Spark in the Dark

Chapter 10

Shawn stayed away from the clubhouse for the next couple of months. She only ever saw her dad the few times they went out to lunch and mostly just texted Jax and Opie. Most of her time was spent at Cara Cara or working at home. Truthfully, she was becoming a bit of a workaholic. Shawn tried to go on a couple of dates, but she was stuck on Juice. One afternoon, Shawn got a text from Jax asking her to stop by the clubhouse after work, but he wouldn't say why. She wanted to refuse, but then he might figure out she was avoiding them and want to know why.

After leaving work, she went home to change her clothes and debated on just staying home and telling Jax later that she forgot. Sighing to herself, Shawn grabbed her keys and got in her car. She pulled into the lot a few minutes later and parked where customers usually did. She saw Jax and Opie sitting at a picnic table outside, eating, and approached them.

"Hey," she called to get their attention. "You summoned me?"

"Hey, darling," Jax stood for a moment to hug her and Opie did the same. "You eat dinner?"

"No, I came straight here."

Jax picked up a plastic knife to cut his burger in half. He held it out to her and she shook her head. Jax didn't back down, so Shawn sat at the table and took the sandwich.

"Here. Have some fries, too. I can't eat all of them," Opie told her and nudged his styrofoam box towards here.

"Bullshit. You can, too," Shawn said, but took a couple fries anyways. "So, is this why I'm here? So you can feed me?"

"No, we're going to have a party tonight. Jax thought if he invited you, you could call some of the girls," Opie explained. Shawn scoffed, pretending to be offended.

"Hey! I wanted to invite her because she hasn't been around much. The porn stars are a bonus," Jax defended himself.

"Where's Donna and the kids? She doesn't mind you being here?" Shawn asked Opie.

"They're visiting her mom for the weekend," Opie explained.

"Everything ok?" Shawn asked and Opie nodded.

"I'm going to get a beer. You each want one?" Jax asked. Shawn and Opie agreed and Jax went inside the clubhouse.

"So, is everything really ok?" Shawn asked, again.

Opie shrugged. "Just hasn't been the same since I got out of Stockton. It's been a few months. I thought things would be back to normal by now."

"Well, you were gone for 5 years. What's this I hear you've been working at the mill? Why aren't you at the garage anymore?"

"Donna wants some... seperation. Ya know, from the club."

"The pay good at least?"

"Hell no. But I made a promise to Donna."

"Why didn't you say something to me sooner?"

"I don't want charity."

"I wasn't offering charity. I was offering a job. I could really use a big mean looking dude around the studio. Some of those girls are into some nasty shit and have their drug dealers show up so they can score their crank."

"Luanne know?"

"Yea, but she looks the other way."

"I don't know, Shawn. Donna doesn't want me here. How do you think she'd feel about me being at a porn studio all day?"

Jax came out the door as Opie talked. "Who says she has to know?"

Shawn punched Jax's shoulder has he sat back down. "She's his wife, asshole."

"So?" Jaxed asked.

"And you wonder why you're getting divorced. How is Wendy anyways?" Shawn asked Jax.

"Still pregnant. I guess it's a boy. She even named him. Abel."

A bunch of the other guys could be heard being loud right before they started walking out the door. Tig came out of the clubhouse first and Shawn stood to hug him.

"Hey, baby girl," Tig greeted Shawn.

"Hi Dad." Shawn looked over his shoulder as she hugged him and saw Juice walk out. He had shaved most of his hair except for a short mohawk and now had two tribal tattoos on either side. Shawn raised her eyebrows.

"It look that bad?" Juice asked her as he rubbed at hand over his scalp.

"No. Not at all actually. I like it."

"Finally looking like a Son, huh?" Jax asked her and Shawn agreed.

"So, what's this party for anyways? Not that you've ever needed an excuse to throw one."

Tig turned to Juice. "Turn around."

Juice did as he was told and Shawn say the Prospect patch on his back had been replaced with the Reaper and SOA patches the other members of the club wore on their backs.

"Wow. Top rocker! What did you do to earn that? Or am I not allowed to ask?" Shawn directed the last question to Jax.

"He did a favor for Clay," Jax answered for Juice. "So, about those porn stars for tonight?"

Shawn rolled her eyes. "I'll make some phone calls."