by K. L. Ramsey
“Well, Lucky is my middle name,” he teased. At least, he felt lucky as hell for having Viv in his life.
VIVIAN
They ate lunch and Cillian allowed her to go to two more stores before he decided to end their day. They were walking back to the rental truck when pain ripped through her abdomen, causing her to drop the bag she was carrying, doubling over to hold her belly.
“Viv,” Cillian shouted, rushing to her side. He dropped the bags to the ground and pulled her into his arms, cradling her against his body. “Tell me what’s wrong,” he insisted.
“It’s the baby,” she cried. “I think something’s wrong.”
“Don’t panic, Love,” Cillian said. “I’ve got you.”
“I think we need to go to the hospital,” she said.
Repo pulled up beside them in his pick-up and cut the engine. “What’s wrong?” he asked.
“Viv’s having pains,” Cillian said. “I need to take her to be checked at the hospital.” He looked around the parking lot at the scattered shopping bags.
“Don’t worry about anything but your girl,” Repo said. “I’ve got all this and will meet you over at the hospital. It’s one of the best, Kill. Don’t worry, Viv will be in good hands.”
“Thanks, man,” Cillian said. Viv’s abdomen cramped and she cried out. “Shit—call the others for us.”
“Will do,” Repo agreed. “Just get her to the hospital.”
Cillian slid her into the passenger seat and buckled her in. Viv felt a fresh wave of panic wash over her as another sharp cramping sensation felt like it knotted up her insides. She doubled over and groaned, clutching her belly.
“Shit,” Cillian spat. “I’ll have you to the hospital in just a few tics, Love,” he promised. Viv knew that something had to be wrong. If she had to guess, she was in labor and it was too soon.
“I’m just five months,” she whispered. “It’s too soon.”
“No,” Cillian said. “Don’t think like that, Viv. The baby will be fine. We just need to have you both checked out.” Viv knew he was trying to make her feel better but she wanted to tell Cillian he was wrong. She wanted to tell him not to make her false promises and give her hope because that wasn’t usually how the world worked. At least, not for her.
Cillian had them to the hospital in record time and pulled up to the ER, not bothering with finding a parking spot. Two women rushed out of the building with a gurney and helped her from the truck and up onto the bed. “She’s five months pregnant and we think she’s having contractions,” Cillian said. “She keeps having pains in her stomach.”
“It feels like sharp pains, almost like my muscles and skin are being stretched,” Viv added.
“Have you timed them?” the woman Viv assumed to be the nurse asked.
“No,” Viv admitted. “I didn’t know I needed to.”
“That’s okay,” the woman said. “We’ll get you in and hooked up to a machine that will be able to tell us if you are contracting and how far apart they are. We’ll also get an ultrasound to check on your little one. You’re in good hands.” Viv nodded, not able to speak past the lump of emotion in her throat.
“We got this, Love. Our babe will be just fine—promise,” Cillian said.
“Don’t make me promises that might not be true,” Viv whispered.
“How are you two related?” the second woman asked.
“I’m her fiancé and the baby’s father,” Cillian said. “Where she goes I go.” He looked about as mean as they came and when he stared down the poor nurse Viv wanted to laugh. But, none of this was funny.
“You alright with this, Ma’am?” the first woman asked.
“Yes,” Viv said. “I need him with me. Just find out what’s wrong and fix it, please,” she begged.
_______
They got her hooked up to a machine that could measure if she was having contractions and the nurse said that the steady lines that the machine was producing, was a good sign. It felt like it took forever for a doctor to see her and after he checked her out, he left the room, not offering any explanation. Viv couldn’t help her worry. She felt consumed by it and when she started to cry, Cillian was by her side, holding her hand.
“Whatever it is, Love, we’ll get through it—together,” he promised.
