Gemma spent her day at home relaxing. She was still a little worn out from the late night and drinking. Around 4:00 Gemma realized that she should pick up a few things for dinner that night she was running low on basic groceries since she was living by herself she didn't buy as much. She got dressed and left out to do some quick shopping. While she was driving she wondered if she should pick up something interesting to wear that night if she happened to have sex with Elliot. She felt strange about wearing lingerie for him that she had worn for Clay.
Everything was so up in the air. On the one hand she had really enjoyed the previous night but on the other hand she was playing with fire. They were sneaking around in a place where secrets were hard pressed to remain secrets. Elliot had a mayoral campaign he was attempting to win. Clay would hit the roof if he found out she was having sex with anyone other than him. And more importantly Elliot had just gone through a divorce and Gemma was in the middle of a messy separation…neither of them were in a position to start a relationship even if they wanted to. Besides that Gemma felt a little guilt like she was cheating on Clay even her lawyer had filed the paperwork for the separation.
Gemma was gone for around two hours before she returned home. The trip had taken longer than she anticipated. She had driven out to Stockton to a store she liked and picked up a new dress and something to wear for later…if later ever arrived. She had driven back to Charming to pick up the groceries while she was out. She carried everything into the house and started putting everything away.
Afterward Gemma went to her bedroom to shower and get dressed for her evening with Elliot. She slipped on a simple spaghetti strap, black lace dress, with a red underlining. Gemma padded through the house with bare feet and went into the living room turning on the music.
Elliot arrived not long after and pulled his car around to the back so the neighbors wouldn't see him. He got out of the car carrying two bags and flowers. He walked to the back door knocking.
Gemma heard the door and went to answer it. "Come in Elliot."
Elliot stopped in his tracks holding out flowers. He took in a breath seeing Gemma. "Wow you look beautiful."
Gemma closed the door behind him. "Thank You Elliot. More flowers?" asked Gemma with a chuckled since he was holding roses.
"Call me old fashion but I don't think it is right going to a woman's house for a date without bringing her something." said Elliot.
Gemma chuckled and said "Well, thank you. They are beautiful." Her eyes caught the bag. "What is in the bag?"
Elliot set the bags down on the table and pulled out two high end bottles of vodka and a couple of old yearbooks. I thought we could look at these. And I picked up dinner for us. I decided not to cook."
Gemma said "Oooh…all of my unfortunate hairdos. Wait you are three years older than me…I would have been in only one of your high school yearbooks."
Elliot laughed and said "Yes, but the future mayor stopped by the library and asked Mrs. Oaks real nice if she'd let me borrow a couple more. And who said the only pictures I have are from high school?"
Gemma chuckled and said "Already abusing your power. Nice!" Gemma took the flowers and put them in water and put the bottles of vodka in the freezer to chill.
Elliot chuckled and said "She would have given them to me even if I wasn't running for mayor. I am charming with the old ladies."
"Old ladies like me hmm?" asked Gemma taking the flowers from him and put them in water.
"Considering you are younger than me…I can't be calling you old." said Elliot.
"So what is for dinner? I still can't wait to see these cooking skills perhaps you will show me another time." said Gemma grabbing plates down from the cabinet for them to eat their take out dinner off of.
"Well, I picked up: butter garlic shrimp on a salad, baked potatoes, and a steak. I bought a cake for dessert." said Elliot.
Gemma smirked and said "Well, I do like the sound of that. So where did you learn to cook anyway." Gemma watched Elliot start serving the food he had bought. Every once in awhile she would tell him where to find things he needed.
"Well, my mother taught me how to cook. She said men needed to know how to cook just in case they had bad wives. And I got the rest of my cooking training when I served in the Navy. I was a cook on the ship." said Elliot. He got settled and started eating dinner with Gemma.
Gemma chuckled and said "Well, she had a point there. Bad wife or just a wife that is angry with you and won't cook for you. A man could go hungry for days if he made the wrong woman mad. How long were you in the Navy? You know I took off at the end of tenth grade."
"I was in the navy for 4 years… and then I came back home and took over the family business. My dad had died by then. Someone had to keep the business going. But truth be told I was glad to be back in Charming. Everything made sense here to me. Why did you take off at 16?" said Elliot.
