Disclaimer: I do not own Sons of Anarchy.
A/N: First off, I can't tell you how happy ya'll have made me! The reviews that I have received so far for this story have been awesome, but you really blew me away with the reviews for Chapter 10. A really big thanks to the 14 readers who took the time to review. I really appreciate it, especially when you give insightful comments on what moved you about the chapter. The only problem is—now that you've spoiled me rotten—I'm going to expect the love hits to keep rolling in for every single chapter! ;)
On another note, I wanted to let you know that my muse has decided that I should update my one-shot, SAMCRO Princess. As you may recall, it is the first prequel explaining how Jolene Morrow became part of the SAMCRO family. I will post two more chapters to complete this story to cover Jolene's first year in Charming, so if you haven't already done so, please sign up for story/author alerts. Poor Clay and Bobby have their hands full. I plan to post Chapter 2 of this story sometime this week.
Again, thanks for reading. Enjoy!
Two years earlier.
Westbrook Academy was a private college preparatory boarding school located in Redmond, Washington. Westbrook, founded in 1895, was one of the oldest schools in the nation and boasted a worldwide reputation, making it a popular choice for international students seeking an American education. The small student body allowed each pupil a specialized and individual curriculum emphasizing independent learning in conjunction with a vigorous academic college preparatory program.
The school's motto, Character, Honor and, Charity Above All Else, was as part of the curriculum as math and science with many students going on to medical or law school. Westbrook alumni have gone on to serve in public office and head non-profit organizations. Others have excelled in doing humanitarian work, such as a former student from France who went on after medical school to create with other doctors the international medical humanitarian organization Doctors Without Borders in 1971.
The campus was situated on five acres of land just outside the city limits. The school, surrounded by the estates of the rich and powerful families of Redmond, seemed to be trapped in time.
After parking in her reserved space in the faculty parking lot, Jolene Morrow got out of her dilapidated Volvo grateful to have made it to work without it breaking down again. After grabbing her messenger bag, Jolene slammed the door and leaned against her car. Looking up at the beautiful, turn-of-the-century red brick building, Jolene shook her head in wonderment.
How in the hell did I end up here?
As she strode towards the building in the heather gray skirt suit and white blouse required by all the female faculty to wear, Jolene shook her head slightly to clear thoughts of her former life from her mind. Teaching the nation's elite at Westbrook Academy was as far from living the Life in an MC world as a person could get. Yet every time she set foot on campus, Jolene was reminded how much she missed that life in Charming that now seemed like only a dream.
Making the decision to leave Charming, her family and the love of her life, Jax Teller had been one of the most difficult decisions Jolene had ever been faced with. Starting off fresh in San Diego had been made easier by her mentor Pat Doyle, who had secured her a place to live and an internship in the span of three days. Always personable and outgoing, she had quickly made friends and settled into her new situation, but Jolene hated it. She was heartbroken and lonely without her old man and missed her family something fierce.
So when, about a month into her San Diego exile, Jolene discovered she was pregnant, she had seriously considered going back home. She had even started packing again when Jax suddenly showed up in San Diego. Memories of a younger Jax coming to see her in Seattle against a family court order, while she had been living with the egg donor, came rushing back. She fought her inner teenager and won the battle to keep herself from running into his arms. Soon, all of the feelings of anger, hurt, and shame came rolling back, reminding her why she had left Charming and Jax in the first place.
As much as she loved and missed him, it hadn't helped matters when it became apparent that Jax had only come to San Diego for a helping of road pussy. She was devastated and humiliated all over again when he told her that nothing would change between them if they did end up making love again one more time. San Diego was where she belonged, he had said. As far away from him as possible. Call it stubborn pride or call it what you will, but Jolene refused to let the man she had loved all of her life turn her from an old lady into a sweetbutt, especially not when she had only just learned two days before that she was carrying his baby.
In anger and frustration, Jolene walked out on the love of her life for a second time without looking back.
At that point, Jolene's pride had kicked into overdrive. She knew Jax well enough to realize that once he found out about her pregnancy he would probably drag her ass back to Charming. With her self-worth suffering a number of humiliating blows, culminating in the croweater throw down on the day she decided to leave, Jolene had convinced herself that Jax would only ask her to come back home out of a sense of obligation to the child she carried.
After his betrayal with the Reno Whore, Jolene had started to wonder if Jax had ever really loved her at all. Before she ever set foot in Charming again, Jolene needed to know that Jax loved her and wanted her back for her and her alone. Not out of his need to protect as if she were some damsel in distress. There was also her fear, after hearing him say that nothing would change between them, that Jax wouldn't want her to have the baby at all. And that simply was not going to happen.
Knowing that Jax would continue making under the radar visits to San Diego, Jolene knew that nothing would stop him from making contact again once her pregnancy became obvious. She needed to lay low until she sorted out the mess that her life had become. Fleeing San Diego, Jolene went to the one outsider she knew she could trust.
Jolene Morrow and Veronica "Ronnie" Armstrong had been friends ever since the day 11 year old Jolene came to Ronnie's rescue when cornered on the playground at school by a bully.
