Chapter 26
Jasmine
Four days. That’s how long it’s been since I’ve seen Fox and Nitro.
I’ve heard from them, so much in fact that I’ve had to turn my phone off.
Not that I was reading or replying to their messages anyway.
I can’t see them or talk to them until I can figure out how I feel about what happened.
We’re meant to be a team. Well, that’s what it felt like at the time.
Like they completed me and in some way I completed them.
But that was just the sex hormones talking, because when push came to shove, my illness got in the way.
Again. But this time it was somehow worse.
Worse because I had seen what type of life and relationship I could have, and then it was torn away by my own body’s betrayal.
“Knock knock, mija,” Mom calls, not even bothering to knock or wait for my word before entering.
“I have brought you some pozole rojo, that’ll fix you.
” She nods with complete certainty as she places the tray on my side table.
Yes, I’m still in my childhood home being doted on by my parents.
Remind me again why I moved out? “Eat up and then you can go and see your boyfriends.” Ah, yup, that’s why.
“Mom, I don’t think they’re my boyfriends,” I say, not even bothering to eat even though the delicious scent is wafting this way.
“Oh yes, that’s right, they’re your Ol Men. I’ll get used to the language soon enough,” she smiles, patting my leg gently.
“No, you don’t have to. I don’t think it’s going to work out. They’re sweet, and caring and they understand me in a way no one else ever has but when push came to shove they excluded me because I was sic- Ow!” I screech as Mom’s gentle leg patting gets increasingly heavy handed. “What’s that for?”
“You are being estúpida!” Mom pinches the bridge of her nose before taking a deep breath and letting it out.
“Baby, I know how hard lupus is for you. I see the load you carry and my heart breaks that you feel isolated and trapped. But for those weeks you were with Fox and Nitro you flourished, mija. You have had a smile and your burdens have been so light not even you have noticed them.” I sniffle and fiddle with my stupid sore fingers, not wanting to look up because she’s right.
“When Fox and Nitro sent you home with us they were right to do so. You were tired. You were in pain. You were being stubborn. And you still are.” Mom cups my cheek, making me look at her, her warm, brown face, her dark eyes a different brown from Zane and Hayden’s, but like theirs, full of love.
I open my mouth to protest but nothing comes out. She’s right. I was sore and tired and I was pushing myself to join in because that’s what I do. I want to be included. I want to belong and have friends and family and … my Ol Men.
“Jasmine,” my father’s deep voice says from his place beside my mother.
“Those boys have been losing their minds the past two days. They’ve been blowing up mine and your mother’s phones, been knocking on our door all hours of the day and evening.
They love you, sweetheart, they want you, and everything that makes you you.
Your lupus, your temper, all that hair of yours that clogs up my drains,” a wet chuckle bursts out of me before I sniff and wipe my eyes.
“Trust them, and trust what I’m telling you.
They want your good days and bad, Jazz, because they want you. ”
“They want me,” I whisper, realizing what a grade A douche canoe I’ve been.
“They want you,” Mom repeats. “I raised you all to be strong and independent, and you Jasmine are the epitome of that. But sometimes being strong means letting someone else take the weight. Let them.”
“Yes,” Dad agrees. “Soon please because the little notifications on my phone are driving me crazy.”
I laugh at Dad before shooing both him and Mom out. If I’m going to grovel to my two men about completely overreacting then I need to look good. And not like I’ve been crying in my bed wearing Whore-ily Clinton’s maternity pants. Which, as Lily states, are top of the range comfy.
In twenty minutes I’m dressed in real, non pregnant people pants, my face is as depuffed as I can get it, and I’m pulling into the clubhouse. It’s the weekend so everyone is here, and yet there isn’t the usual hustle and bustle that there usually is.
Stepping up onto the porch my brows pull in when I see the front door closed. Knocking lightly I wait for the door to open, figuring it won’t take long as the sound of running feet sounds out on the other side.
It cracks open slightly and I’m met with Elio, Cove, Jovie and Joy’s little girl. Who all stare at me like they’ve seen a ghost.
“Hi kids, are Fox and Nitro home?”
They continue to stare before Cove pastes a big smile on her face then drags Jovie and Joy’s girl behind her. I peer over their shoulders but don’t see anyone so I turn my gaze to Elio. Before I can say anything he surprises me.
“Are you hurt?” He points to the yellowing bruise that Hitchens guy gave me when he backhanded me.
“Oh yeah, I’m fine. I’m tough, don’t you know,” I smile wide, holding up my hands in a boxer’s stance.
He stares at me with his dark eyes, almost like he’s looking into my soul. “Not everyone has to be tough. Some people need to be soft. You’re soft. That’s why Fox and Nitro love you. Be that.” With that he closes the door in my face and my heart both breaks and somehow swells at the same time.
Heavy footsteps thunder behind the door before it’s flung open and there, in the doorway are my men. Before I can say anything my stomach drops, taking my knees with it as I burst into tears and snotty “I’m sorries”.
“Hey, hey sweetheart, it’s OK, you’re here and we’ve got you,” Hayden soothes as his and Zane’s arms come around me, stopping me from hitting the floor.
“We’re so sorry, baby, so sorry. We almost lost you by being fucking dumb cavemen. We just wanted you to be safe and looked after and I’m sorry,” Zane says, his voice sounding watery as he mumbles into my shoulder, Hayden’s apologies spoken into my other shoulder.
I cling to them, soaking up their warmth, their touch, their love.
