Spark in the Dark

Chapter 177

Shawn drove herself to St. Thomas the next morning, then to the ice cream shop. She wasn't entirely sure why the doctor told her not to drive, but she felt fine and figured it was better than being stuck somewhere like the night before. She was happy she had decided to go on her own when Juice called to check in on her and told her Bobby was interviewing old Cara Cara girls for Diosa and the new porn studio Jax had decided to open. Shawn said goodbye to Ally around lunchtime and promised to come back before the end of the day, even though she knew the baby couldn't understand her. If there was even a slight chance Juice would change his mind about leaving, Shawn wasn't about to let him do all the hiring and stick her with girls she didn't want to be around.

As Shawn walked into the shop, Rat came from around the counter to greet her. Shawn pointed to his cut, which no longer had a prospect patch sewn onto it and smiled.

"I didn't hear you got patched in. Congrats," she told him.

"Thanks. You too. On the baby, I mean," he said kind of awkwardly.

"I knew what you meant. Thank you," Shawn said as Bobby excused himself from one of the girls he was interviewing.

"I sincerely hope Juice or Tig sent you to help me with this," Bobby admitted quietly when he got close. "The IQs here are overwhelming me."

"They didn't, but I'm here for that, anyways," Shawn said and rested her hands on Bobby's shoulders. "No offense, but I wouldn't trust any of you to hire the girls I may have to deal with on a daily basis."

Bobby barked laugh and escorted her over to the table. He was about to introduce Shawn to the girl he had been interviewing, but Shawn had known her from her time at Cara Cara. The three talked for a short time before she left and Bobby asked Shawn for her input.

"She's fine. Not the brightest of the bunch, but she takes direction well and doesn't start shit with the other girls," Shawn told him as she looked over the piece of paper in front of Bobby. She pointed to the next two names. "If they're next, I can pretty much say hell no to both already."

"I should have just had you do this. I don't even know why I volunteered," Bobby said.

"You were trying to get laid," she said casually, making Bobby laugh some more.

They talked to several more girls over the next couple of hours before Tara came in, distracting them both. Bobby excused himself to talk to her outside while Shawn finished up the interview without him. Once it was over, Shawn decided to take a break herself and sat at the counter. Rat gave her a bottle of water without her asking and Shawn began to drink it. She smiled to herself as she wondered how long it would take Rat to stop acting like a prospect. Fully patched members of SAMCRO certainly didn't get old ladies drinks like that.

Bobby and Tara came back inside. Shawn glanced at Tara as she made her way to the door. It seemed like she was trying to not have to talk to Shawn if possible.

"I'm sorry for your loss," Shawn told her when they briefly made eye contact.

Tara stopped with her hand on the handle of the door. "Thank you. I really appreciate that. I'm happy to hear Ally is doing so well."

"She is, thanks."

Tara awkwardly nodded and left the shop. Shawn turned back around to look at Bobby.

"That is one troubled mother," he said to Shawn.

"She isn't the only one."

* * *

Juice dove out of the way just in time to keep the car that was coming right at him from running him over. He noticed the car then swerve to hit one of Nero's crew. He stood and began running over to the body laying in the rode as the car sped off.