Okay my lovely readers, here's a new chapter. Hope you enjoy!

We were less than a block away from home when my mother made the decison to pull her car over.

"Mom, why'd you pull over?", I asked, shifting my eyes from looking out the open window to her in pure confusion.

She turned her body toward the middle console, unzipping her purse to retrieve her onyx colored makeup bag.

"I'm not gonna front, but you look a mess Mel bear. Your family doesn't need to see you in this state. Hence the makeup bag."

I pulled down the visor, lifting up the flap to expose myself to my reflection.

Holy hell, she was right.

My hair was a tangled mess and the hit Ima managed to get in did in fact result in a darkening bruise.

I took the makeup bag from my mother's hands and began to conceal the aftermath from this afternoon.

"There's a comb in there as well, sweetheart. Don't hesitate to use it," Linda suggested as she watched Melanie attempt to comb through her hair with just her fingers.

I nodded, pulling out the dark brown comb.

Once my hair no longer looked like I suffered from a form of electricution, I placed all the products I used to beautify my appearance back into the makeup bag and zipped it closed.

After handing the makeup bag back to my mother, she plopped it atop of her countless items in her purse.

"Better?", I asked.

Linda brought her hand to her daughter's face, her pointer finger and thumb turning Mel's face to confirm she evenly blended her makeup.

"Perfect," she smiled.

She resumed position and forged on to getting me home to my family.

As she pulled up into the driveway, we spotted Jax chasing Abel around our front yard.

"Mommy!," Abel yelled running toward my side of the car.

I quickly got out of the car and lifted him into my arms, feeling him tightly wind his arms around my neck.

"Hey, mommy can't save you. My bike is base, remember?", Jax pointed out as he came closer to us.

Abel burrowed his head in my neck to hide from his father, shaking his head no.

"Not anymore. Mommy is base. I win," He quipped, perking his head up.

"Alright, alright. I'll let you have this one," Jax replied, kissing the side of his head.

Jax turned his head and looked at my mother who had a large grin on her face while she got out the driver's side of her trusted vehicle.

" Hey Linda, you mind taking Abel inside?"

"Of course. Come on baby, Grandma will let you have some ice cream before dinner," She bribed with her hand held out.

Abel looked at me with bright eyes.

"Can I mom?"

I let out a hefty sigh before I answered.

"Yeah, it's fine," I answered with a forced smile.

"Yes!"

I set Abel down and he sprinted to my waiting mother.

"Just a little, mom. Not a whole sundae," I yelled as she waved me off while the two of them disappeared into the house.

With neither of us saying anything, I gave my husband a kiss and brought him into a much needed embrace.

"It's gonna be alright, darlin'. We have protection now set on the inside," he stated as he rested his chin atop of my head.

Not releasing my hold on him, I felt the urge to ask:

"Are you sure?"

Jax loosened his hold on me which I felt was a cue to pull away and look him directly in his beautiful blue eyes.

"We wouldn't be turning ourselves over if we didn't," he replied as my hands briefly intertwined with his.

"Okay. That makes me feel a little better."

"Just a little?," he teased.

"Yes, only a little," I confirmed, giving him one more kiss to only get interrupted by his ringing cell phone.

With one of his hands placed on the small of my back, he used the other to rummage into his deep pocket to answer the incoming call.

"Hey."

I just looked up at him as he listened to other person on the other line.

"Okay, I'll be there in a bit."

He ended the call, returning his cell to the depths of his pocket.

"That was Lowen. I have to head over to the clubhouse. Roosevelt and his band of badges are gonna there any minute."

I nodded, immediately feeling that all too familiar stinging sensation behind my eyes.

The fucking tears were about to spring forth.

"Okay," I forced a grin.

Jax's eyes softened, and he shook his head.

His large hands engulfed my face as my eyes fell to the driveway pavement.

"Darlin'.."

I sucked in a rattled breath, bringing my head up slowly to look at him.

"I love you."

"I love you more, Teller."

He smiled, resting his forehead against mine.

"Not possible."

"Says you."

He met me halfway for the dreaded good bye kiss before he made the departure to his bike.

"Come home to me whole, you hear me?", I yelled over his roaring vehicle.

"Yes mam," Jax replied as he backed out of the driveway.


While Abel and I were in the kitchen preparing dinner, there was a loud knock on the door.

Happy, who Jax instructed to watch us for the time he was inside, peaked around the corner from the living room.

I turned Abel towards my body, holding him close to me.

"I got it,Mel, "he stated with his hand already placed on the handle of the gun that was tucked in the back of his loose fitted jeans.

I nodded as my eyes fell on the wooden block of knives since my main weapon of choice was in the damn bedroom.

Happy peaked through the hole of the door, releasing the handle of his gun.

He recovered the gun with the hem of his shirt and opened the door.

"Hey Op," Happy greeted as his eyes soon fell on Kenny and Ellie, who had full back packs strapped to their backs.

"Hey man."

"Jax isn't here."

"No, I know. I'm actually here to see Mel."

Hearing Opie's voice, I came around the corner with a smile on my face.

"Hey guys, come on in."

Shortly after Jax left for the clubhouse, Opie called me and asked if I could take care of the kids while he goes out of town.

I mean, why in the world would the word no even be a thought in his mind? We're family and that is my niece and nephew.

No one and I mean no one can convince me otherwise.

"Hi aunt Mel," Ellie wrapped her arms around me which I automatically reciprocated.

"Hey gorgeous. You and your brother go unpack your things and make yourselves at home. My casa es su casa."

