I own nothing you recognize. Original characters and storylines are my own.
Chapter Eleven
"I need to go baby." Juice wrestled out of my grip and I pouted. I didn't want him to go anywhere, things had started heating up.
"Fine, you'll be by to see me tonight right?" He leaned down to kiss me and I pulled him down again.
"You know I will my saucy little minx, but I need to get going, we've got club shit to do. Oh yeah, Gemma rescheduled the dinner, so you've got s reprieve for another night. Love you." He let his body collapse on mine and kissed me deeply before he got up off the bed and grabbed his cut from the chair.
"Love you too." I lay back in bed, contemplating my two solid days off. I decided to start off by sleeping in for a little while longer before I sought out Gemma for a trip to the hospital. I wanted to be there to support Jax as both a friend and an Old Lady.
I pulled into the St. Thomas parking lot and looked around, feeling relieved when I saw Gemma's Caddy. I walked into the hospital and didn't have far to go when Gemma got out of a seat by the Nurse's Station and enveloped me in a hug.
"Hey baby." She kissed my cheek and we started walking toward the neonatal unit.
"Sorry I didn't get here earlier Gem." I said as she threaded her arm with mine.
"No need to be sorry, I'm just glad you pulled your head out of your ass and realized you and Juice are meant to be. You're both damn stubborn." I laughed at her assessment and felt her tense when a pretty brunette in scrubs and a lab coat came out of the room ahead of us.
"How is he Doc?" She asked and the doctor looked at her clipboard.
"He's doing well, but only family is allowed in the incubation room." She looked at me then Gemma and I saw that Gemma had her self-satisfied grin.
"She is family Tara." She lifted up my polo and made my crow visible before I could pull it back down. I blushed and the doctor's brow furrowed as she took in the crow and my conservative outfit of khakis, a long sleeved red polo and tennis shoes. I knew I didn't look like an Old Lady, but I couldn't deny it was what I was.
"I'll make sure she's on the list," She looked down at her chart again and moved past us.
Gemma walked me into the room and I held in my gasp as I saw the poor baby boy. He looked unreal, like a doll modeled out of resin. I looked at Gemma and saw a fierce protective look in her eye and nodded inwardly. That little boy wouldn't die on her, he wouldn't dare. She went to stand by the tiny boy in the incubator and I hung back. She needed the solace of him and I wouldn't take that from her. Suddenly she looked up and turned to me with a weird half-smile on her face.
"Stay with my grandson for a while Daria, I've gotta do something." I nodded and sat in the chair by the incubator. I'd brought the kid's book that I'd bought at the gas station on my way to the hospital and started reading. Hearing voices would probably be soothing for him and I wanted to do anything I could to help him. As I started reading the brunette doctor came in and I continued as she checked out Abel's stats.
"I'm sorry to interrupt your reading, but can I ask you a question?" She looked like she was fighting with herself so my curiosity was piqued.
"Sure, Dr…" I hadn't been introduced so I was at a loss as to her name.
"I'm Dr. Knowles, I just wanted to know how long you've been Jax's Old Lady." She asked and turned around to look at me. I knew my eyes where wide and I didn't know what to think. Then suddenly I let out a bark of laughter. Jax's Old Lady, was she serious? I had to set her straight.
"Oh Dr. Knowles, you have it all wrong. I'm not family through Jax. I'm the Intelligence Officer's Old Lady. His name's Juice, due to the volume these guys are injured you'll probably see him here from time to time. Look for the Mohawk and head tats. Don't get me wrong Doctor, I like Jax a lot but he's not my type, just a good friend. Sorry to laugh it's just a preposterous notion." I chuckled a little and couldn't help but notice how her tension eased out.
"I'm sorry, I was just in shock, it takes a lot for Gemma to consider someone family. I will put your name on this list though, as soon as I learn it." It was her turn to chuckle and I gave her a wide smile.
"Daria, Daria Campbell and it's a pleasure to meet you." I got up and extended my hand and she shook it.
"Tara Knowles, if you don't mind me asking, what do you do here in Charming? Now that I've gotten a better look at you, you seem familiar. Do you work in the salon?" I smiled and shook my head at her. One of the girls in the salon did have a remarkably similar build and hairstyle but that definitely wasn't me.
