AHA! A long chapter! Because you all deserve it! As always Kurt Sutter owns Kurt Sutter stuff and Mudd owns Esther, Everett, Jack, Sailor, Madison, Victor and Kary.
It's very quiet. Very, very quiet in Sailor's house. The black woman that's renting the room vacated by Minnie when she died long got back home and into bed, and after their sex, Sailor had napped, woken up two hours later, traced his tattoos on his torso for a while before going to sleep again, and himself had stayed awake and staring at her ceiling all of this time.
He was getting a headache, from trying to see how this could go from every possible angle he could think of. There was just too many wildcards and things to take into consideration to make a solid plan to stick to.
Her hand that he was holding against his torso moves, frees up to start tracing again, he looks towards her face, her eyes are open, she looks relaxed. Looks up at his face, she has a smile. A smile that makes him crook his neck towards her and place a soft kiss on her lips.
-What are you thinking of? Because you look so serious.
-I'm always serious.
She stops tracing, lays her hand flat on his stomach and closes her eyes, he reaches to trace her lips with his thumb, it makes her smile, probably tickles a bit. Sailor is pretty. No doubt their kid is going to be cute. She pushes a little kiss against his thumb, it does something to his heart, and groin at once. They both get jumpy. She just looks happy, content, when he cups her cheek in his palm, she snuggles closer against his rib cage, her short hair tickles.
-Did you really mean it, Lowman, when you said you'd be there and you'd be a good dad?
-I did.
-If we keep this baby, I won't be able to work much longer. I can't squeeze my waist in a corset, it could hurt the baby.
-If we keep? Haven't you been listening, we're keeping him. Or her. Sailor.
-There's so many logistics we'll need to figure out before this decision is for sure, Happy.
-Don't piss me off with logistics. Would you come back to Charming, with me? For good.
She doesn't answer. She doesn't move for a long while, the only thing betraying that she didn't go back to sleep is the red at her cheeks. She's probably going to say no. He doesn't feel like himself with all these conversations. He hates long conversations. Things have been so weird since he got out of jail. And now, Sailor has started yet another discussion, he thought it was all said and just waiting to be done...
-There's no hoping you're ever going to leave Charming, isn't there? Because of the MC?
-I have no intentions of leaving Charming. I'd travel back and forth for Everett, and even that is pushing it.
-How long have you been a Son.
-Twenty-five years.
-Oh.
She's silent a while longer, almost half an hour, until he feels warmth and wetness against his torso, when he looks down, she's crying silently. And he just realized what he asked of her. She's lived here all her life, and he told her she had to uproot her whole life, and her kid, because MC. That has been a tad insensitive.
-Sailor...
-Can you promise us the same quality of life, Happy? For me, and Maddie and this baby? A house, ok, a real house, half paid for, and I could work somewhere in my field once the baby is born, and I could make new friends? Maddie could go to a nice daycare? Because I know guys like you, I've dated some before. Ok? Nothing comes between them and the patch. And, and you need to make me a promise right now, Lowman. Ok? Swear on what's most important to you in this world, that once a year, we're coming back down here for Minnie's anniversary mass at the church.
-I swear on my mother and my daughter and my baby that we're going to come for your daughter's mass. Once a year. Only jail or death could make me break that promise, and I don't intend of getting locked up. Or shot. What about Victor? You can't really move his kid near San Francisco without talking to him.
She takes her time to calm down, now that he's made that promise, she wipes her tears with the pad of her thumb, sniffles her chagrin away and wipes his side with her forearm before getting comfortable again.
-He's from New York. Only bought a condo in Santa Monica because LA is my hometown. He hasn't exactly been the one keeping me there. And his mother in Calabasas... That's because she's an uppity old bitch. She only sees my daughter like twice a year. He would probably like San Fran. I'm sorry for crying. I just never thought... I know bikers. They always get their way. Do you think I can be happy, in Charming? Not just me, but Maddie, too.
-Yeah. Yes. I have a good family, Sailor. A really good family.
-I'll do it. But only if Maddie likes them all.
-Sounds fair.
She finishes calming down in his arms, he had imagined she would facilitate one way or another, help with some sort of transition, and while he was fairly used to getting his way, he hadn't imagined she would uproot her entire life so easily, and on so little conditions. That he be the best father he could, that he found a house somewhere, big enough for their whole family, that she could find herself a job and some friends, and the promise to come to LA once a year. And Sailor was everything Esther used to be, before Esther had Everett. Except Sailor had stayed herself. Esther had become a bitch who kept his daughter from him. Sailor was still fun and unhinged and spontaneous.
