As the old man lay on his hospital bed, he was just moments from death. All the memories from his life flashed before his eyes. he had lived a long and somewhat normal life. At least the past forty years had been the unhappiest he had lived. He hadn't been alone, he had his brothers and their families.
He remembered the last time he was truly happy, it was just before she told she leaving him.
At the bus station just on the edge of town, the lives of three people were changing forever. It was about half past nine and there he begging her to stay.
"Baby, we could work this out Evie please". He said she waited to get on the bus. Juice was holding their daughter; she was 7 months old and named after both their mums. Gabriella Rose looked up at her daddy with a big smile on her face. "No, we can't" her tone of voice was harsh and cold "Donna died Juice, I'm not going to be next. She was innocent, I'm not putting my child at risk when someone else comes after the club" she said as she looked at him in eyes. Her eyes held no emotion; the usual sparkle had died long ago. "Go on, run like you always do. You're taking my baby girl away from me. You can chase your dreams but tell me where does that leave me?" he asked her
"You'll be fine without us Juice" she replied as she took the baby out of his hands. There was a moment of silence between the pair only broken by the sound of Gabriella giggling at nothing. "You know the little white house you dreamed about?" he asked, she just nodded her head "I put a deposit down on it, I get the keys tomorrow".
She shook her head and climbed on that bus without looking back, her head down looking at her child.
The dust from the greyhound clouded his eyes as it headed for the east coast, the young Puerto Rican watched the bus faded into the horizon. The further the bus got, the harder it got for him to breath. She was really gone it shouldn't be this way.
Donna shouldn't have even been in that car it should have been Opie. June Stahl had set up the Club, she made out that Opie had ratted the club out. Evie had been close to Donna, having known each since birth. Donna's death had hit her hard; she didn't want to end up like her. He could understand her fears but he had always protected her and he wouldn't stop.
It had been three weeks since Evie had left Charming. Juice was still heartbroken. He missed his baby and his love; there had been no proper contact between the pair of them apart from a text letting him know that they were safe.
He was a shell, he turned up for work and club business was completed with his usual standard. It was worrying Gemma enough to warrant a chat.
Gemma had waited until a Friday night there was always a massive SAMCRO party. Juice hadn't been there for the past few. Gemma knew that he would be home. Alone in the house he had bought for his growing family. Gemma took in the sight; it was a single storey house, white picket fence and green lawn. A perfect family home, Gemma needed to know what was going on.
As she knocked on the door, the young man opened the door. The smell of weed and stale booze hit her nose straight away.
"What the fuck Juice. Get your arse in the shower now" she demanded. Juice just grumbled and followed his orders. After a quick shower, Juice dressed in jeans and a white wife beater.
"What's wrong?" he asked the older woman.
"Where are Evie and Gabby?" she answered with a question. The tears began to form in his eyes again, he told Gemma the story.
"Oh baby, she'll be back soon" she tried to comfort him.
"She won't be back, she's gone for good" he said with his head in his hands.
She didn't come back, he never got to see his daughter grow up. He had searched high and low for them but nothing. He could picture Gabriella calling another man dad. She'd be reaching forty now. He could have grandchildren running round somewhere. He had never got the chance to marry Evie and make her fully his. They say it is better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all. Whoever said that have never had their heart broken.