Give me a reason to stay...

Chapter Twenty-five

Happy and I are headed to Bakersfield to see his ma. Ma hasn't got to meet Jackson yet. The last three weeks have been hectic to say the least. After Happy beat the shit out of Manny. Sons helped Alvarez with the guys that retaliated. Mayans and sons are good. Gilly stayed for a couple days before heading back to Santo Padre.

We were pulling down Ma's road when Happy got a call, I rolled my eyes. We just drove all this way and now have to turn around. When we pulled up, there were bikes out front along with a rental car and two other cars that looked familiar. I look at Happy confused, he just smiles at me.

When Happy put the jeep in park I go to open my door but someone else does I look up to see who and it's dad.

"Wha-what are you doing here?" I ask him and look behind him and see all the guys, mom, Kerrianne, Nero, Wendy, the boys, Lyla, the kids, Alvarez, his wife, and Gilly. Ma comes over to the jeep.

"Took you guys long enough to get here." She's laughs. I look at her confused. She tells me to follow her. I look at Happy and he tells me he'll grab Jackson and to go with Ma. Mom, Kerrianne, Wendy, and Lyla follow us.

I follow Ma into Happy's old room and Wendy says she be right back. Ma looks at me.

"I want to see you but I really want to meet my grand baby so I'm going to leave you with the girls." Ma says to me I tell her I want to be there when she meets Jackson but she and mom stop me and Wendy comes in with a clothes bag. Mom, Ma, and Kerrianne walk out.

"I know you guys were going to wait but with everything well with the little details your dad and Happy told us, you need this now." Wendy pulls a white dress out and I gasp it's beautiful. I look at her and smile.

After Lyla and Wendy got done getting me ready. Lyla left telling us she'd be right back. Wendy zips my dress and turns me around.

"Jax and Opie would have loved to see this day. They would be so proud of you Ash." Wendy says and I wrap my arms around her and thank her. Lyla comes back to tell us that everyone is ready. We leave the room walking out to the back door dads standing there waiting for me.

"Ready babydoll?" Dad says to me and I smile at him he kisses my head and we walk out the door. Tigs marrying us which I thought was hilarious.

As he walks me down the isle I see multiple empty chairs with pictures on them. Dad and I make it to Happy and dad kisses my head before going and sitting next to mom and Kerrianne. Tigs claps to get everyone's attention.

"So I know this isn't what you wanted. Happy literally said shes is fine with just the court house but princess that's not happening." Everyone's laughs.

"You may have noticed there's alot of empty chairs. Happy wanted to make sure there was enough room for those that couldn't be here." Happy leans over to me and wipes my eye.

"Jax and Opie along side Happy were princesses best friends those are the two empty ones next to Chibs. Koz hate that guy but he got a chair too." I laugh at Tig.

"Bobby, Piney, and even Half-sack sorry Ma for the language." Tig says to Happy's ma she swat her hand.

"There are a couple more empty seats but the ones I listed were some very important people in these two lives. We miss them and wanted to make sure they were apart of today. Now on to why we're all here." Tig says and everyone laughs.

"With this ring, I vow my love. I promise to always be a loving and faithful wife and old lady." I say to Happy while putting his ring on him.

"With this ring, I vow my love. And I promise always to cherish and protect you. And treat you as good as my leather and..." Happy says putting my ring on.

"ride you as much as my Harley." Everyone but Happy's ma, my mom, Kerrianne, and all the kids join in.

"Go ahead and kiss her man." Tig says and Happy grabs my face pulling me to him. Everyone stands up cheering and clapping. Dad brings Jackson up to us and we walk down the isle just the three of us.

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Over the last four years Happy and I have built an amazing life together. Club has been in a good place, no one has died. Dad ended up selling the house we both lived in and bought one next door to us, said he wants to be closer to the grandkids. We ended up getting pregnant with a little girl right after Jackson turned two.

Jackson and Gracie are as wild as ever they have grown up in a very different world then Happy and I. Yes they've still grown up with the club but the club is as legitimate as it can be. Let's just say the club isn't going to be blowing up anytime soon.

Tigs their favorite uncle he says but it's a real fight between him and Gilly. After everything that happened from right before to after Jackson was born Gilly has been around has much as he can be. He tries to come up every couple months.

Happy's still the big bad biker but when it comes to me and the kids he just a big softy. Never did I thinking coming to the states this would be my life. We've lost alot of important people over the years, most of them family.

We still get all the kids together every couple months. Jax and Ope didn't want there kids growing up around the club so Happy and I always take us and the kids to Wendy and Lyla. I want the kids to all know each other. Jax and Ope were my best friends and I want my kids to have a piece of them in there lives.

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Happy and I are sitting in the cemetery. I come weekly to see all the guys and keep them up to date, it gives me a piece of mind. I'm telling Jax about our trip to see the boys last week when Happy come up to me telling me we gotta go, I tell him to give me a minute and he walks back over to his bike.

"I miss you Jax, your boys miss you. God I wish you and Ope were still here to see what the club has accomplished. I love you both." I tap the top of Jax's headstone then walk over to Ope's and do the same thing before walking over to my old man.

We pull up to the house and walk into the backyard where dad and Tig are playing with the kids. Happy puts his arm over my shoulder and kisses my head.

"I love you Hap." I tell him before standing on my tiptoes to kiss his cheek.

"I love you little one." Happy turns to me and kiss me before pulling his gun out from behind his back putting it in my hand and running into the backyard to chase the kids around with dad and Tig. I walk inside to put Happy's gun up. I grab four beers and two juices from the fridge then walk back outside and sit on one of the chairs.

Gracie sees me and comes running over, she grabs a juice box and climbs into my lap and hands it to me so I can put the straw in it. She takes a sip and then lays her head on my chest, I kiss her head and then yell at the boys to come get drinks. Happy grabs a beer and kisses my head before sitting next to me.

We really did create a beautiful life.

-----Note------

I'm in the process of writing a second book. It will be about Happy and Ashlynn's daughter and their son will sometimes show up. So big time jump. I'll post the first chapter tomorrow. 1-28-2023.