He must have fell asleep, because he startles awake when Sailor gets out of bed, he tries to grab her and make her come back, but she's already out of reach. He has a grunt, tries to boss her into coming back immediately, because he was comfortable.
-You know, I have the uncanny ability to sleep for 24 straight hours, but we made a deal. I went to your daughter's soccer game and taped, you stay away from her until the lawyers work something out. If I come back in bed, I'll be late.
-Just for a minute. I'm heading back.
-What? Why?
-Cause I need to find your pregnant ass a half-decent house.
She has a little pout, before turning around and coming back in the bed to cuddle his side for a moment. That is good. She places a little kiss on his bare chest, smiles when he cups her neck just to be touching her.
-You're really going to try, are you?
-Jesus fuck, woman!
He pretends to be choking her, puts no pressure what-soever, he just hopes to send the message across that he's done talking about all this bullshit. She laughs, loosely following his back and forth and side to side motion, when he lets go of her, she crashes against his chest, tosses a leg over to drape it on his stomach.
-Just make me happy. Say yes.
-Yes. Actually no. I'm not gonna try. I'm just gonna do it.
The look on her face is worth it. She pulls herself on top of him, bends down for a long kiss, he gets a grip of her hair, has a hard time to willingly let go when she rolls back out of the bed to go to the bathroom.
-Leave your phone number in my phone on your way out. That way I can facetime you during the game.
-I have a burner, no facetime. I'll try and get myself a real phone, when I get back. So I can watch the tape you're making.
-You know what? I still have Minnie's phone. it's girly as shit, and it needs a new battery, but it was never deactivated. You want to give me an hour? I can transfer the photos, update the apps and stuff. Then all you'll need is a cover for it.
-No, my brother's real tech savvy, he can put all these photos on a USB for you, and fix it up.
-If it's better for you. It's in my nightstand.
A purple Iphone 4, with the charger, he pockets them, before getting dressed with a ton of stretching, her bed isn't really comfortable, it's an old lumpy mattress. Fit for a pirate, he thinks, it brings a small smile on his face.
In the bathroom, she's putting some light makeup on, black around the eyes, bright pink on her lips, she already got her ass into some black and red pinstripes, very pirate-like again, he pulls behind her, one hand on her hip and kisses at her neck, before looking at them in the mirror.
-Just how much do you want to be a fucking pirate?
-Honestly? I was gonna use my return of investment to buy myself a big boat. And live like a pirate, for real, man. Minnie was so down with the idea, we were gonna live at sea, or some shit. Pirates are so cool, and I'm never going to grow out of that phase. So, I don't give a shit if you don't want a pirate at the back of your bike. It's your loss.
Is there anything he could reply to that, at all? Maybe it would be better if he didn't. So he leaves her the information on the soccer game and leaves, gets on his bike and heads back to Charming. Still, the road leaves him plenty of time to think of how he's going to get himself and Sailor a house. He probably won't be able to get a loan from the bank, the bar he opened for Silk was put together with club money. And it's probably impossible to get a house without going through the bank. Sailor's credit is shot.
Let's hope he has raked enough Gemma-credit, because she's probably the only one who can help him, being a garage and home owner.
-Back so soon?
-Yeah. Need your help.
-Did you bring me a picture of my grand-baby? Because I swear going to put my good boots on will only take fifteen minutes.
-I'll have an hour-long tape of her soccer game by tonight. I need a house, Gem.
-Don't you have an apartment?
-I need a house. Got no credit. Three or four bedrooms. Urgently.
-What's going on, Happy?
-I knocked up someone.
-You idiot! Like you don't have enough on your plate.
-She's moving to Charming. She has a three years old daughter, so that's another fucking grand-baby for you. You're welcome.
He slams the door on the way out, and finds Juice inside the clubhouse, his brother is looking up the latest security features on something, he looks up when Happy sits near him. He hands him Minnie's phone, Juice does his best to hide his amusement at the color and stickers on them.
-Need you to take all the pictures out of there and put them on a USB. Lot of sentimental value, previous owner died.
-Sure, I can do that.
