The Son of the Reaper ~ Sons of Anarchy

Chapter 7

Clayton

"You shouldn't be working yourself so hard." Gemma said while blocking the sun out of CJ's eyes. CJ was on his back on a scooter, looking under the pressure plate of the hammer game and making sure everything was connected. "You have a headache?"

"I'm fine, ma." CJ said with a smile even though he was lying. His head was killing him with a pounding headache. It's only been a few days since they returned from Indian Hills, so Cj was still healing and told to take it easy, but he always helped out with setting up the fair Gemma started a few years ago. "I already took my meds."

The wound was mostly cosmetic. A small scar above his eyebrow and a killer concussion that he was still nursing. He still had a bandage wrapped around his head which he covered up with a black bandanna. CJ screwed in the last bolt and the machine lit up above him and let out a god-awful siren noise along with flashing lights and carnie music.

CJ rolled out from under it with a pinched face and pulled the plug on it, shutting it up entirely and when he opened his eyes he saw Gemma's face with a scowl on it. "You said you were fine."

"I am... kinda." CJ said weakly before standing up and grabbing his shirt Gemma was holding. "You telling me that shit didn't hurt your ears."

"Go sit down before I kick your ass." Gemma led him over to one of the stand's Gemma's friend Luann, a porn director, was helping set it up for the Sam Crow chili. "Luann, please get CJ some water."

"Sure sweety." Luann said. CJ wasn't ashamed to admit he used to have a crush on the former porn star. She was still very beautiful, but back in the day Cj believed she was the most beautiful woman in the world. "You feeling okay, CJ?"

"I'm fine." Cj told her while Gemma was going through her purse. "Ma's just overreacting." He took the small paper cup from her and when he looked back to his stepmother, she was holding a bottle of pills. "You stole my pills."

"Of course not." Gemma said while grabbing his hand forcefully and pouring two little white pills in his hand. "I bought my own because I knew you wouldn't take your own." CJ grimaced at the two pills in his hand and Gemma sighed. "It's low-grade stuff, sweetheart. None of that addictive shit she was on." CJ huffed a little but took the pills and downed them with the water. "Now take it easy."

"Yeah, you've done enough." Luann said. "You can just sit there and be eye candy for the ladies over there." She nodded to the other stand and CJ saw a few of the girls looking over at him before quickly turning away with blushing cheeks.

"Tell everyone to leave room for the buses." Gemma said, going back to managerial mode in an instant.

"Who are we bussing?" Luann asked.

"Oakdale Assisted Living." Gemma answered, making CJ groan. "I know, I know. Seniors are all compulsive gamblers. But it triples our raffle dollars."

"God bless Social Security." CJ mumbled before reaching over for a bag of chips. Doing so he noticed a shadow loom over him and when he turned, he saw a familiar face. "April?"

"Hey, CJ." April was always kind to CJ. She was a petite woman, with a motherly face and kind eyes. "I'm sorry I'm late to help."

"Don't worry about it." Gemma said. "I appreciate you coming to help."

"No problem." April looked like she was nervous. "Can I ask you two something?"

Gemma looked a little interested while CJ was trying to find a good chip in the bag. "What?"

"Charlie's band's playing during the fireworks tomorrow night." April told them. "He really wants his dad to come." CJ paused what he was doing and looked up at the woman like she was crazy.