AllFreeNovel
Share Us
"Reed is none other than the president of the Skulls Renegade MC up in Tennessee," my brother responds with a grin. "They're our allies, and Bubba's is a popular bar they own up there. They agreed to let us open a second location."
My eyebrows raise in surprise. "Oh, wow. It must do pretty well if you guys are already opening a secondary location."
Magnus, snickers under his breath. "It doesn't do bad, that's for damn sure."
Runes shakes his head with pride. "No, it doesn't. I'm hoping it'll bring in some extra income for the club. Oh, and Magnus," he turns to his friend, "I haven't brought this up yet, but I'm gonna need you to make the bar top, maybe some tables too. You okay with that?"
Magnus chuckles, adding a sarcastic flare to each word. "Oh no, I wouldn't enjoy using my skills and doing what I love at all." His confident smirk tells me he's more than willing to take on the task at hand.
I didn't have a clue that Magnus was hands-on like this. It's a harsh reality that there's still so much I don't know about him. In time, I'm sure I'll know him like the back of my hand. There are some things that he doesn't know about me either, but he'll discover them eventually.
Over the course of the next hour we finish our dinners and then have dessert. Vail and Gwen relieve Magnolia and Skadi, so they can enjoy some time away from the kids. Magnolia is the only ol' lady who's pregnant. A lot of the ol' ladies were pregnant at the same time. It must have been interesting, and I'm sure it will be nice as the kids grow up.
Magnus goes off with the guys and a few of us girls head over to the bar. Starla makes some fruity concoction for the group of us which consists of me, Aziza, Fern and Charm. We drink a few of these within fifteen minutes and the alcohol is hitting me hard.
Charm's laughter fills the air, breaking through the chatter of the crowded clubhouse. She playfully nudges Aziza's arm and asks, "So, when are you and Aesir going to hop on the baby train?"
Aziza shakes her finger in mock disapproval, a playful glint in her eye. "Oh no, not for at least five or six more years. We're still so young. Right now, the only baby I'm focusing on is my business."
"I don't blame you. There's plenty of time to have kids. You need to focus on what's the most important to you right now. From what I've heard, when you have kids things change." I speak up.
"Everything changes," Fern adds.
The ladies start chatting amongst each other and I notice Esperanza heading for the back door. No one is with her, so I grab one of the drinks Starla just made along with my own and follow her.
As I step outside, the serene atmosphere of the clubhouse fades away, replaced by the gentle rustling of leaves and the distant chirping of crickets. The sky is a deep, dark blue. The sun has been set for a couple of hours.
I find Esperanza at the picnic table nestled beneath a towering oak tree, her face buried in her hands as her shoulders tremble with each quiet sob. Concern floods my chest as I approach her cautiously, careful not to startle her. Why in the world is she so upset? I don't understand.
I place a hand on her shoulder as gently as I can, trying not to scare her.
She looks up, surprise and anguish etched across her delicate features. Tear-streaked trails glisten on her cheeks, reflecting the fading sunlight like cascading rivers of emotion. Her eyes, usually filled with an unwavering spark of determination, now hold an immeasurable sadness that ripples through my soul.
"Esperanza," I whisper softly, reaching out to offer her one of the drinks I had brought along. "Are you okay?"
With a shaky breath, she accepts the drink and takes a sip before mustering a weak smile. "Thank you," she murmurs, her voice laced with vulnerability. "I just needed some time alone."
I take a seat beside her, allowing the silence to envelop us like a comforting blanket.
"You haven't talked too much tonight, and then when you walked off by yourself I got a little nervous. What's going on? Something is obviously bothering you."
Esperanza glances down, her expression pained and conflicted. It's as if she doesn't want to tell me, or maybe she's wrestling with emotions that are too raw for words. "I found out I was pregnant last week, but a few days later I started bleeding. I rushed to the emergency room where they confirmed I was miscarrying. They prescribed medication to ensure everything passed safely, gave me some antibiotics, and I have a follow-up appointment with my doctor this week." Each word she utters is laced with intense emotion, far beyond what I could ever imagine.
My heart aches for her, and my mind races with questions about why my brother never shared this with me. Aren't siblings supposed to confide in each other about these things? I wish I had known so I could have been there for both of them.
Tears spill over Esperanza's cheeks, glistening like crystal trails. "I wasn't planning on having children yet," she confesses, her voice trembling. "But the moment I found out, all I could think about was becoming a mother. I started accepting it, and getting excited about parenthood. I even started thinking of names and about how we could decorate the nursery. And then suddenly, everything changed." Her voice breaks as she struggles to hold back sobs.
I sit down beside Esperanza at the picnic table and pull her into my arms, offering her the only comfort I can give her in this moment. "I can't imagine the pain you're feeling right now. I know nothing I say will make it better, and I'm not going to be one of those women that tell you you'll get pregnant again. Whenever anyone says that it's like a slap in the face."
Esperanza chuckles lightly, "I know. It's a horrible thing to say when I'm still grieving the child I lost."
I nod, rubbing my hand along her arm in a comforting manner. "You're allowed to feel everything you're feeling, whether it's good or bad. Don't let anyone make you feel like you can't."
CHAPTERNINE
Magnus
Tonight everything has been fucking awesome. There aren't too many times where we all get the chance to be together and shoot the shit. The club has grown so much over the last few years, especially as we've each settled down and a few of the guys have started having kids.
