Night Fall | Sweet Pea (completed)

Chapter Sixty - Epilogue

13 years later

"No you're not joining the Serpents at 16 Charlie god help me." I raised my voice at our eldest child, this argument has been occurring for the last year and a half and I'm running out of excuses as to why she shouldn't officially be a member considering her legacy status. 

"Come on! You let Michael join and he's only 13. Why can't I join? I want to be an official member plus I want one of those jackets, wouldn't I look great in them?" My eyes rolled at her comment and her posing at the idea of a new leather jacket, that alone proving to me why she wasn't ready.

"It's not a fashion statement Charlie, the fact you think that means you're not ready to be a Serpent. It's about lifelong loyalty, commitment to the family, always being ready to defend your fellow members even if you don't particularly like them." Charlie's sigh made me pause before she crossed her arms and let me continue. "I didn't let your brother join, that was your father's doing. He figured Michael may as well be an official member considering he spent majority of his free time at the club house anyway. Plus your father is second in charge and didn't see why it was such a big deal; by the time I found out it was too late and he was already in the gang. After that your father promised me that I could decide when you were ready and I'm sorry that I don't want my first-born in a gang at sixteen."

"Mom, both you and dad were Serpents when you were younger than Michael. I understand your reasoning but it should be up to me at the end of the day. I want to carry on our families legacy, I want to one day lead the Serpents just like Aunt Toni is doing now. I want that responsibility and I want to be closer with you and dad. I was born in the middle of a gang war, I was taken by my erratic grandmother, I was raised by the Serpents I consider family: Aunt Cheryl, Aunt Toni, Uncle Fangs, Uncle Kevin, Uncle Jughead and Aunt Betty - they're all Serpents mom. Please let me do this." 

Charlie's speech made sense, she was a persuasive young woman and knew exactly what she wanted and how to get it. She reminded me of myself at her age and that alone scared me, I knew I couldn't stop her from joining because she'd most likely go behind my back and ask Sweet Pea if I resisted and despite my love for my husband he can never say no to his baby girl. With a heavy sigh and a few moments of contemplation I replied to my only daughter.

"Okay how about this. You can hang around the club house with us, you can take part in everything that goes on with being a gang member, you can take responsibility and yes I will give you a jacket." Charlie's eyes lit up at the mention of the jacket only making me laugh softly as I continued "If in a years time you decide you still want to be an official member I will welcome you myself and take you to get the Serpent tattoo, how does that sound?" 

There was a long pause between the two of us, Charlie's forehead was crinkled and her fingers were playing with the ends of her hair - a telling sign she was processing the information I had provided her with only moments ago. As I got lost in a daze Charlie's excitable squeal brought my attention back.

"Yes! Yes! Yes! Thank you so much mum I love you! Oh gosh I'm so excited I can't wait to tell Noah." Charlie hugged me tight before grabbing her bag and rushing out the front door to head to her best friends place.

"Tell Mr. Mantle I said hi!" I yelled after my daughter before sighing and leaning back on the lounge behind me taking a deep breath and shaking my head at the eagerness of the small teenager who had managed to convince me to change my stance on one of the most important decisions in her life. 

"Honey we're home." Sweet Pea's voice ran through my ears bringing an instant smile to my face as I stood back up and hugged our youngest child. "How was soccer Michael?" I asked as he tried fighting my hug, his eagerness to play video games over wanting to hang out with his mother was shining through. "Yeah it was good, we won by 3 points and I scored the winning goal!" I hugged him tighter out of excitement as he tried to protest "I'm so proud of you son." I smiled as I kissed him on the forehead before I pulled away. "Yeah yeah yeah I get it, can I go play my Play Station now?" I nodded as he ran upstairs and into his room where he would most likely stay for the next few hours.