Nothing Changes in Charming
2. Back Home
In the busy baggage claim of Stockton Metropolitan Airport, Haley is standing amongst the other passengers of her flight to Stockton, patiently waiting for her suitcase to appear on the baggage carousel. When rushing out of her apartment she packed a suitcase of all her necessities. She didn't know exactly how long she would be back in Charming for, she was hoping that she would be getting back to her normal life in just a few weeks but it was very unlikely. Glancing over to the carousel she noticed that her bag had appeared, a very simple, plain red suitcase with a red velvet bow on the handle. She retrieves her case and slowly makes her way to the arrival bay of the airport, thinking to herself that there is no going back now.
Grabbing at her phone in her very overcrowded bag, Haley tires to call her dad but notices the reaper in the crowd before she manages to do so, there he was, her ever aging father. "Daddy?" she calls out to him with a small smile on her face, the last time she saw him was just before Opie went to prison, the family came to New York for Christmas, that was also the last time she got to see Donna. Piney Winston was an old, scruffy looking man, his hair was slowly turning grey with age and he also carried a scraggly looking beard on his face. From suffering with emphysema, he now carried an oxygen tank with him, which made him look frail. He was also wearing his constant fashion accessory, which Haley has always referred to it as, a denim Son's cut, his motorcycle club. Piney turned to the call from his daughter and couldn't believe his eyes, she wasn't this young girl anymore but a beautiful woman, she had dyed her hair from the last time he saw her, it was now this dark red color, which he thought brought out the wild side she inherited from him. He walked over to his daughter in disbelief that she was actually home, giving her a small kiss on the cheek he grabbed her case and they both made their way over to his truck, talking about general things like how her flight went and the weather, not discussing the important things like how Opie was and was Donna's death to do with club business.
Sitting in the car in complete silence was the most uncomfortable Haley had felt in a while, after the general conversation was over there was nothing left to talk about. Haley knew she had to ask about her brother and how Donna died but she couldn't bear to talk about it with her dad. When she was growing up she was made to believe that the Son's of Anarchy was just a motorcycle club but she knew herself that it was more than that. It wasn't until she applied for college that Piney knew that she was aware of the business that went on within the club and told her that she was never to speak of it, she was his daughter, the youngest and he wanted her to have nothing to do with the Sons. A feeling him and both his ex wife Mary agreed on. She felt as if she was a teenager again and she was not allowed to speak about it, but she's not, she is a grown woman who has known for years exactly what went on with the club and what is still going on, her history with that club makes it perfectly acceptable to discuss their business and that was that. She sat and bucked up the courage to bring up the conversation of Donna and Opie.
"So what happened?" she looked over to Piney, who had full concentration on the road ahead of him, he didn't even blink at the question. There was further silence until she spoke up again, "Dad, what happened with Donna? Was it to do with the club?", a loud sign entered the truck, Piney knew that questions were going to be asked and he really didn't want to answer them, he wasn't 100% what happened, only a few hours ago the devastating event took place and he hasn't been able to grasp at the idea just yet. "She was driving to put the kids to bed, she stopped at a red light and was shot from behind" there was no emotion in his dry, husky voice, nothing to show how he was really feeling about it all. "That's all I know. I don't know if its to do with the club, I have been trying to find your brother for the last couple of hours, so I haven't had the time to talk about it." He was very abrupt, trying to end the conversation there.
Haley sat in thought for a few minutes, taking in everything she had just heard. Donna was on her way home to collect her children and tuck them into bed, she now wouldn't have the chance to kiss them goodnight and tell them she loved them because some selfish person decides to end her life. In mind thought she realized what information Piney had actually slipped into that statement, Opie was missing. "What do you mean find my brother? Where on earth has he gone?" she stared at her father with hurt and anger, why weren't they watching him? She watched as her father just shook his head, he had no answer to give, he himself knew that a closer eye should have been put on Opie, but he just left without telling anyone where he was. "He has two children at home, who are wondering where their mother is and he decides to disappear? Has anyone told them? Has he even been home to see them" at this point she was extremely worried and upset, she couldn't quite believe what was going on. Piney had no answers for his daughter, he knew she was mad at him for not keeping a closer eye on her brother but shouting at him was not going to change things, he finally turned to his daughter with the most emotion that she has seen off him today, his eyes filled with tears, he finally replied " The kids don't know, at the moment they're at home with your mother just asking questions, what on earth do you think we're going to say Haley! It's his job and I know his heads all over the place right now but he needs to be there for his children to." He turned back to the road. There was further silence.
When entering Charming, Haley watched as the familiar streets she once knew had changed since she had been home last, there were a few stores that were the same but most of them had changed, which saddened her slightly. She loved Charming and really wanted to stay home and start a family there, but things happen, people hurt and it was time for her to move on. She watched out the window as the continued to drive back to Opie's house, all she could think about was Donna and Opie as kids, they were together from such a young age and that's why Haley was so close to Donna, she was the sister she never had. When they pulled outside Opie's home reality hit Haley, she knew where Opie would be. Once getting out of the truck she quickly asked for the keys and without explanation she jumped back in and pulled off, leaving Piney standing outside extremely confused.
As Haley pulled off down the road, Jax Teller walked outside of his best friend's house and stood next to Piney, "She came home." Piney smiled at the young boy and walked into the house, leaving Jax outside thinking about old memories.
