A/N So I want to fix a mistake I made: when Haylee get's introduced to the guys: Opie isn't there. This is set one or two years before Season One and Opie would have been in prison. My apologies. Also I don't own nothing SOA related just my ideas and that's it. Please review and give me your opinion. I really think I should be able to keep updating regularly cause I'm in my school routine and have more time. Have a good day!


Chapter 4

One Down, One to Go

We pulled up to the mall in Oakland, and Daisy was what you could call excited. Me, on the other hand, was dreading it. I mean on any other occasion, I would absolutely love to be shopping, but right now I had to figure out what the hell had actually happened to my dad. Had he been murdered by my sister and fucking mother? Or did he abandon us when Mom started using like Gretchen said? I was hoping Gemma could possibly know something. If not, I'd have to tuck all my issues that I have with my mom away and make a phone call I did not want to make.

"So which store first?" Gemma asked breaking me out of my train of thought.

"Uh, doesn't matter to me. Whatever you or Daisy want." I said faking a smile at her.

"Okay Daisy what store do you want to go to?" Gemma said looking at the little girl with a smile on her face.

"Claire's!" Daisy all but squealed. She absolutely, positively loved that store. But what little girl doesn't?

We walked into the mall and made our way towards Claire's while Gemma mumbled on about something.

"Haylee?" Gemma said snapping her fingers in front of my face.

"What?" I asked. Yeah, today was not my day.

"You know what's up with Juice? Ever since he came back from your place he's apparently been in a piss poor mood." Gemma stated.

"Aunt Hayhay yelled at him last night!" Daisy said. That little girl loved to tattle.

"What happened?" Gemma asked raising an eyebrow at me.

"We had a uh difference of opinion." I said. In all honesty, that was the truth.

"About?" She said prying for more information.

"I actually want to talk to you about that. Maybe once were done here we could head to somewhere with a jungle gym thing so little ears can't hear?" I asked.

"Sure. You know this is completely up to you and all, but if you plan on staying in Charming, Clay and me own a decent sized house, nice sized yard and I know how much your paying at your apartment and we'd be willing to either rent or sell it to you contract for deed for that same amount." Gemma said. She always had a plan, always.

"You ain't got to do that. I'm sure you can find someone who can pay more than that." I said. I'd never lived in a house, ever. It would be nice.

"Trust me, the house needs work. Nothing major everything works but its in major need of some remodeling. And the yard would be good for Daisy." Gemma said.

"I'll think about it." I said, chewing on my button lip. I really didn't need another thing to add to my list of things to thing about. Not at all.

We made our way to Claire's and when Gemma told Daisy to pick out whatever she wanted her eyes lit up. It made me happy to see her happy. She hadn't ever been deprived, but she hadn't ever been told to get whatever she wanted either. One hundred fifty three dollars and twenty seven cents later, we were leaving Claire's with a very excited Daisy.

We then headed to some clothing stores and picked up a few outfits for Daisy and some for me to 'help me blend in around the clubhouse' according to Gemma. Gemma's idea of blended involved knee high leather boots, skin tight jeans, flannel shirts, and lots of black lace.

"So what do you do for work?" Gemma asked randomly.

"I'm an entertainer." I said choosing my words wisely.

"What kind of entertainer?" She asked using what I'm pretty sure was going to become world famous eyebrow raise.

"Exotic dancer." I said slowly.

"That's what you wanted to be when you were little?" She asked.

"No, I wanted to be a lawyer, and I'm in law school, but it pays the bills and I'm good at it." I said hoping she wouldn't get mad. Me and Gemma had really bonded over our little shopping trip. I had even agreed to buy the house from her if I liked it. Things were starting to look up, but I didn't feel that they would once we had the talk we were heading out of the mall for right now. Gemma decided that since I was considering the house, there was no point in buying anything until I decided that was for the house or apartment.

"Well as long as your working to better yourself I'm okay with it. Now lets go get something to eat." She stated.

We arrived at McDonald's about twenty minutes later, and with our food and Daisy playing in the play place, I decided now was the best time to have my talk with Gemma.

"So Gemma, did you know anything about my dad and me living in New York." I said. Not that this alone would confirm or deny the truth, but hey it was a start.

"Last time I heard from your Dad was about twenty four years ago. He was planning on moving to New York, but whether or not he ever did is anyone's guess. Why?" She asked.

"Just wondering." I said faking a smile.

"What about Juice? Can he be trusted to tell the truth?" I asked.

"He can be a little dumb at times, but yeah he'll tell you the truth as he knows it. Why? And what do Juice and New York and you all have to do with one another?" She said looking at me like she was left out of some big secret.

"I'll tell you as soon as I find out." I said thinking. One down one to go. But I'd rather tell Gemma all my deepest darkest secrets than even talk to my mom, but that wasn't an option. I had to call my mother, and deal with this shit head on, it was the only way I'd have peace of mind after everything Juice had told me.


So what do you think? And I'm sorry if it seems a bit rushed, just trying to get my ideas down before I lose them!(: I tried to draw this one out a bit more, and to whoever said they were confused about what Juice told Hailee, I'll be going into more details in a latter chapter regardless of whether or not what he said was true.