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SHAY KNOCKED ON THE WINSTON FAMILY'S DOOR, a smile on her face as she waited for the door to be opened. She had been more than excited when Donna Winston called her last night inviting her over for dinner. Shay didn't have that many friends outside of Samcro, and sure, Donna was a part of the Samcro family due to Opie, but Donna had been trying to distance herself from the club ever since Opie got sent to Chino. The Miller woman was just happy Donna wasn't distancing herself from her.
The two women had too many years of friendship to simply throw away all because of Samcro.
"Hi, Aunt Shay." The oldest Winston child — Ellie smiled as the door swung open. "Can I hold Leela?" She said with excitement in her voice as she waited patiently for the Miller woman's response.
A small laugh left Shay's lips as she smiled down at red haired Winston child. "Of course, Ellie."
Shay handed an equally excited Leela over to Ellie, smiling to herself as she watched the Winston girl carefully take Leela into her arms. It was nice to not only have such a close friendship with Donna and Opie, but also have a close bond with their children. Shay thought of Ellie and Kenny like her niece and nephew, and she would do anything for the Winston family.
"Donna!" Shay called out as she entered the home, closing the door behind her. Her blue eyes watched as Ellie walked off towards the living room with Leela.
"In the kitchen!"
Shay took a quick glance back at Ellie and Leela before making her way towards the kitchen. The smell of garlic instantly entered Shay's nose as she entered the kitchen, her blue eyes saw Donna standing at the stove mixing a pot of what she assumed was Donna's famous homemade pasta sauce.
"Please tell me that's your famous pasta sauce I'm smelling?" Shay said as she leaned against the counter.
"Of course it is." Donna said with a smile as she looked over at Shay. "I don't know who enjoys my sauce more, you or Ope." Donna laughed.
"Oh, hands down it's me." Shay scoffed with a laugh. "Seriously you should jar this stuff and sell it, Donna. You'd make a shit of money off of it." The Miller woman stated.
Donna rolled her eyes at her best friend's compliment. "Opie says the same thing."
"Well, maybe you should listen to me and Opie. I mean, we are both really smart." Shay stated matter of fact, her words earning a small somewhat bitter laugh from Donna. "Speaking of Ope, where is he?" The raven haired woman questioned while scratching at her eyebrow.
"At the mill." Donna said, retuning her attention back to the bubbling sauce on the stove, ignoring the intense gaze coming her way from Shay. "He'll be home soon."
It wasn't some big hidden secret that Opie had just gotten out of Chino after a five year stint. It also wasn't a big secret that Donna blamed Samcro for Opie being locked away, and she understood where all of the brunette's anger towards the club came from, but Shay wasn't so sure if making Opie work a regular 9 to 5 job was the way to go.
There was a feeling deep down in Shay's gut that made her feel like Opie wouldn't be working at the mill for too long. Samcro was in his blood and it would be too hard for him to live a normal lifestyle — no matter how hard he tried.
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A SMILE GRACED SHAY'S FACE AS SHE WATCHED THE WINSTON CHILDREN run around the backyard, laughter leaving their ice cream stained mouths. Dinner had been full of laughs, memories between the thee old friends, and a tension between Donna and Opie that Shay couldn't help but notice.
"Thanks for coming for tonight." Opie said, a small chuckle leaving his mouth as he watched Shay slowly move back and forth on the swing that her body was currently occupying. "I haven't made things easy for Donna with getting locked up, but having you around helped." He said with a grateful smile.
"You don't need to thank me, Ope." Shay assured the giant of a man as she turned her gaze onto him. "You guys are my family. I'd do anything for all of you." The raven haired woman stated firmly with a soft smile.
Shay didn't feel the need to be thanked for being there for Donna and the kids while Ope was locked up in Chino. She didn't help Donna to get thanked for it or something in return.
"Donna also told me you gave her money for the bills and shit." Opie spoke with embarrassment clear in his tone. "And I promise I'm going to pay you back every cent, Shay." He voice was firm as he stared into Shay's blue eyes.
The Miller woman shook her head. There was no need for Opie to pay her back, she hadn't given the money with the intention to get paid back. Shay knew how much Donna hated even asking her for the money, but the Winston woman was drowning in past due bills and she refused to take the dirty money that Samcro offered.
"I don't want you to pay me back, Ope. I just want you to be here for Donna and the kids." Shay stated matter of fact. "Leela also needs her Uncle Opie around." She added with a smile, bumping her shoulder playfully against his.
"I'm not going anywhere. I promise."
Shay hoped Opie kept his promise. Not only for Donna and their children, but for Jax as well. Opie kept Samcro's VP level headed and that's exactly what the Teller man needed in his life.
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AN OLD SHIRT OF BEN'S HUNG OFF OF SHAY'S FRAME as she sat on the couch, the tv was on but it was nothing more than background noise at this point. After putting Leela to bed, Shay had tried to get some sleep herself but after laying in bed for hours without so much of a yawn passing through her lips the raven haired woman knew it was a moot point at the moment.
Her insomnia was showing itself yet again, and The Miller woman knew all too well that sleep would not come anytime soon. It didn't help that her mind was all over the place — full of anxiety about Leela, Abel, and everything in between.
A soft sigh passed through Shay's lip as she typed out a text to Jax. Jax was always the one who knew how to help her best when she had nights like this. Ben had tried his best to help, but his suggestions of drinking a warm glass of milk or laying in bed until sleep eventually took over were not helpful in the slightest. It was the thought that counted though, and she loved that about Ben.
The raven haired woman shook her head, a small laugh escaping her lips as her blue eyes read over Jax's reply. Jax's offer to come over and read to her until she fell asleep made her laugh — not because she thought it was a funny joke, but because she knew Jax was being completely serious.
There was just something about Jax's voice that instantly calmed Shay, and sometimes she felt guilty for that. Guilty that it was Jax not Ben who could help her fall asleep on these difficult nights.
Shay ran a hand through her dark hair before sending one last text back to Jax. Sometimes she could feel their conversations bordering on flirtation, and she needed to end it before it steered towards that all too familiar territory. She was with Ben — happily with Ben at that. Whatever thing her and Jax had was long over and the two were to remain best friends and co-parents. That was all.
A yawn escaped Shay's lips as she softly entered her bedroom, a tired smile taking over her face as she stared at Ben's sleeping form stretched out on the bed. She quickly crawled into the bed, snuggling into his side, closing her tired blue eyes while hoping sleep would eventually come soon.
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