Chapter 26
To make sure we always have a happy marriage, I promise to always cop a feel when you get ready in the morning.
-Life Lesson
Shiloh
“Where are we going, Sebastian?” I asked my brother, who had to be high to take me out in this shit.
When he didn’t answer, I kept up my ranting.
“It’s fucking seventeen degrees, and raining ice. We really shouldn’t be outside.” I chastised.
“Shut up. Cheyenne has a surprise for you.” He growled, fed up with my bad attitude.
It wasn’t my fault my jaw was sore.
Nor was it my fault he had to wear an ankle bracelet that monitored his whereabouts. But he did, and he bitched about it constantly.
“What’s your problem anyway?” He snapped.
I glared at his back as we exited James’ old place, where we stayed on and off throughout the week depending on if he had to work the next morning.
My problem was that James left for a SWAT conference the night before, and I wouldn’t see him for another three days.
He missed my jaw being unwired. He missed my casts coming off. And, he took my cat to the groomers, and they’d shaved him like a lion. An honest to God lion. Why do you ask? Because my fiancé is a shit head, and I lost a bet.
“We made a bet. I bet him that Janie would like my present better, and he did the same for his. She chose his, and he shaved my cat like Mufasa.” I explained.
“What’d you get her?” He asked in surprise.
I know, I was surprised, too!
I gave great gifts. I always did. I took a lot of time planning each what to get everyone. It started months in advance for the big day. Which was good for me that I’d finished all of my Christmas shopping since I was in the hospital over Christmas. We ended up celebrating Christmas on the first of January.
“I got her a bicycle. It was shaped like a Harley. I mean how freaking awesome is that?” I asked vehemently.
“That’s pretty cool. What’d James get her?” He asked as he opened the door to the garage that led us into the down room.
At first, I didn’t quite comprehend what I was seeing, and then I gasped at the beauty of it. Twinkle lights shone everywhere. All in the LED white lights that made them look faintly bluish in color.
Sparkly snowflakes hung from the rafters, as well as fake ice crystals. Inside, in the middle of the room, was a dress. My dress. The one I’d cut out of a magazine when I was sixteen and fantasizing about my dream wedding.
I turned to study Sebastian, and his surly attitude, his shadowed eyes, and flung myself into his arms. “Oh, Sue. I love you.”
His arms tightened in warning, but they were warm and comfortable as he held me close to his chest. “Had your shit packed up by the boys about a month ago, and found that in the closet. Showed it to Cheyenne, and she made it happen. Do you like it?”
“I love it, thank you.” I whispered with tears in my eyes.
He grunted, pecked me on the forehead, and unceremoniously dropped me to my feet. I promptly returned the favor by punching him in the stomach, and then turning away to the ladies who’d stayed quiet during my moment with my brother.
“Y’all are fabulous.” I proclaimed with gusto.
They laughed.
“We had a little longer than planned, but hey, at least you don’t have to worry about fitting into the dress. Getting measurements the first time wasn’t so hard, but you’ve lost a lot of weight over the past six weeks. The second measurements weren’t so easy, but it should fit you perfectly.” Cheyenne confirmed with a nod of her head.
That was the God’s honest truth. I’d lost so much weight, over thirty pounds, that I looked almost sickly. Where before my body was well rounded and muscled, now it was skinny and bony. I did not look good, no matter how much James told me otherwise.
Which was to be expected with nearly six weeks of smoothies. Yes, I could ground up a cookie, but why bother? What was the point in blending that up when I couldn’t get the chocolate chunks through my clenched teeth?
I resumed my job, because for the most part, I could be heard and understood. James resumed his job with the SWAT team about a week ago, much to his chagrin. He hated the fact that he had to be one hundred percent healed, but it was understandable when the SWAT team had to be in perfect shape. The lives of others could very well depend on it.
