Old Ladies Club Book 3: Rebel Guardians MC (The Old Ladies Club) Read online

  At her comment, the rest of us burst into laughter. Yep, we know our men and kids, that’s for damn sure!

  Two

  Skylar

  Since I’m finally getting back on track after one hell of a migraine that incapacitated me for days, checking the site every hour is a must for me. I checked it shortly after Hannah posted that they were still staying in the basement, but that they were okay was a relief to say the least. Now, we just need to hear from the other girls and we’ll be okay.

  “Baby girl, you in here?” Cage calls out, walking into the bedroom with a pair of gym shorts on and nothing else. “You hear from anyone yet?”

  “One of the girls posted that it’s mostly debris on their end, but that it’s still storming there. Nothing else yet. I’m getting worried,” I tell him, letting him pull me into his arms even though there’s a fine sheen of sweat covering his body from the workout he just finished.

  “You’ll hear somethin’ from them soon. I’m sure of it,” he replies, placing a kiss on the top of my head and swatting my ass before walking into the bathroom for his shower.

  I follow because there’s an idea I want to run by him. “So, I was thinking that we could do something to raise some money to help them out. Make care packages, have some money for rebuilding, things like that. Do you think that it’s possible?” I ask, watching his muscles flex as he climbs in the shower.

  “We can bring your idea to Grim and see what he says. I’m sure the girls will all be on board. It’s a matter of gettin’ the guys on board,” he tells me, standing under the water and letting it pour over his body.

  “I’m going to talk to the girls about it so we can come up with different things to do before we talk to Grim,” I answer, leaving the bathroom and the images now running rampant through my mind about my man naked and wet.

  Walking down to the kitchen, I think of everything that we would need if we were going through the same things they are right now. Once I have a list for items we could send in care packages done, I move on to making a list of different ways we could raise money if any of them need to rebuild. Not only are the kids and housework keeping me busy enough to keep my mind off of the rest of the girls, trying to figure out ways to help them out is helping keep me calm.

  Once I have the lists done, I pack a bag up for the kids so we can get ready to go to Maddie’s in a little while. She asked if we could meet there today because the boys are having a rough day and Zoey is just getting over a cold. Jameson has been worried about her and has a few drawings he made for her. My baby boy has his first crush and I don’t know what to think about it. Before too long I’m not going to be the main girl in his life. Hell, I’ll be lucky to get a spare second if he becomes girl crazy like I expect him too. But, such is life and I’ll deal with that the way all mothers do when their little boys start to become men.

  As soon as I make sure we have everything, I let Joker and Cage know that we’re taking off. My men have to go to work in a little bit, so I’ll see them later. Of course, getting out of the house isn’t that easy when it comes to having two alpha Neanderthals in your life. They each pull me in for a long, lingering kiss before they let me leave the house. Now, the last thing I want to do is leave. They sure do know how to make me want to forget about everything else going on around here and let them have their way with me.

  Keira

  Skylar sent everyone a message earlier while I was working. She wants us to get together so that we can brainstorm ideas about different ways we can help the other clubs out when the storms are all over. So, as I write away I let my mind also think about different things we can do to raise money and things we can gather up for care packages.

  Before too long, Kenyon and Cory are awake and it’s time for me to take a break. I’ve got a good head start on the next book so I can spend some time thinking about ways to help our new friends and be with my kids. I find myself absently rubbing my belly at the thought of another baby joining our family.

  “You guys ready to eat?” I ask, after changing the twins.

  Placing them in their highchairs, I grab a bottle for each of them of juice and get their lunch ready. A notebook on the countertop awaits my ideas while they eat. The first, and most obvious, idea is a bake sale with Skylar’s amazing goodies. That’d be one way to earn money. Since most of them have kids, we should include things for them in any care packages we make so those items go next on the list.

