I climbed out of my car and pulled my sunglasses down over my eyes, hoping to get a little relief from the sun. Happy held his arm out and I walked underneath it, pressing my side into his. He turned his head and looked down at my protruding stomach with a warm grin. I was five months along and showing fully. Happy said it was because I was so small. He loved to run his hand over the bump and would whisper to it at night.
"You feeling okay, Momma?" He asked, clearly seeing the pink in my cheeks. I shook my head, but kept my mouth shut. "J, what's wrong?"
"It's just shit with BJ's. The girls are driving me nuts with time off requests and stuff. Then, I have to worry about them fucking the customers now. I'm just stressed out and wanted to see my man." I said, summing up everything that had gone wrong so far that day. He nodded and kissed the top of my head.
"Take some time off, Jaden. Barbie and Lyla can handle it. My kid isn't being put in danger for that shit." Happy had been even more protective ever since we found out I was pregnant. I put my hand on his arm and nodded, having planned to step away for a few days anyways.
"I think I'm going to go shopping for some furniture for the baby. Do you have anything you want me to look for?" I asked, knowing he was tied up with club business for the greater part of the day. He shook his head and I could see his mouth tightening. "Happy, I'm going to baby stores. I'll be perfectly safe."
"I still don't like you going alone, J. You can't shop online and get it delivered or something?" Happy asked. I scoffed and took a step back, my hormones and the sun getting the best of me. Tears started dripping from my eyes as I shook my head.
"Just forget it." I said, storming away from him. I made it to my car and reached for the door before he planted his hand down to keep it shut. I sniffled and wiped my cheeks with the back of my hand. "All I want to do is feel normal, Happy! I want to shop for furniture and baby stuff without some patched member or prospect following me around! It's bad enough that everyone knows I'm an ex-stripper. They already think I'm going to be a bad mother."
"Who thinks that, Jaden? You're going to be a great mother, you already are. I'm not going to apologize for wanting to protect you though. You knew this was part of being with me, even before the baby." Happy said, trying to calm me down and keep the annoyance out of his voice. I frowned and shook my head.
"I'll just wait until you can go shopping with me or I'll shop online. It's fine." I said, feeling the tears swelling up again. I hated being so weepy and childish.
"I'll go with you." We both looked over to see Gemma sitting in her Cadillac with her window down. Knowing that she had overheard our fight only made me feel even worse about being so emotional. Happy set his mouth in a thin line and looked from Gemma to me.
"Alright. Either of you see anything or feel some kind of way, you call me or Jax." Gemma nodded and unlocked her door for me. Happy took my hand as I moved towards her car. "Hey, no glittery shit."
"What if it's a girl?" I asked, already knowing the answer. He narrowed his eyes and I laughed. "Love you, Hap. I'll keep you updated, okay?"
"Yeah, alright. Be good." He kissed me swiftly before opening Gemma's car door for me and giving her a nod.
"How's the killer handling those hormones?" Gemma asked as we pulled out of the lot. I blushed a little and raised my shoulder.
"I try to keep it at a minimum and then it just boils over. He's doing a great job of taking care of me, it's just hard for me to need him to." I said, touching up my mascara in her visor mirror. She kept her eyes on the road and patted my knee.
"Just think how he's going to be with that little boy." She was convinced that we were going to have a little boy, having nothing to go off of other than her intuition and some old wives tells. "What are we looking for?"
"Well, we don't have anything except a rocking chair from Mya. She used it with Happy." I felt my chest tightening with happiness. "These emotions are so annoying."
"It'll pass. Just stop holding stuff in, darlin. So, crib, dressing table and a dresser?" She asked.
"Yeah, I think that should be it for now. Anything else will just be some little things here and there." I said, opening the door after stopping at the furniture store in Lodi. I found myself scanning the street for anyone that could be a threat.
There wasn't much to choose from and what there was seemed cheaply made. I became disinterested after the second set we looked at. Gemma picked up on my dissatisfaction and motioned towards the car.
"Come on. There's a shop a little farther out that we got Abel's crib at." She said, unlocking the car. I climbed back in the seat while shooting Happy a text message about striking out at the first store. I knew he probably wasn't that interested, but I'd promised to keep him updated.
We walked into the next store and I found a set as soon as we walked inside. It was a glossy black with silver accents. It was both modern and classic at the same time, but I was afraid to even look at the price tag. When I did, my heart sank. There was no way I could spend that much on the set when I was likely to accrue a large amount of debt from hospital bills.
"Can I help you?" The store attendant asked, walking up with a large baby bump. I dropped my hand from the crib rail and shook my head.
"Do you have anything similar to this with a little softer price tag?" I asked. She looked from me to Gemma and bit her bottom lip.
"I can give you my employee discount on it. It's thirty percent, if that helps." She offered, rubbing her belly. I did the math in my head and nodded slowly.
"I can do that. We'll pick it up at the end of the month if you'll have it in then." I said, trying to contain my excitement. The woman gave me a sweet smile and looked at my stomach.
