Clay
Juice looked down.
"What?"
"Jax tried to turn Gemma against you. Threatened if she didn't, she'd never see Abel or Thomas again."
I sighed.
Gemma's phone rang.
She sighed.
Gemma answered it.
"Are you kidding me?!" It was Jax.
"I made a decision."
"Well, you made the wrong decision. Again."
"I don't care what you say."
"You've made the same decision twice!"
"That's what you think."
"That's what I know!"
"That's what you think you know! But you don't know what happened back then!"
"It really doesn't take a genius to put the pieces together."
"Do you recall how old Trinity is?!"
"25."
"Your Dad stepped out on me first. And got a girl pregnant."
"So, what? You were cheating with Clay to get back at him?"
"No. I was sick of him dragging me down in his grief."
"Well, I hope you're happy with your decision."
"Mm."
"Because now you've lost both of your sons."
I shut my eyes.
"What did you just say to me?"
"You've lost Thomas and me. You can pretend I'm dead too for all I care."
"Really?"
"Yeah. Really."
"You're gonna bring your brother into it?"
"He's not my brother! He's not anybody anymore! Because he's dead!"
Jax sighed.
"Wow. Those some strong feelings you got."
"I didn't me-"
"Save it, Jackson. You have crossed a line this time."
"You chose him over me. Again!"
"No, I didn't. I chose the truth."
"Do you know how many times you've chosen him over me over the years?!"
"I'm sorry if I made you feel like that."
"Not as sorry as I am."
"There's got to be something else you want more than to destroy Clay."
"I want my Dad back. I want my family back together. But we both know that's not possible. And because of you and Clay."
"Besides that."
"Even if Dad was alive, would you be with him?"
"No."
"Why? What was so wrong with our family?"
"John couldn't get over Thomas' death. But... He didn't show it around you. He wanted you to be strong. To get over Thomas's death. John wanted you to think we were the perfect family, Jax. But the truth is we weren't after his death. It all changed."
"I know!"
"No, you don't know how much changed, Jackson!"
"Do you- Do you think it could happen to Abel?"
Gemma sighed.
"I don't know. My advice is just to keep a close eye on him."
"Is there anything to prevent it from reaching that point?"
"Probably a heart transplant."
"Shit."
"You have to be careful too, Jax. You have the same condition."
"Here we go again."
"Yeah. Here we go again."
"I know that."
"Do you?"
"Yes."
"Which means if you get stressed enough, you will have a heart attack."
He groaned.
"Please! Save this lecture for somebody-"
"Jackson."
He shut up.
"Gemma, I am making sure not to stress too much. I'm passing half of the assignments onto Chibs and Tig."
"Including murdering Pope?"
"I- I did kill Pope. But it was because he set Dawn on fire! Pope burned her alive!"
"Jesus Christ, Jax."
"What would you have done if Pope burned me alive?"
"Probably worse."
"Exactly my point. And Clay wouldn't have stopped you from getting your revenge either."
"Because whether you believe it or not, he cares about you."
"Bullshit! Bullshit!"
"It's not bullshit, Jackson."
"It is a bunch of bullshit!"
"Do you honestly think it'd be me to avenge you? If like you said, it was you that Pope burnt alive?"
"Yeah, I do."
"Then you're clearly not smart enough to know that Clay would kill him."
"He's not my Dad!"
"You think I don't know that?"
"No, I don't! I think you got wrapped up in the fantasy we were living before!"
He hung up.