Thank you, THANK YOU to everyone who has taken the time to read, review, favorite, and follow! I'm so appreciative to hear your thoughts and concerns! I got back to most of you, but thanks also to: Guest and Sabrina!
There's a lot of Spanglish in this chapter. I tried to translate most of it, but if you're confused at all, send me a message and I'll add on the other ones. I usually don't write them in until I edit, so I might've missed a few! ;)
This chapter is also one of the longest I've ever posted, so my apologies! I just couldn't find a good place to cut it!
Disclaimer: I own nothing but Angela, Chloe, and Evie. The rest is all from the mind of the brilliant Kurt Sutter. :)
Overexposed
Chapter 3: A Charming Homecoming
By Love Ink
Juice held Evie tightly in his arms, rocking her while he watched Angela take care of their check-in luggage. His baby girl was half asleep, her head on his shoulder, arms around his neck. He'd spent the extra cash to park their car just so he could have this extra moment with his girls without having to worry about people rushing them. They were set to leave on the red eye to Oakland in hopes that Evie would sleep on the plane. Juice had a feeling their plan was a little too hopeful. As tired as Evie was, she was also really excited about going on the plane. He turned his head to kiss her forehead, inhaling her warm scent, happy to hold her for as long as he could before they left.
She stirred a bit, nuzzling her face into his shoulder. "I fly, Daddy," she murmured sleepily.
"Yeah, Monk. You're going to fly on the plane with Mama," he told her, his eyes on Angela, watching her with worry. She was being way too calm about everything, it was like the quiet before a storm. Only he wasn't going to be there to help calm the inevitable storm, and it already had his stomach in knots.
"We go to California? See Mama's family?" she asked around a yawn.
"Yeah, baby girl," he answered. It felt weird to have her refer to the family in California as Angela's; they'd been his once too. "All of 'em."
"Daddy go too?"
"Not this time, Monk. Daddy's gotta stay here to take care of Rigs," he explained, kissing her temple again.
"Riggy no fly?" she asked, leaning back to look at him in shock.
Juice smirked; his daughter seemed more upset about leaving the dog than about leaving him. "Nope. Rigs is going to stay with Daddy this time. Doggies don't like to fly."
"Oooh," she drawled out, seemingly appeased by the explanation. "And Jazzy?"
He fought the urge to laugh. Evie loved her brother, but it was his girlfriend who she idolized. "Your brother 'n' Jazz are gonna meet you guys out there later," he assured her. "You gotta promise you'll be good for Mama. Listen to her and behave, okay?"
"Okay, Daddy. I be good."
He held out his pinky to her. "Pinky promise?"
Evie smiled, hooking her pinky around his. "Pinky pwomise," she replied, kissing his nose with a giggle. "Love you, Daddy."
Juice felt a lump in his throat at the idea of not seeing his beautiful little girl for an undetermined amount of time. "Love you too, Monk. So much," he murmured, kissing her cheek and holding her just a little tighter.
Angela approached them, looking a little frazzled. "Got the boarding passes and checked in the big bag. So that's done. Plane is leaving on time for the moment. We don't have a connecting flight, thank God, and we have a window seat with no one sitting next to us," she rambled on in one breath. "Think we're ready."
"Plane time?" Evie asked, yawning again.
"Plane time," Juice confirmed, kissing her cheek. "Beso, monito."
Evie gave him a loud kiss, her arms wrapped tightly around his neck. "Beso!" she shouted, more awake now as her excitement set in. He noticed Angela grimace and chuckled as he bent to put Evie in her stroller. She squirmed against him, doing her best to keep him from strapping her in. "No, I walk, Daddy! I'm a big girl!" she insisted, kicking her legs out.
"Too many people, Monk. Stroller time. What'd we say about being good?" he reminded her, clicking her in despite her protests.
She pouted a bit but stopped as soon as she had her little stuffed bull dog close by. "I be good."
"Love you," he told her once more, wanting that to be the last thing he said to her instead of the warning. "You know that."
"Love you too," she murmured, snuggling into the stroller with her bulldog tightly in her arms.
Juice smiled at her, running a hand over her hair before meeting his wife's gaze. "You ready for this?"
"No," Angela answered honestly. "We should've gotten a return ticket. This one way stuff is bull shit. I want to come home."
This was a fight they'd had just hours before when she was trying to find a return trip. Juice had told her to just get the one way ticket to avoid rescheduling fees if their trip ended up being longer than expected. He knew she hated not having an end date, but he also knew she wouldn't want to leave until everything with Elena was settled. No way was he going to put time restraints on her. Especially since Dino didn't seem to mind having his personal assistant gone for an extended period of time. "And you will when you're ready. There's no deadline, baby. Just enjoy being with your Aunt and Hap. You're going to be fine."
"Yeah? What about you?" she asked, her dark eyes worried as she put her hand on his cheek. "You gonna be okay?"
He breathed in deeply, his chest rising and falling as he let out his breath. "Yeah, fine," he lied. He didn't want them to leave, hated the idea of being alone in that house again. "I got Rigs, don't I?"
She nodded, swallowing hard, the smallest hint of tears in her eyes. "Yeah." She laughed lightly, wiping at her eyes. "Of course. We got our happily ever after, right? This is just a…a bump in the road. We'll go to Charming, take care of Lena, and come back. Everything is going to be okay."
Juice could see her starting to crack and knew it was his turn to be strong for her. "Yeah, baby. Everything is going to be okay," he said, framing her face with his hands. "You and the kids will come back and everything will be back to normal. Promise."
Angela sniffled, holding onto his wrists as she nodded. "Okay."
"I love you," he told her, kissing her softly. He could see her resolve starting to break; if he waited any longer, she wouldn't go. " 's almost time for your flight, baby."
"I know."
"You gotta go."
She nodded, letting out a shaky breath. "I know." She shifted on her feet, looking over her shoulder at the airport doors. "Tell me I can do this."
He fought against the urge to smile. "You can do this." He leaned in and kiss her soundly on the lips. "I love you, and you're going to be fine."
