Daddy's Girl
Chapter 9: Cry Me A River
I do not own SOA or any characters of SOA. Only Chloe, Jade, Carrie and Deb, Drew and Bodie.
Monday morning Gemma looked out into the garage to see who she could assign the next oil change and tire rotation to when she saw Chibs leaning over an engine; he looked up and gave a friendly wink. "I can see it, Miss Chloe, I can definitely see it," she thought to herself smiling a wicked grin. Gemma and LuAnn had gone out for a few drinks over the weekend to plan the trip to Vegas with Chloe and two of her girlfriends from work. LuAnn, never needing anything more than one cocktail, had spilled everything regarding Chloe and Chibs that Chloe had confided in her months earlier-all the way back to the beginning. Gemma had kept her mouth shut, but was surely eyeing the man in a different light, as she would Chloe, on their trip.
A week of texting and sexting had followed Chloe and Chibs' rendezvous at the clubhouse. Several times Scott had looked up from the work on his desk and seen her looking at her iPhone and smiling or had heard her laugh break through the silence at home. She had lied saying it was Jade or someone from a class or work, he seemed to believe. Thursday evening at a dinner where a law school buddy of Scott's was receiving yet another boring award, she received a picture from Chibs of one of the new prospects in a compromising position-passed out on the pool table having been "decorated" with markers, tape and other objects by the guys. She actually let out a laugh during a speech and received daggers from everyone at the table, especially Scott, who then also thought it necessary to give a disapproving look as she put her phone away.
The next morning her phone made the sound for a message as it sat next to the coffee machine on their kitchen counter as he made his cup of joe. He had never snooped before, but he had been feeling the distance between them lately, coupled with her girls' trip to Vegas this weekend, he couldn't help himself. He hit the button and saw the message from a number out of Lodi or Charming: "Don't get your knickers wet in Vegas thats my job". Every part of him wanted to throw the phone across the room and wake her for an explanation. Instead, collecting himself, he took the phone and walked to the bedroom door. Chloe was studying in bed and her eyes were on the books in front of her when he tossed the phone to her lap, "You forgot your phone in the kitchen. I'll be late, so I guess I'll see you when you get back Sunday," Scott grabbed his briefcase and went out the door.
No kiss? No hug? No, let's try to have dinner later? She knew shit had gone a little south, but what the hell? She pressed the button to her phone, as she did every morning, but before she could even open her email she saw the message from Chibs. "Fuuuuck!" she threw her pen down and heard the yelp when it hit Tink, her English Bulldog. "Sorry, baby girl. Looks like things might be changing around here." She opened the message again; mentally going to the point Chibs wanted to bring her for a moment. "Scott saw the message. We need to cool it or I need to end it." She texted back and then got out a bag and began packing.
Chibs felt his pre-pay vibrate in his pocket and smiled. He'd stayed hard on the regular for the past week sexting with Chloe, banging a different crow eater every night to get a release, even getting noon time blow jobs some days. He stood up and sent Gemma a wink when he saw her in the window of the office door. Reading the message, his smile faded. "Make your decision. I'll go with whatever you choose," he returned. As much as he wanted her twenty-four/seven, he couldn't ask her to leave a solid relationship that was growing her career and never once caused her to pass out in a car, nearly raped.
"You be good," Clay pointed his finger in Gemma's face, not really joking. Others stood around, along with Jax who gave his mom a hug.
"Of course, baby. None of those Vegas pricks get me hot like you do," she whispered in his ear as she hugged him tight.
"Sorry Tara couldn't make it," Gemma tried to say sincerely when she hugged her son.
"Yeah, right," he smirked and turned his Reaper hat back around.
As Tig put her and LuAnn's bags in the trunk of Gemma's Escalade, she walked over to Chibs having just lit a cigarette; he turned his head to not blow the smoke in her face.
"'Ave a great time, aye," he told her with a small hug.
"I'll take plenty of pictures for ya," she whispered and gave him a knowing look. Shyte-she knew? Chibs thought and nearly choked on his next drag, as Gemma smiled wide and walked towards the SUV.
Chloe stood on her stoop with her bags after LuAnn called moments earlier saying they were turning the corner and waited. She sent a text to Carrie and Deb that they'd arrive at the bar in ten and saw the Escalade round the corner. She threw her stuff in the back and got in, not really moping, but looking concerned.
