Sorry for the extended absence, you know life gets in the way. I have about 15 chapters written in total hopefully will be able to post weekly now.
Chapter 11A loud knock at Charlotte's front door startled her out of the peaceful morning she'd spent putting freshly laundered baby clothes away in the nursery and putting the last of the baby items away neatly in her spare bedroom that had been converted to a nursery with the help of Gemma in the previous weeks. The plain white room was replaced with coral pinks and pastel yellows. The room was bright and cheery, all the furniture put together and in its place. Charlotte left the nursery and walked as fast as her growing body would allow her, looking through the peephole before opening the door. "Chibs?" She greeted with a question. While it was not uncommon for a club member to stop by her house it was usually Tig late at night needing stitches from whatever altercation he'd been in. Jax was a common visitor at her house, but she couldn't recall the last time Chibs had stopped by.
He walked in as she stepped aside "Jacky's been trying to reach you."
"I've been in the nursery must not have heard it." Charlotte said, walking into the small kitchen grabbing her phone, flipping it open, seeing all the missed calls. "What's wrong, is everyone alright?" She asked seeing Chibs start to pace.
"Clay wants everyone at the clubhouse we're locking down."
"Jesus what happened?"
Chibs stopped pacing walking towards her resting his hands on her shoulders "Sorry love, Gemma was attacked."
Charlotte felt relieved realizing it wasn't some new threat "She told."
"Aye, ya knew?"
"Yeah, me and Tara knew."
"Alright then let's get you packed up." He went to her bedroom as she followed behind him. "You got a bag?"
She nodded pointing him towards the closet "On the top shelf." She said following him watching his tall figure easily reach the bag above him.
When he turned, bag in hand, he saw the tears in her eyes. Chibs dropped the bag pulling Charlotte into his arms "It's okay little love." He said softly to her holding her close.
Charlotte pulled away looking into his eyes. "I'm so sorry Fillip, I should have made Gemma tell or I should have told Jax, and you wouldn't have gotten hurt." She sobbed, her small hands clenching his shirt.
"Oh, sweet Charlotte none of this is your fault. You kept Gemma's secret like she asked. None of what happened after that is your fault. It's that bastard Zobelle not you." He lifted one hand up wiping her tears away gently. "You hear me lass none of this has anything to do with you."
She nodded in response, allowing him to give her one more strong squeeze, taking in the comfort of his arms.
Chibs released her after giving her a small kiss on the cheek "No more worrying your pretty little head about it then yeah?" he asked, nodding to her waiting for her to nod back.
Charlotte drove her car to TM the locked gate opening when she pulled up Chibs directly behind her on his bike. Gemma headed her direction when she parked and got out. Chibs handed off her bags to Gemma then walked in front of them to the club house. Gemma put her arms around Charlotte "You told?" she asked.
Gemma gave her a squeeze and left her one arm around her walking together towards the clubhouse. "You and Tara were right, needed to be done. We don't need this looming over us, it'll be handled before that baby gets here. I told you everything would be perfect for that."
Charlotte cast a glance towards Gemma "Thank you." Knowing how hard it must have been for her to get that truth out.
"Let's get you set up in one of the rooms then you sweetheart, are going to take it easy. I don't want you doing anything, these crow eaters around here will flock to help you or Tara, other old ladies too. Take advantage of that kindness."
"I'm not an old lady Gemma, what good does it do then to be in my good graces." Charlotte said, following Gemma down the hall to one of the smaller spare bedrooms.
Gemma reached out softly touching her belly "That baby makes you family to the VP and Prez and of this club and to the Queen bee. I run this shit Charlotte they all know that any of them so much as bat an eyelash the wrong way Clay and Jax will have them thrown out. Don't get me wrong most of them are good women, misguided mostly, but they have good hearts."
Charlotte sat in the waiting room of her OB's office Tig sitting next to her. "Sorry Jax couldn't be here, and you're stuck with me."
"It's fine, just another look, make sure everything is good with her heart."
