You Are My Sunshine

Chapter 77 - It's All in Black and White

"We may encounter many defeats but we must not be defeated." - Maya Angelou

The next afternoon after a solid chunk of sleep, Jax and Amelia packed two small bags and headed out of town. This time, Alice stayed home, Uncle Opie keeping a watchful eye over her and Trinity while her parents handled business. Opie didn't want to be there, alone, but he had no real reason to head back and it would undoubtedly enrage Mae. That was something he would gladly skip.

"How's Gemma going to be?" Amelia asked casually as they crossed into California. "Not just with Abel but knowing we left Ally home."

"She's gonna get over it," Jax scoffed. "That woman needs to step back; she's acting like she's got rights over these kids."

Amelia looked at him suspiciously, his words were heavy with annoyance and alluded to more background she was unfamiliar with. "What are you talking about?"

"You know how she is with Alice," he said in frustration.

"Well yeah, but is she like that with him? With Abel?"

"I wouldn't believe it if she said she wasn't," he rested his hand on her thigh. "Tomorrow when we're home can you make that dinner; you know the one I love?"

"Oh, the pot roast with the potatoes and all?" She asked, watching as the nothingness of the highway raced by the windows.

"Yeah, shit babe, it's so good."

Amelia nodded, smiling, and gave his hand a squeeze. "For you, yeah, I will."

"Thank you," he beamed. "You happy in Vegas?"

"I am," she smiled. "Now I am at least."

"I think it was for us, babe and now we don't have anything dragging us back to Charming after today. I loved that town, I always did, but lately nothing but pain comes out of it."

Laying her hand over his she agreed, albeit silently, and closed her eyes. "I just want us to be happy, finally."

"That's all I ever wanted," he sighed. "Since you left I just wanted shit to settle with the club and you to be my old lady."

"Well, I think that's happened," she only just realized it herself. "Finally."

"What the hell do we do now?" He asked, raising her hand to his lips.

"I don't know," she giggled. "But I'm into finding out."

--

Arriving a few hours before Jax and Amelia, Mae was already working at her makeshift desk when Luann appeared at Cara Cara.

"You read it?" She asked harshly. "The new restrictions and laws, it's gonna kill us."

"Yeah I did," Mae groaned. "And I agree, it's gonna strangle the shit out of us. Maybe if we take it slow we won't lose too much."

With a dramatic sigh, Luann threw herself down in the chair across from Mae's desk. "The bigger guys are already trying for the little studios' talent. If I lose these girls Mae we're done."

"Lyla won't go anywhere," Mae assured her. "And she can get Ima and a few of the others to stay loyal while we figure this out. Any of the others that wanna split, let em', it's time to get some new faces and genitals around here."

"But we won't have to move?" Luann asked as if seeking permission.

Mae shrugged. "Let's see how it goes. If we can manage the changes and stay afloat it'll save us money. A move would be so expensive not to mention the new licensing and stuff."