Finding Strength: A Club Dark Novel

by Reagan Hollow

  “Absolutely, I’m starving.” Amber, ever the one to let us know what she wants.

  We all take our seats around the table. Cory on one side of me, Amber on the other, and Alex directly in front. The scenery is beautiful and eloquent. The cloth adorning the table is black. Our plates are made from fine crystal. Holy fuck, I’d be worried about breaking one of these things. But it gets worse, gold stem wine glasses, sterling silver silverware. I’m impressed with the beauty, but who are we dining with here, the Pope?

  “So, now that I’m here. Would anyone like to clue me in on where exactly it is that we are and why we are eating from utensils that cost more than my car?”

  “We’re going to get to that, sweetie, one step at a time. But first, let’s get our appetizers started, and then we can share our wonderful news with our good friends here.” The suspense has me on edge. Seconds before I can say anything, two guys in black suits and white cummerbunds emerge from a door in the wall, I hadn’t noticed was there. They carry silver trays above their heads, one pausing between Cory and I, the other between Amber and Alex. They place the trays down revealing a large bowl of mixed greens. I almost feel like I’m being served at Olive Garden.

  “Is this place Italian?” I whisper into Cory’s ear, who doesn’t answer, he only chuckles. Whatever.

  Our guy begins shoveling greens onto our plates. I’m just getting ready to ask for some ranch dressing when Cory informs me that they make their own and it’s proven to be far better than ranch. Has he bumped his head? Nothing is better than ranch. Resolving myself to just sit here quietly, I let these guys do their jobs.

  They walk away, but only for a few short moments before they head back with a few silver-handled pots. Stopping before me, he talks for the first time, “Water or tea, miss?”

  “Water, please.”

  He repeats the same for Cory and the others joining our table. The servers stand over by the doors, one make a show of deeply clearing his throat.

  “Good evening, Ladies and Gentlemen. We thank you for being here. Please enjoy yourselves. The main course will be served in ten minutes.” He gives a small bow and enters back through the door.

  “They’re so formal,” I whisper to Amber.

  “You ain’t seen nothin’ yet, babe. Growing up with Mr. and Mrs. Prim and Proper half of my life, they’d put these little kids to shame.”

  I finally take a stab at the salad in front of me. Just looking at it, I wish it would give me some sort of clue to what’s headed our way. But it’s just a dang salad.

  Taking a bite, an explosion of exotic flavor erupts on my tongue. It’s hard to pin down a flavor, orange, strawberry, mango, lemon, and something creamy I can’t quite place. Either way, it’s heavenly.

  “Told you you’d like it.” Cory smirks. The fucker. I flip him off and proceed to devour every delectable leaf in my bowl. I even go as far as to picking the bowl up to lick the contents on the inside. That is, until I feel all the eyes in the room on me. Slowly lowering the bowl to the table, I stare back, “What?” No one answers, but they all laugh.

  “Har, har, har, laugh at the pregnant girl.”

  “Aww baby, it’s okay. I wouldn’t have let you lick the entire bowl.” Cory smiles at me, still with laughter shining from his eyes. And fuck if I could be mad at that. His moods are contagious and there’s no way I can be unhappy when he’s not.

  “Are we ready to clue our friends in?” He whispers extra quiet.

  “Yes, I can’t wait. Have we decided how we are going to do it?” We discussed it many times, but nothing sounded right. Everything was so boring.

  “Actually, I have and the plan is already in motion. We’ll all be doing this together, though we already know.” He laughs softly.

  Our two servers are back with their silver trays. They place tiny plates with little domes before us and takes the salad bowl from the table. Amber and Alex both exchange a weird look, surely it does look strange to get dessert before your meal.

  I shoot Amber a look hoping to say, just go with it. After all, that’s what she’s been saying to me all day.

  “You may lift your domes,” the server announces before heading back to what I’m now assuming is the kitchen.

  Underneath the dome, sits a square cake. Shaped like a cube, maybe three inches in length and height. White icing that covers the cake. No decorations. Just a smooth looking cube.

