At Last

by Sarah Zolton Arthur

  “Oh my gosh, Caitlin? Is this Jade?”

  I nod.

  “She’s your mini me.” Elise finishes.

  “Yes. She most definitely is. I’m so glad you two could come over,” I say, pointing to her and her boy. “Too bad your husband couldn’t make it.”

  “Yeah, well…” she trails off.

  And I understand why, because he’s still not home and from what she’d explained, no plans have been made to bring him home. So I change subjects promptly. “I hope you like stuffed peppers.”

  “Are you kidding? I like anything I don’t have to cook right now. Although I like to cook, cooking with a baby attached to your hip isn’t the most fun experience. Oh, but my boy started rolling over.”

  “That’s exciting. Did you bring a blanket? Lay it out on the floor, then you can set him down. Jade will look out for him. She loves babies.”

  Elise walks over to the living room area to drop her diaper bag down on the—yet again, dingy from use, chintz fabric sofa—to retrieve Gun’s blanket. “Jade,” she calls. “Would you like to hold Gunner while I get him set up?”

  My daughter, meanwhile, in her little girl exuberance, climbs up next to Elise and the baby carrier, knowing it’s alright to talk to Elise because she’s here in the house with us and so has registered her as a friend.

  “I’m Elise Hollister.” Elise introduces herself. “This is my son, Gunner. But we call him Gun.”

  “Dat’s cute.” Jade giggles, clicking her sock-covered feet together as she reaches a gentle hand out to stroke Gunner’s head. The excitement of her feet juxtapose the calmness of her hand. I love my little girl.

  “Your mom’s my friend, but she’s also the one who delivered baby Gun, because she’s my doctor.”

  “He’s da pwettiest baby I evur seen.”

  “Think you can hold him?” Elise asks.

  “Oh yes. I helwp Miss Jenny wiff da babies at school.”

  Then I watch as Elise unbuckles Gun from his carrier and sets him in Jade’s waiting arms. Not needing direction, my daughter carefully cradles the boy, taking care with his head. Then she begins to sing to him. My heart might explode from the cuteness factor, while Elise moves the coffee table out of the way and lays the blanket out on the carpet, then spreads some soft baby toys around on the yellow and gray baby elephant blanket that I’d given her as a gift when he was born.

  “How about we lay Gun on the floor, and you can play with him?”

  Jade vigorously shakes her head yes, while Elise takes her son and waits for my girl to situate herself on the blanket. After, she places her boy down next to Jade and steps back watching, like me and Duke, as Jade picks up a squeezy toy and squeezes it to get Gunner’s attention. Once Elise seems satisfied my girl will be gentle, she walks back over to us and slips onto one of the barstools.

  “Beer?” I ask.

  “That’d be great,” she answers.

  I look to Duke expectantly and wait.

  Then he gripes. “Damn woman in my house not even a day, and she’s already bossing me around.” But, I will add, he does it going to the refrigerator to grab Elise’s beer. “Doc?” he rasps, his back to me while grabbing bottles.

  “Yes, please.”

  He sets them down. Twists the cap off the first and slides it over to Elise. Does the same with the second, but sends it my way. And the third, he keeps for himself, taking a long pull. When he sets the bottle on the island, he has a smile on his face that I know isn’t from drinking beer.

  “You got company, Imma head up to the club. Got some work to do there.”

  “Okay, Chief.” I don’t mind.

  “Call me when dinner’s ready?” he asks.

  “You know I will.”

  “Good. Lips,” he orders. And this time I don’t have to think about what he wants, and walk around the island to kiss my man. Quick and closed-mouth, but as always, satisfying.

  When he turns to leave, we all hear, “Duke?” And turn to look at my girl who has set Gun’s toy down, and is resting her hand to her hip.

  Her face looks hurt, her lips pursed.

  “Sorry, Peaches.” A red-faced Duke walks over to her and bends down, where he kisses her cheek and allows her to kiss his.

  “Oh. My. God.” Elise mouths.

  “I know,” I answer verbally. Then I turn back to dinner prep.

  10.

  Duke

  “So? Dr. Brennan.” Scotch, who’d been sitting at the bar sipping on a double malt when I walked in, turns to talk to me but continues to keep his ass planted on his seat. “She’s a right fine lass. Glad to see you finally manned up and went after her.”