"You're Happy's old lady, right? My husband's a Nomad." She explained. I relaxed, realizing she was practically extended family. "We just got an adorable mobile in, come look."
I covered my mouth with my hand as she turned on a mobile of tiny motorcycles. It was adorable. I handed over my debit card. Gemma and the woman laughed good heartedly as we walked over to the register. I walked out of the store with the mobile and a ticket to pick up the furniture in three weeks.
When Happy got home that night, I couldn't wait to show him the mobile. I wasn't expecting him to be bleeding. I rushed from the bed to the bathroom where he'd closed himself off. Once he had his shirt off, it looked even worse.
"Happy, what happened?" I asked, seeing the blood pouring down his arm from a wound in his bicep. He wasn't answering me, hyper focused on getting the first aid kit out. I grabbed his hand and he stopped, looking at me for the first time since walking inside.
"I'm going to let this kid down, Jaden." He wasn't acting like himself. He was always confident and strong. "They're going to grow up without a father when I'm locked up or taken out. What then, J? They grow up without a father and end up like me?"
"Happy, what are you talking about? You're not going anywhere! You've got me and the baby to come home to, to fight for. Where is this coming from?" I asked pouring alcohol over his wound. I could tell that a bullet had grazed him.
"Jaden, I'm standing in our bathroom with a bullet wound. Where do you think it's coming from? I'm still human, girl. I bleed just like everyone else." He obviously wasn't going to make things easy for me when it came to getting him out of this mood. I shook my head and untied my robe. He looked over at me with a hard swallow. Moving slowly, I took his hands and placed them on either side of my bump. "Jaden."
"Just shut up, Happy. Don't say anything." I said softly. He sighed and his shoulders dropped. When the baby kicked his hand, he looked up at me with tears in his eyes. "That's you and me, Happy. Our baby. You have us to fight for and we believe in you, even if you don't believe in yourself. You're a survivor Happy. The strongest man I know and the only man I would ever trust to protect our family."
"You're the best part of me, Jaden." Happy said, leaning down to kiss me. I met him in the middle and took his face in my hands as his rested on my bare stomach. "You're never going to be alone. I swear."
"I know. Let me fix you up, baby." I whispered into his ear. He nodded and bent down further to kiss my stomach gently. I ran my hand over the snake on his head. "I think it's a boy. Well, Gemma does and it kind of got in my head."
"A boy? What are we going to name him?" Happy asked as I cleaned him up. I smiled and wrapped gauze around his arm.
"I was thinking something tough like Axel." I said with a smirk. He nodded and I could see his wheels spinning as he thought it over.
"Not Happy?" He asked with a laugh. I chuckled and shook my head.
"Not unless you really want to. You're one of a kind, baby." I said, kissing his bandage. I smiled as he pulled me close and ran a hand between my legs.
"I like this." He tugged on the thin fabric of my boyshort panties that I'd worn for him. I had a matching bra at one point, but my boobs were out of control and the bra was uncomfortable to wear.
"I know. Come here, I want to show you something before you distract me." I took his wandering hand in mine and led him back into the bedroom. He pulled the box out of the paper bag and opened it slowly. "What do you think?"
"I think that you're perfect, Jaden Lowman. Axel will like this. Won't you baby boy? You like motorcycles like your dad?" The baby kicked and Happy smiled brightly. He nodded and brought his eyes up to mine. "Thank you for this, Jaden."
"I love you, Happy." I whispered, feeling a longing for him. He nodded and pulled me onto the bed with him. We took it slow, touching one another as much as possible. I kissed my name that was tattooed on the side of his neck as pleasure washed over me.
*******SOA*******SOA*******SOA********SOA*********
The nursery was finished and all we were needing now was our son. I'd been on modified bed rest for the past three months, so I was ready to not only evict him but meet him as well. Happy kept a prospect downstairs in the living room at all times when he wasn't home with me. It didn't matter if he was as close as the clubhouse.
"You're going to miss pregnancy sex. I don't know why but the hormones just make everything feel so much better." Barbie said, flipping through a magazine on the couch. I laughed and tried to reposition so my back stopped aching.
"Do you see how big I am? Trust me, I love sex just fine with Happy when I'm not the size of a Harley. He's just as eager as ever but I refuse to leave the lights on." I said, shaking my head, embarrassed to admit how insecure I felt. "When we met, I was a stripper. Now I'd bring the pole crashing down if I even leaned on it."
"You're wrong, Jaden. You're hot." Rat said, just as Happy opened the front door. Barbie and I saw his eyes flash with rage and knew the prospect was about to wish he'd never chimed in from the kitchen.
"The hell did you just say to my old lady, boy?" Happy didn't yell which made him that much more frightening.
"Happy, no I didn't mean it like that. They were talking about her being big and I just wanted her to feel better." I knew he was just digging a deeper hole but knew it would be disrespectful to step into the argument to help Rat.