She took in a deep breath, strengthening herself. He could see the change in her before his eyes and felt a sense of accomplishment when he realized he'd been the one to help her get to that point. She kissed him again, stroking a hand over his cheek. "I got this."
"You'll call?"
"Every day," she promised, kissing him again. "Face Time too."
Juice couldn't help but give her a naughty grin, his hand going to palm her ass. "Dirty Face Time?'
She shrugged a shoulder, looking over at Evie who was already asleep in her stroller. "Dirty Face Time, sexting, whatever I can get away with, Juan Carlos."
"God, I love you," he murmured, pulling her in close for a tight hug. "So much. And I'ma miss you like crazy."
"Miss you too," she replied, snuggling her face into his neck. "Love you."
Juice squeezed her quickly before letting her go. "Go or I'm going to throw you back in the car and hold you hostage."
"Promises, promises." She laughed lightly, her eyes falling on Evie. "Pray that she stays asleep."
He chuckled, leaning over to kiss his daughter's forehead before looking at his wife, just drinking her in. "Good luck, baby," he told her, kissing her one last time. "Be good. Stay safe."
Angela gave him a sad smile as she nodded. "Always."
Juice took her hand, squeezing it softly before letting it slip out of his hold as she walked away. His heart sunk deep in his chest as he watched her go. He had a bad feeling about all of this. A very, very bad feeling.
When they finally touched down in Oakland, Angela was exhausted. She should've known Evie wasn't going to sleep on the plane; Evie never slept on planes. Thankfully, this time, she was up babbling excitedly about everything she could see through the window instead of crying her head off. Angela tried to fall asleep, but she couldn't get comfortable. The few times she managed to doze off, a little hand against her cheek woke her up as her daughter asked her yet another question.
Of course as soon as she got her in the carseat of her rental, she conked out. Asleep in seconds with the stuffed bulldog Kozik had bought for her held tightly in her arms. Angela checked on her in the rearview mirror, smirking to herself as she drove to the Alvarez household. They'd be staying there since both she and Juice didn't think it was wise to stay in Charming.
It was bittersweet to drive through her old hood. She'd grown up on those streets, loving every minute of it. She stared at the stoplight now, wishing it would change to green before she got there so she wouldn't have to stop in front of the damn building. Alvarez's warehouse was lit up, the Mayan bikes parked neatly in front of it. Something big must've been going on if the brothers were there at sunrise. The stoplight didn't change, and she pulled to a stop, doing her best to ignore the building and all the memories that came with it. Still, the image of Juice being hauled off to his doom by the rest of his brothers was vivid in her mind.
The light changed, and she sped away, pressing on the gas and speeding down the street. Juice would kill her if he saw how fast she was driving with Evie in the car, but she needed the rush. Needed to feel the wind blowing in her face through her open windows. It was refreshing and invigorating. She could do this. They were going to be fine.
"Too windy, Mama!" Evie whined from the backseat, obviously awakened by the gush of wind blowing in her face.
Angela grimaced, rolling the windows back up as she pulled into the Alvarez's street. "Sorry, Eves. You ready to go see Abuela Dia?"
"Yeah!" she answered around a yawn.
She chuckled a bit in response, watching at Evie's eyes drooped closed again. "Now you sleep, ya little monster," she muttered to herself as she pulled into the drive. Stopping the car, she leaned back in her seat, letting out a light sigh as she stared up the house. She'd had her first kiss on the roof, fell in love there, so many good memories and yet, she still felt sad when she looked at the house. Esai's presence was so strong there, and while Dia acted as if she forgave her husband for killing their son, Angela wasn't sure she truthfully did. It was the reason Dia had a little more control over him than she'd had in the past; Marcus still felt guilty about what happened to Esai.
A loud tap on the window snapped her out of her thoughts with a jump. Lino's smiling face appeared in the window seconds before the door opened. "Whassup, Angelita!" he greeted happily.
"Lino! What the hell are you doing here?" she exclaimed, scrambling out of the car and letting him wrap her up in a big bear hug.
"I'm on watch duty for Dia and Tess. There's some big shit goin' down, so Marc's got me keepin' an eye on 'em," he explained on a shrug. "Also wanted me here to help you get all your shit settled. Open the door, lemme get them bags."
"You're here for protection? Shit," she said, glancing back at her sleeping daughter. "Is shit that bad?"
"Nah. Sons pissed of the Triads and the Niners all in one foul swoop. We sided with them, we're catchin' that heat a bit. I'm here as a precaution. Ain't no safer place for you two," he assured her with his usual grin. He peeked through the window and whistled. "Shit! Look at the little one! Ain't a baby no more," he said on a chuckle. " 'bout to have one of my own, actually."
Angela's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Shut up!" she exclaimed, smacking his stomach lightly. "Are you serious?"
He nodded his head enthusiastically. "Yeah, ma girl's only a couple weeks along pero…I can't wait," he explained rubbing his hands together.
Her spirits lifted at the idea of Lino having a kid. He was such a good guy, she had no doubt he was going to be a stellar dad. "Congrats, dude! Who'd you knock up? Tiff?"
"Nah, nah. That's been over for awhile. She's back with Jay," he said, waving away her theory. He cringed a bit before replying, "Don't get mad pero its…its Soledad."
"Soli?" She recoiled instinctively at the name. It was one she hadn't heard in ages, but it still made her skin crawl. Soli had been a royal bitch to her for years. Openly hating her as she tried desperately to steal Esai in anyway possible. She'd done and said horrible things all through high school and beyond in her desperate attempt to earn her spot as Esai's Old Lady. The one thing she'd give Esai credit for was that he'd never given in. He'd cheated many times, but he stayed the hell away from Soli. "She's still around?"
"Yeah 'mana. Her dad's a club member 'n' she owns a salon downtown. Right across from the record store," he explained, his hands tucked into his pockets. "She's a good girl, Ang. We been together for awhile now."
