Chapter 3 (Mother): Helpful Advice

                                        

                                              
Copyright © 2025 by GroveltoHEA
"Get out," Butcher said, his face blank as usual. "I thought this was a meeting on the situation we're monitoring, not one asking for fucking relationship advice."
Orion, Warlock, Prick and Big were standing in Butcher's office with me since I'd asked them all to meet me here. I'd briefly explained what I wanted and Butcher had just told us to get out when his office door opened. We all knew who it was without looking. Only Butcher's wife had unfettered access to Butcher and could open closed doors without knocking and not risk a bullet between her eyes. Of course, this didn't apply to the guest quarters. Butcher wouldn't let her near there since she'd briefly been a guest, and he'd kill me if she ever tried and I didn't give him ample warning.
"Did someone say relationship advice?" Raine asked brightly, walking over to Butcher to give him a kiss, their baby girl, Apolline, in her arms until Butcher took their youngest from her. 
She smacked her chubby hand against Butcher's scruff a few times, then laid her head against the side of his neck. Watching the little domestic scene, I felt a pang, wondering if I'd ever get to experience being a father.
Butcher's jaw tightened, and I'd pay for this later, but I wasn't going to let a golden opportunity for help slip by. All the brothers and I had figured out that Raine was Prez's only weakness. If you wanted something, a quick word to Raine would make it happen. Sure, Butcher would take a few shots at you later with his fists, but it was worth it if you got what you needed. 
"I need relationship advice, Raine. Well, I'm not sure what kind of advice it is since I'm not technically in a relationship. But I want to be. So maybe a one-sided relationship? Does that count?"
"Oooohhh, tell us everything," she demanded.
"Fuck me," Butcher muttered, those dead eyes burning with threats. Yeah, I'd definitely be paying for this later. But I needed help and I wasn't going to let anything stand in the way.
So, along with Raine, my brothers listened as I spilled my guts about falling in love with Glory the first time I saw her picture and wondering what the best way was to approach her to see if she'd want to get to know me.
"That's so romantic," Raine sighed. "Almost as romantic as the way Butcher and I started."
Then she shot him a sour look and his eyes narrowed on his wife.
"OK," Raine said briskly, clapping her hands together, "here's what we'll do. We've all faced challenges in our relationships, so let's tell Mother the most important lesson we learned. Big, you want to start us off?"
"This is hell," Butcher muttered until Raine shut him down with a look. The rest of the brothers were too afraid of upsetting Raine -- and therefore Butcher -- to try to get out of this.
"Believe her the minute she tells you something," Big said right off. "Women know things and see things before we do, so if she tells you something, believe her and don't question it."
"Believe her, don't question her," I repeated, typing furiously into my iPad.
"And don't let another woman kiss you. Learned that the hard way, and apparently muscle memory is no excuse."
We all looked at Big.
"It wasn't my fault!" he protested.
"Another woman coming near me won't be an issue," I assured him. Women had never flocked around me like they did with the other brothers.
"Great advice, Big," Raine said. "Both things you said very true. Warlock?"
Even though he was the newest member of the Mayhem, he already knew not to disappoint Raine because he had his answer ready.
"If you mess up, don't stop trying to make it right. Don't give up on her, even if you don't think there's a chance in hell she'll ever forgive you. Love her no matter what, no matter if she'll never love you back."
I nodded once I had that all typed in.
"And, Mother," he said, his eyes intense, "send her to Noli's store. Trust me on that one."
"I'll mention it to her," I promised. 
I'd met Magnolia several times since Warlock had joined the MC, and there was something about her that seemed a bit unusual, but I couldn't put my finger on it other than to say she seemed otherworldly. But her gentleness and sweetness might be exactly what Glory needed, and I hoped they'd become friends. Glory needed good women in her life and there were plenty of them in the MC family.
"This is excellent," Raine said. "Prick?"
Prick rubbed the back of his neck. "Don't be afraid to show her how you feel about her. Don't be afraid to claim her publicly. And if you fuck up with her, figure out where you went wrong and reverse engineer it. Make it right, whatever you have to do, however scary it might seem. Be willing to risk it all for her."
Prick had broken up with the man he loved because he'd been too afraid to admit he was gay to the MC. After living without Owen for so long, he'd decided to say fuck it and risk his position in the MC. He'd come out and not one of us had a problem with it. He was a brother and nothing else mattered.
Raine patted his arm, and Prick immediately looked at Butcher and sidestepped away from her.
"Orion?" Raine said, oblivious to the trouble she'd just caused.
"Don't hide your feelings from her. Ever," he said as succinctly as he always did.
"That's kind of what Prick said," Raine said. "Do you have something else?"
Orion looked like he was a deer caught in the headlights of a semi-truck. Brother wasn't all that talkative except with his Kadie, but Raine had asked for more and Butcher was looking on.
"Uh, if you go to Lamaze classes, pay really close attention?"
Raine gave him a give me a break look, and I could see the brother's brain scrambling for something acceptable.
"Do things for her in secret that you think she'll like."
Raine's smile was wide. "And they don't always have to be in secret," she added. "Well done."
I was beginning to think Butcher might not be the only one to give me a beat down after this clusterfuck of sharing. In my defense, I hadn't planned on Raine coming in and taking over the discussion.
Then, as if in slow motion, Raine's head turned toward Butcher, and we all realized at the same time that our president wasn't going to escape from this room without adding his own advice. All of us eyed the door and maybe inched a bit closer to it. I could picture the five of us trying to exit the room through the one door at the same time, not wanting to be the last one in the room with a very pissed off president.
"Butcher? What advice do you have?"
His dead eyes promised retribution to me.
"Give her a blanket."

Raine crossed her arms over her chest. "Really?"
Instead of answering her challenge, he looked at us. "We're done."
We didn't wait to see if Raine would countermand his order. We got the hell out, and even though I knew he'd hunt me down later, I'd gotten some advice.
So far, I'd been operating in the dark. Glory liked the flowers. She'd also liked the big, soft teddy bear I'd gone to Build-A-Bear Workshop to make specially for her. The teens working there looked at me strangely but had been surprisingly helpful. I'd liked the idea of Glory cuddling a bear I'd made her to keep her company in the hospital.
Now, I'd gotten some different helpful advice, and I just had to figure out the best way to put it into practice.
And I had the opportunity sooner than I expected.