Page 77 of Motorycle Daddies

“Okay, answer me this. Did it ever happen when she was supposed to be there to see me and the twins?”

The room is silent, and nobody wants to answer. I know I don’t. No good will come from these questions. She looks me up and down, demanding an answer with her eyes. When she doesn’t get her answer right away, she walks up to Dart, who averts his gaze.

“Well?” she asks.

“That’s enough,” I growl at her.

“Enough? You’re going to tell me about enough? We’ve all had more than our share of enough, and here you are taking advantage of my best friend when she was at her most vulnerable.”

“That’s too far, Harlow,” I say. “I never took advantage of her.”

“No? You were supposed to be like a father to her. Now you’re so careless that you don’t care that Meredith’s my friend. Did you even think to wrap it up?”

“You’re one to talk,” Trap says, his impatience with the situation becoming evident.

“What’s that, Trap?” Harlow asks. “Did I hear you chime in on this?”

Trap shakes his head, and I’d normally jump in to tell him to cool it before he even begins to spout whatever attitude he’s about to give, but I’m relieved to have the heat off me. I know Harlow isn’t going to like what she’s going to hear no matter which one of us is telling her, so he might as well take the lead.

“Those twins you have at home have not one, not two, but three dads. Only one of them is the real father. You’re going to get up in arms about three men being with your friend when you do the same exact thing? You’re being a hypocrite.”

“Say what you want, but I think I deserve to know if my best friend is fucking my dad.”

It’s always off-putting to hear Harlow swear to begin with, but to hear her describe the situation with those words tears me apart. The way Harlow says it makes it sound like the whole situation is meaningless. Like I haven’t completely fallen for Meredith. We all have feelings for her. And she has feelings for us. This isn’t some fantasy I’ve tried to fulfill by coming on to her young innocent friend.

“Hey,” I cut in again. “We’re all adults here. Nobody tried to hurt you, Harlow. Nobody expected to develop feelings, let alone a baby coming into the mix before we figured it all out.”

“Feelings.” She scoffs. “So, you’re in love with her?”

There’s a deep hurt in her eyes. I’ve always dreaded having to tell her something serious, like delivering the news I was terminally ill or something along those lines, but I hadn’t given this conversation much thought. She could have been hurt no matter who it was I had in my life. It could be a threat to the memory of her mother, or to the relationship the two of us shared.

“I am,” I say, and I almost croak it out. “I think it’s pretty safe to say that we all are.”

At that moment, Meredith lets out a moan, and we all fix our eyes on her. Her forehead is crinkled, her eyes clenched shut as she squirms in her hospital bed. We had to have agitated her with our heated conversation.

I hate to disturb her from getting rest, but I’m relieved she’s waking up again. I thought I could have lost her, and it rattled me to my core. I already walked through hell all those years ago.

It seemed impossible to find another love that brought me to life like this, but I’ll be damned if Harlow or anyone else tries to get in the way of it growing. As much as I love Harlow and the twins, there is nothing that could stop me from feeling this way again.

“Wouldn’t trade it for the world…” Meredith mumbles.

I can barely hear what she’s saying as she stirs. Everyone leans in to hear what Meredith is trying to say. It’s more like a half-sentence and barely above a whisper. Trap puts his hand out to grip Meredith’s hand and let her know she isn’t alone. I stand cemented in place, wanting to be immediately at her side, but I hold back, knowing I’ll get my turn soon enough.

“Harlow,” Meredith says, turning her head in Harlow’s direction despite not being awake enough to fully open her eyes.

Harlow looks down at Meredith with a pained expression. It’s rough seeing Meredith in such bad shape, and I’m sure her heart has to be breaking from that aspect, despite being so pissed. But Harlow is clearly overwhelmed by the new information coming her way.

“What?” Harlow asks, softening her voice considerably to hear what Meredith is saying to her.

“You said you wouldn’t trade it for the world,” Meredith says. “All that love.”

Harlow squeezes Meredith’s hand, the emotions of the day seeming to hit her hard. “None of you should have kept this a secret,” she says to the room. “I need time to think.”

“We aren’t going anywhere,” Dart says. “You can think all you want, but we’re here to stay.”

Harlow pulls her hand away from Meredith. “I think I should get a nurse.”

I follow behind her to the nurse’s station but she’s walking too quickly for me to keep up. Harlow reaches the station and taps her nails on the counter, adjusting the handbag on her shoulder like she’s trying to wriggle herself back to comfort somehow. I put my hands in my pockets.

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