𝚃𝚎𝚊𝚛 𝚈𝚘𝚞 𝙰𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚝 // Happy Lowman x OC

00.

2006

"Your Pops would be proud of you, Ryder. We'll take care of your mom and Nick for you now that they're settled back in Charming, you just keep up the good work." Clay says into the phone.

"Thank you, Clay, for everything. We'll be out east for a while, but give us a call if you all need anything, you know we'll be there in a heartbeat. If all goes right tonight, we're hoping to take in a few transfers so we'll have the extra muscle." Ryder takes a hit off of her joint, setting it down on the ashtray. She leans back against the headboard of her bed.

"I'll keep that in mind," he pauses. "Hey, Jax wants to speak to you." The phone shuffles on the other line and she hears Jax's laugh.

"Hey, trouble," she says with a chuckle.

"How's it going, Villanueva?"

"So far so good, in Jersey handling some business. Unfortunately not too many people have been keen on a female patch, though, let alone a president, we're gonna see how it goes."

"You know there will always be a spot for you at our table," she could hear Jax's smirk through the phone.

"Hey, I have a reputation to uphold now."

"Alright, don't go growing a big head on us." He cracks up. There's what sounds of chatter on the other end.

Ryder begins to speak again before being interrupted, "Hey Ryder, we're about sit for family dinner. Keep in touch please?" He asks.

"You got it, Teller." A smile creeps onto her face and they say their farewells. She clicks her flip phone closed and ponders for a moment, setting her phone between her gun and the still lit joint on the nightstand.

"Your Pops would be proud of you."

That meant a lot coming from Clay after all of these years. The club was the only thing she knew. Ryder was the daughter of one of the First 9, Chico Villenueva, and was his only child. Being born into the life was a large weight to carry on its own but after being a witness to his gruesome murder in 1982 at the age of 8, she spent the rest of her youth and twenties dedicating her life to motorcycles, the club, anything to make her feel close to her father.

Unbeknownst to young Ryder, the death of her father was only the start of the trauma she would endure. The woman pulls the battered picture of her and her father out of her kutte's pocket, which sat next to her on the bed.

"I'm only president for my own safety, pop," she whispers to herself, "I'll get real respect, only a matter of time."

The president patch protected her after her choice to leave SAMLAC the year prior, and it also helped keep the fact of her being a woman quiet to those who didn't already know. Back home in Charming, Clay, Piney, Opie and Jax were the only ones who knew of her patch and aside from the protection order placed on her mom and brother, the rest knew nothing of her time away and she wanted to keep it that way.

She brings the photo still in her hand to her lips, planting a kiss and she places the photo back in her pocket. Just then there's a knock on the door and Auro's voice is heard from the other side, "Prez, think it's time we get going?"

"Yeah, I'll be right out." With that she's to her feet. She grabs the still lit joint, taking a large drag before putting it out in the ashtray. She grabs the gun and places it in the waistband of her oversized jeans. She throws on a neck gaitor, then layers on her hoodie and kutte, hurrying out of the bedroom.

"You two ready?" she says entering the living area of Terek Lane, President of the Rahway charter's home.

"I'll call Lane, let him and the transfers know we're ready to handle the rat situation. 7pm good enough time?" Laz asks slipping on his own kutte.