"I like your hair." Tara said as I walked over to the bar. I had pulled it back in a ponytail in an attempt to beat the sweltering heat. Harper reached out for Tara, so I passed her over as Abel hugged me around the leg. It felt good to be back with my family after some time away. I glanced over at the closed double doors and swallowed down my worries about what Opie and I's talk would entail.
"I just felt like doing something different. Thanks for watching the house while I was gone, Tara. I know I should have communicated more, but I was working some shit out." I said with an apologetic smile. Tara shook her head and kissed me on the forehead.
"You're my little sister, Ana. You can get away with a lot without apologizing." She said as Harper wound her fingers into Tara's hair. I laughed and silently wondered when she was going to get out of that phase.
"Nice to see you back, Ana." Gemma gave me a tight smile as she walked out of the kitchen. I nodded and diverted my eyes to keep my anger at bay. She and I had a lot of things to hash out, but now wasn't the time or place.
"Good to be back, Gemma." I looked over at Abel, who was playing with Thomas and a set of plastic blocks. Gemma's sour attitude could be felt radiating from where she stood in her three-inch heels.
"Now, it's been a while, so please remind me who it is that you came back for. Is it Chibs, Opie or Happy?" Gemma hissed as she walked around the bar. I smirked at Tara and shook my head before climbing off the stool and stepping toe to toe with Gemma Teller-Morrow.
"If you've got something to say and want to do this now, then by all means, go ahead. You felt the need to express your concerns to Opie, so why not tell me what you really think, Gemma." I was close enough to smell the liquid foundation on her face. She bent her head down closer to me and smiled darkly.
"You think you're some tough bitch with your tattoos and shaved head, don't you? I've got news for you, little girl. You step up to me again and Opie's going to need another old lady. Or is it Happy?" Gemma started to laugh until I shoved her back with all of my strength. She stumbled and caught herself on the bar just in time. Tara stood up with Harper and moved over to keep both of our children at a safe distance.
"Go to hell." I snapped as the back of my hand smacked into the side of her face with a loud pop. The doors to the chapel opened just as she reached out to grab my throat. I smiled and caught her wrist before twisting her arm behind her back and kicking her away. She went flying into a wall and stood stunned for a moment before attempting to get back to me. Happy stepped into her path and stared down at the president's old lady.
"You caused enough shit, Gemma. That crow on your chest is the only thing that's keeping you above ground right now. Taking rumors down to visitation like you did could have cost them their lives. You get distracted for one minute and you've got a shank in your spleen and the club's defense is down. How would you feel if those three kids didn't have fathers because you want to run your fucking mouth?" Happy's eyes were cold lumps of coal as he turned back and looked over at Harper, Thomas and Abel. I swallowed hard and flinched a little as he slammed his fist into the bar and stormed out of the clubhouse.
"Let's go, Ana." Opie nodded towards the door Happy had nearly ripped off the hinges as he pulled me away from the shell shocked Gemma. Tara passed Harper over to me and pulled Opie to the side. I twisted back and forth to keep my daughter calm as Tara and Opie spoke. I couldn't hear any of their conversation, but their body language shifted from tense to relaxed.
"I'll follow you since I don't know where we live anymore." Opie said with a quick kiss to my cheek before he walked over to his bike. I couldn't honestly tell if his comment was light hearted or not, but I took it that way for my nerve's sake.
"This is it. I figured the driveway would be big enough for both the bikes and truck and jeep." I said as I got out of the car. Opie nodded and took his helmet off before following me up to the front door. As soon as the key was in the lock, I froze. Tara had said she was watching the place for me, but I had no way of knowing whether or not the bed was left how it was the morning I left or not.
"I kind of left the place in a mess." I said quickly as I opened the door and walked inside. The living room and kitchen were spotless, which told me someone had in fact cleaned since I'd left. Opie put his bag down by the coat closet and followed me around his new home.
