"I know Gem, I know, I am heading that way now, I would have left sooner but something came up with work." Ryder Winston said into her phone as she shouldered her overnight bag on her shoulder and started walking out of the small apartment. "He could have come too." "There is no he Gemma. I am single. After what happened with David Hale, I wasn't going to start dating anyone again."
Gemma Teller-Morrow laughed, "Baby, you are a young pretty woman, you could get any man you wanted." Ryder rolled her eyes, this was part of the reason that she didn't want to go home to Charming, she didn't want to deal with Gemma. Don't get her wrong, she loved her Samcro family but sometimes they took it too far.
Especially Gemma, the queen was notorious for sticking her nose into other's businesses and meddling to get things to turn out how she wanted. That's why when she got accepted to first Gonzaga University then to the Gonzaga University School of Law, she left Charming and stayed away only going down to the border once to see her half brother and his family and even going down into Chino see Opie when he was behind bars. But never once did she go back to Charming. As far as she was concerned Charming was behind her, a dead end, a place of no return. And the only reason why she was going back now was to see Jax's son come home. That was it.
And now talking to Gemma, all the bad memories she had of her last few months in Charming came rushing back.
Gemma's meddling was part of the reason why she and Hale broke up, she wanted to push her together with Jax who was mourning the loss of his relationship with his high school sweetheart Tara. She thought that since they were both technically Samcro royalty that things would work out and that things would stay within the family. But it didn't work out like that. And sadly Gemma couldn't get that through her head.
"I am leaving right now, I will see you in a few hours. Goodbye Gemma." Ryder hung up her phone and walked out of the apartment and down the metal stairs to her beat up cage.
She wrenched open the passenger side door and threw her bag into the seat before slamming the door shut. She squeezed her eyes shut and counted backwards from ten. She couldn't go to Charming angry, she had to be there for Jax and Abel. That's what was important. Releasing a heavy breath she got into the car and pulled out of the parking stall.
Ryder slowed down once the Welcome to Charming sign came into her line of sight. "For a place that is called Charming, you sure leave a trail of bad memories." She muttered before easing down the street, she was trying to take her time going to Jax's house, to put off seeing Gemma for the first time in almost 3 years. A flash of red and blue lights and wail of sirens behind her caused her to groan and pull off to the side of road and roll down her window. Her green eyes widen when she saw David Hale climb out of the Jeep. She pushed her heavy red hair over her shoulder before pushing her sunglasses up before twisting in her seat to lean out of the window
"David Hale." "Ryder Winston." He grinned leaning down to see into her car. "How are you Davey?" "I am good, I take it you are in town to see Ope?" "And the family. Just kind of putting off seeing mother Gemma." David laughed, "Well I can always haul you down to the station for speeding." "I may have to take you up on that." She laughed, "Actually, I am going to take you up on that. I don't need another hour long lecture on why I should date Jackson Teller." David rolled his eyes, he had been subjected to the same lecture one night when he went to pick Ryder up for a date. That was the first time that they had ever fought.
He had even went as far as thinking about marrying her. But he had his heart set on going to the Marines then coming to Charming. And Ryder, well she wanted get the hell out of Charming and stay out.
After spending a few hours with David catching up, she left the police station and headed to Jax's house for the homecoming party. Gemma's Caddy was parked in the driveway. "Here we go." She muttered more to herself. "Ryder! You are here!" Wendy Case-Teller exclaimed as she came out of the house and down the walkway. "Hey Wendy. You look good." "So do you. I missed you kid." "I missed you too. But it was good to be away from this whole town." 'Good, you seem happier."
"I am." Ryder smiled, "I don't have Mother Gemma breathing down my neck and trying to tell me how to be a good old lady. I made up my own rules and did things my own way." "Good." Wendy smirked, "Because you Ryder Winston are in a class all your own."