"Okay," she smiled.

Kenny gave me a brief "hi" and ran to the living room to hook up his playstation.

"You hungry, Op? You're more than welcome to stay for dinner," I suggested as he followed me into the kitchen.

"No, I gotta get going."

"Okay, no problem. You know I never mind watching Kenny and Ellie, but I thought Lyla would be choice A since she is your wife."

He let out a ragged sigh while his hand pulled at the ends of his growing beard.

"It's been rocky, Mel. She and Piper have been staying with her mom."

"Oh.. Well, I'm sure it's just a temporary rough patch. Things will get better."

"Yeah, maybe.. So, I'm not exactly sure how long I will be gone, so I'm giving this to you to help with expenses."

Opie passed me a large white envelope.

I opened it up and looked at him with wide eyes.

"Jesus Christ Opie, I can't accept this."

"It's a hundred grand. I'm not leaving with the envelope no matter how hard you try to fight me on it."

I tapped the envelope in my open hand, chewing on my bottom lip, mentally going back and forth on the idea.

"You know, I would fight you on it, but I know you said you have somewhere to be and I don't wanna hold you up."

He gave me a small grin before giving me a hug.

"I'll see ya. Thanks again."

"No need to thank me."


8:57 pm:

Everyone in the household was in the living room by this time.

Kenny was teaching Abel how to play a video game in front of the tv.

My mom was feeding Landon on the couch opposite of me.

Happy was next to them, watching the boys interact with one another.

Ellie was sitting in front of me while I was braiding her hair.

As I was securing the second and final braid with a same tone hairband, the home phone rang.

"You want me to get it?," Happy asked.

"No, I got it. Excuse me sweetheart."

Ellie slid herself foward as I got up to head to the kitchen.

"Hello?"

"Hey darlin'."

My eyes immediately welled up with tears.

"Hey baby, you okay? How is everyone else?"

"I'm whole.. I, uh.. I can't say the same for the club."

"Jax.. Jax, what happened?", I asked, leaning up against the kitchen's counter.

"It's Opie, Mel.. He's gone."

Wait, what? Opie said he was going out of town.

How the hell did he end up inside with the club?

I didn't even need to ask the question aloud as my brain pieced together the answer.

"Since Tig killed one of Damon Pope's men, one of my men had to die.. And Opie made sure it was him," Jax answered in a shaky voice.

My eyes closed and the brewing tears immediately streamed down my face.

I covered my mouth to silence the wail my throat built up.

How was I gonna tell his children that are in the very next room that both of their parents are officially gone?

How could Opie make that type of decision?

These kids need him.

"Mel.."

"I..I'm still here, Jax."

"I have to go, darlin'. I just needed to make this phone call."

"Okay.. I love you."

"I love you more."


Two Days Later:

With Landon laying his head on my shoulder, Abel and I sat on the clubhouse's benches, awaiting Jax's return.

I turned my head to check on Kenny and Ellie who were over by the swingset.

The two of them were sitting on each swing, not even moving their mourning selves back and forth like the swing is intended to.

"Daddy!"

Abel jumped up as the signature sound of his and the club's bikes erupted around us.

Our oldest son ran over to where Jax parks his bike.

The moment Jax demounted his two wheeled vehicle, he picked up Abel and made his way over to Landon and me.

"Hey beautiful."

"Hey handsome," I replied, giving him a kiss on the lips.

"I.. I don't know what to say except how sorry I am."

"There really aren't no words, babe."

"Yeah.. I guess you're right."

"Mel, I need you to do me a favor."

"Of course, anything."

"I need you to go check in on Lyla. County called this morning. Let her know about the wake tonight."

"Great minds think alike. I already picked up some essentials for her and Piper. I was just waiting on you."

"Okay. I'll keep an eye on the kids while you go to Lyla's," he said, shifting his eyes to Kenny and Ellie.


When I reached Lyla's front door, I didn't even need to knock.

The front door was slightly open.

I quietly put down the groceries and retrieved my gun from my purse before I entered the house.

"Lyla?"

With my gun up, I entered the messy home to only be greeted my a half naked medicated Lyla.

"You gonna shoot me?"

I put the safety back on and put my gun back in my purse.

"Your front door was open."

I turned around and picked up the bags of groceries, bringing them into the kitchen.

She slowly brought herself to the door, closing and locking it.

"What are you doing here," she asked, dropping her body into the closest chair.

"Why else would I be here? I'm here to check in on you," I replied, putting the groceries away.

"Well, as you can see, I'm still breathing. Now you can go."

"I'm not gonna do that," I stated, taking a seat next to her.

"You should. You have two more kids to take care of now."

I knew the passing of Opie wasn't the only thing setting Lyla's heartbroken soul on fire.

But, the fact he put Ellie and Kenny into my care instead of her before he made the choice to leave this world.

"Lyla.."

She slammed her hand onto the table in front of us.

"Get the fuck out, Mel! I don't want you here."

"Thst wish isn't getting granted today. I'm not leaving here until you hear what I have to say. Opie's wake is tonight and you should be there."

"Why? He never loved me."

"Even if you believe that was true, you should go because you loved him. You may wake up one day and regret not saying your proper goodbye."

"I can barely stand up straight. What makes you think I can get ready to go anywhere right now?"

"That's fine. Like you, I am a mother. I'm used to having to assist with the bathing process. I will help you get ready and sober enough to leave with me, no matter how long it takes, I'm getting you to that wake."

"You said you would leave after I heard what you said."

"I lied. Let's get you in the shower and get some food in you."