Ronnie not only welcomed her friend with open arms, she moved Jolene into her small two bedroom home located in a low-income neighborhood ten miles outside downtown Seattle. Jolene was able to secure a job as a substitute teacher in a high school nearby and even managed to start working towards her Master's Degree again. But Jolene's pregnancy had been a difficult one and, after giving birth to a premature Abel, it had taken Jolene several months to fully recover as her baby fought to stay alive. Having used up all of her maternity leave, the school could no longer afford to keep her on the payroll and, in spite of her stellar reputation as a teacher, she was let go.
By the time Abel was released from the hospital, Ronnie had used her alumni status to secure Jolene an interview with the Headmaster of her alma mater, Westbrook Academy. Scott Harris had been impressed by Jolene's college credentials and recommendations. The new Headmaster, in his effort to breathe some life into the outdated and stuffy school, was actively recruiting fresh, young blood ready to stimulate the young minds at Westbrook. One of his first hires was Jolene Morrow.
The Board of Trustees, unfortunately, was not as impressed or enthusiastic with the otherwise polished and brilliant young teacher, especially when Jolene advised them that she was an unwed mother. In spite of the fact that Jolene had less than a year of teaching experience, however, the Headmaster fought to bring Jolene on board and had won.
Having fallen behind on payments of Abel's hospital bills and medical expenses, Jolene was grateful that Headmaster Harris had seen potential in her and Jolene worked hard not to disappoint. With health insurance as part of her employment package at Westbrook, the generous salary she was now making not only allowed Jolene to make significant payments towards her debts, but allowed her to finally move out of Ronnie's home and into a small apartment.
Surprising many of the faculty at Westbrook Academy, the young Math teacher quickly became quite popular with her students. While her no-nonsense attitude kept the students in line, her modern and inclusive approach to teaching probably the most boring subject in creation, kept them engaged and involved. Also, it didn't hurt being young and attractive when the average age of the teaching staff was 48.
Despite being treated like an outsider by some of her more stern co-workers, Jolene loved her job, loved teaching, and loved being able to make her own way in the world and take care of her son.
Jolene smiled as she was greeted by a group of students hanging out in the Common Area of the Main Hall. Hefting her bag firmly against her side, she waved back at the students and headed towards her classroom to get started on her day.
Leaving school one late Friday afternoon after practicing with a group of "math-letes" preparing for the U.S. Mathematical Olympiad, Jolene walked towards her car in the Academy's parking lot. Opening her car door, Jolene's brow wrinkled as she watched two men pull up in a late model black sedan in front of her car, essentially blocking her from exiting her spot. Noticing the seemingly standard-issue cheap gray suits that screamed federal agent,Jolene wondered what the hell was going on. The taller of the two men flashed a badge in her face.
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Holy fuckin' shit!
"Good afternoon, Ms. Morrow. My name is Special Agent Estevez and this is Special Agent Smith." One man nodded towards the other. "We need your assistance and would appreciate if you would come with us."
Incredulous, Jolene could barely keep herself from laughing derisively. "Really? Why would the federal government need the assistance of a high school math teacher?"
The man smiled disarmingly. "It would be best if the Special Agent in charge filled you in on the details."
"Then I suggest the Special Agent in charge contact me directly and make an appointment for some other time because now isn't good for me. I have a young son I need to get home to right now." Jolene went to open her car door wider in order to get in, but was stopped abruptly as Agent Smith practically slammed the door shut.
"I think it's in the best interest of everyone if you just came with us right now." Agent Smith said from behind his dark shades.
Glaring at both federal agents, Jolene noted the curious stares of several faculty members who had just exited the school. With a few stopping to watch the scene unfold, Jolene decided that it probably would be in her best interest not to make a spectacle of herself on school grounds. Locking her car, Jolene followed the agents and got into the back seat of the nondescript vehicle.
By the time Jolene was escorted into the gray and worn government building in downtown Seattle, she had had enough. The agents who had brought her in had not been forthcoming with any information. On the contrary, most of her questions had gone ignored and unanswered. The ATF obviously knew of her connection to the Sons and over the course of the hour's drive into Seattle, Jolene's unease and fear grew at a steady pace. Something must have happened back home. The possibility that someone was under arrest or dead was starting to look very real from her perspective.
Cracking her neck to loosen the tension and standing up straight, Jolene quickly fell into old lady mode. Almost smiling at how comfortable it felt to don that demeanor once more, Jolene cleared her mind and put her game face on. If this little trip into Emerald City had anything to do with the MC, the Feds had just wasted gas money because they weren't getting shit out of her.
Installed in an interrogation room, Jolene spent the next hour waiting for someone to tell her what was going on. Becoming more impatient the later it got and with Abel at the forefront of her mind, Jolene was about to lose her mud when a tall blonde entered the room, sat down across from her, and crossed her legs.
"Hello, Jolene. I'm sorry to have kept you waiting." She smiled thinly and Jolene came to the quick conclusion that the woman wasn't a damn bit sorry. "My name is Special Agent June Stahl and I want to thank you for coming in today."
Jolene flashed a "bitch, please" smirk at the agent. "Can we just cut to the chase and end all this cloak and dagger bullshit? You know as well as I do that me 'coming in' wasn't exactly voluntary."
Stahl smiled at Jolene, genuinely amused by the young woman's no-nonsense approach and cool demeanor. "No it wasn't, was it? Honestly, Jolene, what were my chances of getting you to come in voluntarily, anyway?"
"Probably slim-to-none." Jolene replied candidly.
