Chapter 21- Saying Goodbye
"Babe…I'm going to check up on your dad. I've tried calling him the past few days and he hasn't been answering." Kim tugged at Opie's beard before planting a kiss on his lips.
"I'm heading up that way anyway just hop on back." Kim hopped on the back of Opie's bike and they headed for Piney's cabin.
After getting off of Opie's bike and handing him her helmet Kim got a whiff of a rotting smell. Her heart immediately sunk to her feet. Something was wrong. Opie looked at Kim and saw the color drained from her face and instantly knew something was wrong as well. He started to run in the cabin with Kim right behind him.
Kim gasped when she saw Piney on the ground with a fatal gunshot wound to his chest.
"Pop?!" Opie dropped to his knees trying to wake his father. Kim covered her mouth to suppress the scream of anguish that was trying to push out.
"Dad?!...Oh God no! Oh God…Shit! Oh Shit..!" Opie was beside himself in grief. Kim dropped to her knees and hugged Opie and he broke down in tears in her arms. As she held Opie she heard the cabin door squeak open. She looked up to find Unser standing at the door.
"Unser? What are you doing here?" Kim asked. Opie broke free from Kim and grabbed his gun and pointed it at Unser.
"Why are you here Unser?!" Ope asked while shoving the gun in Unser's face. Kim tried to grab at Ope but he pushed her away almost knocking her off her feet.
"Whoa..whoa Opie!" Unser said with his hands up. "Clay killed your old man."
Kim's mouth fell open…what…Clay did this?
"You're lying!" Opie yelled to him.
"Ope you need to calm down." Kim said grabbing Opie's arm. Opie let Kim pull him away from Unser this time and he holstered his gun and listened to Unser relayed why Clay killed Piney. Piney had some leverage over Clay and was using it to get the club out of the cartel business. Clay tried to change his mind and it did not go well and Clay shot Piney.
"Unser how do you know this?" Kim asked.
'Gemma found out and ask me to come up here to try to fix the scene to make it look like a cartel hit." Kim could not believe her ears…Gemma?
Opie feeling as if a heavy weight just sat on his shoulders slowly sat on the ground next to his dad sobbing.
"Why are you telling me this?" he asked Unser.
"Gemma confronted Clay about Piney and he beat her up real bad almost killing her. Clay has gotten out of control Ope. He tried to kill you but in up killing Donna instead and now he has killed your father. If you don't believe me have Kim take you to see Gemma and look at her face. Clay has got to go Ope before he kills someone else you love." Unser looked directly over to Kim.
Kim stood in the corner watching the exchange. She agreed it seems lately Clay has gotten out of control. Jade often relayed to Kim, Jax's worry about Clay and his actions. Opie confided in her what really happen to Donna and Kim made a point to stay away from Clay whenever possible.
Unser told Opie he would take care of Piney's body. He can meet him at the crematorium at about 8pm. Skeeter who works at the funeral home will cremate his body.
Kim hugged Opie who was still sobbing.
"Baby you go ahead. I will call Jade for a ride."
Opie shook his head no. "I will take you home."
Wiping his tears and kissing his cheek. "Do you mind if I stay with you and go with you tonight.
Opie nod his head yes.
"Baby….I am so sorry. I know how much you loved your dad. Piney was really growing on me."
"Yeah….let's go so Unser can get started."
Before Kim got on the bike she called Jade to let her know what happen and to keep it between them. She wanted her to meet them at the crematorium that night to pay last respects.
"What about Jax?" Jade asked. Kim told her Opie will be calling Jax soon. Kim did not have time to tell Jade Gemma's role in the situation she knew Jade would find out soon enough.
Later at the crematorium Kim, Opie, Unser and Jade stood and watch Piney's cremation. Kim held onto Opie tight as Jade wonder where the hell Jax was. They called him hours ago he should have been here by now. When Jade was about to pull out her cell Jax walked in. He had a stunned look on his face as he looked at all four faces and then at the brown box being cremated
"Oh My God…what happen?" Jax asked Opie.
We found him at the cabin." Kim told Jax. Opie was still a little stunned by the situation. "He was shot in the chest."
Jax went to hug Opie and offer his condolences. He looked up from their embrace and looked at Jade. It was the first time he seen her all day. She was not in the bed when he woke up this morning and had left Neeta with the kids and took off for the day. She looked away from him and Jax was baffled….was this the same chick he made come last night more times than he could count….Jesus….women can truly be confusing.
"What do you think happened? Mexicans?" Jax asked. Jade sucked her teeth at that question and Kim lightly kicked her foot to tell her to hush. Jax looked over at Jade again. He scowled at her and wondered what the fuck was her problem.
"Let me say goodbye to my dad and I will fill you in later." Opie told Jax.
"Ok man."
Jax walked over and hugged Kim and gave his condolences to her as well as he knew her and Piney were getting close. Jax grabbed Jade's hand and kissed it.
"You alright babe?" Jade nodded yes.
"We will meet you guys outside and give you some time to say goodbye." Jade told him before letting go of his hand and grabbing Kim's to walk outside.
"Wayne? You coming?" Jade asked at the door.
"Yeah."
The sun had set about the time Opie emerged from the crematorium. Kim was about to get on the back of his bike when he asked if she could get a ride home with Jade. Kim did not want to leave him alone.
"Ope…babe you should not be alone."
"Just for a few hours…..I will be home in a few hours. I promise." He kissed Kim quickly on the lips before grabbing his helmet.
"Ok." Kim started to walk to Jade's car when Jax came out the crematorium.
"Ope you going to tell me what happen?" Jax asked him walking up to him. Opie turned around with a gun pointing at Jax face. Oh hell no! Jade thought as she rushed over to Jax and Opie.
"You should know what happened Jax! You're Clay's son!" Opie yelled at Jax.
Jax backed up from the gun as Jade stepped in front of Jax facing Opie. It seemed guns hardly fazed her anymore and she knew Opie would never pull the trigger….well at least she hoped he would not.
"Jade!" Kim yelled for her friend. Kim started to go after her but Unser held her back.
"Put the gun down Opie." Jade tried to reason with him. Jax grabbed Jade around the waist and moved her out the way.
"Jade did you know Clay killed my father?!" he asked gun still pointing at Jax. Jade started to walk closer to Ope and Jax lifted his hand to stop her. So she answered him from where she stood a few feet away.
"No Ope I did not know until Kim called me earlier today." She said in the calmest voice she could muster.
"That can't be true Ope." Jax said holding his breath as his best friend still had a gun in his face.
"It's true! Ask Unser, ask your mom. He killed Donna and now my old man."
Opie put down the gun and aimed it at Jax's tire and shot a bullet in his front tire.
Looking over at Kim with hurt and grief in his eyes he got on his bike and sped away.
"Shit!" Jax took the keys out of his ignition and ran to Jade's car. He hopped in the driver's side and looked for her car key on his key ring. Jade ran over to the car.
"I have to catch Ope. Get a ride with Unser" he told Kim and Jade as he drove off after Ope.
Jade looked over at Unser who had a perplex look on his face.
"Welcome to my world ladies." He chuckled as he open his truck door to let the ladies slide in. It was going to be a tight fit but they all three were able to squeeze in.
Jade and Kim were getting a little antsy as Unser truck was not in its prime and was taking forever to get to the clubhouse.
"What do you think he will do Wayne?" Kim asked.
"To be honest hun he is going to kill Clay."
Jade laid her head back on the window. This was just perfect.
They finally made it to the clubhouse just in time to hear gunshots as they climbed out the truck. Kim face went pale again and she ran toward the clubhouse with Jade and Unser following suit.