Page 25 of The MC’s Surprise (Bikers and Babies #4)

Sierra

T he following weekend, we packed up some snacks and headed out on the long drive to the nearest city with a baby store in it.

I was reluctant at first, I’d hoped to keep costs down by going to a thrift store or something, but Vegas said it was just to make a registry.

We wouldn’t have to buy anything if we didn’t want to.

And it wouldn’t hurt to look. I didn't have a clue what we needed.

Thankfully, my mom was coming with us. She knew more than I did.

“I have a question,” Mom piped up from the back seat. I’d tried to get her to sit up front, but she refused, saying I needed to be up there to avoid getting nauseous. I’d never been car sick in my life, but I decided it was best not to argue with her. She was trying to help.

“Shoot,” Vegas said, keeping his eyes on the road.

“Why do bikers use those silly nicknames? Do you all not care about the gift your mothers gave you when naming you?”

“Mom,” I groaned, drawing it out.

“What?” she demanded. “It’s a legitimate question!”

Vegas, for his part, didn’t look offended by the question.

He was grinning as he explained it to her.

“The reason varies, honestly. I think originally, the people who were in MCs were vets and pulled those names from their military days. Now, it’s a way to feel included in the crew.

You’re given a name and your patch when you move up from prospect to full member. ”

Mom nodded slowly. “Okay, so why are they all silly then? Like why Vegas?”

He chuckled, and I loved how easygoing he was about her prying.

Him and his crew definitely weren’t what people thought.

None of them ever showed offense answering awkward questions like this at the events.

As long as people were polite to them, they were polite back.

It only made me more determined to fix their reputation.

They deserved to be treated like they treated others.

“Well, I was given the name Vegas because before I started my own business, I made most of my money at casinos. I’m killer at most card games. The guys usually try to get me drunk before going up against me. Otherwise they’re guaranteed to lose.”

I didn’t know that and curiosity got the best of me. “I want to see you play. You never have at the casino.”

He snorted. “No, that’d be like playing against myself. The house money is my money because its my casino. But I’ll have you join at the next club party. Did you ever convince your dad to come along?”

Mom answered that question herself. “Once he learned a few of his friends were part of the crew once upon a time, he seemed interested in going. Do the older guys come to all the parties?”

“Not all of them,” Vegas admitted. “We’re a little rowdy for them sometimes. They prefer hanging out at Axel’s bar and chatting over actual partying. But they do come to some parties. And if I told them he was going to be there, I’m sure they’d show up just to hang out with him.”

Cute. It was like they were planning a playdate for my dad. I would have to work really hard to keep a straight face when we mentioned it to him later.

Getting back to the main topic, Mom asked, “So who has the silliest name in the crew? I’ve heard of Prez and Sierra mentioned someone named Butch. That was the most normal name I’d heard. Whose is the silliest.”

“That’d be Rooster,” Vegas replied with a smirk. “He’s got bright red hair and he crows when he wins at any competition. There’s also Circus. He’s a stuntman on his bike, which was how he earned his name.”

I honestly thought my mom would be more judgmental about the crew.

She was kind of uptight on a good day. But Vegas had a way with people and seemed to put her at ease.

She laughed at the funny nicknames in the crew, asked questions about the kids who were as much a part of it as Vegas and the other guys were, and seemed genuinely excited to meet them.

She hadn’t been to one of our community outreach events yet, they’ve conflicted with her work schedule, but I made plans for a blood drive soon and my mom always participated in those if she could.

She said it was an effortless way to give back when she and dad weren’t making enough to do anything more.

I normally donated regularly too, but I’d get back to it once the baby was born.

For that event, I would just be the coordinator.

We arrived in the city to cloudy skies. I grimaced remembering the last time I got caught in the rain. I didn’t want a repeat of that if I could help it. I swore I felt chilly all day despite the warm clothes Vegas lent me.

“Don’t worry,” Vegas said, drawing my focus to him. “I’ve got an umbrella in the back. I’ll grab it if we need it.”

I thought about leaning across the center console to kiss him to show my appreciation, but it felt weird to do that in front of my mom. Instead, I gave him a gracious smile and waited for him to come around the car to help me out of it when he asked.

“Oof. Am I almost done yet?” I complained as I got to my feet.

Mom’s smile was sympathetic when she patted my arm. “I know, honey. The last few weeks are always the hardest. Luckily, places like this always have somewhere to sit down if you need a rest. Don’t push yourself if you’re feeling tired.”

Sometimes it still surprised me just how understanding she was being.

