Skillet poured five large coffees , after packing a dozen sandwiches, her home made potato salad, and brownies into their cooler, as Jax returned with a bucket of ice.
" You gonna let the boy drive all the way?" She asked, watching Abel check under the mini vans hood. Megan sat in the passenger seat, looking into her phone.
Tara returned from the restroom, as Emily tagged along, a sleepy look in her eyes. It was too early to be excited about the beach, and too early to even be at the diner.
" The boys need a long ride..." Tara grinned, " and I need a break !" She noticed Opie squatting by his bike, making some last minute adjustment.
Jax dumped the last of the ice in the cooler.
" Try and keep things together for us while we're gone, ok ? Ryan's gonna have the boys up on Morningside Hill right of way..."
Skillet nodded. "You'ns go have a good time, l'll kick some ass if they need it!"
Abel could not have been more content and focused as he guided the minivan past The Flying J Truckstop, onto interstate 70.
" This is the boring part " he grinned at Megan.
He still couldn't believe she'd never been to the beach. This trip was an annual summer activity ever since he could remember.
" Who you talking to ?" he wondered.
Megan looked up from her phone, a slightly exasperated expression he'd seen before.
" Mom...she's been blowing up my phone since we left..."
Even then, Abel found it difficult to look away from her, but managed to keep his attention to the motorcycles in front.
" Yea , mom does that too...n Dad "
Jax kept the mini van in sight as he rolled on the throttle. This would be the first long distance trip on his bike since ...well, since they first moved to Bloody Run .
Glancing at Opie, who gunned his Dyna forward with a huge grin, Jax did the same. He didn't realize till now, how badly they both missed being on the road. The only inconvenience they would encounter would be the helmet laws in Maryland.
Making sure the mini van kept up, he remembered the decision to bring Megan along.
At first, Abel flatly refused to go. He was still grounded as a result of the drunken free for all at the mall, and being picked up by the sheriff.
That's when Megan showed up a few days afterwards at the house, with a clear explanation of the mall incident. While Jax was still certain she was just another in his harem of ratchets, it was Tara who managed to prove to him otherwise. It was almost like seeing himself with Tara at that age. Not to mention the glaring change in his sons general attitude.
Even so, Jax , along with Tara, remained firm with his punishment. He wasn't able to leave home. Period.
This resulted in a near confrontation between father and son. When Megan let it be known she'd never been further than Breezewood, Tara relented, suggesting Megan come along.
" Then he's gonna have to contribute to the whole week, Babe. I'm all for her coming along, but I'm not gonna let things slide and make it easy for him. And he's gonna have to pay her way!" Jax refused to let Abel off the hook.