Revised on 10/9/2016 [Sorry guys! If you already read this chapter earlier this month I recommend you reread as it was missing a large section at the end. Still learning this process. Thanks all for your follows and reviews!]
Chapter Four:
Standing in the back of the rental truck trailer, Jo stood staring at the monolith before her. Why did I forego hiring movers again? Oh right I wasn't injured then and found the idea of moving myself empowering. I'm an idiot. Fortunately, the landlord had lived up to his promise to have the inside spotless, cleaned inside and outside all closets, drawers and cabinets, vacuumed, and all painting well done. Jo had moved around a lot in her life and there were few things that irked her more in the moving process than on moving day to find the new space clean only on the surface and with a list of repairs still to be done. She'd frequently complain to friends, "Don't they realize how stressful moving already is – why must they add to my lot?"
As though movers everywhere were mocking her, the first time she remembered to negotiate that with the landlord she had another hindrance to her moving process. Taking out the rental truck key from her maxi dress pocket she was about to mount her attempt to move all the boxes inside single handedly and with one arm at full capacity. But before the key was turned Jolene's attention was called to the sound of motorcycles roaring down her new street. She smiled before looking up knowing full well who was coming to her rescue.
Leaving the key in the lock Jolene moved to the side of the truck to watch the small procession pull up in front of her house. Her eyes immediately found Happy, next to Tig in the first row behind Chibs. She'd known the group for less than two days and was already impressed at their commitment to helping friends.
When Happy had driven her to the rink to meet her new employer and landlord in person Jo had assumed he'd wait outside. In fact, she had hoped he would. Not sure if Nick would rescind the offer seeing who she kept company with. The two men had eyed each other but Jo quickly explained what had happened with her car and that it wouldn't be ready so the garage had graciously offered her transportation. After that she successfully distracted the two men with a barrage of questions about the position and her new place. "Do I handle the U.S. Figure Skating Association paperwork and administrative fees for each student or is there an administrative person here? Do I do the scheduling too? Can I see my office? Any equipment or supplies that should come out of my personal pocket? How do we do the ordering? How does off-ice training work for students? When does planning for end-of-session recital start? I'm assuming I do all the choreography unless a student hires outside, is that correct? Are there public skating sessions where we do lessons or only during designated sessions? Can students work off ice time in other ways? Does my rent get taken off salary automatically or do I pay with a check each month? Eventually Happy got bored with the details and started looking at Nick's office walls. Jo assumed he was looking for clues as to whether he was related to the Sheriff. After a quick tour of her office, the locker rooms, the ballet studio, and the weight room Nick gave her the address of her new residence and reluctantly described to Happy how to get there. Escorting them out Nick waited for Happy to start going for his keys to gently pull Jo aside. Happy didn't intervene having a good idea what the exchange was about. "Since your new to this town I feel I should give you a heads up. The Sons of Anarchy and staff of that garage are not exactly what we'd call upstanding citizens. I'm sure you have been able to tell that by now." Jo didn't say anything or make a movement to show any agreement. Nick continued. "A big part of your job here is community relations so we can increase our client base. Your success in that is highly related to your public image. Please make sure to remember that as you get settled in. I'm putting a lot at risk by hiring someone in this key position I don't know. Your program could make or break my business and I really need this to work. Just nod if you understand and we can talk more about this at another time if you'd like."
Jo appreciated his not trying to hide his motivation behind his warning – his bottom line. But she also didn't think it was right to judge so swiftly. She nodded while saying, "appreciate the welcome to Charming, Nick. I'm confident I can make the program meet your goals. See you next week."
Happy pulled away almost as soon as Jo's door was closed. Not wanting to dwell on the obvious exchange that closed the meeting she asked Happy how long it would take to get to her rental. "Not long" was the only thing he said between the rink and her new home. When they pulled up in front of the house Happy didn't make a move to cut the engine. Jo allowed awkward silence for a couple moments, trying to determine what was expected of her. He'd done her two favors on top of the whole saving her life thing so she didn't expect him to come in and check the house out with her but she also didn't expect him to just drop her off without another word. When he still didn't say anything she unbuckled her seat belt and started to open her car door. "Thanks Happy for the ride. What time should I get to the garage tomorrow?"
