Head hanging heavy on my shoulders, breathing laboured, shopping had once again killed me off. I don't know how Alice does it honestly. The girl could walk 40 miles straight, as long as there were shops along the way.

Feet throbbing once we entered the compound, it took everything in me not to drop to the ground and melt within the grooves of the floor. Thankfully the prospects had kindly carried our shopping bags over to Alice's room as per her request. Saving me the displeasure and embarrassment of dropping the bags like a 65kg barbell, once my arms inevitably gave way.

After much persuasion Alice had convinced me to let her style me up for tonight. At first I'd been wary of the idea, wanting to calm my nerves privately. But now the idea of just flopping in a chair as Alice worked her magic sounded perfect.

'Come on hun, I've got many plans for you'.

How she wasn't sweating like a pig and wanting to rest until she was 30 perplexed me. But just 40 minutes later I felt well rested and excited. My apprehensions had dissipated. Instead Alice had told me the many stories of Keaton, the men and their parents growing up. It had never occurred to me to ask the shopaholic how she came to be here. But I'd since learnt she had moved to the town as a young teenager and grew up around them. Her parents had been less than ideal, so now she worked as a dancer. Saving for her own home with the hopes of becoming a dance teacher.

The tails she shared of a young Keaton and the previous president of the club and his wife, made me almost certain they would be welcoming to me tonight or at least hide any animosity. I was thankful for Alice's efforts to calm me, as truthfully my nerves had only increased throughout the day.

Non of that mattered now however, as standing in front of the arched leaner mirror the person before me was almost unrecognisable. Not in the way that Alice had changed my appearance to the extreme, but the makeup and hair accentuated the parts I admired about myself. If anything making me feel more confident.

The simple cherry patterned halter top, did well to accentuate what little curved and breasts I had. Black jeans and jacket hopefully covering up any skin I didn't wish to show. Alice's room now resembled a bomb site with clothes tossed carelessly on the floor. A consequence of her ordering me to try on outfits in the bathroom and come out on queue for a fashion show.

The process of admiring myself eventually cut short, by the ringtone of Alice's phone.

'Hey... yeah that's perfect... oh she's with me... yeah I'll tell her, see you in a bit'.

'What was that about?', my body turning to face Alice as she placed the phone back in her jeans.

'It was Manix. I'm babysitting Aldo tonight, as Stella's busy. He wants me to let you know he's dropping Aldo off here and picking you up in ten'.

'Ah ok thanks'.

'No problem hun. Aldo's the easiest kid ever to babysit and I don't know what's going on between you and Manix, but if you don't come back here an Old lady I'm gonna be sad for you and mad at him'.

Little did she know I already was. Pushing her playfully, the yelps leaving her mouth had me laughing as she fell dramatically onto the bed.

'Your too mean to me. Oh my gosh how can we forget perfume, we need you smelling fresh and turning him on'. Her voice becoming more high-spirited and childish as she spoke.

I tried to whack her again, but she jump off the bed anticipating my next move, running instead to the bathroom and returning with a bottle of perfume. Mid spray Aldo came running through the door followed closely by Keaton.

'Aunt Alice!'

'Alds you can't just barge into peoples rooms, Jesus'.

Aldo immediately lunged into the open arms of Alice, hugging her tightly before doing the same to me.

'Hey Rina'. For the first time tonight my attention was solely on Keaton. His short beard well groomed, toned body well accentuated by the fitting white t-shirt. Something about the black leather jacket on top of the white top had me loose as a goose, ready to jump him here and now. Taking in his form, my mouth remained open the entire time, surely causing a puddle of drool to form at my feet, if I didn't close it like a horny bastard soon.

'Rina'

'Rina, you good?'

Embarrassed I'd been caught staring by everyone in the room, I moved to wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him on the base of his stubble. Keaton had made me aware prior, that Aldo was informed we were seriously dating. Keaton had stated Aldo was elated by this fact. But as I haven't found the time to sit down, just the two of us and ensure he was ok with me dating his father, I kept the PDA at a minimum around him for now.

'Right princess we should head out'. The small smirk he did before turning his attention to Aldo, only served to crawl inside my mind and make my imagination run wild.

'Aldo you be good for Alice and I'll see you either late tonight or tomorrow morning ok, no staying up past bedtime'.

'Ok dad', nodding his head vigorously like a yo-yo it was hard to do nothing but adore the kid.

With one final smirk from Alice and a hug from Aldo, we were out of the compound and on the death trap I'd come to love, speeding away.

Keaton's parents only lived a short five minute drive away, ten if walking. Though, he claimed his parents had moved the short distance from the compound, to end their later years quietly. Away from the often tense situations that seemed to happen around the club.

Now though, as we pulled up to what I'm assuming is their home it's nothing like I imagined. It was of medium size, nested within a row of houses at the end of the street. It was almost a smaller ranch or cottage type house, with its wooden and brick exterior. Grey pained door and a small wrap around porch. In other words pleasant, everything was clean and tidy but lived in. Small piles of clutter lay on the porch, someone obviously spent a great deal of time burrowed with the porch swing and tending to the flowers potted around the place.

I only noticed I'd been staring so intently lost in how welcoming the place look. When I realised Keaton was already knocking on the door. Meanwhile, I was still situated at the bottom of the porch steps ogling the site around me.

Running up to catch him, I quickly remembered why I was even here in the first place. Smoothing down my top and the non existent flyways of my ponytailed hair, I clung to Keaton's arm for some support.

'There gonna love you'.

