by Erin Osborne
“If I pulled that shit, Had would have my balls in her hands,” Psycho says as the women glare at me.
“Why the fuck wouldn’t you see her? Or at the very least talk to her on the phone?” Hadliegh asks, her anger filling her voice.
“Because I’d want to be with her to comfort her. She already blames herself for me being locked up. If I couldn’t comfort her, I couldn’t handle hearin’ her voice. Or seein’ her,” I answer them honestly, digging into my food.
No one says anything for a few minutes. They either stare at me or drink their beer. The women are still glaring at me, though. It’s insane, and I don’t think I deserve to be glared at, but I realize I was a complete asshole to her.
“I get where you’re coming from,” Natasha says. “But, you handled the situation wrong. Instead of letting her know what was going through your head personally, you had Shy, and everyone else, deliver your message. Didn’t you?”
“Yeah, I did. I figured they could tell her in a way I wouldn’t be able to,” I say.
“What now?” Hadliegh asks.
“I have no fuckin’ clue,” I answer. “She’s not answerin’ her phone, and none of the women here have heard from her since they went to visit her.”
“We’ll try calling her,” she tells me, pulling her phone out of her pocket.
“Thank you. I’m gonna make rounds before the house bunnies come out to play. I don’t want to be near them,” I say, standing up and grabbing my now empty plate.
“We’ll catch up soon,” Renegade says, giving me a chin lift as I leave.
For the rest of the night, I catch up with most everyone here. All of the ol’ ladies let me know they’ll keep trying to get a hold of Sam for me. So far, they’re all getting the same thing I am; voicemail or no response to a text message. This is so fucked up.
I keep alternating between anger and worry about Sam and Caleb. I’m not sure where I’m going to land when I finally get a hold of her, but the image of putting her over my knee comes to mind. Hell, that image has my cock hard as a rock, and I adjust myself as I make my way to my father.
“Dad, I’m headin’ in. Want to be gone by the time the house bunnies come out. One bitch is already pushin’ my buttons,” I tell him.
“Okay, son. I’ll see you tomorrow. And stop worryin’ about Sam. We’ll see her soon,” he tells me cryptically.
I give Maddie and Shy hugs before heading into the clubhouse. As I walk in, all the house bunnies are milling about waiting for their time to head outside and find their cock for the night. A few eye me up and down, and I blatantly ignore them so I can get to my room. Not a single house bunny here, or any other woman, holds a candle to Sam, and they never will.
Chapter Fourteen
Sam
MY LIFE SEEMS to be falling apart. I’m working more than ever with Vanessa being fired. Carson hasn’t been able to find a replacement who will work more than a shift or two. If they make it that damn long here. And I don’t understand why they all leave because Carson is amazing to work for, and the customers are great. Well, for the most part.
Caleb has been acting up. He hasn’t been his usual cheerful self, and I’m not sure why. The only thing I can think of is he’s missing the men and women from back home. I am too, but I can’t go back.
I went from having virtually no sign of being pregnant to being sick from the time I get up until the time I fall asleep. And, I’m now sporting a large, round stomach showcasing the fact I’m very pregnant. Well, I’m not quite five months, and it looks as if I’m almost nine. I’m as huge as a damn house.
I’m tired as hell, and I know it’s only going to get worse the farther along I get. But I have to keep moving. There’s no way I can stop working, stop being there for my son, or stop trying to make our house a home. I have so many plans, and I’ve been putting away a little money now that I’m actually getting all of my tips.
To top everything else off, I seem to have lost my cell phone. I got a cheap one the guys in the club would call a burner phone. That’s just so Carson and Edna can contact me. If it weren’t for them, I wouldn’t worry a damn about having one. Well, I would for Caleb in case anything ever happens to him, and I need to call for help.
I can’t remember anyone’s number from the club, so I can’t let anyone know I don’t have the other phone. Everything was programmed into the phone, and all I had to do was click on their name, and that’s it. I feel so lost without the damn thing because, in a twisted way, I need to hear about what’s going on with Playboy.
