Gemma looked up at the clock on the wall in the office. A little after four. Shaking her head, she straightened the pile of invoices she really hadn't been looking at and shoved them in their file and put it away.
She'd been in and out of the office all day, helping to get things out of Jax's, either to be put in storage or taken to the dump. The things to be donated were moved out to the garage until they could be picked up in the next day or so.
Since Jules had been cleared by the doctor the day before, the Lyons clan had gone into overdrive getting the house ready for what was coming from Chicago. Glancing at the clock again, she chuckles remembering the phone call she received from Jake Lyons after lunch the day before.
She had just been heading to the hospital to see Abel when he'd called.
"Gemma. Jake Lyons." She could hear the noise of some store in the background. She knew they had gone to Stockton for some things.
"What can I do for you, Jake?" Stopping at a stop sign.
"Could you run by Jax's and measure the fridge space again? None of us, Dennis included, can read his chicken scratch." Jake sounded a bit irritated.
"Yeah. I can do that. Are you getting a new fridge? The one in the house is less than five years old." She had put a signal on to head right towards Jax's.
"Jules needs one with an ice-maker in it." Jake replied. "There should still be a measuring tape out on the counter."
"Anything else you need me to do?" As she had pulled into Jax's driveway, noticing that all the bikes were there and the garage van was gone, along with the rental.
"Nah, we can read everything else. Just text the measurements." Jake sounded distracted. "Gotta go. Jules is eyeing new tubs. We don't have time for that shit right now." And he had hung up.
She had sat in her car for a minute, stunned to silence. People thought she was the master at taking over something. Man, she had nothin' on these people.
Her cell phone ringing pulled her from her memory. Looking down at the number she grinned. Over the course of the last twenty-four hours she had exchanged a few phone calls with Lu Collins.
"What can I do for you, Lu?" Deciding she was done with the office and was just gonna head over to Jax's and wait with the rest of them, see if the girls needed help with anything.
"I know Old Jake called Jacob, but I wasn't sure that you had gotten the message that we're about an hour away." She heard another voice murmur in the background. "Well, okay. As Mercy is pointing out it's about forty-five minutes by now." She could hear the eye-roll. "And if I know Jake, he's forgotten to let you know." The woman chuckled.
As Lu was laughing, the office phone rang. "Hold on Lu, gotta grab this."
"Teller-Morrow." She answered.
"Mom, Jake wanted me to call and let you know that the Chicago people will be here in about an hour. Jake, Red, me, and Clay are gonna go escort them here." Jax sounded hurried. "I gotta go, Jake wants to get goin'. I'll see you when I get back."
"Sure, baby." She said to a dead line. Putting the cell phone back to her ear, she grinned. "Apparently, your old man decided to delegate. My son said they're getting ready to leave to meet you and escort you to the house."
Lu chuckled again. "He probably remembered while they were getting ready to take off." She could hear murmuring in the background. "Or, like Mercy said, Eric remembered and reminded his dad." She could hear laughter on Lu's end. This woman did not mind taking her old man down a peg or two.
"Not that it really matters." Lu went on. "So, I'm thinking between my guys and your guys, it really shouldn't take us long to get everything in." Getting down to the nitty-gritty. "Granted, getting everything set up will take a little time. When did Tara say Abel could come home?"
"Earlier today she said he can come home whenever we're ready for him." Feeling the excitement in the pit of her stomach. She'd waited a long time for this day to come.
"Well, we're gonna want to have as much done as possible before that happens, so that Jules can focus on him and not unpacking." There was more murmuring in the background. "Jules said his room is ready, right?"
"Yeah, other than something that Jules wants to put up. We moved Soph's toddler bed in there while her room was being painted, but I think Jake moved it out today." She closed and locked the office door behind her and made her way to her car. "I'm gonna head over there now, see if the girls need any help." She smiled as she thought of Jules shooing her out of the kitchen at Jax's this morning. "Jules said she had food taken care of." Then she laughed. "All I know is it involves a lot of crock pots."
