“Your mother won’t let me. Said something about we’d have to convert to Catholicism for them to be allowed at a convent. Since we’ve never really been church-goers, that went off the table already. As for dating, your sisters can date when I’m ninety and have lost my mind.”
“Turk! Are you talking about hiding our girls again?” Trinity asks, coming in behind him.
“Nope,” he says, popping his ‘p’, “mainly because you won’t let me. But, Mom has said the girls could come stay at the reservation.” The hopefulness in his eyes has me laughing so hard I nearly fall out of the bed with Claree still wrapped in my arms.
“Not happening,” Trinity growls out at him, “mainly, because you’d love nothing better than to tuck them away while they learn pottery and stitching. Fuck that, my girls are not going to be made to hide from the world.”
“It’s not the world I want to hide them from, it’s the prepubescent boys with one thing on their minds I want to keep them from. Those fuckers are nothing but trouble, look at what Claree brought home!” he says, placing his hands on his hips, and having a stare off with her.
Claree gets a look on her face and I brace for what she’s about to say. “Mom? We can set up dating profiles for them when they’re old enough and approve the candidates beforehand.”
“Claree!” Chief growls out, “watch it, little girl, I may not be able to take it out on you, but your man is the exception to that rule. Keep it up, and he’ll pay the ultimate price for your mouth.”
“Hey now, what the fuck did I do?” I question, just as Mom comes walking into the room. Seeing the stand-off, she glares at Chief, smiles at Trinity and my woman, then walks closer.
“What’s going on?” she asks. I hear how soft the tone is, but my mom’s tones are deceptive at best.
“Oh, Turk’s running off at the mouth again,” Trinity states, raising her brow at him.
“Do I need to pull out my pliers?” Mom asks, pulling her purse off her shoulder and opening it. “You know, it’s been awhile since they’ve been used, I think they’re lonely, Chief, would you like to give them a work out?”
“Hell no, woman, you’re dangerous!” he hollers at her, eyes wide. “Shouldn’t you be home killing someone off in one of your stories?”
“You know what? That’s a good idea, how about I make you my victim?”
Deciding that the three parents need to leave, I look at each of them and say, “Was just about to talk to Claree and tell her all the news. We need some time.”
Chief sits in the other chair and says, “Go on, not stopping you.”
“Really, Dad? Do I sit in on yours and Mom’s conversations?” Claree asks.
“Not sure you’d want to,” Trinity mutters, “our ‘talks’ always end up in bed.”
“Mom! Really? Eww,” Claree shudders. “Need bleach, Talon. That’s something you just can’t unhear and not visualize, uck!”
“How do you think the other kids arrived?” my mom asks.
“The stork?” Claree asks. Her voice sounds so hopeful I have to bite my cheek to hold back a laugh.
“Nope. Plain old-fashioned sex,” Mom replies. Great, now I’ve got that visual in my head of her and Dad.
“Mom! Come on!” I call out in disgust. “Knowing it, and hearing it, are two totally different things. Can you all please leave so I can talk to my woman in private? I said please, but I meant it as a command. Go!”
“Well, aren’t you the mouthy little alpha?” Mom questions. “I like it!” She gathers her things to get ready to leave. She kisses me and Claree on the heads and goes to walk out the door. She stands there with her hand on the handle, looks at Chief and Trinity and asks, “Well?”
“Fine, whatever,” Chief mutters under his breath, while grabbing Trinity’s hand. They say their farewells and finally it’s just me and my girl.
“Well, that was interesting. Why were they here again?” I ask her.
“To be nosey,” she answers. “What did we need to talk about, Talon?” I can hear the worry in her tone and run my hands along her sides to soothe her.
“Nothing bad, baby. In fact, it’s so fucking fantastic, I’m still trying to wrap my brain around it all. Let’s see, where do I start? Okay, first of all, when I went from a prospect to a patched member, my pay didn’t change, so they’ve fixed that and made it retroactive. Cara already did a direct deposit that not only catches my pay up, but also the monies from the businesses that I wasn’t getting.”
