The Weight Of Us Read online

  Kissing two fingers, I touch them to the headstone. “I will always love you, Joey. I’ll never forget the man that you were. The love you showed me. The woman you made me want to be for you. I hope that one day when I see you again that you can forgive me and be happy that I found love again.” Before I pull away, a monarch butterfly lands on my fingers, and in this brief moment I feel Joey is giving me his blessing. I can’t stop the tears as they fall steady as rain.

  “Hey, you okay?” Nathan twists my chin in his direction.

  In his eyes, I see nothing but love and adoration. I feel able to let go of the past. I can finally move forward with him.

  “Never better.” I offer him a true smile, feeling at peace.

  Natalie joins us and gives us both a hug. She has decided to move in with Trey and his son to better help him. I guess Yvonne isn’t a great mom and Trey has full custody of him now. She’s leaving the running of the bar to Nathan and me, with the help of Lewis.

  We are renting her apartment out to Freddie and Sasha, they decided to move in together.

  I still have Joey’s apartment, but I spend most of my time next door at Nathan’s.

  I’ll never forget Joey or the love that we shared, but life does go on. I will always love him and a part of me will always wish that he were still here with us, but I have to live my life. We only get one and tomorrow is never promised. Everything can end in the blink of an eye. I never want to take what I have been given for granted. The early detection pregnancy test I took this morning is evidence of the fact.

  We haven’t told anyone. It’s so early I don’t want to jinx us, and I don’t want to steal Natalie’s thunder. Today is all about her and Trey. I’m going to miss seeing her every day, but I’ve never seen her happier than she is right now. I think just maybe she does love Trey.

  She can’t stop smiling, it’s contagious.

  The three of us walk back to the tent where all the guests are gathered.

  The food has been served and is waiting on the table for us. I take my seat next to my man and Lewis. When I reach for my water instead of the wine, with piqued brows Lewis says, “Hold up. Since when do you turn down any form of alcohol?”

  I give him a mean scowl. He needs to be quiet. “I do like water from time to time.” I take a hearty sip.

  “What’s that?” Ma questions from across the round table.

  “Audrey isn’t drinking her wine,” he rats me out.

  Traitor.

  “Is something wrong with the wine? It’s not bad is it?” Joe asks with a grin. His smile is handsome like son’s.

  “I’m sure the wine is fine.” I look to Nathan to help me out and he has the biggest smug smirk on his face.

  Ma and Lewis look at him and back to me.

  “Oh. MY. Gawd. She’s pregnant. Audrey’s pregnant!” she screams, nearly leaping over the table to hug our necks and kiss our cheeks.

  g Joe gives me a hug and squeezes his son’s shoulders. Natalie is grinning while Trey says he can’t wait to be an Uncle.

  This nutty bunch is my family now.

  I’m where I’m meant to be. I touch my stomach, even though there’s no bump. This baby will be loved. Whether we have a boy or girl we’ve already decided on a name.

  Eight months later

  “Please put the camera away, Nathan,” I snap at my husband. He proposed one week after I found out we were expecting. We had a small double ceremony in Ma’s backyard with Natalie and Trey a few months ago. It was sweet and intimate. It was perfect.

  However, right now I don’t need to see my sweaty swollen face on film as I push a watermelon out of a pea. That’s what if feels like I’m doing as I bear down, giving my all, with what I hope is my final push.

  Natalie grabs the camera from him and I’m thankful, until I realize she is still filming. That’s okay though. I’ll get to repay the favor in about three months when she gives birth to her son.

  Ma keeps trying to poke her head through the door to get a glimpse. The nurse threatens to call security, but I ask for her to allow her in. I wouldn’t take this moment away from her. She wants a grandbaby to spoil so badly. Sure, she spoils Treyton, Treys’ son, but I know getting to hold her own flesh and blood means so much to her.

  Nathan returns to my side and kisses my forehead. “You’re doing good, babe, just one more push.”

  Easier said than done. He isn’t the one giving birth here.

  I squeeze his hand as hard as I can as I grit my teeth. Raising up, knees to my ears, I push until I feel like my eyes are going to pop. “NUGHHHGUHH!” I scream out as I feel our child being pulled from my body, and into the doctor’s hands.