Lu laughed. "The midwestern way. We'll see you soon, Gemma. I've got a bottle of wine with our name on it!" Then the woman hung up.
Shaking her head with laughter, she started her car. She was looking forward to meeting this woman.
/
Jax followed Clay and Jake as they pulled off onto the shoulder of the highway, Red pulling off behind him. Like Jake and Red, he took advantage of the wait and lit a smoke. While Clay and Jake had their heads together, Red ambled over to him. "You ready?" Red grinned. "Because once this shit is out of these trucks, they're your headache, man."
He rolled his eyes behind his sunglasses. "You keep tellin' yourself that." Trying like hell to keep the grin out of his voice. He clapped Red on the shoulder.
Red shrugged with a grin and then nodded his head to the east. "They're comin'."
He saw two Harleys, two SUVs, a moving truck and a van all pull off about twenty feet from where they had parked. Before it was stopped, the passenger door to one of the SUVs opened and a tiny woman with long, dark hair jumped out.
This had to be Jules' step-mom, Lu. The woman hurried to Jake with her arms open, giving Eric a pat on the arm as she rushed past. "Jake!"
Jake gave her a quick squeeze and kiss. "Hey, hon." Then nodded towards him and Clay. "Lu, this is Clay Morrow and..."
Lu quickly shook Clay's hand and then pulled him into a tight hug. "Jax." Lu pushed him away while still holding on. "It's good to meet you." Hugging him again. "Welcome to the family." For a tiny woman, she could hug someone to the point of ribs protesting.
"Lu stop squeezin' that boy to death." He turned at the graveled voice coming from about six feet away. Jules grandfather was standing there, leaning on a walking stick. He knew what Jake would look like when he got to be in his eighties, because the resemblance was obvious.
Lu waved a hand at the old man. "He's young, he can take it." Lu let go of him and smiled. "Jax, meet Jake Lyons, senior." Then grinned. "Or, as your daughter likes to call him, Ol' Grampa."
Jax took the proffered hand. "Sir." There was something about the older man that made that word just come automatically. Judging from the smiles around him, it wasn't that unusual of a reaction.
Old Jake shook his head. "No need for that sir bullshit, boy. Like Lu said, you're family now." Then Old Jake grasped his hand a little tighter. "And you just need to keep three things in mind." Old Jake's grip tight enough to start to sting a little. "One, I have twenty acres of land. Two, I have a wood-chipper." The grip loosened just a little. "And I have a backhoe. You feel me?"
Loud and clear. "Yeah, I feel you." He looked over to see the rest of the Lyons clan and club arrayed behind the old man. He knew that none of these threats were idle and that anyone of these people would be happy to follow through if he fucked up.
Lu turned to Old Jake. "That was a little melodramatic don'tcha think?" As Red and a guy with longer dark hair and beard snickered. "You two shut it." The woman turned back to him. "Ignore that. Not that they won't beat the crap out of you if you break her heart, but nothing quite so… "
"Graphic." Clay interrupted, a slight smirk on his face that faded quickly as he looked at the old man. "My son is a good man, he doesn't need to be threatened to do right by them." Clay put a hand on his shoulder, giving it a squeeze. "Plus, you all would have to beat his mother to it and with that I wish you good luck." Clay chuckled. "Because my wife is a force of nature in size nine heels."
He laughed his agreement. Clay was right. He had a feeling if he fucked up, for the first time in a very, very long time, his mother would not be on his side.
Jake nodded to his father. "Dad, we need to get movin'. You got to say your piece without Jules in earshot." He looked over at Red, who just shrugged as if this were news to him also. "We can take care of the rest of the introductions when we get to Charming." Glancing at the four guys in kuttes with Chicago patches. They immediately headed back to the bikes and van.
