"Gemma, what are we doing here? You know how much Clay loves you. That man would do anything for you." "I think you are making a big deal out of nothing at all." Luann was in the backseat of Tara Knowles car smoking a cigarette. She had been in this same position for the last hour.
Gemma said "Luann…he has been lying to me for a week." "And I am going to find out what the hell is going on if it kills him." said Gemma with determination. She was sitting in the drivers' seat of Tara's car. The car was parked down the block from the club. Gemma's eyes were trained on the club not bothering to look back at Luann.
"Don't you mean if it kills you?" asked Tara eating some chips. "I still don't understand why I am here…?" "I could be home with Jax and Abel right now." said Tara. "Instead I am on a stake out with his crazy mother."
"No, I said it right the first time." said Gemma. "If there is going to be only one of us standing at the end…I'd rather it be me." said Gemma. Gemma said "He has been lying to me…and this week is the first week I have caught it." "There is no telling how long he has been lying to me…" "Because he won't recognize your car and besides…you are a doctor." "He might need medical attention when I am done with him." "And quit your complaining. I bought your snacks didn't I?"
"What…exactly is he lying about Gemma? You didn't even tell me why we were staking him out. Just that we were going to be stalking him. And trust me…I love playing detective just as much as the next scorned woman…but at least tell us why we are here." said Luann.
"It started Monday night. Clay told me he was staying the night at the club because he was drunk and didn't feel like having any of the guys bring him home." said Gemma.
"Well, that sounds believable enough. I mean Jax does that from time to time too." "Too much beer and too much Whiskey make all the boys drunker than they should be." "Besides they were celebrating Tig's birthday." said Tara
"I know all of that…and I believed him until the next day at work…when Juice asked me when Clay was coming into the club for the day." "I went to Clay's room at the club and he wasn't there…" "His bed hadn't been slept in." "And he damn sure didn't come home." "Clay has come home late every night this week except for the two nights he didn't come home at all." "When he does make it home he goes straight in the shower…and then gets into bed." "The son of a bitch has never worried about being funky before bed before."
Luann wanted to say something positive but that definitely sounded like cheating to her. "Why would Clay risk what the two of you have?" "After you nailed that girl in the face with a skateboard….I think Clay knows to keep his activities on the road where they belong." Luann was talking about a couple of months back when a girl named Cherry had shown up. She had been a hanger-on from another charter that slept with Clay when he had gone to Nevada. Gemma thought she had shown up in Charming for Clay…but the girl was really there for Half-Sack. But before Gemma found that out she hit the girl over the face with a skateboard sending her to the hospital with a broken nose.
Gemma said "Men do stupid things…they defy logic…" "We've had some tense times lately…" "Men are like…hyperactive children…nothing keeps their attention for long. No matter how good of a thing it might be." "I'm nobody's fool…" "If Clay is cheating on me…I am going to find out tonight." "Luann if you don't want to be here…then go."
"You know that I am going to see this through." "Who the hell is going to pull you off Clay's corpse if you kill him?" asked Luann. "Doc here is too busy stuffing her face."
"Hey! I am 4 months pregnant." "I get to snack if I want to." said Tara.
"Wait…there he goes." said Gemma seeing Clay drive off of the lot. Gemma started up the car and started following Clay. They drove for what seemed like forever to Gemma. As she drove her mind was ticking away the possibilities. Finally Clay stopped at a little house in Stockton. He pulled his bike into the drive way and then walked to the front door of the house. He used a key to head inside.
"Maybe it is a friend Gemma…" said Luannn unconvincingly.
Gemma was quiet for a minute. "Maybe…" "We'll sit here and wait and see…" said Gemma. Gemma relaxed against the seat and kept her eyes on the little house. Two hours passed and then Gemma's cell phone rang and startled everyone in the silent car. Gemma answered the phone. "Hello?" asked Gemma.
"Hey babe. I've had a few too many…I am going to stay at the club tonight." said Clay. "I'll see you in the morning."
"Clay…you've been out so much lately. Why don't I just come to the club and spend the night with you? You know like the old days." said Gemma. "I miss you baby." said Gemma.
"I am too tired…but you are right…I have been busy. I miss you too." "Why don't we have breakfast tomorrow morning at the diner?" asked Clay.
Gemma said "Sure…goodnight." Gemma hung up on him and tossed her phone in her purse. Gemma punched the dashboard. She sat there silent for a minute and then saw the lights in the house go out. She got out of the car grabbing her bat and walked toward the house.
"Shit!" said Luann hopping out of the car following her. "What are you going to do?" "Tara! Get behind the wheel in case we've got to take off in a hurry." said Luann.
Tara stopped eating and slid over in the car. She peered out of the windshield watching Gemma and Luann.
Gemma knocked on the door deciding the direct approach was the best approach.
Clay walked to the door and opened it. He froze a minute seeing Gemma. He reeked of booze.. "What…are you doing here?" asked Clay finally finding words.
"Who is she?" asked Gemma pushing passed him and walking into the house. Luann followed hoping to stop Gemma from committing a murder. Gemma shoved the bat hard into Clay's chest. "Who have you being sleeping with?" "I want an answer Clay or I will tear this place apart." Gemma swung the bat into a lamp breaking it.
"Gemma! This isn't what you think it is." said Clay. "Just calm down and we can go home and talk about this." "Okay… we just need to talk." said Clay.
