Chapter 4 – Fields of Gold

During that turbulent summer full of change, Nelly decided she needed a stable and reliable source of income. If her dream of attending college and becoming a teacher was to be realized, she had to start saving for her tuition. She couldn't count on her father and she would never ask aunt Linda. Having a few choices of employment between a hamburger drive-in and a video store, babysitting seemed to Nelly like the most pleasant way to earn the money. She felt that she could relate to kids, keep them occupied and happy, that this was something she could do well. In a small town like Charming, Nelly knew her family history would not encourage most parents, so she decided to beef up her credentials with first aid and CPR certifications. As July came to an end, she enrolled in courses offered by St. John's Ambulance.

Classes were held in the basement of St. Thomas Hospital. Nelly walked into a large, cavernous, and nearly empty room covered in white tiles. The walls were lined with anatomical charts and first aid instructions, long and narrow metal tables stood in neat rows, each containing a torso of a CPR dummy and intensifying the feel of a morgue. The room seemed cold and hollow, and Nelly found herself craving human contact, so she gravitated to the only other person there, a thin girl with a mass of dark, black hair and sharp, curious eyes. Nel set her stuff on the table next to the girl's and then waved to her, "Hey, I'm Nelly."

"Hi," the girl gave her a tight smile, "Tara."

"Tara?" Nelly repeated before stopping herself, thinking of a big white plantation house she'd been reading about recently in Gone with the Wind.

The girl named Tara rolled her eyes playfully, then said, as if reading Nel's mind, "Yeah, I know. I'm just grateful it's not Scarlet."

They both giggled at a shared joke.

"Are you doing this for fun or work?" Asked Tara, her face a bit more relaxed, more open.

"Work. Babysitting. I thought first aid would be a good thing to know. You?"
"Me too. I volunteer here at the hospital, and they recommended I get it done."

They fell silent as as more people of all ages and walks of life began trickling on the heels of the instructor who made a loud entrance into the classroom.

+o+o+

As they gathered their stuff before lunch break, Tara smiled at Nelly sheepishly, "Listen, this place is giving me the creeps. Wanna get some lunch?"

Nelly agreed gratefully. At the hospital cafeteria, Tara grabbed a bag of chips and a Diet Coke, and then the girls settled on a bench outside, thankful for sunlight and its warmth.

"Don't you have any real food?" Nelly asked appalled, as she opened her thermos of tea and pulled out a slice of banana bread she made.

"My dad is useless in the kitchen, and so am I."

"How about your mom?"

Tara took a little halting breath and looked out into the parking lot before she answered, "She died when I was nine."

This disclosure took Nelly by surprise, and Tara's frankness opened some floodgates, "Same."

"You're shitting me." Tara turned on her, an angry flash in her eyes.

"No, for real. Drunk driver."
Tara studied Nel for a moment, assessing, then said, "Cancer."

"I'm sorry." Nelly said softly.

"Yeah, me too." Tara replied, her snack forgotten. She took a breath, thinking that for the first time she was talking to someone who had the same hole in their heart. She never thought she would get that chance, and wasn't about to pass it up, "I miss cuddles, and having my hair brushed..."
"And braids, I miss braids. And going shopping together."

They smiled at each other wistfully.

"How are things with your dad?" Asked Tara.

"Not great. He's a drunk."

"Same." Deadpanned Tara.

And although it wasn't even remotely funny, they burst out laughing.

"I never thought I will find another me." Said Tara, "I was always the curiosity in the room."

"Not any more." Smiled Nelly. It was strange to feel an instant connection with this girl, this stranger. But it was also wonderful.

They got back to their measly lunches. Tara took one look at Nelly's and picked up where they left off before interruption, "I don't see all major food groups in your lunchbox, missy."

Nelly gave her a crooked smile, "Here, have some." She handed Tara one of her banana bread slices and received a bright grateful smile in return.

"You said you are volunteering at the hospital. That's now what most kids in Charming do with their free time," Nelly looked at Tara curiously as she asked, "Do you want to become a nurse?"

Tara gave a short, sarcastic snort in response, "No, not a nurse. I see how hard they work, practically doing the doctor's job and getting paid pennies by comparison. No, thanks. I want to be a doctor, make the decisions, run the show, get the big bucks. And get the hell out of Charming."

Nelly was astonished by how well this girl knew what she wanted. And by how completely determined and jaded she was about it.

Tara continued, scoffing, "Nice name for this fucking cesspool, Charming..."

"Why do you hate it so much?" Nelly asked thoughtfully, hoping to uncover more under the dark sarcasm of Tara.

"I mean, the irony of it. There's nothing charming about a place divided by race lines and ravaged by bikers and gang wars. How long have you lived here?"

"Long enough to know that the MC runs this town. It's kinda hard to miss," Nelly confirmed vaguely, thinking of the forbidding compound and her aunt's boyfriend. "Apparently they used to keep peace and order around here..."

"Yeah, like a doberman herding the sheep."

"My aunt's boyfriend is a Son." Nelly offered the information cautiously. "She wants me to stay away from the club."

"And have you?"

"Of course, why wouldn't I?" She was perplexed by the suggestion.

"Weren't you ever tempted? You know, forbidden fruit and all?"

"I try to stay out of trouble if I can help it." Nelly replied vaguely, but she thought of the trouble her father and Simon brought home. Why would she go looking for more?

"You've got more brains then I do." Said Tara with admiration. "Cause as much as I hate 'em, my boyfriend is one of them."

"Seriously?"

"I know... Stupid, right?" Tara sighed, her eyes softening as she smiled. "But you wouldn't be able to resist him either. Jax is gorgeous, charming and sweet, and just... dreamy."

"That doesn't sound like a typical biker."

"Well, he's not one of them yet." Tara shrugged, "He probably will be one day. But for now, he's perfect."

"It sounds like he's worth the trouble." Nelly smiled, amused by the other girl's reaction.

"He's my kind of trouble." Tara laughed, and then added more seriously, "And I wouldn't change that for anything."

+o+o+

With brief breaks, the CPR class lasted the entire day and Nelly was grateful she didn't have to endure it alone. When they were finally dismissed in the evening, the girls parted reluctantly.

"You're all right, Nelly." Tara smiled at her with a crooked, warm smile. "You should come and hang with me and my friends. I know this guy who'd be perfect for you, Jax's friend. Here's my number. Call me."

Nelly smiled back as she took Tara's number and waved her goodbye. She was weary of any match-making and aunt Linda's misgivings about the MC were always in the back of her mind. As much as she liked Tara, Nelly was fairly sure she'd never see her again. She let the little slip of paper fall into her oversized hobo bag and disappear forever.