“This is all my fault,” she sobbed. “I wasn’t sure I wanted this baby and now, we might not have him or her. I did this.” When she found out she was pregnant Viv thought about having an abortion. Hell, she had only just met Cillian and they were so new to each other. Viv didn’t expect him to stick around when she told him about the baby and she wasn’t sure she’d be able to raise a kid on her own. But then, she thought about what her grandmother would say about the baby being a blessing and how they bring so much joy to a family—it was almost impossible to follow through with her initial plans. Viv decided to keep the baby and tell Cillian, letting the chips fall where they may. It had all worked out—she got the man she loved and a baby she was falling more and more in love with each passing day. If something happened to the baby, she’d be the one to blame.
“Viv,” Cillian whispered, pulling her close. The door opened again and a guy pushed a cart into the room with some sort of machine on it.
“Miss Ward?” he questioned.
“Yes.” She sniffled. “I’m Vivian Ward.”
“I’m an ultrasound technician and I’ll be doing you’re sonogram today. Ready to see your baby?” he asked.
Viv nodded and sobbed, “Yes. Will you be able to tell us if the baby is alright?”
“I’m going to do my best,” he promised. Viv let him raise the hospital gown she had put on and watched as he squirted a warm gel onto her lower abdomen. “This won’t hurt at all, Miss Ward,” he promised. He pushed a small wand over her skin and rolled it over her belly; an image appearing as soon as he did.
“Is that the baby?” Cillian asked.
“Yes,” the technician said. He continued to work the wand over her belly, taking measurements and taking pictures of the baby as he went. “This is a 4D sonogram and it will give us clear pictures of your baby. Here is her heart and it looks strong. I’m going to ask you to be still for just a moment, so I can get a measure of her heartbeats per minute.” Viv did as he asked, even holding her breath to make sure she was completely still.
“Is the baby alright?” Cillian asked.
The tech nodded, “Her heartbeat is strong. I’ll print out some pictures for you to take with you.”
“You keep calling the baby a ‘she’,” Viv said. “Are we having a girl?”
“I’m sorry,” the technician said. “Were you not going to find out the sex?”
She looked at Cillian and he shrugged and nodded. “It looks like we’re having a girl,” he said. He smiled at the sonogram screen, seeming almost hypnotized by the tiny form moving inside of Viv’s belly.
Viv wiped at her tears as they fell down her cheeks. “Is she alright?” she asked. “I mean, does she look healthy?”
The technician nodded, “She looks great.” He printed off some pictures and handed them to Viv. She looked at her daughter’s face, able to see her perfect little features.
“She looks just like you,” Viv whispered to Cillian. “She’s so beautiful.” The technician wiped the extra gel from Viv’s belly and pulled her gown back down.
“The doctor will be in to talk to you in a few minutes, but I believe you’re going to be just fine,” the technician promised. “Good luck with your little one.”
“Thank you,” Viv said, still studying the pictures. “For everything.” The tech left the tiny ER room and Cillian sat down next to her on the gurney.
“A girl,” he whispered, taking the pictures from her. “We have a daughter.”
The doctor walked into the room and smiled at them, “Looks like you are clear to go back home,” he said. Viv wished that was true. She wanted more than anything to be able to return to Huntsville and her little diner. She had so much t
o do before their daughter made her way into the world and seeing her today made that all too clear.
“What were the pains?” Viv asked. “Were they contractions?”
“No,” the doctor said. “The uterus expands quickly at this point in your pregnancy. You will experience pains like that as your baby continues to grow. It’s like stretching a rubber band and your skin and muscles have to adapt. Sometimes women have pain and other times, nothing. You are just one of the unlucky ones who will experience the burning and stretching sensations of the baby growing.”
“So, we aren’t in any danger?” Viv asked.
“Nope,” the doctor said.
“It wouldn’t hurt you to drink more water.” He handed her a reusable water bottle and smiled. “Eight of these a day.”
“I’ll be living in the bathroom,” she grumbled.
“You have no idea,” the doctor said. “My wife had our first baby last year and she practically spent the whole last trimester in the bathroom. Are you taking prenatal vitamins?” he asked.
“No,” Viv said. “I was only able to visit the doctor to confirm the pregnancy and then life got a little turned upside down.”
