Freya's 4th Birthday
My daughter was turning four and I was sitting in a concrete cell with the old man of my wife's sister. He'd pissed me off earlier so I wasn't keen on claiming as my brother as I sat on the floor and watched him write to Kiara. We were on the other side of three years out of our five year sentence. It didn't feel much better than my first day away from my girls and my then unborn son.
"Kiara said Freya wanted a tattoo for her birthday. She got her some temporary sticker tattoo things." Juice said, breaking the silence I had been sulking in. I smirked and could almost imagine her pestering Kat with those and stick them all over herself and Ollie. Put the back of my head against the wall and sighed.
Ollie had turned two a couple months ago and I'd missed that to. It wouldn't be until he was going on five that I would get out. This wasn't the first time I served serious time, but it was certainly the hardest. I would never trade my wife and kids for an easier time inside, but damn if it didn't hurt like hell sometimes. Katerina was doing her best to keep a strong face, but I could see the exhaustion and sadness in her eyes.
"I'm hoping Katerina doesn't shank me next time she comes down." I laugh and thought about how happy Freya would be with her birthday present Quinn had facilitated for me.
KATERINA
"Happy Birthday, sweetheart." I hugged Freya tightly as she blew out the candles on her cake. Ollie was leaning forward in his booster seat beside her with eyes as wide as hubcaps. He loved anything bright like the fire that his older sister extinguished before him.
"Momma, fire." Ollie whined, pointing at the cake. I gritted my teeth and shook my head, hoping my son wouldn't become a pyromaniac. Freya shook her head and patted her little brother's hand.
"No fire, Ollie. Can I cut the cake with Daddy's knife?" Freya asked with fluttering eyelashes. I shook my head and tried to ignore the disappointment in her eyes. She always asked things like that to make her feel like Happy was around.
"I want a blue piece!" Ryder announced as I started slicing the cake. Lauren shook her head and explained there wasn't any blue because Freya liked pink. He wasn't happy about the color choice, but ate the cake all the same.
"Katerina, you got a minute?" Quinn asked as he walked inside. The serious look on his face gave me a bad feeling that he'd wrecked the truck he borrowed or something. I passed the cake server and knife over to Lauren as I followed Quinn outside.
"What is that? You did not get her a fucking puppy!" I barked at Quinn as I heard puppy whines coming from inside the truck. He put his hands up defensively and shook his head.
"This is all Hap, Katerina. I'm just helping a brother out while he's unavailable." I scoffed at the term unavailable and opened the back door where the noise was coming from.
Sitting on the back seat with a curious look was a giant, fluffy, black puppy with a pink bow around its neck. I looked over at Harley, who had followed me outside, and was surprised to see him looking excitedly at the puppy. I realized that he wasn't getting any younger and it was nice to see excitement in the way of his tail.
"He's a Newfoundland. Hap said they're supposed to be good with kids and they aren't little bitchy dogs. His words, Katerina." I laughed and nodded as I helped the puppy down from the high seat. He moved gracefully for his size and let Harley come to him instead of bouncing around like Kiara's puppy Wolfgang had when he was young.
The puppy followed me inside behind Quinn and Harley. I smiled as Freya's eyes fell on the fluffball behind me. She jumped off of her chair and ran across the room, slowing down well before she got to the puppy. She knew better then to run up on animals. Freya was a good listener and always remembered what she was told.
"Mommy, is it mine?" Freya asked with a giggle as the puppy sniffed her. I felt my aggravation with Happy melt away as she smiled up at me.
"Yes, baby, he's yours. Your Daddy got him for you as long as you promise to share with Ollie." I didn't want Ollie to feel left out and Freya could get protective over Happy's stuff or things he'd given her.
"I'm calling him mayhem! Look, Ryder! My Daddy got Ollie and me a puppy!" I smiled at her inclusion of Ollie as her brother made his way over behind Ryder.
"You're Dad can't get you nothing. He's in jail with my Dad." Ryder said with a scowl. I set my mouth in a thin line and looked to Lauren. She was frowning and shaking her head. Freya put a hand on her hip, something she picked up from Kiara, and gave him a Lowman glare.
"So? Daddy knows it's my birthday and he got us a baby puppy. I even get to talk to him tonight!" Freya declared as Ollie buried his hands in the puppy's fur. Ryder folded his arms across his chest and shook his head adamantly.
"He don't want to talk to you. He ain't ever coming back." The words silenced the whole room as Oliie looked up at me and Freya's fists balled up. Lauren stormed over to yank Ryder up but Freya was too fast. She punched the young boy square in the nose and shoved him away.
"You're a liar. You don't know my Daddy! I hate you!" My shock wore off and I ran over to Freya, picking her up and off Ryder who was now crying and bloodied. Harley leaned against me protectively as Ollie started crying. Mayhem whimpered and licked his cheeks until he started giggling.
"Lauren, you gotta take him, doll. She's got her father's temper and you know it's a sensitive subject. I'm sorry." I said as Freya fought against me to get back to Ryder. Kiara took her and Ollie and led them to the playroom. Mayhem bounded down the hall behind them as Harley stayed right by my side.
"I'm sorry, Kat. He's been saying stuff like that about Chibs and all of them since his birthday. His teacher said some of the kids pick on him about it." Lauren said as she gave me a one armed hug. Ryder was in her other arm, holding a rag to his nose and I felt bad for him. Sure, he pissed my little girl off and I didn't accept that, but he was also without his father.
"Find out who the kids are." I said as Bobby gave me a look. He shook his head and ran his hand over his face. Without the guys out here to protect the children and old ladies, the club members were generally on the road or dead tired. Because of that, I had taken it upon myself to handle domestic shit that popped up. Gemma was proud that I was taking a bigger role in our circle, but I could tell she felt threatened.
