Some things never changed.
Especially when it was your goddamn blood.
“But, Momma, I don’t wanna wear the black bathin’ suit!” Harley argued, folding her arms over her chest. Cocking her hip out to the side. “It ain’t pretty. I wanna wear the pink bikini. Please, Momma, please!” she begged in the cutest baby voice.
“You don’t want to wear the black bathing suit. It’s not pretty. You want to wear the pink bikini,” I corrected, emphasizing the right dialect.
She tilted her head to the side, looking at me like I was crazy. “Well, my daddy don’t talk like that.”
I laughed, shaking my head at her as we stood in her room. I swear she was five going on twenty-one.
“I’ll tell you what. I’ll work on your daddy with letting you wear the pink bikini, okay? I promise. I think the pink bikini is much prettier, too, baby girl. But for today you have to wear the black bathing suit.”
She sighed. “Fine.” She rolled her eyes, walking over to me so I could help her change. “But, Momma, why do Daddy let you wear the pink bikini? When he says you belong to him, too,” she asked, scratching her little head when we were done.
She was too smart for her own good.
“Cuz, Daddy, will beat some asses if anyone so much as looks at Momma the wrong way,” Creed chimed in, holding our two-year-old son, Luke, in his arms.
“Creed... mouth!” I reprimanded, now shaking my head at him. I swear I had three kids already.
Harley, Luke, and my husband.
He kissed Luke on the cheek before handing him over to me. Leaning forward to kiss my swollen belly. “How’s my boy in there?”
“Kicking, moving around, driving me crazy. Much like his father.”
“Pippin, don’t hold him too long. You gotta enough weight on your tiny frame with that belly. Don’t want ya to strain yourself.”
“I’m fine,” I replied, kissing all over my little man’s face.
“Momma, I think the next baby after that one should be a sister, not another brother.”
“Another one? Who says I’m having another one?”
“Daddy.” She innocently shrugged, trying to put her shoe on the wrong foot. “He says he wants ta keep ya barefoot and pregnant in da kitchen, makin’ his food, cuz that’s where you belong. Momma, I thinks that’s a good idea, cuz I like when you make my food, too.”
“Oh my God, Creed! What are you teaching my daughter?!”
He proudly smiled with a gleam in his eyes, pulling me in for a kiss. “Our daughter,” he corrected.
“Babe, she’s going to think that’s okay,” I whispered low so she couldn’t hear. Knowing it was useless because she could hear everything, but I had to at least try. “What are you going to do when her boyfriend says that to her?”
He narrowed his eyes at me, arching an eyebrow. “First off, ain’t gonna be a boyfriend. Got my guns for a reason. And most importantly.” He glanced over at Harley. “Baby girl, cover your ears.”
She did, smiling and giggling. Knowing exactly why she had to take cover them.
“Any boy comes near her, I’ll break his fuckin’ legs and that’s if I don’t put him to fuckin’ ground first.”
“Creed!”
“What?” He grinned, looking at me with a mischievous glare. “She can’t hear. Can you, baby?”
She giggled louder. Making me laugh right along with her.
This was my family.
The loves of my life.
And I wouldn’t have it any other way.
“You ready, baby girl?”
She eagerly nodded, grabbing onto her pink backpack. “Daddy, can you helps me? I can’t reach it.” She stood on the tips of her toes with her little arms up high, trying to get her cut from her closet. I had it custom made for her, the back read, Property of my Daddy.
I grabbed it down for her, and she immediately put one arm through the hole of the vest while I helped with the other.
“How do I look?” She smiled, posing for me with her huge sunglasses on her head like she was grown. Reminding me so damn much of her mother.
She looked just like her, exactly how I wanted. My son, Luke, on the other hand, was all me. Much to Mia’s distress, saying she could only imagine what kind of trouble he would get into. Especially with the ladies. Making me proud as fuck my boy would divide and conquer just like his father. Already molding him to love bikes and women. All the baby girls followed him around on the playground. Causing Mia to only worry about him more.
“Beautiful, baby. Just like your momma.” She grabbed my hand, and I kissed Mia one last time.
“I’ll be right behind you guys. Going to get little man dressed, and I’ll meet you at the clubhouse. I won’t be long. Drive carefully please.”
“Always.” Baby girl took my hand and led me out of her room and to my bike. I placed her on the seat, grabbing her helmet from the garage.
“Daddy, when I gonna get to drive this bike?”
I snapped her helmet into place, patting her head to see if she was ready.
She looked up, smirking. “Come on, Daddy! Let’s ride.”
I chuckled, putting on my own helmet and getting on my bike behind her. Wrapping my arm securely around her waist, bringing her close to my chest. “You can drive when you can tie your own shoes.”
She happily nodded, putting her hands on the gas tank in front of her just like I taught her. Ready for the ride down to the clubhouse. Baby girl loved my bike just as much as her momma did, riding around with me with bystanders all looking over at her, pointing. Saying how cute she was with her little girl cut that matched my Prez cut. She was the talk of Mia’s mommy group that she took her to. Saying she needed to learn how to socialize or some shit. My baby girl didn’t need to socialize with any fucking boys, and I made sure to tell the facility that.
Pulling up to the clubhouse, I cut the engine and got off my bike. Taking off my helmet, then helping Harley with hers. She handed me her hairbands from her pocket, patiently waiting for me to do her hair. I put it back in pigtails the best I could like I did every time. They weren’t nearly as perfect as what Mia did, but Harley always said she loved mine more.
“Unkey Noah!” Harley shouted, running over to him as soon as I put her on the ground. Running as fast as her chubby little legs could move.
“Baby girl,” he greeted, immediately picking her up and throwing her onto his shoulders.
She wrapped her tiny little arms around his neck, laying her face on the top of his head. Hugging him tight with her eyes closed. She adored her uncle, she was attached to everyone, but Noah held a special place in her heart. They had a bond, probably because he was just another person who let her get away with anything. Always giving her what she wanted before she even batted an eye.