Consider Me Gone

Chapter 14.

Tara

"My wife grew up in this town. It became my home 31 years ago, I love Charming. I know some of you have an opinion about my club but ask yourself this. What's worse? A few broken windows, some fighting now and again, or bulldozers gutting the heart of your town."

As I listened to Clay try to swindle the hearts of the people of Charming, I couldn't help but notice Toni and Mark standing next to each other only a few feet away. She was whispering something in Mark's ear while keeping her eyes on Clay.

The look of shock never left Mark's face as she continued to feed him whatever intel she had. If only I had the ability to turn Clay's voice down to hear hers. "Sons of Anarchy have always stood up for Charming. We pride ourselves in knowing that we've kept this town tight-knit. Supported and protected small business owners. Charming Heights is the beginning of the end. Sooner or later you're gonna end up just like this garden—hanging on by a thread, hoping, praying for the charity of others. Tonight, I offer that charity. Two checks. Seventy-five thousand dollars."

The crowd erupted behind me in support of Clay's donation, but I couldn't keep my eyes off Toni who rolled her eyes. "One of those checks is from me, and I know what you're thinking. Blood money probably stole it. It's okay, you can think that" Clay said to the crowd. "But the other check comes from a man, who believes in this town more than I do. A man whose family has pumped lifeblood into this community for almost fifty years. So, if you can't thank me, you should definitely thank him. The guy who should be mayor, Elliot Oswald."

Elliot stepped onto the stage and the crowd cheered for him. Even Toni managed to clap, but she didn't look happy to see him, more so disappointed. She definitely knew something, and I was itching to find out what that was.

When the speeches were over, I made my way over to Toni who was talking to Elliot. They were in deep conversation, while Mark stood only a few feet away from them. I couldn't make out what they were saying, but Elliot seemed to be defending himself from Toni, while Toni scolded him. She was clearly upset with him, but for the life of me, I couldn't figure out why.

"Toni?" I said her name, and she turned her head to look at me. She had a frown on her face, and Elliot took my interruption as a chance to leave. Toni grabbed his arm before he could fully depart, and they shared one last look with each other before ending things with a hug. Toni seemed really upset with him because I noticed that her eyes were glossy with tears.

"What?" she asked as she turned her body towards mine.

"Can I talk to you in private?" I asked; however, I wasn't really asking as I dragged her to the farthest corner of the garden. Toni snatched her arm away from me when we were far enough and gave me a sharp look.

"What is your problem?!" she whispered/yelled at me.

"What do you know about Clay?"

"Excuse me?!"

"I saw the way you were looking at him during his speech, you know something. And don't give me that crap about wanting to stay away from the club. I need the truth, and whether you care or not, you're the only one who's always told me the truth." Now it was my turn for my eyes to become glossy with tears. "Please Toni, don't make me beg."

Toni looked at me for a few minutes before looking out in the crowd for Mark. He was standing in the middle of the field talking to the sheriff and his wife, completely unavailable to come to her rescue.

Toni took a deep breath and closed her eyes, "You get one question."

"Two, and I won't ask again."

"One," she said more firmly.

"Two, and I won't show up to your office with another "case.""

"One, and I won't lock my door."

"Two, and I'll keep Gemma from talking to you."

Toni scoffed, "Please, you can't promise that. Jax couldn't even deliver on that promise, and that's his mother." Toni shook her head, "I know I'm going to regret this, what do you want to know."

My heart leaped in my chest at her compliance, and I slightly felt the urge to hug her. "What's up with Clay, why'd you roll your eyes at his speech?"

Toni rolled her eyes again, "Oh please, don't tell me you believe that rubbish about Clay wanting to protect the people. The only person Clay cares about is Clay, and the only reason he's crying like a baby over Charming Heights is because it gets in his way. Clay likes things to be consistent, that's why he likes Charming so much because this town can't seem to move past 1955. The only reason Clay doesn't want Charming Heights to happen is because what comes with Charming Heights makes Clay's job a little harder. Hale is getting rid of Charming PD, implementing zoning committees, and updating our infrastructure that will make Charming more of a tourist destination. Mix all that together, and not only does it become too expensive to be a resident, but it becomes hard to be an outlaw too. They'll be on him and the sons like white on rice until they push them completely out."

I wanted to ask her more, but I knew I was running out of time, and Gemma would come looking for me soon. "Okay, why were you so upset with Elliot? Isn't he better than Hale?"

"That's two questions, and I don't care about him being better than Hale. Elliot's family has been through enough in this town. He left for his daughter, because Lord knows all that sweet baby needed was a chance after what happened to her. And because Clay is nothing but a selfish bastard who only does things in hopes of getting a favor later, he's pulling this man back to this town for his own selfish gain. Elliot knows that, but he can't back out because of what Clay did for him."

"What did he do for him," I whispered, paralyzed by my own question.

"He killed the man who hurt his little girl." My mouth fell open because I had heard the talk of the town about what happened to Elliot's daughter, but I had just moved back to Charming, and everything between Jax and I was just starting to pick up again that I had no idea he was involved.

"Toni," I said her name, but she seemed far away thinking about a distant memory. When she broke out of her trance, she looked at me with a look I couldn't describe.

"What made you love him?"

"What?" My voice came out in barely a whisper. Suddenly, I felt embarrassed in front of her. Never had I thought this question would come up, and I was ill-prepared to answer her.

"I mean, this affair started when we were all kids. You had all this time to love him, the club, and everything that came with it. But instead, you still hate it. Why is that?"

"I-I... Jax is not the club," I said with confidence. She didn't know anything about Jax if she thought he was anything like those people.

Toni smiled, "I used to think the same way, my dear. But one day, I looked at the reaper and saw my husband. I realized that eventually, he would become what it was. Jax used to have nightmares when Wendy was pregnant with Abel. He would wake up soaked in his own sweat and vomit from the terrible nightmares he had. He even begged me for pills that could keep him awake just so he wouldn't fall asleep." Toni shook her head at the memory.."

Jax had mentioned his emotions surrounding Abel's birth to me, but never did I know how bad it was. "Why are you telling me this?"

"I honestly don't know, maybe somewhere deep down, I wish someone had told me instead." Toni looked sad for a second before she noticed Mark walking up to her. A smile spread on her face, and she walked over to Mark gleefully, while Gemma joined me at my side.

"What was that all about? Bitter ex-wife chronicles?" she joked.

"Just telling me about a case," I said, but my eyes never left Toni. Her words kept replaying in my mind, and an uneasy feeling settled in my stomach. There was a dark cloud hanging over me and somehow, I had taken it from Toni.