"You see, that's exactly what I thought." Stahl chuckled. "And for being honest with me, I will cut to the chase. You are here because I have been tasked to waste government resources investigating a group of white trash bikers. I didn't want this case, didn't ask for it, yet here I am. You are here because you, my dear, have direct ties to the MC known as the Sons of Anarchy, the Redwood Originals. Further, we have a firm belief that discussing your former SAMCRO association with me will shed light on the events leading up to a shooting that took place several years ago in Charming, California."
At the agent's revelation, Jolene sat back in her seat, her posture relaxed. "Why is the ATF investigating an incident in a small town like Charming?"
"Just take me through the events of that day as you remember them." Stahl ignored her question.
"What makes you think I even know what you're taking about?" Jolene retorted quizzically.
Stahl narrowed her eyes at Jolene. "Because you were one of the victims. The other being Jackson "Jax" Teller, the Vice President of SAMCRO."
"Oh, that incident. Why didn't you say so?" Jolene slapped her forehead with the palm of her hand. "Actually, my recollection of that day is a matter of public record, Agent Stahl. All you have to do is contact the San Joaquin Sheriff's Department. I'm sure they'll fax you a copy of my statement."
"Humor me, Jolene." Stahl replied.
Quickly growing tired of busting balls, Jolene reasoned that the quicker she cooperated, the faster she would be on her way home to Abel, so she repeated the standard story that had indeed become a part of the public record. As Stahl questioned Jolene point-by-point regarding her statement, it became apparent just what Stahl's agenda was. Even though Jolene had essentially fallen off the grid and lost contact with everyone from back home, she had no intention of rolling on the Club. Ever. It was clear that Agent Stahl was quickly losing patience with her line of questioning as Jolene kept her answers brief and to the point and her commentary snarky.
"I find it surprising that you weren't able to make the shooter, considering your vantage point." Stahl said casually.
"Regardless of what surprises you," Jolene replied evenly. "That's how it is. I was diagnosed as suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder before I left the hospital. My doctor advised that I may never be able to reconstruct the full events of that night and that it would be in my best interest not to try."
"How convenient." Stahl's thin-lipped grimace made her look like she was trying to smile through some sort of pain. "There's no indication in your medical file that you ever sought treatment for PTSD. You have no desire to unlock your memories of that night? For closure?"
"I've moved on with my life."
"Yes. I see." Stahl closed the file that was in front of her. "I guess that was the smart thing to do. I'm sure that almost dying bloody simply because you loved an outlaw has to give a woman, a young mother, a new perspective on life."
Jolene was clenching her jaw so tight it was starting to hurt. "My reasons for leaving Charming are my own," She replied coolly. "And they have nothing to do with what happened that night."
"Still, it was a smart move. Getting rid of the stink associated with an MC is really hard to do. Coming to Seattle and starting over must have been very hard. I commend you for your efforts. It must have been especially difficult leaving your baby daddy. Is he aware that he has a son? An heir to the SAMCRO throne?" The agent smiled sardonically.
"What part of 'my reasons are my own' did you not understand, Agent Stahl?" Jolene asked angrily.
"You really must learn to direct your hostility at the proper source, dear." Stahl said slyly. "I'm just trying to get a handle on your situation. The fact is, Jolene, I'm on your side and I sympathize with you." Reaching out, Stahl placed her hand on top of Jolene's and patted it. "It's heartwrenching, actually, when you consider everything you had to go through with your son, alone. You almost lost him, what, two, three times? Dr. Steinman is one of the best pediatric surgeons in Seattle. Abel is a very lucky little boy."
Jolene pulled her hand away from Stahl's and looked into her eyes as she continued her commentary on Jolene's life choices. "With the large debt you've amassed for Abel's healthcare, it's going to be a long time before you are financially solvent. The federal government would like to help you with that."
"I don't need help from anyone." Jolene replied coolly, looking Stahl in the eye.
"We could crunch the numbers, if you'd like, but I'm willing to bet that even with the great salary you're pulling, it's going to be a very long time before you can really give Abel the best life has to offer. And let's face it, you've already given him a great start by just getting away from Bumblefuck, USA and those dirty bikers. By getting away from SAMCRO, you have managed to reinvent your life, allowing you to do what's right for your family. Now, the federal government would like to help you out so that you can continue doing well on your own."
"And what must I do in return for that help?" Jolene growled softly.
"All you would have to do is provide us with some information regarding the Club. Believe me, your cooperation will go a long way in keeping you and your son safe from that band of outlaws." Stahl smiled thinly.
With a smile on her face, Jolene replied. "Band of outlaws? That certainly sounds very exciting. Sorta like Robin Hood and his Merry Men, huh? Unfortunately for you, the Club I know is comprised mostly of mechanics and Harley enthusiasts. Aside from that, I know nothing."
Stahl leaned back in her chair. "I am truly sorry to hear that your PTSD has affected you so greatly. It has managed to wipe out years of bearing witness to the illegal activities of not only your father and your old man, but their brothers as well. Since you don't need therapy because you've 'moved on' with your life, maybe a little 'me time' might clear up your perspective. After all, all I really want to do is help you, Jolene. What harm can come from that? I can make life very easy for you and your son," Stahl said sharply. "Or the exact opposite. I suggest you sleep on it."
Standing up, Stahl walked to the door, opened it, and called for Agent Smith's attention. "Agent, please escort Ms. Morrow to Detention Room No. 4."