“Are you kidding? Holy shit, that’s a lot of money, isn’t it? So, does this mean you won’t have to work as much anymore and will be home more often?”
“Yep, for starters. And I need to decide which business I want to focus on, so that’s something to think about as well. Also, your folks paid the rest of your tuition off and also paid for everything we’d already put out for your schooling.” When I tell her this, she scrunches her nose up in thought, but doesn’t interrupt me. “Your mom apologized, saying that they should have done it long ago since they had planned to pay for you to go to school in the first place.”
“How…how much, Talon?”
“No clue, I haven’t looked at the numbers. I just know that it’s enough that we’ll finally be in the green, and be able to live, not just exist.”
“Holy shit! We’ll be able to save and buy things for this little one and get Steel some more clothes, he’s growing like a weed and I’ve been meaning to go get him a new pair of shoes but haven’t had the time.”
“There’s more, baby.” I hate interrupting her thoughts, but I need to get it all out and in the open.
“More? Hell, at this rate, I’ll need oxygen again,” she teases.
“You know where we always dreamed of building our home?” I ask.
“Yeah.”
“Axe deeded that land to us. Capone and Jaxson will get with us to build our dream house, covered by the club.”
“Am I dreaming?” she asks out loud.
“Maybe, if so I’m there with you. All of our dreams are going to come true, Claree. You, me and our kids, we’ll be able to put down roots and finally not struggle from paycheck to paycheck. I’d like to take us on a family vacation, I think we deserve it,” I tell her.
“Can we go to the beach?”
“Wherever you want. Let’s get you outta here first, okay?”
We stay curled up with one another, talking about our new future, until she dozes off in my arms. I’m one lucky motherfucker, that’s for sure. I nearly lost it all, only to have it come back tenfold and then some. That ring I’ve been looking at, that I can now afford to get, is something I’ll be getting as soon as she’s discharged. It’s about time I make her my wife and not just my old lady.
10
Claree
It’s been three days since the talk with Talon, and I’m so sick of being in the hospital I could chew nails and it would be more delightful. Mom dropped Steel off with us an hour ago so I could spend some time with him. He’s been curled up in my lap and we’ve turned the television on to cartoons for him. Talon went to get us lunch and we ate together as a family for the first time in a long ass time.
I hear the door open and see the doctor walking in with someone rolling in a machine behind him. “Good afternoon, I thought we’d take some measurements of the little one and get a look at him or her,” the tech says, and suddenly, excitement takes over.
“Yes, please,” I say to him. Talon grabs Steel from my arms and comes over and stands on the side of my bed.
“You wanna see your baby brother or sister?” he asks him. Steel nods his head up and down, I’m not sure if he fully understands the meaning, but his dad’s and my excitement seems to be catching.
The tech sets up the machine and then has me pull my shirt up to get prepared to put the gel on my lower stomach. I catch Talon glowering at him and give him a raised eyebrow. “Chill out,” I mouth at him, not wanting to say it out loud, and draw attention to his possessive ways.
/> “This has been in the warmer, so it won’t be cold,” the tech informs me. I still freeze in anticipation but soon realize he’s correct, it’s nice and warm.
Steel leans down in his daddy’s arms and pats my shoulder. “S’okay, Mama,” he says, causing me to break out in a smile.
“It sure is, baby boy,” I respond to him. Talon winks at me, if I wasn’t already laying down that gesture would bring me to my knees. I love it when he gives me those small expressions letting me know what I still mean to him. If the fluttering in my belly is any indication, time has done nothing but grow where our feelings are concerned. Even with the recent distance we had, I always knew he loved me and Steel. We just stumbled a bit. The tech turns the machine on and I watch Steel’s eyes grow big as he hears the whooshing sounds of the baby’s heartbeat.
“Mama? What’s that noise?” he asks. His little face is all scrunched up in concentration as he looks around for the source of the sound.
“It’s the baby’s heartbeat,” Talon replies. “Now, look,” he says, pointing to the screen that is now lit up. “Right there is your baby brother or sister.”
