This chapter may seem a little jumbled in some places but I'm really tied from starting work a few days ago that I just had to get this chapter up and out coz I don't think I updated last week.
Everything seemed to return back to normal since Gemma's infidelity went wide a few days prior. The guys- and even the croweaters- seemed to be walking on eggshells around JT who had snapped after almost two hours of feeling the thick tension in the clubhouse whenever they were in his presence. They realized he didn't need their pity.
The guys could see JT was handling the break up better than they expected.
Word from Wally was that Gemma had cleaned the home they once shared from top to bottom. The stress and not knowing when or if she'd get her family back was getting to her. The cleaning was a sign she wasn't coping considering their house was already immaculate before hand.
JT had broken the news to Megan and Jax about his and Gemma's separation and they didn't like it one bit. Although Megan kept her true feelings to herself, he could tell she was hurt and much like Freya- would keep it bottled up inside until she burst completely.
Jax was whole different story though. He let his feelings be known. He was angry. Confused. Hurt. Upset and for a twelve year old, there were an endless amount of emotions he was feeling. The few times JT had gone to see them at his best friend's home Jax would make a habit to dodge his father to which the president understood. Jax just needed space right now. Megan would kiss her father on the cheek, ask him how his day was as if nothing had happened.
Freya wasn't doing that much better. Once she told Happy that she would be moving up to Tacoma, he was thrilled- which wasn't his usual self. He loved the idea that he could have his girlfriend with him, for whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted her. No more of this long distance bullshit. She stayed locked away in her dorm with Happy trying her damn best to block out the past few days and keeping her mind locked on finding some small apartment that she could move into much like she was doing the minute she woke up this morning.
Happy rolled over onto her side of the bed and groaned when he felt the bed cold. He rose from his sleepy slumber and instantly looked across the room to find her typing away at her laptop. With the previous day he had, he wasn't really in the mood to help Freya look for some place to stay.
By ultimatum, Clay could either have gotten his tattoo's burnt off or blacked out. Funnily enough for Clay, he didn't get a say in choice and JT had ordered Happy to burnt them completely- given that he only had a grim reaper on his entire back, right arm, one over his heart and a few more in various other places. Tacoma had witnessed and so had Rogue River who had heard of the excommunication of a brother and to JT's surprise, they hadn't known about the affair of his wife which was thankful.
With mastermind skill, Happy was up and out of the bed, peering down over Freya's shoulder as she scrolled down on the page of- who could guess?- A realty website.
"What are you doing?" Happy gruffed out causing Freya to jump at how deep and raspy his morning voice was.
"Shit Hap, don't do that to me you asshole" she snapped holding one hand over her chest inhaling deeply. She lowered her screen down and blushed embarrassingly. "I just want to get a headstart. I've been looking for places with Megan in LA for the past month now and it was affordable for the both of us but now that I'm not going to UCLA I owe it to her."
"So you weren't looking for places in Tacoma?" He asked with a raised brow.
"Well, I had another tab open for a house listing in Tacoma but not currently, no."
"Then you can come back to bed with me" he growled leaving no room for answer when he pulled her up forcefully and had her flush against his bare flesh.
"Why don't you ever sleep with boxes on?"
"I do, just not when your in my bed" he smirked and placed her hand to the tip of his member. She rolled her eyes and gently shoved him back.
"I could definitely get used to this babe" Freya moaned against his lips as he lead her into a morning full of intense feelings.
JT was up and showered for the day. He needed to drop by his house and get some shit. He was dreading it really but it needed to happen.
After a quick morning fix and a quick word to his daughter informing her that he was heading home and to speak with Gemma- much to her dismay- he was out of the clubhouse and making the twenty minute ride home in fifteen. If he knew Gemma, she'd be up and ready for the day herself. That was if she wasn't hanging over like he thought she might be.
To his surprise, he stood in his driveway for a decent five minutes chain smoking on a cigarette. Not really looking forward to facing reality of his marriage. He knew Wally knew he was home but made no fast attempt of heading inside.
Another five minutes passed and he finally flicked his third smoke to the curb and strode with determination towards the house, stopping instantly when he smelt bacon and eggs being fried which told him Gemma wasn't drinking the previous night like he assumed and she was up cooking a storm.
