A/N: A little rushed, but I wanted to get this chapter out there, and I am hoping to keep the updates, as I've missed writing this, and working through some horrible, horrible writer's block.
Chapter seven
Rock bottom
Girls were doing everything they can to get up everything ready for the new opening of Diosa, Nero walked around holding a cup of coffee. This place was really coming together.
"We've not got much left to do," Lyla smiled looking to, "But I'm getting a good feeling about the feedback I am getting from the girls." Her hands rested on the band of her jeans.
Nero blew on his coffee before taking a sip, he exhaled. "I'm really happy you've helped a lot." He reached into his pocket taking out some cash, "You don't know how much I owe you."
Lyla took the cash, from helping Nero she was having time to get through the pain of losing Opie, "Yea," she put the money in her pocket. "The guys called and said they're gonna come and see how things are going here."
"Cool," He nodded, "Just let me know when they're here." He walked back to his office; part of him was hoping for a phone call from Gemma, the other half was still trying to sum up how he feels about Gemma.
Walking into the office Nero froze seeing Kelly standing at his desk, she looked a lot better than she did last night as she hand her hair pulled into a pony. She was going through some files walking them over to a cabinet. "You sleep alright?" He asked putting the coffee mug down on the desk.
"Thanks for letting me crash here." Kelly's eyes never left the paper work she was going through. "I just need some air." Her eyes finally looked up to his. "You're really a good business man." In her hands were more profiles on girls working at Diosa.
"Well, I want all my girls to be safe." He walked around seeing what Kelly had done so far, with Lyla getting everything ready for the opening, and his own head being all over the place, he was getting behind on paper work. "You really didn't have to do this." He picked the coffee up again drinking it. "Plus your cousin's on his way here." He pointed out.
Kelly stood up straight, she placed the files away before rubbing her back, "Yea, Bobby, Chibs and Tig is looking around." Her eyes were going to Nero again. "This is going to be a good business set up, and I like the idea of being useful for something."
"What makes you think you're not useful?" Nero didn't really know much of Kelly, he knew she was Gemma's niece, and that she was with a member of the club, but that was about it.
Kelly glanced down to her stomach, then back to Nero. "The club doesn't want a pregnant woman in danger." She shrugged, "I feel like they are wrapping me up with cotton wool." For a few moments her hands moved away from her stomach. "It's just how they've always seen things."
Nero watched Kelly, he didn't know what to see as she walked carefully around the office, "You don't need to be weak, if that's not who you are." He felt his hand going to her shoulder.
"I'm not weak," Kelly felt Nero's hand, but then she couldn't remember the last time she felt like she had to prove her strength. "I just have a lot to deal with."
"We've all got baggage sweetheart, it's just how we choose to carry it all ourselves, or have someone help you carry that weight with you."
"I think I prefer to carry my own weight," Kelly stepped towards the door hearing a cell phone ringing from Nero's pocket. "You better answer that." She walked out of the office walking passed the rooms being set up, she side glance walking into the main room seeing girls doing last minute jobs.
"Hello darling," Tig smiled looking over Kelly, every time he'd look at her he'd feel a small stab of pain. It was still so soon after Dawn, that it hurt to look at any girl that was around his daughter's age. "What brings you here?"
"Helping," Kelly glanced to Lyla, "I'm not perfect, but it's something to keep me busy." She titled her head, "Want me to show them to the sauna room?" Kelly smiled to Lyla.
"I think they might like the play rooms." Lyla replied, and Kelly nodded, "She's been a really big help with me and the kids."
Chibs ruffled the top of Kelly's head, "Well let's go see these play rooms." He looked around to Tig and Bobby. "Bet he's excited."
"As long as they don't have any dolls," Tig shuddered, but watched as Kelly lightly pushed his arm. "Come on darling, show us."
"Follow me," Kelly brushed her hands into her pockets walking towards the area where rooms were set up for clients that wanted a little more kink to their loving.
Walking around Tig looked excited, even Bobby was giving a big grin to everything; it was trying to earn some legal money for the club. The way Kelly walked them around, she was helping, she did what she could to push the thoughts away, even when she was babysitting Opie's children it still hurt.
"Hey," Jax smiled seeing Kelly walking back to the main room with the guys. "I was just giving them the tour." Kelly rocked on her feet looking to Lyla.
Chibs let a massive grin cross his face, "Jackie boy, this place is fantastic!"
Kelly looked over to see Tig was grinning too, "I'm so excited."
Jax turned to Lyla, "Are you doing good?"
"Yeah." Lyla looked to Kelly, "Kelly's been a real help and Nero's a good guy." She walked away.
Nero walked into the main room, he smiled seeing Jax,"Hey!"
"Morning," Nero glanced around to the guys.
Jax nodded, "Looks like Lyla's working out, huh?" He then glanced to Kelly, "Even got my cousin helping out."
Nero watched Lyla behind the bar talking to the other girls, "Oh, yeah, she's great." He smiled to Kelly, "Anything to keep her out of trouble," He pointed Kelly out with a laugh.