"This is Harper's room." I said with a smile as I opened the door to her nursery. Opie nodded as he walked inside and looked around. He tapped her zoo animal mobile with his finger and smirked as it started spinning around. I watched as he looked up at the mural on the wall. It was a pink princess crown that stood out against the slate grey walls. In the middle of the crown was Harper's name.
"Happy do this?" Opie asked as he ran his hand over our daughter's name. I shifted her over to my other hip and nodded.
"Yeah, he did. Do you want to put her down, babe? It's way past her nap time." I said with a smile as he looked over at me. He nodded and took her into his arms. My heart was racing as I left them alone and headed into the master bedroom. The bed was made and the room was clean, just like the rest of the house. I swallowed hard and sat down on the end of the bed to wait for Opie.
"I don't know how we get back to us, Ope. I missed you." I said as he walked into the room. I shifted my eyes from my shoes to his boots and sighed.
"I missed you too, Ana. Every day." He said as he walked further into the room. The sound of his boots on the hardwood seemed to echo in my ears. He stopped just short of my side and I looked up to see him staring at the bed.
"Just ask, Opie. I can see it behind your eyes." I shook my head and stood up to stand in front of him. He cupped his hands on either side of my face and closed his eyes. I took a deep breath and held it in.
"Has he been in here?" Opie asked as he looked into my eyes. I scoffed and rolled my eyes. He was avoiding the elephant in the room and beating around the bush. My time as a military police officer had left me with a strong hatred of both actions.
"Happy has been in every room, Opie. The club helped me move in here. Jesus Christ, how old are we? Ask what you really want to know, Opie." I narrowed my eyes at him and took a step back. He dropped his hands from me and shook his head.
"Fine, Ana! I want to know if you fucked Happy before or after Harper was born." Opie spat at me. I spun around to face him and slapped him across the face. It left my hand stinging and a red mark on his cheek. He grabbed my wrist and pulled me over to him.
"You have some damn nerve. Why are you even here, Opie? You seem to have it all figured the fuck out. Why don't you go gossip with Gemma?" I shoved the heels of my palms into his chest and moved out of his reach. He moved towards me and put his hands up.
"All you have to do is tell me it didn't happen, Ana. You haven't answered the fucking question at all." Opie growled as he took another step forward. I shook my head and pointed at the door. My phone started vibrating on top of the dresser and Opie grabbed it before I could reach it. He looked down at the screen and laughed darkly before popping the battery out and putting the pieces back on the dresser.
"Don't back me in a corner, Opie. If you want to talk, we'll talk." I dropped my hand from the gun behind my back and pointed towards the door. He sighed and headed out of the room. I followed him out to the living room after poking my head in and checking on Harper.
"Just tell me, Ana. We can't do anything before I know what happened when I was gone." Opie said as he sat down on the couch. He was leaning on his elbows and looking up at me. I sat down on the arm of the red, oversized chair by the door and gathered my thoughts.
"He was there for me, Opie. We were friends before you went in and that didn't change just because you left. He stayed with me because I hated the way the house felt when it was empty. I hated the void you left me in." I swallowed hard and remembered my last night in Charming. I heard a motorcycle pulling into the driveway and watched Opie's shoulders move with a sigh.
I didn't move to open the door because I knew he had a key. Opie's posture made me frown. It was obvious that he didn't feel at home in the house. I closed my eyes as I heard Happy's key turn in the door just before it opened slowly.
OPIE's POV
"Just let yourself in, Hap." I shook my head at him as he closed the door behind him and put his keys in his pocket. Ana didn't move from her perch on the armchair and I could see Happy analyzing the situation. I popped my neck and stared up at the ceiling. Harper started crying loudly and Ana shot off down the hallway, leaving Happy and I alone in the living room.
"We were just having story time. You should hang out so I don't have to track you down." I said as I tossed my knife on to the coffee table. Happy eyed it suspiciously but his expression didn't give me any hints as to where Ana's story was going. Harper was still crying as Ana reemerged from the hallway. Happy looked over at them and I watched as his mouth twitched with a half smile.
