Mea Culpa

Chapter 32

*A Few Days Later*

Roxy didn't think twice when she saw multiple bikes in the driveway. The silence as she walked in was troubling though, so she hollered out for Coco or Letti.

"We're out back," Coco shouted back. When Roxy stepped into the yard, seeing the Reyes brothers with stern expressions she knew it was bad. Coco looked at Roxy, then his daughter across the yard. "Take Mateo inside."

"Oh," Roxy frowned. "That bad?"

"Sit," Coco gestured to the last open seat.

"Just say it," she told him. "Blurt it out."

"Angel knows about Happy," EZ said sadly.

Roxy hung her head. "I'm sorry, Angel. I...I didn't know back then, I..."

"You don't gotta do that," he said darkly. "I know."

She nodded timidly. "You're gonna kill him?"

All three men nodded.

"I don't want to know how and when," she said staunchly. "Just do what you have to do."

"We need your help," Coco told her.

"Guys," she whimpered. "I know what he did, I get it b-but he's Happy. I've known him all my life. He...he helped create Mateo. I don't think I can do that," Roxy stammered.

"Rox," Angel leaned forward on the table, "We can't do this with a shot to the head. There'd never be an agreement between clubs and if we did it without going to SAMCRO first it would be an act of war."

"Jesus Christ," she groaned. "You're gonna get me and yourselves killed. You know that, right?"

"You're the one we're counting on to keep us alive," Coco whispered into her ear. "Please?"

"You doing this for them or because you don't like him?" Roxy asked, not bothering to whisper.

"I couldn't kill him over shit with you," he admitted," Even though I want to but the shit he did to my brothers," he snarled, "I'm gonna help kill him for that."

"Just keep him close. His guard is too high now," Angel told her.

"After the surgery, maybe there's gonna be some complications," Coco said vaguely.

"What kind of complications?" Roxy asked hesitantly.

EZ shook his head. "We're working on that."

"Okay?" Coco asked her, laying his hand over hers. "Good?"

Roxy looked at EZ and Angel, remembering how furious she was with she found out Jax killed Gemma and slowly nodded.

"I'm not good with this but I'll help," she whispered.

Storming back into the house she saw Letti helping Mateo get a snack. She looked at Roxy with doleful eyes.

"I'm sorry, Roxy," she huffed. "I know telling my dad what I heard over the weekend was what pushed this."

"Don't apologize," Roxy told her, "You did the right thing. Don't keep shit from your dad, ever." Roxy grabbed Letti and hugged her, the uncommon show of affection proving to Letti just how sincere and serious Roxy was in that moment.

*The Night Before Surgery*

As the months passed, the surgery growing closer, Roxy made it a point to be kinder to Happy and allow him time with Mateo. It was always when Coco was out and she monitored them closely but her guilt was too strong not to allow him those little things. The night before the surgery, after Mateo was asleep in his hospital bed across the hall from Happy, Roxy snuck away.