"Slim, Grace, Mercy." Jake said as he pointed to the three standing with Lu and Old Jake. The man was tall and thin with one of those faces you just trusted. The women bore some semblance to each other, but not by much. The taller one had striking white hair and kind dark eyes. The shorter one had Jake's eyes and a grin as she waved at them.
Before Jake could go on, Mercy rolled her eyes. "For God's sake Jacob, we know who they are. Can we just go? I'm starving." Then waved an arm. "And eventually someone is going to stop and check why we're all parked here." Then Mercy looked over to Red. "You got room for your Auntie?"
Red nodded as Mercy pumped a fist and ran back to the SUV for a minute, strapping a helmet on as she walked back. "We ready?" She looked at the two Jakes.
"Yeah." Old Jake answered. "Let's get goin'." The rest of them heading to their vehicles.
Jules' aunt stopped him as he went to get on his bike. "Sorry for all of that." Nodding her head back at her dad with a smile. "But you'll understand in about fifteen years." Patting him on the arm as she got on Red's bike behind her nephew.
He hung his head for a second and laughed. The woman wasn't wrong. Sighing, he got on his bike and followed Clay and Jake out onto the highway back to the girls.
/
Gemma was surprised to see Dennis and Bobby pull in behind her as she pulled up to the curb in front of Jax's house. It looked like they had decided to leave the driveway for the truck coming from Chicago.
Bobby was getting some bags out of the van as she got out of the car. "Hey Gem."
Dennis popped out from behind the van, arms loaded with cases of beer. "Hi Gemma. Jax call you about Lu and them being close?" Not really waiting for an answer as he headed towards the back gate. "Hey! Will someone over twenty-one come get this gate? I got beer!"
"About two minutes after Lu did." She smiled and took one of the bags from Bobby. "Got sent on a store run, huh?" Eyeing the buns and chips in the bags.
"Just making sure we don't run out." Bobby smiled. "Hey, at least this one can cook."
"Always a bonus." She held her hand out for the other bags. "I'll take these in to Jules, go make sure they aren't getting hammered before the crew from Chicago gets here." Nodding her head towards the backyard.
"Yeah, I can do that. Chibs, Happy and Juice still at the garage?" Bobby asked while handing her the bags.
"Yeah, along with the prospect. Told them to head over after five when the garage closes. Chibs can lock it up." She started towards the house. "I should go see if they need any help."
Bobby waved her on as he headed towards the noise in the backyard. She hoped someone had warned the neighbors tonight was gonna be loud.
As she opened the front door to the house, Sophie came around the corner. "Hi Gramma Gemma!" The little girl bouncing around her. She had to admit she got a kick out of hearing Sophie call her grandma.
"Hey, baby girl." She greeted the toddler.
"You want help? I can carry da bag!" Sophie was still bouncing on her toes. "I helped Mommy an Auntie Tara an Auntie Donna make cookies! Mommy let me have some before we baked 'em! Right off da spoon!"
No wonder she was bouncing, the kid was on a sugar high. She handed Sophie the bag with the tortilla chips. "Here you go, baby. Why don't you carry this one."
"Okay!" Sophie took the bag and turned toward the kitchen. "Mommy! Gramma Gemma is here! And I'm helpin' her!"
Jules limped out from the kitchen. "Helping?" Then noticing the grocery bags. "Thought I saw Dennis and Bobby were back." She reached a hand down and took the bag from her daughter and the looked back towards the kitchen. "Hey Tara! We can make the margaritas now, the chips for salsa are here!" Jules shot her a grin. "While the boys are doing who knows what outside, and we're waiting on everyone else, you want a margarita?" Jules looked back to the kitchen. "Everything else is pretty much done. Bobby said he'd start the grill after everyone got here."
"Grill?" She asked following Jules and Soph into the kitchen where Tara was at the counter mixing a pitcher of margaritas and Donna was sitting at the table putting cookies on a tray. Looking around, she couldn't figure out what the hell they would be grilling considering she knew that there was a couple of crock pots of pulled pork, and barbecue chicken in the oven keeping warm. Although she had no idea what was in the other two crock pots. Sophie snagged a cookie from Donna and ran out back calling for her uncle.