Without being able to contact anyone, Jolene was held in federal custody overnight. After two more sessions with Stahl, where Jolene reiterated in no uncertain terms what she thought of the federal government's gracious offer, she was finally released late Saturday morning.
Dropped off at Westbrook to retrieve her car, Jolene was frantic to get in contact with Ronnie. As Jolene drove one-handed, she tried to dial Ronnie on her cell phone with the other, only to find out that her battery had died. Frustrated, Jolene threw the cell phone onto the passenger seat of the car and sped along the highway to get to Ronnie's house, about a 40 minute drive from Westbrook.
So intent was Jolene to get home, she barely registered the sound of the siren.
"Fuuuuck!" Jolene slammed her hand on the steering wheel as she pulled onto the shoulder of the highway. Dealing with another asshole with a badge was absolutely the last thing she needed and, unfortunately for Jolene, it wasn't going to get any better.
Jolene rolled down her window and looked up at the nearly 6½ foot State Trooper wearing mirrored sunglasses.
Bending over, the officer demanded in a hard voice. "License and registration."
Scrambling through her purse, Jolene pulled out her wallet and retrieved her license. "Look, officer, I know that I was going a little fast, but I've been out of touch with my family. I desperately need to get to my baby because my sitter has no idea where I've been for the last 18 hours."
Unfortunately, the officer had no sympathy whatsoever to spare. "Your child care issues are not my problem, ma'am. Your speeding on the highway is. License and registration. Now."
Muttering under her breath, Jolene reached over to open the glove box to retrieve her registration. As she flipped it open, she belatedly remembered what was inside.
Sitting in the middle of the compartment in clear view on the officer, Jolene's Glock shone brightly in the late morning sun.
"I want your hands where I can see them!" Barked the Officer as he pulled his service revolver and aimed it at Jolene. "NOW!"
Can I possibly make this shit any worse? Let's try, shall we?
As Jolene put her hands up, the officer opened her car door and nearly dragged her out of her seat, throwing her up against the hood of the car. Suddenly, the SAMCRO Princess came to life once again and before she could rein herself in, Jolene started spewing obscenities directed at the State Trooper and his lack of genitalia.
"You dickless wonder! You like it rough, huh? You must 'cause I'm cooperating, so there's really no need to toss me about like we're on a date!"
"Shut up!" The officer yelled at her, his mouth close to her ear. He had Jolene pinned to the car as he slapped the handcuffs on her, tighter than necessary.
"I have a permit for that gun, you know?" Jolene asked calmly. "No, you wouldn't know, douche bag, because you didn't bother to ask. What can you expect from a pig in a uniform! At least they taught you how to walk upright, which must save you a ton on dry cleaning."
Without another word, the Trooper dragged Jolene to the back of his cruiser and tossed her in.
Yeah, she could definitely make this shit worse.
Several hours later, pulling up in front of Ronnie's house, Jolene saw the front door fly open as her dear friend ran out of the house with Abel in her arms.
"Where the hell have you been?" Ronnie shrieked.
She wasn't alone as Abel was crying loudly, "Mama! Mama!"
Jolene dropped her messenger bag on the ground and scooped Abel up in her arms. Hugging him close to her chest, Jolene dropped a thousand kisses on his sweet smelling blond head.
Wrapping one arm around Ronnie, Jolene squeezed her reassuringly. "I'm okay and I'll tell you everything, but let's go inside first. No need to give your neighbors a show."
Friends since grade school, Jolene and Ronnie's relationship survived in spite of the distance when Ronnie's father relocated his family to Seattle soon after Jolene had started middle school. After Jolene's flight from San Diego, Ronnie had opened her modest home and welcomed a pregnant Jolene with open arms. The history they shared, however, did not deter Ronnie from calling her friend out on what she thought was a horrific error in judgment on Jolene's part. First, by leaving Charming and second, by running away to Seattle instead of returning home.
While Ronnie had never seen Jolene and Jax Teller together, there had been no doubt from the many conversations and correspondences they had shared over the years that Jax and Jolene loved each other heart, mind, body and soul. She confirmed it for herself when five months after Jolene had arrived in Seattle, Jax had shown up looking for his old lady.
Had Jolene not been in the house when Jax arrived, Ronnie would have invited him in and would have completely spilled the beans on Jolene's whereabouts. But with her friend standing right there and pleading with her, Ronnie could not betray Jolene's friendship right in her face, so she lied and watched the heartbroken biker walk out of Jolene's life.
Over the next year and a half, Ronnie did everything she could to help Jolene and Abel. She had even convinced her father to use his government connections and high security clearance to help Jolene bury her trail from her family.
Now, as Ronnie sat in the living room listening to Jolene's account of her run-in with the ATF, she started to wonder what Jolene had really been running from when she left Charming.
"Maybe you need to contact someone back home." Ronnie suggested. "Something must have happened for the ATF to start digging up the past again."
Jolene, who had finally been able to calm down, was sitting on the couch opposite her friend. "No. I call home and I play right into that bitch's hand. That's exactly what she expects me to do."
Ronnie ran her hands through her short, spiky blond hair. "She's pressuring you for what, exactly? What can you possibly know that would be worth dangling that big fat bribe to pay off Abel's medical expenses? What kind of information was she hoping you'd give up?"