"What's wrong, baby?" Gemma said, eyeing her from the rearview. "And before you say 'nothing', LuAnn spilled the beans about you and Chibs, so I know," she smiled, knowingly. LuAnn shot her a look of what the fuck?
"Jesus, LuAnn!" Chloe said shoving her arm.
"I'm sorry, you know me and alcohol," she whined a little.
"Don't be too mad at her, I knew something was up way back when, but I really didn't know about the latest meet ups," she smirked and laughed.
"Aaaaaarrrgghh! Gimme a cigarette, Lu," she commanded. Both women shot a look of disbelief. "Only when I get stressed. Or drink," she took the Marlboro and lit it, inhaling deeply.
"So?" Gemma asked.
"The last time I was at the garage, we had mind-blowing sex and ever since we have been texting back and forth."
"You mean sexting?" LuAnn laughed.
"Both. But, yes, dirty little sayings, pictures sometimes. But, fuck! Scott read one from Chibs this morning and went completely cold on me. Not even a hug knowing I am leaving for another state for four days!"
"Was he supposed to do cartwheels for you fucking another man?" Gemma asked, not too sarcastically.
"No, but HE doesn't even know if I fucked someone else! HE just assumed," she said angrily, bitchy.
"Look-the fact is you are fucking someone else, you told me it was the best sex of your life and that things have really gotten boring between you and Scott. I don't see the issue, here," LuAnn said matter-of-fact.
"The porn queen wouldn't," Gemma said, lighting her own cigarette. And they all laughed.
"Are the problems with Scott outside of the bedroom, too?" Gemma asked as they pulled up to the bar and saw Carrie and Deb walk towards them.
"Yea, it just isn't there anymore, ya know?" Chloe said hopping out to help her friends.
"Do you want to spend the time and put in the effort to fight to get it back?" Gemma asked her softly, in her ear, as they rearranged the bags in the very back. Holy crap, was this a genuine moment with Gemma? Chloe wondered to herself.
"No," she said, her eyes down. "Does that make me horrible?"
"Honey", Gemma said bringing her chin up with a finger, "It makes you human. People fall out of love all the time. The horrible part is sticking with it for anyone else but you." And with that, they were off to Vegas.
Chloe sent the text she had written and joined in the fun with the ladies. LuAnn had lit a joint and Carrie and Deb had grabbed nearly 20 small shot bottles and started passing them around, Gemma stuck to the joint while she drove.
Chibs' prepay buzzed on the bar while a few of them sat waiting for Tig and Juice to return so they could head off to a fight where the prospect he had trained was sure to win a large purse for the club.
"I'm not saying lets get hitched, I don't want to tie you down. I just know I want you, if you'll have me. I'm telling Scott when we get back from Vegas that we are over." Chibs smiled and gave himself an imaginary pat on the back. He didn't know what would happen or how this was going to work, but at least she wouldn't be getting pegged by that preppy, rich fuck any longer.
"I'll have ya. I'll have ya in every room of this club." He sent back with a smirk on his face. She let out a giggle, Gemma looked in her rearview and smiled lazily, knowing it was Chibs.
The women had an amazing time in Vegas. Chloe and Carrie won an amateur pole dancing contest, LuAnn had video and Gemma had pictures. The younger girls convinced Gemma to let a hot young guy do a belly shot off of her on the bar, swearing on everything holy that Clay would never find out. The older woman had to admit the attention from the younger man and his group had made her wetter than she had been in months because of the fucking menopause. LuAnn had gotten them comped to a bigger suite after the manager of the hotel recognized her from her younger days in porn and couldn't stop gushing about her production company. Thinking the three younger women were stars of hers, he asked what films they'd been in that he may recognize. The entire group laughed as they entered their beautiful suite after their exchange with him.
Chloe and Gemma shared driving duties on the way back, Chloe doing the final five hours even though she was so tired; she knew Gemma had another hour to go after dropping them in San Francisco. They dropped Carrie and Deb off with lots of hugs and laughs. They had all had a wonderful time, none of the bullshit cattiness that happened at the club or the bar existed this weekend.
"Baby girl, you gotta do you. You know I support any choice you make, but your daddy didn't raise you to be a miserable wall flower," LuAnn told her with a hug.