  Manned up? Who the fuck does Scotch think he’s talking too?

  “Unless you wanna shit that glass out after I shove it up your ass, watch yourself, brother.” I pull a cigarette from the pack and light it, then take a long drag. The first smoke I’ve had since I jumped outta the pickup at Doc’s house. Fuck if I don’t need it.

  “You think you got it in you, old man.” Scotch teases. “Come at me. But come at me knowing that we all know you putting the no touch order on Dr. Brennan—”

  “Caity,” one of the other brothers calls out as he passes us.

  “Caity,” Scotch continues, “had fuck-all to do with Elise or Gun.” Then he slams back the rest of his drink and stands to walk over to me, grabs a cigarette from the pack I offer, and lights it. “Heard Houdini’s back?”

  “Yeah. That’s what I’m here about.” To the rest of the room I bellow, “Brother’s rally, now.”

  All the brothers, despite what they might ’a been doing at the time, stop to walk into the rally room, the room where we hold club meetings that we don’t need old ladies, hot mamas or pieces overhearing. Only Carver and Sneak, of my lieutenants, sit around the oval table. Boss, Chaos and Blood are out on a run. The rest line the walls and wait for me to take my seat at the head. It’s a respect thing. You don’t sit the table unless you’ve earned that spot as a lieutenant.

  “I’m sure you all heard by now, ’cuz you gossip like a gaggle ’a women, Dr. Brennan, which, Caity to you, I claimed her publically as my old lady.”

  Laughs, and “’bout fuckin’ time” ring out around the room. Guess all the brothers knew I was hot for the good Doc. Shit. Here I thought I was keeping it low.

  I suck back on my smoke before continuing. “Don’t know if you heard, she’s got a little girl, Jade. I call her Peaches. They’re staying at my house right now ’cuz hers got broken into while we were in Nashville.

  Another chorus of “fuck” and “shit” travel the men.

  “I’m afraid Houdini’s back.” The room goes stark quiet at that motherfucker’s name. “Last time he went after our women. Now, it shits me to say this, he might be going after the kids. All that was missing was a picture of Peaches from a magnet frame on the refrigerator. All that was fucking missing.”

  “Kids?” Sneak is the first to ask. “Should we bring the women in? Mine ain’t born yet, is it safe?” All the shit he gave Boss about Gun, the man sits at the table practically pissing his pants with concern. Gonna have to tell Boss that one, let him rip a little on Sneak.

  “He caught us off guard last time. Don’t want to overreact, but don’t wanna under either. Elise’s already here with Gunner. She’s staying in Boss’s room while he’s gone. Maybe you and Trish should stay here for now, ’til we get a handle on the situation.” After that, I look to all the brothers around the room. “We got those singlewides on the property sitting empty. Any brother with kids, move ’em to one ’a those. Better safe, brothers.”

  I dismiss them with a wave of my hand. But before Sneak and Carver leave, I stop ’em. “Doc is cooking dinner. Italian stuffed peppers. And she made this lemon cake thing for dessert. I’m just gonna say the house smells fucking fantastic. Anyway, the two ’a you and Trish wanna come to dinner, Elise’s already there.”

  “Dinner at your house?” Carver snickers.

  Ba
stard.

  “Ayeah. But all she drinks is Guinness, so you want something else, bring it.”

  “You’re fucking a woman who only drinks Guinness?” Carver keeps it going.

  I’m about to punch him in his fucking face.

  “She’s Irish, for Christ sake. Lived in Ireland. What’d you expect her to drink?”

  “Don’t get your panties in a twist over some pussy, Prez. But I’d be happy to drop by,” he finishes, and barely escapes my fist from the punch I’d thrown to shut him the hell up. Who knew Carver could be so damn annoying?

  “Me and Trish’ll be up after we pack. She’ll be glad, not cooking after a long day at work, or worse, eating what I cook.”

  “Well, it’ll be done soon. So hurry.”

  His back to me, he calls, “Will do.” Then pulls his phone from his back pocket. Before he leaves the room I hear, “Hey sweetheart.” Man’s gone soft.

  My phone rings next. I look at the screen, Tommy calling. I swipe to answer. “Whatcha got?” I give as my greeting.

