Roman

18 - Dinner with friends

Marley

“Are you sure I look okay?” I push my hands over my blue dress. I tried to dress nicely for this dinner date with Red and Tammy, as well as some of the others. I don’t know Tammy, and I wanted to make a good impression.

When Roman asked me to come with him tonight, I didn’t hesitate to say yes. The kiss we shared earlier in the week has been forgotten, or at least put to the back of my mind. Now, Roman and I are in a good place when it comes to our friendship. That’s all I can give him at the moment, and he doesn’t seem to mind. If he does, he hasn’t expressed such to me.

“You look beautiful, sweetheart.”

I smile at Roman.

He looks good tonight, even if he is dressed in his usual jeans and biker cut. God knows he smells amazing!

Leona is taking care of Romany for us this evening. I know she’s safe with her grandmother, and that puts my mind at ease. Roman picked me up at 6.45 PM, and we rode here on his bike. I would rather have driven, but Roman insisted. Not that I minded being on the back of Roman’s motorcycle. I’m not as afraid as I was when Bulldog would force me onto his bike. No, I will not think about him right now.

Now, we’re standing outside Red and Tammy’s front door, about to enter. I’d say everyone else is already here from the number of motorcycles and cars outside.

“I’m so nervous, Roman.”

“Why are you nervous? These people are your friends, Marley.”

I nod. “I know. I have no idea why I feel nervous.”

Roman laughs and hugs me to him. “You’ll do fine, beautiful.” He pulls away from me and holds his hand out. “Ready to go in?” I nod my head and smile while taking his hand. Roman knocks the door loudly, then opens it. “Hey guys! It’s just us!”

“Roman!” Tammy comes around the corner with a smile on her face.

She’s beautiful, with long auburn hair, long legs, and a bright smile. Roman explained to me all of what Tammy went through because of the same man who r***d Elie. I know Tammy has been struggling with it for the past year and a half, and if I could give her words of comfort, I would. However, I know there are no words that make a woman feel any better about what happened to her. Only the man she loves and who loves her in return can offer such comfort.

“Hey, sweetheart.” Roman kisses her cheek swiftly. “I know you know who Marley is,” He laughs. “But you two haven’t officially been introduced.” Because I was a terrible host at the barbecue and didn’t even say hello to the woman. “So, Tammy, this is Marley. Marley, Tammy.”

“It’s so nice to meet you!”

I smile as she hugs me. “It’s nice to meet you, too. Thank you for inviting me.”

“Of course! You’re so welcome here. Please come through. Everyone else is in the other room waiting.”

Roman squeezes my hand and winks at me. I can’t help smiling at him. We follow Tammy into the dining room. Everyone is seated at a large dining table. It reminds me of being at a restaurant the size of it. Elie waves at me, Wrench winks, Hawk and Brooke are talking with Ace and Tessa, and Red is deep in conversation with Stryker, Coral, Ghost, and Avery.

Roman and I are seated opposite Coral and Stryker, and next to Ace and Tessa. Elie is sitting beside her mother with Wrench to her left. Brooke is next to Tessa, with Hawk at the head of the table on the left. Tammy is sitting beside Red at the head of the table to the right. I watch her for a moment and how she looks at her husband. Even when he’s not looking at her, she’s watching him. Tammy’s hand is wrapped around Red’s, and I can see he is her savior. Tammy is so in love with that giant bear of a man, and I can’t help smiling at the two of them.

“Thanks for coming, all of you,” Red says. “We would have invited the others, but there’s too damn many of them.”

Everyone laughs, but I don’t because I have no idea what they’re laughing at. I feel so small in this big room with all these people. Every single one of them is taller than I am, and here I am at a table filled with huge men. Now I know what a child feels like around a table full of adults. I honestly never thought I would be involved with bikers again. But here I am.

“But seriously,” Red continues. “Right now, you’re our closest friends, as well as our son,” Red smiles as Ghost flashes his teeth in a childlike smile.

Ah, I remember. Red did everything but legally adopted Ghost when he was still a teenager. Ghost’s children refer to Red and Tammy as Papaw and Mimi.

“We asked you here tonight not just for dinner, but because we have something we’d like to tell you all.”