Playboy is still on my mind every second of every day. I can’t stop thinking about him sitting in a jail cell. Or maybe he’s in prison now if the Prosecution got their way and locked him up for good. My heart breaks when I think of everything he could be going through right now. Still, I feel as if it’s my fault, and I should be the one sitting inside while he’s with his family.
“Mama, I’m hungry,” Caleb tells me as he stops by the couch where I’m lying.
“Okay, buddy. I’m getting up,” I say. “What do you want?”
“Peanut butter and jelly,” he answers.
Nodding my head, I get off the couch. It’s not a pretty sight because I basically have to roll off and get to my feet with the use of the side of the couch. Caleb doesn’t once leave my side to ensure he’s there if I need help. With only Edna and Carson’s numbers in the phone, he knows to call one of them if something happens to me.
Yes, I’ve finally told Caleb about the babies. There’s no way I can hide it from him now. Or anyone else. So, I explained to him how I’m going to be a mommy again to two new babies. He seems to be excited, but he also worries over me. If I cry out, Caleb is right by my side. He’s even taken to sleeping in my room.
Caleb makes a bed on the floor with blankets and the cushions from the couch. When I asked him why he was sleeping in my room, he told me so he could hear me if I needed help at night. That’s all Playboy right there. I cried for hours after that because it made me miss him so much more than I already do.
Walking into the kitchen, I make Caleb his lunch and then sit down on the couch. If I lay back down again, I’m going to fall asleep and miss work. Carson would definitely understand, but I’m not going to leave him in a bind because I didn’t go to work.
Besides, I’m going to have to start getting ready soon. Taking a shower takes a lot longer these days, and I feel as if I’m constantly running behind. It’s a horrible feeling to have. But, this is my life, and I have to live each day as it comes to me.
I’m not feeling all that great today either. The worry over bills, work, Caleb, and Playboy bombard me constantly. I know I have money for our bills and food. There’s still a constant worry that something is going to change in the blink of an eye. For some reason, I can’t make the feeling go away.
“Buddy, I’m going to get my clothes around for a shower. Edna will be here soon, and I have to be ready when she gets here,” I tell him.
“Okay, Mama. I’ll sit outside the door,” he tells me.
Yes, Caleb even sits outside the bathroom door when I’m in there. He takes the role of my protector very seriously. I’ve never seen a child the way he is before. Though, I’ve heard stories of the way the kids in the Wild Kings were growing up. Especially Jameson and Anthony.
Once I have my clothes around, I waddle into the bathroom so I can get in the shower. The first thing I do is turn the water on so I can wait for it to get warm while I’m undressing and finding a towel for me to dry off with. As soon as the water’s up to temperature, I carefully step in the tub, so I don’t slip and fall. I’ve come close a time or two, and I don’t want to ever do anything to hurt the babies I carry.
I quickly shower. Well, as quickly as I can with the size I am currently. Everything takes two or three times the length of time it normally does for me. I’d say I hate being pregnant, but I don’t. I love having my children, and I love carrying them even now. The only thing I don’t like is how I feel.
“You okay, mama?” Caleb asks me as I shut the water off.
“I’m okay, honey. Getting out now,” I answer him.
“I’ll be here until you open the door,” he informs me.
A smile forms on my face. Caleb is so cute most days and lately, it’s even more so because he’s ultra-protective. I’d like to think Playboy and the rest of the men at the Phantom Bastards would be proud of him. Hell, of all the clubs they associate with. It’s one of the things they try to instill in their children. Especially all the boys.
As soon as I’m dressed, I open the door so Caleb can go in his room or do whatever it is he’s going to do until Edna gets here. She’s worried about me too and I know it’s just a matter of time before the mother hen in her comes out in full force. I see it more and more on a daily basis.