-Needs a new battery, and a lot of updates. Facetime, and shit.
-Yeah.
-It hasn't been deactivated. And if you could find a cover to hide all this purple shit.
-Sure. I'll have it running by the end of the day.
-Thanks, brother.
He's glad to be back, a few hours later, when Jax needs a hand dealing with some gang shit. A little bit of riding to Stockton, shit can't be resolved with words with Laroy and the Niners, so he gets to have a happy trigger finger, and shoot Laroy's boys. Then take off before the cops show up like bats out of hell. Fun! He missed that, it's been too quiet on the MC front since Clay passed away.
Just because he's missed it dearly, he finds himself behind CaraCara with big guns to shoot for a while, until he ran out of bullets. When he's done, Otto is sitting by the door to the warehouse, chewing on a beef jerky.
-Feeling better, brother?
-More like myself. Yeah.
-Gem and Luann have been talking.
-So?
-Gem feels bad for whatever she said this morning. She's looking into getting you a house.
-I know.
-I want to give you mine.
-What?
-I love Charming, I love the club, but I gave it enough, Happy. My marriage, gave up having kids because I was in the slammer in Luann's best years, my eyes... You know, Betty Lu took way enough of my shit. It's time we take that money and left.
-You serious?
-We still got a good thirty years left in us, Hap. I was incarcerated for most of our marriage. I'm gonna talk to Jax, and get my honorable discharge. I think I earned it, man.
-You told Luann?
-I told no one but you. You all will be my brothers forever, but right now, you of all people can understand that I have to do right by the wife. She's been the glue long enough. I always dreamed when I first met her we'd fill that big house with kids. I still have a chance to do that. By proxy, but a chance anyways. The house ain't worth much, and it looks like shit, but it's nothing a couple coats of paint and new sidings can't fix.
-Thanks, Otto. It's really gonna mean a lot to Sailor.
Happy walks over and hugs his older brother, gives him a slap on the back, that's what the club does. It's just the way it is. Not himself can leave his apartment to Montez, so the guy has a half-decent place to live.
-Thank you brother.
-I love you, brother. You got me out of jail and back into my wife's arms. Most credit for that goes to you, brother.
-I love you, too. Luann's gonna be thrilled to have you and nothing but you.
-It's all paid for. Whatever price Luann tells you for rent, cut it in half and that's what it's gonna cost you. CaraCara's been really lucrative, we're never gonna be strapped for cash. Just keep it to yourself until I spoke to Jax.
-Yeah. You earned it, Otto.
They just pulled apart when Luann pushes the door open, she was looking for Otto, and she looks pretty pissed off.
-Oh, yeah, I forgot to tell you. She's pissed at you for shooting your gun so long. You ruined like six takes and she had to call it a day.
-Sorry, Luann.
-I'm going home, Otto.
-Coming, babe.
-Luann! Let me take you for dinner. I'm sorry, you should have come out and said something.
-I did, you didn't hear me.
She slams the door, it makes them both laugh. Too bad, it would be fine after Otto took care of her. But Happy sure was glad to be part of this misfit band of brothers.
Back at TM, Juice had told Chucky that he was looking for him, when Happy went to the back of the garage, the purple phone was on the table, there were a few colored covers near it.
-Hey, brother.
-Fully operational. You already received a few texts. Figured it was some bullshit activation or shameless promo from the phone company, so I opened them.
He picks the black cover, puts it on the phone, Juice has closed the top of his laptop when Happy showed up, he has his arms between his legs, as if he's stretching, he glances left and right as Happy puts the cover on the purple phone. If he can't rock purple with the excuse of having a daughter, well, too bad.
-She's gorgeous, man.
-Who?
-Everett.
He brings the screen up, takes a moment to figure out this fancy phone, where the text messages land, Sailor sent a two hour video of the soccer game, and several close up photos of Everett before and after the game.
-How do you put a photo in the background. Instead of that stupid green valley?
-Double-tap it. And tap on "put as background picture" or backdrop.
There. A picture of his daughter celebrating a goal it seems, with her teammates. Sailor's phone takes really nice, quality pictures. He pulls the contacts, adds Gemma, and texts her the video and the pictures, just so she shuts up and stops being on his case about that.
Party at the clubhouse, he doesn't feel like it, very strange. Instead, he grabs himself something to eat and crashes in the dorms, after sonding Sailor a text t thank her for the video, he watches it, he's near the end when Gemma lets herself in, with a beer in her hand for him.
