Finally settling in at school! Got a chapter done and thanks to the awesome Kupkakes, it's all beta'd and ready to post! I do not own anything in this chapter, besides Savannah, everything else belongs to their rightful owners.
Chapter 35
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Gemma was able to find Savannah's apartment pretty easily. Walking down the hallway, she took in the other people passing by her. Jax wasn't kidding, this place was a zoo. Once she found the right room, she searched through her purse for the key Savannah had given her. She'd be coming home in a few days and Gemma was sticking around to get her settled in and back to a hundred percent. She wasn't about to entrust that task to that idiot boyfriend of hers.
Finally finding her key, she unlocked the door and pushed it open. Walking inside, she was taken back by the sight. A grimace appeared on her face is dismay at the realization. Her daughter was a slob. There were cups on the coffee table, clothes all over the living room, and dishes in the sink. Granted, it was definitely cleaner than Jax's room, but it was still a mess.
"Damn girl." She muttered, shaking her head as she shut the door.
Putting her bag down, she started making a list of things that needed to be done first. Picking up the clothes, it didn't take her long to figure out Savannah wasn't the only one staying here. Boxers, men's shirts and jeans, were all clear signs. If that didn't tell her there was a boy living here, the comic books and weights did. Obviously Savannah had been keeping a lot about this 'boyfriend' from her.
Her cleaning was interrupted by the sound of footsteps. She looked up in time to see Juice come out from the hallway tightening his towel around his waist. He jumped, clutching it tightly when he saw Gemma in his living room. "Oh, shit." He muttered under his breath.
Of all the situations he'd been in, he felt the most embarrassed about this one. It felt like he'd been caught in his girlfriend's house by her parents. He lived here too, but it didn't feel like it with how she was looking at him.
"You and my daughter have any other surprises? Maybe you knocked her up while she was out here too?" Gemma said, giving him a look as she sized him up.
He was suddenly very glad for the towel. He had no doubt Gemma wouldn't blush at the sight of him being naked, but he knew he would. At the mention of knocking Savannah up, he couldn't help but tense. They'd been so careful about that. Having a baby now was not on either of their lists of things to do. They were in college, enjoying just being away from home.
Besides, he could barely take care of himself, he wasn't anywhere near ready for a child. He was hoping Savannah felt the same, it was one of the conversations they weren't anywhere close to having. Yeah, maybe down the road, if they were still together, but not now.
"I was joking, sweetheart. Don't think too much about it. How long you've been living here?" She said, returning him from his thoughts.
How could he explain being homeless and that was why Savannah let him move in to this woman? He didn't want her to think less of him, think he was using Savannah like he knew Jax did. He knew Jax thought he was freeloading off his sister, but he paid his way. He wouldn't be Savannah's charity case boyfriend.
Clearing his throat, he shifted around awkwardly. "Since New Year's, I guess. I chip in with food and some of the bills."
Gemma snorted, not buying it. She and Clay paid for Savannah to live here. She and Clay sent money up to make sure she was living nicely. She wanted Savannah to focus on classes and not have to worry about anything else. Obviously, Savannah wasn't telling them everything about her life here though. "No, sweetheart, Clay and I pay for her to live here. All this crap in here, is from our wallets, not yours or her's." Gemma said, making herself clear.
Juice wasn't sure what to say, he couldn't disagree with her. She was paying for the apartment for Savannah to live here. Looking around awkwardly, he wanted to be anywhere but here right now. He'd only come home to shower before going job searching. He wanted to look, and smell, his best. As much as he wanted to go back to the hospital, he knew it'd be better to give Savannah space. They still had food to buy and bills to pay. He couldn't fall behind.
"I should go get dressed. I got a shift tonight." He said nervously.
He was hoping she didn't ask where. No doubt Jax had told her something about him and the last thing he needed was getting caught in a lie. He didn't need to give her more ammo against him. The last thing he needed was Savannah finding out he lied about something else. He'd already threw so much at her today, and he was skating on thin ice as it was.
When Gemma didn't say anything, he took that as his cue to leave. Taking a deep breath, he turned on his heels to make a quick getaway. He made it two feet before she stopped him. "You know anywhere good to eat around here? I was gonna bring something back to Savannah." She asked, watching him curiously.
Hesitating, he turned back to look at her. "Yeah, uh, there's a little diner a couple blocks down. Sav and me work there. Foods great, she loves the double cheese burger with bacon, light on the cheese. Oh, with the shake and fries. Can't have one without the other." He said, rambling before he could stop himself.
He couldn't tell if he'd surprised Gemma or impressed her. He knew Savannah's favorite food without thinking. She ordered it all the time, and he knew she loved dipping her fries in the shake. It was the only reason she'd get the fries. After seeing her do it so many times, he'd finally asked her. She'd all but forced the fry in his mouth.
"Thanks." She said, not really sure what else to say.