He’d argued that all he did was lay there and shoot people, but the Captain was adamant, and wouldn’t let him back until he passed the physical in the same amount of time it’d taken him the first time. He’d argued with that one, too. However, that was the only way the Captain could play it since it was obvious to everyone that James could’ve passed the test in enough time even with a hole in his chest. His pain tolerance was very high, and that was why he pushed himself sometimes further than he should have.
“At least you still have good boobs.” Ember supplied helpfully from across the room where she was shoving cheese whiz into her mouth directly from the squirt can.
That was true also. Out of everything I’d lost, mostly muscle, the fat stubbornly remained. I looked horrible. I really did. My boobs were fat and healthy looking. The stubborn pooch of my belly remained. Then there was the jiggly stuff on my thighs that used be lean muscle. No more. My arms jiggled when I waved, and I couldn’t help but stare at them every time I did so, making sure to wave extra-long, just so I could stare at the hideous flap of skin.
James always made sure to smack my ass when I got too carried away though. He was helpful like that.
Which always seemed to get us in to trouble, but he’d never finish the act, which was another source of my bad attitude. He’d refused to have sex with me. He’d told me that we both needed to heal, and I couldn’t disagree with him, but it was still rather frustrating.
He’d promised me that we only had to wait until all my casts came off, and then all bets were off. I’d been so extremely upset that the day I was to get them off, he’d be gone, that I’d cried myself to sleep. Then he had to go and plan my mother fucking dream wedding, and my anger had evaporated.
“That big shit.” I said, shaking my head.
Cheyenne, Blaine, Winter, Ember and Payton all laughed, knowing exactly what it was like to have a man like James to deal with. Each and every one of them had been in my shoes at some point or another. They knew how the alpha male mind worked, just as well as I did.
It was their way, or their way. No excuses.
“Okay, so we have about an hour to get your hair washed and styled, your makeup on, and your dress cinched up. Are you ready?” Blaine asked, clapping her hands in glee.
I smiled at her, nodded my head, and started walking towards them.
“Alright, if you ladies don’t need my assistance anymore, I’ll be in the garage with everyone else. Okay?” Sebastian asked, clearly uncomfortable seeing all the girl stuff going on.
I waved him out with a dismissive hand, and he exhaled in relief before practically gunning it out the door.
Which promptly reopened when Janie came barreling inside wearing skinny jeans, biker boots, and a hoodie that said, ‘Got wind?’ Her hair was up in a ponytail high up on top of her head, and she had a single black ribbon tied around the ponytail so it hung equally on both sides.
Those were my doing. She’d finally consented to having a ribbon in her hair, but that’s where she drew the line. She did not do bows. Period. James only laughed when I’d tried to get her to wear a bow one day, which was why he’d won the present contest in the first place.
He knew his kid. Which was why he got her a small mini bike. She fucking adored it. She’s on that thing at least once a day for an hour. The bike I got her sat in the garage gathering dust, sad to say.
“’Loh! Daddy said to give this to you.” Janie squealed and handed me a letter just as I’d taken a seat at the kitchen table.
Blaine and Ember immediately went to work on my hair while I sat there and let it happen.
“You should read that now. When we start on your makeup, there will be no more crying.” Blaine told me before yanking my hair out of its ponytail.
The first sheet that was folded up was a bunch of numbers, percentages, and really a bunch of gibberish. If I was reading the sheet correctly, the number was nearly 110 million.
What the hell?
Then I got to the letter.
Shiloh “Speedy” June Mackenzie, fixing to be Allen,
So I assume you opened up the other letter first. Let me tell you what it means, since I’m sure you’re asking yourself....what the fuck?
Stop shaking your head. I know you were.
Two days before I was shot, I had my vasectomy reversed. I know, I know, you’re wondering why I didn’t tell you. Well it’s simple. I didn’t want to. I wanted to make sure it was successful before I told you. I wanted to be able to tell you that it worked, and that we could start trying before I got your hopes up. Since I’m telling you now, you know that it was successful. That number says my boy’s count is fucking perfect. Boom!