"I work at the Charming Public Library. I'm the Youth Services Librarian and Reference. Due to the size of the community and the collection I'm allowed to double duty since both were my specializations in grad school." Tara looked imperceptibly to where she'd seen my crow and flicked her eyes to mine.
"Be careful Daria, this world will eat someone like you alive. If you need to talk, here's my card. Call me sometime." She placed the card in my hand and walked out. Gemma walked in a split second later.
"What was that about?" She asked as she came and stood by the incubator.
"Dr. Knowles wanted to know how long I've been Jax's Old Lady. It was the response you wanted, wasn't it?" Gemma just chuckled and continued looking at her grandson.
"How'd you respond to that baby?" She turned to me and gave me a secretive smile.
"Laughed, told her who I belong to, then I introduced myself and she gave me her card, told me to call." My brow furrowed as I remembered her assessment.
"Did the doctor bitch say something to you, you look upset?"
"She said that this world will eat someone "like me" alive." She took my hand and had me look at her.
"She doesn't know you baby. You were made for this shit; Juicy couldn't do better for an Old Lady. In fact, none of them could. Don't listen to her, just keep being you baby. Feel better?" I nodded and she leaned down to kiss my cheek. "Good, we'll stay here for a couple of hours, read to my grandson then we'll have some lunch."
She took a chair from the hallway and I gave her the rocker as we took turns reading to Abel. It was nice being included in something so intimate and private and I knew I was only there because Gemma wanted me there. She was as good as her word and we went to lunch after we'd read for a few hours. I loved lunches with Gemma, she knew everything about everyone in town and it had me wondering why they even needed Juice in the club, if they wanted to know something they'd just have to ask Gem. We went back to the hospital so that I could pick up my car before I left to run some errands on my day off. Gemma wanted me to make something special for the dinner so I included the grocery store in my plans, and wished I hadn't. As I turned the corner to go into the pasta aisle I ran into my Uncle. As I tried to get away two large men came up behind me and blocked me in. I put my hand in my pocket to get my cell phone when he shook his head.
"Don't be stupid Daria, I just wanted to ask you a few questions." I took my hand out of my pocket and gripped my cart.
"What?" I asked, secure in the knowledge that he wouldn't hurt me in the middle of the grocery store.
"Do you have any idea where my SUV disappeared to? I know your beaner had something to do with it, him and his little buddies. Also, why won't your mother come home, her mother's dying? She needs her family." He asked and I snorted.
"Well, first of all, what the club does, the club does. I don't know a thing, though I may have to reward him tonight if he ruined your day. Secondly, Mom is never coming back here. This place represents the worst time in her life." The little vein on his neck popped and I felt slightly satisfied.
"You listen to me Daria, you may think the Sons can protect you but you're wrong. People have a nasty way of disappearing around here. You're my baby sister's girl and I'd just hate to have to tell her you ran afoul the wrong crowd." He gave a jerk of his head and the muscle behind me backed off before he walked by me, deliberately brushing my arm. I shivered and rushed through the rest of my shopping, throwing everything on my list in the cart and going through the line. I tried calling Juice but he wasn't available so I left him a message to call me when he was free.
I decided to go home and unload my groceries before I got crazy from the paranoia. Once I was safely in my house I calmed down and put away my groceries jumping at every noise. It was just a veiled threat but a threat nonetheless and I didn't doubt for a minute that he'd hurt me. Luckily I lived in a heavily populated neighborhood with very nosey neighbors who wouldn't think twice about calling the cops, like they did the night after I broke up with Juice and he drunkenly pounded on my door for two hours. Deputy Hale had arrived and escorted him away, since then I'd been very careful to be a quiet unassuming neighbor, now they just waited for me to do something.
After making the food Gemma wanted for the dinner I settled in for a night of movies and waiting. At midnight I called it a night, Juice hadn't called or texted but since I didn't receive a call from Gemma I just lived with the assumption that everything was good. I woke up later that night to the sound of the shower running and smiled, Juice was home and he was safe. What more could an Old Lady ask for?