With that, Juice nodded and headed to his and Savannah's room to get dressed. Gemma looked around the room one last time, really taking in the sight around her. Savannah was living with a guy, and by the looks of it, it was going well. She'd have to do some more digging, but she wasn't sure if she liked what she saw.
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On his job search, Juice ended up back at the hospital. He knew he should have been out looking for a job to fill the club's spot, especially now that he'd lost two incomes. The club and Mel's monthly donation. If he didn't figure something out soon, he and Savannah were gonna be fucked when it came to paying cable and getting food. Or well, he'd be fucked. He wasn't even sure he was still living there at this point.
He'd found some interesting jobs, but so far he'd had no luck in getting any interviews. He didn't have the best resume. The hours he needed were less than ideal and he knew him having a record didn't help.
The elevator doors opened, bringing him back from his thoughts. Looking up, he took a deep breath before getting out. He knew there was a good chance this was gonna go south and he'd end up with a vase getting thrown at his head. Glancing at his hands, maybe getting her flowers wasn't the best idea. At least the stuffed animal he'd gotten her was soft. It wouldn't hurt as much if she threw it at him.
He was just hoping Gemma wasn't there, he knew he wasn't scoring any points with her, and that wasn't helping his chances of getting back in Savannah's good graces. If her mom hated him, he was good as gone. He'd have to work on that.
Finding the right room, he peeked in first to see if she was awake. She was. She was trying to get a shirt over her head and it wasn't working because of her cast. Letting himself inside, he put the gifts he'd manage to buy to her down, and crossed the room. "Here, let me help." He said, reaching to help with her shirt.
Savannah jerked away from him. "I've got it."
She didn't want his help, she didn't need it. Struggling with the shirt for another minute, she finally got it on and tugged it down into place. Her hair was all over the place, her face probably flushed from the amount of effort it took, but she did it on her own. She wasn't helpless, she didn't need Juice's help to get her stupid shirt on.
Juice was not her favorite person at the moment. He'd lied to her, he was partly the reason she was even here. He was the reason she wouldn't be able to work on her mechanics project for the rest of the semester. All this happened because he couldn't say no to a few bucks. "What are you doing here?" She asked, shifting uncomfortably to get back into her bed so she could lay down.
He wanted to help her, but the look she gave him stopped him from doing so. He was walking on thin ice and he knew it. "I wanted to apologize. I shouldn't have lied to you, I've got no excuses. I knew it was wrong. I knew I should have cut her off then and there. I did though, Savvy. I'm done with her, no more contact, no more money. She's in the past and she's staying there." He said, taking her hand in his.
He wanted her to know how sorry he was, how much he regretted lying to her. He fucked up, and he knew he was still fucking up by not telling her about the job. There was only so much he could hit her with at once though. Her eyes showed distrust, she didn't believe him. She had every right now to too. He'd been lying to her for months, he wouldn't trust him either.
The only sign that this wasn't completely hopeless though, was she hadn't pulled her hand away from his. That had to be a good thing, he was gonna take it as one even if it wasn't. "Savvy, baby, I'm done with her. I don't want her. You're it for me. It's you and me, it's always been you and me." He pleaded with her, begging her to forgive him.
Savannah was conflicted, she wasn't sure what to do. She loved Juice, and it took her so long to be able to tell him that. She didn't trust easily, not with the life she had back home. Love was weakness. It broke you. It broke her father, it broke her brother. Was it going to break her now? Was everything going to hell because of one lie?
Did she want to leave Juice? No. She didn't. Juice was the reason she was still standing on her feet here, the reason she wasn't miserable. He was her best friend, she needed him. "I'm not saying I forgive you, but . . ." She paused, Juice's eyes going wide with anticipation. "But, I'm not kicking you out just yet, Ortiz. I like your cooking too much." She said, giving him a weak smile as she squeezed his hand.
He returned the weak smile, kissing her hand. He knew it was gonna take a lot to win back into her good graces, but he was willing to work on it. They meant too much to each other to just throw it away over one fight. "Be prepared, I'll cook your panties off when you come home." He chuckled, stroking her hand.
Savannah found herself actually laughing. It was hard to stay mad at Juice. Even if he did something so utterly stupid, his heart was in the right place. "Maybe we should hold off on any stripping til my ma goes home." She said, adjusting herself to get comfortable in the bed. "So, what you get me? Were you trying to bribe me?" She suggested, wiggling her eyebrows at him.
He couldn't help by laugh at her expression. Yup, his girl was still herself. Loving, a little wacky, and very fortunate for him, forgiving. Glancing back, he chuckled at the sight of the flowers and way too big stuff animal. "Maybe a little bit, yeah." He said, rubbing the back of his neck. "I remember you said you liked frogs and then I saw that, so I, you know, got it." He explained, reaching over and passing it to her.
Savannah hugged the stuffed frog, smiling at the sentiment behind the gift. Even if it was for a bribe. "Thanks, JC. I love him. The flowers look nice too." She said, squeezing his hand.
