Page 11

It felt surreal to be sitting here, watching a bunch of bikers, their women, and kids laugh and have a good time, and to be a part of it.

It didn’t seem possible that I’d been in the hospital less than twenty-four hours ago, terrified that I’d lose my baby.

And that I’d discovered not only that it wasn’t so, but there were two babies.

The twin thing hadn’t fully sunk in yet.

So much had happened. While Bones and his brothers, as he called them, got rid of Deon, I had Eliana keeping me calm.

She’d arrived mere moments after Bones and Agony left me.

Right behind her, five minutes later, came a woman I didn’t recognize.

She wasn’t dressed like a nurse or doctor.

She was in business dress clothes. Black slacks were paired with a bright yellow top.

She had a sweet smile. That was the first thing I noticed about her.

She was around my age, I think. I relived that meeting.

Eliana had greeted her by name. “Hi Amanda, it’s good to see you. It’s been a while. I wondered if Dr. Charming would send you,” Eliana said nicely. The two women hugged. When they finished, Agony’s wife smiled at me.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to be rude. Blythe, this is Amanda. Amanda, this is Blythe. As you can see, she might need your services. I can step out while you talk if you prefer to be alone,” she offered.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Blythe,” Amanda said.

“You too. What do you mean by services, Eliana?” I asked, feeling dread. Who was this woman, and what did she want?

“Crap, I’m mucking this up. There’s nothing to be worried about, Blythe. Let’s start over. Amanda, tell her who you are. I’ll shut up,” Eliana said. She gave me a reassuring smile.

Amanda moved closer. “Blythe, I work here as a victim’s advocate.

I deal with a variety of cases. Given what you went through today, Dr. Charming asked me to meet with you to see if there’s anything I can do to help.

My background is in sociology, social work, and forensic psychology.

I mainly focus on domestic abuse, rape, and human trafficking cases. ”

My heart accelerated. Why would Dr. Charming send her in?

“I’m sorry, but I don’t understand. I wasn’t raped, sexually assaulted, or trafficked.

Yes, my boyfriend beat me up, so there was domestic violence, but not the others.

What exactly could you help me with?” I asked.

I wasn’t trying to be rude. I didn’t get it.

“May I sit? I can explain a few things. We can do it alone, or Eliana can stay with you if you like. It’s up to you.”

I took my time answering, and while I did, she patiently waited.

I studied Amanda. She was of average height.

She might be a couple of inches shorter than I in her flat dress shoes.

Her long brown hair was up in a clip. Perched on her nose were a pair of square-framed glasses.

They seemed to highlight her pretty brown eyes and the freckles that dusted her fair skin.

She was fresh-skinned and wore no makeup.

Her earrings were small and demure. Around her neck was an angel necklace.

I noted all this, as well as the fact that she was softly rounded.

There were no sharp edges, flat chest, non-existent ass, or pencil thighs to her. She was voluptuous.

Why any of this mattered, or even registered, I didn’t know.

Perhaps I was trying to determine whether she was someone to trust. After Deon, I would doubt myself for a long time, maybe forever.

Finally, I knew I had to consent or ask her to leave.

I didn’t want to offend Dr. Charming, so I only had one choice.

“Yes, you may sit. Sorry. I’m not thinking very clearly. Please tell me what I can do for you.”

“It’s not what you can do for me. It’s what I can do for you.

First, let me be clear, you are a victim of sexual assault as well as sexual coercion, Blythe.

What your boyfriend did to you was a form of that.

He did things without your consent. This type of thing is often done as a way to entrap a woman or to maintain control over the person.

Having a baby with you is a way to tie you to your abuser permanently.

As a victim, you have rights, and my role is to be there to support you in whatever decisions you make.

“If you decide to report his actions to law enforcement, you have a right to give input for when he has his first appearance before a judge. It can impact his bond and the conditions of release. Please know that if you face him, I’ll be there with you throughout the process, and I’ll support whatever decision you make.

There are also various resources in the community that I can put you in contact with, should you need any services, such as housing, therapy, or medical care, among others.