"I have no clue." Jolene lied. "She spent a helluva lot of time questioning me about the night I got shot." She said, picking up Abel and carefully throwing him up in the air.
As she caught him, Abel giggled hysterically. "More, Mama, more!"
"How about you take a bath with Mama, hmm, baby?"
Abel nodded his head emphatically as he played with her hair. "Play wit boats and bubbles?"
"Absolutely." Jolene looked over at Ronnie. "You mind if we crash here after we take a bath? I really rather not be alone after the night I've had."
"Sure, sweetie. Just promise you'll make breakfast for dinner and you can crash the whole weekend. Abel really missed Mommy's pancakes this morning." Ronnie advised.
"Cooking still not your strong suit?" Jolene kidded.
"Nope," Ronnie smiled cheekily as she led Jolene to her old bedroom. "And I haven't had a decent breakfast since you moved out. Hey, how about whipping up a batch of those killer blueberry muffins, too?"
Caught off guard, Jolene felt her heart tightening in her chest as she thought of her Uncle Elvis. Since leaving Charming, she had made several attempts at replicating his signature organic blueberry muffins and, in her mind, had failed miserably.
"Sure, why not?" Jolene replied with a slightly sad smile, suddenly homesick. "Anything else you wanna stuff in that hollow leg of yours?" She teased, channeling Piney.
The rest of the weekend had been uneventful. Jolene had taken Abel to the park and shopping and had prepared a roast for Sunday dinner, a tradition she had borrowed from Gemma and which had become part of their normal routine. Ronnie had even invited several musician and artist friends in hopes of taking Jolene's mind off her troubles.
After putting Abel down for the night, Jolene sat with Ronnie and her friends in the backyard illuminated by colorful Japanese lanterns. A few brought out their guitars and started playing and singing, as one of Ronnie's friends, a painter and art dealer by the name of Isaac, chatted Jolene up while plying her with cheap red wine. Jolene tried to playfully wave off his obvious attraction to her, but Jolene kept finding herself drawn to the blond with the slightly longish hair and blue eyes.
The attention did wonders for Jolene's self-confidence and the distraction had allowed her to stop dwelling on the possible ramifications of her meeting with Agent Stahl. But realizing that Isaac was serious about his pursuit of her, Jolene excused herself a little before eleven o'clock, using work the next day as the reason. No point in leading the man on when even she could see that her main attraction to him in the first place was that he physically reminded her of the one she couldn't be with.
The one that a few months ago, according to David Hale, had upped and married the Reno Whore!
Can't be with the one you love? Then love the one you're with?
Nah, Jolene wasn't wired that way. She had proven that to herself several months ago by hooking up with Hale and actually sleeping with him on the rebound, only to hate herself afterwards. Feeling like she had betrayed Jax, Jolene had broken down into tears every time she thought about her one night with Hale. But just as quickly, her tears for the man her heart would always belong to turned into ire. Once again, she had been forced to unpack after coming close to going back to Charming, this time with Abel, only to have Jax do something epically stupid that broke her heart all over again.
But her non-existent love life was the last thing on her mind as Jolene pulled into the Westbrook parking lot early Monday morning, only to find out that Agent Stahl was playing hard ball.
Waiting for her at the Academy's main doors was Ada Wilson, the Headmaster's Executive Assistant.
"Miss Morrow, I'm glad I caught you. The Headmaster needs to see you in his office right away."
Jolene ran her hand through her dark curls. "Is there a problem?"
The assistant avoided looking directly into Jolene's piercing green eyes. "I think it's best if you speak to him directly."
Jolene sighed. Yeah, that's how her meeting with the Feds started and ended up going nowhere good fast. Lugging her messenger bag, she followed Ada towards the Headmaster's office located on the second floor.
Jolene's heart skipped a beat as she entered the office. Not only was the Headmaster there, but also present were two members of the Board of Trustees.
The Chair of the Board, Mrs. Corrine Van Duren, was sitting in the Headmaster's chair. The 70-something year old woman nodded her head at the single chair placed in front of the Headmaster's desk. "Miss Morrow, please take a seat."
Sitting down in the straight back chair, Jolene folded her hands in her lap and waited for the hammer to fall on her head.
Mrs. Van Duren clasped her hands together. "As you know, Miss Morrow, I had some misgivings when we first offered you a position here at Westbrook." Giving the Headmaster a sharp look, she continued. "It has now come to the attention of the Board of Trustees that I was right to have these feelings."
Standing directly behind Mrs. Van Duren was Donald Chambers, Co-Chair of the Board. "It has come to our attention that you, Miss Morrow, have a criminal record that had not been disclosed to the Academy during the vetting process prior to your engagement here at Westbrook." Handing a file to Jolene, Mr. Chambers continued. "Please review the contents of the file and explain."
With narrowed eyes, Jolene opened the file to see her arrest report and subsequent court filings from the Juvenile court system in San Joaquin.
Addressing Mr. Chambers, Jolene replied, "Yes, this is my juvenile record, which I was told would remain sealed after my eighteenth birthday, and yes, the circumstances described herein are correct." Jolene made eye contact with the Headmaster. "But what is not reflected here is that I completed my probation well within the time allotted, nor are the letters and statements submitted on my behalf recommending that this incident be stricken from my record. Four of my teachers from Charming Excelsior Prep, my supervisors at Habit for Humanity, as well as my guidance counselors all praised my academic record and work for the nonprofit organization. Since the incident, which I took full responsibility for," Jolene tossed the file onto the Headmaster's desk. "My reputation as well as my record has remained spotless. How exactly did the Board of Trustees come by this information?"
