This is my first attempt at a Sons of Anarchy fic, so be gentle.
Thanks to Kateriina Sofia for betaing this for me
Disclaimer for entire fic: I own nothing except Charlie, Azalia, Carson and anyone related to them. Kurt Sutter is a genius.
Most days Charlotte Ryzdale, better known as Charlie, was very even tempered but today was not one of those days. The thirty year old had officially blown a gasket.
"What do you mean you broke the truck? You've had the damn thing less than a month! What the hell happened?"
"Well me and Lucas…" came through the phone before… "YOU LET LUCAS DRIVE AFTER I SPECIFICALLY TOLD YOU NOT TOO?"
"Mom calm down please. You can yell at me later please just get me a tow."
"AZALIA ANN RYZDALE! You will not speak that way to me! I'll get you a tow where the fuck are you?" Charlie asked breathing very deeply.
"Ummm…." Charlie heard Azalia saying something and a boy's voice answer, "I-90 by Lodi. We're on the side of the road.
"Lodi? I do believe I told you not to take the truck out of Charming. So guess what babe, you're gonna be lucky to see the light of day for the rest of the summer." The responding groan made her laugh. "See you soon my darling daughter." Charlie snapped the phone shut and promptly began rubbing her temples. I love my daughter I love my daughter I love my daughter I love my daughter repeated over and over in her head as she flipped her phone open. Scrolling through her contacts, she brushed her long red and black streaked hair out of her face. She pressed send and listened to the ringing before a woman's voice came over the line "Teller-Morrow."
"Hi I need to call in a tow for my dumbass daughter who, in her words, broke her truck."
"Sure thing where's it at?" asked the woman.
"I-90 by Lodi. I'll meet the truck at the garage. You happen to have a sledgehammer there?" Charlie asked casually, lighting up a cigarette. The silence on the other end of the line made her smile slightly as she blew out smoke.
"Probably." The woman said.
"Okay fantastic. Thanks." The phone snapped shut. She sighed as she crossed her living room to grab her purse. Taking a deep drag of her cigarette, she caught glimpse of herself in the mirror. She wasn't too bad looking, at least in her own opinion. Waist length red hair, streaked with black, bangs falling in to green eyes, a petite, straight nose leading down to a full mouth complete with a perfect cupid's bow. She shook herself before grabbing her purse and calling up the stairs,
"Carson! I'm going out; I want your homework done by the time I get home. There are snacks in the fridge and do not under any circumstances destroy anything. I'm not putting up with you and your sister's bullshit both today. Got it?" She heard a muffled "Yeah mom," from the eleven year old before walking out the front door.
She turned the engine over as her phone started ringing. Looking at the caller I.D. she grimaced before saying,
"Hello darling daughter. What do you want?"
"Mom the tow guys are here from Teller Morrow. They're scary as shit." Azalia's voice burst over the line.
"I'm really not in the mood to hear you bitch at the moment. Call me when I get my give a shit fixed."
"God mom can't you just be nice to me for once." The seventeen year old whined.
"I'm always nice to you, but guess what baby doll you done fucked up deal with it. Now hop you little ass in that truck. I will meet you at the repair shop." Charlie hung up on her squawking teen and sighed.
_-_-_777_-_-_
"Hap. How you doin' brother?" Happy turned at the sound of his president's voice.
"Not bad." Happy replied shortly looking around at the sound of heels clicking on the ground.
"Clay we got a tow coming in and you might wanna handle this one yourself." Gemma Teller-Morrow said as she approached her husband. "Hey Happy. How are you?"
"Not bad."
"Why do I need to handle this one?" Clay asked as he leaned over to kiss his wife.
"I've got a pissed off mom on her way over here asking for a sledgehammer and it sounded like Charlie Ryzdale." Gemma smirked as she walked away. "Have fun."
"Shit. That makes for a great day." Clay groaned.
"What's wrong with the bitch?" Happy asked.
"One never call that woman a bitch, two she's too much like my wife." Hap raised an eyebrow at Clay's statement. "She's impossible to say no too." Happy laughed as he walked towards the SOA clubhouse. A couple of crow eaters waved as he passed but he just blew by them. Tig walked out as Happy approached the door.
"Hap! How are you bro?" Tig asked.
"Not bad." Happy replied, "How're things in Charming?"
"Oh man, life is great. Great pussy, good business, good money. What's there to complain about huh?" Tig said with a grin. Happy smirked.
"Not much apparently."
"What's Clay doing?" Tig asked looking around Happy.
_-_-_777_-_-_
"Charlie! How can I help you sweetheart?" Clay asked jovially as he approached the red head climbing out of her bright red ford Escape.
"You got a sledgehammer?" She replied shortly.
"Yeah?" He replied cautiously.
"Great. Where's Gemma?" Clay stared at her before pointing to the office. "Thanks!"
Charlie walked straight in "Gemma I'm gonna kill her."
