A/N: Thank you to the 3 wonderful people who reviewed, it made my day.
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"Who can explain what the significance of Mrs. Bucket in the book?" Mr. Blake asked the class from his perch on the chair.
Her hand shot like a rocket as soon as the words slipped passed Mr. Blake's mouth.
"Anyone besides Tara?" He asked looking at the students seated on the sides of the classroom before finding no other takers before nodding at her to answer.
"Mrs. Bucket, who is Charlies' mother, is very important to the story even though she is only in it for a little while. Charlies' mother shows what it means to be a mother. To put the dreams of her child ahead of her own, even though it means that she will get less soup for dinner. If you ask me Mrs. Bucket is a good mother." She finished before smiling at her teacher who complimented her on a good job and threw her a skittle.
"As Tara pointed out Mrs. Bucket would go a meal, possibly a few, without a hearty meal just so she could get her son a chocolate bar with a chance to meet Mr. Wonka." He explained before walking up and down the rows as he continued, "She is the reason why Charlie and his grandfather get to go on the adventure in the first place. Now that we have looked at a good idea of a parent can someone give me a bad parent?" He asked coming to a stop at the front of the class again. Finding no one willing to answer he asked her if she knew however just as she was about to answer the bell rang and they were released with a reminder from the teacher to write three paragraphs on the ending of the book and to think of an example of a bad image of a parent.
Grabbing her backpack she led the way out of the class with her book clutched in her hand.
"Hey Tara, I was wondering would you-" David started to ask her as they walked away from the classroom before being cut off by his older brother.
"Well what do we have here?" He leered down at her, showing off his pockmarked face and greasy hair.
"Jacob don't be mean she's my friend." David warned before giving her a soft smile and earning one in return.
Coaxing Jacob away or at least trying to, he waved at Jax and Opie as they walked over with delight shining from their faces as the first day back was over.
Jacob stalked off leaving his brother to trot after him, like a puppy.
"David!" She called out to him, causing him and his menace of a brother to stop and turn back around.
"Don't forget about the bad parent assignment." She reminded him pointing at the book in her hand.
"Bad parents, pft that won't be too hard Dave, just pick one of the Son's whores. Winston's mother should get you an A." Jacob said loud enough that it could be hear d by Opie, before he whirled around and sauntered towards his dad's car.
Her and Donna stood in silence as the words hit them before they realized that Opie was a brilliant shade of red and Jax's looked like he was ready to run after the oldest Hale and rip him to shreds.
She handed Donna her book before she touched Jax's shoulder directing his attention to their friend who looked like he was about to crumble. She wrapped her arms around his middle, and put the side of her face to his chest before squeezing him hard. Her mother was right; he was awfully tall for an almost ten year old she thought as she hugged him.
Stepping back from the hug she smiled impishly before pulling out a five dollar bill in her backpack before asking if he wanted to get a eighty-nine cent cone on their way to the garage.
Opie immediately brightened up and shook his head, before Jax agreed whole-heartedly.
"Well I'll see you tomorrow Tara, enjoy your ice cream guys before she skipped away to go find her ride.
So the Prince of SAMCRO, along with his faithful friend and their little tag-along made their way out of school and towards the little shop, that one of Uncle Happy's 'friends' worked at.
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"Only you kids would eat Ice cream in January." Sasha chuckled as she handed the double cone to Opie, after refusing to take her money; Saying something about how Uncle Happy would make up for it later.
So with a grateful grin at Sasha she pocketed the money in her backpack before they left the shop and headed the two blocks to the Garage, going slowly in silence as each of them was more interested in the cold treat then in talking.
"What took you guys so long?" Bobby called as they rounded the gate and entering the lot.
"We stopped to get Ice Cream." Opie said raising his cone in explanation before returning it back to his mouth.
"Well, ya nearly had yer ma in a fit. She couldna fine ye when she picked up the wee one." Chibs addrd as he wiped the grease from his hands.
"Oops. Ma's gonna be pissed." Jax said before smiling sheepishly at Opie.
"Jax, you shouldn't say that." She told him finishing off her treat.
"Don't be a baby Tara, everyone else says a lot worse." He said before running to Aunt Gemma's office where she stood in the doorway tapping her heeled boot looking really mad.
"Oh he's gonna get it. Gemma doesn't like worrying about her babies. Jax is a mama's boy for sure.
Opie whispered quietly to her as they walked toward the office and Aunt Gemma ready for the stern warning and gearing up to apologize as soon as the lecture ended.
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Her mother was irritable her daddy told her as he met her as soon as Uncle Piney's truck rolled to a stop.
"Bet you'll be glad when that one comes out." Her Uncle said before chuckling at her daddy's nodding.
"You have no idea. It wasn't this bad with Tara; I think it's just the fact she has to be still for the next month and a half." He explained before opening up her door and grabbing her bag as she jumped out.
"I hear ya, Kat never likes to be pinned down for long." Uncle Piney chuckled, shaking his head as a smile erupted onto his face.
