Always in My Head - An SOA Fan Fiction

Chapter 37

"What are you guys doing?" Mae stuck her head in the living room to see Opie and the kids huddled together conspiratorially. "We're still going, right?"

The three of them laughed a little and after finishing their secret conversation, slapped hands as they turned, one by one, to look at Mae with sunny smiles on their faces. "We're going!" Ellie jumped off and ran to her side, taking Mae's hand as they went to her car. "Do we have to go in Dad's truck? I don't want to sit so close to Kenny."

"I don't mind but you have to ask your dad." Mae never wanted to make a decision or answer a question if she could defer to Opie. They were his children and she was always anxious about overstepping her bounds or disrespecting Donna in anyway. She was very aware that she wasn't their mom.

"Yeah, that's fine." Opie locked the front door and jiggled the handle to be sure it was secure before swiping Mae's keys as she moved to the driver's seat. "But I'm driving."

Walking hand in hand Opie and Mae watched as the kids weaved between the people trotting across the fairground. Mae never exactly dreamed of something so normal, kids and small towns, she was busy in school and then getting high, it seemed unattainable but now that she had it she reveled in it. "Should we catch up?"

"Nah, they'll be good. They know the damn rules." Opie watched, hoping they did remember, and smiled as they stopped right by the chain link fence and looked back at him. "See? I told them, never out of sight, never out of the gates."

"Speaking of out of sight," Mae cringed as she saw two clowns dance by them. "I hate clowns with a passion, Ope." Gripping his hand tighter, she kept her eyes down until they were behind her. "It's cliché but true. At the group home back east, this clown came as some treat for the kids and instead of leaving the crying, scared, little girl alone he kept trying to get me to have fun and laugh, I just wanted him out of my face but the bastard was relentless. It scarred me for life."

It seemed cruel but Opie loved it, he laughed at the image her words conjured in his brain. "I'm totally going to use that against you." He wrapped his arm around her and held her close.

"No," she tried her best baby face but she could see he was excited to think of ways to tease her. "Whatever, you're a jerk."

"Yep, I am." They sped up, seeing the kids were growing inpatient and Opie bought tickets, divvying them up between both children. "Let me guess, you don't do rides?"

"Actually, I do." She didn't. She hated rides but it was all in good fun. "It'll be a blast."

"Family time at Fun Town," Opie groaned. "Shitty rides, shitty food,"

"And fun with your family," Mae glared at him. "Right guys?" Kenny and Ellie cheered and moved ahead to get in line. "Okay, I fibbed, I really don't do rides. Can I just hold your gun and shit while you go?"

"You think those fucking things have seats big enough for me?" Opie scoffed and shook his head. "They're fine to go on without us. I just want to stay with them."

"Look at us," she mused as they watched the kids get in line. "This is still so weird to me." Opie pulled a face. "Wonderful, but weird."

"Aren't you coming?" Ellie shouted over the crowds. "Please Mae?"

Feeling her hesitation Opie tried to spur her on. "It's the goddamn teacups; you can do that for her. It's time to conquer those fears."

Mae had absolutely no willpower when it came to him, she'd crumble no matter how hard she tried. "I'm doing it for her, not you."

"Oh, okay, I love you too, baby." Yanking off his hat, he pulled it over her head and laughed. "Security blanket, you'll be fine."

Seeing her fear simply by the way she walked Opie laughed, shoving his hands in his pockets he watched as they chatted in line. Mae was incredible with the three of them; he really wasn't sure what state he or his family would be in had she not swooped in and saved them.