Manic (Raiders of Valhalla MC: New Blood #1)

Chapter 6

CHAPTER SIX

Meghan

My fingers tremble as I set down the phone, Tor's deep voice still echoing in my ears.

The past few days have been a whirlwind of emotions, each one threatening to sweep me off my feet.

I take a deep breath, steadying myself against the kitchen counter.

"Mom?" Tindra's voice floats down from upstairs. "Who was that on the phone?"

I swallow hard, my throat suddenly dry. "It was... it was Tor," I call back, trying to keep my voice steady. "He's coming over for dinner tonight."

There's a moment of silence, then the sound of footsteps on the stairs.

Tindra appears in the doorway, her eyes wide with a mix of curiosity and apprehension.

"Tor... as in my father?" she asks, her voice barely above a whisper.

I told her the other night that he was her father, but left out all the nitty gritty details of why I left.

Before I told her I spoke to him and made sure he didn’t mind me talking to her about it alone.

The last thing I wanted to do was overwhelm her all at once, and I’m glad I told her privately because there were a lot of emotions.

I nod, forcing a smile. "Yeah, honey. He's really looking forward to seeing you."

Tindra bites her lip, a habit she's picked up from me. "Is he... is he happy I'm here?"

The question catches me off guard, and for a moment, I'm transported back to that night at the clubhouse.

The raw emotion in Tor's eyes when he realized Tindra was his daughter, the way his voice cracked when he asked if it was true.

I blink, bringing myself back to the present.

"He's thrilled, sweetheart," I assure her, crossing the kitchen to pull her into a hug. "He can't wait to get to know you better."

Tindra relaxes slightly in my arms, but I can still feel the tension in her shoulders. "What if... what if he doesn't like me?"

I pull back, cupping her face in my hands. "Oh, honey. That's impossible. He already loves you so much. You're his daughter."

A small smile tugs at the corners of Tindra's mouth. "Really?"

"Really," I confirm, tucking a strand of her dark hair behind her ear. "Now, how about we head to the grocery store and pick up some stuff for dinner? We can make something special."

Tindra's eyes light up. "Can we make lasagna? And maybe tiramisu for dessert?"

I laugh, the sound easing some of the tension in my chest. "Ambitious, aren't we? But I think we can manage that. Let's go."

As we drive to the store, I can't help but steal glances at Tindra.

She's fidgeting with the radio, humming along to a pop song I don't recognize.

It's moments like these that make my heart ache with how much I love her, how fiercely I want to protect her.

"Mom?" Tindra's voice breaks through my thoughts. "What's he like? Tor, I mean. Er, Dad…I guess. Should I call him Dad?"

I swallow hard, not sure what the right thing to say is. “Uh, well. That’s up to you, sweetie.”

She sucks in her bottom lip, “Do you think he’d like that? I mean, I don’t know a lot about him. What is he like?”

I grip the steering wheel a little tighter, choosing my words carefully. "He's... intense. But in a good way. He's passionate about the things and people he cares about. He's loyal, and brave, and..." I trail off, memories of Tor flooding my mind.

"And?" Tindra prompts, her curiosity piqued.

I smile softly. "And he has a gentleness that might surprise you. Especially when it comes to you. By the way, I think he would love it if you called him Dad."

We pull into the parking lot of the grocery store, and I watch as Tindra processes this information.

She's quiet as we grab a cart and head inside, but I can almost see the gears turning in her head.

"Do you think..." she starts, then stops, shaking her head.

"What is it, honey?" I ask, pausing in the produce section.

Tindra takes a deep breath. "Do you think he'll want to be part of my life? Like, really part of it? Like as big of a part of it as you are?"

My heart clenches at the vulnerability in her voice. "Oh, Tindra. He wants nothing more than that. I promise you. I know he’s missed out on so much, and the last thing he wants is to miss out on more."

She nods, seeming to gather strength from my words. "Okay, I’m… I’m excited I guess. But I’m nervous too. Um, let's get the stuff for lasagna."

As we navigate the aisles, picking up ingredients.

Tundra’s been on a big all-natural, organic sort of kick lately.

Apparently, schools are teaching kids now about all the fertilizers and chemicals that certain farmers put on the crops.

I explained to her that they’re pesticides to keep bugs away, preserve the food, but she still pointed out they’re chemicals.

It’s crazy how my little girl who only wanted to eat chicken nuggets and apple slices is now arguing with me about the food we put in our bodies.