Jules shrugged. "Just a few hot dogs and brats. Sophie wants hot dogs." She smirked as Jules rolled her eyes. "Pop caved the second she asked." Jules pulled a bag of tortilla chips out of the bag and opened them. "It was out of my control." Dumping the chips into a big plastic bowl. "And today is a day where I'm busy enough that capitulating is easier than arguing."
"I feel you honey." She nodded to Tara as the woman handed her a glass. "Thanks." Tara looked far better than she had the night she'd stayed at the clubhouse. Now that there was no chance of her getting her hooks into Jax again, she could look at Tara through a mother's eyes. "How are you doin', darlin'?"
Tara shrugged. "I'm dealing?" She smiled as Jules went and put an arm around Tara's shoulder and gave her a quick squeeze. The Lyons had really taken Tara in. Tara sighed. "It's just all a little surreal if you know what I mean. I have these moments where I still feel like I should be looking over my shoulder and then I remember..."
She reached over and held Tara's arm. "Sweetheart, you did what you had to do." She hardened her tone a little so Tara would understand. "You don't know what else he would have done had you not protected yourself." She squeezed Tara's arm. "That's all you did. Protected yourself. It's why I gave you the goddamned thing to begin with." Locking eyes with the doctor.
Jules gave Tara another squeeze. "She's right. That dude is not playing with a full deck, you had no idea what he was going to do next." Jules let go and took a drink of her margarita. "It was you or him." Jules set her glass down. "I'm glad you made sure it was you."
She nodded her agreement as she let go of Tara's arm. The young woman took a hard swallow of her drink. "Yeah." Then looked around. "Can we not..."
Jules nodded. "No worries, I got you." Then looked up at the sound of bikes. "Hey, they have good timing." Jules grinned at the three of them. "And if you think the four of us are bad? Just brace yourself for Gramps and Lu."
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Tara stifle a laugh. She turned, raising an eyebrow.
Getting her snickers under control, Tara shrugged. "Lu is better experienced than explained."
Jules laughed. "That's actually a pretty good way to put that." Then walked to the patio door. "Den!"
She heard Dennis' responding yell. "Yeah! I hear 'em!"
With Sophie in his arms, Dennis came into the house with the others including Donna and Opie's kids, following behind. When Jules went to reach for Sophie, Dennis kept moving towards the front door. "Oh no. If Pop or Jax sees you holding her, it'll be my head they bite off, not yours. Not to mention what Gramps might do." Dennis shook his head. "We don't want me to get into trouble, do we, Baby Princess?"
"No trouble for Unca Manny." Sophie agreed. "Daddy's home?" Patting Dennis' kutte.
Dennis rolled his eyes as the rest of them laughed. "That's what it's all about these days, huh? Daddy?" Dennis grinned. "At least you love your ol' Uncle Den here enough to not want me in trouble." As he kissed her on the forehead.
"I always wuv you Unca Manny." Sophie said as she gave her uncle a kiss on the cheek. "Can we go see Daddy now?" All of them could now hear the truck coming up the street.
Dennis opened the front door. "Yes, we can go see Daddy now." A wry smile on his face as the two of them headed outside.
/
Bobby was still laughing at the exchange between Sophie and Dennis as he caught up with Gemma. Putting an arm around her waist, he gave her a quick squeeze. "Ready to meet the in-laws?"
Gemma gave him a smirk. "I think we can handle them." Watching Sophie try to climb up Jax, who was stowing his helmet.
They both blinked as a tiny woman jumped out of the passenger side of one of the SUVs as it came to a stop.
"Gramma!" Sophie squealed, abandoning her quest for Jax to run over to the woman.
"Oh, my baby girl!" The woman snatched Sophie up, hugging her tightly. Then loosening her grip a little, she looked at the stitches in her granddaughter's face for a moment and then hugged her again. "I've missed you!"