“Well, I want you to pick some up today and start taking them. They will help with overall health, for you and the baby, as well as your energy levels. Follow up with your OBGYN in about two weeks, or sooner if the pains persist.” Viv and Cillian thanked the doctor and she got dressed.
“I guess we will need to find a doctor around here,” Viv whispered.
“Let me talk to Savage and I’ll work it all out, Love. You just worry about taking care of you and the baby,” Cillian said.
_______
Viv could feel the tension as soon as she walked through the door to Repo’s cabin. Cillian and Repo seemed to sense it too, going on high alert before they found everyone in the kitchen. “What’s wrong?” Cillian asked as soon as he saw Savage.
Savage looked at Viv and smiled, “How did it go at the ER? What did the doctor say?”
Viv knew he was changing the subject, trying to avoid Cillian’s question but she decided to play along. “The doctor said I was just experiencing growing pains and that we are having a girl.”
“Oh my gosh,” Dallas gushed. “Congratulations you two.” Dallas stood and handed Greer to Bowie, crossing the room to pull Viv in for a quick hug. “Don’t worry about the growing pains,” she said. “I had them with Greer too.”
“Thanks,” Viv said. “I think I’ll be asking you for advice when it comes to this pregnancy stuff. Ignoring the growing human inside of me won’t work for very much longer.” Dallas giggled. “Oh, and if you could recommend a good prenatal vitamin, that would be great.”
“We will need to find a good OBGYN in the area,” Cillian added. “Viv needs to see the doctor again in two weeks.”
“Well, that might not be an issue,” Savage said. Maybe you should sit for this next part, Viv,” he added.
“Why,” she asked. “What’s happened. Dallas took her over to the big dining table and pulled out a chair next to her own.
“It’s good news,” Bowie said. Cillian stood at her back and she could feel the tension coming from him. He put his hand on her shoulder and she reached up and covered it with her own.
“Dante’s dead,” Savage said.
“How can you be sure?” Cillian asked. Viv wanted to celebrate and be excited about the news but how could they be sure that they were safe? What if this was all a sick ploy to get them to return home to Huntsville?
Hart sat forward, “I can confirm the news,” he promised. “Dante’s dead and from the intel I got, it was one of his men who did the deed.”
“Shit,” Cillian growled. “How can we be sure it’s safe to go home?”
“We can’t be positive that it will ever be safe, Kill,” Repo said. “We just have to trust Hart’s intel and hope for the best. I’m ready to have you people out of my cabin,” he teased. Viv could tell that Repo was trying to make lite of the situation but the worry she saw in the other guy’s eyes told her a different story. They were all worried about returning home.
“I’d like to go home,” Viv almost whispered. “I really would like to see my OBGYN, just to make sure everything is all right with the baby.”
“I can run you and Kill back to Huntsville, so you can see your doctor, Viv,” Ryder offered. “Then, I can do a little recon to make sure that the story of Dante’s death is on the up and up. If everything checks out, I can swing back over here and pick-up the rest of you,” he said.
Savage looked between Bowie and Dallas and they seemed to do a whole silent communication thing. Viv had been watching the three of them together for a few weeks now and she had to admit, at first she wondered how three people in a relationship could work. But, seeing how well the three of them managed their little family, changed her mind. They not only worked well together; they were the most functional family unit she had ever witnessed. She just hoped that she and Cillian had their shit together even one-tenth as much as the three of them seemed to.
“Fine,” Savage said. “How about if the two of you talk this through, Cillian. It’s a big decision to make. If you go back to Huntsville and Dante is still alive, that could mean trouble for you and Viv. Be sure.”
Viv stood and yawned, “Can we hash this out later, Cillian? I’m exhausted from our day. Thank you—all of you—for our wedding present. I can’t tell you how special it was to us both that you’d want to do that for us.” Cillian reached for her hand and smiled.
“Thanks, guys,” he said. “Viv convinced me that you did it because you care and she’s right, we appreciate it. We can’t wait to start our lives together as husband and wife and we’re damn lucky to have friends like the lot of you.”