"Like you get to see her and shit?" He asked.
"Yeah, ultrasound, get to see her and hear her heartbeat. You had kids didn't you go to one of these appointments before with your daughter's mom?"
"Nah, we were always on again off again, we were off when she was pregnant. She liked to hold that shit over me. Still does, I wanted to go with her, but she never let me."
"That's sad, I'm sorry Tig."
"It's alright I wasn't the best father probably didn't deserve it."
When the nurse called Charlottes name, she stood up looked at Tig and said, "Well come on, let's go take a look at my baby then you'll know what it was like."
Tig stood up beaming following her in the room.
When Charlottes Dr. entered the room she asked, "Who do we have with us today?"
"This is my grandpa." Charlotte said, looking at Tig, giving him a wink.
"Fuck off Charlotte." Tig responded.
Charlotte laughed "He's just a friend."
Tig stood next to her watching the monitor, his eyes glistening when the baby's heartbeat filled the room.
"Everything looks great Charlotte, a couple of more weeks to go and she'll be here. You still taking it easy, light duty?"
"Put in for early maternity leave last week, can hardly get out of a chair on my own, feet were swelling to bad every time I did rounds. Basically, a useless nurse they already had a temp for me in place."
"Well, I'm glad you're a nurse who actually listened to me most of you don't, but doctors are worse patients then nurses."
While Charlotte finished up her appointment Tig stepped out when his phone chirped. He was just finishing the call when she came out into the waiting room.
"That was Jax, needs me back at the clubhouse, you good?"
"Yep, but can we stop for fries and a shake on the way?"
Once seated in the club van next to Tig she greedily ate her salted fries while Tig sucked in his strawberry shake. "Thanks for that." He commented snagging one of her fries as she slapped his hand away from taking more than a few.
"You're welcome."
"She all good, your baby?" He asked.
Charlotte smiled nodding "Yeah she's good."
"You given her a name yet?"
"I have some thoughts not sure yet. I think when I see her I'll know for sure."
"Is she going to be a Case or a Teller?"
Charlotte thought for a second before she responded "Hmm I don't know I haven't thought about it I guess a Teller. Doesn't really matter to me a name is a name right."
They had stopped at a red light, Tig turned to her a serious look on his face "Sweetheart a name is a serious matter you gotta think about this. A name will sculpt and form this child and follow it through adulthood. It's one of the most important things you can give your child."
"Aren't your kids named Dawn and Fawn?"
"For your information Dawn brings new light to each darkness and Fawn is a young deer who brings new life into the world. And then take my name Alexander means warrior, defender, and Trager means legal guardian. Like I was born to guard and defend people. It's my life mission to live up to my name." He continued as he drove towards the club house glancing at Charlotte occasionally "And you Charlotte, your name is the feminine version of Charles meaning free man and commonly used for nobility and royalty."
"How do you just know what my name means?"
"Because this is important, I know everyone's name meaning that's in my life it's how I know how to deal with someone. Like you, you're free-spirited, hate to be bound, you don't do well being told what to do, you have your own compass you follow. So, I know better than to tell you what to do with you it's better to ask and let you make your own decision."
When Charlotte returned to the club, she lay down on the sofa putting her feet up, smiling when she saw Tara coming towards her with Abel in her arms. "Hey how'd it go?" Tara asked.
"Good, she's healthy everything's good." Charlotte said running her hands over her baby bump.
"Gemma and I are going to go run some errands get some supplies, you need anything?"
"Nope I'm good, you want me to watch Abel?"
Tara shook her head "No, you get your rest."
Gemma came by within earshot of Charlotte and pointed to her and shouted at the nearest croweater "She needs anything you get it, she's not to get up unless it's to pee got it." The younger girl nodded. "You stay off your feet Mom." Gemma said, leaning down, giving Charlotte a kiss on the forehead.
Even with the hustle in the clubhouse children running around playing Charlotte easily drifted off to sleep and woke up to a nightmare.