  “Sweets before meats, I’m game.” Amber laughs and slices into her cake at the same time Alex does. “What the fuck, my cake is bleeding. It looks like one of those molten lava cakes, only instead of chocolate, it’s kind of pink.”

  “Mine is too.” Alex shrugs and stuffs a mouthful down his throat.

  Amber looks over at me. She’s staring intently. Won’t take her long to figure it out, she’s a smart girl. “OH-MY-GOD! EEK!” She fucking squeals. “Are you saying…?”

  “Yes.”

  “You’re having a girl?”

  “Yes, we’re having a girl.”

  “Oh, my God, I could squeeze both of you right now.” And true to Amber, her ass is out of her chair and between ours in five seconds flat. Pulling both of our heads to hers, she wraps her arms around our necks. “I’m so incredibly happy for you two. It couldn’t have happened to a more deserving couple.”

  “Thank you, Amber.” She takes her place back on the other side of me.

  “So, baby shower. I’ve read that thirty weeks is the best, so maybe the end of November. And you don’t have to worry about a thing, I’ll take care of it all.”

  “Whatever you want to do.” I’ve learned to just shut up and let her do her thing, she’s going to regardless.

  Right on cue, our servers return with a larger tray perched across their hand and shoulder.

  “Weird, I don’t remember ordering anything.” I whisper at Cory.

  “You don’t get to order here, baby. They have a few specials they change up daily. What they send out is what they picked for you.”

  Well, that’s just not fair.

  A plate comes down in front of me, and my spirits instantly lift when I notice my initial suspicions were right, it’s Italian. My favorite of all. A square of lasagna, I can’t wait to dive into, sits beside a small bed of Alfredo noodles. Also present, are some stuffed ravioli, the real kind that are big and square, nearly bursting at the seams. An assortment of bread and butter is placed on the table, served on a wooden block. Wine is poured into the gold stem glasses and then the servers disappear.

  “They are aware I’m pregnant, right?” I ask Cory as I gesture to the wine.

  “Sweetheart, one glass of wine has been known to be good for both the momma and the baby. You’re not getting drunk, just celebrating. One won’t hurt.”

  I guess he’s right. I thought I read somewhere that it’s been proven that a glass a week helped keep certain toxins out of your body that aren’t good for the baby. But who knows how much truth there is to that…

  We spend the rest of the night talking, laughing, just being four friends enjoying each other’s company. It feels nice to do this. Cory later explains the reason for being here at what appears to be an abandoned building. Apparently, the kitchen is still fully functional and he hired a full staff just for tonight. But he also wanted to get my thoughts about the building and his idea to open a second club/hotel. The ground floor being the club. I’m happy that he wants to expand and open more clubs, but at the same time, I don’t think I’d be thrilled if they were anything like the one he was running now. But I guess we now have plenty of time to discuss these things.

  Amber started talking about plans for the baby shower, and Alex brought up something about a strip club for Cory when he celebrates his last night has a bachelor. If the eyes I burned into his skull weren’t enough warning, the over my dead body reference would do.

  Either way, I look at the people in this very room, and realize, I do have a family after all.

  I wasn’t sure how Lacey was going to react
to my proposal. The fact that she didn’t miss a beat from the moment I asked her to be my wife, to the moment yes fell from those perfect lips, has my heart soaring to heights it’s never reached before.

  We’ve surrounded ourselves with loved ones ever since. To my surprise, my parents have chosen to stick around. My dad has been around almost every day in the last week. Today, Lacey and Amber are at the baby doctor. Something about a sugar test that’s going to have her in the office for a little while.

  I’m way out of league with this whole pregnancy thing. I do what I can to help her, but when she starts talking all these technical terms such as an amniocentesis or something, I just nod and pretend to know what she’s talking about.

  One thing that’s troubling though, is the amount of fluid she’s started gathering around her ankles. I know she says it’s normal, but she can barely fit into her regular shoes anymore and it seems to get worse by the day.