Well, then the kidnapping, followed by our recovery happened, which actually worked out in my favor since I was supposed to withhold from sex for four weeks.
Which would’ve worked out perfectly because I’d asked Cheyenne to start planning your dream wedding. Your brother helped there, describing a scrapbook you’d made your senior year in high school that held all your hopes and dreams for the future.
Let me tell you, I plan on making every one of those things, and then some, come true. I want you to be the mother of my children. I want you to grow old with me. I want you on the back of my bike when we’re sixty years old, having the time of your life with me.
But first, I want to make your first dream come true. Your wedding.
Which is where we’re at right now. I hope I’ve made it all perfect for you. I want this to be everything you’ve ever dreamed of. Even if I have to wear a tux.
I love you.
See you at the alter.
J.
I wiped tears from my eyes as I finished the letter.
“Good news?” Cheyenne asked in her chair across from me.
My eyes snapped up from the letter to Cheyenne’s face. “The best.”
When we’d discussed this in the hospital five weeks ago, I’d been optimistic. Now, though, I wasn’t so sure that this was a good thing.
We’d been following Teal’s progress since her attack, and it was overly apparent that Teal was never going to recover. Teal’s ex-husband was indeed more connected than we’d ever thought possible, but sadly, wasn’t something the men of Free had even thought to check for before. One tiny little tracking device, implanted without her knowledge, was enough to find her halfway across the world.
Although the situation in and of itself was truly horrible, it was good for the rest of the Freebirds. It meant that their identities hadn’t been compromised. They were safe to go about living their lives. Though a new plan of scanning for tracking devices was a protocol on the men’s to-do list as soon as the women were picked up to be sent on to their new lives.
Hindsight is twenty-twenty, and it was horrible that a woman had to die for that new protocol to be put into effect.
“Any news on Teal’s baby?” Winter asked with a small smile on her face.
“She’s very close to being full term. They think it’ll be another week and a half or so. We plan to go up there within the next week to stay. Teal’s ex was identified by not only the traffic light cameras, but also by fifteen motorists and seven pedestrians. He won’t be able to challenge the child’s paternity. He’ll be in prison for well over thirty years.” I explained.
“That’s so sad. How are y’all going to explain this?” Cheyenne ventured into shark territory.
James had been adamant about making sure the baby would be accepted. He shouldn’t have been worried though, everyone was one hundred percent supportive, and couldn’t wait for the new arrival, even if the circumstances were horrid.
“The baby’s ours. What is there to explain?” Janie asked, breaking into the conversation.
Sometimes, a child’s perspective was all that it would take to humble anyone. Possibly, that was all that anyone every needed to hear.
“That’s right, sweetie. Is that what you’re wearing to watch us get married in?” I asked.
“Yes.” She scowled.
I nodded. “Okay.
I wasn’t about to tell her what she should wear. I’d seen that battle when James tried to get her to change her jeans because they had too many holes in them. It’d gone so well that I’d promised myself to never question here dressing choices. Plus, I didn’t want to have to spank her like James had that day. She was exactly like him, and how could I punish her for being just like the father I loved so much?
She looked at me skeptically, but only until Ember interrupted me by telling me to close my eyes. Which is how I spent my next thirty minutes.
“Alright. That’s done. Now, this is something we’re going to go do in the back room. You’ll want to get it done. I promise you you’ll love it. After the hard part’s done, that is.” Cheyenne said cryptically.
I went with her, leaving everyone behind as they wore shit eating grins that I didn’t like at all. “Alright, what exactly are we doing?”
“We’re waxing your girly bits.” She exclaimed. “Take your panties off.”
My shoulders straightened, and I looked at her cautiously. “You’ve got to be kidding...right?”
“Absolutely not. Now, take those bad boys off, hop up here, and we’ll start on the festivities.” She said with a bright light in her eyes.