She’s turning into a woman and I’m not ready for it.

She picks up the marinara sauce, “I used to love Prego, but now I like RAO’s more Mom. Is that okay?”

I wave my hand in dismissal, “You get whichever sauce you want more. After all, it’s your first time cooking for your dad so this is your show baby girl.”

She mulls over the few flavor options and picks out a couple, grabs some noodles, and we already have the beef.

I think we’ll be out of here in no time as we’re in the spice aisle.

I can't help but marvel at how surreal this all is.

A week ago, I was terrified of Tor finding out about Tindra.

Now, we're shopping for a family dinner with him.

"Mom?" Tindra's voice pulls me from my thoughts once again. "Can we get some of those fancy Italian sodas? The ones in the glass bottles?"

I smile, nodding. "Sure, honey. Pick out a few flavors."

As Tindra excitedly examines the different varieties, I find myself lost in thought again.

The past few days have been a rollercoaster of emotions.

That night at the clubhouse, when I finally told Tor the truth... I thought my world was going to end as I knew it.

Instead of it ending, it felt like it was finally beginning.

"I think I want to try the blood orange one," Tindra announces, holding up a bottle. "And maybe the lemon for you? You like lemon, right?"

I nod, touched by her thoughtfulness. "That sounds perfect, sweetheart."

She looks at the other options, narrowing her eyes. “Which one do you think Dad will like?”

I head over to the sodas and look over the options. “Your father always liked pomegranate, so I’d say that’s a safe bet.”

She smiles and grabs the pomegranate soda, placing it in our basket. “Okay, cool.”

As we finish our shopping and head to the checkout, I can't help but feel a mix of excitement and nervousness bubbling up inside me.

Tonight is going to change everything, I can feel it.

We’re going to be one big, happy family.

Still, I keep thinking about how different things could be, but none of it matters now.

All I can do is make sure I’m present and we make changes for the future.

In no time we’ve checked out at the store, fueled the car up with gas, and we’re back home unloading groceries.

We fall into an easy rhythm in the kitchen.

I’m in charge of the sauce while she works on the pasta and meat.

I’ve taught Tindra a lot about cooking and I do have to say she’s a very good cook.

I think Tor is going to be pleasantly surprised with how well his daughter can cook.

The familiar scents of garlic and herbs fill the air, and for a moment, I can almost pretend this is just another normal family dinner.

"Mom?" Tindra asks, coming over to check on the sauce. "Are we staying here? Like for real? I don’t want to get attached if we’re going to leave like we did in Atlanta."

The question catches me off guard, and I nearly drop the pan I'm holding. "Oh, honey. I … we’re not going anywhere, okay? This is home now. This," I wave my hand around the room, “Is our home.”

Tindra nods, her brow furrowed in concentration. "Okay. I just wanted to make sure. I don’t wanna get attached if we’re gonna end up leaving."

"We’re not leaving," I assure her, giving her shoulder a squeeze. "So, smile and enjoy yourself because we’re not going anywhere."

As we layer the lasagna and slide it into the oven, I can't help but feel a swell of pride.

My daughter is so strong and resilient.

She's handling all of this so much better than I could have hoped.

"Now for the tiramisu!" Tindra announces, already pulling out ingredients.

I laugh, shaking my head. "You're unstoppable, aren't you?"

She grins, a mischievous glint in her eye. "Well, we want to impress him, right?"

"Trust me, honey," I say softly, "he's already impressed. He's already so proud of you."

Tindra blushes, ducking her head. "You really think so?"

"I know so," I assure her, pulling her into a hug. "Now, let's tackle this tiramisu before your father gets here."

As we work on the dessert, I find myself lost in thought again.

The past few days have been a whirlwind.

We’re finally home, in the place we were always meant to be.

It’s been chaotic telling Tindra about Tor, explaining our complicated history, answering her countless questions... it's been exhausting, but also strangely freeing.

Over the next few hours, we get everything ready and I whip up a fresh Caesar salad when the doorbell rings. “I’ll get it,” I holler to Tindra.

I head over to the door and swing it open, “Hey, come on in.”

Tor is all smiles as he heads inside. “Man, it smells great in here.”

I shut the door behind him and he kicks his boots off, “Well, your daughter has been whipping you up quite the meal.”

He throws his head back and laughs, “She’s not gonna poison me, right? I don’t really remember you being a good cook.”

I poke him in the chest, “I will have you know that I’ve grown a lot in the last fifteen years.”