"Someone will be here at 11am to pick you up."
Jo went to tell him that wasn't necessary but he cut her off. "No arguments. I'll call you if its not ready and the time will be pushed back. Someone will be here tonight to bring you dinner too since you got no wheels."
Again she went to argue. He just looked at her and for the first time in hours the two made eye contact. She didn't want to tell him, "No" and even if she did she couldn't find the words at that moment. She just nodded and whispered "thanks", then turned to walk up her driveway. His waiting for her to enter the house completely before backing out of the driveway didn't go unnoticed by her.
True to his word a couple hours later while Jo was reading she got a call from a club member asking for her dinner order. It took a few minutes for Jolene to figure out who she was talking to a she didn't quite understand the concept of a "prospect" until after a little explanation. She decided it was kind of like a blacksmith apprentice in the old days. You sign away your life to an expert blacksmith but that doesn't mean you can't get fired. You had to earn the right to learn blacksmith skills, otherwise you would just be a servant of a blacksmith your whole young life. Finally understanding, she asked for his name since she wasn't going to call him "prospect". Bo, as she now knew him to be called, took her order and thirty minutes later she heard a bike pull into her driveway, followed by quick steps going up her front porch steps. She stood up and pushed aside her disappointment that Bo was alone. You have more important things in your life now than swooning over some guy, she told herself, opening the door. Smells and steam of thai food swirled their way into her new home. Her stomach responded immediately demonstrating to her first house guest just how hungry she was. She laughed. "Guess today's series of events got me more hungry than I thought. I really appreciate you bringing me dinner, Bo." She took the bag of food from his arms with her non-injured left hand and motioned for him to come in. He hesitated at the door, but didn't say anything. Jo tried to make him feel at ease wanting to be a good hostess to her first guest and moreover to repay the kindness he showed to her. She motioned again for him to enter and said, "I don't have anything except water and hot tea to offer you but you are welcome to come in and hang out before going home."
"Um, thanks, but I really should get back." He looked down at his feet and then to his bike.
"OK, a prospect's work is never done, huh?"
He laughed, "something like that."
"Before you go, how much do I owe you?" Jolene asked reaching for her purse that was on the inside door knob.
"Oh nothing, it's a gift from the Club."
"Wow, OK. Thanks. Please tell Ha…I mean the Club…I said thank you. I'd like to return the favor one day."
Looking anxious to get back to his bike the prospect nodded and started to turn towards the driveway when Jo asked, "sorry, one more thing. Was there any more, eh, excitement, today?"
Bo turned back around wide eyed and started fidgeting with his kutte. "Um, well, I…what kind of excitement do you mean?" he asked making an attempt to change his expression from startled sleeping-school-child-called-on-by-teacher to calm badass-biker-without-a-care-in-the-world.
Jo smiled at his awkwardness realizing he wasn't supposed to talk about club business like that.
"Nevermind, it's alright. I should have known better. Have a good night Bo." Bo looked thankful she didn't press and turned to quickly move down the steps throwing a "you too" over his shoulder.
Jo closed the door and after a couple attempts at balancing the dinner bag and turn the lock at the same time she managed to secure herself safely inside. 20 minutes later after being sufficiently satiated on red curry and tofu Jolene made up a make shift bed on the carpet with her robe as a pillow and her sarong as a sheet and quickly fell into a deep sleep.
A short while later Jo was jolted awake by the door bell ringing at the same time her cell phone was ringing. Within seconds she was on her feet with her cell phone in hand. Completely disoriented with her heart pounding from the abrupt awakening she stood in one spot without moving trying to get her bearings, figure out where she was, why she was there, what time it was, and whether to answer the door or not. In milliseconds she pieced everything together and chose to answer the phone while peering out the window by the door. "Hello?" She said uneasily. "Ohmygod Jo, I'm so sorry. You sound like you were a sleep. Why were you asleep? It's like 7:30pm. Oh this is Lyla by the way."