"I thought I knew everything about the world and I was ready to shake off this little city and see what the rest of the world had to offer. So I traveled around getting into trouble but enjoying life not under my mother's thumb. And after awhile I met John. He was a good 17 years older than me but I loved him because he understood me and my craziness and didn't want to change me. He just wanted to go along for the ride. He and Clay both served in Vietnam." said Gemma.
"So wait…John was 17 years older than you? How much older is Clay?" asked Elliot.
Gemma laughed and said "He is 8 years older than I am. What can I say…I like older men. I always have. Something about the years of experience they have…I could run circles around the men my age…still can."
"Can you run circles around me?" asked Elliot moving so that he closer to her. He kissed her lips softly.
"I bet I could if I wanted too…but you are old enough to see it coming…just probably couldn't stop it." said Gemma laughing softly.
Elliot kissed her lips and said "You are a dangerous woman…beautiful…smart…manipulative…" He went back to eating dinner.
Gemma smirked and asked "So how is Tristan doing?"
"She is doing good today but who knows about tomorrow. She is supposed to see Karen this weekend…that is if Karen doesn't cancel. She won't talk to me about anything…I am a man what would I know? She looks at me like a moron." said Elliot.
Gemma chuckled and said "It would be the same if you had a son. Jax was the same way…when he was that age…part of it was because John died around that time. But even before John died…Jax was giving the both of us hell. And once John died Jax really started to try my patience…and apparently because I was his mother I didn't understand anything. I am sure we were that way as teens. I know my mother didn't understand me one bit. I always said I would have a daughter and I would be a better mother."
"You wanted a girl?" asked Elliot.
Gemma nodded and said "Of course I loved my boys. I used to baby Jax so much before Tommy came along that John used to be furious. He told me I was going to turn Jax into a girl. When I looked at Jax I see a lot of John…I see a lot of me too. I don't know how good or bad that might be. I couldn't have hoped for better children. But I always wanted a daughter it just never happened for me and John. Then I married Clay…and I looked into adoption and everything but our lawyer said that with Clay's criminal history it would be nearly impossible to adopt here in the States."
Elliot said "I am sorry to hear that about the adoption…but you know with the separation...you could always give it a try as a single parent. Maybe check out some adoption agencies."
Gemma smiled and said "I am too old for that now."
"Women older than you are getting pregnant and raising children. You aren't too old if it is something you really want to do Gemma." said Elliot.
"Maybe you are right…" said Gemma. She fell silent for awhile.
"I didn't mean to upset you Gemma…" said Elliot.
"You didn't upset me Elliot…just a lot to think about. I sacrificed a lot to be with Clay…and this is where my sacrifice lands me. This old with a lot of dreams unfulfilled." said Gemma.
"You've got the power to change some of those things. And if anyone can take this bad situation and come out on top…It has to be you Gemma. And if you need help…well let me know that is what friends are for." said Elliot.
The two of them continued to talk while they finished eating dinner and then had dessert. After they cleaned up the kitchen they took the chilled bottles of vodka and the yearbooks into the living room. The two of them sat and talked for hours about how much Charming had changed over the years...or not changed. They finished off a half bottle of vodka easily between the two of them. Gemma wasn't sure if they were drinking out of nervousness or what.
As they were talking and the music was playing a familiar song started up.
Elliot smiled hearing the tune. "Rolling Stones…Wild Horses…I love that song. Do you want to dance?"
Gemma was a little surprised but she said "Sure." Gemma stood up.
Elliot stood up and took Gemma into his arms and swayed with her to the song.
Gemma hated to admit it but it felt good being in his arms. There was something warm, safe, and comforting about being there with him. When her trust had been so broken by what Clay had done, she felt like she could trust Elliot. Even a badass like Gemma needed to feel safe sometimes. And right now she felt safe with Elliot. Maybe that was why she had always been drawn to older men…somehow they made her feel safe. Elliot was a good man and he had been where she had been. Gemma didn't know where this was going but for now she needed the comfort…she needed Elliot.
