"So you want to head over to your place," Happy asked

"No uh my..uh kid is sleeping". Janet said

"Kid you have a kid".

"Yeah a boy he is 8", She said

"Maybe we should all go out".

"You want to take me and my son out".

"Yeah why not," Happy said.

It was like a whole new world for Max living with Happy. With everyone at the Club he felt like a member of a big family. Most of his mom's other boyfriends smelled like booze, did drugs, or beat on his mom. Happy was different. Max hopped his mom stayed with him longer than the rest. She was good with him she didn't use when she was with him. But like everything with his mom it never lasted. When he came home from school she was yelling and so was Happy, which scared me.

"What the hell do you mean you're leaving", Happy yelled.

"Just what I said I am leaving I can't do this Happy", She told him.

"Can't do what be a mother to your son or my wife you don't have to marry me if that is the problem", Happy said.

"Look I wasn't cut out to be a mother I never wanted to be one it just happened", She told him

The cab honked behind me and I jumped and Happy saw me.

"Max", Happy started.

"Mom wait I have to get my stuff", I said starting to run in side.

"Your staying", She said

"No I'll be quick I promise", I said as she grabbed my arm.

"Listen to me you are not going with me I am not cut out for this mommy shit I never was", Janet spat out.

"Mom you can't..", I said grabbed her hand. "I'll be good I promise"

She yanked it away "All you are good for is to push people away he can stand you the others couldn't that is why they left because of you"

"No, Mom I want to come with you please", I cried

"Well I don't want you I never wanted you were a mistake I should have never had you I tried to.."

"Janet", Happy yelled grabbing me and picking me up.

"Just fucking leave you bitch", Happy yelled as he carried me back inside.

I watch from over his shoulder as my mom got in the cab and drove off. She didn't once look back.

I don't remember much about that night only the sting of the words you were a mistake. Until that point I never thought that words could hurt. I do remember that Happy sat with me all night.

The next morning when I woke up I shot up hoping that what happened was just a dream. My mom wasn't perfect but she was the only one that I had. When I saw Happy I knew it wasn't a dream his face said it all.

He squatted in front of me and bushed hair out of my face like he always did.

"You hungry you want to get something to eat", he asked.

I just shrugged and looked down.

He nodded "Go get your shoes"

I went over to the truck but he nodded towards his bike and he handed me his helmet. Any other time I would have been thrilled to go for a ride but today I just wasn't feeling up to feeling happy about anything.

We rode over to a local burger shop. I had only thought it was morning but I actually slept until noon. He ordered some burgers and a couple of sodas. I knew that he was going to have to find some easy way to let me know that I was going in to foster care.

"Max we need to talk about yesterday", he said slowly.

I think now I was using what the shrinks call deflection were you defect your true feelings at another source "Save it I know you going to dump me in foster care so just save the bull shit, because I can just go back and start packing my fucking shit and be out of here in an hour"

I stood up and started to walk out but Happy grabbed my wrist. "Fuck off" I said yanking my wrist out of his hand. I heard myself say it I just didn't believe it. The look Happy gave me spelled trouble.

"Excuse me", Happy growled as he stood up and quickly grabbed my upper arm. "You and I need to have a talk"

Happy half dragged me to the men's room if I wasn't so scared I would have cared that it was embarrassing being dragged to the bathroom like a little kid. Happy closed the door and like lightening smacked me hard I yelped knowing the whole shop heard that one. I looked down trying to wipe the sting out.

"Look at me", Happy said as he held my chin up. "If you ever talk to me like that again we are going to have a problem am I clear.

I nodded and started to look down.

"Look at me I said am I clear", Happy growled. At this point he was in all of my personal space.

"Yes"

"Good now we are going to go back out there and have a man to man talk without any out bursts not go sit you butt down"

Walking out the door of the men's room I could see all the people with eyes on me. When we got back to the table I sat down and squired a little that one smack still stung a bit I was trying not to let Happy see.

"Sorry did you still want those burgers", the waitress asked.

"Yeah thanks", Happy said.

"Max what makes you think you're going to foster care", Happy asked.

"Cause mom took off and you are not really my dad", I said looking away.

"Were do you want to stay", Happy asked.

Did I just here him right "What", I asked.

"You heard me where do you want to stay"

"With you but..", I started.

"Then that's it, you have a home as long as I have a home and I will always have a home", Happy told him.

"What about mom do you think she will come back", I asked

Happy sighed as the waitress brought our food along with a big piece of cake. She must have heard some of what we were talking about.

"Is it okay it's on the house after the burger of course", she added

Happy smiled a little "If he wants it"

"Thank you", I said trying to smile.

When the waitress left Happy looked serious again, "I won't lie to you I don't know if your mom is coming back she is pretty fu..messed up right now but I won't ever stop you from seeing her."

Which wasn't a lie because she never came back any phone calls, birthday cards nothing she disappeared. Years later when I was much older Happy told me that he did see my mom again but only in court to have her sign her parental rights to him and to say that he was his real father. Of course my mom didn't know who he was any ways and he didn't ask for a paternity test so it was final. Since in his line of work if he gets locked up I couldn't be taken away as long as I was his legal son, he just appointed a guardian. Usually it was Gemma or Tara. Happy said he paid her what she wanted and asked if she wanted to see you. She didn't she just took the money and left. This was an issue that I wouldn't have been able to come to terms with as a kid. Happy shield me from that part just as he tried to shield me from everything that was bad in the world.