it to his ear.
“Kim, it’s Reaper.”
I gripped the bed frame again as another wave came over me.
“Abby’s in labor.” I could hear the fear in Reaper’s voice. The man could face down a gun, but he was terrified of his wife in labor?
“What the fuck do you mean call Brad?” Reaper’s temper was going up. I could hear it in his voice.
“REAPER!” I wasn’t in the mood for him to be jealous.
“Fine, I’ll fucking call him.” He wasn’t happy about it. He hung up. “Can you tell me why I’m calling Brad?”
My face cringed up as another wave came over me. “Because he came to every birth class.”
Reaper had the phone to his ear when he said, “HE FUCKING WHAT?” His eyes narrowed. “Yeah you, you little twat. What’s this I hear of you going to birth classes with my wife?”
“REAPER!”
“Yeah, I’ve got a fucking problem with it!”
“REAPER!”
I got up and walked around the bed, snatching the phone from him in the middle of a rant. Brad was yelling in my ear.
“Brad, it’s Abby.”
“Abby, what the fuck is Reaper going on about?” The anger in Brad’s voice was clear. He obviously didn’t like being woken up in the middle of the night to a raging fool.
“I’m in labor.”
“Shit, Abby. I’m coming.”
I hung up the phone. “See, that was all you had to do.”
Reaper was pacing. “He isn’t the father. He shouldn’t be in there with you. That’s my job.”
I took another deep breath in. “He won’t be, Kade. He just knows what I should be doing.”
“Well, you were there. You should know what to do.”
“Isn’t that easy, Reaper.”
Our door burst open and in came Brad and Kim. Thank god they were only rooms away.
Brad went to the wardrobe and grabbed my suitcase.
“Remember to breathe, Abby,” Brad said.
“Course she knows to fucking breathe,” Kade snapped. The jealousy could be heard in his voice plain as day.
The pain shot from around my back. “Oh my god!” I went to fall on the bed, but Reaper caught me, picking me up. Carrying me like I was nothing. I gri
pped his shirt as another wave of pain came over me.
“Fuck me, I don’t think I can do this,” I spoke into his shirt.
“Course you can, babe. We got this. Brad, you get the suitcase. Kim, you drive.” Reaper took charge and the confidence in his voice made me smile. He lifted me up and whispered in my ear. “We are going to meet our son.”
“We don’t know if it’s a boy,” I grumbled, reminding him again as he carried me through the clubhouse with Kim and Brad following us.
***
The nurses and doctors and midwives were great as they talked me through each push, but that didn’t stop me from experiencing the worst pain in my life.
“I hate you,” I huffed while squeezing Reaper’s hand. My nails were for sure digging into his skin, but he didn’t pull away. Right now I was furious with him. It was his fault I was pregnant! It was his fault I was going through this pain.
“Is it still too late for her to have any pain relief?” Reaper asked the doctor, being extremely calm. But the concern in his voice was clear. He hated seeing me in pain. This was killing him, and there wasn’t anything he could do to stop it.
The contraction finished and I took a deep breath in. Tears ran down my cheeks. “I don’t want pain relief.” I dropped my head back on the pillow and pulled on Reaper’s hand for his attention. “I don’t really hate you.”
He grinned, “I know, babe.” He smoothed my hair back with his free hand as he stood beside the bed. “You’re doing great, darling. Just keep breathing. You got this.”
I nodded my head.
“Ok, one more push, Abby,” the midwife said.
One more push. I could do that. Reaper squeezed my hand. “This is it, babe.”
I gripped his hand and with all my might, I pushed. The pain I felt was extreme, gripping, and I felt it in every blood vessel of my body.
Then it was over and the room went silent and he or she was out. Why couldn’t I hear it crying? The doctors rushed the baby to the side.
“What’s wrong?” I looked at Reaper, my eyes wide. His eyes were on the doctors and midwives.
Panic was gripping me. Was it happening again? Was I about to lose another child?
Then one of the midwives turned around with a huge smile.
“It’s a boy.”
I flopped backward and lay on the bed; he was alive. Tears ran down my cheeks. He was alive.
Reaper kissed my forehead. “You did it, babe.”
I opened my eyes and our eyes locked. He was proud. So very proud. I could see it glowing on his face. He kissed me again.
Then the midwife brought our little boy over to us, laid him on my chest, and then pulled the blanket up.
“Skin to skin is really important.” She smiled. “Congratulations.”
Then I saw his perfect face for the first time. My little boy.
“What should we call him?” I couldn’t take my eyes off him. He was so tiny as I held him on my chest.
We hadn’t picked names. Kade hadn’t been around to help me pick names. In fact, we had never even talked about it. That was most likely a stupid thing to do, but we just didn’t have time.
Reaper was clearly thinking, then he gave me a smile. “Tyson” Reaper said. “Tyson Jed Wilson.”
A smile spread across my face. “Perfect.” My little Tyson.
***
I had been moved to a ward, and it was early afternoon now. I hadn’t slept, but Tyson was. I don’t know how as he was passed around from Dad to Kim to Brad.
They hadn’t put him down.
Dad teared up when we told him his name. He said he was honored for his name to be passed on. I couldn’t even take credit for it; it was Kade’s idea.
Reaper was sitting next to me, holding my hand. The nurse walked in.
“Time for your pain relief, Mrs. Wilson.” She smoothly made her way through the room.
The one thing Kade had organized was that I had private health cover, which meant I had my own room and it was big. Which is what I needed, with big bikers everywhere.