I know it’s overwhelming, but here's a packet that details everything I mentioned and outlines the next steps we can take. We can go as far as to ask for an order of protection. While an order of protection isn’t foolproof, it can serve as a deterrent and a means to document his behavior.

If he breaks it, then it’s a way to add more charges.

I don’t mean to overwhelm you. Take the packet, read through it later, and here is my card.

Call me if you want to talk it through with me. ”

Amanda assured me she wasn’t expecting anything at that moment. She knew the babies’ and mine’s health were the priority, but she did want me to think it over. When she was done and excused herself, she left me with a lot to consider.

It wasn’t long after she left that Bones and Agony returned.

They informed me that Deon had gone and been picked up by the police for DUI in the parking lot of the hospital.

When I asked how that was possible, they snickered, telling me they’d been the ones to tip off the cops.

Bones said it gave me a few days to think.

With it being a long holiday weekend, there wouldn’t be court or anyone to release him on bail until next Wednesday. I breathed a sigh of relief.

There was even better news twenty minutes after I was told Deon was gone.

The test results came back, and they showed I was dehydrated and had a urinary infection.

Eliana and Bones explained to me that those could cause my pain, and since the babies were in no distress and my cervix was closed, they’d treat me with more IV fluids to take care of the dehydration and antibiotics for the infection.

To jump-start it, Bones administered a dose of antibiotic through my IV, and then the rest of my doses would be taken orally.

We stayed at the hospital for a few hours, then I was discharged into Bones’ care. I was taken back to the compound and given a bed to sleep in. They said staying in the clubhouse was a hard no. It was loud and not the most comfortable place.

Agony and Eliana offered me a room at their house, but they had three-and-a-half-year-old twins.

I didn’t want to intrude or add to their workload.

Bones had voiced his concern that I couldn’t rest with the kids there.

That’s when he presented his house as the only solution.

He argued that I needed someone medical to be with me to monitor me, give me IV fluids if I started to get dehydrated again, and make sure I took my antibiotics without issues.

He told me he had a big house with several extra bedrooms. I was surprised when Agony said that it was a great idea.

Bones hadn’t lied. His house was big and one of the loveliest places I’d seen. Everything about it screamed comfort, charm, and serenity. The color scheme was classy. He gave me a tour after I’d slept for several hours.

That was a few hours ago. After resting and sleeping most of the day away, I’d been asked to come to the clubhouse and join in the fun.

I’d initially declined until Eliana and Bones reassured me that if I didn’t run or dance like a mad person, it wouldn’t hurt to sit and enjoy the company, fireworks, and food.

I was bored, and even though I was given a beautiful room in Bones’ house, I wanted social interaction. Deon had denied it to me for too long.

Tonight, some people were coming to celebrate with the club.

When I arrived last night, they were winding down a day spent with employees, their families, and local friends.

Those employees and friends were invited back tonight, but without the kids.

It was for adults only. When I asked about the club’s children, I was introduced to the sitters.

Agony’s grandmother, Tana, was in her mid-eighties but was spry and sharp.

She would oversee the sitters. A woman named Mercy, her nephew Micah, and Micah’s boyfriend were friends of the club.

Mercy was the second sitter. She was in her mid-fifties.

On the younger end were Aliya, Twisted and his wife, Zahirah’s sixteen-year-old niece, and their thirteen-year-old nephew, Arif, were helping.

I discovered that Zahirah, “Zari”, had been raising her niece and nephew for many years, and when she married Twisted, he took them in as his.

Seeing them together, I saw a lot of love on all sides.

Twisted treated them as if they were his as much as baby Ransom was.

I was sitting outside, near a firepit. It wasn’t cold, but the fire was lovely. Everyone was about to get ready for the fireworks. I’d gotten to talk to and meet so many people. The bulk of the club and their spouses were introduced first, followed by their kids and guests.

I was so far into my head and everything I experienced that I jumped when someone dropped onto the chair next to me. I glanced over to find Bones sitting there, studying me.

“Are you alright, Blythe? You seemed lost in thought,” he stated.