All the Money in the World

Chapter 39

Despite all Jax had done to keep Happy at the clubhouse he returned home after Jax assumed he'd passed out for the night. Still slightly drunk he wandered up into his bedroom and crawled into bed leaving his clothing in a pile on the floor.

"Hap?" Katie whispered in the darkness, leaning up on her elbow.

"Hmm yeah?"

Although she knew it was him, there was still a jolt of fear when she felt someone climb into bed since she wasn't expecting him home.

"Just checking," she said, laying back down.

Feeling around he found her shoulder and laid his hand on her. "You good?"

"I'm good," she shuffled closer to him. "Hold me, Hap." Her body melted into his as he wrapped his arms around her. Guilt surged through her but she ignored it and tried to soak him in. She breathed him in, his usual smell mixed with alcohol and weed, and felt her heart quicken. "You drive home drunk?"

"Yeah," he answered without hesitation.

Rather than rage at him about the danger to himself and others she felt tears well in her eyes. "You gotta stop that shit Hap. You coulda killed someone or yourself. You can't leave me, okay? I'd be a mess without you."

"I'm not going anywhere," he assured her with less eagerness than he normally would because of his intoxicated state.

"If you're sober enough can you take Charlotte to school?

He grunted, "Yeah. Jax can't?"

"She's here it's just easier," Katie said, keeping the part about avoiding Ryan to herself.

"Uh huh," he said, clearly dozing off to sleep.

Instead of speaking again Katie closed her eyes and tried to sleep, she couldn't, her mind was racing, but she stayed in bed, wrapped in his arms, until Sam woke her for the day.

--

Happy took Charlotte to school as promised although now that he was awake and sober it seemed much stranger than before. Standing under the massive tree in the school yard he watched as she played, waiting for the teachers to come and bring the kids in, with his arms crossed over his chest and a sour expression on his face.

Seeing the familiar rocker on Happy's back, Ryan strolled over and tapped him on the shoulder. "Hey, You Charlotte's dad?" He asked, offering Happy his hand.

"No," Happy said without shaking Ryan's hand.

"Oh," he chuckled awkwardly and stuck his hands in his pockets. "I met her mom on the first day, my son is in her class, I think we have some other mutual friends too."

Nodding, Happy looked at the kids playing. "No business here."

Ryan chuckled and nodded. "Yeah, probably smart."

Neither man acknowledged the other again and shortly after their awkward exchange they were both gone from the school yard.

—

Avoiding anywhere she could see Ryan, Katie didn't go to Scoops that day, instead she stayed home with the boys are tried to immerse herself in motherhood. It didn't last long though. Around lunch Jax appeared at her door and he knew as soon as he saw her face how unwelcome he was.

"What?" She said with a huff.

"He wants to see you again," Jax explained. "He wants to be sure Hap won't know, so you don't have to worry abo-"

"No," she interjected.

"What?" He was surprised by her demeanor as well as how quickly she denied his request but not her actual answer.