"Put the fucking knife away, Opie." Ana growled as she moved Harper over to her opposite hip. Harper's eyes fell on Happy and she reached out for him. Ana sighed and passed our daughter over to the Tacoma Killer. She instantly stopped crying and started pulling at the rings on his hand. I felt sick to my stomach at how not only my old lady but now my daughter seemed to gravitate towards the man.
"I guess Gemma was right about one thing." I admitted as Harper grabbed Happy's middle finger and tried to pull his reaper ring off. Ana looked over at me and furrowed her brow.
"Gemma's rarely right about anything, Ope." Happy rasped as he leaned against the door. I shook my head as Ana reclaimed her seat on the chair arm. She looked from Happy to me and shook her head.
"I didn't use the prison clause, Opie. We shared a bed sometimes but nothing ever happened. I just didn't want to be alone. It had more to do with me than you being gone. You're wrong about him though. He is my best friend. You lost that right today. You should have known the answers you needed without asking me, Opie." I could see the tears forming in her eyes and immediately felt like shit. I stood up and walked over to her.
"I'm sorry, Ana. I'm going to stay at the clubhouse for a while. We can try and figure shit out when you're ready." I brushed my hand over her warm cheek and kissed her forehead gently. She looked up at me and I could tell she didn't want me to go. I nodded, knowing that the only way we'd ever get back on track was taking it slow.
I walked into the clubhouse with one thing on my mind. I grabbed a bottle of beer from the bar and sat down next to Tig. He looked over at me and then back towards the door.
"You forget something back at home?" He asked as he watched for the door to open. I finished the beer off quickly and shook my head.
"Nope." I said, refusing to explain anything about what was going on. The last thing I wanted was yet another person involved. Piney walked out from the dorm hall and scowled as soon as he laid eyes on me.
"The hell are you doing here, son. You've got an old lady and a kid at home and you're drinking with Tig?" Piney roared as he yanked my fresh beer away. I shook my head and rubbed my hand over the back of my neck.
"Pop, leave it alone. She's fine." I said as I took the beer back. He shook his head and slapped me in the back of the head.
"Bullshit, son. You didn't see the shit she went through when you were gone. First you leave her pregnant ass for fourteen months, then she almost gets killed, then she raises the kid by herself and gets kidnapped by the fucking commies and you think she's fine?" Piney took my beer again and threw it against the wall. I raised my brow at him and shook my head.
"What do you mean she got kidnapped? When the fuck was this?" I was on my feet and my fists were clenched. Piney shook his head and laughed darkly.
"Right after you jumped on her ass and called her a whore. If you lose that woman and your kid it's your own damn fault. Happy and Chibs fought to keep her ass alive while you were on your little vacation with Clay." He stormed back towards the dorms, catching a sweet butt around the waist on his way. Tig looked over at me and hitched his shoulder.
ANA's POV
"Readjusting takes time, Ana." Happy said as he leaned against Harper's nursery door. I covered her with her favorite Harley Davidson blanket and brushed my hand over her curly hair. She was sleeping peacefully again, oblivious to the shit storm I'd brought us back home to.
"Is this my debriefing, Hap? There's a difference in readjusting and accusing the mother of your child of being a whore." I said as I pulled the door to and followed him back to the living room. He sat down in the red chair and put his head in his hand.
"Yeah, there is. What did happen that night before you left?" He asked as his eyes moved over to me. I pulled my legs beneath me as I sat on the leather ottoman and twisted my mouth.
"Something that needs to stay in the past, Happy." I bit dry skin off my lip and diverted my eyes from him. He shook his head and I could feel his eyes staring at me.
"That's fine, Ana. It can stay wherever you want but I need to know." His voice was soft and I felt my throat constricting. I sighed and strummed my fingers on my thigh. Something in the way he spoke told me he already knew.
