The dumb bitch just won't die yet, so had to write some more filler. Think I'm back on track now & have a plan that will work. Thanks for stickin' with it. MKAngelus...
OLODL CH5
Just as Jax pulled into the garage and was maneuvering into a parking spot, his phone rang, ordinarily not a big deal except that it was also the exact same moment that Wyatt chose to blow up his diaper and Abel dropped his juice box and it splashed on him. Both boys began crying as Jax said, "Yeah?"
"Sounds like you've got your hands full Jackson, how about I come over and take the boys for the day, you can get them tomorrow when Tara gets home?" His mom was smiling, listening to the chaos on the other side of the phone and she figured that her son was going to jump at the offer.
"No, I'm good mom, we've got this all figured out, tell you what, swing by for lunch if you need to see the boys that bad, okay?" He had the phone in one hand and had unlatched Abel's seat, and Abel had slithered out of the seat and was standing on the back seat happily splashing in the juice from his now mostly empty juice box.
Exasperated Gemma said, "Jax, you know you can be the most stubborn shit on this planet, why are you doing this to me? I want to see my grandsons!"
Jax grabbed Abel around the waist and sat him down, unlatching Wyatt's car seat and setting it down on the ground outside of the cab of the truck as he shifted the phone to his other ear and grabbed both of the boys' bags. Watching him he looked like an old pro and his mom would be proud if she wasn't so pissed off. "Mom, I'm not being stubborn, I'm being a father. Thank you for your help, I appreciate it. Now quit harping on me and let me be a father. I'll see you at noon." He hung up the phone and turned to Abel, "Grab my hand buddy, we're going to the clubhouse." The three of them started across the short stretch and Abel held his hand almost the whole way until Chuckie poked his head out of the door and said, "Hey Abel how's it hanging little man?" He held his fist out, or what was left of it for Abel to bump. "Chuckie! Hi!" Abel said, a grin lighting his face. Chuckie was one of his favorite babysitters. Talking a mile a minute and forgetting all about his old man he and Chuck were lost to the world as they entered the clubhouse. Jax grinned and set Wyatt down on the pool table.
"Whoa brother, what the hell did you feed that kid?" Opie said strolling in from the apartment in the back.
"I just gave him the bottle that Tara left for him, I have no idea what the hell is in it. It smells nuclear whatever it is."
The two of them shared a grin and then Jax began to change his son's diaper. He couldn't help but think how this was completely out of character for him but how nice it was to actually be doing it. Opie waited until he was done and then said, "So, I talked to a friend of mine and he said that Wendy has been hanging out at the Dog and get this your little piece of porn pussy Ima is also a regular there."
Jax snorted, Ima was a tragic mistake in a long list of mistakes he'd made with his old lady, one he never wanted to revisit or repeat. "Ima? Is she servicing the Nords now?"
"According to Rat she's an old lady, and he says that she and Wendy have been pretty chummy lately." Opie paused to light a smoke, "So I was thinking that you and I could make a run by the Dog and see what we can see. Maybe set a prospect out on point?" He exhaled and grabbed the used diaper and tossed it into the can by the door. Jax took his time gathering up his son's stuff and thought about what Opie had said; a year ago he'd be locked and loaded ready to take care of this thing once and for all. Now he had to stop and make himself think of what to do next, he had two babies to take care of, not to mention his old lady and club.
"Man I don't need to go over there, send a prospect but I'm going to handle this with Rosen first, or at least try to. I can't afford to get into anything right now, I just got out and Tara will cut off my balls if I do anything with the boys."
"Leave the kids with Chuckie, we'll be back in an hour tops." Opie said.
"Nah, I want to hear what Ally finds out first, and then we'll decide what to do from there." He had put Wyatt's things in the small refrigerator and grabbing his diaper bag shouted out to Chuck, "Chuck! I'm taking little man to the garage, keep an eye on Abel?"
"Sure thing Jax!" He yelled back, he and Abel were currently folding towels in the small laundry room behind the kitchen.
"Bye Daddy!" Abel yelled, earning another small smile from his dad. "Be good Abel!"
Opie, Jax and Wyatt made their way to the garage and Opie pulled open the door to the office and after putting Wyatt into the play pen they each got to work on separate cars. The hours went by and aside from general chit chat and the occasional peek on the baby they worked in silent harmony. Just past noon a black Escalade pulled into the lot. Stepping out of the car Gemma stormed over to where Jax was standing holding Wyatt, "Say hi to grandma Wy," he said with a grin around his cigarette.
"Gimme that baby you shit head." She said in mock fury as she held her hands out to her grandson. Cooing and making faces at him she completely ignored the sarcastic smile Jax gave her as he handed his son over. "Where's Abel?" She asked making her way to the clubhouse.
"Last time I saw him he was talking Chuckie's ear off in the laundry room." He said as Opie sidled up beside him.
"Great, like that little freak needs to lose any more body parts." She muttered over her shoulder. Laughing the two of them threw their smokes down and Jax said, "Ope, let's take a ride."