Before I could even respond, the door slid open. Behind it revealed a tall heavy-set male, who could be an older version of Keaton if not for the lighter coloured hair and full unruly beard. His presence however, was immediately overshadowed by the equally as tall female, who came bursting from behind him. Her chestnut hair unruly across her face, playing shadow to the deep laughter lines adorning the outer corners of her mouth. She wasn't skinny or supermodel looking but she had her own unique beauty that radiated across the four of us.

'My son you come here and give your momma a hug, its been weeks!'. Already clasping his face between her worn hands, allowing him to kiss her cheek.

'Sorry ma, it's just been real busy. But there's someone I'd like you to meet'. Stepping aside and motioning to me, he continued. 'This is Carina'.

'Oh of course. Stupid silly me, forgetting me have comp-', stopping mid sentence as her head turned to address my presence. I grew nervous, perhaps I'd once again filled the category of you could do better than her.

'Dear lord you are a beauty, heck if I didn't love my husband dearly, I'd be asking you out myself. Keaton you better keep this one, don't fuck it up'.

I was absolutely perplexed. I hadn't even spoken yet and she was already defending me to her son. Alice and the men had been right when they spoke of her, she played the mother figure well and her joy was infectious.

Her head thrown back, letting a humourless laugh escape her lips, she moved towards me. 'Carina my darling lovely to meet you. I'm Margarita, I know like the drink. But biker names stick with yah for life. That will teach me to go swimming in the community pool naked after one to many. I'm sure the men loved it, the women not so much'. Her laugh once again infectious and soon I found myself unable to withstand the indistinct face, ending with us both wheezing for air.

'Ma, nobody needs to know that, Jesus your gonna scare Rina away'.

'Oh hush boy, lets not be jealous I make her laugh more than you. I raised you on jokes not my fault you don't know how to use them, taking after your father you are'.

There conversations were comical. Never had I experienced such light-hearted, quick-witted discussions. This was nothing like the first occasion I'd met the snobby bastards that were Calvin's parents. Margarita alone had me feeling like I'd known the family forever.

Her husband seemed to be quieter more reserved, but not in the frightening sense. I presume he was happy to let his wife take the lead and bring the light hearted exchanges. Whereas he seemed much more a man of business.

'Carina, this is my husband Havoc'. I remember Gunner had mentioned that both Margarita and Havoc went by their biker names, as they deemed there birth names irrelevant. Although it was unusual to call someone such quirky names, compared to my birth town. I'd learnt by staying here, that biker names held substance and a sign of respect. Once you were patched in, very rarely did you let anyone call you by your birth name, except maybe a loved one.

'Lovely to meet you both and thank you for having me. Keaton mentioned you liked pinot noir so I've brought some for the meal'.

Handing over the wine, almost awkwardly. My conversation skills had slowly improved with the help of Alice and the others, but it was still difficult for me. At times I often found myself stuttering and and trailing my sentences off. But Margarita seemed to work well with this, taking the wine from my hand and pulling me inside.

The interior was much like the exterior of the house, cosy and intimate. Once inside Margarita had given me a full tour of her pride and joy. Showing me old pictures of Keaton and the guys from newborns to adults and everything in-between. Only stopping once she recalled her pie was still in the oven, rushing down to save it. Once we were all gathered back in the kitchen seated around the large wooden table, the meal began.

The meal had consisted of a three course, home cooked goodness. Accompanied by joyous conversation from all parties. Much of the conversation revolved around their grandson and general updates on how the club was doing. Once desert hit the table, the conversation seemed to change towards me.

'So Carina, what's it like being this fat lumps old lady. Margarita asked.

'Em well', I looked alarmed at Keaton who's faced had dropped.

'Ma, we haven't mentioned she was my old lady. I swear I said we were just casually dating on the phone'.

'Son, I may be ageing like a piece of dried fruit but I'm not stupid. First off she calls you Keaton, nobody does that unless they want to meet his lordship. You've been staring at the poor girl the entire night like you want to eat her, and if that hand under the table goes any further up, I'll make you marry her by morning.

I think both our faces mirrored shock. His hand leaving the tops of my thigh and back into his lap quicker than I thought possible.

'Should of known nothing gets passed you'.

'Well son, Carina if your waiting for our approval you had it the minute you brought wine to the door. It's an honour to have you join the family and if you didn't think this grandma gets all the gossip from her only grandson before you arrived, you'd be mistaken.

The table turned into an uproar of laughter, all to common it seemed tonight.

As the night came to a close, the wine drank and the bottle long discarded. We decided to make out way home. The night had been one of lasting memories and the promise of future ones.

As Havoc spoke away from me to Keaton, I was left happily with Margarita.

'Thank you for coming into his life hun, he really needed someone like you and I can just tell the difference you've already made to him'.

She eyed me for a minute, seemingly to gage my reaction before progressing.

'I want you to know I'm always here if you need me. Keaton mentioned your don't like to talk about what brought you here or information surrounding your past, whether you realise it or not. But he's a patient one and were family, we all have one another's backs and I like to think I'm a damn good judge of character so don't be scare to lean on those around you'.

It was crazy how in these small few hours she could read me like an open book. She only served as a reminder of how lucky I had got to have come across Keaton, his friends and family.

The motherly hug she gave me afterwards was one I would cherish forever. The love seemed to pour out of her body, calming my own. I missed my own mother very much, but I think I could rest easy if I had Margarita around to fill the void.

With the final goodbyes said and done, my leg swung back onto the bike comforted by the knowledge that the love of my life's parents, were just as good as he was.