After coming back from the Ledge, Chelsy hangs around the clubhouse for a while playing pool with her brother and Chibs.
"Aye, come on, lassy. In all my years, I don't think I've ever been beat senseless at this game so many times in a row," Chibs says after Chelsy hits the 8-ball in for the fourth straight game in a row.
"She's dedicated a shitload of time over a lot of years to this game," Derek responds pulling out his money clip and dropping the hundred he owes her as Chibs does the same.
"I had to get good. Winning these games brings in a lot of revenue for me," Chelsy laughs thinking of the numerous shopping trips she was able to go on after she spent all her allowance.
"I can only imagine how much you've won. You don't play for change," Chibs says grinning at her as he thinks of the four hundred he's already lost.
"How much did you take 'em for, greedy offspring of mine?" Dane asks walking up to them.
"400 each," she replies thinking this 800 was a good amount to add to her savings because she needs to start planning for the baby. Chelsy was one to think ahead. She knows money comes and goes, and she has been adding to her savings account consistently since her mom got her a bank account when she turned 13. Whenever her parents gave her an allowance, half she spent and half went into the account.
"My sister's a green leech," Derek says laughing as she sticks out her tongue at him. As Dane walks out of the clubhouse and heads back to work, Abel walks up to them.
"Well, look who it is," Derek says putting the pool stick against the pool table and turning to face Abel.
"If you two start to fight, I'm gonna be really pissed at both of you," Chelsy warns them.
"We're not gonna fight, sis, don't worry. I'm just giving him a friendly piece of advice," Derek says stepping closer to Abel.
"And what advice would that be?" Abel responds noticing Chibs moving closer to Chelsy to shield her if needed.
"She's made her decision to keep your baby, but I swear if you hurt her, I'll make sure you never have the chance to get anywhere near her," Derek threatens before taking a ship of his beer.
"All right, come on, let's break it up. No more fights over this or Vivian's gonna have all our asses," Danny comes up and breaks the intense stare down between Derek and Abel.
"Wanna play?" Chelsy asks as her uncle, brother, and Chibs walk away giving leaving them alone at the table.
"For how much?" Abel asks having watched her play with Derek and Chibs.
"Hmm…how about, if I win, I will collect later. I have a feeling I'll enjoy this win more than the others," she tells him setting up the balls in the triangle rack.
"And if I win?" he says smirking at the size of her ego.
"You can have whatever you want, but just know that when I come to collect, you can't pussy out," she tells him.
"Oh, I'm no pussy, sweetheart," he says wanting nothing more than to put his hands into her dark locks and kiss that smirk right off her face.
"We'll see when I come to collect," she says walking around to the front side of the pool table and setting the white ball. "You break."
"So my uncle, Opie, has a house he's about to rent out. It's got three bedrooms, two and a half baths, and a pool in the backyard. He says he'll give it to us if we want. It's up to date, new kitchen and shit," Abel tells her breaking the balls and getting a stripped yellow in. After trying again, he misses.
"That's good. At least we won't deal with a crappy landlord," she says hitting one ball in. As she tries again, she gets two more of her solids in by aiming the white ball to him a solid red, which in turn, hits a solid blue.
"You liked geometry in school, didn't you?" he asks her shaking his head as her turn continues.
"I loved geometry," she tells him getting into position to hit another one in, but he reaches his hand around her, pushing her slightly into the table, causing her to not hit the white ball in the center, instead hitting it on the right side of the ball.
"Missed," he says taking a sip of his drink and enjoying the tight-lipped expression on her face.
"I want to check out the house first, but if we get it, I want to co-sign the lease. I can get a job-"she tells him lowering her voice not wanting to broadcast their personal business to all the habitants in the clubhouse, both members and hang-around girls included.
"No. I want you to relax and have the time to settle in and have time to adjust when we get to Charming. I want you to shop for shit for the house and for you and the baby. I don't want you to worry about money. I want to provide for you and the baby. I have the means so just let me do it. Plus, you're starting school," he tells her adamant about not wanting her to have to balance work and school and a new baby.
"I checked out nursing programs in California. I found one I liked at University of California. It's fully credited and they have a master's too," Chelsy tells him sharing her educational dreams with him.
"San Francisco," Abel says hitting the white ball and hitting one of his stripped balls in while thinking of the distance between San Francisco and Charming.
"Yeah, UC has a campus in Lodi, and I already checked out the classes I would need to take. The first semester is all online. I wouldn't even need to go to San Francisco the first two years. I can take all my pre-reps in Lodi," she tells him biting her bottom lip waiting for his response. "
"We can make it work. It's only a few hours drive. If that's where you want to go, we'll figure it out when we cross that bridge," he tells her. "Why nursing?"