Angela bobbed her head in response, still trying to wrap her head around how good, sweet Lino could've knocked up the Satan's spawn. "Well, th-that's…awesome," she replied with a little less enthusiasm then before. She cringed at her own response. "God, 'm sorry, Lee. I'm…exhausted. I'm so happy for you though. You're going to be an amazing Dad, dude. No matter who the baby Mama is."
Lino shrugged a bit, his smile fading. "I know its weird. Pero she's different now, chiqui. She's real sorry 'bout all that shit. We talked about it when I told her you were comin' home. She wants to get together. Make amends 'n' shit. She did a lot of growin' up since the last time you saw her."
"Oh I'm sure." She grunted as she grabbed her suitcase from the back of the rented car. "Look, I love you, Lino, pero I got a lotta shit on my plate andmaking nice with Soli is at the very end of my list."
"I hear ya, I hear ya," he gave in with a nod. "You wanna get the little one and I'll grab your shit?"
She nodded, carefully unhooking Evie from her seat and lifting her up into her arms. Evie stirred a bit, rubbing at her eyes as she yawned. "We here?" she asked sleepily.
"Yeah, baby," Angela murmured, kissing her temple. She looked over at Lino who was grinning at the young girl. "This is your Tio Lino."
"What's up, Evie? Nice to see you again. Last time I saw you, you was this tiny little pink, squishy thing with like no teeth," he teased, squeezing her little hand. "Looked like a little baby doll or somethin' pero now yous a little lady!"
Evie giggled back at him, perking up a bit. "You're silly, Tio." She yawned widely, putting her head back on her mom's shoulder.
Angela rubbed a hand over her daughter's back. "You tired, Evie-doll?"
"No," she murmured, already half asleep.
Lino chuckled, stacking the suitcases and starting to roll them towards the house. He opened the door for them, letting Angela and Evie go in before him. Once he got the suitcases inside, he made sure to lock all three locks and throw the padlock. It seemed a little extensive to Angela for what Lino described as a "little bit of heat". "That's a lotta locks."
"Safety first," Lino explained on a shrug.
"They're drama queens. All of 'em," Dia's voice came from behind them. "Welcome home, mija."
Angela smiled widely at the older woman before looking down at Evie who was sound asleep on her shoulder. "I swear, she was awake and excited to see you like ten seconds ago."
Dia chuckled, kissing Evie's head before kissing Angela's cheek. "I understand. Been a long trip. You two need some sleep. Go. Esai's room is all ready for you. I'm going to wait for Marcus to come home."
She nodded, kissing Dia's cheek. "Thanks, D," she said around a sigh.
Lino followed the up with the bags, gently putting them on the floor. He whistled as he looked around the room. "Somethings never change." He leaned over and kissed her cheek before kissing Evie's head. "Night, pretty girls. See you later."
"Later, dude," she replied, pulling back the comforter and laying Evie down on the bed.
The little girl looked so peaceful all snuggled up with her stuffed dog that Angela didn't have the heart to wake her up to change her. Carefully, she pulled off her shoes and socks before tucking her in. Snapping a quick picture of the sleeping girl, she sent it to Juice along with a goodnight message.
As tired as she was, she went through the motions of brushing her teeth and changing before sliding into the comfy bed. She sighed and stared up at the ceiling, smiling up at the glow in the dark stars that she'd put up to surprise Esai so long ago. Closing her eyes, she tried to sleep, but it eluded her. In just a few hours, she'd be off to St. Thomas to visit her sick aunt, and she desperately needed to sleep before that otherwise, she'd be a basket case. She felt sick to her stomach as she stared at the stars, counting them over and over again to calm her. It was too quiet in the house, though. Way too quiet. Reaching for her phone, she dialed Juice's number.
He answered on the very first ring. "Hey baby. You okay?" he asked. He sounded incredibly alert for someone who should've been sleeping.
She relaxed at the sound of his voice, smiling to herself. "Yeah. Its too quiet here, though. Can't sleep," she admitted, her fingers stroking through Evie's hair.
"Mmkay. Keep the phone on. Rigs and I will snore for you," he answered, sounding a little more tired than he had when he'd answered the phone.
"Oh so now its okay that Rigs is in our bed," she teased, putting the phone between her ear and the pillow.
"Need someone to cuddle with. He's a decent substitute. A little hairier than you but I can deal with it," he replied around a chuckle. "I miss you, though."
She yawned, his soft voice making her sleepy. "Miss you too."
"Go to sleep, baby. You got a busy day tomorrow."
"Okay. Don't hang up."
Juice chuckled again, sending shivers down her spine. " 'm here. Not goin' anywhere, beautiful. Love you."
Angela sighed, letting the sound of his breathing lull her to sleep. "Love you, too."
After an amazing breakfast at the Alvarez house, Angela packed Evie up and headed to Charming blasting the Little Mermaid soundtrack as they went. Evie was excited, talking up a storm about meeting her Abuela Elena and Tio Happy. Her excitement was usually contagious, but Angela's stomach was doing flip flops, and, though, she was smiling for Evie's sake, she wasn't feeling the excitement.
She tried not to look at the houses as she drove down the street. Ignored Gemma's house, Tara's, purposefully went around the downtown center, steered clear of TM, and took the longest, most roundabout way to their old house. Holding her breath, she turned the corner and was shocked to see a deep blue low-rider sitting in her old driveway. She knew her Ma and Aunt were living at the old house now, but she seriously doubted her Ma was driving a pimped out low-rider. "What the fuck?" she muttered, just low enough so that the annoyingly happy music drowned her out.
For the first time ever, she parked on the street. Looking back at her daughter, she realized she was also entranced by the sparkling car. "Pretty car, Mama," Evie said, pointing at it as Angela lifted her out of the car seat.
"Yeah, real pretty," she answered distractedly. The car was the last thing she was worried about while standing at the threshold of her old house. There were so many memories in there. Good and bad. Taking in a deep breath, she let it out slowly. "See this house? Daddy and I lived here before you were born and after you were born for a bit too."
"It's nice," she stated, walking to the front door. She waited until Angela got there, hand reaching for the doorbell that was just out of reach. "Can I ring?"