He felt a little bit of tension in his stomach. Maybe all this family would remind the girls of what they were leaving behind. Jules was currently lost in a mob of older people, the oldest wrapping Jules hand around a walking stick, his graveled voice cutting through. "You don't have to use that aluminum piece of crap the hospital gave you."
He nodded to Clay and Jax as they walked over to where he and Gemma, along with Tig and Ope, were standing.
"Let them get the family reunion out of the way." Clay shrugged as he lit one of his cigars. "You want to call the others and tell them to get over here. Leave a croweater with Hayes." Then Clay looked over to Ope. "You wanna call your old man? Let him know."
Both he and Ope made their calls quickly. Luckily, Chibs and the others were just getting ready to head over. Ope announced that he was gonna have to go get Piney, the old man probably shouldn't be drivin'.
Ope stopped and let Jules know what was going on and that he'd be back soon. Jules nodded and he could hear her telling the others who Ope was.
All of a sudden there was a shrill whistle and everyone went silent. Jake looked over to a guy standing next to Red wearing a Satan Son's kutte. "Thanks Jase." Then Jake looked around and shook his head. "Fuck, too many goddamned people to make simple introductions."
The tiny woman, who was still shorter than Donna while wearing heels, shook her head. "Jesus, Jake, it's not that damn hard." She stepped forward. "I'm Lu." Waving a hand that had to have he didn't want to know how much in diamonds on it to those wearing kuttes standing with Red and Dennis. "This is Jase, Bill, Vince and Johnny. They're with the Chicago chapter." Then waved the other ring laden hand at the group standing with Jules. "That's the kids' Gramps, Aunts Grace and Mercy, and Grace's husband and President of the Nashville chapter, Slim." Then she turned to her husband. "See, simple enough." She shook her head and grinned at Gemma. "They always have to make things so complicated." And then walked over. "You have to be Gemma."
Even in the heels Lu was wearing, she barely came to Gemma's shoulder. He bit back a snicker as Gemma stuck a shell-shocked hand out. "Yeah." Then shook her head with a laugh. "Good to meet you." Then nodded towards him and Tig. "That's Bobby and most of you know Tig." Gemma straightened and looked at all of those from Chicago with defiance, daring them to slight one of her guys. It was moments like this he always felt a rush of amused affection for the Queen of SAMCRO.
Gemma nodded her approval when the Chicago crew just nodded at him and Tig, then continued. "This is Opie's wife Donna and their kids Ellie and Kenny." Then nodded towards where Tara was partially hiding behind Tig. "And this is Tara Knowles." Turning back to Lu. "I believe you know her."
Tara stepped out from behind Tig. "Hi Lu." Looking like she'd rather be back behind Tig again. Not that he could blame her. Jake probably told his old lady what went down at Tara's, and Lu probably told everyone with her. Tara was probably feeling like she was being closely scrutinized.
He wasn't surprised to see the smaller woman rush past him. "Tara, sweetie." Grabbing her into a hug that he was happy to see Tara return. "It's good to see you." Lu said as she let go. "We'll talk later." Patting Tara's cheek with a smile as she turned and clapped her hands while looking at the lot of them. "Alright! Let's get going!" Then looked to Jax and Jules. "You two have any particular plan?"
He glanced over to Jax and Jules, who looked at each other for a second before Jules grinned. "Nah, I figured you'd do what you wanted to anyway." Nudging Jax with her elbow. "I'll just make him move shit to where I want it after you leave." That tension that had been in his stomach relaxed at the tone of Jules' voice. She loved these people dearly, but he had the feeling that the baby was ready to leave the nest, so to speak.
"That's fine." Lu shot back cheerfully. Then looked around to the other women. "Let's go see what we're workin' with."
