Family over everything

Chapter 17

He sat there for so long that he completely lost track of time. The ache that settled in his chest was the most painful thing he had ever felt in his life.

"Son," his mother appeared behind him.

"What am I gonna do, Ma?" he asked.

"You are going to have to fight for her."

"Ma, she don't want me anymore."

"Hap, it isn't that she doesn't want you. It isn't that she doesn't love you but a woman can only allow herself to be hurt so many times before she has to let that go."

He hung his head and nodded. His mother took the seat next to him. He didn't know how to react to it now.

"Happy, that girl loves you so much that the last thing she really wants is a divorce. I know I didn't raise you to treat this girl like this. Do you not remember when Jordan did her like that?" Elena asked.

"Ma," Happy began.

"Listen to yourself boy. You have hurt that girl and you deserve what is coming your way."

"I know I messed up. I need to fix it all and it sucks."

Happy sighed. The back door slid open and Allison stepped out it. She looked startled to see the two of them out there together. Elena looked at her daughter-in-law. Allison looked worried. She didn't know if Happy was going to try to take the kids from her or not. She didn't want to deal with that. Elena stood from the chair and walked into the house. She lightly patted Allison on the shoulder as she went.

"You really want this divorce?" he asked, not looking at her.

"I just don't want to hurt anymore, Happy," she said softly.

"I'm sorry,"

"I know. I don't regret our years together. We have four beautiful babies from it."

"Al, losing you is losing a part of me."

She sighed heavily.

"I'm going to stay here with your mom for a while. I already looked into changing Noah and Ryder's schools to down here. I need away from Charming for a while. I already told Gemma that I won't be back. Maybe some time apart would be good for us." she said.

"Allison," he started.

"No, it's done. You need to figure out what you want. Do you want all those girls or do you want your family?"

He stopped and decided to actually listen to her for once.

"Happy, you have been my best friend since we were little. No one will ever replace you in that way. No one will ever be the kids dad. You are their dad but I need to focus on me and them for a while without worrying about what you're doing. I honestly thought when I threw you out that you would finally pull your head out of your ass and be the man I know you can be. It has been let down after let down and I can't do it anymore. I will always love you. That will never change." she said.

He nodded slightly. She stared at him trying to get a read on where his head was at.

"How am I supposed to see the kids if you are here?" he asked.

"I guess you will just have to visit your mom more for a while." she said.

"So am I paying the mortgage on the house still?"

"For now until I decide whether I'm coming back or not."

He nodded. She kissed his cheek and got up.

"Al, I love you," he said.

"I love you too Hap. Love just isn't enough to fix this right now," she replied.

He watched her walk away from him feeling like the biggest jerk on the planet. He went in to spend time with his kids before having to make his way back to Charming. He spent the weekend at his mom's and then headed home.

He pulled into his drive, refusing to go to the normal Sunday dinner that Gemma held every week. He entered his house and threw his keys on the table. His phone went off as soon as he sat on his couch.

"What?" he growled into the phone.

"Where have you been?" Lyssa asked.

"You ain't my old lady so it's none of your damn business."

"Did your wife tell you what I wanted?"

"Look you are pushing it right now. If you ever show up at my home again without an invitation, they will never find you,"

"I need to get my birth plan going so I needed to know if you were planning on being there or not."

"I don't want to be in the room. I just want notified to take the test."

"Ok."

He hung up the phone. He grabbed the bottle of Jack from the cabinet and went to his room. He drank until he passed out.

That was how the next several weeks went for him. No parties only at the club when he was needed otherwise he was on his bike or drinking at home alone. He didn't know who felt the need to continue to send his wife pictures but he wasn't giving them any reason to send her more.

He called his kids every night before they went to bed. Ryder and Noah were actually doing remote learning on the computer which he wasn't sure about. He worried about them getting to be around other kids which Allison assured him was happening.

"You ok?" Allison asked him.

"No," he admitted.

"What's going on?"

"I miss you guys."

"I'm sorry."

"It's my fault."

She didn't like the sadness she heard in his voice. He never sounded like that so she was worried.

"Happy, don't get reckless, please," she said.

"I'm not," he replied.

She sighed because she knew how he was and what he would do.