Author's Note: This is just a short little chapter because I'm stuck with the next part. Anyway, thanks for reading and please let me know what you think!

One look at Happy's bike made it abundantly clear to Anna that there was no way to gracefully get on wearing the skirt Dee had chosen. Ordinarily, Anna would have just hiked up her skirt and climbed on, but Dee had packed underwear that left very little to the imagination.

"Are you getting on or not?" Happy asked impatiently, although he had a pretty good idea of what was keeping Anna from getting on the bike. When she'd bent down to zip up her boots, her skirt had ridden up, giving him a good look at her black mesh cheeky shorts and her tanned ass cheeks peeking out underneath. "Sort it out Del Valle," Anna told herself sternly "so he sees your underwear, who cares? Get on the damn bike!" "Fuck it," she said under her breath and hitching up her skirt, climbed on. Happy's bike had no bitch seat so Anna found herself pressed flush against Happy, her breasts pushing up against his back, her inner thighs pressing against his hips and her arms wrapped around his waist. In such close proximity to one another, Happy could feel the warmth of Anna's skin and he was certain she must be blushing.

SOA SOA SOA

"So Anna, tell us about yourself" Quinn said, easing his giant frame into one of Tig's armchairs. Happy had deposited her with Venus and headed out to join Tig and Chibs in the garden. "Well," Anna said, uncomfortable with all the attention suddenly focused on her, "Ummm, I was born in San Francisco and moved to Oakland when I was 15. My mom is a professor of Latin American studies, my dad and older brother are doctors and I teach 3rd grade. I guess some of you knew my cousin Gomes …... maybe you were there when he died? Anyway, he was the one who always looked out for me and helped me with Felix while Juan Carlos was in prison... So I guess that's it."

"I can't believe we never knew Juice had a kid" Rat said, in disbelief. "Or that he even knew Fiasco and Gomes," Lyla added, "they acted like they didn't know each other."

Anna shrugged. "I think they had some agreement to keep it on the down low. Fiasco and Gomes were always pretty leery about the Sons, no offense, and I guess Juan Carlos was just trying to keep his family safe. Bad stuff tends to happen."

The conversation was interrupted by Venus who had returned with a huge pitcher of what looked like iced tea. "Mint juleps" she said, nodding her head at the pitcher. "You don't have beer?" Rat asked, looking at the pitcher in disappointment. Venus raised a perfectly groomed eyebrow. "I am a southern lady, and we drink mint juleps" she said, "the juleps are for the ladies, and unless you consider yourself to be one of us, I did not make them for you. The beer is outside in the cooler by the grill with my Alexander and Happy" she added, making a fluttering motion to shoo Rat outside. Not needing to be told twice, Rat took the opportunity to escape outside, taking Quinn, who planted a gentle kiss on Lyla's head before he left.

"When did that start?" Brooke asked Lyla, eyes wide.

"A couple of weeks ago" Lyla said blushing, "It's still early days so we'll see" she added, accepting a glass from Venus.

"Now ladies," Venus said raising her glass, "to our Charming little dysfunctional family and our newest member Anna. Cheers!"

"Cheers!" the women said in unison, clinking their glasses together.

"Goddamn that's strong!" Lyla said, coughing.

"It'll certainly put hairs on your chest" Anna agreed, taking a huge gulp and feeling some of her anxiety subside.

"Dear lord, I hope not" Venus deadpanned.

SOA SOA SOA

By seven thirty the alcohol was beginning to work its magic as a social lubricant. The women had relocated to the kitchen to help Venus with food preparation while the men were all drinking beer around the barbecue and offering unsolicited advice to Tig about how to cook the steaks. Through the kitchen window, Happy watched as Anna chatted with the other women, occasionally throwing her head back in laughter. "How's she going? Anything I need to worry about?" Chibs said, moving next to Happy and inclining his head to the kitchen tableau. "Nah" Happy said with a definitive shake of the head, "she made it pretty clear that she's heading back to Oakland tomorrow."

"I know you're leery of her Chibs, but she's actually a pretty cool chick" Tig said, jabbing the steaks with the tongs. "She's just trying to do right by her son and Juice. No different from Lyla with Ellie and Kenny."

"Aye but the difference is we know Lyla, this gash's connections make me nervous"

"She's not a gash," Happy said taking a sip of his beer before returning to his characteristic silence. He couldn't say exactly why, but Chibs' persistence in disliking Anna pissed him off. Maybe it was because Anna was like his mom, trying to raise her kid the best way she knew how. Usually Happy kept out of politics and drama but it seemed like such a waste of time when there were bigger issues for the Sons to be dealing with. Like keeping Redwoody alive or winning back the town's trust. He could feel Chibs' looking at him and turned to meet his stare, obsidian eyes glaring unflinchingly at his pres; Happy would follow Chibs into the bowels of hell, but he wasn't at all intimidated by him.

SOA SOA SOA

"Can I ask you a question Lyla?" Anna asked, as they were all sitting down to eat. The mint juleps had done their job and she felt relaxed and slightly emboldened. "Do porno scripts tell the actors what sex phrases to say?" she asked.

"Nah not really, unless it's some kind of fetish or specific adult film. Of course there are some things that are expected like 'so big', 'so hard', 'so wet.'"

"Or so tight" Brooke supplied. "What?" she said in response to the naked surprise across the table, "I've seen porn."

"Of course you have honey pie" Venus soothed, spooning out mashed potatoes.

"Yeah I never got how vaginal tautness was a selling point" Anna mused, taking a sip of her drink.

"Really? I thought all chicks wanted to hear that" Rat asked in surprise, looking around at the women and ignoring the sniggers coming from Montez and TO.

"Don't ask me Cherie, I came with a different set of equipment" Venus said, busily serving steaks on everybody's plates.

"Brooke?" Rat asked.

"Not really...sorry" Brooke said, looking at the table.

"There are sexier things you could say" Anna added diplomatically.

"It's not like you boys can tell the difference anyway" Lyla said with a chuckle.

"There's always room for a kazoo" Chucky piped up. "I mean instead of talking, not to, you know put places" he added for clarification, seeing the looks exchanged between everyone at the table.

"Jesus Christ" Chibs sighed, looking at Chucky, "just when I think I've got used to your weirdness, you take it up another level."