“This right here is my girlfriend, Shiloh,” Hammer proudly tells her.
“Well, it’s nice to know there’s a woman in your life. I almost set you up with my granddaughter, seeing as your quite a respectable young man. In this day and age, it’s so hard to come by. I’ll buzz y’all through, but if anyone asks, I didn’t see Jada come through with none of those bags from the chicken place downtown, mkay?”
“Yes, ma’am,” Hammer laughs and urges me to walk with him as the double doors into the unit where his father’s hospital room is opens.
Hammer and I walk down the hallway, even as it veers slightly to the left a bit and he stops in front of room number 331. He opens the plastic container attached to the door and pulls out one of those gowns you see the doctor’s wearing when someone’s rushed in via an ambulance on Grey’s Anatomy.
He holds it out for me and ties it on my mid-back and behind my neck, and then I help him into his. “What’re these for?” I don’t know anything about the medical field, so hopefully, he can catch me up with what’s going on with his dad.
“To protect dad as much as we can. He’s had fevers for a while, so we wear these. This way, we can’t bring something else into him ‘cause our clothes are protected, and if he has something, we should be able to keep ourselves safe.”
“Okay,” I murmur as he puts a hand on the door.
“You ready for this?” I don’t know if he’s trying to give me a chance to walk away, to not put myself through any additional stress, but I am ready to meet them. I’m ready to know what a normal family is like, to know how people act who aren’t traumatized or have serious family issues.
I give him a nod and he pushes the door open, pulling me along with him. Upon entering the room, the scent of fried chicken wafts through the air. Not the crappy kind either, the kind you know was perfectly seasoned and is juicy under the crispy crust.
My eyes land on who I believe is his sister. She has long, wavy, black hair and her eyes are a deep chocolate just like his. She’s curvy but isn’t fat. Then again, she’s not skinny either. “Ma, this is Shiloh,” Hammer speaks to the woman I’m looking at, and for a moment, I’m in complete disbelief. This is his mom? Holy shit, she looks amazing!
“What a beautiful girl. My son hasn’t stopped talking about you for the last few weeks, so it’s great to finally have the pleasure of meeting you.” She walks over to me and extends a hand, and I meet it, shaking it firmly.
I’m still in such disbelief. His mom doesn’t look like she could be older than forty, quite honestly.
“So, this is the young woman you’ve been seeing?” A man’s voice rasps out from my right and I turn to see his dad. He’s wearing a hospital gown and has a couple blankets over his legs but seems to be keeping his spirits high.
“Yep, this is her.” Hammer’s voice booms through the room and as I stare at his dad’s smile, I see where he got it from.
“She’s a beauty. Come here so I can get a good look at ya. You like chicken? Jada, get this skinny thing some chicken. She needs to eat some more!” His dad yells over to another woman sitting on the other side of him. She’s curvy with curly hair, and I mean curly hair. I’m a little bit envious of women with natural curls. I have to sit with stuff in my hair overnight to even get remotely the same effect.
I take a seat over beside his father and he shifts in his seat. It causes me to look at him and I get a glimpse of his legs, seeing they’re swollen. He’s been here since he had a heart procedure that didn’t go as planned, and as he begins coughing, I worry Hammer doesn’t realize what’s going on.
My father died when I was very young because of heart failure, and while I didn’t understand what was happening back then, I can see it clear as day now. If Hammer doesn’t realize what’s happening to his dad, I’m just going to urge he spends more time with him over the next coming week, how stuff with the club can wait, and most importantly, his move to Los Angeles.
Crap.
I forgot about him moving . . . and it’ll bring up a conversation I don’t know if I’m prepared for. Billings became my home many years ago, and the only time I’ve ever left since has been for a weekend away, not long term.
I’m in love with Hammer and have no doubts about my feelings for him, but how am I supposed to leave?
Chapter Sixteen
If you fall in love with their soul before you touch their skin, it’s true love
~ Unknown
Hammer
Shiloh and I spent four hours at the hospital with my ma, dad, and sister. As we were getting ready to leave, they told me how Shi is a great catch, and my dad even said she’s a diamond-like my ma is and to not let her go. Now, I don’t plan on lettin’ her go, but I told them all I wouldn’t. She’s someone I plan on keeping close to me for years to come.
We got back to the club about an hour ago and Shiloh’s been on a sweeping spree, getting the cleaning done like she normally does at the clubhouse. I just watched her walk into the kitchen, so I’m sure she’s doin’ some deep cleanin’ in there too.
Zane comes up and takes a seat next to me on the sectional, eyes darting toward the kitchen and back to me. “You been spendin’ a lot of time with Shi lately. Got anything to tell me?”
I cackle at his questions. “Nothin’ you haven’t already figured out. You’re not a dummy.”
“Depends on who you ask. Octavia and Inc tell me I act stupid from time to time.”
“Don’t we all?”
At that, we both laugh and he leans against the back of the couch, relaxing a little bit more. “Is she goin’ with you down to Los Angeles?” I should’ve expected this question, but I haven’t even talked to her about it. I don’t know if she wants to leave Billings, considerin’ it’s her second home and all.
“We haven’t talked about it yet.”
“You need to. Breaker’s askin’ me when you’ll be there, and I tell him after everything with your dad settles down. Family is above everything else, and I’ve told him that.”
One thing I respect more than anything when it comes to Zane is how determined he is to make sure we all know we’ll never have to make a choice many do. Your family, or the club. The Reapers Rejects MC are the first people to ever tell me to put my family first, sayin’ we can handle anything. Other club members aren’t as lucky. Some Prez’s eighty-six you for even needing to take time.
“Thanks for lettin’ him know what’s goin’ on and buyin’ me some time.”
“No thanks are needed. If it were me, I’d want to be here too.” Zane’s dad has been dead for a few years now and every one of us here feels the lack of his presence every day. I only hope Fist is lookin’ down and is proud of Zane for leadin’ the club through some hard times.
“I feel you there. So, we haven’t had a second to talk the last few days.”
“Something on your mind?” Zane asks.
“Yeah, wonderin’ if you found anythin’ else out after what Razor and I got for you.” Zane now knows the General was only a second in command, while the person in charge of the entire operation is someone known as the Commander.