Angela smirked at the idea of having to ring the doorbell at what used to be her old house. The place hadn't changed much save for the brightly colored flowers growing in boxes near the door along with a little statue of a frog next to the welcome mat. What had once been their quiet little home now clearly belonged to two old women who loved to garden. "Can you reach?" she asked, ready to hold her if needed. Evie got up on her toes, her little hand held over the doorbell before she turned to look at her Mom for permission. She nodded, "Go for it, kiddo."
Evie giggled as she rang away to her heart's content. Angela made no move to stop her, either, just laughed while she played with one of her pigtails. Graciela opened the door, laughing as she squatted down. "There's my favorite nieta!" (Granddaughter)
Evie knew Graciela well through video chats and phone calls, so she didn't hesitate to throw her arms around her. "Abuela!" she shouted, letting her grandma shower her in kisses. "'buela, I went on a plane!"
"Did you now, mi corazon? How exciting!" she cooed to her granddaughter. She set her down and pushed her inside. "Veni. I've got some surprises for you." (My heart...come)
Angela hesitated at the threshold, staring at the familiar living room, the couch, the TV…all of it came with its own memories. She'd been standing in the very same spot as her mother when they'd told her Juice was dead. When they'd given her his rings. The same spot where Juice had held her while she cried over Kozik's, over what she'd done to Mel. So many awful memories. "It's okay, mija," her mother murmured, reaching her hand out to squeeze hers. "Everything is different now."
She tensed a bit at her mother's touch, not at all used to being comforted by her. It'd been years since Graciela had ever tried; that was her Aunt's arena. Always had been. She swallowed hard and nodded, a light laugh escaping her lips. "Yeah," she said, sniffling as she pulled away. There was a brief look of pain in Graciela's eyes that made Angela cringe. She hadn't meant to offend her mother. Sighing, she leaned over and kissed her mother's cheek. "How do you like the place, Mama?"
"Oh, I love it! We kept Evie's room just like it was for her to play in when she visits y los Sons made a room for your Tia in the garage with a special bed y todo. Come, I show you," she explained, grabbing her hand and pulling her inside. "Tengo un amigo over so be nice." (...and everything...I have a friend over)
Angela stared at her mother in utter confusion; she'd never seen her so happy. It was creeping her out a bit. "Okay," she drew out, picking Evie up when she ran to her. Clearly, Evie had seen the stranger and had decided to go straight into shy mode. Rounding the kitchen, she was shocked to find Nero standing there, a mug in his hand, a little tea bag string hanging out of it. "What the hell?"
" 'ey, look who it is!" he exclaimed with a big smile. "Angelita, welcome back, Mami. And this must be little Eva. Last time I saw you, you were a tiny baby. Look how big you are!"
Evie perked up at that, smiling widely at him. "I'm a big girl!"
"Yes you are, preciosa," he said, kissing her cheek. "Bonita como tu Mama." (Precious...pretty like your Mama.)
Angela let him hug her awkwardly as she shifted Evie on her hip. She had nothing against the man. He'd been nothing but supportive and kind to her ever since she met him. True, Jax has blamed him for Juice not being trustworthy, but Nero hadn't known. It wasn't his fault. Still, she didn't understand why he was in her Mom's kitchen. "Hey Nero. Wasn't expecting to see you here…"
"Uh…yeah," he said with an awkward laugh. His dark eyes went over to Graciela, his shoulder shrugging just a little bit as if he didn't know how to explain it either.
"Nero and I have been spending some time together, mija," Graciela said gently. She patted Nero's shoulder lovingly. "He's a good man, a good friend."
Her eyes widened as she looked from the tattooed OG in front of her to her mother. There was no way her mom was seeing Nero. Absolutely not. How had they even come into contact with each other? What the hell was going on? "Y-yeah. Well, this is...interesting," she agreed numbly. Her stomach turned at the thought of her Mom getting Gemma's sloppy seconds. She blinked at them for a minute until Evie started squirming. She set Evie on the ground, shaking her head and clearing her throat. "All right, Evie doll. How 'bout I show you your old room, huh? Get away from this...insanity."
"Mama, that Abuela's boyfriend?" Evie asked, playing with Angela's ring as she held her hand.
"I sure as hell hope not," she muttered, pausing at the mouth of the hallway. Another memory hit her, as clear is if it were happening. Juice's laughter as he chased her down that hall, catching her around the waist and carrying her caveman style into their bedroom. Her breath caught in her throat. Pressing a hand to her aching heart, she turned to the white door on her left, smiling at the pretty lilac 'E' painted on it. She sucked in a quick breath and squeezed her daughter's hand. "Mama and Aunt Ellie painted this room for you before you were even born. Check it out."
She walked in and Evie gasped, her little finger pointing straight at the design on the wall. "Mama! Your tattoos with a heart! So pretty!" She stopped marveling at the artwork a moment as she looked around the room. Her eyes widened when she saw the little kitchen set in the corner, the play food already neatly put beside it. "Look! It's a little kitchen, Mama!"
"Very nice, baby," Angela answered, sitting down on the floor and staring up at the painting on the wall. She closed her eyes, breathing in deeply as she lay back down onto the soft center rug. Juice had picked out the ugly purple thing because it was soft as hell. She ran her hands over it, smiling as she remembered laying with Juice and Evie there the night they'd brought her home. All three of them and Rigor had fallen asleep on the floor that day. She had the precious picture Chloe had taken to prove it. A picture she'd had to hide away when Juice asked her to hide all evidence of his tattoos and his past. It was a shame since it was one of her favorites.
Rolling her head to the side, she stared at the crib underneath the painting, a lump rising in her throat when she remembered the way Juice had knelt in front of it, his face against the slats, apologizing to his baby girl as he thought about ending his life, oxy pills and tequila at his side. It was the third time she'd almost lost him for good.
"Mama, why you crying?" Evie's voice broke through her memories. "You okay?"