I’m brushing out my hair when there’s a knock on the door. Edna has a key so I’m not worried about her coming in while I finish up. The only thing I have left to do is put on some make-up to hide the bruising under my eyes. Yeah, I’m tired, but when it’s time to go to bed, I have a hard time falling asleep. I tend to toss and turn most of the night. Then I can’t get comfortable because one of the babies is either on my bladder or they’re pressing on something inside that shoots pain through my body. It’s a no-win situation.
“Sam, I’m here,” Edna calls out as Caleb runs down the hall to get to her.
“I’m almost ready. How was work?” I ask her as I put my make-up away.
“Busy as hell,” she answers honestly.
“That’s always a good thing. Means the day will go by fast,” I respond, taking my dirty clothes to the laundry room and tossing them in the washer.
“Yes, it does. But, I’m ready to be off my feet. Think I may order in dinner for Caleb and I tonight. That okay with you, Sam?” she asks, looking at me as I walk back into the living room. “Are you okay, Sam? You don’t look so good.”
“I’m okay. Just a little rundown today I guess,” I respond.
“You be careful tonight. If you need to come home, I’ll go in and finish your shift for you,” she tells me.
Edna pulls me into a hug before releasing me. She gives me one more thorough look over as I turn to kiss Caleb goodbye. He wraps his arms around me and I let him hug me for as long as he needs to. Once he pulls back, I bend over and kiss him on the top of his head.
“Be a good boy for Edna. I’ll see you in the morning,” I tell him as I grab my purse and head out the door.
“Did you ever find your phone?” Edna asks me.
“No, I haven’t. I can’t even remember the last time I had it,” I respond before closing the door behind me.
Walking out to the car, I get in and head to work. I don’t even worry about music because the trip is so short there’s no point in playing anything from my playlist. As soon as I pull up to the truck stop, I park close to the building and get out. Once my car is locked, I make my way in the back door for Torrino’s. Carson is in his office as I walk through.
“How you feeling today?” he asks me as I tie my apron around my waist.
“Not the best,” I answer honestly. “But, I’m here and I’m ready to do my job.”
“You take it easy. Have you found your other phone yet?” he asks, standing from his desk and following me to the floor.
“No. Still can’t remember the last place I had it. I’ve looked everywhere,” I say, grabbing a coffee pot while looking to see what section I’m in today.
“Alright. Well, you be careful and holler out if you need anything,” he says before filling a cup with water and heading back to his office.
I walk around my section and see very few people sitting there. In fact, the entire place is the slowest I’ve ever seen it since starting here. So, I make my rounds and refill any coffees for customers who want it. Once that’s done, I go through and clean up any empty tables. I always do this to ensure the tables in my section are clean to my standards.
It’s not long before I’m restocking the salt and pepper packets at the tables and making sure the ketchup and other condiments are clean and full too. Then it’s on to napkins, checking customers, and anything else to keep me busy while I wait for new customers coming in.
“Sam, it’s time for your break,” Sandy says, walking up to me.
Sandy is a new girl we hired and she’s working out great so far. She’s on time for every shift and helps me out whenever I seem to fall behind. I share my tips with her when she helps me and they seem to always find their way back into my tip jar. The girl is sweet and I want to know what makes her want to work here. There’s a story there and she’ll tell it when she’s ready to share.
“Okay. Thank you,” I say, walking from the floor and to the bathroom.
When I get in the stall, a horrible pain rips through my stomach. I cry out and hold on until the pain subsides. As soon as I can move about without pain making me cry out, I pull down my pants and go to the bathroom. What I see has me crying out once more. I’m bleeding. Not spotting or anything; full-on bleeding.
I finish in the bathroom and make my way back to the restaurant. Carson sees me as I breach the opening and rushes to my side.
“What’s going on?” he asks me. “You’re awfully pale.”
“I’m bleeding. Really bad,” I respond.
“Okay. You sit right here and we’ll get you taken care of. I’ll be right back,” Carson says as he rushes from my side.