"A responsible government official felt duty bound to inform us of your past indiscretion." Mr. Chambers replied pompously.
"Despite your defense of this indiscretion and even though you have shown yourself to be an extremely capable teacher here at Westbrook, this Academy has a reputation to uphold and a responsibility to our students." Mrs. Van Duren intoned. "We've already compromised the Academy's standards by hiring an unwed mother, and now, with your family history coming to light as a result of the information contained in this file, we simply cannot expose our students to the dangers and nefarious influences you yourself were so obviously exposed to during your youth as part of a motorcycle gang." She said distastefully.
Feeling not only her tongue go numb, but part of her face as well, Jolene practically jumped to her feet, not realizing the threatening picture she painted with her hands balled up into fists. "I was never part of a 'motorcycle gang'. I was raised by a loving and caring family who protected me and gave me the stability that every child deserves." Jolene retorted. "I take great offense to you casting aspersions on them."
"Be that as it may, due to your failure to advise us of your criminal background and your failure to uphold the moral turpitude clause of your employment contract, it is the decision of the Board of Trustees to terminate your employment, effective immediately." Rising to her feet, Mrs. Van Duren pressed the intercom button on the phone on the desk.
As the door to the Headmaster's office opened, a security guard entered the office, along with the Head of Personnel. "You will follow Miss Bailey, who will give you your exit packet, after which time you will be escorted off of the grounds."
As the security guard reached to grab Jolene's arm, she snatched it away. "You do not want to touch me."
Looking at the sorrowful face of Headmaster Harris, Jolene Morrow held her head up high as she exited the office.
Two months had passed since Jolene had been fired from Westbrook and she was still unemployed. Jolene had papered every school district in the surrounding area for 100 miles with her résumé and had not even managed to get an interview.
It was a former colleague who finally clued Jolene into what she had suspected, but didn't want to believe. Dina Brewster, an English teacher for 15 years at Westbrook, met her for lunch at Jolene's favorite diner and broke the news to her.
"I am so sorry, Jolene, but you might as well as take this downtime and look into changing careers." Dina started sympathetically as she stabbed a piece of romaine in her Caesar salad with a fork. "The Board of Trustees is packed with a bunch uppity blowhards with a lot of time on their hands. Unfortunately, they have a long reach and a lot of influence. I honestly don't think you'll ever be able to teach in Seattle again. Getting fired from Westbrook Academy is bad enough, but you have the stigma of a violation of the morality clause of your contract attached. I've seen teachers dismissed for violating the dress code one too many times have a hard time getting hired, even by the public schools."
Along with the burden of struggling to find a job, the bottom had finally fallen out of Jolene's savings. Not only was she seriously behind in paying her living expenses, more importantly, without health insurance once again, she was having trouble keeping up with Abel's medical bills. Ronnie urged her to move back in with her and Jolene was seriously starting to consider it.
To make matters worse, Abel had to be hospitalized again for the third time in ten months. The Hospital Administrator, although sympathetic, had to lay down the law. If Jolene failed to start making payments again and soon, the hospital would no longer be able to treat Abel. He would be transferred to a county hospital with a less than stellar reputation for pediatric care, which could put her son's health and life at risk.
Ronnie wanted to help, even offering to swallow her pride and go to her parents for money. Ronnie rarely connected with her wealthy parents because they were at odds with her bohemian lifestyle as a tattoo artist, but she would do it for her friend. Jolene wouldn't let her, however, reasoning that if she herself was too stubborn to contact her own family for help, she certainly wasn't going to put her friend in that position, not after all Ronnie had done for her already.
Determined to help, Ronnie reached out to her father. Always the apple of his eye, in spite of her lifestyle choices, Russell Armstrong would do anything for his daughter and once again used his government connections and high security clearance to help her childhood friend. This time, however, he was to dig up dirt on Special Agent June Stahl.
It was clear since her firing from Westbrook that the ATF agent was on a mission to destroy whatever progress Jolene had made on her own, hoping to make her desperate enough to turn on her family. Knowing that Stahl was not going to give up on her, Jolene was determined to be prepared for their next encounter. If there was one thing that Jolene had learned during her MC upbringing it was to be a good judge of character and someone willing to play dirty and risk the life of an innocent child must have some skeletons in their closet. Of that Jolene was sure of.
In the meantime, caught between a rock and a hard place, Jolene took any job that became available to her. From tutoring, to walking dogs, and painting houses, Jolene was at a point where she would do just about anything to keep her son under Dr. Steinman's care. Unfortunately, minimum wage wasn't cutting it and she hadn't managed to make a dent in Abel's medical bills.
A co-worker at the fast food restaurant Jolene was currently working in, another single mother like herself, told her of a waitressing gig where Jolene could make good money. It certainly wouldn't be as uplifting as teaching, but it paid well, especially for someone as pretty as Jolene. It sure beat flipping burgers and would free up her days to spend with her son.
