Herman Kozik never saw himself as a family man. He's always been a team-player, first as a Marine, then as a Son. He has to re-evaluate some things when he finds out that he has a teenage son of his own. When he meets his son's caseworker, he starts...
Connie walked into her living room to find her mother laying on the couch watching the news while her daughter sat on the floor with her school books spread out around her. She leaned over to kiss Kylie on the forehead before she plopped down in the armchair and took her heels off.
"Sorry, I'm late. It was a bad day."
Her mother looked at her with an understanding smile and nodded. "I figured as much. There's some pizza left in the kitchen if you're hungry."
Connie shook her head. "The last thing I want is food." She looked over at Kylie and grinned. "Isn't it a little past your bedtime, sweet pea?"
Kylie nodded as she started gathering her things. "Yeah, but grandma said I could stay up until you got home to say goodnight."
Connie grinned as Kylie stood and kissed her grandmother on the cheek before doing the same to her mother. "Goodnight, Ky. Sleep well."
Kylie nodded. "You too. Are we still going to Fun Town tomorrow?"
Connie sighed and shrugged. "I have to go in for a few minutes in the morning, but I should be back before noon."
Kylie smiled. "Okay, goodnight mom, grandma."
Once they heard Kylie's bedroom door shut, Connie's mother turned to her with a frown. "Okay, spill it. You won't be able to sleep if you don't."
Connie sighed and shook her head. "This one is a mess. I got the referral a week ago and went to do my home check this afternoon. When I got there, the front door to the apartment was standing wide open and I could hear a child crying inside." She closed her eyes and shook her head. "I have never in my life walked into such a filthy living situation. Garbage and dirty dishes everywhere, used needles laying in plain view, and the smell... " She shuddered before continuing. "There was an infant, couldn't have been more than a month old, lying in a dirty playpen in filthy clothes. The poor thing didn't look like it had ever been bathed and the toddler sitting in the corner of the room was no better. She was severely underfed and dirty." She shook her head. "The mother was nowhere to be found, so I called David Hale to come be a witness."
Connie's mother shook her head in disgust. "I will never understand how some people are allowed to have children."
Connie nodded in agreement. "Just as David arrived, a woman came running into the apartment, screaming at me about being in her place. When I explained who I was, she proceeded to call me an interfering bitch and demanded that I leave. When I explained that I planned on leaving and taking the children with me until a court date could be set, she ran at me in a rage. David had to subdue her."
Her mother shook her head. "It's never an easy decision to make but baby, you made the right one."
Connie blew out a breath. "I know, it's just... I'm so tired, mom."
Joan Brewster nodded. "I know you are, darlin'. We've had this discussion before, and you know what I'm going to say. You can't save them all, baby. Maybe it's time you found something else to do for work."
Connie nodded before sitting forward in her chair and looking at her mother. "I know I can't save them all, mom, but... if I hadn't been there tonight to take those babies to somewhere safe, who would have? There's only five of us in Charming, and we're all overwhelmed with work." She shook her head. "I feel like I do this for a reason, and no matter how exhausted I might be, these kids need me to step in when they're parents can't or won't take care of them."
Her mother sighed and nodded before clicking the television off and standing up. She leaned over to kiss Connie on the head before turning her head to make her look at her. "You have a good heart and soul but sweetheart, even you have limits to what you can take. There's a reason social workers burn out so fast." She smiled at her daughter. "Okay, that's my sermon for the night. Goodnight, baby."
Connie grinned as she stood to follow her mother out of the room. "Goodnight, mom."
Connie turned and saw a group of Sons standing by the photo booth. In the middle of the group stood Herman Kozik, grinning that bad-boy smile that he had. Connie felt her heart rate go up a notch or two as he started to saunter her way. The others followed him as he stopped in front of her and nodded.
"Hey, Connie." He looked her up and down as his smirk widened. "I don't think I've ever seen you in anything but skirts. You look good in regular clothes."
Connie could feel her face heating up as the other Sons smirked in amusement. "Uh... thank you, Herman." She nodded to her mother and daughter. "This is my mother Joan and my daughter Kylie." She looked at her grinning mother and nodded in Herman's direction. "This is Herman Kozik. His son is one of my charges."
Before anything else was said, a young boy about Kylie's age stepped up and smiled shyly at her teenager. "Uh, hey, I'm Kenny Winston. I've seen you around school."
As Connie saw a blond Son elbow another with a smirk, she heard her daughter speak. "Hi, Kylie. I've seen you around too."
Kenny smiled bashfully and nodded toward the rides. "Wanna go ride something? I've got some tickets left."
Kylie twirled her hair around her finger, making Connie do a mental eye roll. "Yeah, that sounds fun." She turned to her mom with a pleading look. "Can I mom?"
Connie started to shake her head as Herman touched her arm. "Come on, Con. Nobody will mess with them, I promise."
She gave her mother a look as she spoke up. "I think it's fine, Connie."
Connie sighed before finally nodding. "Okay, but just a few."
She almost laughed out loud at how fast the kids took off for the rides, leaving the adults standing there. Herman chuckled before holding out a hand to her. "Come on. Maybe I can win you a stuffed animal."
Connie started to say no but her mother cut her off at the pass. "I think that's a fine idea, Connie. I'm going to get me something to drink." She turned and smiled at the Sons as one of the older men stepped forward. "It was nice meeting you all."
The man smiled as he held out his arm to Joan. "Piney Winston, Kenny's grandpa. Come on, I'll buy you that drink, sweetheart."
As her mother smiled at Piney, Herman grabbed Connie's hand and started for the games at the other end of the lot. Connie followed, wondering just how SAMCRO kidnapped her whole family.