-Hey.
-Hey.
-I got the photos you sent. She's a gorgeous little thing, she looks a lot like you.
-Thanks.
-I spoke to Jax who spoke to Otto.
-Yeah.
-We're good?
-We're good.
-Let me know when she's getting here. We're gonna throw her a big welcome party, her and the kid.
-Yeah.
-Otto is going to be gone at the end of the week. Gives Luann just enough time to close up her business end of CaraCara and pass it on to Dondo and Lyla. She said twelve hundred for the house.
He nods, six hundred dollars a month is very good. Very, very good, considering he'll have to put a little bit of money in, according to what Otto said. Few coats of paint, sidings outside, get the plumbing checked, Luann never spend two straight hours in that house in the past twenty years. Maybe get the roof done by the prospects.
-Otto wants to tell the boys now. He wants you there.
She hands him the beer as he gets up, he decided to hug her. Because Gemma, as special as her ways were sometimes, did what she did best, and she was important to all of them.
It was a sad moment, Otto telling everyone that he and Luann would be gone by next weekend. But everyone understood, and the guy truly deserved his retirement, he was practically blind, now, and all he really cared about now that he had no more loyalty to Clay was to make his wife happy.
-My mother never wanted me, but I'm going into retirement with a whole bunch of brothers I love more than everything in the world but my wife. Thank you, for taking care of my Betty Lu while I was in. Means the world to me.
Happy doesn't want to see him turn in his patches, so he goes back to the dorms, to fall asleep on his daughter's video.
On Sunday, as he's looking up daycares in Charming, he has to suffer Gemma's views on how it's wrong to have their children raised by strangers, it's lazy and they certainly don't need that. He grunted that it was just the promises he'd made Sailor, but she kept on, as if she had nothing better to do, so he ended up putting her on the phone with Sailor. He knew how Gemma got, and as he dialed, he got curious to see how Sailor would deal with Gemma.
"Hi, Lowman!"
-This is Gemma. My grand-baby isn't going to go to daycare.
"Gemma?"
-Jax's mom, babe. Deal with it.
"Oh. Well, hi. How are you?"
-Fine. My grand-baby isn't going to daycare. It's lazy, and we're not gonna have other people getting into the business of raising our kids.
"Your "grand-baby" isn't going to be born for another eight months. So I think we got plenty of time to figure that one out."
-I'm talking about Madison, don't play dumb with me.
There's a long pause, Gemma paces impatiently, she's about to drive down there and bust some heads, if she needs to, in order to get her way.
"Listen there, matey. I don't be knowin' ye, 'n me girly offsprin' dont be knowin' ye. 'tis a wee bit premature to toss th' term "grand-baby" around, She's never even met ye. As fer daycare, 'tis goin' to be 'o me business, 'n none 'o yours."
Gemma turns red, white and every color in between, and Happy is doing absolutely everything he can to keep his composure in front of Gemma. Sailor, the girl who wanted to be a pirate.
"What Grog-Filled 'n I have decided isn't 'o ye business, 'n it sure as shit-barnacles isn't gonna be up fer parlay."
Sailor hangs up, and Gemma is pissed off, a lot. "That gash", "lucky to be pregnant", "meat tenderizer", she mumbles before getting out of the clubhouse, slamming every door that stand on her path. Fifteen minutes later, the phone chimes with a text. It's Sailor.
"Too much? Did she chew you a new one?"
No, it was just perfectly funny. He doubts anyone ever went against Gemma while talking like a pirate, before, ever. But it was one thing for Gemma to encourage Wendy to not entertain the idea of daycare, but Sailor, that was different. She was sacrificing enough already. And of she wanted to send Madison to daycare, it was solely her business. She had her reasons, and they were not up to discussion, because Madison had a father, and it wasn't Happy.
On Monday, he put things in motion, by calling Rosen's girlfriend and giving her the number for the lawyer Gemma was having for Everett, Smithson had everything she needed from him. And the lawyer in LA would find Esther's lawyer, or however these things worked. He was clear. Once his paternity was established, he wanted to be able to phone his daughter. Baby steps. Baby steps were fine. Esther would be served, and he could have some DNA testing done.
He could absolutely not wait for that.
Thoughts? Also, Grog-Filled = Happy.