“Have something else to eat.”

Reese laughed as he saw the look on Josie’s face as Aunt Athena put another scoop of potatoes on her plate.

“She’s watching her figure,” Levi said. “You know how picky Reese is.”

Aunt Athena gasped. “Is this true? Reese, I will slap you so hard with this wooden spoon you’ll have a splinter for the rest of your damn life. You never judge a woman by her figure. Women were meant to be curvy. You know why? Because they carry babies and men.”

“Whoa, whoa,” Reese said. “I never said a thing about a woman’s figure. Levi is messing around.”

Aunt Athena looked at Levi.

“I’m just messing with him,” Levi said.

“You’re all dumb men,” Aunt Athena said. She looked at Josie and smiled. “You keep eating.”

“This is amazing food,” Josie said. “Would you mind if I made a plate for Steph?”

“Of course not,” Aunt Athena said. “How’s the baby?”

“Good,” Reese said. “Should be getting out of the hospital soon.”

“She was born too early though,” Josie said.

“But she’s healthy.”

“She’s tiny,” Josie shot back.

“Maybe you should give her some of this food,” Levi said. He leaned back and tapped his stomach. “That’ll add meat to her bones.”

“Where are the rest of the guys?” Aunt Athena asked. “It’s too quiet here.”

“They’re handling some business,” Reese said as he stood up. “You know, club stuff.”

“Don’t give me that beat around the bush routine,” Aunt Athena said, pointing the potato spoon at Reese.

Reese showed his hands. “I would never beat around the bush with you, Aunt Athena. You’ve cracked my ass with a wooden spoon enough times in my life.”

“Never forget that,” she said.

“Wait,” Josie said. “Is that the spoon you smacked his butt with?”

Aunt Athena laughed. “No. I had to use the thicker one on Reese. His ass is as thick as his head.”

Josie burst into laughter.

Levi stood up, groaning and shaking his head.

Reese looked over his shoulder and down. “What’s wrong with my ass? You like it, Josie.”

“Stop,” Josie said, her cheeks turning red.

“When are you two having a baby?” Aunt Athena asked, quickly changing the topic.

“Oh, that’s, uh… yeah,” Reese said. “Let’s stick with dinner today.”

“I don’t know,” Aunt Athena said. “A beautiful woman like Josie. She’s not going to wait around for you for the rest of her life. Time to become a man.”

“Trust me, she knows I’m all man,” Reese said.

“Reese!” Josie yelled.

Aunt Athena smacked Reese with the wooden spoon on his arm. It snapped into two pieces.

“Dammit!” Aunt Athena yelled. “See what I mean? He’s thick headed, hard assed, and boney shouldered.”

“Just muscle,” Reese said.

“We’d better get to the hospital and check on Steph and April.”

Reese wasn’t sure of the name April at first, but it wasn’t his kid. But the moment he saw the little peanut in the incubator, fighting hard for a chance at life, the name fit. Why? He had no idea. But little April had around the clock care. From the doctors. The nurses. And the MC. Everyone took turns spending time with the baby, reading to her, talking to her, making sure she kept fighting for survival.

Steph went into labor just shy of thirty weeks. It was almost like the situation from before, except this time, there was no stopping it. The baby was going to come and that was that. But Steph was doing good. Little April kept fighting. Time moved forward.

“Here’s your food to go,” Aunt Athena said as she handed Josie a container.

“How are you going to get that to the hospital on the back of a motorcycle?” Reese asked.

“You figure it out,” Josie said and gave the container to Reese.

“Thanks. And thank you, Aunt Athena.”

“I want to see that baby,” she said, waving a finger. “Club rules. All babies come to Aunt Athena for extra care and loving. Lord knows you all need it in this life you live.”

“I promise, Steph will come by with April,” Reese said.

They all hugged and said goodbye. Aunt Athena made sure to give Josie an extra ten kisses and did her best to convince her to turn Reese into an honest man. But Aunt Athena already knew how the rules went. It wasn’t about engagement rings and wedding rings and all that bullshit. It was about riding the wild curves of life.

They got to the hospital and went to relieve two prospects of their shift as they waited outside April’s room.

Steph was in there, holding the tiny newborn.

“Hey, look who it is,” Steph whispered. “It’s Aunt Josie and Uncle Reese.”

“Uncle Reese,” Reese said. “Makes me sound old.”

“Makes you sound sexy,” Josie said.

“Well then… Uncle Reese it is,” he said. “Can I hold my little girl?”

“All yours,” Steph said. “I’m going to go and get a coffee. Anyone else want one?”

“No thanks,” Reese said. “Just the baby.”

He carefully slipped his hands under little April and took her from Steph.

The baby was so tiny in his hands. It twisted his heart to look at her. The first thing he always thought about was Lasz. Lasz would probably stand there with a dumb grin on his face as he held the baby, telling her stories about his life and the things he wanted in her life.

Which meant that Reese would have to do the same thing.