Opie's eyebrow rose and he nodded, pulling on his cut he made his way to his bike, "Mom, we'll be back soon." Jax said, grabbing his own cut and pulling it over his TM shirt. She didn't even acknowledge him, lost in her grandson, he'd ceased to exist.
The two men pulled out of the lot, the loud pipes echoing off of the buildings as they made their way through Charming. Opie knew they were probably heading to the Dog, so wasn't surprised when they ended up there. Parking in front of the run down bar, they walked in and were blasted by the cold, artificial air and assaulted by the odor of smoke and unwashed bodies. Their eyes adjusted to the dimness of the room slowly, but even so, Jax was able to spot Wendy sitting by herself in a back booth.
He walked across the bar to the silence of everyone in there. Opie shadowing him like a second skin, they were both feared and loathed. Neither of them could give a shit less. Jax sat down next to Wendy and Opie sat across from her without saying a word. She didn't realize it until it was too late that she was blocked in.
"Hiya Wendy." Jax said, taking a drink from the beer in front of her. "Thought you were clean?" He said tipping the mug towards her.
"I am clean Jax, I haven't had a hit in almost a year, I don't drink very much, this is the first beer I've had all day."
"Wow, all day, its noon Wendy. 'All day' has been the three hours that this shit hole has been open." He took another drink and Opie shook out a smoke and handed it to him, lighting his own. "If you had Abel would you have made it three hours?"
"I wouldn't drink if I had my son." She said sullenly.
"He's not your son Wendy; the sooner you remember that the sooner we can put all this behind us. He's my son and he's Tara's son. He's nothing to you." Jax exhaled and leaned back, putting his arm around her he kicked his legs out under the booth and continued, "So, let's put all of our cards on the table, you like cards if I remember right, what's it going to take to get this stupid idea of custody out of your head?"
Wendy looked around the room, she knew everyone in here, but not one of them would give a shit if Jax put a gun to her head and pulled the trigger and she knew that trying to get one of them involved would be the wrong idea, her boyfriend wasn't there and although he talked a lot of shit, face to face with any member of the sons' including the prospects and he'd turn tail. She took a deep breath and lit her own cigarette, "I don't want anything other than to see Abel Jax. That's all I want. If you won't let me see him then I'll see you in court, you're not scaring me." She tried to keep the quiver out her voice, but he picked up on it.
"I'm not? You sure sound scared darlin'. If you're determined to take this thing all the way to court, then that's what we'll do. Just keep in mind that two weeks is a real long time, anything can happen." He drained the rest of her beer and stood up, slamming the mug down on the table he repeated, "Anything." Opie slid out of the booth and the two of them began to make their way out when Ima appeared and stepped in front of Jax.
"Hello Jax." She purred, tracing her finger down his chest. "It's been a long time since I saw you." She smiled up at him, licking her bottom lip for emphasis.
"It hasn't been long enough for me Ima." He said with no emotion as he stepped around her. Indignant at his snub, she yelled after him, "That's right, go home to your nice tame doctor pussy, we don't need you around here!"
Jax stopped one hand on the door, turning towards where Ima and Wendy were both standing, he said, "Ima, you may have seen God when we were together, but I was just driving down a well traveled highway." He grinned and said, "Good afternoon, ladies."
"Ladies?" Opie laughed as they left the bar, "Nice one Jax, now you've stirred them up, now what brother?" he asked, settling onto his bike. Jax mounted his bike and picked up his helmet, "I don't know man; I wasn't thinking before I came here, I have no idea what I'm doing."
Shaking his head Opie said, "Well, let's hope they don't do something stupid."
"Maybe they will and we won't have to go to court?" Jax said with a smile.
"Stranger things have happened." Opie said, "Come on brother, let's hit Lins on me and then back to the garage, let Gemma have some time with the kids before she explodes." Jax agreed and they took off. Neither one of them saw Wendy pull out behind them in the blue truck, Ima in the passenger seat.
After their lunch they headed back to the garage to relieve Gemma. "Okay Mom, you've had time with the boys. I'll bring them over tomorrow night when Tara gets home and you can see them again, okay?" Jax said as he entered the clubhouse to see both boys sound asleep in the play pen and Gemma guarding them like a mama bear.
"Oh come on Jax, you can stop all this macho crap, I'll watch them." She said, barely looking up from where her perch.
Jax walked over and knelt in front of his mom, pushing her hair back on her forehead he leaned up and kissed her cheek. "Mom, please. I've got them, okay?" She took off her glasses and looked into her son's eyes. Seeing his resolve she relented. "Okay Jax. I'm going to run some errands and then go home. I've got some shit to move around in the spare room, so when those worthless prospects get here, send them to the house okay?"
Jax saluted her and stood up, hugging her tight he whispered, "Thanks mom." She hugged him back and then left the club. Throughout the rest of the day Jax and Opie alternated between working on cars to playing with the boys, relieving Chuck and between the three of them they were able to make the rest of the day uneventful. Leaving that night, Jax reminded Chuck to lock the gates again. However, as loyal as he was, Chuck sometimes forgot simple things, so Jax's reminder was forgotten. That little lapse was just enough to allow the blue truck to pull in. That's when things went south quickly.