  “Well hello to you, too.” Tommy teases. “What we got is a lot of nothin’. I don’t like it, don’t like it one bit. Elise at the compound?”

  “Yeah, she’s fine. Hey, Doc’s cooking. You and Maryanne should stop up.”

  “That’d be good. I’ll call her now. But, so you know, I’m callin’ Boss too. He needs to know.”

  “You can, or I will.”

  “I’ll do it on my way home,” he says. “Got some other stuff to talk to him about, non-Houdini related.”

  “Good. Get your wife then come on up.” Then I ring off, set my phone down on the table and rub my hands vigorously over my eyes. The last fucking thing we need is Houdini sniffing around again.

  My phone rings for the second time. This time the display says Doc’s calling. I answer her with a, “Honey?”

  “Hey Chief,” she says, and insanely, all the shit ’a the world melts away. Just from hearing her voice. I’m so screwed.

  “Whatcha need?”

  “Dinner’s ready. You said to call.”

  “Good. Carver, Sneak and Trish, Tommy and Maryanne’ll be around soon. Be there in a few.”

  Once I hang up with her, I walk out into the common room of the clubhouse. There’s hot mamas hanging around, doing their thing. And the pieces have started to show. Including Viki-Lee. Always enthusiastic, especially with her mouth, Viki-Lee. Knows exactly what I like and how I like it. Though, she ain’t got shit on Doc. That’s for damn sure.

  “Hey Duke, baby.” She brushes her hand along my chest. “I’m in the mood to suck some cock. Where you been? It ain’t nice to deny your cock from Viki-Lee.” Then there in the common, she drops to her knees to begin unbuckling my belt.

  I pull her up. “Not anymore, Vik. Got me an old lady now.”

  “I don’t mind sharing.” The bitch don’t get it and drops back down to her knees.

  “No. Get the fuck up or get the fuck out. My old lady ain’t the type to share.”

  “Just one for the road, Duke.” She sounds as if she’s pleading.

  Fuck. This bitch needs to go. “Hey Blaze?” I call to one of the younger brothers, newly patched in after he helped save Elise and Liv during the first Houdini crisis.

  “Yeah, Prez?” He turns from where he’d just taken a shot at the pool table.

  “Vik’s in the mood to suck cock.”

  “Well, it just so happens I’m in the mood to be sucked.” Then the cocky little bastard hangs his pool cue up to walk over to Viki-Lee while unbuttoning and unzipping his fly. The man’s got his dick hanging out when he reaches us. “I’m all yours babe.”

  Knowing she ain’t gonna get it from me, she shrugs then drops down to her knees again to begin sucking off Blaze. Before I leave him to it, I pat his arm. “Elise’s at my place right now, so take advantage, because with all the women and children showing up, you gotta take this show to your room ’til we get the club back.”

  Though, I’ll probably have to repeat myself. Don’t think he’s much paying attention to me, not with his grunt as reply.

  As I cross the forecourt of the compound back over to my house, I see Doc holding open the door to let Tommy and Maryanne in. She catches my eye and smiles, lighting up her whole face. God she’s gorgeous.

  Inside, Gun’s back in his carrier, the coffee table righted and Elise and Maryanne sit on my sofa while Tommy reclines in my chair. Doc’s at the fridge pulling out five bottles of beer. Two in one hand, three in the other, holding the necks between her fingers. She sets them down on the island. I walk over to twist off the caps.

  “Thanks,” she says.

  But before she can deliver ’em to our guests, I stop her. “Lips.”

  She presses against me, hand to my chest, and lifts up on her tiptoes to kiss me. Fuck if I’d ever want the likes of a skank like Viki-Lee touching me again when I got Doc who’s got skin of peaches, smells of vanilla and right now, tastes like lemon, probably from that dessert she made. Vik’s a nice woman, but she’s a skank and proud of it. Sure as hell don’t smell like vanilla, and she’s never tasted like lemon. My old lady’s pure class.

  When I pull back, I feel the eyes on us. And sure enough, every pair stares at us wearing various degrees of smiles on their faces. That’s when, thankfully, Sneak and Trish show. Sneak don’t knock or wait for me or Doc to offer ’em inside. He plows in, holding his lady’s hand.

  “Fuck, it smells good in here.”

  The women jump from the sofa to greet them, laying a hand on Trish’s belly because apparently that’s what’s done to pregnant women.