Elliot knew that both of them were still reeling from their partners' infidelities. He was under no illusion about the bind they were in. Instead of analyzing what it could be he decided to focus on what it was at the moment. And at the moment he had a beautiful woman clinging to him and in a way he was clinging to her too. It was nice to know that there wasn't something so patently wrong with him that he could not be cared for by a woman.
As the song was ending and the last guitar strings were plucked Gemma kissed Elliot passionately.
Elliot didn't need any more of cue than that. He took her hand and led her to the guestroom they had spent the previous night in. Once they were in the bedroom they wasted little time disrobing. It was if something was ignited in both of them and they were two smoldering flames coming together. Both of them had been so hurt by the people they loved and trusted and here they were together attempting to love away each others' pain. Elliot picked Gemma up and smiled at her. He walked to the bed with her and fell backward onto the bed with her on top of him. "You are so beautiful Gemma...I only hope I am not taking advantage of our friendship...or you."
"You aren't….I hope I am not taking advantage of you…" whispered Gemma against his neck. Whereas the previous night had started off tentatively and nervously, tonight the two of them were like an erupting volcano devouring one another completely. After a couple of intense rounds of sex they laid together on the bed in a sweaty heap. Gemma quipped "Who knew a Stones song had so much power…" She laughed softly.
"Mick Jagger." said Elliot with a laugh. He kissed her softly. "What time is it?" asked Elliot truly feeling exhausted. "A man my age is not supposed to have this much sex. It goes against the laws of nature."
Gemma glanced over at the clock. "It is almost 2:30 in the morning." She laughed and said "Well, not every man can…but the ones that can…definitely should. Who knew someone as straight laced as you could be so…."
Elliot laughed and said "Don't let the suit and tie fool you. I know my way around a woman's body." He kissed her and said "I've got to leave soon…but I don't like it…it feels disrespectful to leave before the day light."
"I appreciate you wanting to be a gentleman Elliot. And you don't know what I would give to have you stay the full night. But…"said Gemma.
"But we both have a lot at stake…I am less worried about the election…and more worried that Clay will find out. I don't want to cause trouble for you." said Elliot.
"And I don't want to cause trouble for you." said Gemma.
"Well, then maybe we can just lay here and enjoy the peace and quiet while we can?" asked Elliot.
Gemma smiled softly and said "Okay." Gemma cuddled with Elliot resting her head on his chest and closed her eyes relaxing.
Without either of them trying both of them fell asleep exhausted from the night's activities. Elliot woke up at 4:00 in the morning and slipped out of the bed. He went into the bathroom grabbing a quick shower so that he could go home.
Gemma woke up hearing the shower turn on. She glanced over at the clock and walked to her bedroom putting on a nightgown and a bathrobe. She went into the bathroom and washed her face and brushed her teeth. She intended to be minty fresh when she said goodbye to Elliot. She headed into the kitchen to start some coffee and found a travel mug for him figuring he'd need to take it and run.
Meanwhile….
Alexis was outside of Gemma's house sitting in a car she had stolen. A couple of hours ago she had ran out of money for drugs. Her dealer said he would accept the car as payment. So she traded her car. She had gotten several angry voicemails from Clay since he had found Sean but she had not called him back. There was something she had to do first. She had spent the last 30 hours getting high. She was distraught after a conversation with Clay and that had pushed her over the edge. She realized that her golden ticket wasn't as golden as she thought it was.
She had been so sure that getting pregnant by Clay would ensure her a place as his old lady. And when that didn't work she thought that Gemma kicking him out of the house was her way in. But that hadn't worked either. In fact Clay had told Alexis in no uncertain terms that he didn't love her and wouldn't be carrying on a relationship with her. All they had between them was their son and he was going to do everything in his power to save his marriage. That is when Clay had dropped the bombshell on her. He was sending her to a rehab facility in San Francisco. It was an intensive 90 day program and if she left early Clay was threatening to sue for full custody of Sean and cut her off financially. She wasn't all that attached to Sean but the idea of having to scrounge for money or worse yet work for it wasn't something she wanted to do. Hours of getting high and anger had brought her to this point.
