Fighting Destiny 5
Chapter 12 Gemma Makes a Move
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Tara spent the next day taking comfort in normalcy. She picked up Abel from preschool, took care of Baby Nate and made Jax's favorite pot roast dinner.
She was only working part-time at St. Thomas following the baby's birth. She didn't tell Gemma the other reason she was leaving St. Thomas; the hospital was phasing out its neonatal department because it was costing more money to run the department than it was bringing in.
Parents whose infants needed such specialized care usually didn't think of small-town Charming. People automatically assume a large city like San Francisco or Oakland would have the best care. It had been an uphill and ultimately unsuccessful battle to convince people a small town could give them first rate care. In a few weeks, St. Thomas would make the announcement until then the staff was expected to keep quiet. Jax was the only person Tara had told.
The next day, Tara had picked up Abel early from preschool because he had a stomachache. She'd just put Abel and Baby Nate down for their naps when Gemma knocked at the door.
Tara felt dread every time she saw her mother-in-law. After telling her they were leaving town, that feeling of dread was even greater. It would be heaven when they were living out of state and she would never have to worry about Gemma dropping in on her again.
"I just put the boys down for their naps," Tara said as she let Gemma into the house.
"I wanted to talk to you."
Tara remained outwardly calm, but inside she felt a trickle of fear. She didn't trust Gemma and she knew she would fight their move with everything she had.
"You want something to drink? Iced tea? I could make coffee."
"This isn't a social call," Gemma said sitting down at the kitchen table.
Tara grabbed a tall glass, added ice and poured some tea into it and sat down at the table across from Gemma.
"Why are you here then?"
"How can you be OK with your boys never getting to know their grandmother?"
It was always about Gemma. She never mentioned that the boys also had a grandfather. Tara wondered if Gemma ever considered Clay's feelings. Maybe Gemma didn't consider Clay a real grandfather because he wasn't a biological grandfather, but Clay appeared to think of the boys as his grandsons.
"Don't be so dramatic," Tara said in a conciliatory tone of voice. "We'll come back for Christmas and for part of the summers. You can come to visit us. You can face time with the boys. You will still be in their lives, but we're making the move for the good of the boys."
"This is about us," Gemma insisted. "You have never liked me and you are taking the boys away for that reason."
Tara shook her head. Gemma was right. She had never liked her, but she'd had good reason. Gemma had always been mean to her. It was typical of Gemma to overlook her conduct as a factor in their troubled relationship.
"You're not the sun and the world doesn't revolve around you. We're making the move for the good of our family. This has nothing to do with our relationship. When Jax read his father's manuscript, it made him realize he didn't want to make the same mistakes JT made."
Gemma had begun hating JT several months before he was killed. He was weak and he had begun to question the existence of the MC. She had no idea that he'd written a manuscript because if she had known about it, she would have destroyed it before it screwed up Jax.
SAMCRO was her legacy as much as it was JT's. She'd been there for the club every step of the way. The club was a force to be reckoned with in this town. It made her someone to respect. Her dynasty must continue through her son and grandsons; she would see to it.
"You know if word got out that you took the crucifix into the prison, it could be bad for you. I'm not sure if that's a murder charge or accessory to murder."
Tara stood up. She was shaking on the inside.
"I think you should leave now. Gemma, you need to remember your place in the world. Rats get killed. If you say anything, how do you think that's going to go over with Jax? You open your mouth and you won't be in your grandsons' lives."
Giving birth seemed to have also resulted in Tara growing a spine. Old Tara would have backed down to her. Gemma didn't like this new tougher version of Tara. It could be the days of bullying Tara into doing what she wanted her to do might be over. That could be the case, but Gemma wasn't done yet.
Nothing would stop her from derailing Jax's planned move. Tara might be tougher, but she would find a way to get that information to the police. With Tara locked up in California, Jax would have to stay nearby to see her and bring the boys for prison visits.
All Gemma needed to do was figure out a way for the police to learn that Tara gave the crucifix to Otto without the information getting traced back to her.