Molly Garrett let out a sigh pure irritation taking over as she turned the key in her little rundown blue Volkswagen bug. The ignition sputtered a few times as the car struggled to come to life.
Her honey blonde bangs hung in her dark eyes, damp from the heat of California sun and her lack of air conditioner. She struggled to bring her sad old car to life grumbling under her breath.
"Shit." She blurted out as the car sputtered a few more times refusing to start up. She widened her eyes realizing the word that had just slipped out of her mouth.
She glanced in her review mirror looking at the little boy strapped into the backseat clutching a Spiderman action figure.
Cursing wasn't exactly a good habit to have in front of a five year old boy who would more than likely pick up on the impolite language.
"Sorry baby. Don't say ever say that word okay." She apologized not surprised that the boy didn't respond to her.
Mason hadn't spoken in days. This entire situation hadn't been easy on either one of them.
Thinking about how frightened her little guy was made her want to break down. Her son was the most important thing in her life. Mason was her world.
She closed her eyes holding back the tears; she had sobbed enough in the past few years for a lifetime. Her son needed her to stay strong.
Molly let out a laugh feeling a small victory as her poor little bug finally came to life. She took a final glance in the review mirror making sure that Mason had remembered to fasten his seatbelt.
She smiled at the sight of the family dog sitting up beside Mason, a little fat female pug named Rocket. The poor dog was panting just as hot as her masters.
Molly made sure the coast was clear hoping that she could see as well as she thought she could around the small Uhaul trailer. The uhaul was hitched to the back of her bug blocking most of her view. She said a small prayer as she pulled out of the McDonalds' parking lot.
They had to eat cheap for this road trip, so cheap burgers and fries had been on the menu for days now. Luckly there was a McDonalds everywhere and that was often the easiest thing to get a five year old to eat.
She felt a little irresponsible letting Mason eat so much unhealthy food, but she reminded herself that it was just for this trip. As soon as they got settled she could get him back on a more well rounded diet.
Today all she'd managed to get down for lunch was a crappy salad and an iced tea. It had been the cheapest thing on the menu. At least Mason had eaten all of his chicken nuggets though. It seemed to be his favorite food and she'd hoped that it would cheer him up.
It would be okay, she reminded herself. Once they got to California and she was able to start her new job at Saint Thomas then everything would come together.
Charming, California seemed to be the perfect place to start anew. She'd sent in her application to several hospitals all over the country, but Charming had caught her eye.
Partially for the name, Charming. It was silly she knew picking a home because of it's name, but what better place than to start a new life than in a place called Charming.
At twenty seven years old, Molly Garrett finally felt like she was starting her life on her own terms.
A better life, a safer life for her son and her. A life that would hopefully be free of the violence they'd both long endured.
She'd escaped an almost six long years in a marriage from hell with a man who hit first and asked questions later.
Brian Parker had seemed like a sweet guy at first, Molly and he had met in college. He had swept her off of her feet and he'd seemed to be a good match for her.
She'd been impressed by him. She was just a poor girl on scholarship who had grown up in a trailer right outside of New Orleans with a single working mother and two siblings.
Brian came from a nice wealthy family; he had a promising future at a job at a nice well-established real estate firm. A firm that his family had owned for years.
He had promised her a comfortable life with a nice safe home and a future full of children and maybe someday grandchildren.
Two months after dating Molly had become pregnant and they'd gotten married. She had been so excited starting a life with a man who she was sure would protect her from all of life's horrors.
It had turned out though that the only horror she would have to fear would be her husband.
The violence hadn't started until Mason was two. No he hadn't been always kind to her before that but it was the first time he'd put his hands on her.
Molly had excused it the first time it'd happened. She'd made excuses for her husband.
She'd tried to tell herself that Brian was under a lot of stress; his temper had just gotten the better of him. His father was his boss and he was the prodigal son expected to be a model employee and that wasn't easy when he was trying to support a young family.
Brian had apologized to her, promised her it would never happen again, but he'd lied. It seemed that his temper got the better of him over and over again.
It was the same cycle over and over again. He would apologize and claim he was a changed man. She would come back hoping that this time would be different.