“I don’t know that I’m comfortable taking my clothes off and spreading my legs for you.” I finally replied after we sat there staring at each other for a few short moments.
“Listen,” she said, placing her hand on her hip. “I’ve seen so many vaginas that I could describe them to you in such minute detail that you’d beg me to stop. Trust me. You ain’t got nothing that I haven’t seen before. Promise.”
Reluctantly I slipped out of my underwear, and blocked the next thirty minutes out of my mind completely. All I had to say was that James better love this, or I’d be doing the same to his pubic hair while he slept. That was even more painful than breaking my leg. All those things from Forty Year Old Virgin were true, only the words that came out of my mouth were much worse than Kelly Clarkson.
“I’m telling you, he’s going to love it.” Cheyenne enthused as she opened the door that led back out into the down room.
“Oh, he’s going to love it. He came running in here ready to go all Hulk on us when we explained that she was just getting her taco waxed.” Ember explained. “He left here with a dreamy look on his face.”
My face flamed. “I wasn’t being that loud!”
They laughed. In fact, they laughed so hard that Payton and Blaine were in tears. “Oh, really? My hoo haa burns. Make it stop. Blow on it. Get it off. Oh my God! Don’t you go near my asshole. Jesus, Mary and Joseph. He doesn’t even look at my asshole. It’s fine. Oh my God! Make it stop. You get that wand near my ass one more time and I’m going to shove it up your nose.” Blaine managed to squeeze out in between laughs.
My face burned even more. “Okay, well it hurt!” I said to the gremlin twins.
“Oh, we know. Don’t worry. We’ve all let Cheyenne talk us into this before. Now I just let the beast grow. God wouldn’t make women grow bushes if they weren’t meant to be there.” Ember said as she licked her fingers free of the salt from the potato chips.
“Okay, here’s your something borrowed. Your something new. Your something old, and your something blue. Go put all this on, and come back out here so we can get you into your dress.” Winter insisted, while placing packages into my hands and ushering me back into the torture chamber.
I did as instructed. Dropping the boxes on the padded bench I’d just been mauled on.
The first box I opened held my something new (I hoped), a simple white pair of silk panties and a strapless bra. They’d done well, because the fit was excellent, cupping my breasts and ass perfectly.
The note I found warmed my heart, as well as other unmentionables.
To keep those places covered until I’m ready for them.-- J
The second box I opened held my something blue. Blue fuzzy socks that were so super soft that I wanted to wrap myself up in them. When I pulled them free, a note tumbled to the floor, which I promptly read.
To keep your feet warm when I’m away.—J.
Slipping the fuzzy beauties onto my feet, I sighed in ecstasy, and went for the third box.
It was my something borrowed. Which made me laugh. I had to read the note first.
These are only for tonight. I’m going to need them back. –J
They were his department issued handcuffs, and his police badge. Oh dear, the possibilities were endless.
The fourth and final box made my heart nearly stop. James had told me about them only twice, each time bringing them up because I’d asked about them. His father’s dog tags. I’d noticed the extra dog tag the day we’d first made love. He hadn’t told me about it though, changing the subject with an ease and swiftness that spoke of skill at evading that particular question.
They’d been the only thing they’d found the day he was killed. That was all I knew though, because he didn’t like talking about it. I knew it was important regardless of whether he spoke about it or not.
I’d learned more from Daina than I had from James and Cheyenne combined.
Apparently, James had been at an impressionable age, just six years old, when his father had died. He still remembered him, but since he was so young, he’d turned his father into a superhero of sorts. A man who was bigger than the world itself. Who was selfless and kind. Who was the king among kings, and I was happy that he had that.
Daina liked to tell stories of how he’d sit for hours staring at his father’s portrait or when he’d tell Cheyenne all the wonderful things about his dad. Although those stories have slowed considerably, his father was still his idol. Someone so important to him that I was honored and blessed that he’d let me wear the dog tags, even for today. There wasn’t a need for a note. I didn’t need him to explain, I already knew the significance of the act.
