Set in Chrome {Chibs Telford}

2

I dropped my bags in my mom's living room and looked around. She had redecorated since the last time I was in. I walked over to the shelf above their fireplace and smiled picking up one of the photos. It was me and Jax no more than 10-13 years old, I laughed remembering. That was the day Jax accidentally broke one of my teeth. He was in the yard swinging his little baseball bat in circles, it slipped from his hands and cracked me right across the face while I was sitting on the porch playing with my toy motorcycles. I shook my head, even at that age dad was trying to get us riding.

"Shower is upstairs, last door on the left baby girl." Gemma said coming over to me. She smiled and chuckled when she saw what was in my hand. She took it from me gently placing it back on the mantle. "You cried for hours that day,'' she laughed. "You were so mad at him, but he did everything he could to make it up to you." I nodded and she just looked at me with a smile. I smiled back. "I'm so glad you're home Sonya ." She said hugging me again.

"Me too mom." I said softly.

She pulled away and told me to head up to shower and change while she made me a home made mother's meal. She didn't have to tell me twice, I loved my mom's cooking. Hell she fed half the club in the old days. I'm glad to see she didn't change much since I've been away, at least not that I could see.

I grabbed some clothes from my bag, just a pair of tight jeans, a black tank top, and a red flannel over shirt, and headed to the bathroom. I just stood there in the hot water for a few minutes, enjoying the silence. That ride is a killer no matter how you do it and left you always begging for food and a nice steaming hot shower. I leaned against the wall wiping my face off and closed my eyes. I thought things would be so different when I got back, I should have guessed nothing had. There was a way, an order around here that nobody messed with, this was how we all liked it so we kept it that way.

When I got out, I dried my hair leaving it down and put my clothes on, save for the flannel that I just laid on my bed in case I wanted to go anywhere later and headed down to the kitchen. Gemma was standing there cutting chicken, she didn't hear me come in so I just watched her for a moment. I remembered being little and her chasing me and Jax around the yard, playing in sprinklers. She kept us together every time dad went on runs, always told us that he would be ok. The night he didn't come back, I think me and Jax knew but she tried so hard not to fall to pieces in front of us, even though we were both practically adults, she was our rock.

I walked up and hugged her tightly and she laughed. She didn't think so, but she was the best for me and Jax, nothing would change that in my eyes.

"wanna help?" She asked. I nodded. "grab the potatoes? I need them cubed and put in the boiling water when you're done." I nodded again and set to work. I noticed that she kept looking over to my cutting board, making sure I was handling it. I laughed. "What?" She asked smiling, looking back to what she was doing.

"Do you remember the night I was here last time, all the guys were here and you asked me to help?"She busted out in laughter causing me to do the same.

"Ugh baby, you managed to turn those burgers into charcoal!" We laughed louder.

"I told you that I couldn't grill to save my life." I said in defense.

She shook her head and the laughter died a bit. "The guys still choked those down and asked for seconds to make sure they didn't break your heart." I sighed. I kept back tears. "We could use you around here ya know," she started. I turned to look at her as I finished cubing the spuds. "the laughter, the smiles..." She turned to look at me, misty eyed. "baby with that smile, you could sell sin to a saint." I smiled.

I dropped the potatoes in the pot and kissed her cheek. "Got my looks from your side." She laughed and nodded too. "what next?" I asked. She wiped her eyes and asked to start on the salad and I set to what she asked me to do. "How are you and Clay doin these days?" I asked.

"Still madly in love," she said laughing. "Which is good cause if we weren't I think I would kill him." she said. I laughed.

"I know you would." She huffed and hit m arm again.

"What about you?" She asked. "Any guys I need to send Clay to kill?"

It was my turn to laugh. "Not for a long time, no." She looked surprised and I laughed harder. "Come on, you really think those Ivy League guys had my attention for more than two seconds?"

"What about that Robert boy?" I rolled my eyes. "I'm only sayin' he seemed nice enough." She said starting to get the chicken into the over.

"Yeah, for a heroine addict." I said huffing. Again the surprised look. "Don't worry, I wouldn't touch the stuff for anything." She nodded lifting the knife to point at me.

"You don't wanna know what would happen otherwise." I laughed and she popped the food in. "So you're a single lady eh?" she asked as I grabbed two beers from the fridge sitting at the counter with her. I nodded grabbing the jack Daniels from the cupboard, pouring two shots. "And you're alright with that?" she asked as I handed her a shot and kept one.

"Ya know," I paused. "I am for now." she nodded.

"Thats my girl." we clinked shot glasses and downed them. "Woo!" She yelled grabbing my face and kissing my cheek. "My babys back in Charming!" I laughed and took a swig of my beer as mom lit two cigarettes and handed me one.

"This shit is bad for your heart." I said pointing to her cigarette.

"Oh shut up." she said rolling her eyes. I smiled. "No worse than anything else I do, your mom is still young ya know." I nodded. "yeah you better." She said. "How long you stayin' for?"

"Well thats a surprise," she started to talk but i cut her off. "AND you have to wait til Clay and Jax are here to find out." she flipped me off and I laughed pulling my hair back in a bun.

"ugh," she shaking her head. I gave her a weird look. "Thats gonna be on there for life ya know." she said exhaling smoke and gesturing to my ink. I rolled my eyes once more. "Don't sass me," she said crossing her legs. "I still can't believe JT let you do that to yourself."

"Oh don't be mad at him, it was my choice." I said.

She sighed. "you always did fit in good with the club baby." she said nodding. "I'm glad cause they'll have your back for life." she said smiling.

I put both hands around my beer exhaling my smoke. "Can I ask you somethin'?" I asked looking down at the counter top.

"Coarse baby."

I paused. "D...do you still miss dad?" I asked softly, barely above a whisper. At first there was no answer, then I felt her hand on mine and I looked up.

"baby, I loved you father," she said nodding. "every single day, right up to the end." she began getting misty eyed again. "I know you never liked me moving on and I'm sorry for that but I still think about him now and then and it still hurts..."

"Mom, you don't have to apologize." I said squeezing her hand. "I would never want you to be miserable and Clay, hes good to you, me and Jax." I took a swig of beer. "I'm glad he stepped up, he really did the best filling some big shoes with us." She smiled letting a tear fall from her eyes.

"You don't know how much it means to me to hear you say that." I nodded giving her a smile and she laughed wiping her eyes. "What the hell is it with you and making people feel so much?" I laughed. "Lets watch some movies angel." I nodded and went to the living room with her to wait til dinner was ready.