Spark in the Dark

Chapter 5

Shawn walked out of Cara Cara the next afternoon for her lunch break and got into her car. She drove into town and parked in front of Hannah's Diner. After she told a waitress at the front counter her name, she stood there looking at her phone while waiting for her to go order. The sound of the door opening behind her made Shawn look up and over her shoulder.

"Hey there," she said as she recognized Gemma standing behind her.

"Oh, hey, sweetheart," Gemma said and pulled Shawn into a hug. "I haven't seen you for a couple weeks. You been busy?"

"We started working on a new movie," Shawn explained. "Turns out porn stars are pretty big divas, too."

"Yea, I remember what Luanne was like when it was her in front of the camera," Gemma said with a chuckle.

"I don't think much has changed since then."

"Not really," Gemma agreed. "She might have mellowed out a little bit. So, Jax mentioned you're coming by the clubhouse this weekend?"

"Yea, I'm going to try for tonight, actually. I'll have to see how late I get out of work."

"You do that. There's a new prospect hanging around now, too."

"Juice? I know. Met him yesterday."

"What did you think?"

Shawn shrugged. "Seems alright." She couldn't exactly tell Gemma she thought he was good looking and nice. Gemma would jump to conclusions.

The waitress came back with a bag containing Shawn's food and Gemma told her the name for her own order. After the waitress left again to get Gemma's food. Gemma eyed Shawn's take out container.

"What'd you get?" Gemma asked.

"Turkey club and fries," Shawn answered. Gemma nodded approvingly. "So, I'll see you later?"

"I might stop in when I'm done in the office."

"Alright, later," Shawn walked out the door.

* * *

Juice was behind the bar in the clubhouse serving the rest of the guys beers. He couldn't wait until his prospect period was over and he could stop doing grunt work. Tig was sitting at the bar in front of him, talking to Clay, and Juice stole a quick glance at the man. He still didn't see much resemblance between Shawn and her father. Jax came into the clubhouse a moment later, clearly fuming.

"Get me a beer, Juice," he ordered. "A shot, too."

Juice did as he was told. Jax downed his shot and slammed the glass back on the bar before taking a long swig from his bottle. The members of SAMCRO watched this with raised eyebrows. Some glanced around to see who was going to be the one to ask Jax what had him so irate. Before anyone had a chance, the clubhouse door opened and Shawn walked in. She had changed out of her Cara Cara clothes and into more a casual outfit as well as removing some of her makeup. The older guys relaxed. If anyone could question Jax without him getting upset, it was Shawn.

"Hey, baby," Tig stood and hugged his daughter. "You eat dinner?"

"Yes, Dad."

"Drink?"

"Yea, just a beer."

Tig motioned to Juice to get Shawn her drink, but Juice was already removing the bottle cap for her and handed her the beer.

"Thanks, Prospect," Shawn said with a smile. She took a sip and looked around the bar. "Where's Ope?"

"Home with Donna and the kids," Clay answered her.

Shawn nodded and her eyes fell to Jax, who was still sulking. "What the hell crawled up your ass and died?"

Jax finally looked up from his beer. "Wendy's pregnant."

Shawn choked on the sip of beer she had been taking and set her bottle down on the bar with a thud. The guys all turned to stare at Jax.

"Your mother know yet?" Clay asked him.

"No."

"She's going to go nuts," Shawn said.

"That's why I haven't told her, yet. She'll actually be happy."

"You know what you need, brother?" Tig asked Jax. "Let's have Shawn get some of the Cara Cara girls down here. Cheer you right up."

Shawn looked at Jax, waiting for his reply. Jax shrugged, but then nodded. Shawn pulled her phone out of her purse and walked away from the guys to give Ima a call. A feeling of disappointment washed over her. She had been hoping for a chill night with her friend, but instead it was going to turn into a wild party that most of them wouldn't remember in the morning.

Juice also felt a little disappointed. This wasn't his first SAMCRO party, there had actually been several since he became a prospect a couple of months before. But a party meant he was going to be stuck behind the bar all night.

Shawn came back from making her phone call and took a seat at the bar next to Jax. Tig and Clay had moved into the chapel, so it was now just Shawn, Jax, and Juice at the bar. Juice listened to Jax and Shawn's conversation quietly, trying to act like he wasn't eavesdropping.

"You want to talk about it?" Shawn asked Jax.

"What's there to talk about?"

"You're going to be someone's dad. That's a big deal."

"Don't remind me."

"I hope it's a girl."

"Why?"

"They say having a daughter is punishment for all the shitty things you've done to women."

"I've never heard any complaints," Jax replied suggestively.

"Gross," Shawn said and made a face that made Jax smile.

"Hey, how was your date?" Jax asked her. Juice's interest in their conversations grew.

"It was..." Shawn's sentence trailed off.

"Bad? Told you he was a douchebag."

"He wasn't a douchebag."

"Sex was bad?"

"I didn't sleep with him."

"Oh, yea, that is a bad date."

"No, manwhore. He just... talked."

"I hear people do that on dates now a days," Jax joked sarcastically.

"I mean he talked, like, a lot. About stuff I don't really care about."

"So, shit's rough all over, huh?" Jax asked.

"You almost sound sympathetic."

"Gotta practice. Going to be someone's dad." Shawn rolled her eyes, but smiled. "Let's do a shot."

"Not whiskey. You know it makes me mean," Shawn reminded him.

"Juice, get us three shots of tequila."

Juice poured the shots and Jax pushed one towards Shawn and the other back at Juice. Shawn lifted the glass.

"Cheers, guys," Jax said and all three drank.