Angela sniffled a bit, wiping at her eyes and a light laugh escaping her lips. She hadn't even realized she was crying. "Yeah, I'm okay, baby girl."
"You miss Daddy?" she asked, kneeling by her side. At her Mom's nod, she handed her a plastic cookie. "Here. Cookie make you feel better."
She laughed, grabbing Evie around the waist and lifting her in the air before pulling her back down to pepper her face with kisses. Her giggles filled the air and soon Angela felt herself laughing along with her. "Oh, I love you, baby girl," she sighed, setting her down next to her.
"Love you too, Mami." She kissed her cheek before going back to the little kitchen.
Graciela cleared her throat from her place at the door. "You okay?"
"Fine," Angela lied. She wasn't okay. Everything about being there was hard as hell. "Eves, can I leave you with Abuela to visit Nana Lena? Are you going to be okay?"
"Yeah, Mama. Go. I'll cook here with Abuela," Evie answered, waving her little hand to wave her off. " 'buela, what do you want for breakfast? Huevos?" (Eggs)
Graciela knelt down beside her granddaughter and nodded enthusiastically. "Si, por favor." (Yes, please)
Angela sighed, getting to her feet with a grunt. She leaned over and kissed her daughter's head, breathing in her lavender shampoo for a moment before heading out of the room leaving her daughter to play with Graciela. Taking in a deep breath, she collected her emotions and headed to the kitchen. Nero was sitting at the kitchen table reading the paper as if he did it every day because maybe he did, she thought with a cringe.
He looked up when he heard her come in, nodding to her in greeting. "We good here, Mami? Know this is weird."
She almost laughed at how absurd this was. Nero and her mom. It wasn't possible. "I honestly don't know. I don't have time to even process this. Look, I'm exhausted, and I need to see my aunt. Only reason I came here first was to leave Eves with her actual grandma, so I can see Lena on my own and find a way to explain it to my three year old daughter without freaking her out," she explained, pinching the bridge of her nose. "So we're not doin' this 'talking' crap right now because, right now, I have to go see my dying Aunt, okay?"
"All right, all right," he said holding up his hands in defeat. "Your Tia's doin' okay, though. Tough old broad. She'll pull through."
"I don't need a dad right now," she interjected, trying to keep her temper. She was feeling overwhelmed and frustrated, so she dealt with it the only way she knew how; she lashed out. "I got this. Thanks."
Nero nodded a little, hiding a grimace as he took a sip of his tea. "Didn't mean no harm in it. Just wanted you to go into it strong."
Angela bristled a bit at his words, clenching her jaw as she fought against the urge to cuss at him; he was just trying to be nice, but it was all too much. She didn't have the patience for it. It was easier to be rude and angry than let him be nice to her. "Yeah. Thanks," she muttered, grabbing her keys off the counter. "Tell my Ma to call me if Eves needs me. I'll come running…somethin' that'll be foreign to her."
He gave her a quizzical look, but she didn't give him the time to respond. She breezed out of there without looking back. Getting in the car, she leaned back in her seat and stared up at the ceiling. She sighed softly, raking her hand through her hair. "Shit," she cried out, slamming her hand against the steering wheel. She started the car and pulled out of the driveway, shaking her head as she went. "I fuckin' hate Charming."
The drive to St. Thomas took half the time it should've. Angela sped through the side streets like a bat out of hell. Thankfully, no police officer caught her because she would've chewed them out...and probably landed herself in a cell because of it. She slowed down as she approached the parking lot, swinging into a spot next to a very familiar motorcycle. Her heart rose in her throat. She'd been so preoccupied with her Mom's craziness, she'd forgotten about Hap. Letting out a long breath, she couldn't help but smile; it'd been way too long since she'd seen her cousin. She drew in a deep, strengthening breath and headed inside. She'd barely made it to the front desk when a familiar voice greeted her. "Hello Angela. Good to see you. It's been awhile," Margaret Murphy greeted with a small nod.
"You too, Margaret," she replied politely. "I uh…I'm here to see my Aunt. Elena Lowman. Can you tell me what floor she's on, please?"
"Right, right. Let me see." She moved around the desk, shooing away a nurse to personally look it up for her. "You know, your mother has been a real asset to this place. She's been pivotal in helping me organize the nursing schedule and make sure everything's running smoothly on their end. We love having her here."
Angela nodded; she knew her mother was a great nurse. Her co-workers had told her time and time again whenever she visited the hospital. As a kid, she'd been proud of what a great nurse she was, but as she grew up, she'd resented it. She was a great nurse, sure, but being such a great nurse meant a lot of missed recitals and birthdays. Angela could count on one hand how many times her mother had tucked her into bed or been there to say goodnight. Yeah, she was a great nurse, but she wasn't such a great mother. "Glad she can help," she stated, on a tight smile.
"And your Aunt is a delight to have, though your cousin tends to scare off a lot of the nurses. Think we've only got one nurse left standing," she mused on a chuckle.
"Let me guess, Nurse Braun?"
Margaret nodded, smiling at her. "You know her then?"
She tapped her fingers nervously on the counter, wishing Margaret would stop with the pleasantries and just tell her the room number already. "I sure do," she stated, trying her best to look at the monitor for the room number. "What's my Aunt's room number? I'm sorry, I'm just...I just flew in, and I'd love to see her."
"Here she is. We've got her on a private room on the fourth floor. Room 420."
Angela bit back a laugh at the number. "Really?"
"Yes," the administrator answered with a blush. "Will you be stopping by to visit the Teller boys at all? I'm sure Abel and Thomas would love to see you."
Her stomach dropped at the names, and she blinked at her in disbelief. "The Teller boys are still in Charming?"
"Unfortunately, yes. Wendy was offered a permanent position here and that, paired with free housing, led her to stay. Mr. Padilla has been helping with them as well. He picks them up from school and takes them to his ranch on the weekends. It's a good set up for them. Stable. They stay far away from the club at all costs, though I know Mr. Telford visits with them every so often."
