Chapter 2

I don't wanna be this way forever

Keep telling myself that I'll get better

Every time I try, I always stop me

Maybe I'm just scared to be happy

The following day, Josephine was in her kitchen making coffee when her doorbell rang. She jumped, grabbing her chest. Only her friend from work knew where she lived, but she had a key, so she wouldn't be ringing the doorbell. Josephine glanced at the clock on the microwave. Who the fuck would be at my door at 9 am, she thought to herself. Approaching the door, she glanced at her twins sleeping in their pack'n'play. Thankfully, the doorbell hadn't woken them up. Looking through the window beside the door, she let out a sigh of relief when she recognized the kutte and faux hawk. Opening the door, Juice was standing with his hands in his pockets.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" Josephine asked. Juice shrugged, his eyes lighting up as he smiled.

"Just thought I'd drop in and say hi to my neighbor. Plus, you didn't leave your number so I could let you know when the car was ready." Josephine opened her mouth to respond sly, but a high-pitched cry stopped her.

"Shit," she muttered, turning to pick up her daughter out of the pack'n'play before she woke up her brother. Juice took this opportunity to step inside, shutting the door behind him. As he listened to Josephine shushing the baby in her arms, he took in the number of locks on her door. His brow furrowed in concern. Knowing she was a single mom, he understood the need for extra locks, but it seemed overboard. She's trying to keep someone out, he thought to himself. Just then, Josephine's son had started to cry. She had been heading to the kitchen to heat up a bottle but stopped short. Without thinking, Juice stepped to the pack-and-play and picked the baby up, rocking him. Looking towards Josephine, he realized he couldn't read her face. Uncertainty? Gratefulness?

"Oh, thanks," she said, "Ollie normally sleeps longer, but once his sister wakes him up, that's it."

"Go ahead, I got him," Juice said. He looked down at the infant in his arms, "Right, Ollie?" A couple of minutes later, Josephine reappeared, carrying two bottles. Adjusting a twin boppy pillow on the couch, she settled her daughter down before holding her arms out to Juice. Once Ollie was settled in, she sat down and fed them their bottles, noticing Juice was still lingering.

"If you want, there's fresh coffee in the kitchen," she said without taking her eyes off the twins, "Cups are on the top shelf to the left of the sink."

"Yeah, thanks." He walked into the kitchen, pulling two cups down. He yelled to Josephine, "How do you take your coffee?"

"Oh…Cream and sugar." Juice returned to the living room a few minutes later, carrying two coffee cups. Placing Josephine's on the coffee table in front of her, he sat on the opposite end of the couch. He watched as she finished feeding the babies.

"So, if that's Ollie, what's his sister's name?" he asked before sipping coffee. Josephine smiled, "Aurora. But I call her Rory for short." Picking Ollie up, she propped him on her shoulder and attempted to burp him.

"How long have you been in Charming?" Juice continued to sip on his coffee as Josephine dropped her gaze.

"Only about three weeks," she said, eventually switching out the twins to burp Rory. Juice nodded, while looking around the house. It looked like Josephine had been too busy to unpack. Or maybe she doesn't want to unpack, he thought to himself.

"What's going on between those tats of yours?" His eyes drifted back to her, and she gave him a light smile. He returned the smile and offered a slight shrug.

"Juice, why are you helping me?" She asked with a light sigh, getting up to put Rory in her swing. Without thinking, he started talking.

"My mom was in the same situation." He sat up to put his coffee cup on the table. "Single mom…I never met my dad. So, my mom raised my older sister and me." He ran a hand over his hair before looking up to meet Josephine's eyes.

"I watched the hell my mom went through to support us. Horrible jobs with lousy pay…Working sixty hours a week. She was doing so much to provide for us. I know how it is- "

"I'm not a charity case." Her tone was sharp, and he couldn't help but smirk.

"Never said you were. But if I can help, I'm going to." Josephine nodded, accepting his answer. Never once did someone offer to help her just out of the pureness of their heart, never mind a biker. She walked over to the couch to pick Ollie up and put him into his swing. She sat on the sofa and picked up the coffee to take a sip.

"Thank you, Juice. I mean it." Juice leaned back on the couch, "Anytime, Josephine."

/

The two continued to talk until Juice's phone started ringing. Reaching into his pocket, he flipped it open and pressed it to his ear.

"Hello?" He sighed, listening to what the other person was saying. "Yeah, I'll be right there." Flipping the phone shut, he turned to Josephine.

"Gotta go. I'll call you later?"

"Can't," Josephine said with a shrug, "I don't have a phone." He opened his mouth, but Josephine raised a hand, "It's fine, Juice. You know where to find me." She got up to walk him to the door.

"Yeah, I guess you're right," he said, smiling as he leaned to kiss her on the cheek. "See you later." He dipped out the door and walked to his bike. Josephine stood entranced, watching as he put on his helmet and started his bike. She couldn't help but give him a slight wave as he drove off.

/

Later that evening, Josephine was sitting on her couch watching TV. The twins were in bed for the night so she could put her feet up and enjoy a glass of wine. The light knock on the door took her away from the Sister Wives episode she was watching. Approaching the door, there was another light knock, followed by a voice: "Josephine, it's me." She opened the door and smiled.

"Ya know, I'm starting to think you're stalking me," she laughed.

"Maybe I am," Juice said with a raised eyebrow and panty-dropping smile.

"Wanna c'mon in?" The words tumbled out of her mouth before she could stop herself. A few days ago, she would've never invited a guy in, let alone around her babies. What the fuck is up with me? She scolded herself.

"I would love to! But I'm actually heading out of town on club stuff," Juice said, reaching into his backpack. Pulling out a package, he handed it to Josephine. She turned the package in her hands, realizing it was a cell phone.

"It's prepaid for a month," he said.

"Juice-" He quickly held up his hand to stop her.

"I'd feel better if I was out of town and you had a phone in case something comes up, even if you don't call me," he continued. Josephine nodded, opening the package. Once the phone turned on, she held it out to him.

"Gonna need you to add your number." He took it eagerly, a giant smile on his face. Once it was saved in her contact list, he called his phone so he could have the number. Shutting it, he passed it back to her.

"Meant what I said, Jo."

"I know Juice. Be careful on your trip." He nodded and turned to head down the porch when she tugged him back. Whether it was the wine or not, she found herself leaning up to kiss him on the cheek.

"Call me?" she asked.

"Of course." With that, he jogged down the porch and headed back to his bike. He sat and waited while she shut the door, giving it a minute, knowing she was busy locking the door. He started up his bike and took off down the road.