Panic is beginning to set in and I want Playboy. If I lose these babies and he has no clue about them, I’ll feel horrible. It’s not fair for him not to know about them. Maybe it’s time to figure out a way to get in touch with someone at the clubhouse. I’m not sure how I’d even go about that because I don’t have internet at the house and there’s no data on the phone I have now. I highly doubt the number for the clubhouse is in the phone book.
“Ambulance is on the way,” Carson says as he rushes back to my side. “I don’t want you getting up or moving until the EMTs are here. Is there anyone I can call for you?”
“No. The only person I want by my side can’t be reached. At least by me right now,” I answer, fear continuing to take over.
“I’ll figure it out. For now, let’s just focus on you,” he tells me.
It’s not long before I hear the sirens of the ambulance pulling into the parking lot of the truck stop. The EMTs rush in and Carson quickly speaks for me as I’m loaded up on the stretcher. He lets them know I’m bleeding and how far along I am. The paramedics begin to take my vitals as I’m strapped down before they wheel me from the restaurant.
“Sam, I’ll be right behind you. And I’ll let Edna know what’s going on. But, I won’t let her bring Caleb there. He doesn’t need to see you like this,” Carson says.
“Sir, I’m sorry. We have to head out. She’s in good hands,” one of the EMTs says when they’re ready to take me from the restaurant.
Carson steps back and I know he’s worried as hell about me. He’s more of a dad to us than we truly realize. Honestly, Carson reminds me a lot of Slim. They both take their roles seriously and treat everyone under them as family. They’re the father figures to so many of us and they don’t seem to notice they’re doing it.
I’ve been at the hospital for a little while now. Doctors and nurses have been in and out to see me. They’re monitoring the amount of blood I’m losing and it seems to be slowing down. I’m still panicking, though, because you never know what’s going to happen and life is too precious to take any chances with. Especially a new life that hasn’t had a chance even to take their first breath of air yet.
“Miss Hart, how are you feeling?” the doctor asks, walking back in my room.
“Not better. Well, a little better,” I answer. “Do you know what’s going on? Are the babies okay?”
“We’re going to have the ultrasound technician come in soon. They’ll take pictures and make sure nothing is going on to hurt you or the babies,” he tells me. “O
ther than working more than you should be, what’s been going on?”
“Well, just the normal. Bills needing to be paid, and I just moved here from Benton Falls,” I say.
“So, a lot of stress then,” he says more to himself than to me.
“I guess you could say that. I’ve been extremely tired and things lately. I just figured it was due to carrying twins,” I answer.
“It can happen. I just don’t think it’s the case this time,” the doctor tells me.
“Then what is it?” I ask him, concern feeling me.
“I think you’re under way too much stress and you need to dial everything back,” the doctor tells me. “Once we make sure the babies are okay and there’s nothing else going on, I think you’re simply going to need to be on bed rest for a few weeks. It may be longer than that actually.”
“What about working just a few hours a week?” I ask him.
“Can you take it easy and not be run ragged?” the doctor asks me.
“No, she can’t. She’s a waitress,” Carson answers, coming inside my room.
“I see. I know you don’t want to take any unnecessary risks so it’s bed rest for now. You’ll need to reevaluate with your doctor when you go back,” the doctor tells me.
Carson nods his head and assures the doctor I’ll be resting. I’m not sure how he’s going to make that happen, but knowing Carson, he’ll find a way. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him sending the different women from the truck stop in to make sure I’m resting and taking care of myself. And to make sure Caleb is taken care of so I can rest.
I’m left alone while Carson goes to make phone calls and I stare at the ceiling while I wait for the ultrasound tech to come in and see me. It’s not long before a young woman is coming into my room so I can see and hear the babies.
As I look at the screen in front of me, I’m in awe of two babies resting inside my body. They’re twisting and turning and I laugh as they seem to be playing inside me. Yeah, I saw Caleb moving around when I had ultrasounds done, but nothing like this. Now, there’s two of them and they seem to be playing instead of just moving around.
