CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
Website where all photos of all outfits mentioned is on my profile. Another time jump. One more of these and then we're at the trial. Goodness, it seems a long time coming doesn't it?
A week later we're back to normalcy as much as we can. Jax's ordered things had arrived four days after we got home and I'd gone back to filling my days with looking after Abel and Doj, baking for the guys and ordering things for the stores, new display racks, cabinets and a couple of new freezers are already ordered with their delivery dates for the beginning of September. Lyla and I had arranged for a day to sit down and start ordering stock for the store after I'd set up trading accounts with several of the manufactures of my favourite brands of clothes, something that had proved a mixed bag of ease.
Abel grizzles in my arms and I look down "Sorry bubby." Sticking the bottle in his mouth that I hadn't realised had drifted away while I'd been lost in my thoughts. Lifting one of his hands he grabs hold of the bottle, his tiny fingers folding over mine and gripping tightly.
The wrap party coming up that night was something I'd both been dreading and looking forward to in equal measures. Lyla's final movie had just finished and the party tonight was a combination of wrap and retirement for the porn star who'd had a meteoric rise in the 2 years she'd been working in movies for Luann. It being her final movie had me happy and excited for the party, but the fact it was back at Caracara and we were again going to be surrounded by half-naked porn stars had my nerves a little frayed. Jax's assurances that we didn't have to go had been appreciated even though I knew if he didn't show that he'd get shit from his brothers, and be called pussy whipped.
Abel finishes his bottle and I lift him over my shoulder to burp him while watching Doj dancing around the back yard chasing birds and butterflies. The complete silence around the house is a little unnerving but getting to my feet I head towards the living room where there's still a basket of mail and a small stack of presents that I haven't opened since we got back. Putting Abel down in his rocker beside the pile I sit on the floor and cross my legs, looking at the wrapping papered items or the boring mail.
Smiling over at Abel as he's batting at the things that hang from the bar over his head I giggle and lift the first of the presents off the pile. "Let's go with pretty first, then boring huh baby."
Abel coos in response and I take that as him agreeing with me. Most of the things we'd been given were envelopes containing cash I'm sure but they're still also waiting to be opened. Each of the presents seems to be from some of the friends of the club that were invited or 'my' girls.
A little over 20 minutes later I'm surrounded by photo frames in various sizes and collage sets in different make-ups from the girls; which I love, a huge antique silver cutlery service that had come from Gemma with a note that it had been given to her grandparents on their wedding day then her when they had found out she got married to JT, a matching set of four crystal vases which Derek and Trish had sent, amongst those are some oddity presents that I'm not sure will ever see the light of day, including a salt and pepper shaker set and napkin rings made in the shape of parts of the human anatomy. The idea of sliding napkins into holders topped with vaginas makes me cringe and I toss the whole lot of them, penis shakers included back into the box to hide somewhere.
Abel's drifted off to sleep while I've been ripping paper and checking for cards to write thank you notes so I push the pile of paper to one side and start on the basket. Sorting it first into 'junk', 'bills' 'fliers', 'wedding' and 'questionable' piles. A knock on the door distracts me but before I can get up Doj has barked at the door and startled Abel awake.
Climbing to my feet I scoop Abel out of the rocker, carrying him towards the door where Doj is now sitting on the floor, his tail sweeping along the ground.
Opening the door I slowly rock the grizzling baby "Hi Elliot, come in."
Elliot laughs as Doj sticks his nose into his hand "Some guard dog."
I shrug nonchalantly as I walk towards the kitchen "He's met you before, you knocked and I let you in. Be a different story if I didn't let you in and he'd never met you before. Or if I told him different."
Elliot pulls one of the chairs away from the table and sits down, putting his briefcase down "What do you mean?"
Working to put the coffee machine on one handed I glance over my shoulder "He knows commands, just not in English." I snicker slightly "The behaviourist thought it was a brilliant idea teaching him some things in foreign languages."
Elliot tilts his head to the side as he pulls a pile of papers from his now open briefcase "I can see the logic, that way only you know the commands to make him do certain things?" I nod in agreement and he snickers "Does Jax know the commands?"
I shake my head, a wicked grin on my face "Oh hell no, I'm saving them for if he's needs a night in the dog box. Speaking of that, would you like to have a look around now that we're all moved in and unpacked?"
Elliot nods "I'd love it, but let's get this stuff done first?"
I pick up the two cups of coffee I'd made and carry them to the table, setting them between us and adjusting Abel on my other arm before sitting down "So what's up?"
90 minutes later Elliot has left, another check for a machinery upgrade tucked into his pocket, thankfully this one was only 50 thousand total price, Abel is asleep and I'm sitting back in front of the piles of envelopes which I've moved to the table in the kitchen along with my laptop.
Working through the bills I punch all the details into the banking program and send the payments off for the electricity, phone, internet and cable TV. Patrick's latest bill is paid at the same time, along with the progress payment to the people making the new booths for Sweet and Savoury.
One of the 'questionable' envelopes ends up being the quote for the reroofing and I push that to the side to ring about, the wiring quote for Gary is also in that pile and that gets put in the same pile, mainly so I remember to ring him and let him know when the roofing will be done. Most of the questionable pile ends up being moved to the junk pile to be tossed along with the fliers. The bills all paid I turn my attention to the stack of envelopes that Gemma had tied together with one of the purple ribbons from the wedding.
Between the 30 odd envelopes 10 minutes later I'm just finishing counting the money; leaning back I rub my hand over my face and frown lightly.
"What's up babe?"
"Holy fuck!" I jump to my feet, my chair skidding across the tiles when Jax's voice sounds inches from my ear. Clasping my hand over my racing heart he reaches towards me but I hold up a hand "Give me a sec."
Doj comes running into the room, hair on his back sticking straight up till he sees Jax when his tail starts wagging furiously. Sitting back down while Jax pats the dogs back till his hair is lying flat again I let my heart rate return to normal before turning around on my seat.
"Not that I'm not happy to see you, but how come your home early?"
"Clay and Ma both said that seeing we're leaving soon I should come home and make sure everything is done here. Juice and Ope got the same order. They tried with Hap but he told them it wouldn't work cause the clubhouse is his home at the moment." Jax says, pulling a beer from the fridge and popping it open. "How is his house going?" He asks, after swallowing a couple of mouthfuls of the bubbly liquid.
I shrug "Don't know."
Jax nods, opening the fridge again and peering inside "What's for lunch?"
I laugh, getting to my feet as a little squeak comes from the monitor "Tell you what, you get Abel and I'll make food."
Jax grins, setting his bottle down and heading out the door "Sounds like a plan."
Waiting till I know he's halfway up the stairs I call "And don't forget to change his diaper."
The grumbly acknowledgement reaches my ears making me smirk at Doj. "That'll teach him for scaring me aye buddy."