Chief laughs. “Leave it, he seems to be mellowing in his older days, and if he knows that his Shelby helped, he’ll think it’s the best job ever.” This is true. Ever since that little girl held her arms up to him, he’s changed. He’s still a bit withdrawn and standoffish, but when Shelby, Claree, or Claree’s kids are around, a completely different side of the man shows up. Leah, of course, is beyond a doting grandmother and great-grandmother. And Lakota, despite being so old, is still around to dispense her wisdom to the younger generation.
“Is Lakota coming too?” I ask.
“Wild horses couldn’t stop that woman. She may be physically slowing down some, but her mind is still sharp as a tack,” Chief says.
“I’m glad. I want all of our family here for this.” And I mean it. We may be unorthodox to some, but the fact of it is, the people in this room are our family. Forged by trial and error, and cemented by love.
“We’ve got last minute preparations for tonight to wrap up,” Cara says, blowing into her steaming cup of coffee. She used to not drink coffee, but as the kids started getting older, she said her diet soda wasn’t leaded with enough caffeine to get her through the day.
DJ’s ears perk up, “Yes, we do. I need to get with Gino and make sure that he has the menu ready. Stefan is home from his honeymoon, and he’s been over the moon since returning. They’re not as intune with his son’s head in the clouds.” Stefan’s wife is a sweet Italian woman raised in Italy. She is one of the sweetest women I’ve ever met. He went to visit his grandparents and came home with a girlfriend. They didn’t last long with a long-distance relationship before he’d had enough and went back and claimed her as his. They had a quiet ceremony which Nan and Gino attended. Nan came back insisting she learned to speak their native tongue and has had headphones glued to her head calling out words as she touches items around her. It’s a hoot to watch!
“They’re moving to Italy, aren’t they?” Hannah asks us.
“Yes, and Nan and Gino are contemplating going with them,” Cara announces.
“That’ll never happen. And if it does it won’t be long term. Can you see Nan clear across the country with her son and grandkids here?” Bandit inquires.
“Nope,” I pop my ‘P’ in exaggeration.
“We’re going to get a summer home,” Nan states, walking into the room with Gino behind her. I let out a giggle when I notice his eyes trained to her backside. He raises his head and wiggles his eyebrows at me. When he does this, I can’t help it, my giggles turn into full-blown laughter.
“Looks like we need to make sure our passports are up to date,” Cara replies. “We can go for a vacation or something, take some wine tours.”
“I’m in!” DJ decrees.
“You can’t take Shirley on a plane, gorgeous,” Hatch tells her.
“I’ll put her in my checked bags.” Well, alrighty then! Guess Shirley gets to go international. God help the natives. Hope no one pisses her off, that would be an interesting trip to the cop shop.
I look around the room and a feeling I can’t describe overwhelms me. These people are mine and have been for the majority of my adult life. “I...I wanna say something,” I start, the emotion I’m feeling clogging my throat, “all of y’all brought me out of a bad place years ago and I don’t think I ever said thank you.”
“That’s what family does,” Trinity says, “good times or bad, we’ve got one another.”
“What brought that on?” Cara questions.
“All the memories have been swimming around in my head since we got here. We’ve been through it all, haven’t we?”
“Pretty much. I never could have predicted how things would work when we were talking about starting the club all those years ago,” Axe states.
“And look how the town has grown,” Bandit adds. “Our businesses probably employ a third of the folks, at least.”
“And we’ve either raised or are still raising the next generation who will step up.”
Before any of us can respond, Evie comes bouncing into the kitchen and up to me and Travis. “Morning, Momma. Morning, Daddy,” she says, giving us each a hug and a kiss. “Can me and Layne get our nails done?”
I start laughing at her earnest expression as I see Travis pulling out his wallet. “Sure, sweet girl. I think your mom and the other old ladies are going into town to get prettied up for tonight. You can go with them, okay?” he responds, handing her several bills. I’d roll my eyes at him, but this is what he does when it comes to his princess.