“What the hell? Ugh, it’s not even the pizza man.” I stiffen at the sound of that voice still drifting down the hall. “False alarm, it’s just Miss Jasmine. This guy better not be blowing smoke…”
Pulling back I look at Zane and Hayden who look very sheepish.
“Why is Rodney here?”
Zane rubs the back of his neck, looking at Hayden to explain. “Well, ah -”
“I told you we shouldn’t trust them. My mom says-”
“Jackson?” I call out down the hall and it all goes silent save for some soft murmurs here and there.
“What is happening?” I ask, my face screwed up as I look between my men.
Hayden sighs before taking my hand and pulling me into the hall, Zane’s large warm hand at the lower back. They lead me into the common room where I stop in my tracks when everyone, and I mean everyone starts to hurriedly stuff costumes behind the couches or in Tank’s case, up his Henley.
“What? She can’t be here already, we aren’t ready yet!” Karly whines, stomping her little foot. “She should go wait outside until we’re ready.”
“I agree with her. She won’t get the full effect by walking in now,” Chewy agrees.
I shake my head, blinking to try and process why Jackson, Rodney and Karly from my class are here with the MC. I’m not even going to touch on why Rider is wearing a pink wig and has a vacuum cleaner.
Nitro groans behind me and the noise makes my nipples stand at attention, which is not ideal.
“Um, what’s happening?” I ask, finally finding my voice.
“He said they messed up and that you loved us and they needed our help to make you love them again. But if you do, I don’t think I could marry the Ken one,” Karly says.
“The Ken one?” Tav says, head quirked. “Oh yeah, I see it,” he smirks.
“The blonde one promised us pizza but I haven’t seen any pizza yet so I bet he’s a lying kiddy fiddler.”
“I am not!” Hayden splutters.
“Of course you are! Everyone would want a piece of me,” Rodney taunts.
“If I was I wouldn’t choose you -”
“So you are one!” Rodney crows, pointing at Fox and dancing around like he’s won the lottery.
“I always thought I was safe from kidnapping, no one wants a kid in a wheelchair, do you know how much this chair weighs?” Jackson moans, Savage taking the bait as he shakes his head at Jackson.
“Too much, mister! That’s how much and I still got kidnapped.
By bikers! They’ll sell me into slavery!
My legs don’t work but I have hands they’ll use to pick cotton, just wheel me out there at the mercy of the elements and the pedophiles,”
“Jesus Christ,” Marx mutters, eyes glued to Jackson as he melts down.
“You’d be easy pickings too,” Rodney says, not helping whatsoever.
Taking a deep breath, I let it out, holding one hand up as I call out “Chrome and leather-”
“We ride together!” the kids yell, freezing in their tracks and stopping all whining and freak outs.
“Good, now, can somebody please tell me what is going on.” I keep my hand up. “One of the adults please. Namely Zane and Hayden?” I turn to them, my gaze running over their handsome faces.
“We know we were total dicks. We were so wrapped up in trying to take care of you that we hurt you and we are so fucking sorry,” Zane starts.
“So, when our texts and calls and visits were rejected we decided to go big. The one thing you love more than us is your class so we asked them to help and then Rider-” Hayden frowns in his direction before his gaze meets mine again, “got involved and now we have a whole song and dance routine performance to get you to forgive us.”
“Oh,” I say, shocked and wide eyed.
Never did I expect this is the way it was going to go.
“When we heard about the fuck up we wanted to join in because at no time do we want you to think you aren’t one of us,” Vi says, ignoring when Mira starts chanting “one of us, one of us,” in the background.
“So baby, sit there, and give us five minutes,” Hayden says, pressing a kiss to my lips, then pulling away for Zane to kiss me too.
“Hey! She’s kissing both of them! My mom says only loose women do that sort of thing. I’ve been kidnapped by bikers and looser women!” Jackson starts up.
“They might both be her husbands,” Karly pipes up.
“Is she a Mormon?”
“Who’s Norman?”
The MC tries to hide their chuckles as my students keep debating why two gorgeous men kissed me.
I’m not too sure how it happened either kids, but I’m going to try my best to not freak out in the future.
Unless this little grovel show is really good and then I might do it in the run up to special occasions.
The couch where Zane and Hayden told me to sit dips as Pops sits on one side of me and Mad Dog on the other.
“Don’t know how you do it girl. Those kids are fucking exhausting.”
“Yeah, but they’re mine, so it’s all worth it,” I answer, watching Rider in a battle of wills with Rodney.
“What about the other two?” Mad Dog asks, tipping his head toward Zane and Hayden.
A smile plays on my lips. “Yeah, they’re mine too.”
“Good. They needed a good strong woman, and they got one.”
“What about you, Mad Dog?” I ask, turning to look at the older biker.
“I already had one love, not sure if there’s another for me.” He smiles softly.
“Trust me, brother, there is.” Pops says. No smart comments, no bird flipping. Just a fact.
“OK ladies and gentleman,” Rodney calls out then waits somewhat patiently as Mama Debs and Sage take a seat, the littles and babies crowded around them. “Welcome to our production of, wait, what was it again?”
Hayden smiles at Rodney, ruffling his red hair which Rodney does not like one bit, before stepping in front with Zane by his size.
“Baby, we know that lupus is like a cage,” he starts.
“But with us you can break free,” Zane finishes with a brilliant smile.
As Freddie Mercury says the iconic words and Rider starts mincing around in his blonde wig and vacuum with the MC side stepping in the back and my kids dancing in the front, I laugh and cry and feel exactly what my men want me to feel. Free.