Chapter 13
Tara continued to pack her bag after Jax had left and telling her specifically not to go see Gemma. "You're still going?" Charlotte asked, seeing the anger still on Tara's face after her argument with Jax.
"He doesn't get to dictate what I do."
"Then I'm going with you."
Tara stopped packing "No, you have to stay here how would I explain to Gemma who's watching Abel and why we didn't bring him. Plus, it's not a good idea for you to travel with the baby coming anytime now."
Charlotte stayed begrudgingly and seated at the kitchen table when Jax returned home. "Where's Tara?" he asked shrugging off his kutte.
"She left, went to help Gemma."
"Jesus, do you two ever listen to anything I say."
"Not really," Charlotte responded, "you knew she wasn't going to listen to you."
Jax took a seat across from her at the table "Got a lead on Abel."
Charlotte sat up straight "A good lead?" she asked sounding hopeful.
"Yeah, Cameron bought some passports, is in Canada." He slid across a grainy security footage picture to her clearly showing Abel.
Charlotte looked up at Jax "He's okay then?"
Jax reached across the table grabbing her hand in his "Yeah, clubs going to track him down, we're getting him back Charlotte. He'll be home to meet his sister."
Charlotte found Tara in an empty consult room she'd seen Jax walk out of. She'd come to the hospital to visit Gemma, they were all rotating sitting with her, so she was not left alone to her own devices. Tara was sitting in one of the chairs, her face in her hands it was clear she had been or was still crying. Charlotte closed the door behind her softly asking "What happened?" Taking the seat next to her.
Tara turned to look at her "He said we're done."
"He doesn't mean it Tara. With Gemma being arrested added on top of the Abel crisis he's not thinking straight."
"And what am I supposed to do, stay the course, wait it out until he comes back from Ireland. And see if he's in his right mind, I can't do that, I've followed his lead done everything he wanted. And now I'm supposed to bring a baby into this madness based on a wait and see." Tara said throwing her hands up in the air. "Charlotte, do you honestly believe he can handle me being pregnant that he's ready for three kids under one?"
Charlotte pursed her lips and shook her head "No, he can't, and I'm trying to keep my head on straight here, hold out some hope at a resemblance of a normal life. I don't really have a choice now Tara I'm due in a week and I'm trying to use the last shred of positivity I have here. He's not ready for this baby to come and there's nothing I can do. And if I don't have you on my side and here with me, I can't do this."
"Jesus Charlotte, I'm sorry. You're right let's get through your baby getting here and then we'll talk about mine. I'm still here for you."
"I'm going to go see Gemma you want to come with."
Charlottes eyes widen when Tara blurted out her pregnancy to Gemma under her scrutiny. Gemma looked to her and asked, "You know about this?" Pointing to Tara.
"Yes, and she's right Gemma, Jax can't handle this. He's not ready for our baby and he certainly isn't in his right mind to deal with Tara's news. You haven't seen the way he's been trying to push us all away blaming himself and everyone else for Abel. Hasn't been to an appointment with me in weeks hasn't even asked me how I'm doing or the baby. He's so stuck in his own fear something else is going to happen he wants everything he loves out of his life, so it won't."
"Just don't either of you make any rash decisions." Gemma stated.
"What fucking rash decisions Gemma am I going to make? I don't have any decisions this baby is coming no matter what I think or feel about Jax. And Tara has every right to make a decision about bringing a baby into this chaos."
"I'm just saying let them get back from Ireland with Abel and then see."
Tara spoke up finally "And what happens if they don't come home with Abel?"
"That's not going to happen." Gemma said so surely.
When the women walked out of the room and the door was shut Charlotte questioned Tara "What happened to keeping your being pregnant a secret."
"She knew already, she knew I'd have given my life to save Abel and there was only one thing that would have stopped me."
"Are you going to tell Jax?"
"No, I don't want him with me out of some obligation."
"You sound like me." Charlotte commented.
"I guess I should have just left it at sex with Jax like you, been a lot easier."
"It's not any easier Tara I'm still involved and wrapped up in everything the same as you. The only difference is he can't tear my heart out completely."
The mid-morning sun hit Charlotte's face when she walked outside of the TM office.
"Hey love, you taking a break from all that paperwork?" Chibs greeted when he saw her.
"Yeah, who knew I'd rather be elbows deep in blood over paperwork." She laughed.
Chibs came over to her putting his arm around her shoulder nodding to the clubhouse "Well come get a drink with me I'm buying." He said winking at her. "Did you know Gemma stocks the bar with things other than alcohol?"
Charlotte laughed back at him walking with him "Yeah imagine the shock if everyone knew that."
As they walked at a slow-paced Chibs continued his chat "And how's your little girl doing in there? Going to make her appearance soon?"
"Not soon enough for me, I was hoping she'd come before you all leave. But that doesn't look like it now I've got to try and keep her in until Jax gets back."
"Aye, it'll only be a couple of days then we'll be back with the lad too."
"And then Jax will be going inside with the rest of the club. Gemma too. Kinda hard to plan the birth of a baby around all that."
"That got you worried?"
Charlotte teared up a little "Yeah, when I first got pregnant this wasn't how I envisioned it. I thought Jax and Gemma would be around now I feel like it's just me. I don't know if I can do it by myself."
"You're not alone love, you've got me, Opie, Piney."
"Like you're going to come and change shitty diapers at 3 am. Do morning feedings so I can get some sleep."
Chibs stopped them walking and turned to look at her. "I'm here Charlotte whatever you need and if that's a shitty diaper at the crack of dawn I'll be there." he said taking his hand lifting up her chin to look into her eyes "I promise."
They started their walk again almost to the club house when they saw Tara storm out, Charlotte sighed out "That doesn't look good."
"Aye it doesn't." Chibs agreed.
Tara headed to her car briefly pausing to yell to Charlotte "I'm sorry I'm done I can't keep going with him like this. I've reached my limit, I'm sorry Charlotte. Him fucking that whore it's over."
Chibs walked to the nearest bench taking a seat on top of the table lighting a cigarette.
"What the hell is he doing Chibs?" Charlotte said, stopping in front of him.
Chibs shook his head "I don't know love he's drowning though."
"Well, he's almost out of life rafts."
"I hear ya."
Charlotte's jaw set in anger when she saw Jax come through the clubhouse doors. "You stupid asshole." she shouted, approaching him standing in front of him, her face seething with anger and disgust. "What the fuck are you doing Jax? How could you, I don't even know who you are anymore."
"What the fuck are you even doing here? Go home Charlotte."
"I'm helping out at TM." Charlotte said back trying not to let her anger boil over.
"Nobody asked you to help. You're not an Old Lady, you're not family."
"I'm pregnant with your child Jax."
He paused his face still stoic and indignant "Well that was my mistake should have told you to have the abortion."
The rage Charlotte had been keeping at bay released as her eyes widened at his comment, bile rising in her throat at the hurt of his words. She heard Chibs yell "Jackie!" and saw him stand up from the corner of her eye. She reached out striking Jax hard enough to force his head to turn, the red mark from her palm already showing its face before she spoke. "Fuck you Jax, you're never going to see me again and you're never going to meet your baby girl." Charlotte slapped him again to drive her words home before she stormed towards her car.
Chibs watched Charlotte get in her car and drive off the lot, he turned to Jax "You know you can be as mad as you want to Jackie, about Abel, about everything but you taking it out on that girl isn't right." he said pointing in the direction Charlotte had just left "Same goes for you taking it out on your girl."
Jax sighed out taking a seat "Not anyone's business but mine Chibs."
"Aye, but remember words have consequences Jackie. They always do."