Tribulation | Jax Teller

Tall Grass

Jax has to admit his son and nephew are more resourceful than he was at their age. With summer in full effect and the two boys tittering on the edge of becoming teenagers it meant that they would want things of their own without hounding their parents.

Besides Noelle and Donna never let the kids get things they wanted just because they wanted them. They had to work for them.

So he was genuinely impressed that Noah and Kenny had started their own lawn mowing business. It seemed the two had a loyal customer base as well. And from the 15 houses they have passed he knows his son better not be asking him or Noelle for money for a while.

This was his first trip in providing the boys a ride in his truck to the neighborhoods as Opie usually does it, but Ope got put on a rotation for a run.

Jax thinks SAMCRO is in the wrong business.

With AJ next to his side as the little boy managed to weasel his way into the trip playing water boy, he follows Noah, with the weed whacker, and Kenny, with the lawn mower, approach a house that is clearly being neglected.

The grass is getting to a dangerous height. The gutter to the house has fallen into the driveway and Jax isn't going to comment on the newspapers that are stacked or scattered on the front steps.

His immediate thought is that this is an abandoned house that is clearly depreciating the value of the neighborhood, but taking a longer look and seeing the Cutlass in the driveway, he knows whose house they are standing in front of.

Andy Knowles, the town's depressed drunk and Tara Knowles' father, and quite frankly a piece of shit. Jax feels that familiar hatred of that man run through his veins as he looks at the abused home. There were a lot of times when he was younger that he wanted to lay Andy Knowles on his drunken ass. There were a couple close calls with them slamming each other into walls after Tara would walk around with black eyes or bruised arms.

Back in the day, Jax thought the man was pathetic. He didn't feel an ounce of sympathy for the man as just because he lost his wife prematurely didn't mean he could treat his only flesh and blood like dirt. However, according his mom, Andy has always been a little crazy and with his wife dead, he needed a new punching bag.

And considering the state of the house, Jax assumes that karma is finally hitting the old man in the gut.

"I think we should ask if we can cut his lawn," Noah suggests.

Jax looks at his son. "He doesn't let you guys."

"Dad always told us to pass this house," Kenny reveals.

"Really?" Jax asks and he knows that he shouldn't be surprised but is. It's been over 10 years since Tara was here in Charming and with him. He sure as hell moved on and he hoped the drunken bastard still wasn't holding a grudge over dead history.

"You know who lives here?" Jax asks.

"Grandma said an old drunken bastard," AJ pipes up.

Jax sighs because of course his mom would say something like that, but he isn't going to deny the description.

"Well, Ope wanted you to stay away for a reason."

"But, Dad, look at it. We'll cut it for free." Noah says as he eyes the yard with disgust.

Jax tugs the hair on his chin and concedes. "Alright."

The Teller-Winston clan walk up to the residence and Jax sticks to the back with AJ to let Noah and Kenny handle their business.

Noah knocks on the door pretty hard before the door is swung open and Jax almost gags at the smell of alcohol that runs out of the house. He is pretty impressed that Noah and Kenny keep a straight face as AJ can't hide the scrunch of his nose and overall disgust.