"Hey Lyla. Yeah I'm pretty exhausted. Are you also at my door? I don't have a peep hole and can't quite see my porch."
"Yep it's me. Open up. It's really dark out here."
Balancing the phone in the crook of her neck and using her one good arm to open the door she said, "Yeah sorry, I turned off the porch light. I wasn't expecting anyone else." She finally got the door open and was able to welcome Lyla saying, "this is a nice surprise". The surprise for Jo being she actually meant it. Normally in a situation like that she'd be completely bothered by the unexpected visitor waking her up but there was something about Lyla she instantly liked during the morning when they met.
"Yeah I would have called earlier but I only thought of it a few minutes after getting home to my kids and so rushed over here. They are in the car so I actually don't have long at all."
"Oh do you want to get them? They can come in."
"Thanks, but not tonight. Homework and all that. I just realized you left your rental truck at the Club so probably didn't have any furniture or anything to sleep on tonight." Looking around quickly at Jo's living room and seeing her makeshift bed she said, "I see I'm right. Lucky for you I have a blow up mattress for when we have lockdowns…sleepovers I mean…for the kids…at my house…and extra pillows and sheets. I also brought a comforter in case it gets too cold tonight. You know California weather, hot during the day, and freezing at night."
"That's good to know actually, I've never lived in California before. First time."
"Oh really? I can't wait to hear more about where you've lived. We have got to have coffee or something, actually why don't we do breakfast? I could swing by after I drop off the kids at school."
"That would be perfect. The way my metabolism works I'll be starving by 6am and I don't have a ride until 11am when someone from the garage is going to pick me up to bring me to my car."
"We can call Chucky in the morning and tell him I'll just drop you off at the garage after we have breakfast. How does that sound?"
"I'm in. Cool, thanks Lyla. Wow, I've moved around a lot in my life and I can't remember such a welcoming first day before. Even considering…." She pointed to her right shoulder to show Lyla what she meant instead of finishing the sentence. They both laughed at the seeming absurdity of how her day went and how she was welcomed with open arms by the club and with bullets and sharp scissors by the clubs enemy. Whoever that was. Jolene thought about asking Lyla what she could tell her but thought better of it. Lyla had changed the subject by moving towards the nearest outlet and plugging in the blow-up mattress.
"Well, let me just help you get this set up before I take me and the kids back home."
Between the two of them, or rather Lyla with Jolene attempting to help, the temporary bed was constructed quickly. Thanking Lyla again and saying goodnight Jo closed and locked the door before climbing onto the mattress with a content smile on her face. Much better than a sarong and bath robe bed, she thought before sleep quickly took her again.
The next day started with a relaxing morning. Lyla and Jolene shared highlights of their lives with one another. Enough to give them a firm foundation in their new friendship. It was evident to both that major events and details were left out on purpose hinting at similarly complex pasts. Afterwards the day became a blur of meeting and re-meeting people, of caravanning to and from different places in order to pick up her car, then trailer, and to get a tour of Charming and surrounding towns so she could at least find basic things like the ice rink, the garage, Red Woody and the clubhouse, her house, Lyla's house, the grocery store, banks, post office, and the best places for dining and takeout. Throughout each of the day's activities Jolene had to push aside her disappointment that a certain man and his hands were nowhere to be found. A couple times she'd hear a member take a call from the stoic sergeant but she didn't ask anyone, not even Lyla, if he would be making an appearance. She didn't see him until he roared into her neighborhood with the whole club that evening to help her unload the trailer.