“Mama, did you swallows it?” I have to bite back my laughter when I see the fear in his eyes.
“No, Steel, Mama didn’t swallow the baby.” Well, fuck, he’s too young for the sex talk. How do I get out of this one? “Babies grow in their mommy’s tummies until they’re ready to be born.”
I hear the tech snicker before he starts pointing out different parts of the baby’s anatomy, then measures the arms, legs, head and torso. “Looks like everything is measuring right at eight weeks and three days, does that sound about right to you?” he questions.
“Yes,” I reply, thinking of the night of conception. God, I love that tree! It gave me more than the last night I was with the man I love, it gave us a precious gift. I know Talon was determined that we wouldn’t have any further biological children, but this baby is a blessing, and I am not discounting the importance its little life is having on our family. He nods at the tech but never takes his eyes off the screen, and I know that the miracle we’ve created is hitting him as well.
Talon leans down with Steel holding onto his neck like a little monkey and whispers in my ear, “I’m putting a bench by that tree, it’s a place that we can visit and know that it was our second beginning.” I nearly weep in joy at his announcement, because it did give us a chance at our new future. “I love you,” he tells me, placing a gentle kiss at my temple.
“I love you more,” I say back to him.
“No! Me,” Steel inputs, “love me more,” he says, with his bottom lip sticking out, and his chubby arms crossed over his chest. I have to chuckle, because he’s mimicking his daddy perfectly right now, from the arms to the determined look he’s sporting.
“We love you the most,” Talon tells him, while giving him tiny nips, and noisy kisses, causing my little guy to giggle out loud.
“Here are your baby’s first pictures,” the tech says, handing me several grainy black and white sonogram pictures. “Congrats to you both.”
“Thank you,” I reply.
“So, we’ll get you scheduled for your first in-office appointment next month,” the doctor says once the tech leaves. “Do you have any questions?”
“How soon can I get out of here?” I ask. I’m tired of this place. I realize I was not aware until just a few days ago, but I’d feel so much better in my own space and place, and I know Talon would sleep better in our bed instead of the damn reclining chair. Yeah, he’s got a cot in here, but he wants to be close so he sleeps there instead.
“I’ve got several tests I want to get run and have physical therapy come up and set something up for your at-home care. If everything comes back okay, I can see about releasing you either tomorrow or the day after.”
I can’t control the excited squeal that bursts forth. “Best fucking news I’ve heard today.” The room bursts out in chuckles at my words, even my little guy gets in on the action. I don’t find one damn thing funny about it, I just want to go home, I’m tired of being poked and prodded. Well, by the nurses anyways, Talon can do those things to me anytime he wishes.
“Soon, baby. You’ll be home, in our bed, and I’ll be playing nursemaid to your every need,” Talon tells me.
“Can’t wait,” I say in excited anticipation.
“You don’t have a choice, sweetheart.”
“Tease,” I say to him.
“Always, baby,” he states, moving out of my way so I can’t smack him.
*
Talon
*
Claree comes home today and Mom and Trinity are babysitting Steel while getting the house set up for her homecoming. I told them no party, but they’re making things more accessible for her to be able to move around better with her wheelchair. We rented her a motorized one so she is more independent and doesn’t need someone wheeling her around. She still has the bandage around her head, a broken arm, her ankle still bothers her from the plates and screws, but her spleen being removed doesn’t seem to affect her movement. When I think of everything that could have gone wrong, I want to fall to my knees and thank God for sparing her life. If that last phone call where she was crying, yelling and so upset at me had been all I had of her, I don’t think I would have survived. That might make me sound like a pussy, but I don’t give a fuck.
“You ready to get out of here?” I ask her, knowing that she is.
“Yep, let’s blow this popsicle stand,” she says, moving around the bed trying to get herself to the edge. She lifts up her arms and I pick her up bridal style, and plant her in the wheelchair the nurse brought in earlier to take her out to the parking lot.
