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Just seeing the door leading to the room where they hold church brings back a ton of club-related memories. I can’t count how many times I sat at the table in my father’s old office, coloring or drawing while he ran the club he built from the ground up. I remember all the times he talked to Rigs, Dutch, and Tank about the importance of honesty, integrity, and doing something that improved the world around them. Those lessons resonated with me long before I fully understood the true meaning. He was trying to teach the young men who flocked to him for mentoring all those years ago, how to be decent human beings because it’s the linchpin that holds everything else in place.
I reach out to the blackened bronze doorknob and turn it to the right. Unless someone has fixed it, it only turns right. My father had said it was a bad initialization, one he always planned to get around to fixing it. When the door swings open a multitude of voices ring out in unison. I stop dead in my tracks to see all the brothers standing shoulder to shoulder under a banner that says Welcome Home Club Princess.
Siege doesn’t panic like he used to, when I begin to tear up. He shoots Cleo a quick glance and then walks over to give me a big brotherly hug. I bury my face in his shoulder and whisper, “You’re not losing your mind. You always used to panic when got tearful.”
When we pull apart, he states quietly, “I learned about happy tears from Cleo.”
My head whips around to look for her and I see that she’s beaming at us. I whisper to my brother, “You two are so stinking sweet. I’m happy you found each other.”
Gazing at Cleo, we watch Tommy and Louisa reach up and slip their hands in each of hers. He murmurs, “There ain’t nobody like my Cleo. No one in the entire world.”
“I have to agree with that assessment, bro.” Cleo is the best possible wife I could have dreamed of for my brother.
He takes me by the hand and leads me into the throng of brothers. “I brought you a surprise, sis.”
When the men part to let us through, I see my mom sitting at the long table with three other women. I rush forward and kneel to give her a careful hug. “Hello, Mama. Siege said you weren’t feeling up to having company or I would have come out to visit you the moment I got back.”
“I’m feeling better today, sweetie. I wanted to come to your welcome home party so badly that Jason and Rostein volunteered to pick me up.”
No matter how many times she was asked, my mom refuses to call any of the MC members by their club names. So like my brother Siege, was always Dean to her. Rider was Jason, and Tank, the ever-cumbersome Rostein.
One of the women speaks up. “Took some time to get her balanced on the back of Rider’s bike.”
My mouth falls open, but the woman quickly presses her lips together as if to stop a laugh from spilling out and shakes her head slightly.
“You’re kidding, right?”
Rider steps forward and puts an arm around her. “Serena, this is my Fran. She’s been working on the timing of her jokes.”
The woman looks up at him adoringly.
I’m so tickled for Rider. He’s been a part of my life since I was about six years old. He lived with us for years after his parents passed away. “Well, that was a cute joke, and her timing was impeccable.”
Another of the women stretches her hand out. My name is Ivy. I’m Tank’s wife. It’s really nice to meet you.” I shake her hand and she immediately introduces me to the third woman. “This is Joy. She’s Dutch’s wife and a paralegal advisor, so you two might have a lot in common.”
The woman extends her hand out for me to shake. “It’s nice to meet you,” she says. “I’m actually thinking about going back to college once the kids are in school, I’ve been thinking about becoming a lawyer, so I might have to pick your brains sometime.”
“Feel free to ask any questions you have. I’d definitely recommend it as a career, we’ll have to have a chat.”
She flashes me a quick grin. “That sounds like a plan.”
I give my mom a kiss on the top of the head, “I’ll be right back. I have to make my rounds and tell everyone hello.”
“You go right ahead. I will be fine here with the old ladies.”
I freeze for a second because I’ve never once in my life heard my mother use that term. She always hated my father spending so much time at the clubhouse. I remember her saying more than once that motorcycle clubs were a bunch of nonsense and she refused to be referred to as anyone’s ‘old lady’.
When Fran’s hand slides over to give my mother’s hand a squeeze, I realize this club my father spent his lifetime building has become a source of support for my mom in her old age. I turn around, blinking back tears. Seeing her participating finally is so bittersweet. I can’t help but wonder if this had always been part of my father’s plan.
I move from one brother to another with Siege at my side, introducing me to the newest members of our club. Unlike when my father ran the club, these men seem happy and content with their lot in life—I guess a lot of the original members were veterans like my father and were still adjusting to civilian life.
The last brother I greet is the one I most want to see. Smoke steps forward with a tight smile on his face. “You look nice today, Serena. Did our carefully planned surprise party actually surprise you, or are we not half as clever as we think?”
“Oh, I was surprised. There’s no doubt about that. To be quite honest, a welcome home party wasn’t on my radar at all. Which is strange because I’m usually pretty good about snooping out surprises.”
Siege interjects, “My sister is not kidding about that. I don’t think she ever opened a present without already knowing what was inside.”
Smoke’s eyebrows shoot up. “Now that takes some genuine dedication to snooping.”
