Page 3 of A Biker's Tiny Present

Knock knock.“Tiny.”

Why the hell is she knocking? I may have been lollygagging and drifting off in my thoughts, but Raven hasn’t been gone thatlong. This is her office so she shouldn’t have to knock to come in. Did she lock herself out?

I open the door, but what I find on the other side is something I hadn’t expected to see for another four months—Ring has a baby in his arms!

His Old Lady Sunshine, who is still sporting her quite impressive baby bump, is expecting twins this coming April. She stands beside him holding a car seat contraption, and Raven is with them.

“I forgot my keys,” Raven announces with a shrug. She leads the group into the office and grabs a cluster of keys from the top drawer of her desk.

“So uh,” I start the conversation about the small elephant in the room since no one else seems ready to fill me in, “whose baby is this? Did you pop out one of your kiddos earlier than the other and not tell anyone?”

I point my question at Sunshine, because she’s obviously still very pregnant and I’m trying to bring some humor into the suddenly gloomy room, but she doesn’t find my joke very funny. Instead she hands me a piece of notebook paper that’s a little crinkled and folded in half. “I think this is for you.”

Looking at the others, hoping one of them will give me a clue as to what the fuck this is about, I find everyone left is looking anywhere but at me. Raven has disappeared, Ring is making funny faces at the baby, and Sunshine is finding her nails suddenly very interesting.

Since no one is feeling in the answering mood, I guess I’ll have to decipher the clues myself. I unfold the paper and start reading . . .

Dear Tiny,

Shit, why does that sound so formal and snobbish? Crap. How else do you start a letter telling someone they are a dad?

I guess there’s really no other way to say it. You’re a dad Tiny.

This ismyour son. His name is Nicholas. He’s—

“Holy fuck.”

“Don’t swear in front of the baby.” “What happened?” Sunshine and Ring scold and question me at the same time.

I can’t take my eyes off the baby, off of Nicholas . . . my son.

Dropping the letter, not bothering to finish reading it, I approach the smiling tyke and hold my hands out. I may not have held any babies or young kids before, but I’ve seen enough of my friends due it, so the motions are almost instinct. As soon as I’m within reach, the little guy starts to wiggle, his smile spreads so wide, and he reaches out to me. I pick him up, my hands wrap almost all the way around his waist, and pull him into my chest.

“Oh my gosh.” Sunshine gushes at my side. She traces a finger down Nicholas’s cheek as he lays his head down on my chest. “It’s like he knows you’re his dad.”

“Who would’ve thought,” Ring mumbles from behind the desk where he’s commandeered Raven’s chair. He’s got the letter and is looking at it like he’s an archeologist trying to decipher some ancient symbols. “Someone had your baby, Tiny. Did you really not know about this?”

“No fuc—Sorry Sunshine.” Not dropping the f-bomb around little ears is going to take some getting used to. “This is news to me.”

Nicholas snuggles his face against my sweatshirt and he rubs his eyes with closed fists. Checking the clock on the wall I see it’s almost seven. I have no idea what his bedtime is, but based on his sleepy expression, the time is closing in.

“Any idea who this Taylor chick is?” Ring’s eyes are volleying between me and the letter.

I find myself pacing the office, a few steps in one direction, then turning around when I reach a wall . . . then repeat. Back and forth, not making many steps due to my long strides, but the more I pace, the deeper Nicholas leans into me as his eyes drift closed.

“Taylor is the mother then?” I keep pacing. “I only got a few lines in. Can you read what came after her saying his name?”

“I will,” Sunshine hustles around the desk as quick as her belly will allow her. She’s starting to waddle a bit, not that I’ll ever say that out loud, but it’s pretty cute.

His name is Nicholas. He’ll be six months old tomorrow. He was born June 15th.

When I found out I was pregnant, I thought I could do this without you. I’m sorry for that. We only spent a few hours together, and I knew it wasn’t anything serious, so I didn’t want to invade your life. I guess that didn’t last long.

I know this isn’t how I should be telling you this, but right now there is no other way. Things have gotten too out of control and I need you to keep him safe. I can’t burden my sister any more than I already have and Nicholas needs his dad.

All the information you’ll need to know about how to take care of Nicholas is in a notebook in his diaper bag. His sleep and feeding schedule, whatbrand and size diapers he wears, what size clothes he’s currently in, doctor’s information, and his nighttime routine.

His blanket and monkey are in there too. He won’t sleep without them.

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