He laughed as he overheard Jules whisper to Jax. "See! Told you she was worse than Gemma." Shaking her head as she followed the other women inside stopping beside him for a second. "You can start the grill whenever you think it should be started." She looked towards the house. "I'm really only concerned with getting the furniture in and in place tonight." She sighed. "No matter what Lu says. I'll fuckin' sic Gramps on her. It's been a long week for everyone and I think we need an evening to just fucking be." She elbowed him in the ribs. "Know what I mean?"
"That I do, darlin'." Giving her a quick squeeze.
They both heard Lu yell from the house. "Jules!"
Jules cringed as she flipped off her brothers who were starting to snicker. "Yeah, I need to get in there. She's like thirty seconds from my full name." Jules started towards the house. "Coming Lu! Keep your panties on!" Hustling towards the house as fast as her bum knee would let her. "You three fucking shut it." She hissed at her brothers and one of the other Chicago Sons of Satan who were still snickering.
"Your sister isn't wrong." The old man grouched at the three of them, who immediately shut the fuck up. "We have things to get done and it'll go a lot faster if you shut up and listen." Then looked to his son. "Jake. How d you want to run this, son?"
Jake shrugged. "Let's get the furniture in and at least get her bed set up." Jake sighed. "Get the boxes in the rooms they belong to. The women can deal with those tomorrow." Jake looked over to Dennis. "You're in charge of getting the television and all that shit set up." Dennis nodded.
Jules' uncle, President of the Nashville chapter, chimed in. "We can put all the crates that are in the SUVs in the garage."
Jake nodded. "Yeah, we're using it for storage right now anyway," Jake turned at the sound of Chibs and the others riding up. Turning back with a slight smile. "Now that almost everyone is here, might as well get started."
One of the guys with a Chicago kutte unlocked the back of the moving truck, throwing the door up. They all stood there a moment staring at the stuffed truck.
Old Jake rubbed his shock white hair. "Let's get to work." Nodding at two of the Chicago guys, who immediately pulled the ramp down.
As the guys started to unload the truck, Jules came back out of the house with both Lu and Tara on her heels. "My knee is fine Lu. I just want to do this one freaking thing and then I will go sit down so you don't stroke the fuck out. Tara, tell her I'm fine."
No one from Chicago bothered to hide their snickers and his brothers were quickly losing the fight as Tara shook her head with a smile. "While you're knee is fine, I'm not getting in the middle of this." Tara walked over to him. "Gemma thinks with everyone helping you should start the grill pretty soon. The kids are starting to want to eat." He had to lean into her to hear over the arguing of Jules and Lu.
"For fuck's sake Lu, just let her do whatever it is she wants to do." Old Jake's voice cut through the din. The old man looked to Jules. "What is it sweetheart?" And before Jules could even think of smirking at her step-mother, the old man continued. "Because there are some things you just aren't gonna be doin' by yourself no matter how fine you think you are."
He was fascinated at the stare down between Old Jake and his granddaughter. The two of them weren't related by blood at all, but he could see where Jules had inherited her stubborn streak from, and it just wasn't Tig.
The two of them continued their stare down while most of the others had resumed emptying the truck. Jax was hovering near him, not sure what the hell to do.
Finally Jules looked away to the SUVs. "I just want to put the painting up in Abel's room." She looked to Jax. "He can carry it."
Everything kind of slowed at the mention of Abel's name. Even Old Jake softened a little, then sighed. "Fine. Then after that you are listening to Lu and taking it easy the rest of the night." There would be no arguing with the tone the old man was using. Fuck, not even Clay or Jake would argue with that tone.
Jules nodded curtly and then looked over to Lu. "I know Amy made a list of the crates. Where is it?"
Lu rolled her eyes. "Taped to the top crate in Slim and Grace's Expedition." Lu nodded to Jax. "And what she wants is in the top crate anyway."
Jax and Jules both headed towards the black Suv, while he stopped Clay as he was heading into the house with a couple of boxes. "Gemma wants me to get the grill goin', if you guys need me, I'll be out back."
