“Are you sure? You don’t have to,” I inform her.
“Yeah. Today is a day for your family. The guys will be back soon and the ol’ ladies will be here to help with what’s left. Thank you for asking me to help you,” Maria says, walking back to her room as Rich follows her.
Maria still has to be locked in the room, so everyone knows she doesn’t do anything to contact Neil. Slim showed his trust in her today by letting her out of the room to help me. I sit down in the rocking chair and begin rocking while placing my hands on my stomach. A smile covers my face as I look at the room around me. Tommy is sitting at the bar with a beer in his hand and a sandwich in front of him. Rich is hooking his phone up to the stereo system so we can listen to music.
Just as the opening beats of Just the Way by Parmalee and Blanco Brown plays as the ol’ ladies’ race through the front door of the clubhouse. They’ve got bags on each arm as they head straight to the kitchen. Getting up from the chair, I follow them so we can prepare the food. Tommy trails behind me to make sure there’s nothing else left out in the SUV and to take care of his plate.
“Tommy, the cake is left in the back of the SUV. Can you grab it?” Shy asks him, pulling out several different kinds of vegetables from one of the bags.
I may have been craving vegetables and salads on top of grilled cheese and chocolate shakes. Whenever anyone says anything, I joke that each baby has a preference and they let me know what to eat. I’m honestly surprised with the amount of milkshakes I’m not heavier than I currently am. All of my weight is in my belly and my ass. Killer doesn’t complain though so I’m not going to think about it.
“How are you feeling today?” Kim asks me, placing a kiss on my cheek while rubbing my belly.
“Okay. I’m just tired. I seem to get tired more than normal these days,” I inform her honestly.
“You’re cooking two babies in there,” Sam says, walking up next to me and resting her hand on my belly. “Let’s get this food ready so you can get off your feet. I don’t want to deal with an angry Killer today.”
We all laugh, but the reality is she’s not wrong. Killer gets mad when I try to do much of anything. If he thinks I’m overdoing it, whoever I’m with gets his anger directed at them for not making me rest or sit down. While I’m with him, he barely lets me do a damn thing for myself. He’s overbearing and taking this whole protection thing to new levels I don’t ever want to see from him again. I’ve even blown up at him a time or two.
Stryker is just as bad as Killer. If my man isn’t around and he is, Stryker takes on the protective friend and brother role to an all time high. Before the end of my pregnancy, I may end up smothering both of them. However, they just want to make sure I’m okay and the babies are doing good too.
The main thing I like is the sex. That’s the one main thing he gives into me on. Especially when he knows I’m mad at him. Killer is gentle with me when we have sex and holds himself back, but he never turns me down. Unless he’s late for work or has church. There may have been a time or two he was supposed to head out with the guys to look for Neil and was late to meet them. I fully blame him.
We’ve got all the food prepared and spread out over three different tables. I have bottled water in my hand as I make my way to the rocking chair once more. The guys should be here in a few minutes. We’re using Killer and Stryker’s bikes for part of the gender reveal today so they’re around here somewhere. Tommy helped me get them ready much to the chagrin of my man and one of my best friends. No one touches their bikes but them. Their friendship with Tommy is the only reason he was allowed to fix whatever he had to so when they rev their engines blue or pink smoke will filter out of their pipes.
I’m sitting talking to my sister when the guys begin to filter through the door. Killer makes a beeline for me while the rest of them sidle up to the bar and grab beer or shots so we can head outside. My husband has a shit eating grin on his face which tells me he’s up to something. I’m just not sure what it is.
“Hey, babe,” I say, leaning up for his kiss. “Where have you been?”
“Out and about. Had to take care of somethin’ with Stryker this mornin’,” he informs me evasively.
“Well, are you ready to find out what our babies are?” I question him, trying to suppress the smile wanting to break out on my face.
“Absolutely, Sparrow.”
Killer helps me up from the rocking chair and leads me outside. Stryker is already sitting on his bike which is now parked next to Killer’s front and center of the parking lot. I walk with my husband to his bike and move to the front of them so I can take pictures and see the looks on everyone’s faces. Some of the members and ol’ ladies may have bets going on as to what we’re having. I know exactly which ones are going to lose and have been laughing about it for days.
“On the count of three,” I yell out over the murmured excitement.
The two men turn on their bikes, but don’t rev their engines as they normally do. Holding one hand in the air, I count down with my fingers from three to one. At the same time, Killer and Stryker rev their engines blowing pink smoke out into the air behind them. Killer’s face is turned to the back as he watches to see what we’re having. Stryker is half facing me while half facing the rear of his bike.
Cheering explodes around us. I see a round of money being exchanged between members and ol’ ladies. In the end, all of that money makes its way to Stryker though. I’ve been taking pictures on my phone the entire time. I do that a lot lately. Trying to capture every moment I can leading up to our babies’ arrival.
Killer walks up to me and wraps his arms around me. He lifts me off the ground and presses his lips to mine. Catcalls and clapping fill the air around us. Once I’m back on my feet, we all make our way inside. For the second gender reveal, it’s just releasing balloons from a box and confetti from a balloon hanging just to the side of the box. Killer and my sister will be doing this one. There is no way in hell I can’t include my sister in this somehow. She’s my rock when I can’t go to anyone else. Including Killer.
This time, Killer stands at the balloon since it’s higher and easier for him to reach while Kim takes her spot by the box filled with colored balloons. I stand in front of the group, trying to contain my laughter at what’s about to happen. Everyone is standing behind me after Tommy hands Killer his knife to pop the balloon. I really hope my sister and Killer don’t kill me for what’s about to happen.
We all yell out the countdown this time since the bikes aren’t involved and everyone can hear what’s going on. When we get to one, Killer pops the balloon while my sister pulls the string holding the box of balloons closed. Pink and blue balloons and confetti fill the air. I hear groans from the men while the ol’ ladies laugh at my sense of humor. Rich brings me over the poppers I also bought so I can hand them to my husband and sister.
“I’m sorry guys. I had to do this,” I explain to them with a smile on my face.
Yeah, I got pictures of the confusion on their faces. These ones will definitely be printed and hung somewhere or placed on a shelf somewhere I can always look at them.
“Gwen, I’m gonna get you for this,” Kim says, lacking heat behind her words.