Angela sighed softly, raking her hand through her hair. "But Tara worked so hard…"
"Its better now. No Gemma, no Jax, they actually have a very good life going for them with a wonderful support system. Abel's even been saying he wants to be a doctor like Tara," Margaret told her with a laugh. "I'm sure they'd both love to see you. Abel has mentioned his Auntie Gee once or twice, actually. He has a picture of Jax and Tara with you and your husband in his room."
"Must be an old picture," she muttered under her breath. She didn't want to think about the old days. Days when Juice and his SAMCRO brothers had actually been one happy, healthy family. It seemed like a lifetime ago. She sighed softly, glancing at Margaret's concerned face. "I'd like to see them too. I'll stop by if I get the chance. Nice seeing you, Margaret."
"You too, Angela. I'm sure I'll see you around."
She nodded, stepping into the elevator and closing her eyes as she waited for it to take her to the fourth floor. Breathing in through her nose and out through her mouth, she tried to think of everything but Tara. The poor woman had given her all to get her boys away from Charming, had given her life in the attempt, and yet, they were still there. It made what she was trying to achieve with Juice feel like a temporary fix. Like as hard as they'd worked to have their happy ending away from Charming, something was going to pull them back in. Hell, she was already there, and she knew Juice would be there too if she said the word. But that wasn't going to happen. She wouldn't allow elevator doors opened, revealing a very empty floor. She knew it was for long term patients which made her feel even worse. She wanted to turn around and run. Run away from everything. Straight back to Texas where she had Juice and everything was good. She couldn't run, though. Her Aunt needed her, and she wasn't about to leave her in her time of need. Not when she'd always been there for her.
She stopped short when she turned the corner to the hallway. Happy and Chloe were standing there, their heads close together as they talked. Chloe's back against the window, Happy in front of her, his hand on her hip, half of it hidden underneath the hem of her mint scrub top. Chloe had her head tilted back as she talked to him, her hands waving about as she talked. When she stopped talking, he dipped his head to kiss her temple like it was the most natural thing in the world.
Except it wasn't, Angela thought, eyes wide. That wasn't her Hap. Her Hap didn't kiss girls in hallways. Didn't tenderly stroke their hips or tenderly do…anything. Hell, it was a struggle to get him to hug anyone but family for more than five seconds. It was strange but seeing them together relieved her somewhat. Chloe might think she was in over her head with Hap, but it didn't seem that way. It looked like she was handling him just fine, and Angela was appreciative of that. But if he was okay and her Ma was happier than ever, what the hell had possessed Chloe to call and demand she come back to Charming? What was she going to see when she stepped into Elena's hospital room?
Chloe spotted her first, a slow smile spreading across her face as she nodded in greeting. Angela nodded back, glued to the spot, unsure of whether to move or not. Happy turned his head, his dark eyes locking on hers, a look of surprise and relief flitting across his face. That look alone spurred her to move in closer. He stepped towards her too, and they met somewhere in the middle, both at a loss for words, both unsure of what to do next. The smallest hint of a smile turned up the corner of his mouth. "Hey kid," he murmured, dipping his head in greeting.
"Hey," she greeted, shifting nervously in front of him. Stepping closer, she leaned her head against his chest, breathing in the scent of his leather as his arms encircled her. He smelled the same as he had since she was three years old. Cigarettes, leather, and something else. Something she couldn't put her finger on, but it was always there. The same comforting smell that lingered on his clothes no matter how many times they were washed. Clothes she'd hold tight and sleep with when she was little and he was away on runs. She moved her arms around him, sighing softly as relief washed over her. Happy was there, everything was going to be okay. "Missed you," she rasped, fighting against tears, though she felt a few slip down her cheeks.
Happy's lips brushed across her temple. "You too," he agreed, his hand stroking over her hair as he held onto her longer than usual. Finally, he pushed her away, holding her out at arm's length for a moment, his dark eyes assessing her every feature. "You okay?"
Angela laughed lightly, wiping at her eyes. "Yeah," she nodded, swallowing hard. "I'm good. Tired. H-how are you?"
"Fine." He moved his arm around her shoulders while he looked through the window into Elena's room. Chloe was inside, talking to Elena while she fussed with the machines. "She's stable."
"Stable," she repeated on a breath. "T-that's good, right? Better than before? She had to have been bad for Chlo to call…"
Happy shrugged a shoulder. "No better, not worse. Stable."
Angela cursed under her breath, hating the lump that was quickly rising into her throat. "This sucks," she muttered, leaning her head against his shoulder.
"Yup," he agreed, bobbing his head. "Idiot and the brat come with you?"
"Evie's here. Juice is…" she trailed off before taking in a deep breath. She struggled to find the right words to explain it. It made her feel guilty to say he was doing well in Texas because, in reality, he wanted to come with them, wanted to help her through all of this. But he couldn't because he didn't exist in Charming any more. Everyone here thought he was gone, and it had to stay that way. She swallowed hard as she remembered the look on Chibs' face when he told her Juice was gone. The feeling of his heavy, blood stained rings when Happy dropped them in her palm. "He's dead."
To his credit, Happy kept a straight face, though his eyes dropped to the floor. "Yeah. Right. You stayin' with your Ma?"
She sniffled a bit, grateful for the change in subject. The idea of Juice being dead had set her stomach churning again. Thinking about it any longer was sure to have her running to the bathroom either to throw up or sob. "Oh, you mean my Ma and Nero? No, I'm not staying with that craziness."
He smirked a bit, ducking his head down as if he was trying to hide a laugh. "She's happy. Leave it alone."
She snorted, crossing her arms over her chest. "He's Gemma's sloppy seconds. That's fucked up."
"Don't worry about it. 's not what you're here for," he reminded her. He nodded towards the hospital room. "She don't think you're comin'. You ain't even supposed to know how bad this shit is."
"Which is bull shit. You should've called me earlier. She's my Ma too," she shot back, glaring at him.
Happy sighed softly. "You coulda called me to check in."
"How? You don't have a home phone or personal. I'm the constant. You're s'posed to call me. That's how this works," she pointed out calmly, not angry with him or annoyed. They both knew the reason they didn't call each other; it was too hard for both of them.