I let go of Kade’s hand and took the pills from the nurse.
“Thanks,” I said before putting them in my mouth. Kade handed me my water.
Mom had given birth to Kim and me without pain relief. So if Mom could do it, so could I. However, now that it was over, I needed pain relief and didn’t care if it made me look weak.
“What’s your pain out of ten?” the nurse asked, holding up my clipboard.
I looked around the room. Did I really want to admit I was in pain in front of Dad, Kim, and Brad?
“Everyone out.”
My head snapped to Kade. He was standing and waving for them to leave. “Abby needs time with the nurse.”
Kim handed Tyson to Kade, then they all left, leaving me with the nurse and Kade.
“So pain out of ten, Abby?” The nurse repeated herself with a smile on her face. “Don’t worry, it’s normal to feel like you can’t say you’re in pain.”
“It would be around an eight,” I muttered, ashamed to be admitting it.
Reaper gave me a ‘not-impressed’ look.
“The medication will help with that. Now I’ll check your blood pressure and just your BGL levels to get them recorded.” The nurse was nice.
I stuck my arm out as she wrapped the blood pressure band around my arm.
Then I saw it for the first time. Reaper’s eyes weren’t on me. They were on Tyson as he held him in his arms. Tyson had wrapped his finger around his thumb.
I smiled. The pain was all worth it. I had given him a son. No matter what happened now, we were a family.
“All good, Abby. I can let your guests back in?” The nurse folded my clipboard and put it on the end of the bed.
“Yeah, that would be great.” I gave her a small smile, but my eyes were on Reaper.
She exited, leaving me with my family.
“He’s perfect, Abby,” Reaper said, keeping his eyes on Tyson as he walked to my bedside. He looked up, proud. “You gave me a perfect son. I’m so darn proud of you.”
I smiled. What do you say to that? I didn’t know what to say. Reaper sat in the chair next to me, still holding Tyson. He looked so tiny in Reaper’s arms.
I yawned just as Dad walked back in.
“You tired, sweetheart?” Dad was frowning at me.
“You warned me that would happen.” I smiled back at him.
“We should go, let you get some sleep.” Dad walked to my bedside and kissed me on the forehead. “Proud of you, baby girl.”
“Thanks, Dad.”
“Now get some sleep. Reaper, you’re off duty for the next couple of weeks. You just look after my grandson.” Dad grabbed his vest off the seat and waved. “I’ll be back tomorrow. I’ll tell Kim and Brad to head home as well.”
“Bye, Dad.”
I lay back in bed, pulling the blanket up. I turned on my side, watching Kade. It didn’t take long before I was asleep.
Reaper
Abby was asleep. She looked so peaceful. I brushed her hair behind her ear. She sighed but didn’t wake. She must be worn out. Tyson was sleeping in his hospital crib. Still couldn’t get over how small he was, how he looked so fucking perfect.
My phone buzzed in my pocket. Instantly, I cringed and tried to answer it as quickly as possible. I walked across the room to the door and slipped out.
“Hello?”
I didn’t get the chance to look at the caller ID.
“It’s Roach.”
“What’s up? Abby’s asleep if you’re checking in on her.”
“Nah, that’s not why I called.” His voice was rough. “Rumors are coming down that there is a threat on the club. Wanted you to hear it from me and not someone else.”
“Who would be threatening us?”
“Don’t know, son. But it’s getting time for me to stand down and for you to take over.”
We had talked about this. Me transferring clubs and becoming the Mother Charter President.
Roach wanted to focus on women and family. He would still have a role, but not as President. The responsibility would be huge, but I knew Abby would be happier in her hometown.
“Yeah, I know.” I ran my hand through my hair. Was now the time to take on more stress? “Just give me a couple of weeks with Abby and Tyson. Then we can put it to a vote.”
“You already have the support of the members Reaper.”
“Still have to vote.”
“Ok. Well, look after your family.”
I hung up. How would Abby feel staying here? I knew it was her home. She knew the members well, and she would be a great club Mother Charter President’s wife.
“How’s Abby?”
I turned, my eyes slightly wide as I was in my thoughts.
The nurse. Right.
“Asleep.” I wanted to thank her for taking such good care of Abby but didn’t know how.
“Do you know if Abby is under any extra stress? Apart from just giving birth?”
Strange question. “No, she’s fine.” As far as I knew.
“Her blood pressure was rather high. It could be from the pain, but the doctor just wanted to make sure there wasn’t anything else going on.”
“Apart from Tyson? Nothing new.” Why was Abby stressed?
The nurse smiled. “Must be the pain then. We will monitor it and maybe start her on the blood pressure medication if it doesn’t come down.”
She went to walk away when I remembered something rather important. “Wait. Her dad has heart problems. High blood pressure. Could be a family thing.”
She nodded her head. “We didn’t note that in her family history. That’s rather important. Thank you, Kade. I’ll let the doc know. It will most likely answer his questions.” She gave me a steady smile then walked back to the nurse’s station.
Now it was more important that I didn’t put any more pressure on Abby. She would hate going on medication. She was stubborn when it came to medication. I thought I’d have to fight her to take her pain meds.
I opened the door to her room, and she was still asleep. I sat down in the chair and took her hand. It had an IV in it because she was on fluids.
She’d done a beautiful job. Now it was my turn to make sure she had everything she needed to support our son. But most importantly, I needed to make sure she stayed well, cause Abby would always put herself last.