Slipping the necklace on over my neck, I tucked the tags down in between my cleavage so only the chain was exposed, then exited the room with my something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue.
“Holy crap! Your boobs look amazing in that!” Payton declared.
Luckily, Janie had joined the boys, because that would just be incredibly awkward to have to explain what Payton meant when she said my boobs looked amazing.
I rolled my eyes at Payton, and walked towards the women who were now holding the dress up over their heads so they could slip it on over my own.
The dress reminded me more of a princess’s dress. High empire waist that went from very fitted in the bodice to poofy and full in the bottom. The train, just as I’d described it to James, was well over eight feet in length.
Finally, they fit the veil over my head, situating it so I could see. I didn’t want it impeding my eyesight. Not only did I want to see the man I was marrying clearly, but I also didn’t want to fall flat on my face in front of everyone and their brother. Which reminded me.
“Who all is here?” I asked curiously.
Ember answered as she fixed a flyaway hair that had come free from the clip that held it away from my face. She’d gathered it into a clip that resembled a snowflake at the side of my head, and then used bobby pins to keep it in place. In the back, she’d curled my long hair into large loops, and then sprayed so much fucking hair spray on it that a quarter would bounce off it.
Ember laughed. “Well, pretty much everyone. Sebastian, your father, their MC, your ladies from work, all of us, and a few others. So about ninety people or so.”
“Holy crap! They aren’t all going to fit into the shop, are they?” I asked as they started to hook the million and one tiny hooks at my back.
“Suck in, you’ve got about ten hooks back here that I can’t get,” Cheyenne instructed.
A few more minutes of effort on Cheyenne’s part, she finally bowed out in defeat.
“I can’t get it. Someone else try it.” Cheyenne panted.
“Jesus, this is tight, are you sure you have more to go?” I asked concerned for my breathing.
Payton tried, followed shortly by Ember, Blaine, and finally Winter. None of which could fasten my hooks. “Well this is embarrassing.” I said dryly.
“Oh, it’s going to get done. Too bad you can’t suck in your boobs. Let me go get reinforcements.” Cheyenne said before leaving the room.
Everybody who was left in the room tried again to hook me up, but it ended with the same results.
Ember looked at my boobs, and then back at my dress. “When we finally do get this done, it’s going to make those puppies pop the fuck out.”
I laughed. “Yeah, they aren’t really that big, Ember. Size 36C is standard size.”
“I want your boobs when I grow up.” She said wistfully.
***
Sam
“I can’t believe you’re making me wear this.” I said as I pulled the bowtie away from my neck. “What’s wrong with our dress blues? At least those are comfortable.”
“Because she said tux. So I’m doing a tux. If I have to wear a tux, so do y’all.” James said, pulling on his tie.
“Aww, aren’t y’all just the cutest little things I’ve ever seen.” Cheyenne teased.
I turned and glared at her. “Watch your mouth.”
“That’s physically impossible unless you have a mirror, which I don’t happen to have right now. I need your big strong hands for a moment please. Then we’ll be ready.” Cheyenne smiled at me.
“What’s going on?” James asked as he sat down to slip socks on.
“You can’t wear those.” Cheyenne said with horror in her voice.
“What?” James and I asked at the same time.
Ember came out the door muttering about boobs and what she wanted to be when she grew up, stopping with a look of horror on her face. “You cannot wear your motorcycle boots with that, James.”
I looked down at my own boots and grimaced. There was a line that was drawn somewhere in the man’s code, and that line was that we’d wear the stupid fucking tuxes, but the line was drawn at silly shoes that not only weren’t water proof, but were uncomfortable as hell.
“The boots are staying. It’s colder than a witch’s tit outside, and I’ll be standing in wet slush for a good twenty minutes at least. Now, what’s wrong that you need Sam?” James’ voice booked no room for argument.