"Honey, you know we are here. I know your life has been here for a long time now, but maybe a change will do you good. The residents of Charming need representation in court, too, ya know," Gemma smiled.
"I don't want to freak Chibs out, make him think I want to tie him down-"Gemma cut Chloe off before she could finish.
"Chloe, I know you grew up in the club, but you've never been an Old Lady. Sometimes they need a little freakin out. You don't want to puff his chest out too much letting him think it is all about him, either," Gemma told her giving her a kiss on the cheek. "Take some time for you. Clear your head, you are always welcome at our place or your mom's, you know that. We love you, baby," she said releasing her from the hug, squeezing her shoulders. LuAnn gave her another hug and kissed her again before Chloe was left on her stoop with her bags thinking about what was waiting upstairs.
"Scott?" she said quietly, removing her key from the door lock and setting her bags down. She walked further into the condo and squatted down when Tink came running to greet her with kisses and jumps all over. Chloe was smiling and cooing at the dog until she spotted Scott in the hall. He leaned against the wall in a pair of baggy sweats and a blue Dodgers t-shirt. "Hey," she said quietly, standing.
"Hey," he said looking at the floor in front of him.
Chloe moved to be near him, she didn't hate him, after all, didn't want to see him hurting.
"Who is it?" he asked stopping her in her tracks.
"Chibs-Filip, Filip Telford," she said, crossing her arms on her chest.
He turned to face her, "Have you slept with him?"
She did not immediately respond. "Yes," she said in barely a whisper.
"What?"
"Yes," she said slightly louder.
"Once? Or, how long has this been going on?" Scott asked running his fingers through his hair. Wasn't there an easier way to do this? She wondered.
"Does it matter?" she asked, again trying to spare him pain.
"Yea, it does," he snapped.
"Several times, over the past few years-"he cut her off.
"Jesus, Chloe? What the fuck did I do?" he asked angry and hurt. Tears were streaming down her face as she moved to be closer to him. His hands went up immediately stopping her.
"Nothing, Scott. This is all on me," she began, but was not able to finish as he walked away in to the bedroom. She sat next to him on the bed, a few inches away. "I know this means nothing right now, maybe it never will, but I am so sorry. My intention was never to hurt you, I love you, Scott-" laughter full of anger came from the man next to her.
"You're right, it doesn't mean anything now or will it ever," he stood. "I am going to the office for a few hours. I want you gone by the time I get back. I'll write you a recommendation, but I think you should contact Sarah and have her pack your stuff so you can pick it up tomorrow." Even though this was what she knew needed to happen, it didn't make it any easier. He stood and walked out of the room, she heard him pick up his keys and the door open and shut.
She lay back on the bed trying to wrap her head around what had just happened, what she had just done. Then it began to hit her all at once: Would he cease representing the club? Would he call Clay and tell him why? What about the Bar Exam, he was helping her in so many ways. What about the internship? Fuck! Then the thought she had been avoiding smacked her in the face: What if Chibs didn't give a shit? What if this is how he'd wanted it all along? She knew MC life for the guys: fuck what you want, when you want without any restrictions or ties or any woman telling you what to do. She's known him for nearly eight years and he had never once had a woman in his life for any significant length of time (other than her), it was always sweetbutts and croweaters.
"Hey baby, what's up?" Gemma answered her cell seeing it was Chloe, as she drove her and LuAnn back to Charming.
"Fuck, Gem, I really did it now!" Chloe started, no longer crying, but it was still discernible in her voice. "I ended it with Scott. I came clean, but now he left for a few hours and told me to be gone by when he gets back. He said he wants me gone from the office, too. I don't know if he is calling Clay, shit, Gemma!" Chloe was not hysterical, but close.
"Hey, hey. Calm down. I am turning around so we can help you; we had to get gas so we're only about ten minutes from you. I'll call Clay and give him a heads up with only the information he needs to know. You can follow us back, stay the night with LuAnn and we'll figure this shit out in the morning. The office can send your shit FedEx!" Done.
"Thanks, Gemma. Thanks for always handling everyone's shit," Chloe said. These were the compliments Gemma lived for as HBIC.
"You're welcome, baby. Now start packing," she told her and made a U-turn, filling LuAnn in on everything before she called Clay.
Sorry it is short, but I wanted to get something out for all of the amazing readers who have kept me going with your "Faves", comments and reviews. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you! Will update soon!