  “Son, where’s your head at? Are you going to help me finish this crib or what?” My dad calls from across the room. We’ve been working on the nursery all week while the women have been talking wedding plans. We’ve decided to wait until the baby is born, so she can be a part of the ceremony. May not be conventional, but it works for us.

  “Hello, are you awake over there? If you want this done before they get back, then get your ass in gear.”

  “Sorry,” is all I say, walking over and giving him a hand. The crib was delivered earlier in the week and we’ve been waiting for this very day to surprise Lacey with it. It’s the very set up she picked out at the baby store. The idea was to wait until her baby shower in a few weeks, but I decided I would rather surprise her with it.

  After about an hour, we both take a step back to admire our handy work. Who would’ve thought how much of a pain in the ass it would be for something so damn simple.

  Getting a good look at the tiny bed with the matching dresser and changing table, I’m reminded that in just a few short months I’ll be a daddy. God, don’t let me fuck that up.

  “The girls should be getting back soon, want to clean up and I’ll go see if your mom’s done painting the nursery?” My dad asks, throwing his arm around my shoulder in a one arm embrace.

  “Sounds great, dad. I’ll see you downstairs.”

  Sitting down on the side of the bed, my thoughts drift to what the future might hold. Thoughts of selling the club have been at the forefront of my mind a lot lately. An underground sex club? That doesn’t exactly scream respectable as a career for any father. I also thought about just taking the sex out of it. Making it into a legitimate club has much more appeal to it and can open the business up for expansion.

  I just don’t know though, Lacey and I have a lot to discuss. I’m sure she wouldn’t care either way, she hasn’t stepped foot in my club in a long time. Who could blame her?

  I hear the subtle click of the front door being shut from below. A shower will just have to wait, I want Lacey to see the new addition to our room now, rather than later.

  I know almost immediately, something's wrong once my eyes land on hers. My feet hit the last stair and I’m by her side within seconds.

  “What happened?” Her eyes are red and puffy. Without even thinking, my eyes drift down to the very visible bump that now sits on her waist. “Is the baby okay? Are you okay?” Please let them be okay. Why the fuck am I flipping out?

  “We’re fine, for now.” What does she mean for now? “Can we sit down and talk?”

  I lead her into the sitting room, all thoughts of the crib long forgotten.

  “What’s going on, baby.”

  I watch as her chest slowly rises as she pulls in a deep breath.

  “My doctor is concerned about my blood pressure. It’s a little on the high side. She’s warned me that my swelling, with the high blood pressure, are classic signs of preeclampsia. She’s ordered me to be on full bed rest and wants me to see a high-risk specialist for weekly monitoring.” I vaguely remember seeing something about this in one of the pregnancy books she curls up on the couch with from time to time, but what does this mean for us and our baby?

  “Did she say what is causing this, or how we can fix it?”

  She shakes her head, “No, just that there’s no known cause and only cure is delivery of the baby. The goal is to get the baby as close to term as possible. I’m scared, Cory.” I’m at a loss for how to comfort her in this situation. But damn if I’m not going to try.

  “I know, baby. We’ll get through this together. One step at a time, one day at a time if that’s what is needed.” She buries her head into my chest while my fingers come up to run through her hair.

  Life just seems to keep throwing us punches. But, as long as I’m with her, we’ll just keep getting up swinging.

  Bed rest truly sucks. Three fucking weeks I’ve been chained to this damn bed. And no, it hasn’t been good for my mood, nor has Cory. He won’t let me so much as walk down the stairs unless there’s someone there with me, and that’s only twice a day so I can stretch my legs and get a little exercise. I’m going stir crazy, dammit.

  Luckily, it seems the bed rest has been good for me and the baby, despite that fact that my bitch meter is in full swing. My blood pressure is holding steady in the 120’s. The doctor says it’s still not desirable, but as long as it doesn’t go up, I’m good.

  Another thing that helps is that I’ve learned to pass the time by taking up a few new hobbies. I’ve taken to scrapbooking, and find that I love it. I can lose myself for hours just cutting and gluing, searching old magazines for cutouts to fill the album with. Several times, I’ve sent Cory out to print pictures from my memory card, or grab me more glitter and glue. He never complains, though anyone else in his position would. Even though I’m on complete bed rest he hardly gets any, and our sex life, well that’s practically non-existent right now.

