Consider Me Gone

Chapter 13.

Toni

I sat in my office with Clara as I told her about the awful end of my date. Everything had started out so perfectly, and then like a thief in the night, Jax ruined everything in the blink of an eye. Just thinking about it made me mad all over again. Poor Mark took everything like a champ though, but somehow that made me feel even worse.

"Have you talked to Mark since last night?"

I shook my head, "No, I'm too embarrassed."

"Honey," Clara said looking at me sympathetically. "Look, I know it looks bad, but it's not like you planned on Jax coming over. What did that a**hole want anyway?!"

I shrugged my shoulders, "I don't know," I lied. I had a limit on how much I would tell Clara about my life with Jax, and I reserved the criminal truths for myself because keeping her in the dark was safer. I never wanted to put her in a position to lie to cops, judges, or whomever, so omitting the truth was the best option for both of us.

"Typical. He's always around to bring you down, but never wanted to build you up." Clara shook her head, "Toni, you can't let him win. Avoiding Mark would be giving him exactly what he wants! You deserve your happy ending too! He left you to go find his happiness, it's your turn now."

I thought about what Clara said, and I realized that she was right. I did deserve my own happy ending, and whether that was with Mark or not, I deserved to at least see where this goes. I'm done having the likes of Jax Teller pop in and out of my life when it's convenient for him, I want to move on. I want to leave Charming, and most of all, I want nothing to do with Samcro.

"You know what, you're right, I'm going to go find Mark!" I said standing up victoriously.

"That's the spirit!" Clara smiled wide, "I think he's still in his office, you might catch him if you go now."

I nodded my head as I started walking towards the door to my office. I had enough momentum to open it, and Clara gave me a reassuring hoot as I continued to make my way to the elevator. Mark's office was a floor above mine, so that gave me enough time to think about what I was going to say when I got there.

I know I wanted to apologize to him about the whole thing with Jax. I should have kicked him out of my apartment, or better yet, left with Mark...

Well, maybe that wouldn't work out so much. Jax would have probably just found out where Mark lived and ambushed me there. And I knew for certain that I didn't want him anywhere near Mark.

I continued to search my thoughts for the perfect thing to say as I got closer to his office. My heart beat faster the closer I got, and my mind had become hyper-fixated on talking to him. I was so focused that I hadn't even realized the new sheriff talking to Margaret until he jumped in front of my path.

"Dr. Thatcher," he said with a smile on his face, "can I have a few minutes of your time?"

I was startled to see him there and stole one last glance at Mark's door before I was pulled to the side to talk to Sherriff Roosevelt. "How may I help you, Sherriff?" I plastered a fake smile on my face as I tried to keep my foot from tapping impatiently.

"Just wanted to check on you, how've you been?" My eyebrows furrowed at his question because out of all the things I was expecting him to say, I wasn't expecting that.

"I've been fine, how are you and the Mrs.?"

"She's great! She's organizing the fundraiser today for Charming Gardens. I saw that you had signed up," he noted.

"Yes, yes, I did. I've always loved that park, would hate to see it torn down."

"Yeah, nice piece of landscape, my wife Rita has some big plans to clean it up. She's been raving about how your contribution has attracted many donors to the cause."

"Oh, well, I'm happy to help. Yup, happy helper," my patience was running thin with this conversation because I had better things to do than talk about the fundraiser. I was hoping he would cut to the chase soon, or I would be obligated to force him.

"So, Rita tells me that Gemma Teller was the one who got you to join. Isn't Gemma your former mother-in-law?"

Now, I am a petty person; always have been ever since I was a child. If there was a petty contest, I would win in a landslide victory. So, believe me when I say, I could have played this "beat around the bush" game all day with Roosevelt if I wanted to. But the fact of the matter is, I did not have the time nor the energy to play.

"Sherriff Roosevelt, excuse me for being so forward, but is there a question you want to ask me concerning the Tellers?" I had a big smile on my face, but I knew it wasn't kind or welcoming. To be honest, I probably looked like I was a former contestant on the TV show Snapped.

"Am I that obvious?" he said laughing. I tried my best to fake laugh with him, but my patience was wearing thin.

Roosevelt looked at me for a few moments before finally getting to the point. "There was a shooting at Teller-Morrow this morning." He paused for an effect, but I know my face hadn't shown shock or concern, "Thankfully, no one was hurt, but I've found that the Tellers are not the most cooperative people to work with. I was hoping you'd be able to shine some light on how I should approach them. I figured you had as much experience with them as anyone, and they seem like they've got their claws deep in Dr. Knowles. I hear she's a promising surgeon here, and I think she would benefit from a gentle push from someone who can relate to her situation."

I blinked a few times at Roosevelt, and I did my best to shadow my annoyance. I wanted to laugh and act like a crazy person, because maybe if I was committed to an asylum these people would finally leave me alone.

"Oh, well, I'm so sorry that I can't be of more assistance Sherriff. You see, I don't think I can shed any light on the Tellers and their...way of life. As for the shooting, I'm glad no one was hurt, can't give you any leads because I make it my life's mission to uh..." MIND MY BUSINESS, "create a comfortable distance between Mr. Teller and I." My mind ran rampant with all the ways I could tell this cop that this was not my business, but you know, in a professional way.

"Dr. Knowles is a very promising surgeon indeed, and I think she will continue to rise in her career with proper guidance...from another colleague."

"Oh, I see," Roosevelt said, finally getting what I was putting down.

"But I am looking forward to seeing you at the fundraiser. I think this will be a wonderful way to see how Charming's new protector genuinely cares about the people."

Roosevelt nodded his head, and then finally after what seemed like ages, let me go on my merry way. Mark was standing at his door with a huge grin on his face when I approached him, and I was glad to see that he still wanted to talk to me.

"What was that all about?" He asked.

"Oh, you know, everyone wants Toni to save Tara from the big, blonde dummy."

"Oof," Mark leaned down to my ear, "can Toni save Mark next?"

I rolled my eyes at him before I felt his hand slip around my waist to drag me into his office. No one was around to see me get pulled in, but I didn't protest at the chance of using his free period as a make-out sesh.