the one who will have to listen to Mom worry and panic about where I am right now.
My mom has always had anxiety, and it has played a huge role in her parenting. I know it has a lot to do with her own childhood, and the lack of love she got from her parents. They didn’t care what she did, they used to hit her anytime she did anything wrong, and she was always made to feel like she wasn’t welcome in her own home. A childhood like that leaves its mark on a person, and I know she always wanted to be the mother she never had.
It’s like she has tried to do the opposite with us, but in an unhealthy way. She’s constantly worried about us, and has always been overly careful in everything we do. Helicopter parenting at its finest. She has always instilled in us that there are things to fear, something I had to teach myself to overcome as a teen. I don’t think I’ve realized how codependent and a little unhealthy our relationship is until now. She’s a good woman, and I know she loves us more than anything, but she definitely has some issues she needs to work on.
When we get back to the clubhouse, Izzy has bought a new suitcase for me and left it on my bed. I don’t think I’ve ever met such thoughtful people, especially from people I haven’t known long, and who aren’t family. I send her a quick message saying thank you, and asking her when she’s free next so I can take her out for lunch or something.
She replies instantly. How about tomorrow? Or is Temper hogging you? I was thinking on Saturday night Skylar and I could take you out and show you the nightlife?
I glance up as Temper sticks his head into my room. “How come you get gifts? They never leave anything for me on my bed. If they did it would probably be a fuckin’ prank.”
“I’m going out with Skylar and Izzy on Saturday night,” I say, deciding to tell him not ask him. Why should I have to ask him? He said I should enjoy my time here, and I’m going to do just that.
“Okay,” he replies, shrugging. “I’m going to cook dinner, so I’ll be in the kitchen.” He cooks?
Daddy said yes, I text back, giggling to myself.
Izzy replies with a bunch of laughing emoji faces.
We only have the one small bar in my town, so that’s the extent of my experience, so I’m looking forward to having a girls’ night with them.
When I head to the kitchen, I find Temper in there sitting up on the counter, reading something on his phone. “What are you doing?” I ask him.
“Reading a recipe for potato salad,” he admits, placing the phone down. “I don’t know if you can tell, but I’m not usually the one in the kitchen.”
“Come on, I’ll help you make everything,” I say, hiding my smile. Side by side, we cook a roast with potato salad and peri peri corn for anyone who decides to drop in for dinner tonight.
I don’t know what I pictured it would be like being with someone in an MC.
But it wasn’t like this.
Chapter Ten
Saturday comes around and I’m wearing the red dress I bought with Izzy paired with some black strappy heels that Skylar lent me. With my hair down and my eyes rimmed in black kohl, I’m looking and feeling pretty damn good.
“So how are we getting there? A taxi?” I ask them as I put on my red lipstick in front of the mirror.
“Crow will take us,” Skylar says, running her hands through her thick red hair. “He’ll probably stay, too. There’s no way the men are going to let us be there alone.”
There’s no anger or bitterness in her tone when she says that, so I can’t help but ask, “Don’t you guys mind that you can’t go anywhere without someone watching you?”
“I can see why you would think that,” Skylar admits, standing up from my bed and moving next to me at the mirror. “But when you’ve