C8 Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

I followed Alexander into the house. He didn't even knock. Once inside, I suddenly became overwhelmed by the number of people there were. How did Jemma feed all these people? Everyone was already there, so I felt like we were late, even though we left the garage at the time Alex said we Should.

I went over to Ron and he gave me a hug.

'’Hey Kid, you ok?'’

'’Yeah... there's a lot of people here’'. I laughed nervously. He squeezed my shoulder in what I assumed was an attempt to comfort me.

'’Hey, listen up, everyone who hasn't met Harley yet, come here’'. It was only really the females that I could see and some kids that came over, followed by Jackson and Harry. I shyly said hello to them all and they said hey back. ‘'That's Jackson’s wife, Cleo, and my grandkids Davey and Suzie ‘'. I smiled at the toddler in Jackson’s arms and the baby in Cleo's. Aww, cute.

‘’Hey, it's nice to meet you’'. She told me with a friendly smile.

'’Likewise’'.

'’And this is Harry’s wife, Sarah, and their kids Duke, Emma and Piper’'. I was more than surprised when Sarah stepped forward and pulled me into a hug. I automatically hugged her back and she pulled away. It wasn't awkward, just... unexpected. I looked up at Harry, after the conversation we had earlier about them being separated, it's nice to see them together now.

After the introductions, Jemma started coming out of the kitchen with plates of food, I offered to help but she wouldn't let me, Cleo and Sarah helped instead, while the rest of us went and sat down at the table. Everyone had their own seats. Ron was at one end, to his left was Jackson, then Suzie, Davey and then two free seats where I'm guessing Cleo and Sarah would sit. Then their three kids and Harry. The seat was left free next to him at the other end of the table, I'm guessing it was Jemma's.

Then on the other side was Kip, Eric, Pulp, a guy I didn't know or recognise, Tommy, Alex and then an empty seat which im guessing was mine. I went and sat down between Ron and Alexander and waited.

Everyone was having their own conversations amongst each other but I just sat there, looking around the table. It was really nice to see that under the whole big, scary, intimidating biker facade, they were just dads, husbands, brothers. Family men. I couldn't help but smile...

Dinner was over, at some point I found out that the guy I didn't know, was called Smiles... Which.. is funny because he didn't look like he even knows how to smile, It was clearly just a nickname, like Pulp, but still... Strange...

After we had all finished dessert, I helped Jemma and the other women clear the table of the plates and bowls. Cleo kissed Jackson goodnight and took their kids home and Lyla did the same with hers and Harry’s.

Soon, it was just the guys, Jemma and I left at the table. She offered me an alcoholic drink, but I turned it down.

'’Yeah, she doesn't drink’'. Ron informed her. I smiled that he had remembered. Granted, it was only a few hours ago I told him, but still. He remembered.

'’Well... No drinking, no smoking, you sure she's your daughter Ron?’'. Jackson joked and for a second I worried if the comment would upset his mother, but she seemed to see the funny side and the rest of the people around the table all shared a laugh.

'’So, what's the story here? I mean, Who's your mum?’' Kip asked out loud and it was like time stood still. He was new to the club, So, I'm guessing he didn’t know all the dirty little secrets...and I guess hadn't quite grasped the concept of think before you speak either. Everyone looked at him. '’What?’' He was so clueless.

'’Her mother, Newbie was a SS-clinger-Whore that Ron was screwing on the side behind my back. Now that's been made public to the table, can we move on?’' Jemma spoke slowly as if talking to a child. I wanted the ground to open up and swallow me whole right there and then.

'’Um.. can I use the bathroom?'’ I asked, keeping my gaze down. Like she realised what she said, Jemma started apologising. I told her it was fine and she pointed me in the direction for the bathroom. I was out of the room but not out of earshot when I heard my name;

'’Jesus Christ Jemma, Do you want to make Harley feel even more uncomfortable?!’' It was Ron who spoke.

'’Well I’m sorry, but I wasn’t expecting your past mistake to be walking back into our lives after all these years!’' She snapped back. It made my heart sink. That's how she saw me? A mistake? ‘'I like the girl, but she's the spitting image of her mother. I don't like that'’. Swallowing the lump in my throat, I walked away and went to the toilet. I didn't really need it, I just couldn't sit at that table and hear those words.

I must have been gone for a while because someone came knocking at the door to see if I was ok. I opened it to reveal Harry stood there.

'’Hey.. you ok?’' I nodded. I had managed to control my emotions and push them deep inside until I got back to the apartment and was able to cry and be upset in private.

'’Yeah, Yeah, I'm fine’'. He just stared at me. '’Honestly, I'm fine'’.

'’Ok..’' I went to step out of the bathroom, but he blocked my way slightly. '’If you ever want to talk about anything, come find me, yeah?'’

'’That's really sweet of you, thanks'’.

We headed back to the table, and I wasn't even sure if they had noticed I was gone. They were too wrapped up in their own conversation, but that was good. I didn't want attention. Jemma was gone, I didn't know where, and honestly, I didn’t care either.

'’So, Harley, what about you? You got a boyfriend back home?’' Pulp asked, and I felt myself blush, but I don't know why... I wasn't attracted to him.

'’No. No boyfriend. I don't date'’.

‘’At all?’’ I shook my head.

‘’No. Never’’. They seemed to share a look and I hoped they wouldn't ask any follow-up questions, luckily, before anyone could, Someone knocked on the back door and a police officer walked in...