“You’re the best, Daddy!” she squeals, throwing her arms around his neck. “I gotta go tell Layne!”
“Taking care of your princess, huh?” I tease, leaning in and kissing his jaw. At least it will be us women taking them. The last time we sent guys with their girls it was disastrous.
“I’ll be taking care of the queen too, just in different ways.” My insides melt at his words.
“Y’know I’m not a pedestal kind of woman,” I murmur.
“You’ll always be on one as far as I’m concerned,” he replies, taking my lips in a blistering kiss. I finally pull away to the hooting and hollering from the peanut gallery.
“She’s really a great kid,” Trinity remarks. “Maybe a bit spoiled but hell, we’ve all had a hand in that, so who cares?”
I think back to that time when we found out I was pregnant again. My mind drifts back…
* * *
I stare at the stick on the counter. Actually, the six sticks, because I wanted to be one hundred percent positive. Each of the displays shows ‘positive’ and while I’m excited, I’m also scared half to death. Shaking my head, I walk into the bedroom and stop dead in my tracks when I see Travis standing there against the door, arms crossed.
“What’s going on, Paisley? You’ve not been yourself. You okay?”
I walk over to him and he opens his arms to enfold me in a hug. “Travis? Honey, I’m pregnant.” I promptly burst into tears after telling him and he spends long minutes comforting me.
“That’s not a bad thing, baby.” He looks closely at me and because my man knows me inside and out, he states, “You’re scared.”
“Terrified, Travis,” I whisper. “What if...what if it happens again? I don’t think I could come back from it again.”
“There’s always that risk, Pais, but we can’t live life on a ‘what if’ basis. I’m thrilled that you’re carrying my baby again and this time, I get to be here for all of it. The cravings, the pregnancy sex, I’m looking forward to all of it.”
“What about the morning sickness?” I tease.
“Could live without you puking, but maybe this one will be different, and you won’t be sick all the time like you said you were with Tig.”
Ah, if wishes were horses, everyone would ride, right?
“So, I need to make an appointment to see how far along I am. Can we...can we hold off telling everyone until the danger’s past?”
“Whatever you want. Let me let Axe know we’re gonna be late. I already called and made an appointment.”
“What? How?”
“Woman, I know you better than I know myself. You were doing the same things you did when you were pregnant before. I just waited for you to get with the program.”
“I married a smart man.”
“Yes, yes you did,” he tells me. “Now, we’ve got a little time, so how about we celebrate?”
* * *
“I loved how you told us you were expecting,” Cara states. “Extremely unique, that’s for sure.” I grin at her.
* * *
We booked the top floor of The Barnhouse for a night and had all of our family for dinner. Once we sat down and drinks started flowing, DJ giving me a side-eyed glance, Travis stands up and says, “We’ve got an announcement to make, one that concerns everyone.”
The table grows silent at his words, every eye on him as he stands, tall and proud. “Well, you gonna tell us this year or what?” Smokey asks.
“We’re
expecting. Paisley’s fifteen weeks pregnant and everything’s going well.” I glance down at my tiny baby bump, barely discernible despite being almost four months pregnant.
As the congratulations flow, I look at my girls and see the unshed tears. One by one they come up to me and I can tell from their hugs and murmured words that this time, I’ll have all of them with me. “I know you’re probably scared,” Trinity whispers, “but we’ve got you, y’hear me?”
“Terrified,” I admit. “But I’m excited too.”
“Have you been to the doctor yet?” Cara asks, with a look of concern crossing her face.
“Yes! We heard the heartbeat, it’s strong and steady. The doctor says everything looks normal. As it should, they are confident that the same thing won’t happen again. We’re taking it day by day and I’m lucky because the morning sickness I suffered with Tig hasn’t reared its ugly head with this one,” I rub my belly, thankful that the bathroom hasn’t become my second home.
