Father and Son

Abel P.O.V

It has been two days since my birthday and I still haven't spoken to my father. He had left by the time I got home and hadn't be back since. Mom said he had gone out of town for a few days and would be back by the weekend. She didn't say why he had left but I didn't ask.

Instead of worrying about what or who my dad was spending his time with, I used my birthday money to buy an old motorcycle and worked on it. I was in the garage on Saturday morning working on my bike when I heard the rumble of three or so outside, I didn't bother going to look. You got used to hearing bikes around here.

There was a motorcycle club on the other side of town and sometimes they drove past. I stayed in the garage working away with my earphones in listening to Simple Plan. I didn't see nor hear anyone come in until they pulled one of my earphones out.

"Piss off," I said, thinking it was Tommy until I was smacked on the head.

"Watch your mouth, son" My dad said. I turned to look at him, giving him a small smile. Having missed him, as much as we didn't get along, I still loved him. I gave him a quick hug and went back to work.

"Where did you get this thing?" he asked.

"Bill's place, I bought it off him. Thought I'd give myself something to do over the holiday's" I looked at my father and saw him watching me, nodding his head.

"Well sorry to ruin your plans son but we won't be here over the holidays, I thought we could get away from here for a bit," Dad said.

I looked at him, the last time we went on holiday I was eight and it didn't go too well. Tommy almost drowned and I fell out a tree breaking my arm, I screwed my face up at the thought and heard my dad laugh.

"Just you and I bud, I want to make up for missing your birthday and we need to reconnect Abel. We used to be so close and I don't like not being able to talk with my son." I could see the sadness in his eyes and for that reason alone I agreed to go with him. I looked at my half-done bike and sighed, I went to grab the dust cover to put over it but was stopped in my tracks.

"Tell you what how about I help you finish your bike and we can leave when it's done?" I looked at my dad not knowing what to say, he never willingly spends time with me.

"Do you know anything about bikes?" I asked with an eyebrow arched. He laughed at me and opened the garage door. There were four bikes sitting in the driveway, I followed my dad over to them as he stood by one that had a reaper sticker on the side of the tank. I looked at him not believing the point he was trying to make.

"This is the bike that my father and I fixed up for my 16th birthday, I then rode it for 18 years before moving here with your mother and you. If I knew you liked bike's I would have gotten one for you myself and worked on it with you." I felt my jaw drop, I had no idea my dad even liked bike's let alone own one, I walked over to him.

"Don't feel bad dad, I pulled away from you. Yes, it was partly you're fault by fighting with mom, but I shouldn't have blamed you and not her. It takes two to fight and I'm sorry. I would love to have a relationship with you. It's been horrible over the years seeing you go through hoops for Tommy but barely noticing me. I want my dad back. I want to be able to talk with you and be close again." I have no idea where it all came from but once I started, I couldn't stop. I just needed him to know. I chanced a look at my dad and saw the tears running down his face. I went to say something, I didn't know what just something, but dad pulled me into a hug.

"I'm so sorry, son. I'm sorry for being such a shitty father, I'm sorry for not being there for you and making it hard for you to talk to me. I promise you son, I will do everything I can to make it better." Dad said as I felt his tears land on my head. I hugged him back.

"You're not a shitty father, you're just lost and so am I. We do this together, one step at a time." I whispered to him. I felt dad nod and pulled away to look at him. "So why did you stop riding?" I asked

"It was an old life, we moved here for a fresh start and I didn't want questions of our past coming up as you and you're brother got older so I left everything behind that had to do with who I was. I was no longer the biker, just a father and husband even if I was shitty at both jobs." Dad said trying to hold back more tears.

"You're not a shitty dad, I'm just a stubborn prick who wouldn't let you in and as for mom, well I think it has to do with the way we are that gets her mad at you but she loves you or she wouldn't still be here." I was trying to reassure him but it wasn't working, I put my hand on his shoulder "and besides, once a biker…"

"Always a biker" dad finished my sentence for me and I smiled at him.

"C'mon dad, I got to wash up for dinner." We walked back to the house together, as I went to wash up, I could hear the laughter from downstairs, but it was cut off when my phone rang. Picking it up I smiled seeing it was Rachel and answered the phone.

"Hey babe, what's up?" I asked.

"Baby, we need to talk!"

Jax's P.O.V

"You alright, son?" I asked Abel as he came into the dining room, he looked a little pale

"Yeah I'm fine Da." He sat at the table, but I knew something was up with him. We may not be close, but I know my son better than he thinks. As dinner went on the conversation took a turn that we didn't want it to take.

"So what's with the leathers?" Thomas asked, I looked at my youngest not knowing what to say, he was still so innocent.

"Their part of the club that you see on your way to school, son" I answered him, he thought for a moment before asking.

"So how do you know them, dad?" I smiled at him he wasn't a stupid boy and I knew I shouldn't lie so, I didn't.

"They live in my hometown son; I knew them growing up." I didn't tell him about my involvement in the club as his mother didn't want him knowing yet, but he took my answer and continued eating. I looked to Abel he had his earphones in and was pushing his food around on his plate, Tommy pulled his earphone out so he would hear me.

"You not hungry son?" I looked at him, he just smiled and shook his head getting up from the table, he put his plate in the kitchen and walked upstairs. I looked at his mother who just shrugged.

I wondered what was up with him, he was fine before he went to wash up for dinner. As much as I wanted to go to him, I knew he needed his space, so I left him be for now.