Tor chuckles as we head into the kitchen and Tindra’s pulling out the dish from the oven, the cheese bubbling and golden brown.

"This smells amazing," Tor says, his deep voice warm with appreciation.

I glance up, catching his gaze. "I know, Tindra did a great job. Why don’t we get our plates ready and head into the dining room?

"Sounds good," Tindra says.

As we settle around the table, I can't help but notice how Tor's bottle green eyes flick between Tindra and me.

There's a softness there I've rarely seen, a vulnerability that makes my heart ache.

"So, Tindra," Tor begins, his tone gentle as he turns to our daughter. "Tell me about school. What subjects do you like best?"

Tindra's face lights up. "I love science! We're studying marine biology right now, and it's fascinating."

Tor leans in, genuinely interested. "Marine biology, huh? That's impressive. What got you interested in that?"

As Tindra launches into an animated explanation about her passion for ocean conservation, I find myself watching Tor.

His full attention is on our daughter, hanging on her every word.

It's a side of him I've never seen before—the doting father, eager to know every detail of his child's life.

"You know," Tor says, a hint of pride in his voice, "I used to go fishing a lot when I was younger. Maybe we could take a trip to the coast sometime, all of us together."

Tindra's eyes widen with excitement. "Really? That would be amazing!"

I can't help but smile, warmth spreading through my chest. "That sounds like a great idea," I chime in, catching Tor's eye. He returns my smile, and for a moment, it feels like we're truly a family.

As we finish our meal, Tindra shifts in her seat, a hopeful look on her face. "Um, Dad?" she asks, the word still new on her tongue. "Would you maybe want to stay and watch a movie with us?"

I glance at Tor, trying to silently tell him that he doesn't have to if it's too much.

We've already made so much progress tonight and I don't want to overwhelm him.

Baby steps are completely fine.

But Tor's face breaks into a wide grin. "I'd love to," he says, then adds with a wink, "But only if there's popcorn and candy involved. Can't have a proper movie night without snacks, right?"

Tindra lets out a delighted squeal and jumps up from her chair.

Before I can even process what's happening, she's thrown her arms around Tor in a tight hug. "Thank you, thank you!" she exclaims.

I watch as Tor hesitates for just a moment before wrapping his arms around our daughter, his eyes meeting mine over her head.

The emotion I see there—a mix of joy, wonder, and a hint of fear—mirrors exactly how I'm feeling.

Tindra pulls back, practically vibrating with excitement. She grabs Tor's hand, tugging him toward the living room. "Come on! I know exactly what movie we should watch!"

As they disappear around the corner, I take a deep breath, steadying myself against the kitchen counter.

This evening has gone better than I could have ever imagined.

Watching Tor and Tindra together, seeing them start to form a bond... it's everything I've ever wanted for them.

But as I start to follow them, a nagging voice in the back of my mind whispers a warning.

Things are going so well... almost too well.

In my experience, that usually means something's about to go wrong.

I enter the living room to find Tindra excitedly showing Tor our movie options, pressing the remote as she goes over them until she stops on one.

Tor's listening intently, a soft smile playing on his lips.

It's a sight that warms my heart and simultaneously tightens my chest with an inexplicable anxiety.

"Mom!" Tindra calls out. "Dad says he's never seen 'The Princess Bride.' Can you believe it?"

I can't help but chuckle. "Well, I guess we know what we're watching then. Was that your original choice?"

Tindra laughs, “No, but it’s okay.”

As Tindra sets up the movie, I settle onto the couch, Tor taking a seat next to me.

His presence is comforting and I didn’t realize how much I missed it.

"You okay?" he asks quietly, his eyes searching mine.

I nod, offering a smile that I hope looks more convincing than it feels. "Yeah, just... taking it all in."

Tor's hand finds mine, giving it a gentle squeeze.

The gesture is so natural, so right, that for a moment I forget all my worries.

But as Tindra bounces over to join us, plopping down on Tor's other side with a bowl of popcorn, that niggling feeling of unease creeps back in.

The movie starts, and I try to lose myself in the familiar story.

Tor's gaze lingers on me, concern evident in his eyes.

I know he can sense something's off, but now isn't the time to discuss it.

Instead, I lean into him slightly, drawing comfort from his solid presence.

As the movie progresses, I find myself relaxing despite my earlier misgivings.

Tindra's laughter fills the room, and Tor's deep chuckles join in.

Never in my entire life did I think I’d hear the two of them laughing together, and God is it joyous.