CHAPTER EIGHTY-NINE

Donna looks at me from where she's taken over my position at the back of the stove "Why don't you make this hot chocolate first then we'll find out everything. Cause all I'm doing is eating this stuff."

It takes me a few minutes to retrieve more chocolate, move it all to a bigger pot, add the milk and make a huge amount of hot chocolate, pouring it into cups. With the four sofa's moved slightly so everyone can see each other Jax lifts my cup from my hand and sets it on the table "The shit about that woman, well that don't matter. Nothing's changed as far as I can see. They're still investigating who killed her. Unser did tell us she was dead before the explosion."

I open my mouth to ask but he shakes his head "You don't want to know, fuck I don't want to know but I do." For him to say that I immediately gather it was bad, he's done a lot in his life and for him to react like that it's gotta be horrible.

"But the complication of her daughter being the one who called in the fire is a little odd. The fire department was already on their way cause of the alarms in the neighbouring building but they have no way of knowing yet what started it." I nod and he leans back in the couch, pulling me to his side and tangling his hand in the bottom of my ponytail "What we do know at this stage is that your part of the building is gone. Unser said it literally looks like a square out of the middle of the building. Insurance will cover it though?"

I nod "It should. Did he say anything about checking the security footage from the other stores?"

Clay laughs and leans over, patting my knee "Pumpkin you're thinking like a New Yorker. This is Charming, people don't have security cameras."

I poke my tongue out at him and roll my eyes "The one right across the road does the liquor store. And there's an ATM just next to it, they have cameras built in as well, regardless of where they are."

Clay tilts his head to the side in a 'you're right' gesture "I'll ask Unser tomorrow."

I nod and lean forward, picking up my drink and taking a sip "So, next question. Where the fuck is Chibs?"

Clay sighs "That is a little more complicated then everything else."

I take a swallow of hot chocolate, enjoying the warmth before setting the cup back down "Okay, tell me how a Son being missing is more complicated than a burnt down building."

Bobby is the one that ends up taking over from the explanation of this, being the closest to Chibs of all the members present "Chibs is currently trying to work out how to stop wanting to kill a man just for breathing."

"Huh?" Donna says, setting her now empty cup down and picking up Opie's with a grin at me.

I echo her question and shake my head "I don't get it."

"The Irish Kings are happy for the gun distribution to change slightly, however they're sending someone over to check it all goes as smoothly as we have promised. Their choice of man to check did not go down well." Clay says, keeping all details that I don't need to know.

Clays cryptic words don't make anything make any more sense than it did before until Bobby fills in a couple of wide blanks.

"The guy they've got coming is the same one who gave Chibs is pretty face, stole his wife, and daughter, and started the actions which ended up with Chibs ending up Stateside."

"Oh fuck." I mutter quietly. Having seen how protective Chibs is of everyone he loves I'm sure that he's currently digging a shallow grave for a body that will never end up in it.

Clay just nods "That's why our resident Scotsman will be departing Charming a short time after O'Phelan arrives."

Jax snickers "Like until he leaves."

Clay simply nods and gets to his feet "Come to TM tomorrow and fill us in on anything the fire inspector tells you?"

I nod and grab Jax's hand "I will Uncle Clay." Glancing around the room I frown "Where's Gem?"

Clay grimaces "She's at home, with Tig. If the fire was to target you cause of your connection to the club I didn't want her alone and Juice stayed with Al and Cam at the garage. Ope and Donna are staying here aren't they?"

Donna nods and laughs "The kids are asleep and unless you want me dropping them on your doorstep at 7am tired from being woken up at midnight yes we're staying here."

I giggle and nod "Yeah, we'd drop the kids and take Gemma leaving you with grumpy twin rat bags for the day."

Clay shakes his head, pulling one of his cigars from his kutte, at my glare he starts towards the door "Let us know what happens tomorrow."

I nod again and pick up all the cups from the tables while Opie fixes the couches. Jax follows them and as I set the cups in the dishwasher I hear him Jax closing and locking the door behind them.

Leaning against the doorframe he sends a few seconds examining me "You're dealing with this pretty well babe."

I shrug, setting the last cup down and closing the door "What can I do? I have insurance, which will hopefully cover the cost of the building, thank god none of the stock was there, or the displays but now I just have to work out what the fuck I'm gonna do with it all."

Jax shrugs "That's something that you can't work out till after you've found out what happened, and talked to the insurance company. Which you can't do in the middle of the night."

I sigh and agree with him, heading back into the living room Opie's fixed the room so it's back to normal and Donna's leaning against the back of the couch looking exhausted. "Time for bed my lovelies." I say with a giggle as she rolls her eyes and gets up slowly,

Getting to the bottom of the stairs she stops "You know this pregnancy is already wiping me out, I feel like I've been up for years."

I giggle as Opie sweeps her off her feet and carries her up the stairs "Well if you think about it, we did just drive 3 thousand miles with small children."

Donna nods tiredly "And we have the Taste of Charming in 4 days."

I look over my shoulder to Jax, smiling to myself at the fact his full attention seems to be fixed on my ass as we climb the stairs "When's this guy due to arrive?"

"O'Phalen?" I nod and he frowns "In a week, about the 27th. Clay's sorting for Chibs to go Eureka on the 26th to check their location and set up."

Reaching the landing Opie sets Donna down and both of them chuckle at Doj; he's bypassed the sofa of his to sleep on and is instead curled in a ball in a space between Abel's nursery and the kid's bedroom. "Does he do that lots?"

I nod "If the twins weren't here he'd be lying in front of the crib. He's better than the baby monitor most of the time. If I'm downstairs and Abel wakes up Doj comes down and noses me, normally by the time Abel makes a noise I'm already halfway up the stairs to get him. But then if Abel just stirs in his sleep and settles back down Doj doesn't make an appearance, but I hear him adjust on the floor."

"How do you hear him?"

As if to illustrate my point, and answer Ope's question Doj stands up, stretches and settles back down, each movement rattling the tags on his collar.

I smirk at him "Like I said, I hear him adjust."

Opie rolls his eyes and laughs, following Donna towards the guest room "See you in the morning then. I'd like pancakes, bacon, hash browns and toast."

I shake my head "Not happening. We've got bread for toast, or some cereal. Other than that there is nothing in the house, I've gotta go to the market and get groceries tomorrow."

Donna frowns "Thought you went on the way back."

I nod "I did, I got the important stuff. Chocolate, milk, coffee, bread and a six pack."

Donna laughs while Jax kisses my temple "That's my wife; the important groceries include beer and coffee."

I nudge his side with my elbow "And chocolate. That was first on the list and first in the basket."

Jax laughs and pushes me towards our room "See you two in the morning."