AN: Thank you all for reading my story and writing your reviews. Your opinions make writing this story a pleasure. This is for my readers.
Disclaimer: All of these characters and ideas belong to others. Nan and Jeb are my only original characters.
Chapter 6
Love Never Dies
It is now eighteen months later. Tara still lives in Merced. Piney shared JT's letters with the SONS after they returned from prison. Gemma and Clay have mysteriously disappeared from Charming. The death of Jax Teller is a heavy burden they all share silently. Abel is three and a half years old. Thomas is eighteen months old.
Tara has just finished working with her last patient for the day. Two of the nurses are talking excitedly about this new book everyone is reading. Tara is rather curious and asks them what is the big deal about this book. One of the nurses looks at Tara as if she must be from another planet. Tara knows she hasn't been very interested in anything other than her boys since Jax died. The same nurse tells Tara about this great book with the most elaborate and exciting love story. Apparently, the love story is filled with sexual scenes that are so hot; they make women blush with pleasure. Tara thinks that is a code for orgasms. Tara learns that the title of the book is: THE HIGHWAY OF LOVE AND LIFE. The author is someone who lives in England. Tara decides to check it out. She buys a digital copy of the book for her iPad. The author is Zachary Tailer who is from Newcastle, England. She figures this book may be a good way to fall asleep.
As she is driving home, the hole in heart continues to ache. Jax is still a part of her; he is rooted in her soul. Thinking about Jax is just a part of her daily life. She doesn't want anyone else. Margaret keeps trying to push eligible men at her, but that isn't of interest to her. The idea of being with another man is unfathomable; her boys are more than enough to keep her happy. She has her own happy family. Tara has pictures of Jax all over her home. She wants Abel and Thomas to know who their father was. Tara started recording all of the history and stories about their dad, starting in kindergarten when Jax looked like a pretty boy with blond curly hair. She remembers when he kissed her in first grade and then ran away from her like she was some kind of creature from outer space. Tara remembers every detail of their life together. She is amazed that her memories of Jax seem to be getting stronger. It's like every day she remembers more of their life together.
Tara has just arrived home and her boys are playing with their new dog. Jeb had bought it for them. The dog is a Scottish terrier. He is the cutest dog with black and white curly fur. Abel decides he and Tommy will name him when Tommy can talk more clearly. For now, Abel thinks they will just call him doggy.
Abel is growing and developing so quickly. He speaks in full sentences and he knows all his letters, numbers, colors, and shapes. He knows his directions too; up, down, over, under, in, out, left and right. Tara is continuously surprised by Abel's ability to learn and remember. Her biggest shock happened when he read the time on a clock, a date on the calendar, and north on a compass. Nan and Jeb must be amazing teachers. Abel's favorite thing to do is drawing and coloring. The problem was he was coloring and drawing on every surface in the house; that was a lesson he learned quickly, not to do. Now Abel has his artistic work on paper lining the walls in every room of the house. Tara's boys are the joy of her life. She will always be thankful to Jax for giving them to her. Tonight at dinner Abel seems to be unusually excited. He can't stop talking about Zach daddy. Tara keeps trying to get him to say Jax is his daddy. But he can only say Zach daddy and he is getting very impatient because his mommy just doesn't get it. It seems like every time Jeb takes the boys for a ride Abel comes back talking about his fun day with Zach daddy.
Tara is finally ready for bed. The boys are asleep looking like little angels; little angels who are the spitting image of Jax.
Picking up the her iPad, Tara begins to read, The Highway to Love and Life. The story begins with a boy and a girl in kindergarten. The boy's name is Jerry and the girl's name is Terry. Tara starts to laugh thinking this author is making a joke out of rhyming lovers names. As she continues to read, this story is like a history of her life. How is this possible? She decides to do a search on the author. "Zachary Tailer lives in England. This is his first written novel. He has a family of two boys and the love of his life is his best friend." Tara thinks that description sounds like he is probably gay. She finds a black and white picture of him with a top hat and sunglasses. He has a beard with a curly mustache. Tara thinks he looks like the biggest dork she has ever seen. She actually thought the author could be Jax; here she is losing her mind and she can't even blame it on pregnancy hormones.
The next morning, Tara realizes it has been exactly two years since she lost Jax. Today is Saturday and Tara decides to devote the day to talking to her boys about their dad. After all, it is the anniversary of his death and he deserves to be remembered in a special way today. Tara hears a familiar motorcycle; Opie always shows up at her home once a year to remember Jax. This time he has a very different message to share. The boys greet Opie kindly, they are a bit intimidated by his size, but they love his long beard. After the boys are done playing with Uncle Opie, Opie hands Tara a stack of letters tied with a ribbon. Sitting at the dining room table together, Opie explains the significance of these letters to Tara. The biggest shock of all is these letters prove that Clay and Gemma were responsible for JT's death. Tara is stunned. There are so many questions running through her mind, she has no idea of where to begin. Opie can apparently read her mind because he fills in all the blanks for her including Clay and Gemma Morrow will never be seen again. Tara starts to cry...if only Jax could have known all of this before he died. Opie wraps Tara in his arms for a big brotherly hug to comfort her. Opie has to leave to get back to Charming. He reminds her to call him whenever she needs him or just call if she needs to talk. Tara smiles at Opie, knowing he will always be a cherished friend to her and the boys.
Opie left before dinner. Abel declares he is hungry. Magically, Nan and Jeb show up at Tara's doorstep with a big pizza for dinner. Jeb takes Tara's arm and guides her outside away from the house. Jeb tells Tara he has to take her to see something he made for the boys. Apparently, he wants her approval before he reveals it to Thomas and Abel. Tara goes back into the house to tell Nan and her babies she will be back soon. Abel runs to her, giving her a big hug and kiss. Abel seems to know something she doesn't know. Tara feels very weird. Tara gets into Jeb truck and they ride to a huge ranch outside of Merced. Jeb stops his truck in front of the most perfect log cabin she has ever seen. Tara gets out of the truck and the front door of the cabin opens revealing a tall blond man in a lumber jack blue and white shirt looking like ...Tara faints and falls almost to the ground but she is caught by the man from the cabin. He carries Tara into his cabin and holds her on his lap. Jeb brings Tara a shot of Jameson to help her wake up. The man nods at Jeb, "Thanks Jeb, I got this." Slowly, Tara begins to open her eyes and stares at a dead man; at least a dead man she thought was dead. "Jax?" The man gives a very familiar smirk, "No, Tara, my name is Zachary Abbott Timmons Teller, my pen name is Zachary Tailer."
TBC