"I like to fix people up. Plus, I can help the club. I've always known I would never leave this club, Abel, and it's important to me that I do something with my life that I can be happy with. I don't want to sit in the office sorting through repos and receipts all day. I want to work with people, and and help them get better," she tells him. After that, they continue playing the game. Both keep the conversation light, and at the end of the game, Chelsy walks away with another win, as Abel rubs his fingers through his goatee and goes to call Opie to let him know Chelsy wants to look at the house.
Chelsy goes outside to break the news to her family that she wants to go back with Abel to Charming.
"How long will you be there?" Vivian asks concerned that if something happens, she won't be there as soon as she would like to be given the distance between the two states.
"Just a week. I want to move down there with him. It's important to me that I give us the chance the raise the baby in the same town," Chelsy says. "Please try to understand, daddy."
"You gotta do what you feel is right, but know we'll always be here…and you can come back anytime you want. I won't be able to ride down with you, but I will come pick you up, how about that?" Dane tells her laughing as she gives him one of her amazing tight hugs.
"I'd love that and don't worry. Me and the baby are gonna be just fine," she tells her parents and brother.
"I know cause James and a few others will ride down with you. No arguments," Dane warns her knowing how she can get when he puts people to watch over her.
"Okay. Fine,' she responds. "Mom, help me back, please."
"Of course," Vivian responds genuinely proud at how her daughter has taken control of her life. Vivian's also concerned, though, at the thought of having her daughter leave home.
On the drive home, Chelsy notices her mother's been quiet, too quiet.
"Mom, you're not mad, are you?" Chelsy asks.
"No, I'm not mad. I had a feeling this was coming. As much as I don't like it, I think it's the right move. The baby needs both parents in its life, and we'll still come visit and you'll come visit," Vivian says.
When they get home, they head up to Chelsy's room and look through her closet.
"It's much warmer down there," Vivian says looking the numerous shorts and jeans in the closet. "You need to bring clothes that fit."
"I know. I'm not gonna walk around with my pants undone. Abel told me his V.P., Opie, has a house that he's about to rent out and that if we want it, it's ours. I told him I want to see the house first," Chelsy says pulling out a few cute shirts that flare out. "I need to go shopping."
"Yeah, we'll go when you get back. It's only for a week, right?" Vivian asks handing her a pair of black jeggings.
"Yeah, I promise," Chelsy replies starting to place the clothes into a plain black Adidas duffle bag. After packing up much of what she needs, she heads to the pantry her mother created and filled with hygiene products, first aid products, and a few other things. Chelsy pulls out a spare toothbrush and hygiene products.
As she heads back to the room, she looks at her stomach in the full length mirror in the hall. When she gets back to her room, she sends the picture she previously took of her stomach to Abel.
"Beautiful, babe. Are you packing?" Abel texts back.
"I'm finishing up now," Chelsy responds back.
"Good. Dane told me Dean's coming down to drive you down. We're leaving tonight," Abel writes back.
"I'm ready when you are," she sends back before she heads in the shower.
Tonight….
Settling into the passenger seat of Dean's ford truck, Chelsy was thankful for the comforting silence as they approached the fourth hour of their journey. She couldn't sleep, and after watching the tail lights of the bikers in front of her, Chelsy sighed as her stomach rumbled.
"Hey, how long till we can stop?" she asks Dean turning to look at the snacks behind the center console. Absolutely nothing looked appealing. There were crackers, and ginger ale, some sandwiches in a small cooler, but she really wanted something warm in her stomach.
"About half an hour, something wrong?" he asks sounding concerned.
"I'm hungry," she responds pouting. She folds her hoodie covered arms around her chest and brings her feet up to rest on the dashboard.
"The next gas station has good hot dogs, some nachos too," he tells her.
"Nachos! Damn, half an hour?" she says sitting up excited.
"I was told unless it's an emergency, we only stop when we need gas," he tells her. "Eat some pretzels."
"Fuck pretzels," she says her happy mood going away. She opens the window and rests her arms on the door and places her head on them. She feels the wind on her face and smiles as Dean turns on the radio and Bruce Springstein's, Born to run, comes on.
After what seemed like forever, the procession of bikes rolled into the gas station, and as Dean followed them, Chelsy got out of the car as the car was still slowly rolling and headed inside, impatient to get her hands of those nachos.
"Hey, are you crazy? Couldn't even wait till the car stopped," Abel tells her interrupting her from going inside.
"I'm hungry, and I want some nachos," Chelsy replies.
"Jesus Christ," Abel mumbles as she goes around him inside the store. "Goddamn craving already."
"Oh shit," she says as she is hit with the smell of greasy hot dogs. She covers her mouth with her hand and turns around to rush outside the store taking deep breaths of the fresh air.
