CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Website where all photos of all outfits mentioned is on my profile.

I nod as Vince opens the clubrooms doors and hollers "SAMCRO's here."

There's an instant scurry of feet and several trays are suddenly piled on the bar covered in everything from crispy bacon and pancakes to oatmeal and what appears to be stewed fruit. I'm more interested in the several pots of coffee that have appeared and before I can head towards the bar to start filling cups for the boys Vince pulls out a chair and pushes me into it.

I look up a little startled but he just shakes his head "They'll bring it to you. You're from the Mother Charter. They're all trying to suck up thinking it's different there." Swinging the chair around he straddles it, resting his arms on the top of the back.

I snort and then immediately apologise "Sorry that was rude. The only difference between there and here that I can immediately see is that SAMCRO Clubhouse is bigger."

Vince nods "You got it, but they all think they'll snag someone there who'll ink them."

I nod; Jax is over at the other table talking with Blade and Happy about something "Can I ask you something?"

"You just did, but yes."

I smile over at him as one of the typically dressed women appears with two cups of coffee, another one trailing behind with sugar and milk. I accept the cup but refuse both milk and sugar and take a sip, sighing in satisfaction at the warmth. "How many of them wanted to be where I am?"

"With Jax?" I nod and Vince continues "Most of them, they all knew he had a wife, a pregnant wife at that but he was here every weekend fucking anything that moved. Sorry." I shrug, that's not news to me. "Most of them learnt that it was a casual thing and got over it. There are a couple who may try and make it difficult, but you've already dealt with Candy without even realising."

"The car park yeller?" I comment grinning a little.

Vince nods "Not her real name of course. But she was convinced that he'd come back to her, we all heard it. But for now, if you want to make sure they all know who you are and what your place is you better get them in line."

I nod, the charter Presidents permission is what I was waiting for before I picked a random half-dressed girl and started issuing orders, I glance around the room again and see Jax watching me from where he's standing still talking. Smiling at him I turn back to find the girl who brought the coffee over watching me. I make a sharp motion with my head and internally grin when she comes rushing over. "You okay? Anything I can help with?"

I look her over and realise she's obviously very new to the whole Sons life; she looks like she's barely out of her teens, the cut-off jeans and t-shirt the most clothing on any of the girls in the room. "Yeah I'd like you to make 2 plates up. My Old Man is bound to be hungry after riding here but listen carefully. One plate with 4 strips of bacon, an egg, 2 pancakes and a piece of fruit. I know I'm wasting my time with the fruit, but shit I gotta try." I smile at the girl and I'm a little relieved when she relaxes, uptight people tend to fuck up. "I also want a plate with 1 strip of really crispy bacon, 1 pancake, 1 slice of toast but it has to be hot and a banana."

She scurries away and comes back a few minutes later with both plates and sets them down, quickly looking at them I can tell she's made an effort, I've been watching her while she was putting them together and I'm impressed at the attention to detail she's used. Jax's plate has exactly what I asked for and she's set a little side plate down with butter and a tumbler with maple syrup in it. The toast on my plate is still steaming. I glance up at the girl who's anxiously wringing her hands.

"It's good, just cutlery?"

"Shit." She scurries away again and returns within a minute with 2 knives and 2 forks in her hands. "Sorry."

"No worries." I look back over at Jax again and find he's still looking at me, but I knew that already. The feeling I have when he's watching has been constant since we arrived. I know he's worried that I'll over hear something but sitting with the President for a very brief time seems to have worked to get most of the gossip out of my earshot. I smile at him mouthing 'Breakfast?'

He nods, says something to Blade and Hap then crosses the room in several strides and sits beside me, completely ignoring the fact that it's barely 10am and there's a woman a foot from the table wearing nothing more than white stiletto's, a black mini skirt and a white t-shirt tied at the side so it exposes her stomach, the daggers that she's staring at my hazel eyed helper isn't helping the sour expression. "Thanks babe."

Another quick look round the room shows that Al has settled at the next table over and managed just fine to figure out what she should do and she's currently assessing the hugely piled plate in front of her. "Bitch." I mutter to myself which causes Jax's head to shoot up and he looks at me with a quirked eyebrow.

"Al, she's got about 5 pounds of food on her plate and she never puts on any weight."

Al laughs "Do so, it just all ends up here." She lifts her hand and pats the top of her boob and I have to giggle at Juice's stunned expression, his fork mid-way to his mouth has maple syrup dripping onto the table but he's completely oblivious to it.

I jerk my head towards Juice and Al's gaze fixes on his face before she shakes her head and snaps her fingers in front of his face, its comical the way he shakes his head and refocuses on his breakfast. "Its official you're actually trying to kill me."

Al giggles "No baby I'm not. How would I get back home if I did that?"

I know there's a stupid grin on my face when she refers to Charming as home and inside I'm jumping up and down and clapping my hands. With Al having found a reason to stay in Charming my only regret is that Cam hasn't, and that she's not with us.

The members of the charter find places to sit and the room slowly quietens down as everyone starts to eat. I silently plan the rest of the trip as I'm picking my way through my plate but Jax's shoulders suddenly stiffening beside me give me an indication he's seen something he's not sure of, looking over at him his eyes flick to mine and the look doesn't worry me, but the footsteps heading in our direction do.

The other chair at the table we're sitting at is dragged across the floor and the room suddenly ends up very quiet as attention is turned to our table.

I set my knife and fork down, pick up my coffee cup and swallow the last of the liquid in my cup, looking up my eyes meet the worried ones of the girl who had brought our breakfast to us. I hold my cup up to her and she rushes over with the pot and the sugar, refilling both my cup and Jax's before she disappears back into the kitchen at the other end of the room. I take another mouthful before setting my cup down and looking up.

I really want to roll my eyes and ask Jax what the fuck he sees in the overly bleached gashes he usually ends up with, but that can wait. "Candy I presume?" The green eyes I met widen slightly as she nods "Nice to meet you. I'm Sarah, Jax's Old Lady. Heard a bit about you, but it's nice to be able to put a face to a name."

I'm determined that the Ima situation isn't going to repeat here, and the knowledge that I'll be back here with Jax on Friday is flittering around my brain. The polite way I've greeted Candy seems to have made her forget whatever train of thought it was she had and she mumbles a few things before getting up and walking away again.

Jax's shoulders shake in silent laughter as the noise level in the room picks up again and I relax, pushing my plate away Jax looks at me "You a'ight?"

I nod "Just full, and don't want to feel sick later."

"K." Jax turns his attention back to his food and while he eats I let my eyes drift around the room, it's very much like the Charming Clubhouse, there's a gathering of mug shots, several tables and lots of chairs scattered around, a couple of old worn couches, 2 pool tables and the massive bar that runs one end of the room. I can see down the hall to where the Fresno Chapel is obviously located, the heavy door hanging open at the moment.

I eventually get back to Jax, and look past him to the overly energetic girl who's now darting around the room with a coffee pot. When she reaches us I hand her my cup and lean back a little. "Hey Vince?" The Presidents head raises and he looks at me acknowledging me with a nod "Do you feed these girls."

Vince grins and nods "Dani, go get some breakfast, you've been working your ass off since 6am."

Dani looks over at Vince and Blade where they're sitting at the same table and both of them nod so she returns the coffee pot to the warming stand and fills a plate with food before sitting at one of the empty tables.