He Use To Be A Son Of Anarchy

Chapter Six: Familiar Faces

Sunday morning I woke up and carried out my usual routine. It seemed like it was going to be a normal day, but then of course something happened to cause the day from being anything but normal.

My phone beeped announcing that I received a text message.

FOUND SOME OF YOUR OLD STUFF. MAYBE YOU WANT TO PICK IT UP? WE NEED TO TALK

– DAD

I stared at the message for a minute or two, unsure of how to feel about it. I couldn't be mad at my dad forever. But then again why was he asking something so huge of me? He knew that I would never be able to forgive my mother.

It made me think about his view on the matter. If he was asking me to meet up with her again does it mean he has contact with her? Had he forgiven her? How could it have been so easy for him?

I sighed and put the phone down on the kitchen counter. There was no harm in going to see him again. Maybe I could persuade him to see why I didn't want to do what he was asking of me. My dad would listen; he always did. Maybe he'd accept that I didn't want anything to do with my mother anymore.

In that moment I decided to go. I grabbed my keys and phone, not even bothering to take a bag, and headed out the door. Soon enough I was out of Georgeville and on my way to my dad's house.

I pulled into the driveway, got out and found Rosa next door watering her small garden.

"Valerie!" she exclaimed as I approached her. She pulled me into a tight hug and gave me a kiss on the cheek. "It's been so long. Your father told me you were here last week, but I wasn't here." I nodded and fiddled with my keys.

"He asked you then?" she asked and I knew exactly what she was talking about. "Yes," I said still fiddling with my keys.

"You know why he's doing it, right?" she asked softly.

"No, Rosa, I don't," I said honestly.

"He wants you to have someone when he isn't here anymore, Val. He doesn't want you to be alone," she said stroking my arm.

"I'll never be alone, Rosa. I have you," I said smiling at her. She had gotten a lot older. Wrinkles had formed in the corners of her eyes and parts of her black hair were turning grey.

"I'm not your mother, though," she said sincerely.

"I'll think about it, okay," I said, "I have to go now. I'll come by later before I leave to say goodbye." I walked off to my dad's front porch.

I rang the bell and waited. He answered the door almost immediately.

"Oh, good, you came," he said letting me in. "Yes," I simply said.

"I'll show you where your things are," he said and stalked off down the hall with his oxygen tank trailing behind him. I followed.

He went into my old bedroom. "Over there," he said pointing to a box labelled Val's Stuff. "Thanks," I said and walked over to the box. He disappeared back into the hall.

I opened up the box to find old yearbooks, a first place trophy for my third grade spelling bee and various memorabilia from my high school years.

A fluffy white object caught my attention. I pulled out the stuffed bunny to examine it. The one ear hung limply on a single thread and the fur was yellowing from age. I ran a hand over the soft belly. My dad had bought me the bunny on the day I was born. It was my first toy. Up until the age of nine I refused to sleep without my bunny. Mr Whiskers was my best friend and nightly companion to keep away the bad dreams.

The doorbell rang again. It startled me and I knocked over the entire box and its contents. "Hey, Dad," I called bending to pick up the objects and throwing them back in the box, "If it's Rosa tell her I was planning on saying goodbye. She didn't have to check if I was going to keep my promise."

I heard the door open and close again moments later.

I wanted to place the box back on the stack of newspapers it had been resting when something caught my eye.

HEAD OF MOTORCYCLE GANG WANTED FOR QUESTIONING

It was a small article on the bottom of the front page. It was from the previous year. But the headline was not what caught my attention; it was the small black and white photo of the man. It was Jackson Winston, but the article stated that his name was Jackson "Jax" Teller.

I picked up the box, put the newspaper in the box and went to go look for my dad. I heard muffled voices coming from the kitchen. "Hey, Dad," I called, "Do you mind if I take this with me?" I asked pulling the paper from the box.

I looked up waiting for his response.

"Hello, Valerie," a woman's voice said.

Helen Tanner stood next to my dad. Her dyed blonde hair hung loosely around her face. Her eyes were sunken and she looked tired. She was skinny and worn out.

"What are you doing here?" I asked nearly dropping the box again. Anger was starting to form from the pit of my stomach and pushed its way up.

"Your father invited me," she said smiling. I looked at my father with a face that reflected disbelief.

"I told you I wanted nothing to do with her," I said in disgust and gripped the box more firmly, "You betrayed my trust." I turned around and rushed out of the house. I heard my father call my name as I went through the front door.

I threw the box on the passenger seat. Rosa was still watering plants.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"No, Rosa. And I don't think I'll ever be again. I have to get back home. It was good seeing you again," I called over the low hedge that separated the two houses. I got into my car and sped off.

Luckily no animal jumped in front of my car this time and I was able to make it back to Georgeville with my car still fully functioning. I quickly made my way to my apartment, locked the door, threw the box on the kitchen counter and went to my bedroom. I plopped down on the bed and with my head face down on my pillow I cried.