I walk into the clubhouse, a cigarette between my lips as I go in for a beer. I continue smoking my cigarette as I find a spot at the bar beside Tig. I feel him give me a pat on the back and I look over to the man, "Good job today, Pres." He tells me confidently, happy with how the deal went. "You did well."
I nod, taking another drag from my cigarette. "Thanks, man." I tell him as the prospect gives me a beer. I crack it open and begin to drink it, feeling refreshed from the alcohol.
"You coming to the party tonight?" He asks me and I look over at him, forgetting about this planned party. I shake my head taking another sip of the beer.
"Nah, I gotta' spend some time with the kids." I tell him and Tig nods, taking a sip from his drink.
"How're they doing? Sadie looks just like her, it's nuts." Tig tells me, looking over to me as he sets his beer down. "Abel is a good brother, he loves that little girl more than anything."
Abel has grown to protect and love Sadie more than anything. Every day he's looking out for her, and we had to deal with him being too aggressive at their daycare when someone who take something away from Sadie. He started hitting kids who would make her upset. Can you blame him though? That's his little sister, she's his girl.
I nod, knowing how much Abel loves his little sister. "Yeah, she's his everything." I tell my brother, "They're doing alright. They ask about her all the time, and I don't know what to say to them. I don't want to give up on her, it doesn't feel right."
Tig nods, "Well, you made the right choice about getting rid of that prick." He says, talking about Clay. "That bullet in his head was what had to be done. I can't believe he was willing to do that to Tara, let alone Kacey. I wanted to kill him myself, I'm glad he's gone." Tig begins to rant and I can't help but agree with them.
I killed Clay that year that Kacey was put into the coma. The day I found out it was all because of him, I unloaded my gun in him. I found him and I murdered him. He took away the one thing I loved, the woman of my life, my soulmate. He was never loyal, he never cared about family; it was all bullshit so that he could manipulate you in order to benefit.
I shake my head and decide to down my beer before setting it on the bar and asking for another one. Within seconds, a fresh beer is in my hand and I run a hand through my hair. I rub my tired eyes, wanting nothing more than to go home and sleep. I don't have the energy for the club, being a dad and trying to keep myself above the water.
"Where's Jax?" I hear Jeff call out as he rushes into the clubhouse, "Jackson! Where is he?" He shouts at the prospect before being guided to me. I raise an eyebrow and look at the man, standing up and walking towards him.
"What's going on, Jeff?" I ask him, my eyebrows knitted together.
Jeff has tears in his eyes as he looks around, his chest heaving. "It's K-Kacey, s-she's awake."
My eyes widen and I feel my legs turn to Jell-O as I look at the aging man, shaking my head in disbelief. "W-what?"
"She's awake, Jax, she's awake!" Jeff tells me as he pulls me into a hug, holding my tightly as he continues to share the news of his daughter.
---
I rush down the halls of St. Thomas, running down them as my sneakers smack the tiled ground. I look around frantically, almost forgetting where her room is due to the adrenaline and disbelief. I look over to the familiar door and push it open, looking around frantically.
I look over to the hospital bed and see her looking back at me; her big eyes filled with tears as she watches me enter the room. "K-Kacey, oh my god, Kacey." I rush over to her and wrap my arms around her tightly, sobbing as I feel her loosely hug me back. "I can't believe you're here, you're awake, baby, you're back." I cry into her hair as I continue to hold onto the woman.
I pull away and look down at the woman who's also crying; tears pooling in her eyes as she looks up to me. "W-who are you?" She asks, looking up to me with confusion and sadness. "I'm sorry, I don't know who you are."
I look back at her in confusion before shaking my head, "I'm Jax, Jax Teller." I tell her before holding her hands tightly, "Y-you're my fiancé, you're Kacey James. We have a baby girl, Sadie Teller, and a boy, Abel Teller." I tell her, "Abel is five and Sadie is three."
Kacey looks around the hospital room before looking back at me with a look of confusion, "I-I don't remember anything..." she tells me softly, "I'm so sorry."
I shake my head before kissing her forehead, "Don't be sorry." I tell her quietly before hearing a doctor come in, clearing their throat to interrupt our meeting.
"Mr. Teller, may I speak to you in the hall?" I nod and walk out of the hospital room, following the doctor out. I notice Jeff is standing in the hall, waiting for the doctor and myself. "I had told Mr. James this information, but couldn't get to you before you went into Kacey's room." The doctor starts and I look at Jeff in confusion.
"S-she didn't remember me, she doesn't remember her own kids."
The doctor lets out a sigh as he nods, "She is going to have a difficult time remembering a lot of what happened before her coma. She's been in a coma for three years, there's a high chance she won't remember anything, including you or her children." He tells us with sadness on his face, "It's normal for people who come out of comas, even if they've only been in one for a week, so I'm sure you can understand how difficult this also is for her."
I nod, trying not to break down in front of the doctor and Jeff.
"It may get better with time, but for now, she needs to recover here. You can do things that may trigger her memory; bring her to her favorite places, her favorite foods, family members and friends." The doctor tells me, "But we were shocked to see her come out of this coma without any severe brain damage, let alone being alive."
I nod, excusing myself before walking back into the hospital room to see Kacey laying there in the bed. I reach to the necklace around my neck and undo it, taking the ring off the chain as I look at Kacey. "Your engagement ring." I tell her softly, "They took it off with all of your tests. May I?"
The woman nods, allowing me to put it on her finger. "It's beautiful."
I nod, "Just like you." Kacey looks over to me, a small grin appearing on her face. A strong pain is present in my chest as I look at the woman who doesn't remember me. She knows nothing about us, what we've been through or what we've experienced together. I sit on the edge of the bed and take her hands in mine. "I love you."
"I love you too." She tells me softly, squeezing my hands as much as she can.
Maybe this is going to be alright.