She knew that she should have left the second Brian hit her but she'd been blinded by naïvety and a poor sense of self worth.
Brian had killed her self-esteem telling her that no man would ever love her like him. No man would ever want her especially after she'd had a kid. She was his and that was that.
And she had believed him for three long years, hiding it from family and friends and from Mason as well. She had played a happy loving wife pretending that her life was just peachy with her adorable son in her husband's nice old house.
Her breaking point had been when Brian had struck her in front of her baby. He'd had a long day at work and she'd made a mistake in his eyes by not having dinner waiting on the table when he got home.
Her brother had discovered the bruises on her body. Jack Garrett was no fool. Her brother knew about the violence and he'd tried to talk his baby sister into leaving time and time again. He'd even threatened to call the police.
Molly had finally started to see the light after that beating, and had started to listen to her brother. She had enlisted him in helping her leave, helping her find a job far away.
Brian found out about her plans to leave somehow, he had made her pay for ever thinking about leaving him. Bruising her body and cracking one of her ribs.
The abuse that night had been severe more severe than it had ever been. Mason had witnessed the entire thing.
His mother on the floor crying begging him to go upstairs and play. Telling him that it was all okay when it clearly wasn't.
The boy had been silent since that night. Her body still ached from the violence her soon to be ex-husband had put her through.
It was as though a light switch had gone off in her brain; she knew that she couldn't live like this. This wasn't a way to live; it was a way to die.
She had to save her baby from this life and from his father.
Her sister Candace had helped her pack up her things while Brian had been at work, the next day. The two women had stuffed what little she had into a Uhaul trailer. She had left setting out west that night.
Candace had wanted her to stay in New Orléans, but Molly knew that she couldn't stay in Louisiana. The only way Mason and she would be safe would be if they disappeared.
That had been a week ago. They we're right outside Charming heading for the rental home she'd gotten for them.
It wouldn't be much, a tiny two-bedroom house one bathroom house with a kitchenette and a living area.
Jack had found it for her; he'd been the one responsible for setting up her new life. She just hoped that someday she'd be able to find a way to repay her big brother.
The little rental property was a big step down from the sprawling old plantation home that Brian and she had lived in for years. It had been in his family for decades a grand home that she had been so entranced by when they'd first married.
Her friends had all been so jealous of her life, not realizing that it was a lie. Behind the shiny white home and fine lifestyle, had been years of pain and fear.
She just hoped that the fear was over. It had to be over and it could never happen again, she told herself.
This was a new life. She knew that she had to make it work, not just for her but for Mason. Her baby boy deserved a good happy life.
Molly rushed to get Mason ready for his first day of daycare. It was summer time so he wouldn't be able to start school for a few more months at least.
So for now the hospital's daycare would have to do. She had managed to land a job as a phlebotomist.
People were often a little freaked out once they found out that she drew blood for a living. She used to joke that she was the resident hospital vampire at her old job in Louisiana.
She knelt down in front of Mason straightening his dark hair noticing that it had gotten a little too shaggy, but he wasn't too keen on hair cuts. His dark hair was one feature he'd inherited from his father.
For the most part Mason took after her, the same hazel eyes, the same slightly round face, the same small features.
Molly spoke trying to sound cheerful and not stressed. "You're going to have a fun day today. You'll meet a ton of new friends I bet. Maybe mommy can meet some new friends too."
Mason didn't reply. He only nodded his head as she leaned in and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
She pulled at her blue hospital scrubs knowing that she looked like hell. She hadn't had the time to straighten her hair, so she'd just pulled it back into a messy bun.
At least she'd managed to put on a little makeup though. So hopefully she didn't look like the walking dead.
She hadn't had much time to unpack anything. The first thing she'd made sure to do was unpack Mason's bedroom.
Her bed still remained disassembled. She had slept by Mason's side the night before, in his little bed on his Spiderman comforter.
The little house was like an oven, she had spent all day yesterday trying to get a hold of her landlord. She'd hoped that he could come take care of the problem, but so far she had been unsuccessful.
For now it seemed that Mason and she would just have to sweat it out and make do.
She took Mason's hand in hers as they left the house, the one hand that wasn't clutching his action figure.
