Redwood Rebel

Going Home

"You quit? Why?" Tig practically shouted at Roman. "Yeah, I'm going back home for a while." Roman shrugged. "You're coming back aren't you?" Juice asked as he walked toward them. "I didn't put my house up for sale." Roman murmured. "What about Hap and Kozik?" Tig demanded, trying to think of any reason he could for Roman to stay. "Kozik is responsible and Happy is a neat freak. They'll be fine." Roman assured him.

"So where is home, lass?" Chibs asked as he joined at them at the bar. "Oklahoma." she said with a soft smile. "I haven't ridden out there in years." Clay reminisced. "What if we went on a ride out there. It'd be good to get some time on the road." Bobby suggested, causing Roman to groan internally. "I'm in." Jax agreed. "Yeah." Chibs nodded. "Ope, Piney and the Prospect can stay." Tig spoke up and Juice agreed. "Hap, you in?" Kozik asked and Happy nodded. "Clear it with Hamco." Donut advised the pair. Kozik sighed and went to go call Lee.

"Can you find a place for us to stay?" Clay asked looking at Roman. "Yeah. I'll take care of everything." she sighed and walked out of the clubhouse. "Rome!" Juice yelled as he followed her out. "Yeah?" Roman sighed at him. "You need any help with anything?" he asked her and she just shook her head. "Just find out when we're leaving." she replied and got in her car. She went home and finished packing. She pulled out her phone and called home.

"Hello?" that deep country voice that she hadn't realized how much she missed answered on the second ring.

"Hey, Jase. It's me." she replied quietly, just wanting to hear him talk again.

"Hey, Romie. What's up?" he asked excitedly.

"I'm coming home soon, and I'm bringing some friends with me. To visit." Roman told him and smiled as she heard him chuckle.

"You finally get homesick, kid?" he laughed at her.

"Something like that." she sighed contentedly.

"Well, I'll be here waiting on you." he promised.

"Okay, great. I'll see you soon." Roman said and hung up the phone as she heard the front door close.

"Rome? You home?" Tig's voice called. Roman walked out to the living room to see him standing there with a smile. "You sure about this?" Tig asked her as they sat on the couch, leaning into one another. "It's what's best right now. Besides its about time I get you off a Harley and on a horse." Roman giggled to him. "You got a problem with my Harley, baby girl?" Tig asked in a playful tone. "Oh shut up, Tigger." she laughed. He wrapped his arm around her and chuckled, "You know, from what you've told me about your family. They aren't going to like me." he warned her. "Most of the time they don't like me either." she replied with a shrug. "Then why go back?" he asked.

"I miss my house, my animals, my car. I miss them too sometimes, we were close. I just didn't believe in the same things they did. They wanted me to grow up and be a good Christian woman, marry Danny Ellis, and help him run the ranch. That's just not who I am, and I'm pretty sure Danny became a cop anyway." Roman sighed, leaning her head on Tig's chest. "I never fit in with mine either." Tig murmured. They sat there together, holding each other as they each thought silently about their pasts.

Soon Juice arrived, every Wednesday night the trio got together at Roman's house for Chinese food and beer with some movies. It was their sacred tradition, and they had only ever missed six Wednesdays in both years that they'd been doing it. "Hey, Rome, you taking your truck or your bike to Oklahoma?" Juice asked as they set the coffee table up with food and beer. "I'll probably take the truck, just in case you guys don't have enough room for everything you're bringing on your bikes." she shrugged and he nodded.

"What movie are we watching tonight?" Roman asked as she stole a piece of chicken from Tig's chopsticks. "Smokey and the Bandit." Tig voted with a grin, and since Juice didn't object that's exactly what Roman turned on.