CHAPTER EIGHTY

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Donna and Opie are still at the table where we left them but Patrick is missing when we come back into the room, Jax sits me in my chair and crouches beside me "I know that you're hurt and angry at me. I am sorry that I'm a jackass."

I giggle, glancing over at Donna's furious face. "D, calm down okay? You were right, it hurt that Jax brushed over my feelings so easily but it did bring up a really good point. I have no legal right to Abel. He's not my son." My heart stutters for a single beat but I continue talking "While I may be his father's Old Lady, that doesn't mean Jack Shit anywhere other than within the Club. So Jax needs to make sure that it's in writing what happens to his son if anything happens to him, he needs to be the one to make those decisions. I can't."

The main door to the suite slams open and Patrick comes in waving a handful of paperwork "I love the internet and hotels with printing services." Sitting down on his chair he smiles at me and the corners of his mouth pull up so high I have a vision of the Joker's smile painted on his face.

Patrick splits the pile of paper into three lots and slaps a set each in front of Jax and I holding onto the third. "Now, it'll be a little more complicated because I'm out of state, but it'll still work." He looks at Jax "The easy side of it is that with the birth mother dead there's no one to contest."

I look between the two and Jax shakes his head smiling slightly and I finally look down at the paperwork that's been dropped on the table in front of me the 'Petition to Adopt' written in dark blue in across the top of the page has me frowning and pushing them away "I'm not doing this because you feel guilty Jackson Nathaniel Teller." I practically growl at him.

Jax pulls the papers closer to me again and twists on his seat so he's looking at me "Darlin' shut up for a second please." I'm stunned speechless and Jax cocks an eyebrow before grabbing my hands "I am not doing this out of guilt. Donna ever so helpfully pointed out that I was being a monumental moron and she's right. This should have been done the same day as Hap inked you, you're going to be with me for the rest of my life, OUR son will call you mommy and I will be fucked if anyone on the planet thinks that anything they do can change that. One day Abel will need to know the gash that gave him life and almost took it, but by the time that happens he's going to know that there will never be a woman on the planet who will love him as much as you do, and if he loves you a fraction of the amount I do then you will be the most loved woman in the world twice over."

My heart melts at the love that's in Jax's eyes and the emotion that's in his voice. "You're an asshole, but I love you." I mutter pressing my lips to his gently.

Patrick clears his throat behind me breaking the moment. Jax straightens up and turns back to the table picking up the pen from the centre and passing it to me "Start writing Darlin'."

I lean over the form and start filling in the boxes, one of them is a start date of relationship with surviving parent and I tap it lightly getting Jax's attention from the forms he's working on "What do I put here?"

Jax leans over and then chuckles "You could always put the day that you showed up at the clubhouse with Clay. That was the day you stole my heart and never gave it back."

The smile on my face spreads further and Donna's quiet sigh on the other side of the table reminds me that we're not alone and it's not socially acceptable to fuck someone in the company of friends and my lawyer.

Patrick interjects and tells me to put down the date I returned to Charming so May 15th gets written into the gap. Jax cocks his head to the side "Really? That's when you came back?"

I nod and absently move on to the next part of the form, filling out the rest fairly quickly. The form is only 3 pages long and Patrick halts before I sign it "Wait till you're in front of the judge to do that. On one of those blank bits of paper write down anyone that you want present in the courtroom at the time." Jax starts on the list and I'm not surprised when Gemma is listed, followed by Opie, Donna and Wayne what does surprise me is when he adds Anne and Dr Namid's names to the bottom.

At my raised eyebrow he shrugs "They'll both attest to the fact you've been at the hospital for everything major since you got back to town. Actually, I think Anne would put in that you were there when he was born if we asked."

I shake my head "I want this legal baby." Passing the filled out forms to Patrick I go back to the will and press my hand to Jax's forearm. "Do you want to read this before I sign it?"

Jax shakes his head "Why would I? If it's the same as mine I think it's a little more important that D and Ope know what's in there, don't you?"

Donna fixes her look on me and raises an eyebrow and I smile "You two are listed as guardians if anything happens to both of us. You're also down as executors of our estate."

Opie looks confused "What the fuck does that mean?"

