Money Can't Buy Happiness

Chapter 22

*About 5 months later*

Jax sat at the gavel behind closed and locked chapel doors with a few crinkled papers on the table in front of him. His phone was a few inches from him as he waited for an expected call from Katie. As soon as it began to ring he scooped it up.

"Hey," he said cheerfully. "How are you?"

"I'm good," the smile in her voice was obvious. "You?"

"Livin' the dream," he chuckled. "I'm sending out some money at the end of the week."

"You don't have to," she said shyly. "Really."

"Yes I do," he was stern for a moment. "You sound good, Kate."

"I feel good," she laughed. "I haven't felt this good in a very long time. Turns out drinking daily, even if it's not heavily, fucks with your body."

Jax smiled at that. "How's the baby?"

"She's good," she pressed her palm to her stomach. "All the genetic testing and shit came back great."

"That's great. Adoption still on track?"

"Yep, so far so good," she sighed with relief. "I have an appointment with them tonight to go over some stuff. You're still okay with it?"

"Yeah, we can't raise this kid, Kate. I'm good with you not gettin' rid of it, I'm glad you didn't, but we gotta do this. I don't think I want a daughter like you anyway," he joked to lighten the moment between them.

"I was a good kid," she joked.

"I'm sure you were," he chuckled.

"But believe me, Jax, I'm not trying to keep this kid. I sound evil, don't I?"

"No, I felt the same before Abel," he commiserated. "Oh, how's work? No one's bothering you?"

Katie rolled her eyes. "It's fine. No one is bothering me, Jax, no one even knows my damn name and I wear this stupid fucking mask thing. Guys are weird."

"Yeah that's why they end up paying you."

"Cam work is amazing though, seriously."

"Sounds safer," he added.

"It is," she assured him.

There was a moment of silence, not painfully awkward but certainly not as comfortable as it could be, before she spoke again.

"How's Hap?"

"You haven't called him?" There was some judgment in his tone.

"No," she felt awful. "It feels like it never even happened. It's all so faded in my head being so removed from you guys."

"He doesn't feel as good about it as you do," he knew she could hear the annoyance in his voice.

"If I hear his voice I won't feel that good about it," she sniffled. "This is hard for me, Jax. I miss him and I hate lying to him."

"You're not lying if he doesn't ask," he said in hopes of making her feel better.

"Lying by omission is still lying, Jax," she sighed, "But I'll call him."

"Good," Jax smiled again. "I'm sending out some money this week."

"I'm good," she said quickly. "I can afford it. Really."

"No," his guilt got the better of him. "After all this shit I have to, I want to."

"Jax," Katie sighed, "You didn't do this to me. I know you feel guilty, you're too good of a man not to, but this isn't your fault. It's Pope's fault and you killed him."