The two sat there in silence, just holding hands. Neither wanted to ruin the moment. Maybe this was a good sign, a sign that things were starting to get better again. They weren't perfect, but they weren't giving up. Both had their flaws, and they were learning on how to live with them. They were growing up, even if they didn't know it.
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Walking into the small diner, Gemma raised her sun glasses. Taking in the quiet room, she tried to picture her daughter here. She couldn't picture her Savannah in a little waitress uniform serving tables. She couldn't see Savannah hanging out with her friends, if she had them, around one of the tables joking around. Savannah had always kept to herself, she hadn't had friends come over since middle school. If she wasn't at the house, she was at the clubhouse. The guys were her friends.
It was hard for Gemma to picture Savannah in a different life than the one she'd created for her. This was exactly why she didn't want her coming here. She as gonna get it in her head she could have a life outside of the club and it was gonna hurt her when she realized she can't. She would never find a family like the club here. Savannah had Samcro in her blood, there was no forgetting that.
"Can I help you?"
Her gazed moved to the older woman behind the counter. She was at least a good decade, if not more, older than Gemma. Her hair was greying, something Gemma hoped didn't happen to her for a long while. "Gettin' something for my kid. Someone told me here was the place to go for something good." She said, taking off her sun glasses as she moved to the counter.
Mrs. P looked this woman over, much like she had her, and didn't like what she saw. This woman screamed bitch. She was trouble, but who was she to judge? What made her pause was the resemblance she had to a young girl she'd come to care for. "You're Savannah's mother." She realized.
Gemma wasn't sure if she was more surprised she'd picked up on that so fast or what. She knew her and Savannah looked alike. "Yeah. You know her well?" It wouldn't hurt to find out if they were treating her baby alright. This wasn't the garage, where Savannah had always been treated like royalty, which she was in Charming.
Mrs. P could see she was just wondering what any other mother would. She wanted to make sure her baby was doing okay, that she was happy and safe. She'd want to know the same thing if it was Juan Carlos. "Savannah's fitting in really well. Customers love her. We love her, she's a good kid. Does her homework on breaks, even gets Juan to get his homework done." She said, smiling warmly at the reminder of why Juan Carlos' grades had gotten better.
Savannah got on his ass about it. Mrs. P had tried to do the same, but she knew it was different coming from the person you wanted to impress. Juan Carlos was a smart boy, he just needed to put in a little effort.
Confusion crossed Gemma's expression at the name. Mrs. P realized she didn't know who she was talking about. "That boy is a weird one, goes by Juice. Savannah just calls him JC. Why that boy wants to be named after a drink, I will never understand." She told her with a wave of her hand.
"I've heard worse."
The older woman gave a small smile, nodding as she grabbed a little notepad and pencil from behind the counter. "You said you wanted to order something for Savannah? Her usual, I'm guessing?" All Gemma could do was nod. "How is mi conejita doing? (My little bunny) Isaac and I were meaning to stop by and see her, bring her some soup." Mrs. P said as she wrote down the order and hung it up for the cook to see.
Gemma's fingers clenched shut. This woman was trying to replace her, be a mother to her kid, and she didn't like it one bit. The longer she was here, the more she hated the fact that Savannah was here in the first place. "She's fine, no need to go outta your way. I've got things handled." She said, shooting her a forced smile.
Gemma didn't liked Juice, the grimace on her face said that. She hadn't really talked to him, but there was just something she didn't like. She didn't like that Savannah was happy here, she was suppose to be miserable and want to come home. She had a live-in boyfriend, a job, friends, everything she should have at home but didn't.
"You the boy's mom? Or do you praise all your bus boys like you do him?" She asked, snooping on the mystery boy who'd become important to her daughter.
Mrs. P gave her a small smile, shaking her head. She wished she was that boy's mother, things would be different for him if she had been. That damn devil woman would have never sunk her claws into him in the first place if she was his mother. "No, but Isaac and I love him like one. He's a good kid, just got to give him a chance. Savannah's good for him, makes him give a damn about his life. He loves her." She said, hoping Gemma would see that and leave them be while she was here.
Gemma was a meddler, that was obvious. She wanted things her ways, and if they weren't? Mrs. P wasn't sure she'd want to see what happened. Juan had come so far since he first started working at the diner, she didn't want to see that be for nothing because of this woman. "Well, just because she's good for him, don't mean he's good for her. That my order?" She asked, motioning to the to-go bag behind them.
Mrs. P was taken back for a moment, before she cleared her throat and nodded. Ringing her up, she handed her the bag. "$10.56." She said, holding her out her hand. Gemma passed her the amount, taking the bag from her. With a nod, she headed to the door. "Miss Teller!" Mrs. P said, stopping her before she got to the door. Gemma paused, looking over her shoulder. "Don't ruin a good thing because it's different. Those two need each other out here. It'd be a shame to see a good thing torn apart." She said, giving her a warning to back off and leave the kids alone.
Gemma's eyes narrowed on the older woman for a moment, not liking the threat that she'd implied. "Duly noted." She said, giving her a quick nod before leaving.