I woke up to the jolt of tarmac meeting the plane's tires. It had been a long flight from New York to Sacramento and my stomach was really feeling the in flight vodka. I straightened up in my seat and wiped drool off my cheek and hand. The businessman next to me scoffed as I stretched my arms out in front of me. I smiled sarcastically at him and pulled my bag out from under my seat, ready to get off the plane as soon as possible.
I slid the window cover up and looked around as we taxied up to the terminal. From what I could remember from leaving six years ago, everything looked the same. A few minutes later the seatbelt light went off with a beep and the flight attendant blabbered something about thanking them for flying, blah blah blah. I stood quickly and tapped my foot impatiently as the businessman took his damn time getting his stuff out of the overhead compartment.
Finally off of the plane, my sister Tara at the gate greeted me. She was all smiles holding a little sign saying welcome home Ana. I smiled and walked over to her with my arms outstretched.
"Hey Tara Bear! I missed you so much!" I threw my arms around her and squeezed her for a few minutes. She laughed and pushed me back to arms length and looked at me.
"Way to squeeze me to death Sargent! I'm so glad you're finally home. You look so different in person! You're all grown up." She said with a tear falling slowly from the corner of her eye. I nudged her and smiled.
"I'm still your little sister and always will be. You'll always be old. I mean older," I said with a laugh. She slugged me in the arm and reminded me she was only three years older. I laughed harder as she stormed off. I followed light heartedly poking fun at her until we got out to the car.
"Seriously though, thanks for picking me up. I know you are probably swamped at the hospital." I said as I buckled up in the passenger seat. Tara looked over at me and shrugged.
"I'm never to busy to pick up my sister from the airport. Especially since she's finally home for good after six years and four deployments!" I smiled sheepishly and looked down at my boots. It would be the last time I wore my uniform unless I got called up out of reserves for some shit storm. After serving in the Army for six years and reaching Sargent I had finally decided not to reenlist and come back home to my only remaining family, Tara. I turned up the radio and leaned back as we started on the drive to Charming. Fifteen minutes into the ride, Tara turned down the radio.
"I've got to stop by the garage and see Jax for a minute and then we'll go straight home, I promise." She said quickly before turning the radio back up, louder even than before. I popped up straight and turned it back down.
"Crazy bitch said what?" I asked loudly, getting a glare from Tara. "From our last video chat, I distinctly remember you mentioning being done with Jax Teller and all that Sons of Anarchy shit. Tara you have got to be kidding me!" I spat at her with more venom than I meant to. She just looked over at me for a minute and sighed.
"Ana, he's the love of my life whether I like it sometimes or not. He's grown up a lot and he's trying to take the club in a better direction." She gave me a weak smile and turned her eyes back on the road. Not wanting to argue so soon after coming home, I just turned the radio back up and put my sunglasses on. I knew the club and Jax Teller were bad news, whether Tara wanted to make excuses for them or not.
I must have fallen asleep because Tara stopped the car and nudged me hard. I opened my eyes and groaned. We were in the lair of the Sons of Anarchy and it looked as if they were all pulling in just as we got there.
"Get out of the car, Ana." Tara said with annoyance as she released my seat belt. I muttered under my breath about how much I truly did not want to get out of the car, but decided to appease her this time. She hopped out and was already over by the Harleys by the time I climbed out and got my hat on. I walked slowly over to Tara and put my hands on my hips, quietly wishing I had my M-4. Jax reached out and shook my hand.
"Welcome home, Ana. I haven't seen you in years! Tara hasn't stopped talking about you coming home for months." He smiled genuinely and I had to smile back. As much as I couldn't stand my sister's on again off again boyfriend, he was a charmer. I thanked him and stepped back, letting them talk about whatever brought us here. I noticed the majority of the eyes of leather-vested bikers were on me. Piney Winston, an original member of the club and my personal favorite walked over to me and reached out to shake my hand.
"Ana, I want to welcome you home and thank you for being a protector of our country. I know your dad would have been proud to see you now." I looked at him for a minute, taking in the age that had taken a toll on him and the oxygen tank he had abandoned by his trike. I paused for a second and gave him a big hug. As much as I disapproved of the club and Jax, Piney was like a father, or at least an uncle, to me before I left. He patted me softly on the back of my hair and kissed my cheek. I smiled and let him go slowly.
"You're coming to the party tonight, right? You can get to know the guys and some of your old friends were invited." Piney beamed down at me as I looked up to him with confusion.
"What party?" I asked with caution. He looked over at Tara and Jax and pulled at his beard.
"Damn, I thought she would have told you by now seeing as how I told her war veterans aren't big on surprises." He looked back at me and grinned sheepishly. "It's a welcome home party. She's been planning it for weeks. Now, I know how you felt about us before you left, but it's a lot better now. You don't want to leave an old man hanging do you?" I rolled my eyes and took off my sunglasses, squinting up at him. His old man puppy dog eyes won over my hardened expression as I threw my hands up in the air.
"Fine. I'll be here but there better not be any crazy gang shit." I hugged him briefly and went back to the car. I honked the horn for Tara to hurry up and put on my seat belt.