Clay looked around at all of the activity and turned back to him with a smirk. "I doubt one less set of hands is gonna make a difference."
"Truth." He chuckled as he ambled off towards the back. He gave Jax and Jules a wave as he passed them. Jax was wrestling a wide, thin crate out of the SUV. "Need help with that?"
Jax waved him on. "Nah, brotha. It's just awkward, not heavy." The two of them heading towards the front of the house. Jules seemed pretty excited about whatever was in that crate; and even more excited for it to go up in Abel's room.
He thought he understood. Gemma'd had her way with setting up the kid's room. Not that Jax would have had the first clue on what to do. But this was Jules' way to put her stamp on before the little guy came home in the next few days and she wanted his daddy to be a part of it. Something that the two of them did together like most couples with kids.
Nodding to himself, he pulled the lid off the grill and started on his task.
/
Once the crate was out of the SUV, Jax handled it easily. As he followed Jules to the house, he shook his head with a slight frown he was glad she couldn't see. She was starting to limp and favor her unhurt knee. But he decided to keep his mouth shut until they had finished doing what Jules seemed to think was so damn important.
He didn't understand. Abel wasn't home and even if he was, he was too little to really notice what was up on his walls. He wasn't an idiot, he knew you had to have things up there, you don't want a kid to stare at a blank wall.
But he didn't understand the urgency that Jules was showing about this. He could think of a dozen things more important at the moment. Like making sure they had a bed to sleep in tonight. Getting Sophie's room into a little bit of order since she was here and would need to sleep in her room tonight. Hell, furniture into the entire house since she had deemed none of his worth keeping.
When they got to Abel's room she motioned for him to lay the crate flat on the changing table. "Here, hand me your knife."
He took the knife from his belt and handed it to her and watched silently as she pried the strip of wood from the end of the crate. Leaning the strip along the side of the changing table, she started to gently pull something framed out of the crate. Once she had it out she leaned it up against the wall and stood back.
He felt his jaw drop just the tiniest bit. He knew that she was taking grad level art classes mostly so she would have access to certain kinds of equipment, but he hadn't thought of what going to art school really meant.
He knew the picture in front of him. It was from one of the earliest Daytona rallys. It was of a lone biker coming around a curve with an official flying the checkered flag as he was passing, bike leaning into the sand curve. But the picture he knows is black and white and this one is in color, but the color is unusual in the fact that it's not throughout the photo.
He steps closer and runs a finger along the sand and finds out it's paint.
"This was a project for a class my freshman year." Jules' voice soft behind him. "Choose a favorite black and white photo, blow it up and colorize it by painting it." He turned to her as she chuckled. "That's how homesick I was."
He laughed lightly with her but kept silent as she went on, he wanted to know every little thing about her that she was willing to give him.
"Pop made the frame." She grinned a little. "It's chrome from old bikes." She chuckled again. "Don't worry, it's Harley chrome."
He grinned at her as he polished the frame a little with the sleeve of his flannel. "I had no doubt, babe." He nodded at the painted photo. "This is amazing and I'm sure someday the little man will be in love with it, but what's the rush babe?"
She shook her head with a wry smile as she walked over and grabbed the other side of the frame. "Here, help me get it on these hooks."
He shrugged and did as he was told, taking several minutes to make what seemed to him minuscule tweaks until she deemed it straight.
Then she came over and wrapped her arms around him and gave him a soft kiss. "There, we put the final touch on our son's room." She kissed him again. "Together."
He hugged her to him as he mentally kicked himself in the ass. He should have known that was what this was all about. His mom had decorated this room. He hadn't even thought to try and help, it was way easier just to stay out of his mother's way.
But Jules had done this for Sophie. Soph had come home to a room that Jules had put every single thing in it's place and Abel would be coming home to something that she'd had no hand in. Soph probably had a room full of things that Jules had made for her and Jules wanted the same for Abel.
He hugged her tighter to him. "We'll be all over the next one, babe." Letting her know he finally understood.