A young woman that looked to be in her 30's rushed out of a bedroom wearing a short robe. "Clay! What the hell is going on?" "Who is she?" asked the girl.
"Yes, Clay…what is going on?" asked Gemma looking at the girl.
"I…" said Clay trying to figure out how to explain himself. He looked at the girl. "Alexis go back into the bedroom please!" said Clay.
"You stupid, selfish son of a bitch." said Gemma. She punched him and then kicked him in the crotch.
Clay grabbed Gemma and shoved her against the wall. "We are not going to fight…not here and not now…" "So calm the hell down." said Clay.
"Get your hands off of me or I swear to God…I will gut you like a fucking fish." said Gemma in a cold voice. The fire in her eyes left no doubt that she would do it. "Let me go!"
Clay grabbed her hands to keep her from going for her purse."We need to talk about this damnit!"
Gemma kicked him in the crotch again this time it sent him to the floor. "If I see your face again…I will put a bullet in it." "Let's go Luann…"
"Clay!" cried the woman as she ran over to Clay.
"Shit…Gemma…you weren't really going to stab him were you." said Luann rushing out to the car with Gemma.
"No, I was going to gut him like a fish." reiterated Gemma. "But it isn't worth it…" Gemma still had the bat in hand. She looked at Clay's motorcycle and shoved it over and then took the bat and started beating it. She finally stopped and then walked to the car getting in.
Luann hurriedly hopped into the car.
Tara didn't even bother asking what happened she sped off back toward Gemma and Clay's house. She pulled up at the house.
"Goodnight you two…" "Thanks for coming on my little adventure with me." said Gemma. "I have a lot to do tonight…"
"Gemma, we are not leaving you alone…" "We are coming in with you." said Luann getting out of the car.
Tara got out of the car and said "You shouldn't be alone after something like this…" Mostly Tara was worried that Gemma might go back to the house.
"Suit yourselves." said Gemma unlocking the door and going into the house. She went straight for her bedroom and flung open her closet doors. She started pulling out Clay's clothes and throwing them on the floor. "He is staying somewhere else…well he can stay there permanently." said Gemma.
Luann said "Well, shit I might as well help you." "I'll get garbage bags." said Luann going into the kitchen and grabbing a couple of big black garbage bags and brought them back to the bedroom. She started stuffing the clothes on the floor into the bags.
"It was real clever of him…sitting up house with some whore out in Stockton…less of a chance of anyone seeing him…" said Gemma. "He got sloppy this week...but it had to be going on longer than this…" Gemma stopped feeling tears clouding her eyes. She said "Well, who needs him."
"Men make mistakes honey…you know that." "Maybe this is just a transgression…" "Some sort of mid-life crisis thing he is going through." said Luann.
"He is in his 60's I think we are a little passed mid-life!" said Gemma. "I guess he kept his promise…he said the road would never come to town again…" "So instead he set her up in another city." said Gemma.
"Maybe it isn't what you think it is." "Maybe she is just a friend Gemma. He was fully dressed…." "I mean…he had been there two hours. If that was his mistress…surely they would have already had sex." said Luann.
"You are not helping Luann!" said Gemma.
Tara looked out the window and saw Clay pulling up outside. Tara called Jax. "Jax, you need to get over to Gemma and Clay's house." "Things are about to get really bad…really quickly." said Tara. "Your mom thinks Clay is cheating on her. We followed him to this house…and now we are back and she is throwing his stuff out and Clay just pulled up."
"What the hell?" asked Jax. "I'll be there." said Jax hanging up.
"Gemma…Clay is here…I called Jax though." said Tara. "Please don't go out there until Jax gets here…" "Please." said Tara. "I put the chain on the door." "He can't just walk into the house…"
"Fine I will wait until Jax gets here." said Gemma. She went back to throwing his stuff on the floor.
Clay tried the door and realized that the chain was on the door. "Gemma come and unlock the damn door!" "I need to talk to you!" "Baby please just open the door." Clay used his shoulder to burst into the house.
Gemma started dragging bags out of the bedroom hearing Clay. She started throwing the bags of clothes at him. "We are done! Do you hear me?" "Done" yelled Gemma.
Clay grabbed her and said "Would you listen to me for a damn minute." "I made a mistake okay." "And it isn't exactly what you think it is." "I just…you need to listen to me."
"Get your hands off of me." "I don't care about what you have to say." "Did you screw that girl?" "That is all I want to know." "That is all I really need to know." said Gemma.
"Yes, but…" said Clay.
Gemma cut him off. "Screw you." She turned walked back toward the bedroom
"Don't you walk away from me!" said Clay grabbing Gemma. He all but dragged her into the bedroom closing and locking the door behind them.
Luann and Tara stood outside the room helplessly banging on the door. "Open the door!" "Clay I'll call the cops." yelled Tara scared for Gemma.
Yelling, screaming, and things breaking could be heard on the other side of the door.
Tara was about to call the police when Jax and Opie walked into the house. "Jax!" "Clay took your mom in the bedroom and they won't open the door." said Tara.
There was a loud thump inside of the room.
Jax rushed the door and with Opie's help they kicked in the bedroom door.
Clay was holding Gemma against a wall screaming at her.
Jax grabbed Clay and threw him against a wall. "Get your hands off of my mother." said Jax. He saw a bruise on Gemma's face. "Did he do that?" asked Jax. His eyes widened and he looked like he was about to kill someone.