"We drank, we talked, we said stuff we can't take back, and we fell asleep together. You were in your boxers because I spilt a beer on you." I said, looking back up at him. He pushed his toothpick over to the other side of his mouth and nodded slowly.
"I meant what I said, Ana." He slid forward in the chair and brought my chin up to look at him. I nodded and smirked a little.
"You remember all of a sudden?" I asked with a laugh. He shrugged and dropped his hand from me.
"I just wanted to know if any pieces were missing. Fix shit with your old man, Ana." He planted a kiss in my hair and left silently. I nodded and stood up to go take a shower to wash away the shitty day.
"Thanks for helping with this, Tara." I climbed down the ladder and looked up at the banner with a smile. She hugged me tightly and kissed my cheek as Abel ran down the hallway after my dog Bronx. I laughed and silently thanked the gods for getting me off the ladder before those two came barreling through.
"I can't believe she's already one! I feel like she was just born yesterday." Tara said with a smile as I folded the ladder up. I nodded and silently appreciated the time having past so quickly. Unlike most mothers, I wasn't heartbroken that Harper could now communicate better and had a better sleeping pattern now. I looked up at her birthday banner and smiled.
"Ope should be glad you didn't make him help decorate." Jax said as he walked in through the front door. I laughed and hitched my shoulder.
"My ceilings aren't that tall. He's picking up the cakes though." I said as Jax kissed me on the cheek. Opie and I had been mending our relationship over the last six months since he'd gotten out of Stockton and we were finally in a good place. He still hadn't moved in full time, but he had a few drawers and a toothbrush in the bathroom.
"Bronx, sit." Happy growled as he walked in with a few wrapped boxes. Bronx did as he said and sat down impatiently. The Akita knew better than to ignore a command, but that didn't keep him from being a loaded gun. As soon as Happy put the boxes down, Bronx took off running and jumped up into his arms. I laughed and shook my head as Happy started wrestling with the dog.
"Hey baby." Opie said as he walked in with two cake boxes. I put the balloons down and hurried over to him. He kissed me on the cheek as he put the cakes down on the dining room table. I opened the first one quickly and felt tears brimming in my eyes at the glitter and large number one. Opie hugged me to his side and opened the second box to reveal Harper's smash cake. It looked like a huge, pink cupcake with roses made out of icing.
"Thank you for picking these up, Ope." I kissed his lips and felt his hand pressing against my lower back. He deepened the kiss and I felt a chill running down my spine.
"Go get the birthday girl ready, babe. I'll finish up in here." He whispered in my ear before kissing my cheek and letting me go. As soon as I stepped out of the dining room, Bronx was right on my heels. I looked down at him and shook my head. He was the self appointed guardian of the house and that included both Harper and I.
"Ana, do you have a minute?" Gemma asked as I tried to wrestle Harper into some pink, lace tights. I glanced over at her and nodded.
"She's adorable, honey. I wish you'd bring her around more often." Gemma said as she waved at my opponent. I smiled and hitched a shoulder as I achieved getting the tights on straight.
"I'm busy with work and trying to fix our family." I said honestly as I pulled Harper's tutu dress over her head. She grabbed the tulle in her hands and started to flap her arms like a bird. I laughed and shook my head.
"When I went to see Opie that day, I never wanted to hurt either one of you. I thought if he talked to you about Happy, you'd put some distance there." Gemma said as she handed me the headband I was trying to reach without letting go of Harper. I took a deep breath and looked over at her.
"Gemma, just because you might have good intentions or can justify your actions doesn't make it right. You need to realize that acting first and thinking later is going to get someone hurt one day. That's the problem with the whole damn club. None of you think before you jump in head first." I kept my tone even to try and avoid an argument. I'd long sense let go of my anger towards her, but I wanted her to realize her actions have consequences. Things would have needed repair when Opie got out regardless of what she did, but it certainly didn't make it any easier.
Things are getting better for Opie and Ana :) It's still a long road but they're back on track!