Everyone had dismounted, members and some of the women she had seen hang around the clubhouse and garage. The only one missing of the officers was T.O. Lyla was driving behind with her kids in tow. Well her kid and Opie's kids, Jolene thought as she now knew a little of the history of how Lyla had acquired three children. Jolene made a mental note to talk to Lyla at another time about Ellie, Kenny, and Piper maybe being enrolled in skating classes. One look at Ellie and her hurt and trauma was apparent. Jolene was confident she could bring out joy and smiles, even out of children with such tortured pasts. Sports provide satisfaction that can't be as easily achieved from areas of everyday life. She loved bringing that to the lives of children and adults by helping them master new moves and discover capabilities they could never have found off the ice.
Chibs was the first to verbally greet Jolene. "Hello nemo."
Jo smiled.
"How many kids hang around the club that you could pull that reference out so quickly?"
"A few lately" he responded. "It's been nice. We keep them far away from Red Woody though." He winked at the last comment and turned to help her with the rental truck trailer door.
Jolene didn't have to look over to know Happy was approaching. He radiated energy she could feel from a few feet away. From the side of her eye she could see whose hands picked up the first box. She turned in the opposite direction and started up the porch steps so she could prop open the door and start directing where boxes should go. She wasn't surprised to see Bo, one of the prospects, had beaten her to the door. Greeting him at the door Jo started moving her few things from the living room floor moving them to the side to make room for all her other belongings. The first to enter the house was Happy but Jo couldn't bring herself to look up at him. She took her time deflating the mattress Lyla had loaned her. As he put the first box down on the ground not far from her she noticed his jeans had dirt and grass stains over the knees. She started thinking through the different activities he could have been doing to acquire those stains, the activities that had kept him away from the garage and clubhouse all day. None of the scenarios she came up with were appealing to her.
After all the boxes had been cleared the crew started bringing in the few pieces of furniture she had: a bed, a large dresser and matching end table, an overstuffed reading chair and side table, a coffee table, a lamp, a book case, and an l-shaped couch. The guys immediately noticed the lack of a television or entertainment center. Jolene referred to her flip phone again as another indicator of her new goal to have a minimalist life. She explained how she wanted to reset and see if she thought differently without the influence of marketing and mass-produced culture. They listened respectfully, a couple in agreement, but most continued to remark about the absence of the television throughout the day. Occasionally an honest question would come up like, "what about sports?", "what about movie nights with friends?". Tig asked about her dates and began to mime the utility of a movie night when trying to shack up with someone. He got everyone laughing and Jo found herself holding her sides from laughing so much. Somehow the conversation over opening boxes and putting together furniture turned to TV shows and movies people couldn't live without and eventually everyone went back to work.
While the club put the furniture in place, some reciting lines from Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kind while they did it, Lyla was going around making a list of things Jo still needed and the other girls were in the kitchen putting away kitchen items in the cabinets and drawers. Jo couldn't believe how quickly everything was coming together.
"Jo, I think I've got everything on this list but let's talk paint. You need an accent wall in your bedroom and in the living room or dining room." Lyla grabbed her hand and pulled her into her bedroom. "What are you thinking? You could do maroon, or a sage green, or if you want more whimsical you could do yellow…" Lyla's voice trailed off as Jo entered the room. Happy was attaching the headboard to the sides of her bed and Jo stopped dead in her tracks. Of all the club members to be constructing her bed did it really need to be Happy? Jo thought. Happy looked up at their entrance but turned right back to what he was doing. He seemed to be annoyed at having to be there and the task in front of him. Tuning in back to Lyla and the list of colors being presented to her Jo went for her default. The sooner she could give Lyla an answer the sooner she could leave the room. I've driven across the country to start afresh and in less than two days I'm right back into a distracting situation I don't want to be in. What is wrong with me?
"Maroon would be perfect Lyla. What do you think?"
"Great!" Lyla said writing her color on the pad. "Let's go see the dining room and living room. I'm thinking yellow in the living room and brown in the dining room."
Before exiting with Lyla, Jo turned to Happy. "Thanks for doing that Happy."
He grunted a your welcome or something that sounded like that while Jo followed Lyla.