  By the time Kenyon and Cory are done, and ready to head to Maddie’s house, I’ve added a few more items to the list. I’m not sure if any of them are going to be accepted by the rest of the girls, or Grim, but I think they’re good ideas. We’ll get the list compiled and share it with Grim once we’ve finalized it. I just hope that we hear from them soon and that Grim accepts that we want to help them out.

  Blade is at work, so the kids and I leave the house and make our way between the rest of the houses and over to Maddie and Tank’s. Because we all live so close together, it doesn’t take long to get there. The kids wanting to stop and inspect every little thing is what takes the longest. I love seeing the pure joy and excitement grace their little faces as they discover new things. So, we take our time and I let them inspect until their hearts are content. Which happens when they see Jameson and Anthony waiting on the porch for the rest of the kids. Now, we can run over there.

  Walking in the door, I see that we’re the last ones to arrive. Everyone else has a plate of snacks and drinks in front of them at the table. I make sure that Kenyon and Cory are settled in before I grab myself a plate and a cup of water. Grabbing my notepad, I set it on the table next to me and see that we all have at least a piece of paper with our ideas on it. It seems like we’ll have a great list to take to the guys when we ask them if we can do something to help these other clubs out.

  Three

  Ashton

  I watch as all the kids and Ol’ ladies are playing go fish and laugh at their antics. The women are really getting into it, and the kids are carefree and I wish we could all have their worry-free life. My mind is still spinning at all the damage that has been reported around the Texas area. This storm was so severe and struck so quickly that there truly wasn’t enough time to prepare for the worst. I worry about my girls, communication has been slim, due to signal loss, but from what I can gather, and the information I have received, they are all well and accounted for. What kind of damage they have is still unknown, but they’re alive and that’s what matters. The women have been worried about our new friends, but they are smart, capable women and I’m sure their men have made sure one way or another they are safe as well.

  Hoping that I can give them comfort, I look on the site and see Hannah has checked in...I whistle getting their attention. “Hannah’s checked in, they’re all good, minor damage, seems to be more debris than anything.” The women all cheer and I giggle at their enthusiasm. Friendship like what everyone has made in these women from other clubs is unbreakable and life-long friends are made this way.

  “I just commented on Hannah’s post letting them know we’re all accounted for. I told her our damage was minimal, but we have trees down and some power lines need to be restored, other than that we are all a-okay,” Lizzie states.

  “I can’t believe you all have service and I’m sitting over here with just enough service to send out a text. This sucks,” Rainey says, tossing her phone on the ground next to her.

  “That’s because you have a shitty provider, thinking you need to change companies,” Bristol tells her, earning a death glare.

  “Whatever, I’ve been with them since I was a teenager. Same number and all,” Rainey replies.

  “Scared of change? It looks like you have the same phone as well. You are using a dinosaur, get with the new age, lady,” Lizzie tells her. Leave it to Lizzie to not hold back how she really feels about a topic.

  “I’m not fucking scared of change! But why change something and upgrade when what I have works and gets the job done?”
Rainey questions Lizzie.

  “Obviously that’s working so well for you as of right now,” Lizzie says to her while pointing at her phone still laying on the floor.

  “Hmm...maybe you’re right. I’ll check into getting a new one once everything settles down,” she states, looking at her phone like it’s a rattlesnake waiting to jump up and bite her. I can’t help but laugh at the look on her face.

  “I just recently learned how to text, so I’ll stick with what I have since I know how to use it and where everything is,” I reply, butting into their conversation.

  “Ha! I didn’t know you just learned how to text, there’s so much I can teach you about your phone that would make your life so much easier,” Lizzie tells me, and since we’re just now getting on a good footing in our relationship, I nod my head.

  “I’d like that Lizzie, thank you,” I reply to her.