"Don't matter now," he stated, easily veering away from the topic. He nodded towards the hospital room. "Go. Visitin' hours are over soon."
Angela nodded, standing on her toes and kissing his cheek. "Love you, Hap," she told him before going for the door. Elena was scowling at Chloe while she fussed over the different machines she was hooked up to. Angela let the door close behind her with a click and all of a sudden, all eyes were on her. Elena's dark eyes lit up as a smile graced her face. "Mira quien vino! Mi Angelita! I must be really sick if you're here." (Look who came! My little angel!)
"Hi Tia," she greeted, leaning over to kiss her cheek. "Nah, I think Hap and Chloe are exaggerating a bit. You look good to me."
Chloe rolled her eyes at them, muttering something about the Lowman genes before walking out of the room. Elena reached out to take Angela's hand, squeezing it tightly. "Yo te quiero tanto, mi amorsito. It's so good to see you. Venistes con tu familia?" (I love you so much, my little love. Did you come with your family?)
Angela nodded, smiling sadly. "Evie's with my Ma and Kenny's on the last leg of his senior trip, so he'll be here the day after tomorrow. Juice is…"
"Juancito is dead here," Elena finished off, shaking her head in disapproval. "And yet you still come. For me?"
"Of course, Tia. I love you, and I want Evie to spend some time with her Nana Lena," she said on a light laugh. "I'll bring her by tomorrow. I just wanted to see…"
"How bad I was?" Elena asked around an awful cough. "I'm not so bad, mija. I don't know what the fuss is about."
Angela sat on the bed next to her, fighting the urge to roll her eyes. They could talk about her health all day, and Elena would always insist she was okay. She didn't believe her, though. Not for a second. "Me either. You look good," she stated, sitting down on the edge of her bed. "So what do you know about Ma and this new guy?"
The older woman chuckled, shaking her head. She looked relieved at the subject change, her hand reaching out to pat Angela's. "So you finally found out, huh? She didn't want to tell you."
"Yeah, well she shoulda," she grumbled, twisting at her ring. "I'm her daughter. I deserve to know."
Elena looked amused, a twinkle in her eyes as she looked at her niece. "And how many years were you with Juancito before you told your mother?"
She scowled. "That's different."
"How many years, Angelita?" she insisted, her voice borderline scolding.
Angela cringed as she realized just how right her aunt was. "Four. But that was different! Ma's a pain in the ass when it comes to my boyfriends! She would've scared him off!"
"Y tu? She didn't tell you porque she didn't want you to change her mind. She's happy. Dejala." (And you?...because...Leave her.)
"Yeah, well Juice wasn't a pimp," she commented flatly.
"No, era un biker como tu primo y tu Tio Chico. The very kind of man your dad didn't want you anywhere near. But that was your destiny, mijita. You found a good, smart, kind man who just happened to be a biker. He was meant for you, and we're both happy for you two y la familia que hicistes. I'd rather talk about them anyway. How are my favorite grandnephew and grandniece? Kenny's going to college next year, yeah?" (He was a biker like your cousin and your Uncle Chico...and the family you made)
Angela smiled proudly and nodded. She still couldn't believe the path Kenny had chosen. "Yeah. He was offered scholarships for football at all sorts of places, but he decided on this place in Sac that has mortuary science. He wants to become a mortician," she explained on a smirk.
Elena smiled fondly, squeezing her hand. "Like his Mama."
"Yeah, I guess. And it helps that his girlfriend is going to school an hour away in Davis. She doesn't know what she wants to do just yet, though. They'll both be here soon and tell you all about it, I'm sure. You'll like Jazzy. She's pretty awesome. Evie just loves her."
"Y Juancito?"
Angela's heart squeezed painfully in her chest at the mention of her husband. She hated that he couldn't be there right now. "He's good. He's…blossoming at his job and happy, so happy. We have this perfect little life over there. He and Dino barbeque on Sunday and the kids spend all day at the pool. And its just…perfect. All that's missing is the white picket fence."
"And a good job for you," Elena put in on a frown. "Because you're not as happy as you would be if you had your job con los muertos. I know you, Angelita. You're happy pero you could be happier." (with the dead people)
She sighed, hanging her head a bit. "I could be pero there's nothing I can do about it. I've applied to-"
"Every funeral home within driving distance," Elena finished with a frown. "I know, mija. You'll find your place. You always do. Y Eva? How is my beautiful grandniece?"
Angela smiled, stretching out on the bed next to her. "She's Juice's daughter. Through and through. She's smart and a total neat freak. Not a daredevil unless it comes to water. She loves our pool. We call her our little mermaid because she's obsessed. Re-did her room so its all mermaid themed. I swear we have The Little Mermaid memorized because she watches it so much. She'll tell you all about it if you ask…which I don't recommend because she talks…a lot and to everyone."
"I'll give you money. You go buy her a mermaid doll from her Nana Lena. Por favor? I'll give it to her when she visits. Makes hospitals less scary. We did it with you when your Papa got sick. Remember?" (Please)
"Hap got me new markers and a drawing pad just like his. We'd spend hours in the waiting room drawing and coloring things to hang up in his room," she replied with a small smile. She still had a few of those drawings saved somewhere.
Elena nodded, squeezing her hand lovingly. "He loved those pictures. He'd show 'em to all the nurses and tell 'em how proud he was of his ninos. He was holding one when he passed, sabias? He wanted to go home pero he said you two made it feel like home with your drawings. Y la Chloe is working so had to make this home for me too. She's a good one." (kids...did you know?)
"Yeah." Angela smiled, feeling a lump form in her throat. She leaned over to kiss her Aunt's temple. "Pero you're not goin' anywhere yet, Tia. No pictures for you."