"Hey, you okay?" Abel says right behind her. "Come on. Let's walk a bit."
"I'm gonna throw up," she warns.
"No, you're not. Just breathe," he tells her. She looks at him, noticing the wind pushing his hair around and notices his red nose.
"I can't eat," she tells him willing her fingers to brush his hair out of his eyes.
"Here," he hands her a pack of ginger ale mints out of his sweater. "My ma said these work wonders. They taste disgusting, though."
"I don't like ginger ale," she responds pushing his hand away.
"You need to eat. We won't stop for a while, meaning you have two choices. Either you suck on this and eat some nachos that I'll get you, or you can feel even more like shit as the night goes on," he tells her handing her the bag.
"I don't like you right now," she responds grabbing it out of his hand and heading back to the truck.
"Ungrateful bitch," he mumbles watching her to make sure she makes it safely to the truck before he heads back inside the store for nachos. He always had a low tolerance for bitchy girls. His mother told him it was because he grew up around Happy and growing up, he saw more than enough girls almost in tears because they gave the killer lip.
"She all right?" Chibs asks him opening up a new pack of cigarettes.
"She's craving," he responds taking his own pack out of his cut.
"It's gonna be a long ride, kid," Chibs tells him before leaving him to go smoke it outside.
"Haha," Abel says sarcastically knowing he's right. His mother warned him that Chelsy would get moody as the night went on, and when he gets the nachos and pays at the register, he lights up his cigarette before he even exits the store. He takes his time walking to the truck. Everyone fueled up already and were stretching their legs.
"Here," he gives Chelsy the nachos through the window.
"Took you long enough. I'm fine," she responds rolling her eyes at him when he keeps watching her.
"Try to eat that and get some sleep. Opie has the house set up and ready for us so when we get there, you can just go to bed. We'll be left alone for a while. I told my mother not to show up unannounced," he tells her knowing she's been worried about meeting Tara.
"Good. That's good," she tells him eating a cheese covered chip and moaning slightly. "This is good."
"I bet it is. Willing to share?" he asks her getting aroused when she sucks on her finger to lick the cheese off.
"Come closer," she tells him feeding him one. She looks at his lips reminiscing how good they made her feel when they were together. Their moment of silence was broken when Jax yelled out that it was time to go.
"Rest," Abel tells her kissing her quickly before walking away to his bike.
…..
The arrival into Charming was uneventful to say the least. Most of the motorcycles headed kept going down Main Street. Abel, however, didn't follow the rest of the riders. Chelsy let out a sigh of relief grateful for Abel taking her straight to the rental house. She needed a shower, some sweats, and a bed to stretch out on.
When they approach the house, she notices the green yard has a row of trees on both sides of the yard that extend into the back yard making the house seem secluded from its neighbors. There is also a dark brown fence enclosing the backyard.
"What do you think?" Abel asks her coming over to help her out of the car.
"It's huge. You said no guests tonight, right?" she asks wanting time to check out the house to herself and settle in.
"None, not even my dad. It's all ours," Abel responds grabbing her bag from the back and thanking Dean for driving her down.
"It looks huge," she says taking in the frame of the two-story house.
"Come on, let's go," he places a hand on her lower back and leads her inside.
"Damn," she replies seeing the black leather furniture in the living room. The house was very well decorated with cream and black color schemes along with the mahogany coffee tables and lamp places. She walks through the kitchen and instantly fell in love with the dark maple counter tops offset by mahogany colored cabinets. Abel stands back by the entrance, giving her time to examine everything. They leave the kitchen to go up the stairs to the bedrooms and upon entering the master bedroom, Chelsy made one turn around the room before sitting down on the king sized bed and toeing off her shoes.
"I love it. When can we sign?" she tells him giggling in happiness as he stands in front of her.
"I'll call Opie and let him know. You didn't check out the back yard," he mentions to her as he glances towards the black colored blinds.
"I don't need to. I just want you to know I am not cutting the grass so you need to do it or get somebody to do it," she tells him placing her hands on the bottom of his cut to rest on his belt.
"We got neighborhood kids who can do it or the prospects," he tells her leaning down to place his elbows on either side of her jean covered thighs.
"Can you be happy here?" he asks knowing he could get used to seeing her in this bed.
"Yeah, I could. How about you? Could you be happy here with me?" she asks him.
Instead of using words, he kissed her first on the neck then made his way up to her jaw then her mouth, kissing her hard enough to force her to lean back on the bed as he carefully placed his body over hers.
A/N: I am not sure University of California has a campus in Lodi, but for the sake of my story, UC does. Enjoy Reading : ) See you guys next Friday!