"You bet your ass we will." She kissed him hard with a wicked smile. "Now help me back to the kitchen where I shall sit and drink margaritas while the rest of you peons do the heavy lifting."
He just smiled as he steered them towards the kitchen. He'd heard the order, and that's exactly what it was, from her Gramps. If she was up and about, there would be a scolding. For both of them.
"You do that babe." If she wanted to sit and get a little lit, as long as she stayed put and kept him out of her grandfather's line of fire.
She hip checked him a little. "Coward."
"When it comes to a man with a wood-chipper, you bet, babe." He laughed.
He was happy to see the resigned roll of her eyes. "Yeah." Then she gave him another wicked smile. "Don't forget the backhoe, honey."
"Wouldn't dream of it." He winked at her as he gave her a gentle shove onto a stool by the kitchen counter.
Before he could say anything else, Ope came through the door with a couple of boxes. "Jax, get your lazy ass out there and start helpin'." He waved Ope on and started to turn back to Jules who was already pouring herself a margarita; but Ope just sat the boxes down in the living room where Gemma was directing him and then grabbed him by the arm and started to drag him out with him.
"Apparently I'm needed out there." He laughed as Ope was dragging him out the front door.
"Looks that way." Jules just lifted her glass to him before taking a drink. "I'm good just telling everyone what to do from here." She nodded at Ope. "Take him. I'm absolutely fine, nothing an ibuprofen won't cure."
He searched her face for a second, seeing no signs of any real discomfort, so he allowed Ope to continue manhandling him out the door.
"C'mon man, I'm hungry." Ope let go of him with a shove towards the moving truck where it looked to him like they were finally down to the bigger furniture and electronics. "And that food is startin' to smell a little too good if you know what I mean."
As if on cue, his stomach rumbled. The kitchen did smell ridiculously good. "Yeah, I hear you, man." As he managed to make it up the ramp and into the back of the truck before Ope. He grabbed one end of a box spring.
"Might as well make sure we get the most important thing done first." He grinned at his best friend.
Ope just rolled his eyes with a smirk, but grabbed the other end and started back down the ramp.
Shifting the box spring so it was easier to handle, he took a second to look at all the activity in and around the house, and stood frozen for just a moment. He knew he should be a little freaked out, maybe a little hesitant about whether this was too much, too fast.
Ope jiggled the box spring. "Hey, you okay?" Ope's voice lowered and he had to really listen to hear his brother. "Second thoughts?"
He knew he should have at least a trace of one, but he didn't.
He smiled easy at his oldest and closest friend. He literally can't remember not having Ope at his side. "Nah. Just figuring out if I get a vote in where the bed goes."
Ope laughed as he started towards the house again. "No. You don't." Then laughed to the point the box spring was shaking a little. "You're going to find out a lot things are now completely of your control."
"So, pretty much business as usual then." He snarked back as they entered the house, catching sight of Jules in the kitchen with his mother.
Ope took one look at the two of them and turned back to him with a firm grin. "Yeah. Pretty much."
He gave as much of a shrug as he could while handling the box spring. He trusted Jules to make a good life for them on her end of things. He would do his part to do the same on his end.
Ultimately, they would get it done together. Like his mom and dad had, like his mom and Clay do now. Like Jake and Lu in Chicago.
Hearing Jules yell at Chibs to keep his nose and fingers out of the food until it was time to eat, he realized. He finally had a real partner in his life. They were coming together as equals and partners. Wendy wouldn't have yelled at Chibs because she was a former croweater and they just don't do that. Tara tried to pretend the club didn't exist.
But Jules didn't give a fuck. The only person she hadn't really heard her try to boss around is Clay. Then again, his girl is smart enough to let his mom do that.
He sat the box spring down and leaned it on the wall. "Let's go get the rest of this." Nodding towards the kitchen. "Before we all get our hands slapped."
Jules could also cook a damn sight better than either Wendy or Tara.