“Little April,” he whispered. “It’s good to see you again. You’re getting bigger and stronger. You’ll be going home soon. You’re lucky because Aunt Josie was nice enough to give you and your mother her apartment to live in. Which means Aunt Josie lives with me now. I’m not sure I like that yet.”

“Really?” Josie asked. “You didn’t mind this morning in the shower…”

“Little ears,” Reese said with a grin. He looked down at April and her tiny eyes started to open. “Hey, she’s awake.”

Her eyes were a rich amber color.

“Oh, look at her,” Josie said. “Hey, little girl.”

Reese swallowed hard. “I’m here, April. I’m always going to be here. You won’t have a normal family, but you’ll have the best family in the world. No matter what. I promise you that.” Reese looked at Josie. “I promise you that too, sweetheart.”

“Look at you. You’re getting all mushy over a baby.”

“Yeah, maybe I am. Damn.”

April started to stretch her tiny arms and let out a cry. Reese found himself gently walking around the room until Steph came back. By then, April was crying and looking for her mother.

“Okay, little April,” Reese said. “I love you with all my heart and soul. Be good for your mother. And you’ll be home soon enough.”

Reese kissed April’s small head and slowly passed her back to Steph.

“She’s probably hungry,” Steph said. “Which is good. They want her to eat as much as possible to get big.”

“We’ll give you some privacy,” Reese said.

“Hey,” Steph said. “Thank you both for everything. The apartment. The nursery. The club being here. It’s…”

“Family,” Reese said.

“And you’re going to have to pay for all of that on your own,” Josie said.

“I know,” Steph said. “I’m going to figure it all out.”

“Right now, just feed the baby and smile,” Reese said.

They slipped out of the room and Reese couldn’t help but smile. Life could have taken a wicked turn weeks ago, but it didn’t. That was how the open road went. How freedom went. Going around each curve, you never knew what was waiting. An ambush. A tragedy in the making. Or just more open road.

And sometimes, life’s wildest curves had nothing to do with riding two wheels and steel.

Sometimes it was the stare of a woman… the way Josie looked at Reese in the hallway.

“What?” Reese asked.

“I love you.”

“I love you, Josie. I know that face…”

“I know you do. Give me your hand.”

Reese put his hand out and Josie’s face turned bright red. “I wanted to wait for this…”

“For what, sweetheart?”

Josie slipped something into Reese’s hand.

It felt like a pen or a marker.

Reese looked down and quickly realized what it was.

“Shit,” he whispered.

“Uncle Reese…” Josie said with a laugh. “You’re going to be a father.”

* * *

Brett finished his smoke and flicked it to the ground. The glowing embers scattered away as he exhaled a breath of smoke. He stretched his neck and let the entire day wash off his shoulders. It was sometimes the only way to get through the days. He looked at the end of the lot at the gates and saw the two prospects standing there. They were probably bored out of their minds, but that was okay. Everyone had to start somewhere.

Feeling a little good about the day, Brett decided to get the grunts a beer. And he wasn’t going to piss in it and make them drink it either.

Back in the clubhouse, everyone was completely cutting loose. The only person missing was Reese. The VP was preoccupied with Josie and her family’s situation. Which was a good thing. Brett was happy that Steph and the baby were okay. That was something he had no control over. When Prez gave the orders to enforce the MC, Brett and Jason were the two to do it. That meant by any means necessary.

After ordering three beers, Brett went back outside.

“Hey, Prez,” he said when he spotted Levi leaning against a pole.

“Brett. Triple fist?”

“Nah. I’m going to take the prospects a drink.”

“Try some coffee,” Levi said and gave a nod.

Brett looked and saw one of the prospects sitting on the ground.

He laughed. “Pulling those all-nighters is a bitch when nothing is going down.”

“That’s the thing, Brett… when it’s quiet… it’s when it’s the most deadly.”

“I’ll go wake his ass up,” Brett said. “I’ll break a beer bottle over his head.”

“Why waste the beer?” Levi asked.

“Good point, Prez.”

Brett walked along the lot. He gripped the three beer bottles with one hand and stuck his fingers into his mouth with his free hand. He started to whistle and call for the prospects, but they didn’t move.

“What the fuck? Are they both sleeping?” he asked nobody.

He got to the end of the lot and shook his head.

“I was going to give you pricks a dri…”

Brett lost his words. When he looked down, he saw the prospect sitting on the ground. He wasn’t sleeping. He had a bullet hole in his forehead.

“Fuck,” he whispered.

He turned his head and the prospect that was standing… he was only standing because someone had chained him to the iron fence. He too had a bullet hole in his forehead.

Brett dropped the beer bottles to the ground and cupped his hands around his mouth. His plan was to scream as loud as he could. The club was under attack.

Before Brett could yell, he felt a hot pain on the back of his right shoulder. He tried to turn, but something smashed against his jaw.

This was not the way he planned on dying.

THE END… for now.