Chapter Eleven
The next morning Junior opened his eyes and looked around. At first, he wasn’t sure where he was, but then quickly remembered he’d fallen asleep next to Sarah in her bed.
With a smile, he tried to sit up, but thought better of it because his back hurt as if he’d just ridden a bull. Remembering the night of sex, he and Sarah had shared he knew instantly where the pain was coming from. He looked over and found his cane leaning up against the door.
Pain pills were needed but he wasn’t sure if his backpack had even made it into the house from his pickup. Glancing around he let out a breath he’d been holding and found the damn thing on a chair right inside the bedroom door. Sarah must have made sure his things were close by. He hoped this was the start of a new budding relationship between the two of them and he wondered if she’d forgiven him?
He remembered the conversation about her little girl. Would he be able to meet her this morning? Getting up out of bed he found a bottle of water and taking two pain pills, he walked into the adjoining bathroom and took a long hot shower. He knew Sarah wouldn’t mind. After getting dressed in clean underwear, jeans, and a T-shirt he also grabbed a clean pair of socks and pulled on his boots. Ready for the day, he walked out of the bedroom in search of the one woman who could answer all his questions.
Strolling around he looked at her house. She’d accomplished quite a lot. The three bedrooms and two bathrooms, rambler style house seemed new and modern. He wondered if she’d had it built specifically for her?
Finding the kitchen, he walked in on a mom and daughter eating breakfast. “Good morning, Matt.” Sarah walked up to him and placed her hands on his chest. On tiptoes, she kissed his cheek.
“Good morning, Sarah. I’m not sure who this beautiful girl is, but if I was a guessing man I’d have to say this is Emmy?” The little girl smiled and she looked identical to his sister, Lilly. “How did you guess my name?”
“Well it wasn’t too hard. Your momma told me about you and you look just like your mom.” Matt teased.
“No, my mom said I look an awful lot like my dad.” He looked up and his eyes widened a bit surprised she would refer to him and her daughter’s looks to the little girl.
“You do resemble him just a little bit.” Sarah held her thumb and finger an inch apart.
“Well I’ll be. Who is this man because I would like to meet him?” Matt baited Sarah.
“He’s playing with the bulls and he left my mom a long time ago to be a champion bull rider. I’ll meet him someday I’m sure of it. When he gets done playing I guess.”
Matt choked on his freshly poured cup of coffee Sarah had just handed him. He spit and sputtered. He couldn’t believe Sarah had told Emmy the truth about him. “Well, maybe when he comes home I’ll have the pleasure of meeting him.” Matt finally was able to say aloud his thoughts.
What was Sarah up to? He’d have to discuss all this with her. But, knew she wouldn’t deliberate hurt either of them with her reasons behind not telling Emmy now, he’s the father.
“Well I guess I better be going. I have to meet up with Ben this morning and finish a few projects we have.”
“What are you doing?” Emmy’s innocent questioning was kind of cute.
“Well, let’s see. We’re in the process of building a couple of business in the town of Winslow. Also, we’re having a really big family type picnic coming up. How would you and your momma like to come out to the ranch and meet my family and my MC.”
“We’ll see if we’re not doing anything. Which weekend?” Sarah smiled and he knew it was just a matter of time and she’d talk to him about Emmy. He wanted to be part of his daughter’s life. But, understood how sensitive the issue was.
He looked down at his phone and realized how fast the time had gone and the picnic was scheduled for next weekend coming up. “It looks like next weekend, already.”
“I don’t see any reason why not. I have the weekend off and we don’t have any plans. Would you like to go out to the Mullin ranch next weekend, Emmy?” Sarah asked.
“I’d love to. I hear they have horses, cows, and all kinds of other animals out there. Nana said Ben wanted to take me out there but I needed to have you with us. This is the perfect time. Right, Momma?”
Sarah smiled, “Yes, perfect.”
“I’ll walk you out.” She grabbed Matt by the elbow and steered him to the door. After stepping outside the house, Sarah frowned. “I’m not so sure about all this. But, Matt, for our sake please don’t leave us again?”
“I don’t plan on ever leaving you. I’m home to stay. Come out to the picnic and you’ll see what I’ve done with my life and the reason I plan on making Winslow my permanent homestead. The MC has brought me back from the dead and I plan on living. I love you, Sarah. There’s no doubt about that in my mind. Please forgive me, can we try and make this work?”
“I’ll try. That’s all I can promise.”
“That’s good enough for me.” Matt stepped down from the stairs and pulled her into his arms. Hugging her to him, it felt natural and the right place to be. “Remember I love you.”
“I love you too.” Sarah waved to him.
He wanted to ask her about Emmy, but knew with time maybe they could tell her together that he’s her father. Smiling he waved from the truck as he backed out of the driveway.
With only a week away he had a lot of planning to do to get the ranch and the compound ready for the Steel MCs to come up and do the patch over and welcome the new members. So far, only Mule and himself had patches and were official members. The rest were going to be inducted into the club by Tiny, Steel, and the other originals.
She knew her night together with Matt hadn’t been for nothing. She was more in love with the new man he’d become because this man didn’t worry about himself nor his career in the rodeo. This man was worried about an MC and her and Emmy. She liked this man.
Walking into the house, she prepared herself for the dozen or so questions she knew Emmy was going to throw at her, but instead she walked into an empty kitchen. Doing the dishes, she waited for her little girl to come flying in and play fifty questions, but after a while she walked to Emmy’s bedroom and found her playing on her iPad. “What are doing?”
“I’m watching a movie,” Emmy answered not looking up from the screen.