"Any flack from Carla?" Bobby asked looking serious.
Nero avoided eyes, he couldn't look up, or accept the fact that Carla was dead. "No. I'm pretty sure she's moved on." He spoke swiftly, he didn't want to give them any doubt. "I just got a call from that other crazy chick in our lives." He turned his attention to Jax to avoid the topic of Carla.
Jax gritted his teeth, "Shit!" He felt it was going way to smooth for it to be this easy. "Did she tell you anything?"
"Not much, just she's at a motel." Nero looked to them, "She wanted me to come and meet her, told me not tell anyone."
Jax shook his head, "Well, I am going to sort this out." He turned to the rest of the guys. "Let's go."
Kelly exhaled, this was getting too much. "Just let me know she's safe." Her voice dropped, her eyes going to Nero now. "I'll finish what I started in your office." She walked away; she didn't know what was wrong with her aunt of late.
Kelly watched as Tara and Tig left for the cabin, part of her wanted to look after the boys, but Jax explaining that Gemma needed this, he wanted them to be a family, and so Kelly couldn't help but listen.
"Fine," Kelly looked to Abel, "But you got to promise to go to sleep." Her hands cupped his face, "And I'll be happy to make you pancakes for breakfast."
"Will you make them with chocolate chips?" Abel was sitting on Kelly's lap, he's hand was lightly tapping on Kelly's hard stomach.
Kelly knew Gemma was going to pick them up, her hand brushing over Abel's hair. "For you baby, I'll put double the chocolate chips into the mix."
Abel smiled big, "And I show you my drawings." He kept rubbing her belly, "Will this baby be my friend?"
Kelly nodded, "This baby will be your best friend Abel." Kelly looked to see Gemma walking into the club house. "Hey, you don't mind me crashing with you and the boys tonight?"
Gemma felt sluggish, but she wasn't going to show it, she had to prove to everyone that she can look after them boys, she'll be good. "Yea sugar."
"I'll get Thomas, he's sleeping." Kelly watched as Abel hopped off his lap, she got to her feet looking over Gemma. "You want me to drive?"
Gemma shook her head. "I'm good," Her hands were a little shaky, but she wasn't going to let it slip she wasn't on her A game. "Let's just get home."
Kelly nodded heading to the place where Thomas was sleeping in his car seat, she lifted him up, and now looked to Phil, "You mind giving me a hand." She watched him rush over to take the car seat. "Thanks."
"It's nothing Kelly," Phil brushed a free hand against her shoulder, "You doing okay? Not seen you in a while."
"Surviving," Kelly brushed a hand against herself, "Just going to try take it easy." She smiled walking out to Gemma's car; she could see Abel was already in his car seat.
Gemma in the driver's side getting herself together, she watched as Kelly finished putting Thomas in the car, she inhaled trying to focus as Kelly hopped into the front seat. She smiled to Kelly putting her own seat belt on and started the car.
Kelly didn't speak much in the car, she didn't know what had happened that day with Gemma, and she didn't really want to know either as they drove, or she focused in front. Her thoughts over Juice, her thoughts going to everything except the feeling sinking in as the car swerved.
Gemma screamed as she noticed she'd drove into the wrong lane, her hands franticly trying to get them back, but her eyes looked over to Kelly trying to help her gain control of the car before the last thing she saw was the barrier come into focus.
Kelly felt the crash, her seatbelt helped her stay in the car, but her head was jolted forward as her face collided with the dashboard.
Juice felt horrible, he felt something he didn't like feeling when he saw the look on Tara's face as he heard her speaking to Clay like he was something she'd wipe of the bottom of her boot.
He'd come home, he spent the day feeling torn in so many directions. So he glanced into the place he called home, he listened to the sounds of silence from the apartment, he didn't see any lights on so knew that Kelly wasn't home, so he sat on his bike, he'd dropped the van at the club before trying to remember what is was like to ride.
He got off his bike walking to the front door, he opened to see that as this morning, Kelly hadn't been here. He glanced to a flashing message on the machine pressing play.
"Hey baby, just letting you know I'm staying with Gemma and the boys tonight. I'll call you on your cell when we're home safe. Love you." The message ended making Juice sit on the sofa touching his head, he felt exhausted after the day, but one thing he couldn't stop doing was making sure he was safe.
Kelly opened her eyes, every part of her hurt, she felt like she was going to be sick seeing that Gemma was out cold next to her, not dead as she see her breathing lightly. Her eyes adjusted to the dark, but her ears could hear Thomas crying loudly, his screams high pitched as she couldn't turn to see the boys in the back seat, all she heard was Thomas. "Abel…" Kelly couldn't get her voice louder, her chest was on fire with the seatbelt tightly around her. "Abel!" Her thoat hurt, "Baby, shh…" Kelly felt she needed to move, but she couldn't feel her legs. "Thomas, shh baby, shh." Her eyes were now looking up into the rear-view mirror. "Oh god…" Her eyes starting to water, she could see Abel, the tree branch in the back seat, Abel was slumped over, and she now felt like she was going to die.