Ember and Cheyenne’s lips pursed as if they’d sucked on a sour lemon. They were so much alike sometimes that it was unreal.
“We need the last five hooks done up on Shiloh’s dress, and it’s going to take more muscle than all of us combined.” Ember explained finally.
I started heading towards the door that Ember and Cheyenne had exited, laughing when I heard James mutter about it not being hard to do, that women were weaklings.
My breath stalled in my chest as I opened the door and saw Shiloh in her dress. She looked stunning.
Her hair hung down her back in golden brown curls, and the dress she had on was massive, with a train that was likely to trip damn near anyone that came within ten feet of her.
“You look beautiful,” I said as I entered the room.
“Wait, daddy.” Pru ran up from behind me and squeezed in before I could close the door.
I waited patiently, and then closed the door once she was inside.
“Aunt Shiloh! You look like Elsa from Frozen!” Pru squealed.
Everybody got a good chuckle out of that fact from my three and a half year old, but quickly sobered. She did indeed look like Elsa, but I wasn’t confirming the fact that I’ve watched a Disney animated princess movie at least once a day. I’d have to have my man card revoked. Especially if they knew I actually enjoyed it.
“Alright, Shiloh. We’re going to go get dressed ourselves. We’ll be back once we’ve done that, and then we can start.” Payton said as she exited the room, followed by Winter and Blaine.
Shiloh watched them go with a small smile on her face and then turned to give me her back. “Let’s see if you can do this. They tried, but I don’t think it will go. It’s too tight as it is.”
I walked up to her and proceeded to hook the buttons without effort, stepping away slightly as soon as she was done. “Anything else?”
“I can’t breathe.” She panted.
I laughed as she started panting. “It’s not really that bad... is it?”
“I’ll get used to it. I may not be able to wear it for long though. Go tell everyone to hurry the hell up.” She demanded.
“Just one second,” I said stepping close to her and enfolding her in my arms.
Her own arms wrapped around my waist, hammering home the fact that I’d almost screwed this up before I even knew what I’d be missing.
“I don’t think I ever actually apologized to you.” I whispered into her hair. “I’m sorry for being such an ass, Shiloh. I’m not going to offer up any excuses, either. I should’ve known better. I love you sweet girl, and I’m proud of all that you’ve accomplished.”
When I leaned back, she grabbed the white handkerchief in my breast pocket and started dabbing at her eyes. “Thank you, Sam. I love you, too. There’s no need to apologize. I think we’ve both done that enough. You’ve more than made up for everything.”
I nodded, taking the handkerchief back from her when she handed it to me. “I’ll send our father in. See you soon.”
I went out the door, hailed down my father, and sent him to Shiloh before I went to my spot outside in the subzero temperatures.
It was actually fucking snowing. Holy Shit. That was a miracle in and of itself for Texas. I hadn’t seen snow since I was younger. I’d been in Texas for going on five years now, and this was the first time I’d seen it snow more than a few seconds. It was actually collecting on all the empty chairs as it floated out of the sky in flurries.
“Can you believe this?” James asked as I reached his side.
“No. Not at all.” I said, agreeing that it was a small miracle.
“How’d she look?” He asked me.
The smile on my face said it all, but I answered him anyway. “Stunning.”
And when she came out of the side door twenty minutes later on my father’s arm, I realized I’d misspoken. She looked absolutely striking.
James’ breath hissed when he saw her, and his smile lit his face like a 1000 watt light bulb. However, there was one thing that needed to be said before we went any further.
“If you hurt her, I’ll fucking kill you. I’ll shred the meat off your bones with a goddamn box cutter and feed it to you.” I said, never looking away from my sister as she made it down the aisle.
“Returning the favor?” He asked.
I glanced at him, but he only had eyes for Shiloh. “Just as you said to me five years ago, buddy.”