Dragon Soothe

Chapter 48

Time flew by for Elise and Ava. Lots of Gemma family dinners. Several lockdowns. A few scares by the local law enforcement and the ATF. Several family dinners with their parents. Lots of family vacations with their parents. When the twins hit high school, Filip wanted to try out for the junior football team. His father was very proud of him and encouraged him to do so. Harley wanted to be a cheerleader and quickly tried out when she could. Elise was very proud of her children as they entered high school and hoped they had a better time than she had growing up. Jagger was in middle school and had no interest in sports. He was all about motorcycles like his 'ol man and was dying to get one of his own. Ava refused stating he needed a car to get him to and from school and any after school job he might land instead of a motorcycle.

Happy and Ava earnestly fought about their son's first vehicle. Happy was more than sure he could handle it and that any of his school stuff could be put in his saddlebags. She wanted him to have a safe vehicle to get around in. Jagger wasn't even old enough to drive yet which amused Happy's brothers that they were already fighting over what kind of vehicle the boy was going to get for his first one. Tig told Happy not to let his wife win making his brothers all nod at him. Massika agreed with her daughter about what kind of vehicle her grandson should have and offered to help pay for a good quality used car for him to help him get around town with making Ava thank her mother. Happy was having none of it and put his foot down about Jagger getting a used Harley when he hit sixteen. "You're insufferable!" Ava threw her hands up in the air before stomping off to their bedroom and slamming the door shut.

Happy smiled figuring he'd won the argument. Jagger was thrilled that one day he'd get to ride on a motorcycle like his dad did. Happy was his hero and Jagger looked up to him as such. No one was cooler than his dad and no one messed with his dad that he knew of. On the first day of middle school, the school bully pushed Jagger to the floor making several people laugh at the scene before them. Happy had always told his son to stick up for himself and not let anyone push him around. Jagger stood up and told the bully to leave him alone earning another shove. The younger boy sighed as he prepared to fight his new bully. His father had been teaching him how to fight in the boxing ring at the clubhouse making his mother sigh and shake her head. Chibs had Happy teaching his son how to fight as well since Happy was well known for being able to fight viciously.

Before he knew it, Jagger and the school bully were on the floor scrapping and Jagger was winning the fight. The bully was calling him all kinds of names and stated that his mother was a whore which just infuriated Jagger even more. A couple teachers came running from several directions to break up the fight. They were brought to the principle's office to be reprimanded and to get to the bottom of what had happened. Hearing Jagger's side of the fight made the principle sympathetic to the boy's plight but fighting wasn't allowed in school. On the very first day of middle school, Jagger found himself being suspended for fighting. He wasn't looking forward to telling his parents about why he'd been suspended.

He headed straight to his room when he got home that day. Ava was making dinner and Happy hadn't made it home yet. Jagger plopped down on his bed and tried to figure out how to tell his parents what had happened and that he'd been suspended for fighting. He laid back and sighed hoping his 'ol man wasn't going to be too mad at him. Ava was worried about her son. He looked upset when he came home and she hoped he was ok. They had a hard time in high school growing up since they were so different. They spoke three different languages, looked Mexican with an Asian last name. Prime targets for bullies. She hoped her son hadn't found himself with a bully. Once Happy came home and dinner was ready, she called Jagger to the table.

"How was your first day?" Ava asked Jagger when they all got settled at the dinner table.

"Uh. Well. I kind of got into trouble today." Jagger stammered.