Memory Lane

Chapter 1. Alpha Female

Gemma

I laid Thomas down in his crib as I felt Tara's eyes glued to the back of my head. She had been watching me like a hawk ever since I walked through the door. Things had been tense between us ever since what happened to her hand. I figured that the accident would have sent her straight out of Charming, but she thankfully decided to stay which gave me access to my grandchildren. However, that decision had put our relationship at odds, and she was determined to take her place as queen and place me as far away as possible.

"Thomas is congested, you need a humidifier in that room," I commented. My poor baby had such a nasty cough, no doubt his new caregivers were ignoring it.

"It's not a dry cough, a humidifier won't help," she shot back.

I rolled my eyes to myself as I started to gather my things, "and they don't need to be in daycare. We can take care of our own."

She rolled her eyes, "they need to socialize with other children and let's be honest, I don't think you're up for the task." I stopped what I was doing as soon as the words left her lips. If anything the assumption that I couldn't take care of my own family was insulting. I mean my care was good enough for the eighteen months that Jax was in Stockton, why was it being questioned now?

"Excuse me?"

"You have every right to be distracted, you've been through a lot..."

"Just say what you mean," I stood face to face with her.

"I smell weed and alcohol on your breath every morning."

"I don't smoke or drink in the morning."

"I'm a doctor, Gemma. I know how long drugs and alcohol stay in your system, and until you...pull it together, I don't want you alone with my boys."

"Really? Jax feel the same way?"

"I didn't tell him but he knows you're not yourself." The look on her face told me that she was holding this information to herself as leverage. She knew that as soon as she told Jax that he would take her side. This was a chess move to place dominance over me by wiggling time with my boys in front of my face. This angered me and reminded me of all the things I couldn't stand about her when she was a kid. She was always trying to get Jax to go against me, pointing out the flaws in my parenting. Selling him some pipe dream about going away together, and how she turned her nose up on everyone she deemed lower than her. I thought doctors were supposed to be compassionate and understanding.

She was right about one thing though; I was having a rough time. The man I couldn't stand was still walking around, my grandkids were being withheld from me, and my family dynamic was changing. A family that I had placed at the core of my existence, adjusting at this new level was forcing me to go through changes I wasn't comfortable with. Confronting demons and ghosts I tried so hard to move on from but looking at Tara now reminded me of the person I missed the most.

"My God," the words came out like a whisper.

"What?" Tara looked annoyed.

"You'll never be her," I watched her face contort in disgust and anger as the realization settled in. I knew what I had said had bothered her greatly, ever since she got with Jax I never mentioned Desiree. No one did, not even Jax. She was a memory that he tried so hard to bury because he couldn't come to terms with his decision to let her go. I, myself, still hadn't made peace with that decision either.

Tara looked like she was getting ready to say something equally as hazardous back, but then Jax suddenly walked through the door. Her demeanor completely changed as she greeted him with a kiss, I smiled at Bobby and Chibs who were with him.

Bobby gave me a hug as I welcomed him home, "Bobby wanted to see the boys," Jax informed. "They just went down, go ahead," Tara welcomed him which placed a feeling of jealousy in my stomach, considering how crass she was with me earlier.

I know my face didn't hide it when Tara mirrored my expression. Jax took notice and looked between us, "we okay?"

"Yeah, we're perfect," I said sarcastically.

I knew he didn't buy it as he let out a chuckle. I plastered a fake smile on my face as I reached for my bag again. I was ready to leave the house, but then my phone rang. I answered it and heard Unser on the other line.

"Hey, um Gemma, I need to speak to Jax."

"Why?" I questioned.

"Just hand him the phone please," I sighed and handed Jax the phone. I watched him as he talked to Unser and how his demeanor began to change. His face told me that he had learned something terrible. He snapped the phone shut and handed it back to me.

"Oh God, now what?" Tara said reading his expression.

Jax led everyone into the dining room to inform us about the APB that was placed on him, Chibs, and Tig. "This guy bought those witnesses," Jax said matter-of-factly.

"I'll call Lowen, if Pope got these people to lie, we can prove that," Tara said confidently.

I shook my head, "no, you can't turn yourselves in."

"Pope did this to get you inside. Black Nation offs us in County, kill never gets put on him," Bobby said,

Chibs got off his phone, "Chucky said they're sheriffs over at the clubhouse looking for us, next stop is here."

"You guys gotta go," I pushed.

"No," Tara argued, "you can't run that's insane."

"And getting shived to death isn't?" I fired back.

"He's not going to end up a fugitive, we have two small boys!" It had become apparent that the argument had become a catfight between Tara and me. Our voices had only become louder until Jax snapped on the both of us.

"You have to buy yourself some time," I urged him. I mean, this APB was so sudden and hardly gave them enough time to gather themselves enough to make a plan. "You make sure you're protected."

"She's right," Bobby agreed.

"I know where you can go. You'd be safe," I said confidently. I knew that Nero would have no issue doing this for me. Meanwhile, Tara looked at me like I had said something horrific. Proving to me that under all that doctor talk and superiority complex, there were just some decisions she couldn't make as an old lady.

Jax finally agreed and started to make the moves to get himself out of the house. Tara followed close behind me, still urging him to go her way. "Let's go," he motioned for me and I walked behind them. I could tell she was angry with me by the way she was breathing. I looked at her as she scolded me sharing one last chance at restoring my dominance. She could do what she wanted or say how she felt, but the truth was, she needed me to survive in this life.