She chuckled, coughing a little bit as she did. "Whatever you say," she murmured, stroking a hand through her hair. "Your hair's a mess, mijita. Grab the brush from my nightstand. Yo lo arreglo." (I'll fix it)
Leaning over, she grabbed the closest brush and scooted forward so her aunt could gain access to her hair. Closing her eyes, she relaxed as Elena stroked her fingers through her hair. For the first time since she'd gotten to Charming, things felt normal. It almost felt like home again.
Happy stood at the window watching his Ma braid his cousin's hair while the two of them talked and laughed as if they were sitting in the living room at home, not in the hospital. He hadn't seen his mother so at ease in weeks. If he'd known Angela being there would calm his mother this way; he would've gotten her over there sooner. Maybe if she had been, his Ma wouldn't have gotten so bad so fast. He'd wanted to be angry at Chloe for calling her over, for sticking her nose where it didn't belong, but he couldn't be; she'd made the right call in this situation. His Ma needed Angela. He needed Angela. He'd never admit it, but he was thankful to the nurse for having thought to bring his cousin back. To bring her home.
"Now there's someone I haven't seen in a while."
The heavily accented voice pulled him from his thoughts and made him grimace. He was appreciative his President was there to support him and his family, but he knew Angela wouldn't be. He nodded in reply. "Got in last night."
Chibs nodded in approval, stroking a hand over his beard in thought. "How she been?"
"Fine," he replied curtly.
"She bring the little one too?"
Happy nodded slowly. "She's with Graci 'n' Nero. Wanted to test the waters 'fore she brought her over here."
"Aye. Best not to scare her, right?" he commented, his face a mask of indifference. "Just dropped the Teller boys over at your Aunt's for Nero. Didn't see little Ortiz over there. Must've been in the back."
He fought against a smirk; no way would Graciela let him near Evie. Not without Angela's approval. If Angela ever found out about it, it'd be the last time she ever let her babysit and that was a risk Graciela would never take. "Yeah."
"Ye think she'll have a problem with her gettin' to know the Teller boys?" Chibs asked, shifting nervously.
Happy knew he was nervous because Nero was one of the best babysitters the boys had and lately, he spent most of his time with Graciela. If Angela didn't want Evie near the Tellers, it was going to become a problem with Nero. "Nah. She loves those boys 'cause a Tara. They ain't gonna bother her. Won't wanna see you, though."
"Figured as much," he replied on a frown. "She stayin' at her Ma's?"
"At the Alvarez's," he corrected, crossing his arms over his chest. "Safest place for her."
Chibs' eyebrows rose in shock. "What's her connection with 'em anyway? Juicy never said…"
"Lotta history. Dated the Alvarez boy when she was a kid while I was inside. They took her in, took care a her for three years like she was theirs," he explained, giving him more than usual because of his status in the club. "Marcus still thinks a her like a daughter. 's why he wanted her in exchange for the idiot. Didn't want us to hurt her."
"Always thought that was strange," he mused, his dark eyes drawn back to the window. "How come we never used that before? Jackie-boy worked with Alvarez all the time. Woulda been nice to have her support with him."
Happy shook his head, clenching his hands into fists as he did so. He wasn't a big fan of Chibs wanting to use his cousin as a bargaining chip. Angela's Mayan past had been covered up by him and Juice for a reason; they both wanted her to stay out of their club's shit. "Wouldn't a happened. Ain't her place."
"Hmm," Chibs grunted, crossing his own arms over his chest. "Strange she can forgive him and not us. Doesn't seem right, does it? Was Alvarez that turned him in."
"He wasn't the idiot's brother," he explained succinctly.
"Aye, that's true."
Happy shifted uncomfortably. He didn't like talking about his cousin with anyone but his family and Chloe. "Where we at with everythin'?"
"We're gettin' it from all sides, brotha. Triads want to get us back for Lin, Niners are up in arms about Marks. We 'ave support from the Mayans in everythin', but the Niners are fightin' 'em for territory in Oakland. 's only a matter of time 'fore the Triads muster up a crew big enough to come after us. Everyone's layin' low now. Organizin'. But it's bound to blow up sooner or later," he explained miserably.
"How're our numbers?"
"Too low for a war. I put a call out to Tacoma, SAMTAZ, see if they've got brothers to spare. Don't want it to come to that though."
Happy nodded in agreement. If shit blew up with the Niners and the Triads, they'd be shit out of luck. As much as he would love to get his hands bloody again, he wasn't a fool; he knew they weren't strong enough for another war. "Most of Lin's crew is gone. Niners are just pissed about territory 'n' shit. T.O. 'n' his boys should go talk to 'em. See where they're at."
He shrugged a shoulder. " 's not a bad idea. Ye think Angie being here will make sure the Mayans stay close?"
"Think it's none a her business," he answered honestly, rubbing at his scruffy chin. "Kid's been through enough. Ain't throwin' her into this shit again. Not when she just got out."
"Fair enough."
Chibs glanced at the door, looking as if he was about to go to it. Happy reached out a hand, grabbing his President's arm and shaking his head. "Leave her alone. Ain't no good gonna come from that," he stated firmly.
The Scot hung his head in defeat, sighing softly. "I just…I want to know that she's okay. That her baby girl's okay."
Happy fought the urge to laugh at Chibs' obviously guilty conscience. "They're fine."
"That all you gonna give me?"
He nodded, his eyes falling on his cousin. She was smiling with his Ma now, both of them laughing together as his Ma tied up her braid. "Dunno what more you want."
"Right," he breathed, letting out a long sigh. "I'm goin' back to the clubhouse. Tell the rest of 'em to stay away."
"Thanks, brotha," Happy rasped, watching him walk away. He had a feeling this wasn't the last time Chibs was going to try to talk to her. The Scot seemed determined to rid himself of the guilt he'd been carrying with him since the day Juice had 'died'. Happy was going to do his best to keep him away, though. Seeing Chibs might send her running back to Texas, and he wanted her to stay home for as long as possible.
There you have it! Angela's back in Charming with the rest of her crazy family! Bet y'all didn't expect to see Nero poppin' up in there! ;)
As always, please let me know what you think! I'd love to know what you liked, didn't like, etc.!
~Love Ink