Chapter 14
GEMMA
Waking up after spending some time with Abel was wonderful. Katherine had agreed to let me keep him over night, she said she wanted to work on my office. However Tiggy told me that Katherine had left for a few hours yesterday afternoon. She didn't return with anything either.
Gemma knew something was going on. She had known for months but just couldn't figure out what. She had a few ideas but thought that they were crazy.
She truly believed that Tara and Katherine were in a romantic relationship. If it was anyone beside Tara Knowels she knows she'd be right. However Gemma just wasn't convinced that the Tara she knew from when she was younger would ever be open to a relationship outside of the norm.
Gemma had seen the looks between the two women but figured Taras hormones were to blame. Katherine was definitely a beautiful young girl. She had a bubbly yet bitchy when needed personality.
And she was amazing with her grandson and was a pro at caring for her sons home. She was a homemaker and Tara was a bread winner. They would make a perfect woman if they could morphe into one.
She laughed to herself.
She picked up the little boy and headed down to the garage. When she arrived she saw the new suv that Katherine drove (Tara had purchased it for her and had opted to taking Katherines fairly new Toyota Camry to work). She made her way to the office and couldn't believe her eyes.
The walls were painted a pale blue, her desk was clean and her files were neatly sorted. She had beautiful storage bins, a bookshelf, and a small seating area. On the walls were frames filled with pictures of Jax, Thomas, John, Clay, and Abel. Everything was natural wood colored. It was beautiful.
"Momma!" Abel yelled when he saw Katherine.
It was no longer strange hearing the little boy refer to Katherine as such. Gemma had a problem with it at first but Tara nearly ripped her head off when she brought it up. Saying that Katherine was not going anywhere and so Abel could call her momma if he wanted to. Tara made it clear that she was mommy and katherine was momma.
"Hi baby!" Katherine squealed as she took the little boy in her arms. "Did you have fun with grandma?"
"miss you." His little voice spoke.
Gemma loved watching her grandson this happy and loved. "This place looks great baby girl. I can't even believe it's the same place."
The young woman smiled and looked around as well. "I'm glad you like it Gem. It needed an update for you."
"That it did. So how are things going?"
"Well Tara is gonna pop soon. I can feel it. Hopefully sooner rather than later. She's driving me crazy."
Gemma laughed. Tara had become quite a pain in the ass this week.
"Well you know to just call me when the time comes. I'll take Abel so you can go with her."
Katherine nodded her head.
"You know it's funny. You two seem like the perfect couple if I didn't know any better."
Katherines eyes gave her away.
There it was.
Gemma knew it.
"Tell me the truth doll. What's going on inside that house?"
"Gem it's... it's complicated." Katherine stuttered out.
"Baby girl. There shouldn't be anything complicated about this. Just tell me the truth." She had her hands on her hips and her eyes were glued to the young woman in front of her.
"Tell me Katherine."
"Ugh. Fine. Sit down first." She pointed to the new little sitting area. Gemma sat down and watched as Katherine set Abel up with a snack and her phone to watch a video.
"Where do I start.." she said while looking at her lap.
"The beginning would be nice." Gemma spoke back to her.
Katherine took a deep breath. "Okay, well Tara and I started out as friends... It was crazy, all of it, we just clicked...In a freaky way, everything just made sense and was so easy. Anyway... things started happening and after living together they got more complicated. One night things just happened and for a few months now we've been... romantically involved."
"Jesus. This is complicated. What happens when jax comes home? What happens with Abel and you being momma? I mean Jesus..."
"Jax knows." Katherine blurted out.
"What?"
"Jax. He knows. Actually I had more to tell you... ummm... well... Jax and Tara had talked and wanted to see how things could work if we all were together."
Gemma was stunned. She gathered her thoughts before speaking.
"You mean the three of you? Together?" She saw a lot in her days but she never thought this would be how her son lived his life.
"Yes. The three of us. Together. Jax and Tara. Me and Tara. Me and Jax. All together. A... throuple if you will."
Gemma was stunned. She knew something was going on but she didn't expect this.
"And how's this going to work when he comes home?"
"Jax and I have been working on our relationship. I'll take care of the house and kids. Tara wants to go back to work. Jax will do what he needs to do with the club and we'll all live together at home. We know it wont be easy but we all are willing to try."
"And what about you? What about when you want a family?"
"If or when I get pregnant I'll have my babies. Jax will be the father. Gemma we've talked about all of this. When he comes home things will definitey be different. complicated and strange. Im not trying to downplay that. But. I love Abel as if he were my own and I already love this baby that's coming as my own. Tara will love my biological children just as much."
"I don't even know what to say. I feel like I need to process this... I mean I know Tara and Jax havent been good lately. Before he went inside shit was hitting the fan. They need a buffer and a level head in between them. Maybe you're the glue that holds it all together."
Katherine reaches for her hand. "I hope this doesn't change things between us."
Gemma gave her a small smile and squeezed her hand back. "Means your my new daughter in law baby."
Katherine laughed.
The following day Gemma found herself flying up to the prison for a visit with her son.
He walked in the room and smiled at her.
"Hi Ma. I hear that you know everything now."
He sat down and gave her his smirk.
"Are you sure about this baby? I don't want you thinking this is all a fantasy. It's gonna be complicated. Messy. Crazy."