"What are you going to do, Katerina? Beat up some little turds in preschool?" Bobby asked with a chuckle. I shook my head and headed down to the playroom where my children were. Abel came up to me and tugged on my hand.
"I can take care of Freya, just like I take care of Thomas." He looked up at me with intense, blue eyes and a determined expression. I glanced up at Tara who was equally as proud and concerned of the eldest Teller child.
"Thanks, sweetheart." I ruffled his blonde hair and continued on to the playroom. Quinn and Montez were putting on a puppet show for the kids and they seemed none the worse after Ryder's comment. Freya was holding on to the reaper ring on the chain around her neck and petting the puppy who was lying between she and Ollie. My bottom lip started trembling and I left the room quickly.
"Katerina, your old man will kill me if I let you cry." Kozik said, wrapping and arm around my shoulders. I pushed my face into the leather of his kutte and shook my head, sobbing into Happy's best friend's chest. He had officially transferred down to the Redwood Originals once the guys learned they'd be going inside.
"You've got a couple years to live, don't worry." I laughed darkly and avoided his eyes. He was a hippie surfer wrapped in anarchy and leather. I knew he was missing his brothers and I couldn't stand to see pain in anyone else's eyes.
"Come on, Kat. He doesn't want you to be sad all the time. You've got two freakishly awesome kids and a fucked up family that loves you. We'll all get through the rest of it together." He kissed my forehead innocently and gave me a smile. I forced myself to return the smile before taking a deep breath and putting my hard shell back on.
Freya was sitting on the couch, staring at my cellphone that was sitting on the coffee table. She was up far past her bedtime, but she was waiting for a call from Happy. I knew patience wasn't exactly a virtue any of us shared, but she was still sitting calmly. Mayhem was chewing on a tire toy that Harley had long since stopped playing with and eyed Freya curiously.
"Daddy!" She had the phone answered before I even heard it ring or vibrate on the metal table top. Her smile stretched from ear to ear and she was happier than I'd seen her all day. It was almost infectious.
Freya told him all about the party, except busting Ryder's nose, and thanked him over and over again for the puppy. She was skipping around the living room, rambling at a mile per minute. Ollie had gotten Happy's quieter nature where Freya was a social butterfly like Kiara and I were when we were younger.
"I love you too, Daddy. I'm sleepy but you can talk to Mommy. Kisses." She held the phone out to me before walking down to her bedroom with Mayhem right on her heels. I thought about not letting the dog sleep with her, but I couldn't bring myself to stop him.
"Hey Katerina." The way he said my name still sent my heart into flutters. I sat down on the couch and pulled my legs up beneath me. It was a relief to hear his voice after such a busy day.
"Hey Happy. You doing okay?" It was how all of our phone conversations started. I could almost hear him nodding.
"Yeah, no extra holes or charges. How'd the party go?" He sounded down and I almost didn't want to tell him and risk making it worse.
"It was okay. Just the club, old ladies and kids. Your daughter busted Ryder's nose for mouthing off about you." I said, knowing he'd be proud of Freya.
"Good. I could tell she wasn't telling me something. Sorry about the puppy, Kat. I knew you'd be mad if I asked you about it before." He was teasing. He knew how much I loved dogs.
"Yeah, well, Harley approves of him so I guess he can stay. I miss you, Happy." I couldn't keep pretending and I was exhausted from the busy day.
"I know, Kat. I miss you and the kids so much it hurts. I swear to you woman, after I get home I'm not going back inside. If that means walking away from then club then I will. I'm not losing you and the kids." His voice cracked and the tears started falling down my cheeks. I shook my head and wiped my face with the back of my hand.
"Happy, I told you. You're not going to lose us, baby. Forever, for always and no matter what, remember? That goes for the kids to. Your daughter thinks you hung the bloody moon just for her." I laughed and looked through the skylights to the star filled sky above.
"Yeah I know, baby. I just miss you. Hell, Ollie barely even knows me. He probably thinks Harley's his damn dad." Happy grumbled and I knew he was having a harder day than normal.
"No, he doesn't. He knows who you are, Hap. Harley has way too much hair to be confused for you." Happy chuckled so quietly I almost missed it. I sighed and headed into the bedroom.
"I'm sleeping naked in your kutte tonight, baby." I whispered, stripping out of my jeans and panties. I heard his growl and my bottom lip automatically slipped between my teeth.
"Damn, Kat. How am I supposed to wear it without getting hard now?" I smirked and put the phone on speaker so I could go ahead and finish stripping down. The leather was cold on my skin, but his smell was still engrained in the kutte and it made me feel warm and safe.
"Happy, you know I love you right?" I heard him smile at my question as I climbed into bed.
"Yeah, I know Kat. I love you despite your terrible life choices." I giggled and shook my head as I curled up on his side of the bed.
"Bad choices make good stories, babe. I'll see you Friday, Happy." I could hear the timer on the phone beeping. He sighed and I heard a loud slam.
"I'll see you Friday, baby. Goodnight, Katerina Lowman. I love you." His hard swallow was audible over the phone and I assumed he hand punched the metal housing of the payphone.
"Goodnight, Happy. I love you more." I heard him growl again before the line went dead. My arms were wrapped around his pillow that had long sense lost his scent through my reluctant washing of the sheets. I snuggled into his kutte and closed my eyes to try and pretend he was there with me in place of the leather covering my back.
My loss is your gain, loyal readers. I'm dealing with some upsetting shit at work so I've got to do something to channel my frustration and writing is my drug. So, I can't really promise it's going to be rainbows and butterflies but with her man in prison it can't really be expected anyways.