It wasn’t that she was a cruel person, she was always loving, but as I grew into an adult, there was always a hint of caution and warning in her tone and her eyes always seemed to hold the things she wasn’t saying out loud.

Like she was just waiting for my plans to fall apart.

It was like she did a one eighty after I told her I was pregnant.

She did everything in her power to help me be comfortable and when my hormones got the best of me and I started crying over nothing, she would sit by my side and pet my hair until I could breathe normally again.

It was like we’d grown closer in the last month and a half than we had in the last five years.

“I could always stick you in the cart if you need a break,” Vegas teased. He laughed when I stuck my tongue out at him, putting a hand supportively on my lower back as we headed inside.

The inside of the store was… a little overwhelming. There was an entire section of strollers, a wall of carseats, and crib sets as far as the eye could see.

“Holy crap,” Vegas and I said in unison.

Mom snickered, leading the way to the customer service desk. “Babies need a lot. Why do you think I was so glad Vegas planned this trip? At least now you can try it all out and see what you like best. Go look around. I’ll get us the scanner for the registry.”

It still felt weird to make a registry. I didn’t have friends, so I knew most of it would be bought by me and Vegas or my parents. Or maybe his.

“Have you told your family about the baby?”

He blanched and a horrified look crossed his face as he whipped around to look at me. “Oh shit. I forgot to call my mom.”

He looked genuinely panicked, not like he was hiding it, so I did my best not to take offense. Of course, my hormones had other ideas and I felt the tears well in my eyes despite knowing full well he didn’t mean anything by it.

His eyes widened even more and his panic grew when he noticed my expression. “Shit, Sierra. I didn't mean to– It’s not like that– I–”

He was practically dancing foot to foot, grasping at straws as he tried to come up with something to say. Finally, he whipped out his phone and put it on speaker, dialing his mom.

“You can’t tell her over the phone!” I complained, my voice watery and thick.

“Why not?” he asked, perplexed.

“Why not what?” Mom asked. “Honey, what’s wrong? Are you overwhelmed?”

Understatement, but not because of the store like she thought. And Vegas looked a little green about explaining it to her. Which only made me feel worse and I burst into tears despite myself.

“Shiiiit… Sierra, I swear I just forgot. I’ve been so busy with the house and the stuff at the club and spending time with you, I didn't think to call home. I don’t normally call home more than once a month at best.”

“That’s horrible,” Mom chastised as she moved to my side, rubbing my arm soothingly. “Your poor mother. Are you telling me she doesn’t know about the baby?”

“What baby?” a voice asked. Which was when we all realized Vegas never hung up the phone. Through tearfilled eyes, I watched as Vegas looked down at his phone comically slowly, staring at it with his mouth opening and closing like a fish.

“Justin, what baby?” the woman, who I assumed was Vegas’s mother, demanded.

“Uh… Hey, Mama…” he croaked. “I, uh… have some news.”

The resulting screech was deafening, even over the phone. Vegas was getting looks from everyone and had to step outside to talk to his mom in private. Meanwhile, mine led me toward the baby clothes, muttering under her breath the entire way.

“I’m so glad I never had sons,” she carped. “It would’ve broken my heart if you only called me once a month when you moved away.”

“Same,” I sniffled, accepting the tissue she pulled out of the packet in her purse. “I always looked forward to our phone calls.”

When things were going well for me, I would call home at least every other day.

Sometimes every day. My parents would listen to me gush about how things were going and how many clients I had.

It made it more embarrassing when things eventually fell apart, but I couldn’t imagine not calling. They were my parents.

Vegas came inside a few minutes later, looking properly chastised and sheepish. “Hey, Sierra? Would you be willing to meet my mom and my sister this weekend? I’m looking at certain death if you say no.”

That broke my meloncholy and I started laughing so hard my sides hurt. Vegas wasn’t ever the person to be kept down for long, so he joined me, laughing and leaning against one of the racks to hold himself up.

“You two,” Mom chided, though she was smiling when she said it so I didn’t feel like she was actually complaining.

“Come on. We’ve got baby things to look at.

And yes, of course she’ll meet her. We’ll have a meal at my home so we can all get to know one another.

We’re all part of the baby’s family, after all. How does tomorrow for lunch sound?”

I shook my head, taking a moment to catch my breath before saying, “The blood drive is tomorrow.”

I wasn’t sure if it was my imagination, but Vegas looked a little green when I mentioned it.

I was going to ask, but Mom interrupted, asking how long it would be and if we could make dinner work instead.

Then she handed me a scanner that looked like a smart phone in a fancy case, and it was my job to scan tags of items we liked.

I’d have to remember to ask him about it later.