She didn't recognize the number right off, but instinct told her to take the call.
" Hello ?"
" Mom ?"
Something caught inside Donna's chest, and she felt like she was choking. " Hello ?..." She managed to get out, then " Kenny...? " Emily recognized the name, and turned from her school work.
" Yea , Ma, it's me..." His connection began to break up.
" I'm up at the - ...house...-- get me?"
" Where ? Did u say Pioneer House ? ? Bubby? " She yelled his childhood moniker . The phone bleeped, displaying CALL ENDED. " FUCK ! "
" What's wrong ?" the youngest Teller asked, watching Donna scramble for her purse and keys, and race into the garage.
" Abel, you and Tommy wait here till Ryan gets back, I've gotta go somewhere, so keep an eye on your sister, I won't be back to lock up!" She commanded, running outside. Finding her husband's truck keys first, she wrenched the door open. A few seconds later, Abel heard the vehicle roar off.
" Wonder what's going on ?" He heard Tommy ask.
" I never seen her take off like that, either.." Abel added.
It seemed to take forever to reach her destination, a popular bar located about a mile or so outside the township. It wasn't exactly a dive, but the clientele bordered on the sketchy redneck biker sort. It only had two windows, darkly tinted from inside, and mirrored outside.
The bartender, a cute little brunette, seemed relieved someone was on the way. This was her customers fourth shot of Jack Daniels, and pouring out another, she caught site of a large red company truck barrelling to a stop just outside.
Donna hoped she heard him correctly. Collecting herself, she quietly entered the place, lightly smelling of stale whiskey and beer. Recognizing military camo standing alone, her heart skipped a beat.
"Bubby?"
The soldier turned, and there stood her son, finishing his shot.
" Hi Mom !"
The bartender smiled thru her own tears, watching as Donna sobbed quietly into her son's chest...
Just off Parker's Creek Rd, Winston Tree Service crews were busy clearing the right of way under Pennco Electric tower lines.
A puddle jumper, with it's huge mud bog tires was brought up to navigate the swampier parts.
Taking a quick smoke brake, Jax watched Opie direct some of the newer crewmen when his cell beeped, displaying Donna's number..
" Hey, what's up ?"
" Where Opie ?" Donna asked.
" He's with a couple greenhorns, but I can get em, " he answered, noticing the pitch of her voice. " Everything good ?"
" No...I mean yes...just tell me exactly where you guys are, I have t see him !" She managed, her voice breaking.
" About a mile up the access road off Parkers Creek. You want him to meet you down there ?" He asked, waving frantically towards Opie.
" No, I got this..!" She answered, and the line went dead.
Staring at his phone, Opies' voice interrupted .
" What's going on?" He didn't like the look in his friends eyes.
" Donna's coming up here, she needs t see you. Sounds kinda upset..." Jax watched Opies' expression grow dark, as he fumbled for his phone.
" I missed her texts..." He mumbled, opening the app.
" What the hell...? "
He held it up and Jax read it..." IM GONNA KICK UR ASS "
" What's that about?" He asked while Opie tried to reach his wife, but kept getting voice mail.
His back facing the access road, Opie didn't see Donna struggling to keep the vehicle from getting stuck. Giving up, she looked at her son.
" Let's walk the rest..." She said, still sniffling thru tears of happiness. Bubby jumped out .
" Damnit, she won't answer !" Opie muttered. " An why does she wanna send me shit like this ?"
" I don't think she sent it.." Jax answered, his voice husky. " I know who did tho..."
" The fuk you talkin about?" He noticed tears in his friends eyes, as Jax nodded towards Donna and Kenny, trudging thru the mud.
In a half second, Opie bounded down lane, almost tackling Kenny.
It took a few minutes before he could look thru his own tears to clearly see his face.
Kenny was home, safe, and his family was whole again.