She got out of the car and walked up to Gemma's house. She pulled a set of keys from her pocket. She had stolen Clay's house keys the last time she had been with him not knowing that Gemma had changed the locks. She tried all of the keys and realized that none of them worked. She threw the keys to the ground and looked around for another way in. She picked up a rock and used it to break the glass in front door.
Gemma heard the glass break and thought it was Elliot. "Elliot are you okay?" asked Gemma walking into the living room. She stopped in her tracks seeing Alexis standing not two feet from her. "What the hell are you doing in my house you crazy bitch?"
"Clay was supposed to be mine…I am not going to lose him to you!" said Alexis.
Gemma backed up into the kitchen moving toward the drawer where she kept one of her guns. "You are nothing but a child…and irresponsible one at that. Did you really think he was going to give up his life for you?"
"Don't move! Stop moving!" yelled Alexis obviously higher than a kite. She was waving a knife around now getting closer to Gemma.
Gemma turned and ran for the drawer where he gun was.
Alexis freaked out and stabbed Gemma in the arm.
Gemma howled in pain and staggered to the kitchen drawer still trying to get her gun. She managed to get it and fired two shots in Alexis' general direction but Alexis was fast and was out the door in no time.
Elliot got out of the shower and heard the gunshots. He wrapped a towel around his waist and ran into the living room. "Gemma!" He saw the broken glass and the door standing wide open. "Gemma!"
"I'm in here Elliot." said Gemma from the kitchen. She was sitting on the floor blood covering her robe. "Clay's mistress showed up and the junkie bitch stabbed me." said Gemma.
Elliot kneeled on the floor next to her. "It doesn't look like it is in too deep. I am going to call 911."
"Don't...I will not have the entire town knowing about this…I will just pull the knife out gently…if I am bleeding too much I can call Tara to help me…please." said Gemma.
Elliot said "Okay…" He watched her as Gemma took the knife out and set it on the floor. He grabbed a dish towel and pressed it to the wound.
"Go…get dressed. You've got to get out of here…Jax and Tara can't see you here." said Gemma.
Elliot said "I am not leaving you like this by yourself."
"If Clay finds out you were here...I am not the only one that will be bleeding…go…" said Gemma.
Elliot wanted to argue but he watched Clay cut off a man's testicles he knew Clay wouldn't mind doing the same to him. Elliot reluctantly went upstairs and got dressed. He walked back into the kitchen to see Gemma hanging up the phone.
"Jax and Tara are on their way over…go…" said Gemma.
"I can handle Clay I am not leaving you." said Elliot.
"You can't handle Clay he is a vicious son of a bitch when it comes to me…listen…we can talk while you drive okay?" asked Gemma.
Elliot looked at her and saw the fear in her eyes. He knew she was scared that Clay would kill him. "Okay fine…but we talk while you wait for them to get here." Elliot kissed the top of Gemma's head and then got into the car popping in his Bluetooth and called Gemma. He pulled off from her house but parked down the block.
Gemma answered the phone. "Are you headed home?"
"Yes, I am." lied Elliot.
"Good…I am okay…it just hurts like a bitch…and I am bleeding like there is no tomorrow." groaned Gemma still sitting on the kitchen floor. "I am glad I didn't come down here naked…that would be horrible." joked Gemma.
"That isn't funny Gemma. Why didn't you scream for me? I would have helped you." said Elliot.
"I didn't want you getting stabbed by some crazed junkie...besides… I thought you were still in the shower…I didn't think you would hear me." said Gemma. Gemma went quiet the pain getting to be a little much.
"Come on Gemma…talk to me…or I am coming back there…" said Elliot.
"Talk about what?" asked Gemma.
"Anything…when you were 16…and you ran away…where was the first place you wanted to go?" asked Elliot.
"Vegas…I wanted to go to Las Vegas. I thought…now that is a place where a girl like me can get into some trouble." said Gemma laughing.
"Yeah, that sounds like you…did you try to sneak into the casino?" asked Elliot.
"Sure on a few occasions…security back then wasn't as good…but it was good for that time period. I think I was able to sneak in two or three times. Then I decided it wasn't worth it. Doing all that work to lose money." Gemma mumbled the last part feeling light headed.
"Gemma?" asked Elliot.
Gemma dropped the phone.