“Gonna be a kickass baby shower. Do you know what you’re having?” DJ inquires. I look up at Travis, a smile forming, and nod.
“We do. I know normally you fuckers would start some sort of betting pool, so I’m gonna tell you and take that fun away. It’s a girl.”
I hear the sound like a gun being cocked and glance down the table to see Hatch mimicking cleaning a gun. DJ jabs him in the side and he bursts out laughing. “Like all the guys aren’t thinking the same thing. We need to buy more guns and ammunition for all these girls we’ve got running around. No fucker’s gonna get their hands on one of them!”
“You’re so damn archaic, Hatch! Jesus, if our fathers thought like that, you wouldn’t have us,” DJ retorts.
“Like anyone’s ever gonna be good enough for Rae or Maysen,” he mutters. “Not on my watch. Not in my lifetime.”
“Yeah, keep telling yourself that, lover, because you forget, these girls have moms and we’ll make it happen.”
“Fuck!” he grouses, picking up his beer. “Well, this calls for a toast anyhow, despite the fact that I’m likely to go bald and have a heart attack. Axe, I think you should do the honors.”
Axe stands and grabs his mug and raises it. “To two of the best people I know, may this little one bring joy and rays of sunshine, to not only your family, but to all of our lives.”
“Hear, hear!” Bandit states.
* * *
“She really has, you know,” Cara says. “She’s the most even-keeled of all the kids, never cross or out of sorts.”
“And she’s gorgeous to boot,” Hatch mutters. “See why I’m losing my hair? First Claree. Then Rae and Maysen. Now, Evie.”
“You act like you’re all of the girls’ father,” DJ says, poking him in his side and making him grunt.
“I’m an uncle, same difference.” All of these guys are as protective of each other’s girls as they are their own.
“My Evie is the most beautiful in all the land, just like her mother,” my man kisses me on the forehead.
“Thank you,” I respond by kissing him under his chin. “You know, I was just informed by her dentist that she’s going to require braces. Open your wallet, Daddy, cha-ching!” I tease him.
“Nah, won’t have’ta. It’s why we have a good dental plan in place, Pais. Whatever insurance doesn’t cover, I’ll make sure is taken care of. Nothing but the best for my princess.”
“I’ll help,” Tig states, joining the conversation. “Whatever my sister needs she’ll get.” My boy loves and worships his baby sister. It helps to know if something ever happens to me or Twisted, she’ll be well cared for.
Cara’s phone rings about that time and she excitedly answers, “Luca!” but a frown crosses her face and all we can hear is her side of the conversation. “You bring her here—the women and I will make sure she’s taken care of.”
Now my interest is piqued. We all lean in, getting as much of this one-sided conversation as we can. When she hangs up the phone, she tells us that we will be getting someone else to bring into the fold and care for. When we hear the little bit that Luca told her, my heart breaks for the young lady. Sounds like she’s had a rough go of things. We’ve all been there and will help her come out the other side.
11
Twisted
When the women all leave to beautify themselves, Braxton calls a short church. Only the officers are invited for this one, leaving the others with clean-up duty in the kitchen. When we all take our seats, Axe steeples his fingers together and sighs.
“So, I had a conversation with Maddox yesterday. He’s trying to figure out how he can be part of the Rebel Guardians while not living in the same town. It got me thinking.” Smokey clears his throat, I can tell he wants to give a smart-ass remark, but Axe’s look cuts him off.
“What are you thinking?” I inquire, being the VP of the club, I should’ve been informed of this before he called a meeting of the officers.
“It’s just a thought running through my mind, but I wanted all of your thoughts at once. What about expanding the RGMC? We could fund the start of a sister chapter. Our kids won’t be taking over this club anytime soon, and they need to be given the opportunity to spread their wings and not be under our thumbs. I think they’re ready?” he says, more of a question to us all than a statement.