  Lizzie

  “Anytime,” I reply to Ashton. It feels good to be included in things with her, we’re slowly getting there, and I hope in time we can be as close as she is to the other Ol’ ladies. I check my phone once again, to see if Jenalyn or Vanna have checked in, nothing yet, and it has me extremely worried about them. Jenalyn’s friendship has come to mean the world to me, she doesn’t judge me and lets me ramble about not feeling like I fit in and has given me some really great advice which has actually made me feel more accepted and more like I’m where I’m supposed to be. Justice has always made me feel like I’m at home, but I never felt that here at the club. The shotgun wedding between Justice and me, then being shuttled off to Templeton as soon as we got home may have had a negative start to my relationship with a lot of the members and their Ol’ ladies, but it’s finally taking root and they’re more accepting of me now that the tension has dissipated between Ashton and myself.

  I send up a prayer for my friends that we haven’t heard from as of yet, and pray that they are all safe and sound. I can’t imagine a world without any of them in it. They are all amazing women who accept you as you are, faults and all. I watch as all the brothers leave the meeting room and they come to their women, give them kisses and I don’t want to let Justice go once his lips hit mine.

  “We’re goin’ into town to check and see what all damage was done. While we’re there we’re goin’ to check on the townsfolk and make sure they aren’t in need of anything. We need you and the other Ol’ ladies to check and see how our supplies are because we may need to donate some of them.”

  “Of course, I’ll check our supplies and make a list of things we have extras of that we can share.”

  “You’re the best Ol’ lady, love you, beautiful.”

  “Love you too,” I reply, earning myself another kiss and he groans when he walks away. I love the way I affect him and vise versa. They say love dies and dulls out over time, I haven't experienced that and hope we never do. He’s always coming up with ways to keep things interesting in and out of the bedroom, and I never tire of the way he looks at and talks to me. He’s my perfect match, the only thing my father ever did right for me in my life.

  I shake myself from my thoughts and get a notepad and pen ready, our inventory is huge, so this is going to take me awhile to go through. Might as well get busy instead of putting the mundane task off.

  Rainey

  “Can you drop me off while you’re in town so I can check on the shop and my sisters?” I ask Levi when he informs me they’re going into town.

  “Not this time Rai, we need to make sure it’s safe,” he replies. I cross my arms over my chest and give him the best ‘you’re in so much trouble’ look that I can muster. I’m so fucking pissed off at him right now I can barely see straight.

  “I call bullshit! I can’t believe you’d leave me here not knowing how my business is or how my family is doing after the storms. Stop being so selfish, Levi!”

  Carson comes over to us when he sees me so upset. “What’s goin’ on over here?” he asks the both of us. We both begin answering him at the same time.

  “She wants to go out before we know it’s safe!”

  “He’s being an asshole and won’t let me go check on the shop or my fucking family!”

  “Okay, I think I got both of those statements. You’re goin’ to be pissed at me too, baby. I happen to agree with my brother to an extent, you can’t go outside yet, none of the Ol’ ladies can until we check things out. Hang on!” he says, holding his hands up before I get the chance to rip him a new one. “Let us check things out in town, we’ll check on your sisters, mother and the shop. I’ll make sure we report back to you as soon as we know. If everything is safe and sound, we’ll take you over to visit them this afternoon. Okay?”

  I hate it when they are right! It pisses me off that they have to be so damn reasonable all the time, I never get to fight it out like I’m used to doing. I’m tired of them trying to appease me at all costs, but I love them and know that I don’t have a choice in this matter, so what else can I do but agree? “Whatever,” I say, walking away and heading into our bedroom. If I had a decent phone I’d just call Ariel or Emory, one of them would say ‘fuck them’ and come pick me up. Maybe the girls are right, I need to get into the new century and get a phone that actually works more than not.

  I know I’m pouting and being immature right now, but I can’t seem to help myself. When I want something, and I have a one-way thought, I want it to happen right there and then. Patience isn’t something I have ever been good with, and doubt I ever will be.