“Okay, I’ll be in the kitchen if you need me.”
“Okay, Momma.” That was that. Emmy didn’t even ask her who Matt was? Why she wondered. Seemed strange to her, but why even bring up the subject to a four year old? It was for the best she gathered.
Starting laundry, she set about to do her chores she needed to get done on her one day off. Saturday now seemed to drag by for her. She should have figured out something for her and Emmy to do? What the hell was wrong with her. She had a set schedule and on Saturdays she either worked or did chores around the house. Well, if Matt, was going to mess with her mind like this she needed to figure out what she could do about it.
Picking up her phone she started a text to him, then erased it. He was busy. He had told her what he’d needed to do to get ready for the MC. Could she fit into this club life he talked about? She didn’t know for sure what this all was about. Googling motorcycle club she decided research was the best plan of action for her to do on her day off.
After reading up on several different MCs on the internet, she decided how in the hell was she going to fit into a club that owned women. The Ol Lady was the property of the Member. Could she be the property of Matt. They also all had road names. She remembered Ben being called Mule, and Matt was called Junior. She liked Ben and Matt better but if she were to fit in would she have to get used to calling them by their road names?
She decided the only woman who could answer all her questions was her mom. Calling her mom, Michelle, she waited. “Hello.”
“Mom, we so need to talk.”
“Okay, do you want to meet for coffee?”
“I guess we can if you like? It’s about this MC the Steels.”
“Oh, yeah, I better come to you at the house. What is Emmy doing?”
“She’s watching a movie.” Sarah walked to Emmy’s bedroom and saw her still on her iPad.
“Okay, I’ll be right over. Is this about Junior?”
“Kind of and this whole MC thing?”
“Okay. I’m on my way.” Michelle was a great woman and she knew her mom would have the answers. She was in love with Ben and if someone had considered everything it was her mom.
Shortly after the doorbell rang and her mom walked in. Emmy came running into the living room. “Nana, hi.”
“Hi, sweets. How are you?”
“I’m fine. How are you?” Emmy climbed onto her mom’s lap after her mother sat down on the couch.
“I’m doing good. Just stopped over for some coffee with your mom.”
“Okay, I’m watching Finding Dori. I love that movie.” Emmy headed back to her bedroom and Sarah told her mom, “Come into the kitchen I have a fresh pot of coffee on.”
After both were seated at the kitchen table with a fresh cup of coffee in front of them, Sarah couldn’t wait long. “Mom, I read about MCs and about how the women are owned.”
Michelle laughed loudly, before answering, “I thought the same thing until I confronted Ben about it.”
“You’re okay with it all?”
“Well first I always call him Mule whenever we’re around the members or in the clubhouse. Wait until you see the new building they built out at the ranch. The clubhouse is like a mansion. It’s set up like a large building with several apartments in it. They’re almost done with the build out there. Mule, Junior, and the boys are going to be staying there while the houses on the compound will be built. Each of the members will eventually have their own houses to live in. Some of the members will stay at the clubhouse unless they find an Ol Lady then they’ll consider a house for their new family.”
“What are your plans with Ben.”
“With Mule, the member, we’ve already discussed this and I’d like to be his Ol Lady. I’ve already ridden on the back of his bike, he’s also taught me to ride my own Harley.”
“You, on a motorcycle. No way!” Sarah was floored. When had her mom done all this?
“Well over the past couple of weeks. With you home a little more in the evenings Mule has taken me out and taught me how to ride. I love it. He bought me my own Harley custom fit for my smaller body. Also, he explained that an Ol Lady has much more power in the club then one of the women who follow around the MC. There will be ladies that work for the club. Those ladies are called Hoez they do everything for the members that are single. Once an Ol Lady is sworn into the club she is respected by all Club members as part of that member.”
“Let me get this straight. If you and Mule decide this is the best thing for you. You become his Ol Lady, will you still get married?”
“Usually it means there is a marriage ceremony and a club patch ceremony for an Ol Lady. I also agreed to have his tattoo of the club designed just for me and Mule put on my shoulder.”
“My mom’s getting a tattoo, really?”
“Yep, they’re in the process of designing one for me. Remy is their ink guy and he’s a master artist I hear. It’s the commitment I’ve always wanted from Mule for the last couple of years. He’s out of the Marines and with starting this club he has a purpose in life. I believe you are asking me all these questions because of Junior?”
“Yeah, he and I have talked and we still love each other. But, I wasn’t sure about all this club stuff. Where would I fit in to it all?”
“For one, you’re a doctor. The club will use you for any emergency that they might deal with. I’ve already spoken to Mule about it. Junior is VP so that title means a whole lot in the club. If you become his Ol Lady the men and women will respect you as his wife. I think you and I could be a positive for the club and taking care of all the women our boys will have around them. I’m planning on moving in with Mule into the first house that’s being built out there. It should be done in a few weeks. Junior’s house is also being built. He talked with Mule and has plans of taking care of you and Emmy.”
Sarah was shocked her mom was so accepting to all this club business and knew so much about her and Matt. “Well…”
“Don’t get mad. Mule and I discuss everything. There’s nothing I don’t know about with the Steel MC and the Texas charter. The members are like family to me already. Sarah, give them all a chance and get to know them. Why don’t you come out to the picnic this coming weekend and see for yourself?”
“I think that’s a plan I intend to keep.” Sarah had no more to think about until she met and talked with all these people with the Steel MC. What a perfect time to do all that at a picnic out at the Mullins.
“Will the entire Mullin family be there?”
“Of course. They’re all excited and throwing the picnic for the patch over ceremony.”
“Cool.”