“Who’d run it?” Hatchet wonders out loud.
“The thing is, they’d need to vote their officers in like we did, if it’s something they’re interested in,” Axe states.
“So, you’re saying that our kids will be branching out and running their own MC? I don’t know if they’re ready. They’re all still young,” Chief inputs.
“But,” I reiterate, “they’ve grown up in the life. They know what to expect and what to do. Plus, we’ll help guide them.”
“We need to vote on it first, and I want it to be unanimous before we move forward. Is there anything we should talk about before it’s put to vote?” He looks around and no one says anything. “Then let’s vote. I vote yes.”
“I vote yes,” I say. It goes around the table and passes with no arguments or fits. I expected us dads to have a conniption about our kids leaving the area. But at the same time, we can’t stand in the way of them becoming the men they’re meant to be.
“When Twisted gets back from his ‘honeymoon’ we’ll sit down with the boys, Maddox is going to come for a vacation and Luca will be home. We’ll let them decide if it’s something they want to do or not. If so, we can help them with officer votes and get the ball rolling. Anyone opposed to that?” Axe questions.
“Nope.”
“I’m good with that.”
We finally dismiss the brothers, but I stay seated. “Do you really think they’re ready?” I ask my President, my best-friend, my brother.
“I really do, otherwise I wouldn’t have let the thought come to fruition, brother.” Axe slaps me on the back and leaves the room. Still, I sit here and ponder if my boy will choose to go off on this endeavor.
I don’t know how long I sit here before my boy takes a seat next to me. “Everything alright, Dad?”
Sighing I lean forward and place my hand on my boy’s shoulder. “I am, it’s just hard to face the facts that you boys and girls are becoming men and women. Letting go is hard, especially when your children have become your life,” I explain to him as tears try to form in my eyes.
“You’re the best man I know, next to my uncles. All of y’all have been instrumental in raising us, teaching us how to become men, how to treat women, how to walk tall and stand for something.” His words have tears threatening to spill again, I reach out and pull him into me for a hug.
I’ve always been demonstrative with my kids, always showing them affection, this is nothing new, but somehow, this time, it feels different. Like I’m passing the torch, even though I’m not ready to be put out to pasture. “What say we go make sure that every little thing is perfect for your mom?” I gruffly ask.
“Yeah, I’d like that, Dad. Let�
��s do it!” He grins at me and we walk from the room, my arm slung over his shoulders.
* * *
Paisley
* * *
Little girl giggles have me opening my eyes. Cassarah and Bridget opened the salon today, just for our crew, and right now, Layne and Evie are being given ‘the works’ as far as their hair and nails go. Catching a glimpse of my girl, on the cusp of womanhood, has me gasping. I see the slim neck, the pert nose, the thick, wavy hair that she got from me. But I see Travis’ intelligence as she looks around and I send up a silent prayer once again that she gets every good thing that she deserves.
“What do you think, Momma?” she calls out when she sees my eyes open and trained on her.
“You look amazing.” She’s my little mini-me, which drives her dad crazy at times.
“Your dad and uncles are gonna go bald,” DJ proclaims, before she starts cackling. It’s infectious and soon, the rest of us are joining her. Not sure if the mimosas we’re drinking are the cause, but at this point, I don’t care. This weekend is about love and family. Togetherness and camaraderie. Seeing our preteens, teens, and young women embracing who they are is wonderful and I smile at my fellow old ladies. We did this—we gave them that solid foundation to grow on. Even the shit that Rae and Maysen dealt with was easier in a way because of the women they are. Strong, resilient, empowered, but most of all, loved beyond measure.
“We could always take the clippers back with us and help them along,” Bridget says, giggling.
“Lord, I think they’d kill us,” Cassarah replies, as she works to do some sort of intricate braid in Evie’s hair. “There, what do you think, Princess Evie?” she asks as she turns my girl to face the mirror.
A Twisted Kind of Love Page 9