“Momma will kick my butt.”
“But your dad won’t.” I wink with a grin.
I grab the helmet I ordered last month and slide it down over his head.
“Leave your momma to me, yeah?”
He nods and I slap the top of his helmeted head lightly. “Right, now ya gotta listen cause it’s the difference between life and death.”
“Grandpa, it’s not as big as yours.”
“But it will be one day and when that times comes, you gotta be ready. Ya hear me?”
He nods and I go through the safety measures before he’s allowed to climb on. Once he’s settled and I see that he understands the rules, I turn the engine on.
“Take it slow, yeah?”
“Okay, Grandpa.”
“And try not to hit anyone!” I yell after he’s taken off.
I watch my grandson as he tears around on the minibike I’ve been building for him. It makes me, I dare to say, happy. Alannah has spent decades going on about happiness and memories. Every time I've ridden out of the club, there has always been a part of me that never expected to make it home. In my heart I knew I had a great old lady and that while she would mourn me, she would continue to raise our boys into great men. She had been surrounded by great men her whole life, she hasn’t known any other way. Yet, I always rode back through the gates and came home to her every time. Because of her, I have memories in abundance. Memories of her, my boys, Harper, mygrandkids, and the club. Without her, I would have been dead a long time ago. It's funny, the older I get, the more I want to live. When I was younger, free of responsibility, I didn’t care when my end came. I have a lifetime of life and there’s nothing I wouldn’t do to always have more.
“Gunner! Slow down!” I yell.
“Oh my god!” Harper screeches but Gunner’s laughing his head off, having the time of his life.
He picks up more speed but fails to turn on time. He takes a sharp left and crashes into the prospect and the table of cooked sliders.
I run over and beat Harper to her son. I pick him up, his knees scraped and his elbow bleeding, and yet, there are no tears.
He grins up at me, and says, “That was the best, Grandpa.”
Somehow I don’t think his momma will agree. She rips him from my arms and looks him over.
“He’s bleeding!”
“It’s only a scratch. Take him over to the house and clean him up, he’ll be back out playing in no time.”
“I swear, you lot will give me a heart attack one of these days.”
Alannah hides her smile and joins Harper as she walks off.
“She’s gonna want me to kick the shit out of that bike. I hope it didn’t take you too long to build.”
I glance at JJ and laugh. “I’ll hide it away until she calms down.”
“Grandpa!”
I turn around and Luca is carrying River over from Victoria’s truck. I’m glad they could make it today. His chapter rides in and one of the new prospects jumps up to go get more beers.
Taking my grandson, I note, “He’s grown so much. It’s only been a month since I last saw him.”
“Tell me about it, he goes through more clothes than Tor.” Luca smirks. “Are you good with him while I go grab a beer?”
“Sure.”
Roman and Wolf are on the brink of taking their first steps and then Holly will truly be in trouble with them. I don’t know how she’s done it without losing her sanity. Yet she’s done it with a smile on her face.
