Family over everything

Chapter 10

Happy helped load the kids into the car that Sunday for dinner at Gemma's place. He had spoken with the company selling the house next door to Allison. He was prepared to buy it and had an offer in. He didn't like the idea of not living with Allison but he understood where she was coming from. He had destroyed what they had built together and it was hard for her to be around him. Of course she loved him and he knew it but she couldn't continue to act like their lives were perfect when they were definitely far from it.

"No bullshit tonight," Gemma informed him as they walked thru the door.

"If she ain't here there won't be any bullshit," he replied.

Gemma nodded. She had told Lyssa to stay away from the family dinner that night so there wasn't a repeat of the previous dinner. Gemma looked at Allison. She had to admit that the girl had guts. She wasn't taking Happy's shit and wasn't thrilled with the idea that another woman was possibly having his child. He set Emersyn down to go play while Allison took Mason from his seat. It was crazy to think that he was already three weeks old.

"Mama," Ryder said.

"What?" she asked.

"Can I go outside?"

"No, you are grounded."

Ryder had gotten himself grounded for not doing what he was told to do the day before and skimping on his chores. Happy sighed heavily. He had no idea what was going on with everything. He couldn't get to the bottom of Ryder's attitude when they were all at home together.

Ryder pouted on the couch in Gemma's living room. Allison wasn't giving in. She wasn't going to allow her son to think he could do as he pleased without repercussions. Happy sighed and walked over to his son. He sat next to him.

"What's going on, boy?" he asked.

"Why are you buying the house next door?" Ryder asked quietly.

"Buddy, mom and I need some space to work out our stuff. It's grown up stuff and you don't need to worry about anything but doing what your told and not arguing with your mother about things."

"It's not fair. I just wanna go back to how it was."

"Ryder, there is a lot that you don't understand right now. You will when you are older but not right now."

Ryder made a face at him. Happy put his hand on top of his son's head and kissed it. Ryder glared at him.

"I'm not a baby, dad," Ryder told him.

"No one said you were," Happy replied.

He didn't want to mention this to Allison as it would just give her more of a reason to tell him to leave. That was the problem though. Ryder didn't want him to leave. Ryder wanted their family back to normal. He was tired of the things people said to him in school about his parents. He may only be eight but he was over it all.

"Dad," he said.

"What bud?" Happy asked.

"I want to tell mom to let you come home. We want our family back."

"It doesn't work like that, bud."

Happy appreciated his son's effort though. Gemma called everyone to the table. Allison handed him the baby while she got the kids settled at the kiddie table that Gemma set up for them all.

"Is he ok?" Allison whispered to Happy.

"We will talk about it later," he said.

She nodded. She got her older kids eating before taking a seat to take Mason back from his father. It was a nice family dinner without the drama which Allison appreciated.

It was late when they headed home with the kids. Happy helped get them in bed then went to talk to Allison. She was feeding the baby.

"What's going on?" she asked.

"He wants us to be a family again. He is mad that I'm looking at the house next door," he replied.

"I told you that you coming to help out was a bad idea."

"No it wasn't. He is an eight year old kid and wants his parents together. He would probably be like that regardless of if we were living together right now."

Allison sighed.

"So now what?" she asked.

"I wait to hear about the house." he said.

"Hap, we have to figure out how to explain this to our children."

"I know."

He shrugged. She sighed as he started to walk out of the room.

"Happy," she called.

"What's up?" he asked.

"You know I love you, right?"

"Of course Al. I love you too."

Flashback

They were sitting in a tattoo shop. It had been two years since they began dating. He was just beginning his prospect year for Son's of Anarchy Tacoma. He wanted a tattoo so that Allison always knew that she was his life. She had been thru a lot with him joining the club. He felt bad because she never complained.

"What's your plan tonight?" she asked.

"Getting your name, beautiful," he said.

"Happy, why would you do that?"

"Because Allison Janae, you are the one person I have always been able to count on and I love you more than life itself."

End

His hands went to that tattoo on his neck. He was still glad that he had gotten it done. He had all the kids names on him in various spots as well. He didn't regret her name on his body for a second. She was still the only woman he loved as his wife. She sighed.

"Get some sleep love," he said.

"As soon as he is done eating," she said.

He nodded and headed off to his room to get some sleep before they called him out on a run.