  I don’t relax until I hear her wail. She has strong lungs. Nathan cuts the cord and holds her first, while I get stitched up.

  Seeing him with our daughter, I know we belong together. I no longer see glimpses of his brother, Joey, when I look at him. I am able to see him for the man he is, the man who loves me.

  He hands our baby girl over to me, and I have to count her fingers and toes. Pink and wrinkled, she’s beautiful. She has the thickest mop of dark hair on her head. I kiss her cheeks and dote on her for a moment, until they take her away to clean her up, and do a hearing test.

  I know Ma is eager to get her hands on her, she’s over in the corner with Natalie crying tears of joy while snapping pictures.

  Later in the day, Lewis comes by to see his Goddaughter. He has his new beau with him, Garrett. He’s his third boyfriend in six months. I hope they last. Garrett is funny and everything Lewis needs in a good man.

  “Girl, if I didn’t see those stretch marks last week, I wouldn’t think you even gave birth, you looking fierce, honey,” Lewis gushes kissing my cheek.

  “Ha. Ha.”

  Nathan brings our newborn from the nursery, and Lewis lights up like a damn lighthouse beacon. He holds her for a few minutes, and immediately hands her over to me as soon as she starts to cry.

  “Mamma, that is all you.” He laughs and promises to come by the apartment after we are released.

  I was afraid of how Nathan would cope with the baby crying, he seems to be doing okay, continuing to take his medication regularly and he has a dog, Lucky who seems to help him tremendously. She can sense when he needs her. If life ever gets to be too much for him, he knows all he has to do is say the word. I know he wouldn’t never hurt our daughter intentionally, but I still want him taking every precaution when it comes to his triggers.

  “You make me so happy, Audrey. I love you,” he whispers in my ear taking our sleeping girl from my arms as I drift asleep.

  When I awaken, he is sitting in the glider in the corner feeding her. He doesn’t notice I’m awake and listening to him as he talks to her.

  “You get your name after your Uncle, Joey. He loved your Mamma as much as I do. I know he’d love you too. I wanted to call you Rain, after the thing that brought your mom and me together. You see Joey Rain Carwell, when it rains…all is right in the world.”

  A tear slips from my eye.

  It’s been raining all day.

  The End

  About Glenna

  Glenna Maynard is a USA TODAY & Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author most known for her gritty Black Rebel Riders' MC saga.

  She has a passion for writing antiheroes but occasionally takes a walk on the sweeter side. Bikers, Rockstars, the boy next door, Glenna writes them all.

  When she isn't arguing with the voices in her head or drinking reader tears, she enjoys watching classic TV shows with her two children and longtime leading man. Her favorite books to read change with her mood, but she always enjoys a good historical romance.

  Other books by Glenna

  Black Rebel Riders’ MC

  Grim The Beginning

  Rumor

  Baby

  Striker

  Romeo

  Heart of A Rebel

  A Rebel Love

  A Rebel In The Roses

  Blood of A Rebel />
  The Devil’s Rebel

  Devils Rejects MC

  Hades’ Flame

  Boogeyman’s Dream

  Reaper’s Till Death

  Cupid’s Arrow

  Uno’s Truth

  Cocky’s Fight

  Black Rebel Devils MC

  Moonshine & Mistletoe

  Guns & Roses

  Sex & Cigarettes

  Sons Of Destruction

  Dark Paradise: The Apocalypse

  Paradise Lost: Wasteland

  Paradise Found: Resurrection

  BRRMC Roadhouse Tales

  Devil Dick

  Pecker Wrecker

  Cock Blocker

  Sassy Pants

  Cruel Love

  The Story of Killian & Liri

  The Conclusion of Killian & Liri

  Stand Alone Titles

  Beauty & The Biker

  Born Sinner

  Lil’ Red & The Big Bad Biker

  Making Her Mine

  Dirty Love

  Dirty Truth

  Don’t Let Me Go

  Stone Deception

  Jameson’s Addiction

  My Best Friend’s Girl

  My Brother’s Best Friend

  The Weight of Us

  Falling For The Bad Boy

  Cowritten with Dawn Martens

  You Wreck Me (Prospects)

  You Break Me (Prospects)

  Sacking The Player