JAX TELLER WASN'T sure how long he had been staring at his father's grave. He knew that, at some point, his mother had been there too, watching. He could feel her stare on his back, just the way he always could where she was concerned. But he knew he was alone now and that he should probably go back and check on Opie.
Opie Winston was his best friend, had been since elementary school. He had just lost his wife, Donna, in the most violent, horrific way that you could possibly lose someone. And Jax was sure that members of his own motorcycle club were responsible. In particular, his step-Father Clay Morrow.
It all made sense. Especially after what David Hale had told Jax about ATF Agent June Stahl setting Opie up as a rat. But when Jax asked Clay, point-blank, he had lied. Lied right to his face. Then again, Jax hadn't expected less. Clay would do whatever he could to protect his own ass.
Looking down at the papers in his hand, Jax took a deep breath. Opie's father, Piney Winston, had just handed him these and said it was time for a change. The papers were in book form and they were written by John Teller, Jax's long-departed father.
Piney was right – it was definitely time for a change. In more ways than one, he thought, shaking his head. Saying a silent goodbye to his father, Jax turned and began making his way back to where the services had been held.
Most everyone had left by now, he saw. All of his brethren included. All that remained were Opie, Piney, Opie's mother Mary and Kenny and Ellie, Opie's children. As he neared, Jax saw a familiar vehicle come to a stop. It was David Hale, the Deputy Chief of the Charming Police. And he wasn't alone.
It took a moment for him to realize just who was walking beside David. But only a moment. Her honey blonde hair was longer than he remembered, he could tell that even though she wore it in a neat ponytail. She was wearing black pants, a nice black shirt, black heels. And she was carrying flowers.
Suddenly, Jax was taken back. Back to high school, a time he had wanted to forget. He, Opie, David and Tara had all been friends back then. Until a love triangle had formed between himself, Tara and David.
Senior year of high school, Tara had professed her love to both Jax and David. She said she loved them both. Both David and Jax had refused to give her up, though, causing a huge rift in the friendship. One night, it had all become too much for Jax. He had a lot of anger pent up against David and Tara. So he did something he knew he shouldn't have.
When they were friends, David had one rule for his other guy friends. Don't go near my baby sister or I'll cut your nuts off, is what he had said, word for word. A lot. That had been the threat ever since she entered high school with them. She may have been two grades behind them, but she sure was one hell of a wild child. Probably because her father and brothers were all so straight-laced and law-abiding.
So, one night, at a football game, Jax had met her under the bleachers. He knew that Tara would be at the game, watching David play, and he would be lying if he said he hadn't been trying to make her jealous. That had absolutely been his intent.
At first it was kissing, then it was touching, then it was even more touching. That's as far as it went, though, having been in public. But it was enough to put the final nail in the coffin of his and David's friendship. And, ultimately, it had led Tara to the decision to leave Charming to get away from both Jax and David and the whole situation.
The only good thing to come out of the whole thing was that she had introduced Opie to her best friend Donna. It had been love at first sight for the both of them. Jax assumed that's why she was here today, to pay her respects to her best friend.
Not that she had been back in Charming for quite awhile. He knew she visited on occasion, when she wasn't working. But he rarely saw her and, if he did, it was only in passing, for a second. Not like now.