Chapter Three
Tease
GOING TO SHERIDAN’S doctor’s appointment with her truly made me realize the baby is real and we’re going to be parents.
Hearing that she’s dehydrated and needed to go to the hospital hurt me and I wanted to go with her instead of her dad.
I should have been the one by her side as she laid in a hospital bed for fluids as the staff tried to ensure she could eat something without getting sick.
I don’t want to see her struggle or be sick, but at the same time, I still can’t wrap my head around the fact that she lied to me about being on birth control and then wasn’t going to tell me about the baby.
Yes, I did tell her our night together was it and there wouldn’t be anything else between us, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t have the right to know I was going to be a dad.
Sheridan should have let me know so I could make the decision myself whether I was going to be in the child’s life or not.
I could have been there for her from the moment she found out she was pregnant.
After going to Slayer’s Pit to deal with paperwork and a short staff meeting, I spent hours riding.
No matter how many hours I’ve spent on the road, I can’t get Sheridan and the baby out of my head.
Usually going on a ride will clear my head and I can work out whatever is going on in my life.
The noise in my head stops and I can usually figure out a solution about the situation bothering me.
This time, nothing helps and I have no clue what to do.
It’s almost like I’m stuck in limbo and no matter what I think about, everything always comes back to the feeling of her lying to me despite her knowing how much I can’t stand liars.
If someone had told me this would happen, I would have laughed in their face because that’s not who Sheridan is.
She’s the girl who will always tell you the truth and not hide things from anyone talking to her.
Now, I wonder if I ever truly knew who she was.
Pulling into the compound after riding until it started to rain, I don’t stop at the parking lot.
I head back to the houses for my weekly dinner with Knuckles and Janessa.
My cousin is living his best life and I can’t be happier for him.
Janessa is currently pregnant with baby number three and I know she’s hoping for a girl this time.
She keeps telling everyone her house is full of too much testosterone and she needs some kind of balance.
My cousin’s face goes pale every single time she mentions them having a daughter.
It’s comical how much Knuckles doesn’t want to be a girl dad.
Though, I can honestly say, I’d be right there with him if they do have a girl and some boy starts to show any sign of interest in her.
She won’t be allowed to date until she’s old and gray if we have our way.
I park my bike in the open garage next to Knuckles’ bike and shut the engine off immediately in case Matty is sleeping.
He’s just getting over another ear infection and has been feeling horrible.
Janessa hasn’t been able to put him down until he’s asleep in her arms. Knuckles has been there and tries to help her, but every single day Matty proves how much of a mama’s boy he is.
Both boys love their mom and always want to be with her, but Kaden still follows Knuckles around and watches every move he makes.
He prefers to spend his time with his daddy unless he’s tired or sick.
Instead of going in the house through the door in the garage, I head back outside into the rain.
It’s coming down harder than a few seconds ago as I look up at the sky and wonder if Sheridan is doing okay since her trip to the hospital after her appointment a few days ago.
I could send her a message and ask, but I can’t bring myself to pull out my phone and send it.
In my mind, that opens doors I’d prefer to leave closed for now.
If something were wrong, Sheridan would call or message me to let me know.
Plus, I know Sheridan’s dad is more than likely with her and he won’t let Sheridan leave me hanging and out of the loop if something more were going on with her and our son.
A son. We’re having a baby boy. Images of spending my time with him fill my head as he grows and becomes an independent person.
I imagine teaching him about bikes, fighting, how to be a good man, and everything else a father knows he needs to teach his son so he can be the best version of himself as an adult.
I want to be there every day for my child and know I wasn’t a deadbeat who only showed up on certain occasions.
My parents would beat my ass if that’s the kind of man I was because that’s not how they raised me.
I still have to tell them about the baby and everything, but I haven’t figured out how to do that yet.
Sheridan is close to her due date and only has about two months left of her pregnancy.
This isn’t something I can hold back from them for much longer.
Shaking my head to clear the thoughts playing on a loop, I turn to face the house and make my way inside.
It’s not raining hard enough to completely soak me so I make a mess in the house, but I am wet.
Walking inside without knocking, I toe off my boots and remove my hoodie to hang up as I listen to the sounds of chaos filling the house.
Kaden’s laughing hysterically at his dad while Janessa moves around the kitchen.
Knuckles is on the floor in front of Kaden’s blocks as they go tumbling to the floor all around the father and son.
Kaden laughs even harder until he looks up and notices me.
I watch him get off the floor and rush over to me.
Picking him up in my arms, I hold him close.
“How’s my man doin’ today?” I ask him, letting him snuggle against my chest in a way he hasn’t done in months.
Kaden feels warm to the touch as I look down at him.
His hair is a mess, sticking up in every direction, and his little eyes are drooping like he’s exhausted or sick.
I know Matty’s been sick and I’m wondering if Kaden is coming down with something as well.
I hate seeing the boys sick and wish I could take it from them.
I wonder if I’ll feel that way even more about my own son when he’s born.
“Sick,” Kaden says, grabbing my shirt and bunching it in his hand as Knuckles gets off the floor and watches us.
“Not feelin’ good, Kaden? I’m sorry. If I’d known, I would have brought you somethin’ to make you feel better,” I tell him because it’s something I always do when I know the boys are sick. “Did he catch whatever Matty has?”
“Yeah. They’ve both got a cold. Matty has an ear infection too. The doctor is talking about puttin’ in tubes with how many he’s had. That means surgery,” my cousin informs me as I move further in the house with Kaden in my arms.
“Shit. Let me know what’s goin’ on. I’ll be there no matter what,” I tell him as we make our way to the kitchen.
Knuckles starts helping his ol’ lady as she tries to pull the lasagna out of the oven. She has a tray full of garlic bread ready to go inside and my mouth waters at the delicious smells filling their home.
“How are you, Tease?” she asks me, a smile on her face as she turns toward me.
“Been better. How you feelin’?” I return, leaning against the island as I look at the salad she’s been preparing to go with our dinner. There’s also two pies sitting there and I know she’s been in the kitchen all day long again.
Janessa cooks and bakes up a storm when she’s pregnant.
She’s at the five month mark now and soon their freezer in the garage will be filled with prepared foods so she doesn’t have to worry about cooking a full meal when she has this baby.
It’s what she did when she was pregnant with Matty.
They had more than enough food and all Knuckles had to do was grab something and throw it in the oven each day.
I joked with her and told her she made enough to feed an army for a year with how much she cooked in preparation for the birth of their child.
“What’s goin’ on?” Knuckles questions me after setting the lasagna on top of the stove and putting the tray of garlic bread in the oven.
“I don’t even know where the hell to start,” I say, sighing because I know there’s no hiding this situation from the two of them.
“A little over seven months ago, I slept with a girl I’ve known for a long time.
The condom broke and she assured me she was on birth control.
I never checked in with her after that night and told her it was a one time thing between us. ”
“Sheridan? Didn’t you go to school with her?” Knuckles asks me, walking to the refrigerator and pulling out two beers and a bottle of water for Janessa.
“Yeah. She’s one of the few people I let in back then and knows all about Marcus and the hell it was when he died.
Anyway, she’s pregnant with my son and we’re not talkin’.
If there’s anyone in this world who knows I can’t stand liars, it’s her,” I say, adjusting Kaden in my arms. He’s getting heavy and I need to move him so my arms don’t fall asleep.
“You know birth control isn’t a hundred percent effective, right?” Janessa asks, opening her water while looking at me. “And you know if she’s taken other medicines, especially antibiotics, it could interfere with the birth control?”