"Anyways I better get inside before she decides to come outside. Thanks again Piney for picking her up I appreciate it. Drinks later?" Her daddy asked as he shut the door and with a nod from Piney and a wave goodbye from Opie they turned into their driveway and cut the ignition.
"Come on Princess; let's go tell your mom how school was." He said swinging her arm as they walked up the front steps.
"Is that my daughter I hear?" Her mother called form the opened bedroom.
"It's me, mommy." She called back as she ran across the tiny living room and into her parents room much to her Mother's chagrin, and a reminder to not run in the house before she smiled at her daughter and asked her all about school.
"Can you help me on my homework assignment?" She asked her mother after explaining every single thing she did in school today and about the free ice cream she got.
"Sure sweetie what can I do to help?" Her mother asked as she sat up higher in the bed.
"Well I think I got it covered Mr. Blake liked what I had to say but I just want to double check. What makes a bad parent? I already know what makes a good parent, like Mrs. Bucket but what makes a bad parent like all the parents in 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory'?" She explained farther.
"Well what do you think makes a bad parent?" Her mother asked softly as she pushed back her hair.
"Ummm, well when they make you eat two servings of vegetables." She said before snickering.
"No eating vegetables make you healthy and that's good. Anything else?" She asked.
"When a mother does something for themselves first."
"Go on." Her mother coaxed
"When a mother hits their child, its not very nice. Especially if they didn't deserve it." She said before putting her finger to her lips thinking hard.
"That's very true, a mother is supposed to smother them with kisses and hugs." She said before demonstrating peppering her with kisses on her head.
"Oh I know!" She shouted excitedly.
"What?" Her mother asked smiling all the while.
"A mother shouldn't leave her child. She should be there to cook them pancakes and tuck them in and check under the bed for monsters and-" she said trailing off as she thought of Aunt Mary and Opie.
"Mama, whose gonna make Opie pancakes now?" She asked quietly as she stared up at her mother.
Her mothers' smile fell from her face and she rubbed unconscious circles on her ballooned belly.
"I don't know sweetie, maybe Aunt Gemma and I will take turns because Uncle Piney can barely make toast." Kat said, a single tear falling from her eye as she thought of the young boy across the street.
As she sat there on her mom and dad's bed she realized sadly that Jacob Hale was right, Aunt Mary was a bad parent.
For the next hour she sat with her back to her mother as she did her homework, while her mom brushed and braided her hair.
With homework complete and stomach starting to rumble she left her mother in her bed and she walked into the living room in search of her dad, to see what was for dinner. The television was on, muted on the Charming News with her father nowhere in sight. As she edged closer to couch she could hear voices, but not what they were saying. Curious she continued walking until she stood in front of the slightly cracked door looking out at her Daddy, Uncle John and Uncle Piney clustered together talking before her dad waved his arms at them both before turning to head back into the house. Scurrying to get out of sight she rounded the couch and sat down pretending to watch the silent television as soon as her daddy walked through the door, shutting it as he went.
She heard her dad mumble something under his breath before he noticed her sitting there.
"Tara what do you and your mom want for dinner?" He asked, as the annoyance fell from his face as he asked her.
"Grilled Cheese." She said giving him a toothy grin.
"And maybe some soup?" he added on as he started to walk towards his bedroom.
"Sure." She said before she grabbed the remote and turned up the volume going to change the channel.
"A body was recovered this afternoon, brutally beaten with aspects of a ritualistic nature, on the outskirts of Charming. The town has been put on alert to not go anywhere alone, or after dark. I am Shelby ouf-"
She changed the channel to Auxiliary before getting off the couch to put in Beauty and the Beast before she settled in to watch while her dad prepared dinner.
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"This grilled cheese is really good." she said before munching on the second half of her sandwich.
"Slow down sweetie, I'm sure daddy will make you another if you ask." Her mother told her before giggling at her daughter's bright eyes.
"Well I'm glad that my grilled cheese is worthy of seconds." He said before wiping his hands on his napkin and getting up from his side of the bed.
"Well since your making seconds…" Kat said before holding out her own plate towards her husband.
"Got it, coming right up. Do you want yours with pickle slices again?" He asked turning a slight shade of green at the combination.
She nodded her head before licking her lips.
"Can I try it that way too?" she asked trying to copy her mother.
"Sure sweetie. Two pickle grilled cheese coming right up." He told them as he walked out of the room to go prepare seconds.
"You okay mama?" she asked her mother as she watched her mother shut her eyes tight and clench at the comforter.
"Yeah yeah it's just your brother roughhousing around in my uterus." She said through clenched teeth.
She watched as her mother went through battle with her brother silently until her hold on the comforter loosened and she opened her eyes again.
"So, I was thinking Tara maybe you could have Donna over for a sleepover this weekend and I can do your hair all pretty and we can have daddy bake cookies and we can watch Disney movies, wouldn't that be fun?" Her mother asked her as she tightened her grip on the comforter ever so slightly.
She agreed whole-heartedly getting ready to wrap her mother in her arms just as her mother paled and she screamed for her father.
I REALLY want to know your thoughts on the chapter so please, please review. Maybe I can get 50 reviews?