The Spiderman seemed to be a comfort to him. He brought the toy everywhere he went. He even slept with it like it was some kind of teddy bear.
Molly turned on the radio to an alternative rock station as soon as they got into the car, hoping that she could entice Mason into his favorite activity. He loved to sing along with the radio though he was too young to get most of the lyrics right.
It always managed to make her smile seeing him sing along like he didn't have a care in the world.
Her smile failed to come though as Molly glanced in the backseat and spotted her silent son.
She shook her head as she pulled out of her driveway hoping that maybe the daycare would help Mason come out of his shell.
She feared that Mason might never recover from what he'd witnessed. He was afraid, she knew that.
She had done her best to explain things to him in a way that a five year old would understand.
Molly had told him that they were going on an adventure, to a place called Charming. They were going somewhere where he would meet new people and get to live in a whole new house.
She had been unsure what to say about his father. Molly knew that the time would come when she would have to explain to Mason why he had seen daddy hurt mommy and why daddy wasn't here with them.
She just hoped that she could find a way to explain it all. It wasn't right, a five year old child having to see something that horrible.
She hated herself for exposing him to something so terrible. For allowing herself to stay with a monster out of fear.
Molly took a deep breath knowing that she would never allow that to happen again. No one would ever lay a hand on her or her baby ever again.
This was the right choice, she reminded herself. She was doing the right thing.
Of course Molly's bug chose that morning to get a flat tire. She was just lucky that she made it to a garage before she got herself into a wreck.
Chibs Telford raised an eyebrow as a pathetic looking Volkswagen Bug pulled into the parking lot of TM Auto.
The car was a sad sight, the paint on the right side was chipped and fading and the transmission sounded just awful.
It was still early; the garage hadn't even opened yet. He had come in early though wanting to bury himself in his work to avoid thinking about his personal troubles.
Chibs made his way over to the car as it came to a stop and a young woman opened the drivers' side door giving him a smile.
"I've gotten myself into a real mess." Molly stated giving the man who was slowly approaching her a sheepish smile.
She ran reached up tucking her side bangs behind her ear as the man spoke. "I'd say I agree love. How are ya even runnin that thing?"
She raised an eyebrow a little taken back by his Scottish accent, and the word love. She had expected to hear neither from the mechanic.
Molly felt her cheeks flush as she found herself staring at the thin scars along his cheeks. She looked away fearing that he thought she was rude for staring.
Chibs wasn't surprised that she turned her eyes away from him after staring for a bit.
He had long ago become accustomed to people's reactions to the scars Jimmy O' had given him before he'd taken Chibs' family and banished him from Ireland.
The pain had finally ended now that he'd gotten his revenge. Now that Jimmy O' was dead and gone and he knew that his girls were safe.
He tried not to let his mind focus on his girls for too long.
Fiona and he had come to an agreement a year ago; their marriage was over though there wouldn't be a divorce. In Catholicism marriage was a sacrament that couldn't be broken, so divorce wasn't an option.
It had hurt losing the wife he had so long pined for, but with time the pain of heartbreak faded and he became accustomed to technically being a single man.
At least he still got to see his Kerrianne. He made a trip to Belfast as often as he could to see his now sixteen year old daughter, hoping that they could build the type of relationship a father and daughter should have.
Kerrianne had been told so many lies about her father, by Jimmy. It had been hard for Chibs to convince her that her da was a good man.
As time went by and they became very close, a void that had long existed in his heart had finally been filled. He loved having his little girl back in his life again.
Chibs could admit that he was a little taken back by the woman's accent as well. It was distinctly southern, strange to hear in Northern California.
He was also taken back by the woman's features; he would be lying if he tried to say that she wasn't a beautiful woman.
She wasn't very tall she barely came up right below his shoulder; though she was petite she had a nice figure, full hips and breasts. Her hair was a dark blonde; almost the color of honey and her eyes were a pretty hazel.
He found himself glancing down at her left hand at her ring finger, a little shocked that there was no ring there. Still though that didn't mean that she was single.
A girl like that had to have a man somewhere and even if she didn't, she would probably never want a man like him.
It was her smile that really caught his attention though. It was friendly despite the fact that Chibs often intimidated people given his appearance and his ties to Samcro. Usually people didn't smile at him.
