These next chapters jump around to the big stress for a reason. Not going to be a lot of fluff going forward.
Filip and I get ready quietly the next morning. I feel like everything is moving in slow motion. Before heading to the funeral home, we head to the clubhouse. Thousands of bikes are gathered, charters from all over. Happy finds me, pulling me into a tight embrace. I don't see Jaxson anywhere.
Tara pulls in next to my surprise. She steps out of the car and hugs me tight. I smile at her gently before climbing on the back of Opie's bike, making sure the family arrives together. He pats my hand gently as I put my arms around his chest.
The ride to the cemetery is long and painful. The sounds of the bikes echo off the trees as come to a stop. Filip, Juice, Half-Sack, Happy, Clay and Tig serve as pall bearers; marching silently with Donna's casket next to us. I wrap my arm through my dad's and we sit down together next to Opie. Filip stands behind me, his arm on my shoulder protectively. Dad watches as Filip leans down and gives me a soft kiss on the cheek.
Tara sits down near Juice and I watch as Gemma and Wendy glare at her. The preacher delivers a beautiful service. Dad asks me to speak at her grave. I stand up to start my speech and tears overflow. I watch as Jaxson strides across the cemetery, his lip bleeding and cut. Tara grabs his kutte from Juice and takes it to him, helping him put it on. The two share a kiss that reminds me of high school. Jaxson grabs a flower and places it on Donna's casket. He locks eyes with Clay and Tig. A silent exchange plays out through their eyes and every fear I have had over the last two days is confirmed.
"I had this speech prepared, this whole thing about how amazing my sister-in-law was. The words just don't seem to fit now that I'm here. I could tell you that Donna was an excellent mother and wife, she was patient and kind. But anyone who knows her already knew that stuff about her. What they don't know is how strong and determined she was. She was stubborn to a fault and loyal no matter what. We were friends from kindergarten on; damn near inseparable. We shared everything with each other. Our freshman year in high school, Donna confessed that she had a crush on my big brother. Imagine my disgust." I stop to smile at the memory. Opie's lip curls up into a smile as tears streak down his face. "I tried to talk her out of it for months, telling her she was crazy. Tara and I couldn't convince her. The more we tried to tell her to give up, the more she plotted." Tara makes eye contact with me before I continue.
"So she came up with this scheme, something to get him to notice her. It backfired in every way possible. I thought she might finally give up. But she didn't. She made a fool out of herself trying to get my brother's attention. Once he finally wised up and noticed her, her hard work paid off because she never lost his attention. Growing up watching those two, it gave me hope in a true love. Something that wasn't dirty and full of lies. Something that was pure and honest and consuming." My voice broke and my dad stepped up to my side. "Donna was my sister. She was someone I admired and respected. She fought for her family. That's the kind of person we're losing today. Now we just have to make sure we take all that we learned from her death and make sure we don't waste our own."
I take a seat next to my brother again and he leans over.
"That was beautiful. She would have loved it." He whispered, putting his forehead against my cheek.
I put my hand on his face, turning to give him a kiss. Hot tears fell down my cheeks and my breath caught in my chest. The casket slowly lowered into the ground. Dad walked over to where I saw Jaxson sitting at JT's grave. I decide to leave them for a moment. My dad only talks to him for a moment before walking back to me.
"That was wonderful sweetie." He tells me, placing his hand on my chin. "I'm real proud of you. And I talked to Filip."
"Yeah and does he love me?" I ask with a faint grin. Dad looks over my shoulder to where Filip is standing with Opie.
"Yeah, he does. I'm sorry for the way I acted."
"I get it. I'm daddy's little girl. Of course you had to get upset and overreact. Just glad you didn't do something embarrassing like clean your gun at the dinner table." I wink at him.
"Let's go. Filip's waiting." He puts his arm around me and we stroll together in silence until we get back to Filip. Opie gives me one last hug as he carries Kenny to Mary's car.
"Take my daughter home, keep her safe." Dad growls at Filip, clapping him on the back. I look back to where Jax stood at his father's grave. His back is to me and I shake my head at the idea of running to him and demanding answers. Instead, I let Filip lead me to his bike and we leave.
1 Month Later
I walk into the small diner not paying particular attention to my surroundings. David Hale's voice stirs me out of my random thoughts.
"How you doing Aubrey?" His voice is sincere but his emotion does nothing but irritate me more.
"One day at a time Deputy Do-Little." I answer, my eyes cascading around the room. My dad sits at the diner bar hunched over a plate of eggs and coffee.
"How is Opie?" He asks.
"Don't say his name to me. You and that Stahl bitch don't get the right." I spin around and practically growl the words through gritted teeth. "Go to hell."
