Do you think we should have a cake without alcohol? – Zee
Knuckles stood in the decorated main room looking at the large round chocolate cake that had a plastic toy motorcycle sitting in the center of the puffy icing. He remembered it from when she had made it before.Guinness chocolate cake…Jameson chocolate ganache…Bailey cream icing…He was drunk thinking about it.Despite her girls’ objections, Nessie had insisted on doing the cakes. The girls helped and even made a nonalcoholic cake that sat on a separate table. Mia had come over and helped them make a hummingbird cake. She kept insisting that it was called that because it was made with hummingbird eggs.“Those hummingbirds must be the size of chickens.” Her husband, Celt, had teased. “Or they died right after laying the egg.”The wedding cake was a recipe that Evie had found and wanted to try, but feared she did not have the skill set to make it. She had sent it to both Mia and Nessie. ThatSince neither of my older boys are giving me grandbabies, I’m spoiling this one. – SiobhanCookie and his crew built a house for Nessie and Knuckles on the back side of the compound. He and his crew worked long days on weekends to get it completed before the baby was born. Karan and the girls pulled Nessie into her office and showed Nessie various pictures. At the end, she ended up with a cross between a Scottish cottage and a fairy tale witches cottage. The greenhouse sat between the two buildings. The Flowers came out and planted some trees for them. About a week after moving in, Nessie walked out and found Cookie and Toad looking at her greenhouse. “And what are yeh two up to?” She asked as her uncle pulled her in for a hug.“Just looking to see if we can expand your greenhouse.” He replied resting a hand on her belly. She moved his hand to the top of her belly where the baby was currently kicking her ribs. “She’s turned. Ready to see the world.”“
In this life, and the next, yeh'll be me friend. – NessieNessie walked out of the office and into the kitchen. Her large belly was constantly in her way. Again.This one, she swore, would be the last baby.Her oldest, Abby, sat at the center workstation with her dad. This was their favorite place to hang out. Especially when Nessie was baking cakes.Or cookies. Or pies.Or trying out a new recipe. Her other three, nine year old Bella, and four year old twins, Daniel and Douglas, were playing with some of the other Shack kids out in the common room.“Mum.” Her twelve years old daughter said causing Nessie to pull out of her thoughts. “Who’s Stephen?”It was a name that she had not heard in years. Nessie and Knuckles shared a smile at shared memories. “He was a friend of me and yer da’s. Where did you hear it?”“I had a dream the other night. I was being chased by this crazy bear.” She said and did not catch the look that passed between
This is Chance's story.I had a meeting with Toad and Brute today. Need you to be at the next one. – TriggIn September, the presidents of the three local Devil’s Saints motorcycle clubs had a meeting at Sinner’s Shack. It was the newest and largest clubhouse. located in what was going to be a luxury hotel. What the three men discussed was being kept a secret from the rest of the members. It was said that Toad’s niece was included. But the rumor that a club girl was also in the meeting kept anyone from worrying. Chance was perched at the bar when Trigg came into Pop’s Place. It was the second clubhouse that had been opened. And was named for Chance’s grandfather. “Just who I was looking for.” The man with dirty blonde hair said looking at Chance. “My office.”Suddenly, Chance found himself worried about what his latest conquest might have complained about. She certainly wasn’t complaining when she left his room last night. Or even this morning. “Whate
Yeh keep yer hands and pecker to yerselves and yeh can keep yeh oysters. – NessieChance had arrived early at the Shack to make sure everything was ready. It was true that he was a man whore, a complete slut. But he also took pride in his work. And not just the work with the ladies. He also wanted to make sure that he was on Nessie’s good side. A woman with knives was scary. But a woman who had access to what you ate could be deadly. Especially one that knew about plants and natural remedies. And some not so natural deaths that looked natural. The day had cool weather, so the kitchen made stew, cornbread muffins, a baked potato bar, chicken nuggets and, in Nessie’s words, a feck ton of macaroni and cheese. “Ladies,” Chance walked into the dining hall and savored the aroma. “It smells wonderful in here.”He handed each woman a carnation as he passed them. Each one was that woman’s favorite color. Even the women that were strictly employees, he had flirted
He’s about fourteen weeks early and addicted to heroin, but he’s healthy overall; I think he has a fighting chance. – Dr. HamiltonFebruary Ryanne arrived at the hospital in Ridgeview around two in the afternoon. It was now the day after her sister had called. The conversation had been a strange one, even for Leigh Anne. “Hey, baby sister. I think that I’m pregnant. I think I’m having the baby.”It had taken Rye several attempts to find out where Leigh Anne was. How she got up to Massachusettes and why was still a mystery to Rye.Finally, she got another woman at the gas station to call an ambulance. In typical Leigh Anne fashion, she had been getting high while in labor. Rye doubted if Leigh Anne even knew who the father was. Even before their parents had died, Leigh Anne had been the wild child. She took after their mom, while Rye took after their dad.When he had died in Afghanistan, it had been seventeen-year-old Leigh Anne who had to keep them bot
Trigg told me to get my MBA and CPA. Thought that I would have a sweet office and fun time. Not crayons and afternoon nap time. – ChanceRyder could have given him an office in the DS Holdings office building. His office could have been at his clubhouse or even the Shack. Or in the back of one of the bars or strip clubs. Some of the other guys had offices at the clubs. He could have had one at The Kitty Cat.Hell, it could have been in Dom's basement, and it would have been better. But Ryder put Chance’s office just inside the daycare.Giant glass windows looked out into both reception and communal area. He felt like a damned animal on display. The fact that someone had taped a PLEASE, DO NOT FEED THE ANIMALS sign to his window did not help. Only on his. The office across from his belonged to Karan and had a sign reading GOOD GIRL TREATS ACCEPTED.Chance had a picture in his head of a sleek office with a couch for fun. Soundproof would be good. Or his playmates
He’ll be here until he’s weaned off heroin and is strong enough to breathe on his own. – Dr. HamiltonRYE’S THOUGHTSWhen Rye had returned to her sister’s room, she had unsurprisingly found that it was empty. Leigh Anne had an infant son who was less than a day old and she was already out of his life. Rye had expected it and would have been surprised if the woman was still there.For the next week Rye dealt with family services, police, hospital staff, therapist, and an employment agency. She found a cheap efficiency apartment and furnished it through a thrift store. Working with a case worker, she received emergency guardianship.It didn’t take long for her to burn through what Miss Beulah had given her. Or her savings. She calculated that she had about a week before she was completely broke.During all this chaos, she contacted the college in Georgia and transferred her classes online. Rye had explained to her advisor that she was now the guardian of a preemie
Sometimes fate steps in to help after she knocks you on your ass. – Mike Standing from her chair, Rye stretched her arms high above her head and felt her back pop. The loose black t-shirt for a band she had never heard of rode up exposing pale flat abdominal muscles. She tugged down her shirt before running her hands through her short black hair. Rye wore her hair in what her coworkers had called the Karen bob. Longer in the front, short in the back and her natural gray patch falling on her right side. It worked well with her oval face and required minimal effort. She’d had a job interview this morning and still wore her makeup. Smokey purple eyeshadow and dark purple eyeliner brought out a bit of a purple tint to her pale blue, almost lavender, eyes. Light blush accented high round cheeks that could look better with more regular meals. Her full lips were dusky pink with a purple gloss over them.Rye had walked over to refill her coffee when the large heavily tatt