  I’ve also started his new web design. Which probably explains the headache I have growing. This page has pissed me off. I can’t get it just right. The layout itself looks great. All the columns are where I like them, plugins work great, but something feels off.

  Slamming my laptop closed and throwing my hands up in frustration, I give up for now and decide it’s time I take a calming walk. These two walks a day are just not working for me.

  I don’t even make it through the door before I’m colliding with a solid, warm body. He steadies me, wrapping his hands around my arms.

  “Where are you going?” Cory says, his voice showing just a hint of anger.

  “I have to get out of this room, Cory, I’m going crazy.” I plead and watch as his features soften.

  He scoops me up in his arms and carries me down the stairs. I never once thought about him dropping me, I trust Cory with my life.

  He places me gently on the couch and walks over to the seventy-inch flat screen across the room. I don’t think I’ve ever seen it in use since I’ve been here. He inserts a movie into the theater system and walks over to the fireplace not far from the set up. Throwing a few logs inside, he lights the fire and strolls back over to the couch, picking up a throw blanket along the way.

  I watch in stunned silence as the menu for Twilight appears on the screen. I’ve never told him this, but both the movie and the book are among my all-time favorites.

  Joining me on the couch, he pulls me down until we are laying on the couch, my back to his chest. His arm comes around to circle around my waist, and I sigh into him. This, is much nicer than staring at the same four walls for hours on end.

  “How’s this?” He breathes into my hair.

  “So nice,” I speak honestly.

  He begins to rub slow circles into my side, the movements having a calming effect on me. I feel my eyes start to drag, growing heavier by the second.

  “Have you given any thought to what we should name our daughter?” He startles me out of sleep. I hadn’t even realized I had drifted.

  “A little,” I say on a yawn.

  He laughs into my ear,
“Get some rest, baby.”

  “No, you’ve got my attention now. Have you given any thought on the matter?” I ask, a little more alert know, my curiosity overriding the fog.

  “Actually, yes. A few. I like Addilyn and Kinsley. I’ll admit that I may have stolen one of your baby name books the other day and sat in the office doing nothing but flipping through it.” I was wondering where that book had disappeared to.

  “Kinsley is a very pretty name.” I admit.

  “You don’t like Addilyn?”

  “Sounds too much like Allison, not going there, babe.” I refuse to name my daughter with anything that reminds me of the past.

  “How about Paislee, there’s not many of those in this world.” I laugh.

  “Nah, I’m not a fan. You said you liked Kinsley, right?”

  “Right?”

  “We still have time to make a decision, and can put further thought in it, but I’m a major fan of this one.” His voice takes on a note of pure joy. How could I deny this for him?

  “Kinsley, it is.” I say with conviction.

  “Are you sure?”

  “Absolutely. I love it. Kinsley Rhea Lewis. Has a nice ring to it.”

  “Rhea huh? It’s perfect. Just like her momma.” He plants a soft kiss to my temple and I settle deeper into his arms.

  Our baby has a name. And just like that, it all becomes real. I’m going to be a mother. In just over ten weeks, I’ll be welcoming what's sure to be one beautiful little girl, and I couldn’t be happier or more terrified.

  “Wake your ass up,” Amber says from the doorway. I glance over and, to my disappointment, find that I’m in bed alone.

  What time is it? Seven a.m.! I’m going to fucking kill her. I throw the blankets over my head, attempting to ignore her.

  It didn’t work.

  She rips the blankets down my body, folding them in her arms to ensure I can’t pull them back up. If looks could kill, I’d be shooting daggers into her skull right about now.

  “Have you forgotten your baby shower is today?” I have. “I’ve received permission to take you out for a little while, with strict orders, of course.” She continues, not even giving me time to answer. “You’ll need to dress warm, it’s a bit chilly out today. Maybe a sweater or a light jacket, whatever works.” She finally finishes.