Chapter 8
Brittany - Four Weeks Later
I feel the baby move, kicking my stomach as I slowly trace the three large letters on my wrist while sitting on my break.
Doc
My heart knows they mean something, my gut screaming at me they do but I just don’t know what, I can’t remember, nothing coming back to me no matter how hard I try.
I noticed them when David, the chief of police, an uncle to an MC brother, came to take my fingerprints. Melanie and Meghan both looked at me expectantly, hoping maybe it would bring something back, but it just didn’t, nothing.
I know they mean a lot. It’s the only thing that I have tattooed on my body. I checked twice, but I couldn’t, for the life of me think of why.
I huff with frustration for the fifth time today, my mind still fuzzy.
Axel, my boss's husband and the President of the Untamed Hell Fires MC, who helped me find my feet when nothing came back to me, asked if it was a brother's name. Saying he knows two Doc’s, one in the Devil’s club and another, a president in Louisiana where I was found.
I shook my head because beats me, I still don’t even remember my fricking name…
He introduced me to the Devils Doc on video chat, his beautiful wife sitting next to me, looking at me with concern and the man admitted he doesn’t recognize me.
He also mentioned if I got a brother’s road name tattooed, I wasn’t claimed by anyone.
Apparently if I was, I would have gotten his legal name.
Axel had hummed in and suggested maybe they were just letters and not a name and just to be sure, Axel also spoke to someone within the Rebels MC.
Apparently, according to someone called Canine, their Doc is engaged and has never had a relationship.
I’m beginning to come to the conclusion that the letters may be code for something, what, I just don’t know.
I sigh, dropping my arm as Annalise, the owner of Sweet Treats, walks over to me, placing a hot chocolate on the table, then takes a seat opposite me as she sips her coffee.
I send her a grateful smile and pick it up.
Her hot chocolates are to die for and honestly, the woman is a saint. I have no waitressing experience or at least I don’t think I do but she took me on without a second thought.
I sigh in contentment as I lean back in my seat and take a sip of my drink, my eyes going back to the tattoo.
“Has it brought anything back?” she asks, and we lock eyes, her violet eyes watching me with concern.
“No,” I admit quietly, “all I know, is deep down, it means something, it’s the only tattoo I have, I just don’t know what and it’s frustrating me to no end.”
Annalise gives me a small smile and says, “Something will come back to you, try not to force it.”
“I don’t know, I’m just, nothing is coming to me, no headaches, no flashbacks.
How is it possible that I don’t even know my name?
I mean, I’m having a baby and I don’t even know who the father is.
Don’t know if he is the reason I’m like this to begin with, if he attacked me, I don’t even know if I have a family that is worried about me.
” I say with frustration, and the baby moves, feeling it and I take a deep breath feeling guilty.
Everything I feel, the baby does, I need to remember that.
I gently rub my hand over my stomach, and Annalise reminds me, “You must have had something flash back to you. You chose Bell for a reason, as your name.”
I twitch my nose and admit, “It wasn’t a flashback, it was more, a strong feeling.”
When Melanie asked what I wanted to be called, Bell came out within seconds and I still don’t even know why, only that it felt right when I said it.
Annalise nods as the door opens to the shop and says, “But it’s a start and the doctor said it could take a while for you to get flashbacks,” just as her husband leans down and kisses her neck, making her melt and a soft smile etches her lips.
I smile at their love. Then Diamond, their German Shepherd, comes straight to me, her bright brown eyes locking with mine.
“Hi, beautiful girl,” I whisper as I place my cup down and gently run my fingers through her fur when she leans her head on my lap, giving me the comfort I desperately needed.
“Where are the kids?” Annalise asks with a murmur and Axel replies, “With my mama, I just wanted to see you without our offspring demanding your attention especially with me going to meet Stone tomorrow and not Dagger,” and my heart hurts.
Did I have that? Someone who just wanted to see me?
“You better not be meeting at a strip club this time mister!” Annalise growls and Axel chuckles, “Put your pranking mind away baby, we’re meeting at a warehouse and I don’t need pink hair when I go.”
I grin at his words.
Turns out Annalise likes to punish her husband when he ticks her off.
Last week his cut was ‘bedazzled’. It was hilarious when he walked in here full of anger and I swear I nearly peed my pants at the genitals in pink and purple diamonds on the front.
Diamond whines before licking my hand when I stop stroking her and I smile.
“I’m pretty sure you work with animals, Bell,” Axel says, and I look up to see his blue eyes watching me.
I frown and ask, “How’d you know that?”
He grins as he nods to the dog he bought his wife years ago and mentions, “You have a knack with her.”
I look at Diamond as she rubs her head against my stomach, and I furrow my brows, trying to think of something, anything.
“Nothing’s coming back,” I whisper with disappointment.
“It will,” Annalise repeats, “just give it time.”
Time… I don’t really have any time.
I’m twenty weeks pregnant with no idea who the father of my little girl is, and time doesn’t slow for anyone, including my memory.
The bell to the door goes again, and I carefully stand and state, “Customers call,” as I gently rub Diamond's head before walking over to the counter, and I say, “Hi, welcome to Sweet Treats, what can I get you?”
I sigh as I lean back against the couch and close my eyes, gently rubbing my stomach, my feet aching.
Four weeks in, and I’m still not used to working at Sweet Treats. But, I am grateful for all the help the untamed women have given me, especially when they didn’t have to. Annalise is an absolute angel, even though some brothers claim she's a menace.
I mean, if they tick her off and she decides to spray paint their bikes, that's on them, not her. She’s just expressing herself.
I smile, remembering Axel coming to see me with Slicer about renting a small one-bed apartment from them, and Axel’s hair was pink.
Slicer was trying not to laugh his butt off while the President scowled, though nothing Annie does will compare to the bedazzled cut.
Pretty sure it is the funniest thing I have ever seen, I think.
The baby moves, and I sigh as I gently rub my hand over my stomach and murmur, “What am I going to call you, sweet girl? I don’t even know who your daddy is.”
My eyes tear up, and I try to take small breaths to stop my emotions from taking over again.
“Bailey,” I whisper and I frown.
Where did that come from?
The baby moves, and I gently rub over my bump and whisper, “Yeah, Bailey Bell…”
My bottom lip wobbles, the name sounding perfect, and I slowly close my eyes as I continue to rub my stomach.
I may be alone, I may not know who I am, but I do know my daughter’s name will be Bailey Bell, and hopefully, Annalise is right, and in time, I’ll begin to remember.