Overexposed

Ch. 31 Helpless

Happy watched Evie from his seat on Chloe's couch. She was playing quietly with her dolls, her face serious. Apparently, Evie had asked her grandmother if Angela was okay and Graciela had bluntly told her that her mother was very sick and had to stay in the hospital until she got better. The little girl had gone quiet ever since. The safe bubble everyone had tried to keep her in had been crudely burst, and she was clearly still processing it. "Tio?" her voice was small, tinged with a little fear and hesitance. (Uncle)

"Yeah, brat?"

"Is Mama gonna come home like Nana Lena? Be in a big robot bed?" she asked, clearly referencing the hospital bed his Ma was in.

He shook his head slowly. "Don't think so," he answered honestly. "She just restin' for now. She'll wake up soon."

"She gonna wake up and come play with me and buggos?" Evie asked, her eyes bright with hope.

"Think so." He nodded, slowly, though he wasn't sure if it was true or not. He checked his phone, getting up slowly when he saw the time. It was almost time for Church. Reaching down, he mussed Evie's hair before heading to the kitchen. Chloe was standing there, watching the water in the electric kettle start to bubble. She was deep, deep in thought and obviously had no idea he was standing there. "Braun?"

She jumped a bit at the sound of his voice, breathing in sharply as she gathered herself. "Shit. Sorry. Zoned out."

"S'all right. Lots goin' on," he stated, leaning against the counter beside her. "I got church."

"Church?" she repeated in disbelief. "Hap, are you serious? Your family needs you."

Happy hesitated; he didn't know how to explain that he needed to go. Needed some semblance of normalcy because it felt like his world was falling apart around him. "Yeah, I gotta go. Won't be long. Just gotta tell 'em what I got goin' on 'n' then I'll be back."

Chloe's hazel eyes studied him for a moment, first with anger, but then something clicked, and he could see the understanding in her expression. "You need this? Like a distraction?"

He nodded slowly, thankful he didn't have to explain himself to her. That she understood just by looking at him. "Somethin' like that."

"Sounds good. Say 'hi' to the guys for me," she told him, shocking him by standing on her toes to kiss his cheek.

His skin tingled where her lips had just been. Another feeling he'd never been familiar with until he met her. "Yeah," he said, for lack of anything better to say. He walked away slowly and slipped out the door before Evie could notice. He got his cut out of his saddlebag, sliding it back on and relaxing at the familiar weight of it on his shoulders. With the cut on, he felt like a different person. Stronger, deadlier. He was the Tacoma Killer, and he could handle anything.

The clubhouse was empty when he walked inside except for Piper who was wiping down the bar. The blonde stopped what he was doing and nodded to him in greeting. "They just went in there."

"Thanks," he muttered, tossing his cell phone into the cigar box on the pool table as was custom.

"Hap?" Piper asked, just before he opened the door. He stopped and turned to acknowledge him. "Is Ang gonna be okay?"

Happy felt all the strength he'd had before deflate at the reminder of his cousin. "Yeah," he lied because he could. He'd long since promised those closest to him that he'd never lie to them, but Piper wasn't included in there. He didn't give the guy a chance to reply, just pushed open the doors and took his seat on Chibs' right side.

He was aware of the meeting starting. Aware of the minutes being read, but his heart wasn't in it. He stared blankly at the reaper on the table, his mind going back to the image of his kid in that big hospital bed. He couldn't lose her. It wasn't happening. But what if it did? What would they do with the kids? Juice couldn't handle them on his own. No way. He'd find a way to make the idiot stay in California so they could help him.