The sight of her in the kitchen took his breath away. She wasn't standing in anything fancy. It was just his wife's usual domesticated self looking at home. The moment he made himself known inside, they glanced to each other. Their eyes boring into each other's souls, before he was the first to break contact.
"We need to talk." Gemma just nodded and removed the pan of bacon from the heat.
"Are you hungry?" He didn't need to know that she began cooking breakfast the moment she heard his Harley rumbling from down the road.
Sucking up his pride because he actually was, he nodded once.
"Morning pres" Wally greeted. With a nod in acknowledgement, JT patted his brother on the shoulder.
"Head back to the clubhouse."
"You sure?"
"Yeah brother." As much as Wally didn't want to stay, he was reluctant with not knowing what would happen between the newly separated couple if he just left. JT gave Wally a thankful look with a frown telling him he was okay with his wife then he high tailed it out of the Teller home.
JT made his way down to their bedroom where her scent instantly wrapped a blanket around him. Her sweet scented perfume was the best smell he'd ever inhaled. Her cooking coming a close second to it which was making it harder for him to do what he needed.
He had enough time to think about everything that had happened over the past few months and knew he just couldn't throw away almost thirteen years of marriage. But the sting of betrayal was just too much and considering it had only happened a few days prior, he needed to put space between them.
Once he packed a few of his shit up, he threw his duffel bag over his shoulder and proceeded towards the kitchen where Gemma sat at her usual seat next to his on their large mahogany table. His breakfast sitting in his usual while her head was bowed down as she cleaned her well manicured nails. She looked up to him and sighed in defeat.
"Figured that's why you came" she whispered, trying to hold back her own sob. JT crossed the room after dumping the duffel at his feet and pulled her chair out easily while taking her hand in his own and placing a soft kiss to them.
"We just need space Gem" he whispered. She nodded a few times and blinked away her fallen tears as he took a seat.
"How are the kids?" Gemma asked knowing that he'd told them already. JT already had a mouthful of bacon and eggs. He swallowed before answering.
"Megan and Freya are as expected but Jackson isn't handling it well."
"He is his father's son" Gemma whispered as she continued picking at her nails to keep from looking into her husband's eyes. Gemma allowed for the silence as JT ate through his breakfast. She offered him a coffee which he accepted then resumed her seat next to him. Once he was finished she took his plate and rinsed it before sitting back down once again. Only this time she dreaded it.
"You should know that Clay has been excommunicated." Gemma gasped slightly by surprise when really she knew she shouldn't of been. "And that Jax and Megan want to see you."
"Okay" the slight cheer was back in her voice again and JT smiled to himself. "I made a whole lot of baking that I know they'd want."
"You should take them" he smiled at her this time.
"I will" but as soon as that excitement was in her voice, it vanished almost instantly. "And what about Freya? Does she want to-" JT inhaled deeply. He knew now was the time to tell her.
"She doesn't want to know you Gem" he rasped on a breath. "What you said to her, hurt more than anything."
"Is there any way I can try to make it up to her?"
"No. I think you need to give her some space. For now anyways." Gemma nodded in defeat. She had no idea how to fix what she'd broken. Freya loved deep and hated deeper and although Gemma never in her life intentionally intended to hurt her daughter, she knew she dug herself a deep hole that she may possibly never be able to the light of day out of.
"Well given that her birthday and the girls high school graduation are around the corner I still want to throw both celebrations."
"She's heading with Happy up north for her birthday but they'll be back in time for grad" he couldn't help but notice Gemma's deflation. They had planned an eighteenth birthday party for Freya at the clubhouse and it was going to be huge. Most of the brother charters were planning on making a trip down to Redwood in celebration but Gemma could now see that wasn't going to happen.
"Guess you should start making calls out to the other presidents then. Tell them not to bother making the trip down."
Feeling like they were at a dead end, Gemma got up and took JT's plate before heading up to their room leaving JT to find his way out and decided to clear his mind on the road.
"Shit, these places as expensive as fuck" Freya exclaimed. She was currently overlooking more prices of renting apartments in Tacoma and it was giving her a hella headache. "I don't want to depend on dad to support me. I mean, he's already gonna be forking out money for his girls tuitions, I don't wanna add to the debt."
