Set in Chrome {Chibs Telford}

[30] Upstarts and broken hearts

The ride back to my house seemed so much longer than I remembered, I wanted some place closer to TM but this was the best I could do on such short notice and it really wasn't bad. I guess after everything I've been through, I'm just...trying to fit back in again. I smiled when I pulled into my driveway again, I do live in a beautiful part of town, I thought as I made my way up the sidewalk to my front door. Inside things were a little different though, the feeling I got from being home again was something all too welcomed. I dropped my helmet at the door as I shut it behind me and slung my cut over the back of my couch. There were spent cigarettes in the ashtrays on the coffee stand, a few dishes left over in the sink, and I hadn't gone back yet but I could almost bet that there was clothing laying around my bedroom on the floor. I laughed to myself and moved to start cleaning a little while I had the chance alone, but it wasn't long before someone was knocking at my door. I tensed a little, not hearing any loud rumbling of a Harley and made my way over, looking through the peephole on the door. I pulled it open and invited my brother's old lady into my home.

I watched Tara come in and look around while I went to empty the ashtray in my hands. "This is a nice place." She said nodding, sitting Abel's bag down on the couch near my cut. It was subtle, but I caught her looking at it a little pensively. I came back into the room and took my nephew up in my arms while we sat down in the living room. "I forget you're a part of the club too sometimes..." she said softly.

I shrugged giving Abel a soft smile. "It doesn't feel like I am sometimes." I told her.

"Well you haven't exactly been around here recently, with everything thats happened. And you don't work at the garage, so you're not there all the time like the other guys." She added, and I nodded again.

"I know," I hugged Abel again before I put him down on the couch. "Look how much bigger this ones' got." I said with a laugh. Tara smiled and shook her head. "Something on your mind doc?" I asked, as she got a few of his little toys out and laying a blanket down on the floor so the grown ups could talk. I Went to the kitchen and brought in a couple of beers for Tara and I, but she still wouldn't talk. "Tara?" I asked.

"Its Wendy." She said shaking her head. I was a little surprised by that actually, I hadn't heard anything about Wendy since I'd been back, I just assumed that Jackson and Tara were together, nothing more. "Shes been around more and more often." She added on, hoping that I would say something one way or another.

"Hows my brother feel about that?" I asked her and she shrugged.

"I don't know, but..."

"What?" I chuckled. "You afraid he'll like leave you or something?" I asked. Her glare was enough to give me her answer. "Well Wendy was with them for a long time, and Abel is her son..."

"This isn't helping me..." She breathed. I nodded, understanding her meaning.

"Have some faith in him Tara." I told her. She looked down at her hands. "He'll come through for you." I said giving her a smile.

"Yeah," She said shaking her head, finally giving me a smile too. "I guess if anyone knew him best it would be you." She shrugged. I nodded and got down on the floor to play with my nephew for a while, after everything I've been through, things slowed down when I had this kid near me. It was like I felt really happy again, like the first night the guys realized I was back and we partied like there was no tomorrow, or the first night Jackson brought me to his house to meet Abel. "You coming to the party tonight?" Tara asked, getting down on the floor with me and Abel to play as well. I nodded and she smiled when I blew a raspberry on Abel's belly making him laugh like crazy. "I'm glad you'll be there, I'm not sure I could handle it without someone I really trusted." She told me. It made me feel happier than Tara trusted me, especially knowing the ground her and mother stood on as shaky at best. "You eat yet today?" she asked sitting up on her knees.