"Oh sweetie, no you won't. She's seventeen; everyone does stupid shit when they're seventeen." Gemma replied sympathetically.
"Yes I will. I just got her that truck a month ago and she let this idiot she has a crush on drive it and he blew the engine," Charlie said, " I told her Gemma I told her not to let him drive it and she did it anyway now I'm stuck with a repair bill. Goddamnit!" Charlie ranted leaning over to hug the biker queen.
"Oh honey. How are things otherwise?"
"Good. Carson is doing great in school, he loves the sixth grade. Azalia is in the honor society though some days I wonder why. Ugh. I was never this dumb when I was seventeen. Never." She said as she sat down.
"Baby when you were seventeen you had responsibilities she doesn't. While that's not your fault it doesn't change the fact that she's a normal pain in the ass teenager." Gemma said, offering Charlie a smoke which she gratefully accepted.
"I dunno Gemma. I just don't know." Charlie sighed.
"Do you need any help with anything Gemma?" A deep voice rasped out from the doorway. Charlie stared openly at the tall man in the doorway. The worn out leather cut and baggy jeans to his tan skin caught her attention. But it was his eyes that really captivated her. Very dark brown almost to the point of being black, they seemed to see right through her, all her dark secrets exposed to him. She trailed her eyes down his strong straight nose to his surprisingly full mouth. Gemma watched Charlie's face as she answered,
"Yeah. Can you take a look at the truck that's being towed in right now?" Gemma said, a slight smile as Charlie visibly shook herself and stood up.
"Oh goody. Time to be the bad mom." She said brushing past Happy. Happy looked at Gemma surprised. Gemma just laughed as she too brushed past the man. Placing her sunglasses over her eyes, Charlie strode over to the tow truck.
"Azalia Ann what were you thinking disobeying me like this?" The teen squeaked and hid behind the boy who had just climbed out of the truck.
"Lucas I suggest you march your ass home and take the beating your momma's gonna give you when she gets this repair bill." Charlie said, glaring at him.
The boy cowered before her before saying "yes ma'am" and taking off running off the lot.
"Traitor!" Azalia shouted after him, left to face her mother's wrath on her own.
"Phone." Charlie said lowly,
"Mom… Please…" Azalia begged.
"NOW!" Charlie snarled. The trembling teen handed the phone over. Charlie marched away.
_-_-_777_-_-_
Happy watched as the woman marched across the lot. She was a sight. Long red hair streaked with black, all curves poured in to slim fit jeans, a black shirt, and stiletto ankle boots. He couldn't help but watch her yelling at Lowell to find her "a damn sledgehammer" before snatching it from the poor man and stalking back toward the teen girl still standing by the tow truck. He watched as the woman laid the phone on the ground said, something to her daughter, then smashed the phone all to hell.
"How could you, your fucking psychopath! That phone is my lifeline! Are you insane?" Azalia screamed at her mother.
"You'll just have to get a job and buy a new one on your own. And keep sassing me, little girl. You won't leave the house 'til you're thirty." Charlie snapped back, handing the sledgehammer off to Jax, the poor guy having arrived just in time to witness the smashing of the poor phone.
"I HATE YOU!" Azalia screamed before stomping off to a picnic table. Charlie sighed.
"Well that was something." Jax said casually, trying to gauge Charlie's mood.
"God, that girl… You just wait Jax, yours isn't even born yet and I'm telling you enjoy the time they're kids 'cause when they hit puberty it's like getting hit with a Mack truck." Charlie said, looking at Jax.
"I can wait. And I remember you in high school, you weren't exactly innocent yourself." He replied.
"Yeah but I didn't get to be a normal high school student. Most freshmen didn't go home to an 18 month old and now look what she's doing to me." Charlie shook her head. Jax chuckled and reached out. She wrapped her arms around him in a friendly hug.
"God I've missed you midget." He said, hugging her tighter.
She shoved him and smiled.
"One I'm not short, I'm fun sized!" she said chuckling. "Two you could come visit me, I don't exactly disappear under a rock when I leave here." She said, smirking.
"Jax!" That raspy voice called out. The tall biker approached them.
"Whose your friend Jax?" Charlie asked looking over the rim of her sunglasses.
"Happy. Hap meet Charlie. Our favorite hellion." Jax said.
"Nice to meet you." Charlie said, smiling.
"Same." Happy said.
"Well I'd better take the prima donna home. Carson's doing homework and I've got to check it or he'll half ass it and I'll get a call from the teacher." Charlie said, turning to leave. "Good seeing you Jax, don't be a stranger. Nice meeting you Happy." She kissed Jax on the cheek and walked to the office. Jax turned to Happy to catch him watching her walk away.
"Dude, don't even. She's not a crow eater." He chuckled.
"What's her deal bro?" Hap rasped out.
"Tell you what. You get close enough to her and you can ask. That ain't my place." Jax clapped him on the shoulder and walked off. Happy turned and watched Charlie drive off with the sullen teenager in the passenger seat. He shook his head and walked into the clubhouse.