“Hannah’s gonna come by tonight and fix your hair, baby,” I tell her as I push her out of the room. She was messing with the ballcap she had her mom bring her and I know she feels self-conscious that half her hair was shaved off. “But I held everyone else off until this weekend. Then, we’re having a party at the clubhouse in your honor. Nan and Gino are cooking for everyone.”
“I don’t know if I’ll be up to that, Talon,” she replies.
“If you’re not, then they’ll have to deal. I won’t force you to go somewhere, or do anything, you don’t wanna do, baby.”
“Talon,” she whispers as we get closer to my truck. I stop and look down at her and notice that her one free hand is clutching the armrest of the wheelchair. “I… I don’t know if I can get in the truck.”
“Baby, I’ll get you in, you know that,” I tell her.
“No, it’s not that. I don’t know if I can handle riding in a car or not.” By now her voice is so low I am straining to hear her words.
“Are you in pain?” I ask, looking her over carefully.
“Fuck, Talon, I don’t know if I can handle being in a car. All I can see is that car coming towards me every fucking time I close my damned eyes!” she shrieks, tears pouring down her face.
The nurse overhears her and squats down in front of her. “Claree? Listen to me, sweetie. I can go get you something for the anxiety you’re feeling if you’d like. Your doctor ordered it in case you needed it and there’s no shame in taking it if it’ll help you right now.”
“Might be a good idea, Claree,” I say to my girl. “It will help you relax and not freak out so much.”
“I’m not weak, Talon.”
“No one ever said anything like that, baby! You went through a traumatic accident so it’s natural to be nervous. You’re one of the strongest women I know.”
“Take the medicine, Claree,” Chief says, walking up to where we’re sitting. “Don’t disrespect your man like that.” Well, fuck me, never saw that one coming. Of course, Chief is a bit of a stickler for that kind of thing.
I move so I can lift her chin. “Baby, if this is what it takes to get you through, it doesn’t make you weak. I just want you home, so I can take care of you and Steel. And our new little one,” I say, gently rubbing her stomach.
She sighs, and I see the tears escape from behind her closed eyes. “Okay,” she whispers. “If you think it’ll help. I just…I know I can’t do it otherwise. That’s what makes me weak.”
“Not weak, baby. Just cautious, you’ve been through something traumatic, I don’t know anyone who wouldn’t be skeptical about placing themselves in a situation that could possibly, one day, have the same outcome.” Thankfully, she’s not coming home with the shunt they put in for the swelling she initially had, as they removed that the day before. The bandage around her head is to keep the wound free from infection while we’re out and about. I told the doctor that one of our friends was coming by to cut her hair and she let us both know it would be okay as long as she stayed away from that area.
I’m so ready to get home and get our life back to normal, whatever the fuck that is. We’ll have to revisit what that means to us, in this day and time, because heaven knows we can’t let things go back to the way they were before.
We can’t do things the way they were before we drifted apart either, obviously that didn’t work for us. We need to start new, fresh, and not revert back to when we were teenagers and first fell in love. Somehow, though, I think that now our parents know where we were at, they wouldn’t let that happen.
We need to learn who we are now, as adults. Doesn’t mean that I’m not gonna put a ring on her finger, soon, but I’m not selfish enough not to get to know who she’s become while I was doing my own thing and she was doing hers.
11
Claree
Once the nurse comes back, she hands me a pill and a cup of water, then hands Talon a prescription bottle with the anti-anxiety medicine. Talon carefully lifts me, and Dad opens the door, so he can place me inside. I can feel my heart rate accelerating and hope that the medicine starts working. Before I can say anything, Talon has me buckled in and as he kisses me, says, “Just breathe, Claree, it’s gonna be okay.”
I smile through trembling lips and reply, “I’m trying, baby. Talk to me and keep me distracted.”
He grins and goes around to the other side, gets in and quickly buckles himself in before he turns the radio on to a kid’s station. When I glance at him, he starts laughing. “Figured we can sing along if I run out of things to say.”
Talon & Claree Page 10