Tammy looks lovingly up at Red, and he smiles down at her, and everyone else looks at each other curiously. “You tell them.”

Red nods at Tammy before kissing her softly.

Red then turns to face us all with a smile on his face. “It ain’t no secret that my wife has been through hell the past eighteen months,”

I note Tammy shifts uncomfortably in her seat. Red wraps his arm around her shoulders and pulls her to him. He kisses her head, and Tammy smiles.

“I love you.”

I smile at Tammy. I don’t know this woman, but I like her already. I can tell she has a good heart. What happened to her was unfair; it was wrong, and it should never happen to any woman. Through the man she loves, I can see that, eventually, she’ll be just fine. Tammy will come through everything that happened, and she will be truly happy again.

“I love you, baby.” Red doesn’t let go of his wife as he turns to face us.

“Something wrong, Red?” Roman asks. I know that Red and Tammy mean a lot to Roman, and hearing the worry in his voice hurts me.

On instinct, I take his hand in mine. Roman wasn’t expecting that because he looks at me for a moment, wondering why I’m holding his hand. I smile at him and entwine my fingers with his. He winks at me and squeezes my hand affectionately.

“Nothing at all, Brother. Tammy and I have some good news,”

“Wonderful news!” Tammy interjects, making everyone laugh.

Red laughs and kisses Tammy’s head again. “Right. Wonderful news. Tammy and I are expecting another baby.”

The room is suddenly bedlam. Everyone is on their feet, hugging Tammy and Red in turn, and talking a mile a minute.

“I’m so happy for you!”

“Thank you. Coral, we’re going to be Mommies together!”

“Don’t forget about me.” I watch Tessa practically bouncing on the balls of her feet. “I might be further along, but I’ll be a Mommy with you guys, too!”

“Hawk and I are done having babies, but I am so excited to meet your little ones!” Brooke smiles.

“Same with Ghost and me.” Avery chuckles. “Our two boys are enough for us.”

I wonder if I’ll ever have another baby, or will Romany be my only one?

If she were my only child, then I would thank God; he gave me just one. Romany was the gift God gave me for the hell I lived through.

How can I not thank him for that?

“You need to catch up, Elie.” Elie simply smiles at her mother, but the fact she gently stroked her stomach is not lost on me. I catch Elie’s eye, and she nods. My best friend is pregnant, and I couldn’t be happier for her.

I turn my attention to the men, who are all talking and congratulating Red. He looks so happy and so in love. I don’t believe it’s any easier for the man to pick up the pieces after r**e than it is for the woman. All the emotions your man goes through, the anger, the fear, the pain, and the not knowing what to do to make things better, all rush through him at once. I know Red killed the man who r***d Tammy, but I doubt it made him feel any better.

The fact Red and Tammy have made a baby and are looking forward to that child’s arrival gives them something to move forward for.

“How long have you known?” Hawk asks.

“A couple weeks. We didn’t say anything because Tammy was terrified she’d lose it.”

“Think you’ll get a girl this time?”

“Don’t be stupid, Wrench. It’s another boy.” Ace laughs.

“Nah, it’s time the boys and I had a sister.” Ghost squints his eyes. “It best be a girl, Dad.”

Red laughs loudly while clasping Ghost’s shoulder. “I guess you’ll all find out in six months.” Red knows the se.x of his child; I can tell by the smile on his face. However, I’m guessing they’re keeping it a secret.

“Hey,” I startle when Roman touches my hand. I giggle. I was so busy watching everyone else talk that I hadn’t noticed Roman turn to me. “You seem lost in a world of your own.”

“I was just watching everyone.”

“You should get involved in the conversation.”

I smile at him because I don’t know what to say to him. I’m not one for pushing myself into a conversation that I haven’t been invited into.

“Right!” Red yells. “It’s time to eat.”

“Yes,” Tammy claps her hands. “I’ll serve everyone. Red, can you get some drinks, please, handsome?”

“Anything for you.”

I look around the table at these people who are my friends, and I realize that I’m not trying hard enough. Roman is right; I need to get involved in conversations when they arise. I need to make more of an effort to show these people that I’m not this person they can’t get close to. It’s been a long time since I had friends, but I will try to be the best kind of friend I can be.

I look at Roman and smile. I can do this; I know I can.