I march over to my father and sit down next to him. He overheard the last part of our conversation and keeps a glaring eye on David as he sits down with his asshole brother.
"Morning sweetie." He greets me, turning toward me to give me a hug. "Heard your brother's comin back today."
"Thank God." I sigh. "I was starting to worry."
"Yeah, me too baby girl." He turns back to his food, shoveling it in his mouth. I order a cup of coffee and sit there in silence while he eats. I feel someone staring at me and turn to see one of the men with the Hale brothers watching us with interest.
"Who's that pops?" I ask, nodding my head to the meeting in the corner.
"Don't know." He casually looked over his shoulder and back at me.
"That guy's kinda creepy."I shudder under the man's gaze.
"Filip on business today?" He asks, changing the subject.
"Yeah, with Jaxson." I explain. Dad rolls his eyes. The tension in the club has grown substantially. Filip and I have done our best to keep to ourselves but with my brother's return, I wonder if we can do it much longer.
We finish our morning ritual. Since Donna's death, dad's been set on spending more time together even going so far as to take the kids to school once in a while to help Mary and me out and our now daily breakfast date. Mary and I had settled into a joint custody situation, giving us each a break and no need to interact with each other. I had to admit having her around had been useful but I was ready for the woman to run away again. My phone rang across the counter, my brother's name on the caller ID.
"Hey." I answer quickly. "You home?"
"Yeah, just got here." His voice is quiet, distant.
"Mary giving you a hard time yet?" I ask, a smile playing on my lips.
"Yeah, already starting in on me. Mind getting the kids after school today? Got some stuff I need to get done." He rushes through. I figure Mary had already told him no.
"Of course." I reassure him.
"Thank you Bree. For everything." He says before hanging up. I hear the sadness hang on in every word.
"I gotta get to work Dad. Don't want Gemma on my case." I give him a kiss on his forehead and leave. The scary man from the corner watches my every move.
Later that night
Bobby is scheduled to be back any minute. The entire club is packed into the TM parking lot, crow eaters milling around. I stand by Filip's side, joking with Juice and Happy. An expensive-looking car pulls in and stops right next to us. The two men meeting with the Hales this morning step out. My breath catches in my chest.
"Stay here babe." Filip tells me as he joins Clay with Juice and Hap. Gemma walks out and stands next to me. There is some irritated confrontation brewing between the men before they are told to leave. Gemma walks over to Clay while Filip joins me.
"Babe, those two men were at the diner this morning, the one guy gives me the creeps." I tell him. "They were meeting with Deputy Dip-Shit and his King Asshole brother."
"Christ. I want you to stay away from them. At least till we know what's goin on." He pulls me in for a kiss.
The crowd starts to cheer as a black town car pulls in. That fed bitch steps out first before Juice pulls open the back door. Bobby steps out amid the hoots and hollering, everyone rushing in to greet him home.
"I'm going over to relive Neeta. Take care of Abel." Gemma whispers in my ear and kisses my cheek. I know for a fact Tara is going over there but neglect to tell the woman that. She was still carrying a grudge for her plan falling through.
"Yeah, I'll see you tomorrow." I reassure her. Things are still awkward between us.
The party goes on for a long while, the guys getting more obnoxious with each drink. I laugh at the sight of Bobby and two larger women on the pool table. Filip and Kip are wrestling around and laughing. This is the first relaxed moment since Donna. I glance out the door and see my brother sitting on a picnic table. I walk outside grabbing a beer on my way.
He barely looks up when I sit down. I reach over, putting my arm through his and lean on his shoulder. We sit there for a while, quiet and close. I struggle with the idea of sharing my suspicions with him. Not sure if it will actually help, I decide to keep it to myself for now. Instead I take comfort that he's back, safe and in one piece physically. The only thing I can do now is hold him close, keep him sane. He didn't need me to tell him to go see his kids or take care of his responsibilities. Instead, I needed to do that for him now.
Filip makes his way outside when he doesn't see me standing by Juice. He catches us in our moment and smiles wide.
"Thank you brother." Opie tells him. "I know you been helpin Bree with the kids and stuff. You take good care of my sister."
"Aye, no problem brotha. She's pretty easy to take care of." I smile at him, feeling more in love each day.
"Yeah, but still." Opie shrugs, I untangle my arm from his. "You deserved that hit." Filip and I laugh at him.
"Yer right, I did." He concedes. "You wantin to go home sweetheart?"
"Yeah, I'm getting too old for this shit." I joke with him.
"If you're too old, imagine how Chibs feels." Opie laughs as he pulls me to stand with him. It's the first true laugh I've heard from him.
"Ya both are a bunch of fuckin comedians now." Filip shakes his head, pulling me to his bike with him.