"That's not your place, prospect. Get out of my house." He growled, grabbing the younger man by the back of the neck and shoving him towards the door. I dropped my eyes as soon as Rat made eye contact, but Happy caught it. "Out!"
"Happy." I said softly when the door slammed shut. Anya woke up with a loud scream and Barbie groaned. She hurried down the hall to settle her daughter back down. She and Juice had been staying in our guest room so I could have Barbie close before the baby came.
"Don't Happy, me, Jaden. That shit head needs to learn some respect before it earns him a shallow grave. He make any other comments like that?" He asked, lifting my chin up to look at him. I shook my head and kept solid eye contact.
"No, Happy. I think he may have just been trying to help. Everyone knows you're the only man for me." I said, tossing Millie's ball for her after she dropped it in my hand. Happy grunted before placing his hands on my stomach and pressing his lips to it.
"I don't make you feel beautiful, J? There's nothing I'd rather see than you carrying my son." He said softly. I leaned over and kissed his lips gently.
"You make me feel as beautiful as I can at nine months pregnant. I just want to have this baby so we can get married and I can get back on my feet." I said, rolling over to my side so I could look at him. He was kneeling on the floor beside the couch and tossing the ball for Millie every so often.
My phone started ringing and interrupted whatever Happy was about to say. He gritted his teeth and handed it over to me.
"Jaden! The cops are here asking for you or Barbie. Serenity got busted in the back providing some extra services and they've got her cuffed. What am I supposed to do?" Tiki continued on and on after Happy took the phone from me. I moved to sit up to relieve some pressure on my chest.
"You got Barbie's number?" Happy growled, supporting my with his free hand. "Good, then fucking call it."
"Happy! I have to get down there. They could shut us down. Do you think Esai knows about Serenity? What if he blames the club and the truce gets thrown out?" I knew my anxiety was running wild, but I couldn't get a handle on it.
"Jaden, breathe. I don't give a shit about any of that. You got it? I don't care if you even work or not. I care about you and the baby. Calm down." I was trying to slow my breathing as he spoke, but my heart was still racing. I felt a sharp pain in my stomach and clutched at it. "What is it?"
"Something's wrong. Happy, we've got to go. Please. I don't want to lose Axel." I was hysterical by that point and Millie was whimpering and nudging me with her nose. Happy pulled his phone out and called for Tara to meet us as Barbie rushed to get my baby bag and the keys to my SUV that had replaced my beloved car.
"I'll meet you there." Barbie said, pressing a kiss to my forehead that was damp with sweat. She had Anya on one hip and her diaper bag on the other.
The pain continued even after the doctors got me back in a room. Tara was speaking with them out in the hall as Happy stood by my side. He looked paler than normal, so much so that it made his tattoos stand out even more.
"Happy, marry me, please. Before the baby comes. I don't want him to be born before we're married. Please. I know it doesn't make sense." I was silenced with a deep kiss.
"If it helps you relax, I'd do anything, Jaden. If you're serious, I'll get somebody down here right now." He said, brushing hair out of my face. I nodded and gave him a shaky smile. "I'll be right back. Don't go anywhere."
"Smartass." I groaned as another pain struck me. He ducked out of the room and spoke to Tara briefly before disappearing. She slid into the room with a smile.
"You're leaving here with a baby and a husband, sweetie. Your stress caused your water to break and that pain you're feeling is normal. It's contractions, nothing to worry about, okay? Do you want an epidural?" She asked, smiling as Happy entered the room again. I shook my head and drew in a deep breath.
"No, I don't want any medicine unless I absolutely have to have it." I said, trying to keep the pain out of my voice. Happy sat down in the chair next to me and kissed the top of my hand.
"The priest is going to be here in ten minutes." Happy told me just before Barbie walked into the room with Anya and Juice. "Good, you two can be the witnesses."
"To what?" Barbie asked, trying to free her hair from Anya's grip. She watched as Happy pulled out a ring box from his kutte.
"You just carry those around with you?" I asked with a little laugh. He shook his head with an eyeroll.
"Just when I'm in Charming." He said opening it and handing me his black band and sliding my band on his pinky finger. I knew there was no way it would fit on my finger but it didn't matter, I could wear it around my neck with my engagement ring.
"Happy, Jaden, I'm Father Stevens. Congratulations on your son." The gray haired priest said as he shook our hands. I gave him a warm smile, hoping he wasn't about to ask when our last confessions were. "What do you say we get you two married before that little one throws a fit."
We said our vows and waited happily as the priest spoke about family and relying on each other. I slid Happy's ring on his finger and felt another contraction, this one harder than the last. Happy squeezed my hand and looked up at the priest.
"If you want to hurry and leave, that'd be great." He growled. I nodded and worked on breathing like I'd seen on movies. "I love you, Jaden."
"I love you, Happy." I whispered with a tear in my eye. The priest announced us as man and wife and we shared what felt like the first and best kiss all in one. Anya giggled and clapped her hands together as Juice whistled. "No offense, but can you all get out now? I really want this kid out."