Prideful she may be, but Jolene loved her son far too much to let something as meaningless as her pride get in the way. Standing outside the elegant building housing the upscale gentlemen's club, Jolene watched the constant stream of activity as people came and went. For the second time in two months, Jolene took a deep breath and slipped into biker bitch mode before stepping inside The Lollipop Café for her audition with the owner.
Present Day.
Sitting cross-legged in the center of their huge and rumpled bed in her underwear and tank top, Jolene was looking at Jax with wide, near panicked eyes. Jax, leaning against the headboard, was quiet, lost in thought, his face betraying nothing and he was scaring the shit out of Jolene.
"Baby," She started nervously, her voice barely above a whisper. "Please say something." It was still incomprehensible to her how he had managed to remain silent as she at long last filled him in on her time in Seattle.
Finally, looking up at Jolene with eyes as wide as her own, Jax replied, "This is a lot to process, Jo."
"I know," Jolene said, her heart breaking. "And I'm so sorry, Jax."
As she started to get off the bed, she felt Jax's hands on her small waist pulling her back until she was resting against the granite wall of his torso.
"Babe," He breathed into her tangled mass of curls close to her ear. "Stop running away from me." Nudging her chin with his thumb and index finger until she turned her head towards him, Jax kissed her softly. "We're done running from each other, deal?"
"Deal." Jolene tried to smile, but failed. Turning to face him full on, she was kneeling on the bed before him and cupped his face in her trembling hands. "You forgive me?"
Jax shook his head slightly as he grabbed both of her hands. Bringing them to his lips, he kissed each one reverently. "There's nothing to forgive, Jo." He said sincerely. "Tonight's not about assigning blame, darlin'. It's to make sure that no one ever tries to use what we have together to tear us apart. Besides, if whatever mistakes we've made were necessary in order to get us where we are now, it's all been worth it, darlin'. I love you more now than I ever thought I could."
Jolene wrapped her arms around his neck and squeezed. "I still love you more."
Jax smiled as he gently massaged the small of his wife's back. "There's just one thing I need to know, darlin'." Pulling back slightly, Jolene was looking at him once again and waited. She knew where this was going. "Just what exactly is The Lollipop Café and what did you have to do to audition?"
God, I know him so well!
"I told you. It's a gentlemen's club."
"I know, babe, but—" Jax took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "How much of your clothes came off?"
"None!" Jolene replied incredulously as Jax quirked a disbelieving eyebrow at her. "Okay, almost none, but before you flip out, it was more of an upscale coffeehouse. And all I had to do to audition was walk around in lingerie."
Jolene stopped to gauge his reaction. When Jax only blinked at her, she continued. "I worked as a waitress who served drinks while wearing sexy underwear."
"What the fuck?" Jax asked incredulously, biting his lip, trying to hide a grin.
Taking his response as anger, Jolene broke free and jumped off the bed, blurting out the rest. "On alternating nights, instead of waitressing, I worked the pole. I wore silly costumes and danced, okay? It was burlesque and actually quite tasteful and classy for your information!"
Jax ran his hand over his mustache and the hair on his chin to hide his expression. "Ugh! Knowing you, you probably weren't any good at it." He intentionally goaded her.
And just as Jax had hoped, Jolene's type A-personality kicked in full throttle. Whipping around, the suddenly feisty woman put her fists on her hips.
"The hell you say! I was the best damn waitress in that place, and I owned that pole on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays! Besides, a woman doesn't have to be completely naked to be sexy, you know? And even if you don't know and don't like it anyway, I don't give a shit! I did what I had to do to take care of Abel and one night swinging around a pole at the Café would net me the same as two-weeks pay flipping burgers! Still don't like it, you can pucker up and kiss my butt!" Muttering under her breath, she stomped towards their bedroom door, only to be swooped up into the air and planted on their bed.
"Jesus Christ, woman! I'm sorry for pissing in your Cheerios." Jax laughed as he tried to hold onto his wife while avoiding a knee to the balls. Jolene was so intent on struggling out of her husband's arms that she barely registered what he had to say next. "One day, Jo, I'm gonna need you to demonstrate your pole work."
Jolene stopped struggling and looked up into the grinning eyes of her old man. "You're not mad?" She whispered.
"Did any of the lingerie come off?" Jax demanded.
"No!" Jolene replied indignantly as she averted Jax's eyes. "At least not all of it." She finished in a small voice.
Jax closed his eyes and took a deep breath, while Jolene held hers.
Flared nostrils are never a good sign.
"You know what?" Jax suddenly pushed himself off the bed, bringing Jolene along with him, her legs around his waist. He could feel her trembling against him. "As long as you don't intend on riding the pole at the Clubhouse, I don't give a shit. Don't get me wrong, darlin'. The idea of you dancing for other men ain't exactly what I wanted to hear. It kills me that that's what you had to do to take care of our son, but those men, all they could ever have of you was the visual, babe, because you belong to me. Always have, and always will."
Jolene's body continued to quiver with relief as she ran her hands through Jax's unruly hair. "The Club doesn't need to know about my stint at The Lollipop Café, do they?"
Jax shook his head. "They'll never hear it from me."
"But they might hear it from Stahl." Jolene said hesitantly.
"That gash tried to blackmail you?" Jax asked in disbelief.
Jolene nodded. "She threatened to play the same cards at Excelsior that she had with Westbrook. I took the wind out of her sails when I told her that the School Board was well aware of my past. That's when she whipped out what was behind Door Number 2."