After finalizing the colors Jo asked for Piper, Kenny, and Elle's help in taking pizza orders for everyone. Elle seemed particularly nervous about doing that but obediently followed her brothers. In no time the essential boxes were unpacked and all furniture assembled.
When the food and beverages arrived Jo asked for everyone's attention so she could share a few words of gratitude.
"I just wanted to say thanks for all your help the last couple of days. I'm lived in a lot of places in my life and I don't think I've ever felt so welcome in my first week. I feel really blessed to have met you all." Raising her beer she said "To new friends".
"Nay, to new family!" Chibs offered.
"To new family" Jo repeated with a bright smile. Lyla gave her a tight side hug that was quickly returned. Jo bent her head and said a quick prayer of thanks for that.
The party continued for an hour more while everyone ate and rested. Lyla left first having to get the kids back early for school. A prospect left with them to escort them home. One by one people left until finally it was just Tig, Chibs, a woman named Marjorie who was hanging on Chibs all night, and Happy. Jo was engaged in the conversation while casually cleaning up remnants of those who had left. She was glad Lyla had a "big dining room table and chairs" on her list of things to get soon. She could tell she'd be needing them sooner rather than later.
"Tig, where's Venus tonight?" Jo asked during a lull in the conversation.
"She's at home talking to her nephew on the phone. They're really close. She would have come but helping with moves isn't really her thing. Brings back some bad memories." He didn't go further.
"Gotcha. Please tell her I said hello though."
"Will do darling"
Jo went to go get another trash bag from the kitchen. Happy followed her in under the guise of getting another beer. He watched her for a few minutes while she looked through the cabinets for the box of bags. Finding one Jo turned for towards the door jumping slightly at his presence.
"Hi, you startled me." She said.
"I could tell. Just came in to see if there were more beers."
"I think you might be out of luck." Opening the refrigerator, it was obvious to both of them she was right. Jo paused anyway at the door taking the second to calm her heart rate.
"How's the shoulder?" He asked. She was surprised he asked the question. Her face must have given her thought away.
"What? I might not be that talkative but I'm not heartless."
"I believe your words to me were, 'I cause pain I don't take it away'. I just figured you weren't interested in my healing process." She could tell her words stung him a bit so she quickly added, "It's OK though. I keep forgetting I shouldn't move it but the shoulder doesn't take any time to yell."
"Did you really think you could unload that whole trailer yourself with it the way it is?" Happy was leaning against the opposite counter now.
"I think I've gotten so used to doing everything for myself I didn't really think it all the way through. When you don't have other options for so long you kind of stop brainstorming them. I always seem to figure it out."
He nodded at the statement. She couldn't imagine he would know what that's like given his tight knit community here.
Jo's inquisitive mind took the opportunity to solve the mystery she'd been toiling with the last couple hours.
"You weren't around much today but your jeans seem like they've had quite the day."
She decided to just make the statement and see if he would offer anything.
Not looking down to see what she was referring to he simply replied, "no more than usual for them".
Already knowing it was not a good idea to pry she let it go.
The two stood in comfortable silence for a while. Tig was the one to end the night by declaring loudly "my woman is ready for me. Let's go! Chibs, Hap." Jo laughed. Saying to Happy, "things are never dull around here with that one around are they?" He laughed and pushed himself off the counter to open the kitchen door, motioning to Jo to step through. As she stepped through Tig yelled, "I heard that. I'm not crazy, I'm colorful." Last reference to Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid for the night.
She was going to walk them to their bikes but they wouldn't hear of it.
"We're not leaving til the door is locked behind us. Someone will come by tomorrow to install a peep hole and help you with anything else you might need around here." Chibs said before kissing her head and walking out the door with Marjorie.
"I'm guessing there's no use arguing with him?" she inquired to Happy as he passed her.
"None", he said. He stopped at the top of the porch waiting for her to close the door.
"Good night," she said softly, really only for him. He watched her while she closed the door.
Looking around at what was now a comfortable home she smiled and headed to bed.