Chapter 57

Merigold
I've had frequent visitors since I've been awake. It took a while but I finally convinced Viper to let me see Jace and Jax the first day I was awake. I promised him I wouldn’t overdo it. And he could stay with me the whole time. He wasn't sure it was good for them to see me in my condition. And he didn't want it to stress me out. I told him it was more stressful not to see my boys. Viper very carefully put the boys on either side of me. I spent the next hour and a half getting hugs.
They filled me in on everything they have been doing since I was gone. How they got to spend time with Alaric and Mac. How River played video games with them. How Tony played trains with them. How Tank and Lug Nut watched movies with them. How Viper would sleep with them at night. Anna and a bunny named Grethen would bring them snacks to eat. The bunny helping out with the boys shocked me. Brick showing them how to wash a bike properly. It may not seem like much but these small activities they did with the boys to keep their mind off of me. Well, that is everything. I’m so grateful to all my brothers for stepping in when I couldn’t.
“ Momma, we need find you Prince Charming.” Jax says. “ Oh. Why is that.” I ask curious about where he is going with this. “ If you sleep long time gain. He wake you. Like story.” he says. I hug him close. “ Sweetheart, that is a nice thought. But I already had my Prince Charming. Your daddy. I don’t think I will get another one.” “ You will momma. We help.” Jax says. “ Ok guys.” I say. I don’t have the heart to tell them not to look for a new Prince Charming so I let it go. They will probably forget about it in a day or two anyway.
Tank brought Lilly by a couple of times. I think my big teddy bear brother might be sweet on her. Axel and Rowdy haven't been by. Not that I expected them to. I've had time to think about the pregnancy but I haven't fully figured out what to do. Oh, I'm keeping the babies, that's a given. I don't know what I'm going to tell Viper and Alaric. Or Mac. Or the other guys. I know they are going to be disappointed.
There's a knock at the door and Viper sticks his head in. Seeing I'm awake he comes to sit beside me. He pointed to my stomach, " You want to tell me about it?" Oh, shit he knows. " When did you find out? How did you find out?" If Dr. Ryans told them I’m going to kick his ass. He had no right to open his mouth. He picks my hand up " Alaric figured it out from the monitors Ryans put on your stomach the night we found you." Great, Alaric knows already. "Shit. How many know?" " Just Tony, Alaric, Mac, and me."
I lower my head so I don't have to look at him. "I see you don’t want to talk about it. But we are going to talk about it." Viper says. “ Can we do it a little later? There are some things I need to ask you about. Some things the dumb fuck who kidnapped me asked.” I ask. Viper nods. “ I will let this go for now. Ask me what you want.”
“ They wanted to know about the things you are running. They asked about routes and things like that. Is there something you need to tell me?” I ask. Viper sighs and puts his head down. He looked so defeated. “ Merigold, you know about all of the club's legal operations. I kept everything else from you to keep you safe. And I didn’t do a very good job of that. I can never tell you how sorry I am for what happened.” “ Ethan, I don’t now or ever will blame you for what happened. I’m just trying to understand why he would think I knew those things.” I used his real name on purpose. This was between my brother and me. Not the club president. “ But I need to know why I was left in the dark about those things. Do you not trust me enough? Did you think I would judge you? Or is it that you view me as an outsider like some others around here do.”
“ Oh, no. Merigold. No.It is none of those things. The truth is only high ranking patched members know about our other ventures. We never involve old ladies in any of it. It is for their protection. If they don’t know anything there is no reason for them to be in any kind of trouble. It was never a matter of trust. As far as I know most clubs operate like that. So I don’t know why the Reapers thought you would know anything.” Everything Viper told me makes sense. I understand where he is coming from.
“ So you were treating me like any other women in the club?” I ask. I feel better knowing I wasn’t left out because he didn’t see me as part of the club. Viper grabs my hand and looks me in the eye. “ Yes.” I nod. That’s what I wanted to hear. “ I won’t ask you anything about what it is if you can assure me of two things.” “ I’ll do my best.” he says. That is all I can ask for. “ Tell me you aren’t involved in human or sex trafficing.” Before I can ask my next thing Viper cuts me off. “ Fuck no we aren’t. The only flesh we pedal is the strip club. I would never allow anyone in this club to do something like that. I would turn them into the cops myself if I found one who did.” That makes me feel better. “ What about drugs?”
Viper hesitates for a minute. I can see the wheels turning in his head trying to figure out how much he is going to tell me. “ We don’t deal in hard drugs. And we really don’t deal with them. We provide security for others to transport.” I don’t really like his answer but it could have been worse. I can deal with the rest. “ That is all I need to know about that. Now I want to know what you plan to do with Lug Nut?” “ What do you mean?” he asks. “ I’m not sure if it is my place to ask this. I don’t want him punished because you think he failed to protect me. You taught me how things work. So I know that is what is supposed to happen. But Ethan Lug Nut didn’t fail. He protected me the best way he could. He fought back. He tried to get me to run. I should have. I didn’t realize we were outnumbered. He did his job. From what you told me, ranking members have to vote to get a prospect patched in. I just ask that you consider it. Please.”
I’m ready to beg him if I have to. Viper nods “ Yes, I will consider it. Then bring it up at the next meeting. If the vote goes through we will have a patching- in ceremony for him.” I reach out to pull Viper to me. “ Thank you big brother.” “ Aww shit. You know I’m a sucker when you do that.” I can’t help but laugh even though it hurts.