Patrick leans forward "Basically what it means is that if in a tragic event Sarah and Jackson both die you get custody of Abel, logical part there. What it also means is that you become guardians of their estate. You will be given the ability to purchase things to a certain amount each year with funds from the investments however the bulk of it will be untouchable. At 18 Abel will receive 25% of the value, at 21 the second 25% will be released and at 25 the other 50% gets given to him to control."

Opie looks shell-shocked for a second, his eyes flicking between Jax and I like he can't believe what he's just been told. "You sure Bro?"

Jax nods once "Sarah's got that right, I wouldn't want anyone else raising our son."

"See, I am good for some things." I poke my tongue out at him.

Jax wiggles his eyebrows and lowers his lids leaning over my shoulder he puts his mouth by my ear "You're good at a lot of things babe; put that tongue away before I decide to make use of it."

My tongue stud clinks against my teeth as I make a rapid retreat. Patrick laughs and waves his hand over the files that are scattered across his table "That's it. All signed. Good, now the fun part."

Patrick pulls his laptop over and opens it in front of me, the huge list of specs for the car I'd told him I wanted are on the screen. "Go through that, pick what you want added. If you want a different colour we can request it, but it'll add to the final cost."

Donna and Opie both look just as confused and Jax takes pity on them while I flick through the colour spectrum offered. "Sarah decided she wants another car."

Donna smiles and comes around the table sitting next to me on my chair, between the two of us we pick out the exterior and interior colours. Picking gunmetal pearl for the outside with silver racing stripe and black leather interior we both screw up our noses at all but one set of the rims that they offer, adding the sidewinder rims in a matte finish. I shove the laptop towards Jax "I don't know shit about any of that stuff. Can you do it?"

Jax grins and goes through the few selections pushing the laptop back to me when he's done. Handing it back to Patrick he nods and pushes the 'submit' button and picks up his phone. His quiet conversation isn't private when we can hear every word he's saying. Telling whoever it is on the other end that he's put the order through now and that the money will follow within 24 hours he waits tapping his fingers impatiently for a few seconds before replying with a thank you and closing his phone.

"Orders put in with a 12 week build time. Estimated date for pick up will be September 5th but they'll ring if anything changes. Now, bank and you're done. I'll take care of the Sherman's cheque for you this afternoon and get the keys to you tonight."

The hotel that Patrick chose is within walking distance of the airport branch of my bank so he and I stroll down the street while Jax, Opie and Donna take the car down. I appreciate my friends giving me a few minutes with him to answer any questions he has.

We're barely out of the lobby when he starts "Are you happy?"

I nod and smile "Despite him being an asshole at times I am."

Patrick puts his arm around my shoulders and squeezes "Good. Do I need to start drawing up a pre-nup?"

I shake my head "No! We're not getting married, and if we were I wouldn't want one."

"Sarah, you're an exceptionally wealthy woman, a pre-nup would be a good idea." We pause at a crossing.

"I don't want one." The car goes past and Jax waves out the window and taps on the horn once before continuing down the road.

"If you're sure?" I nod and Patrick lets the subject drop. "Now, I know you don't want to think about it, but Craig still hasn't been seen or heard from and the trail is a little over a month away. Do you want to come back a week or so early to go over the evidence that's being submitted and your testimony?"

I nod "I'll be bringing Alice back with me, she's in Charming. Camryn's still in New York with her dad if you need to get hold of her. But Jax, Opie and Donna are all coming with me as well."

Patrick raises an eyebrow "Are you sure that's wise?"

I nod as we spot the huge sign for the bank "They all know what happened. After my freak-out with the whiskey I had to give them some answers."

Patrick nods again and we cross the final street, my eyes homing into Jax leaning against the side of my car. "The paperwork for the name addition on the accounts is in my pocket as well. The bank manager can lodge it while we're here and he can have a card before you leave if you want."

I pause for a second and grab hold of Patrick's wrist "I know you're worried about me but I will promise you this, I am safe. I am happy. I am exactly where I need to be, and where I shouldn't have left."

Patrick smiles "That's all I needed to hear."

Stepping up to Jax's side I slide my arm around his waist and lean against him for a second "One more trip then we can go spend some money."

Jax sighs "Really, do we have to?"

Patrick chuckles "She likes shopping; thank god she can afford it."

I poke my tongue out at both of them and step towards the door, Opie and Donna staying with the car.