  Fuck! My poor kid may be screwed, I think, absentmindedly rubbing my belly. “Mom apologizes ahead of time, I’m very hard-headed and stuck in my ways. You’ll get used to it and love me anyways, I promise,” I tell my small baby bump, then my mind drifts and I wonder if my baby can hear me and understand the difference between my voice and others? Something to google, if my damn phone was working, just something else to piss me off. Instead of dwelling on the things I can’t change, I lay down on our bed and take a much-needed nap. I never knew pregnancy could wear someone out as much as it does me.

  Four

  Jenalyn

  My heart pounds against my chest at the visual before me. I look over at Tess before I take Cami and Leo to her. Three crying babies, and we need it to be four. Turning around, I make my way over and behind Sidney. “How can I help?” My shaky voice comes out a little more nervous sounding than originally intended.

  Stormie jolts forward. “Something wrong?” she asks, as she hastily scans all of our faces. “Why isn’t my baby crying?”

  Four women, one being a doctor, and we’re standing here feeling helpless. At least that’s how I feel. I swallow hard before Sidney tells Stormie, “Everything’s fine, Stormie. I need you to finish pushing the baby out. The baby hasn’t taken his or her first breath yet. After that, I promise you’ll hear your baby crying.” Her voice is spoken with so much conviction that she has me convinced, and I pray she’s right. “Now, give me another push. Come on, Stormie!”

  I walk and kneel down beside Stormie, placing one of my hands gently on her back. “Grab your knees and pull them as far into your body as you can and then push as hard as you possibly can. Come on, Storm, you’ve got this.” Briefly, she glances up at me and I assume it’s to gauge my expression. I offer a grin, even if it is one of uncertainty. Stormie grabs her legs just below her knees and pulls them into her. She bears down and pushes so intently that she lets out a grunt, followed by one last scream as Sidney pulls the baby out. Immediately, she untangles the cord from around the baby's neck. Sidney extends her hand and Clara passes her a blanket and she begins to stimulate the baby. She turns it onto its stomach and begins to pat hard. I look over at Stormie who looks on with wide eyes as shock and concern creep up her face. I’m panicked inside, and I’m sure that we’re all feeling the same way. Vanna stands paralyzed as she watches. Tess is still attempting to calm crying children down while also keeping a close eye for any updates on this end.

  Clara kneels down and places a hand
on the baby’s back and begins to say a prayer. Each second that passes feels like an hour, and suddenly, the faintest of cries can be heard. My heart leaps into my throat, and happiness begins to overcome me. Stormie reaches her hands out as several tears slip from her eyes and roll down her cheeks. Sidney hands the now crying and very much alive baby over to its mother. Still wrapped in a blanket and the umbilical cord attached, Stormie pulls her baby into her chest and begins placing kisses onto its head.

  “I’m sorry the moment is going to be short-lived, but you’ve still got to deliver the afterbirth. Time is essential here. So, before you have to pass your baby off again, you going to tell us if this little miracle is a boy or a girl?” Sidney asks Stormie.

  Trembling still, Stormie peeks through the blanket. “I can’t. I mean, I think it’s a boy? Oh, wait, that’s the umbilical cord. It’s a girl!” She wraps her crying baby girl back up and kisses the top of her head and passes her and Joker’s daughter to her mother. “Oh, I have the urge to push again,” she says, almost startled.

  “Yes, good! Go, push!” Sidney orders her and I keep my focus on Clara holding her new granddaughter. I can see out of my peripheral that Sidney is wrapping whatever it is up in a towel.

  Relief washes over me as I look around and try to make out the same on everyone else’s face. I feel tears of joy fall from my own eyes and then our lights begin to flicker, causing my heart to hammer faster against my chest as I look upward. Sighs of relief are echoed throughout the closet and I make my way over to my own children. The flickering hasn’t made its mind up yet and I wish it would instead of leaving us all in suspense. Finally, it stops and our surroundings are illuminated, and this time it feels like it’s for good. Everything begins to happen at once it feels like. Tess dials 911 again, but still gets a busy signal.