"The rape attempt."
"Yeah. She's trying to link the disappearances of Pretty Ricky and Kyle to me. She says the Club has a history of committing murder on my behalf. And if she presses Valentina hard enough for Intel, Stahl may have a case against us all." Jolene explained. "She said Abel would end up in a foster home when that happened."
Setting Jolene down on the bed, Jax ran his hands through his hair. The competent and strong outlaw biker was at war with the terrified man who loved his wife beyond reason.
Trying to remain calm, especially with her delicate condition, Jax tried to speak rationally. "Jo, why in the hell would you keep this shit to yourself?"
"I would have told you had you told me about the psycho bitch flipping out at the station house." Jolene crossed her arms.
Jax sighed. "At the time, I honestly didn't know what to make of it, Jo. I figured that, in true Morrow fashion, you had driven her spider monkey crazy. I didn't think it was something for you to worry about, so I didn't mention it."
"Well, the fact that she did and didn't care what the consequences were just impressed on me the fact that this nut job isn't playing with a full deck." Her serious expression belied her inner anxiety. "Jax, she is crazy."
"Darlin', you underestimate your ability to drive someone to the brink—'' Jax started.
"Okay, I get it. I'm a pain in the ass, but you don't understand. She's a crazy bitch and I can prove it."
Jolene got up and went into her walk-in closet. When she returned, she was carrying a two-inch thick file, which she handed to Jax.
"Ronnie's dad pulled some major fuckin' strings and his people did a deep background check. Russell Armstrong managed to pull up dirt that the Feds themselves failed to uncover when they recruited her." Jolene explained. "When I first met her, I knew I was dealing with someone who had no conscience and according to the reports in that file, Stahl is a sociopath. I held onto the information because I knew she'd come after me again and I had to protect Abel."
"And when she pulled you in a few of weeks ago, you dropped the Intel in this file on her, and that's why she lost her shit at the station house?" Jax concluded.
Jolene nodded. "We came to an agreement. Well, actually, I told her how it would go down. She'd keep her pie hole shut about my life in Seattle and no one would ever know what was in that file. But during the weekend of the bike rally, it finally dawned on me that the Club was in the dark when it came to Stahl and I realized how dangerous that could be. Being the SAMCRO Pres, I was going to give the information to Dad, hoping that you'd be able to talk him off the ledge because I just knew he would probably walk into Charming PD with guns blazing. But as Acting President, I can give it to you knowing that you'll do whatever needs to be done with a cool head."
Looking into her eyes, Jax could see how earnest Jolene was. He also saw something else that he had rarely ever seen reflected in her eyes before and it sent a chill up his spine.
Fear.
"Being on my own for so long, I got used to having to handle shit on my own. By the time I came home, I had forgotten the most important lesson Dad ever taught me. Anyone wearing the Reaper is my family and they will always protect me. I won't make that mistake again, Jax. Once you read that file, with what I've already told you, you'll understand what a threat that gash is to SAMCRO and to us. I trust you and I love you and I know that you and the Club will do what needs to be done to protect our family."
Wearing a pair of sweatpants and a SAMCRO t-shirt, Jax had spent the rest of the night sitting at the large oak desk in his man cave reading the dossier on Special Agent June Stahl. It was nearly dawn when he finally closed the file that lay on top of his desk. Leaning back in the burgundy leather executive chair as he tried to rub the exhaustion out of his eyes, Jax had come to a stunning conclusion:
This bitch is fuckin' crazy.
His old lady had managed to dig up some explosive, career-ending, life-sentence worthy shit on the psychopath from East Texas formerly known as Claire Daniels. The throttling he wanted to give his wife would have to wait until their second son was born, but Jolene had taken a massive risk in exposing to Stahl knowledge of her secrets. His over possessiveness and need to keep his old lady within arm's distance had probably kept Jolene safe from Stahl.
Never, in all his 29 years had Jax wanted to kill someone like he wanted to kill June Stahl. Jax was not unreasonable about the choices he had made in his life. He was an outlaw and, should the long arm of the law ever catch up with him, he knew he would end up doing hard time. But that gash had crossed the line in her efforts to take down the Club when she decided to prey on his old lady and their son.
As far as Jax was concerned, Stahl was already dead. She just didn't know it yet.
In spite of his assurances to Jolene that there was nothing to forgive, Jax was having a hard time forgiving himself. Now, it was time to fix the damage that pushing Jolene away four years ago had caused. Jolene was definitely the Bonnie to his Clyde, truly the only old lady he would ever need, and there was no way he would be able to weather this storm without her riding shotgun in his life. Although he wanted nothing more than her input every step of the way as he worked to save their family and their legacy, with the new baby on the way, Jax wasn't about to risk her well-being.
Jolene gave him too much credit when she said he was a cool head. If allowed to react unrestrained, Jax could be as brutal as Clay and as bloody as Tig, but his old lady was right. Storming in with guns blazing was not the way to go.
Brains before bullets, he reminded himself.
Jax needed wise counsel, someone close, but even-tempered enough not to let that closeness taint their perspective.
I need Ope.
It remained to be seen whether he would share all of Jolene's revelations with the man she loved like a true brother, but whatever the cost, Jax himself was prepared to pay it in order to protect his family.
Against all enemies known and unknown. No matter what.