Family Matters

Chapter 3

"Jesus, God, Hap." Ellie laughed as their waitress delivered plate after plate of food for Happy. "Where do you put it all?"

He shrugged and shoved a piece of bacon into his mouth. "I dunno."

"You're an animal." She rolled her eyes. "So, how are you?"

Barely an hour ago before the Lowman siblings decided to leave the others sleeping and head out to breakfast. Ellie smiled as she watched her brother eat, thinking back to the countless times he had taken her out to breakfast as a kid.

"Good," he continued to eat. "You? How long you been up here?"

"Not long," she shrugged. Truth was she'd been there for years but once Poe was born she started lying about her whereabouts. "I think I'll be staying though. I like it."

"Nothing to do with that guy from last night?" He wiped a drip of syrup off his lip.

She huffed and rolled her eyes. "No, we're actually done anyway though, so he doesn't matter."

"Looked like he mattered," Happy teased.

"If you ever had a chance of keeping a girl around for more than night I might give you shit for who you pick too." She stuck her tongue out. "Although the girls you do spend time with are nasty as fuck." Unbothered and not entirely in disagreement Happy continued to eat while Ellie picked at her food. "I may come back with you, just for a few days, to Charming. That cool?"

"Yeah," he finally showed some enthusiasm. "That would be fucking fun."

"How's your mom?"

He shook his head. "The same," he shrugged. "Nothing changed since the last time we talked."

"Only Ma would hold on like this. Toughest chick I know."

"Hell yeah!" He slapped his hand on the table. "She'll out live both of us."

"Probably," Ellie sighed. "Anyway, I gotta make a stop and then I'll head out."

"Where?"

"None of your business," she laughed. "You guys go, I'll meet you in Charming later."

With a suspicious look, Happy nodded. "Let me get the guys and we'll leave."

"K," she smiled. "Go ahead."

He knew what she was planning. "I'll pay."

"No," she said adamantly. "We did this all the time when we were kids and you ALWAYS paid. Let me play. Please?"

"Alright, kid," he got up and leaned over, kissing. The top of her head. "Thanks for breakfast."

She left a few twenties on the table and followed him out to the parking lot. "I missed you." Ellie admitted as she got on the back of his bike.

"Aw shit," he groaned, "Shut up."

--

After sending the Sons on their way, she headed back to see Poe before leaving town. When Ellie walked into the apartment she was immediately attacked with hugs and excitement.

"Mama!"

"Hey sweetie," Ellie laughed, kissing her daughter's cheeks and forehead. "You having fun?"

"Yeah," she nodded. "Am I coming home?"

"Not yet," Ellie pouted. "Aunt Debbie here?"

"I'm here," Debbie called out. "Sorry, I had raw meat on my hands."

"This early? It's only noon."

"It has to marinate," Debbie explained as she gave Ellie a kiss on the cheek. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah, he came by but he left pretty quickly," Ellie sighed. "Why don't you take her to visit your folks at the ranch? I need to get out of town and knowing Bastian is in LA I can't leave her here."

"Sure," Debbie agreed. "They'd love to see her."

"Thank you. Happy is in town and I just want to spend some time with him. It's been so long."

Debbie smiled and nodded. "Don't you think he'd like to know about his niece?"

"No," Ellie was firm. "The more people that know the more likely Bastian will find out." Her eyes hit the floor as the horror story that would unfold if Poe was discovered filled her head. "I trust Hap but l, I can't risk her."

"Okay," Debbie said reluctantly. "I'll be in touch."

"Thanks," Ellie was clearly still upset. "I'm gonna take her to lunch and then I'll be back."

"Have fun and be careful." Debbie shouted out to them as they left the apartment.

--

"Hap," Clay was on him the moment he stepped into the clubhouse. "Got a job for you."

"Yeah?" He smiled. "Where?"

"She's with Kozik at this address," he handed Hap a crinkled piece of paper. "Him and Jax found her when they went after one of Darby's guys."

"Found her?"

He huffed. "She got to him first and I need to know everything she knows. I know you'll get it out of her."

"Oh yes I will," he smirked.

--

Ellie arrived hours later, disappointed to see Happy was on a job, but excited to annoy the club. It was a contentious relationship but she surely had a soft spot for them. They couldn't all say the same.

"The better Lowman is back in town." Ellie joked as she sauntered into the clubhouse.

"Jesus," Opie growled. "Thought you weren't coming."

"Sorry, Eeyore," Ellie slapped his chest. "I'm here for a whole week."

"Someone is going to die this week, aren't they?" Bobby uttered to Tig under his breath.

Tig nodded. "Oh yeah, at least one, maybe more."

"You're loving this," Bobby chuckled.

"Hell yeah I am, she's like my dream woman. We'd fight until we killed each other."

"Romantic," Juice joked as he joined them.

--

"We couldn't do it," Kozik explained. "She's a woman and she ain't that big."

"Not the size it's how you use it," she hollered over to them. "You peanut dick lookin' assholes should know that. It's probably your line the second you drop your pants."

"Jesus, she's got a mouth," Kozik looked offended by her and her foul vocabulary. "You sure you don't have a dick?"

"Bigger than yours," she spat.

"I got this." Happy glared over at her. "Psycho bitch, her attitude is gonna make this fun"

Shaking his head, Jax nodded and grabbed the phone, gun, wad of cash and ID they'd taken from her.

"Aurora Harvelle," Jax said. "She's all yours, Hap."