“Your family, Cillian,” Savage said. “You and Viv both are now. We take care of our own, man.” Viv had to admit that being a part of a family again, even their mishmash MC crew felt right. Cillian was right—they were pretty damn lucky.
CILLIAN
Kill tossed and turned for a half hour and he decided to finally give in to his grumbly stomach and go in search of something to eat. He quietly slipped from the bed, careful not to wake Viv. She was exhausted and needed her rest, especially if he was going to keep his promise and take her back to Huntsville in the morning.
He bumped into Savage in the hallway and he followed Kill into the kitchen. It was the middle of the night and neither wanted to wake any of the others. “How’s Viv?” he asked.
Cillian smiled and nodded, “She’s sleeping. I told her we can head back home in the morning and she’s beyond excited. I know it’s a bit of a risk, but I also trust Hart. If he says Dante’s dead, I believe him. Why aren’t you sleeping?”
“I heard you wandering around out here and I wanted to check in and make sure everything is good. Viv hasn’t had any more pain?” Savage asked.
“Sorry I woke you,” Cillian said. “And, Viv and the baby are both fine. She just gave her mom and me a little scare.”
“I still can’t believe you’re having a little girl, man?” Savage said, grinning like a complete fool.
“Yep,” Cillian said. “I can hardly believe it myself. If you would have told me just a year ago, that I was going to meet the woman of my dreams and we’d be having a little girl, I would have told you that you were crazy.”
“Well, Bowie, Dallas and I are happy for you. Chloe wants to know if she can help name the baby,” Savage said rolling his eyes.
Kill chuckled, “No—she can’t. Thanks, Savage,” Kill said. He honestly hadn’t been able to stop smiling since they saw their little girl on the ultrasound. “I’m going to make myself a midnight snack. Want to join?” Savage nodded and followed Kill to the kitchen.
Hart stormed into the kitchen and Cillian felt bad that they had woken him. Judging from the look on Hart’s face, Kill knew he wasn’t going to like a word that he was going to say. “Someone want to tell me what the fuck this is?�
�� Hart barked. He held up a tiny piece of metal and Kill knew exactly what it was.
“Bug,” Kill breathed. “Where the fuck did you find it?”
“In my fucking room,” Hart shouted.
Repo and Ryder joined them in the kitchen, both yawning and rubbing the sleep from their eyes. Kill’s little midnight snack was turning into one huge mess. “I put it there,” Repo admitted.
“What the fuck, man?” Hart yelled. “What for?”
“To make sure you were on the up and up, man. You’re not a part of Savage Hell and we don’t know if we can trust you,” Repo admitted.
Hart pointed an accusing finger in Cillian’s direction and Savage growled. “He’s not a member of Savage Hell either. You put a bug in his fucking room?” he asked.
“Keep your voice down, Hart. If you wake up my kids, my wife will have my balls. And for the record, just because Cillian’s not a patched member doesn’t mean he’s not a part of our club, asshole” Savage said. “I’ve known Cillian longer than I’ve known anyone else here. He’s good. You, on the other hand, are new here. I told Repo to put that bug in your room. You have a problem with it, you come to me,” he said. Hart stood toe to toe with Savage and Kill was sure he was going to have to intervene.
“I have a fucking problem with it,” Hart grumbled. “And, I’m officially letting you know.”
“Fair enough, Hart,” Savage said. “I will round up the rest.”
“Rest of what?” Hart asked. “Bugs? You fucker,” he spat. “There are more?”
Savage’s smile was mean, “Yep,” he confirmed. “As I said, I’m protecting my own.”
“You know, I have a mind not to tell you what I found out,” Hart grumbled.
Cillian knew that Hart could be an asshole when he wanted to be. He hated that Hart would keep information they might need, to keep their families safe, and not share it. Savage growled, “You want to keep your fucking head attached to your shoulders, start talking,” he said. The threat seemed to only make Hart want to stall more.