  Doc calls to our newest guest. “Hey Sneak, beer?”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “Trisha, juice? Water? Tea? It’s herbal.”

  “Juice will be good.” She laughs, rubbing on her own belly. “I can drink it from a bottle and not feel so left out. I miss beer.”

  I grab up my beer and one for Sneak. Doc takes hers and the bottle of juice for Trish, then we join our guests in the living room. The last to arrive is Carver.

  “Don’t get up,” he says to my old lady. “Beer in the fridge?”

  “Yep,” I answer for her. Though she gets up anyway to pull the peppers from the oven. Along with those Pillsbury breadsticks. She’s also made a salad, and in squeeze bottles that I know I didn’t have, so she must have put them on the list for Jesse, it looks like three different salad dressings.

  Then she sets out my plates, flatware, and napkins.

  “Okay, everybody. Time to eat. We try not to eat a lot of processed foods in our house because Jade has allergies to some preservatives, so it’s just easier to make my own. The dressings are buttermilk and Italian. And, of course, creamy cucumber, because that’s Princess Jade’s favorite. So please, help yourself. Jade, sweetheart, sit at the table, and I’ll fix you a plate.”

  Peaches kisses Gun’s forehead and runs over to the table with her bottle of juice and waits. Doc slices a cooked pepper in half, putting half on Jade’s plate, along with a breadstick and a small pile of salad, which she squeezes creamy cucumber dressing on top.

  “Fank you, Mama. Will you sit wiff me?”

  “Well sweetheart we’ve got—” I know she’s gonna say we’ve got company. But Trish picks up her plate and juice to walk over to the table, and sits down next to Jade.

  “Look,” she says, “We’ve got matching drinks.”

  “Mama, me and Twish got matching dwinks.”

  The women congregate at the table, while the men take their food back to the sofa and chairs. Gun starts to fuss, and Elise puts her fork down mid-bite to go to him, but she’s stopped by Sneak, who puts his hand up. “I got him. Bottle in the bag?”

  “Yes,” a stunned Elise answers, watching Sneak fish a full bottle of formula from the diaper bag. He pops the cap, then positions the boy in his arms and feeds him.

  We all watch him in silence, about as stunned as Elise. That’s when he looks around the room at all of us and asks,
“What?” Sounding affronted. “Got me a kid coming. Figure I should get used to this.”

  “Right.” The brothers start on him.

  “You gonna have one of those joint baby showers?” Carver asks.

  “We’ll get him one of those Snugli front wearing baby carries like we got for Elise, so he can keep the baby against his chest while he works.” Tommy teases.

  “Whoa, whoa, whoa.” Elise cuts in. “I’ll have you know, Tommy Doyle, that Beau wears that just as much as I do, if not more. So leave poor Sneak alone.”

  “What?” Tommy asks, unbelieving. “Someone facetime Boss. I need to hear this for myself.”

  Carver puts his plate down on the coffee table to pull his phone from his front pocket. He hits a couple buttons, and we hear his phone ring. After about four times, Boss answers with a, “Whatcha need, brother?”

  “Hey Boss,” everyone but Elise calls out. Hers is a, “Hey baby.”

  “That my wife?” he asks. “Where the fuck are you?”

  Carver turns his phone so Boss can see all of us. Then turns it back. “We’re at Duke and Caity’s for dinner.”

  “Caity?” Boss asks.

  And fuck if I don’t like the sound ’a that. Duke and Caity’s. Shit. Shit, shit, shit. I look around to find my woman, who’s turned as strawberry as the lip gloss she usually wears, tastes.

  “Dr. Brennan,” Carver continues.

  “I thought her name is Caitlin. I always call her Caitlin.” That’s what throws him, not hearing Carver call it Doc and Caity’s place? Tommy must have explained some things when he called earlier.

  “Boys voted, it’s Caity now.”

  “Okay. Well we’re about to ride, got to find a place to stay for the night. So whatcha need?”

  This time Tommy answers. “Sneak’s feeding your kid.”

  “He probably should get the practice. Just keep him off your tit, Sneak.” The brothers and Tommy, and all the women laugh. It’s good to hear so much laughter in my house again.

  “Elise here says you wear that Snugli carrier more than she does,” Tommy says.