Chibs snapped out of admiring her looks as he managed to speak. "Looks like ya hit a nail... and yer transmission is shite."
"Yeah...like I said, I've gotten myself into a mess...and now I'm late for my first day of work...great." She replied though the last part of her statement seemed to be more to herself than to him.
He was shocked as she opened the backseat and leaned in letting a little boy out of the car.
Chibs felt a sense of embarrassment realizing that he'd just cursed in front of a child. Sure he had done far worse in his life but he was sure that the boy's mother wouldn't appreciate his language.
He did his best to give the boy a smile as he spoke up. "Sorry I said a bad word little lad."
Mason stared wide-eyed at the strange man not saying a word.
Molly cleared her throat quickly speaking up trying to explain her son's silence hoping that the Scot didn't take it as rudeness. "He's shy."
Chibs nodded his head understanding, most kids that didn't know him well enough were just as intimidated by him as adults were. Which he could admit was hurtful. He had always loved children. He had a close bond with Jax's boys Abel and Thomas.
He spoke nodding back to her Volkswagen. "We're a bit backed up ere, but I can get yer car in this afternoon."
Molly gave him a smile thankful that her car would be repaired and not break down on her anymore. She spoke taking a look at the name stitched into his gray works shirt chibs, she found herself unsure if she should call him that or not "Thank you so much...uhm.."
Chibs raised an eyebrow realizing that she was asking his name. He took himself by surprise saying his real name and not the name everyone but his family called him. "Filip."
"Filip." She repeated causing him to do something else that he found astonishing. He felt a genuine smile develop across his face. He couldn't help but to like the sound of his name on her lips.
She spoke again reaching out to take his hand. "I'm Molly and this is Mason."
Chibs nodded in response as he took her hand in his giving it a firm shake, unable but to enjoy how soft her skin felt against his calloused hands.
He was shocked that he was so reluctant to let go of her hand. He shook his head wondering what had gotten into him.
Maybe it was just that he'd been alone for too long. He found himself unable to really get back into the biker lifestyle once Fiona and he had agreed to end their relationship.
All those years Fiona and he had been estranged he had found himself easily falling into a pattern, booze and croweaters.
He'd sleep with any one of the girls who hung around the clubhouse, a different girl just about every night.
Nights of drunken sex with women whose names he couldn't even remember by the next morning no longer felt fulfilling to him.
During this past year he had discovered that he just didn't enjoy that type of lifestyle like he did when he was a younger man. At first he thought that maybe he was just getting old, but then he'd realized something.
He was lonely. He longed for something more, something real.
Molly spoke up as she stared down at her cheap red plastic watch. "Is there a phone I can use...I need to get a rental car and I need to call Saint Thomas Hospital and explain why I'm late."
Chibs nodded his head not astonished by her workplace. The scrubs made it obvious, there was only one hospital in Charming.
"I can have someone give ya a lift to the car rental place." Chibs stated as he turned getting the attention of one of the prospects.
He spoke to the prospect named Ratboy as the man came up to him. "Can ya take Molly and her boy ere down to Davis Rentals, and let er use yer cell too. She needs to call her work."
Molly widened her eyes a little surprised by the friendly gesture of allowing her to borrow a cell phone.
She spoke hoping that it was clear just how thankful she was for the kind action. "Thank you Filip."
Chibs ignored the look on Ratboy's face as he spoke the smile once again developing along his face. "Yer welcome lass. Just leave yer number with Ratboy here and We'll get to ya when yer cars ready."
Molly nodded trying not to show how strange she thought that the man who was giving her a ride was called Ratboy. "Thank you so much."
And with that she let the prospect lead her and her son away to a tow truck.
Chibs was surprised as Mason turned to face him looking at him through the back window as the tow truck pulled away. Mason did the last thing Chibs' had expected considering the kid's silence. Mason waved.
Chibs raised his hand waving back without having to even think about the action.
He shook his head as the tow truck faded out of view. He let out a sigh trying to knock Molly and her boy out of his mind.
As lovely as he found Molly, there was no point in daydreaming about her ever giving him the time of day.
A girl like that didn't need a man like him.