Page 88 of Brother to Brother

“You bought me a car?” I asked incredulous.

“Naw, I just bought a transmission for it. Customer brought it in last week and when he saw the pricetag, decided to get somethin’ else. Signed it over to the shop. I picked it up, dropped a new tranny in it, and it’s as good as new. Only has eighty thousand miles on it. You like it?”

“Are you kidding me? This is fantastic! I’ve been so scared that thing was going to leave me stranded somewhere I’ve had Ghost on speed dial right underneath your number!”

I hugged him tightly and he smiled down at me, “Cool deal. Feed me and you can give me a ride back to the shop so I can get my bike. Test out your new wheels.”

“What doing?” Noah asked and we turned to look in the open doorway.

“Lookin’ at your mom’s new car, you wanna see it?”

I let the boys play, Archer showing Noah all the cool new things in my new van while I set the table and dished up dinner, all the while thinking to myself thatthiswas perfect.Thiswas what I had always secretly dreamed of, and because of love, and more than a little perseverance, it was finally mine.

Chapter 38

Archer

“Archer! Archer, wake up!”

“Huh, what?” I demanded and sat up, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. Melody was sitting up in bed next to me, distress drawn in every line of her body. “What’s wrong?” I demanded.

“My water just broke!”

“Ah shit, hang on Baby. I’ll get us going.”

She sat in bed and breathed while I woke up Noah and got him dressed. I put out a call to the club, while she whined through a contraction, probably one of the more heartbreaking noises I’d ever heard. I helped get her up and dressed while Noah watched us, and moved around with as much efficiency as I could muster juggling my very pregnant wife and two year old son. I got everyone into the van, and Mel’s bag in the back and started for the hospital.

“You’re doing good, Baby. Just breathe.”

Mel looked at me, the fear in her eyes very real and alive and it was all I could do not to speed. Didn’t matter either way. When I pulled up outside the hospital a bunch of brother’s waited outside. Aaron took my van keys and said, “I’ll bring up her bag, stay with your ol’ lady.”

“Thanks, Kid.” I grunted and before I could get Noah, Rev was there, getting him out of the back seat.

“You’re gonna stick with me, okay, Kiddo?”

“Is Mamma hurt?”

“No, son. Mamma’s coming with me to go get your baby brother.”

Noah perked up at that one, and started talking Rev’s ear off while I picked up Mel and took her through the hospital doors.

“A little help, please?” I called.

“Oh boy, do you know who your OB is?”

I explained to the nurse that Doc was going to be making the delivery as I set Mel into a wheelchair. We were whisked back into a room and they started helping my wife into a gown. I felt helpless and I didn’t like it. She was hurting and I couldn’t do a damn thing about it, which sucked, like epically and royally sucked.

“It’s okay, I’m okay,” Mel said breathing through her pain and I balked.

“You’re about to squeeze a human being, the size of a fucking watermelon out of your snatch which is a hole the size of a lemon and you’re trying to reassureme?” I demanded.

Melody laughed, the nurses right along with her, and I took her hand in mine now that they were finished putting an IV into the back of it.

“God damn, nobody told me I married a total bad ass!”

More laughter and Mel moaned out, “I love you, I love you so much.”

“No way that you love me more than I love you, Baby. You just hang in there, okay? When can we get her something for the pain?” I demanded.

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