"I know Ma. Trust me. In here all I can do is think. Tara and I talked a lot about this stuff, we talk everyday. She hasn't come up much because i know she doesnt want to see me yet. Katherine is helping her heal and when the baby comes she promised to come up more. Katherine and i talk just as much. We all know it'll be tricky at first but we'll get the hang of it. I don't know... Ma if you told me last year this is what would be happening I'd say you were crazy. But...Now I can't imagine it any other way...Tara is happier than she's ever been. Ever. I'm happier than I've ever been. And I can only hope that Katherine is happy with it too."
"If you're happy then I'm happy. I love Katherine. I do. She's good for my grandson and I know she'll build a good home foundation for you. But have you all thought about everything?"
"I think as much as we can. We know things will come up and we're going to have to work through it but we will. The three of us."
"She's gonna want babies of her own."
He nodded. "I know. We all know."
Gemma nodded her head. "Alright baby."
"I do need a favor though." He asked.
"What's that baby?"
"I need you to tell Katherine everything. Everything about the club. About me in it. The good the bad and the ugly."
Gemma understood. Katherine needed to know it all. Tara chose to know everything to a point but she was good at avoiding and filing away things she didn't want to address. She wouldnt give Katherine all of the detials out of fear that Katherine would not want to hear it or know it.
"I can do that."
"Thank you Ma. For everything."
She placed a hand on his cheek. "I would do anything for you."
Their visit was great and by the time Gemma passed the welcome to charming sign she felt loads better.
She couldn't wait for this news to reach the crow eaters and sluts that were waiting for the boys to get out. If Jax Teller wasn't officially off the market with one old lady he sure as shit would be under lock and key now with two.
—-
TARA
Her due date wasn't for a a couple weeks but she felt so uncomfortable. The alarm clock read 12:23 AM. She wasn't sure if it was labor pain or not yet. Katherine was asleep beside her and she contemplated waking her up. When she stood up she felt a gush of water fall between her legs.
"Was that what I think it is?" Katherine sat straight up in bed.
Tara nodded, unable to speak.
"Okay, why don't you go get a shower. I'll clean that up. I'll get our bags and call Gemma okay?" She got out of bed and walked over to Tara .
Tara was nervous. She looked in the eyes of the beautiful young woman before her and saw all of the love and compassion she needed.
She nodded her head at the plan and Katherine gave her a quick kiss before heading out of the room.
Tara walked to the shower and got inside. She quickly washed her body and her hair, shaved her armpits and legs as best as she could. Once she was satisfied she got out and dried herself off. Katherine had laid out some comfortable leggings and a sweatshirt for her.
She quickly dried her hair and got dressed. Walking through the bedroom she saw that the bed had been made, the mess was cleaned up, and their bags were already outside.
"You ready there mommy?" Katherine asked from the door. Tara smiled at her. She was ready.
"Gemma here?"
"Just pulled up." Katherine gestured toward the living room.
She and Tara headed down the hall when a contraction hit her. She breathed through it with Katherines help. Gemma came in the door with a smile on her face. She gave them both a quick hug and told Katherine to call her as soon as she could come visit.
The ride to the hospital was calm. Katherine held her hand and both of them were so excited. Taras contractions were still over five minutes apart.
They got settled in the maternity ward and Katherine helped Tara change.
"I'm so excited." Katherine said while holding her hand. Tara squeezed it back "thank you for being here."
"Where else would I be?"
"No. I mean thank you for being with me and for joining this family. I don't know what I would do without you Katherine. I can't even imagine my life with you not in it."
Katherine stood and kissed her. "You're stuck with me doc." She smiled and sat back down.
As the hours passed Taras contractions got closer together. She had just gotten her epidural and felt so much better. Katherine had run down after the doctor left for a coffee.
It was now 7:00 and Tara wanted to sleep. Katherine came back in the room smiling, Tara couldn't help but smile back.
"I just checked in with Gemma, Abels awake and she's taking him to breakfast. I told her it could be awhile. She's gonna head down in a couple hours. Some of the guys are stopping by later too."
"I'm just so excited! It's totally a boy. I know it is. I want to meet him already."
"Soon enough babe." She kissed her.
Tara watched as she sat down next to her sipping the ice coffee. It all looked and felt so natural being here. She did miss jax though. Thinking about him missing this did hurt her heart a bit.
"I know babe." Katherine strikes her leg.
Tara looked at her questioningly. "How do you do that?"
"I know you. He wishes he was here too."
Tara nodded her head. She knew that.
Gemma had arrived with Abel and was in the waiting room with some of the guys. It was time to push.
Dr. Lowe was a friend of Taras. She was an older woman and had been delivering babies for over 25 years.
"Tara you need to push for me okay? On the next contraction bare down and push hard."
"You got this babe." Katherine spoke in her ear. She was holding her hand and hadn't left her side.
"Push!" Dr. Lowe said loudly.
Tara pushes as hard as she could.
She kept pushing and pushing and pushing.
She felt exhausted. She wanted to sleep.
"Tara, were gonna try a a couple more times. We're prepping the OR just in case."
On the next contraction Tara gave it everything she had. She felt like her insides were going to come out of her. And finally she heard the cry.
"It's a boy!" Dr. Lowe started happily.
Katherine looked at her and she saw tears filling up her golden eyes. She looked at her confused and she was saying something Tara couldn't hear.
Tara was happy. But she was so tired. She wanted to sleep.
The last thing she remembers is hearing Katherine yelling for her and a team of doctors rushing in.