"Good thing you got me then ain't it babe?" Freya spun around to look at him.
"If you think I'm gonna be living out of the clubhouse like I currently am right now, think again" she scoffed. Happy smirked knowingly causing Freya to narrow her eyes into slits.
"What?"
"Nothing. Just keep searching. Look into Seattle too" she frowned upon hearing that.
"You know, your not that enthused about this. Do you want me in Tacoma."
"Course I do, I've just got a lot of shit on my mind right now." Freya huffed in response. She knew she was blowing this out of proportion and she did know he had a lot going on with the club so she let it go.
"Right, well I need to see Megan so I'm gonna get ready for the day then head out. Dad said Jax and Meg's are still at Piney's."
"I'll take you."
"Mom, your here" Jax cried out as he slammed himself against his mother's fragile frame. After JT had left, Gemma spent a decent amount of time crying under the hot water of her shower spray. She managed to pick herself up when she couldn't bare the heat and slowly selected a few items of clothing from her wardrobe, opting to wear a simple black tank top and tight fitting jeans that she paired with a black leather jacket and knee high boots. It was her usual wardrobe attire but she could barely recognise herself. She smiled for the sake of her son and gripped him just as hard.
"Jackson" she croaked out.
"I missed you Ma."
"I missed you to sweet baby boy" Jax pulled away with a tear in his eye. There was no denying he loved his father but as much as he needed JT, he needed Gemma just as much. "I bought some baking over. Your father thought it might be a good idea to bring."
"You spoke with dad?" Came from Megan who stood a few steps from them with her arms crossed over her chest. "You know Freya's not coming with me to LA?" She didn't sound angry. More hurt and sadness than anything. "Why mom? Why did you do it?"
"Meg's" Gemma whispered as she ran a hand through Jax's shoulder length locks. "Let's not talk about that. I just want to spend some time with my kids."
As much as Megan didn't want to ignore the subject, she did miss her mother and ran straight into her arms.
"I missed you Ma" Megan confessed into her mother's arms then felt her brothers wrap around her waist.
"I missed my babies too. Let's head inside and you can show me what you both have been upto."
Over the course of an hour, Jax talked Gemma's ear off until Gemma had asked Megan how she was. Megan had gone off to explain that she was heading off to college in the fall after graduation.
"That's fantastic sweetheart. How does your sister feel about that?"
"Just as excited." Megan knew Gemma wanted to know about her sister's well being and how she was doing in school since what went down kinda had her at a dead end. "Even though I don't agree with what you did-" at that comment, Gemma frowned. "I still love you mom and I want you to come to graduation."
"You couldn't of stopped me even if you tried to baby." Megan smiled at that.
Happy knew right away what had Freya tensing when he let his motorcycle idle in the Winston's driveway. He cut the engine and ran his hands down her thighs as they both took in the luxurious black escalade belonging to her mother.
"I'm not going in there with her here. Take me back to the clubhouse Hap."
"Babe-" Happy rasped as softly as he could but considering he had a deep voice, it came out gruffly. "She's your mom. You can't ignore her forever." She pulled herself from behind him and snapped off her helmet in an angry manner.
"You don't wanna leave? Fine. Stay here. I'll just walk back. I have no problem doing that in these bitch heels."
"Freya come on. Your being dramatic don't you think?"
"Me being dramatic?" She asked spinning on her heel. "What would you do if you got slapped in the face by the woman you thought loved you like her own? That she yelled nothing but hurtful lies? I can't and won't get over that any time soon." She didn't know she was crying once again until she was sobbing in his arms. "I loved her like she was my own mom. She took me in. She did everything for me but that was all just some fucked up facade to keep my father happy."
"Freya" came the very voice that had her breaking down. "Let me explain." Happy, being the observant and most patient brother of the Sons never really had much to say. It's what made him good at his job but he did in this moment.
"Gem, I think you should give her some space. She's upset right now."
Gemma gave him a pleading look but he wouldn't give in and in her desperate attempts to try and sought out her daughter, she found Freya practically trying her best to run as far away as she could given that she was wearing heels.
Next chapter will be a slight time jump.
