Spark in the Dark

Chapter 147

Juice and Shawn went back to the reception area to find their seats at the same table with Tig, Gemma, Jax and Tara, as well as Chibs and Lyla. Shawn glanced around and saw no signs of Opie, not that she could blame him. Losing his father had to be harder on him than she could even imagine. Clay also wasn't there. He was still in the hospital from being shot.

Several people stopped them on their way to hug them and congratulate them. When they got closer to their table, Tara hugged Shawn while Jax talked to Juice.

"Congratulations," Tara said as they hugged. "I'm so happy for you both."

"Thank you," Shawn told her. "Hey, different cast?"

"Yes," Tara confirmed and raised her arm to show her. "Got the rods out two days ago and a smaller cast. More mobility, you know?"

"That's great!"

"Yeah, makes it a little easier chasing the boys around."

"Well, I don't know anything about that, but soon I will have an idea. Thomas and Abel with Neeta?" Shawn asked and Tara nodded. "She have any nanny friends we could use? I might need one sooner or later."

"I'll give you Neeta's number," Tara said and turned to see Gemma standing several feet away, not paying attention to them. "The boys are going to be starting at the daycare at St. Thomas in two weeks, so, I won't need Neeta as much. Gemma doesn't know, yet."

"You sure do like to live dangerously," Shawn laughed. She knew Gemma was anti-daycare. Sometimes she wondered how Jax was ever allowed to even go to school instead of her homeschooling him.

"Can I cut in here?" Tig asked, appearing near Tara's shoulder.

"Of course," Tara said and stepped aside.

Tig hugged Shawn and kissed her cheek. "Proud of you, baby."

"Thanks, Dad. Love you."

"You, too, Shawnie," he stepped away and looked at Juice.

"You okay with this, Tiggy?" Juice asked Tig almost smugly.

"Yeah, sure, I guess. What do you want? Me to kiss you, too?"

"Nah, there's only one Trager I kiss, but thanks, though."

"Not a Trager anymore," Shawn reminded him.

"That's right," he smiled at her. "In that case, there's no Trager I want to kiss."

"There better be no one else you want to kiss, got that?" Tig told him.

"Don't worry, Tig," Jax interrupted, "I was just telling Juice here of the time Shawn got her high school boyfriend making out under the bleachers with one of the cheerleaders and she gave him and her matching black eyes."

"Hey, I was a kid back then. I've changed," Shawn defended herself.

"Wait, what boyfriend?" Tig asked. "You didn't date in high school."

"Sure, I did. I just didn't tell you," Shawn said.

"I'm sensing a pattern here," Tig observed.

Gemma stepped over to them. "We can sit. They're getting ready to serve dinner."

Everyone sat to eat, except Juice, who went over to the bar to get them both a drink. When he came back and sat down, he handed her a wine glass.

"What's this?" Shawn asked.

"Juice," he said with a smirk.

"Well, that's appropriate," she smiled back and took a sip.

They all ate and everyone was having a great time. The band began playing more upbeat music and people started dancing. Lyla got excited and stood from her seat on Shawn's left, dragging Shawn right along with her. Shawn tried to say no, but Tara had also stood and crossed from the other side side of the table to take Shawn's right arm and pull her to the dance floor with Lyla. She looked over at Juice in hopes of him saving her, but he was laughing along with Jax. Shawn noticed for a brief moment that Jax's smile wasn't the same as it had been before. She hoped that becoming the MC's president wasn't already changing him.