Spark in the Dark

Chapter 43

Juice called the next night to let Shawn know he wouldn't be home for a few extra days. The other guys were coming home, but Clay decided to leave Juice behind to keep an eye on things for him. He didn't elaborate on what things he was keeping his eye on and Shawn didn't ask. She preferred to know as little as possible about what they did and the only thing she hated more than knowing was asking.

The next afternoon, Luanne cut Shawn loose from Cara Cara early so she could help Gemma out with her fundraiser called Taste of Charming. After changing her clothes, Shawn went to the school the fundraiser was being held. It only took her a second to find Gemma. The large SAM CROW sign wasn't exactly subtle, but then again, neither was Gemma.

"Finally," Gemma said when she saw Shawn coming.

"What do you mean 'finally'?" I'm ten minutes early and I beat Luanne here."

Gemma ignored her. "I'm going to have you work the face painting booth right over there."

"Ok, doing what? Taking money?"

"Painting faces."

"Are you serious?"

"What? You liked to draw when you were a kid. Plus, you're great with kids."

"That doesn't mean I like kids."

"You like Kenny and Ellie," Gemma pointed out.

"Those are Opie's kids. That's different."

"You going to help out or not?"

"Fine," Shawn relented. Gemma pointed to a table not far from Gemma's chili booth and Shawn sat down. After a little while, she lost count of how many faces she had painted and her hand was starting to cramp. Bobby suddenly came into the tent dressed in his Elvis Presley costume. Shawn used the distraction to get up.

"Hey," Gemma said. "You still got two more hours in that booth."

"I know. Just taking a break. Got to get feeling back in my hand."

Shawn saw a drink tent not too far away and walked over to it. On her way there, she passed Opie with his family. She overheard Opie asking his daughter, Ellie, if she wanted to do an egg toss with him.

"I'm not so good at catching," Ellie told her father.

"You're fine, El," Shawn said as she passed. "It's your dad who's not so good at throwing."

Ellie cracked a smile and Opie rolled his eyes. "Thanks, Shawn."

She kept going over to the tent and got herself a bottle of water. She walked back over to the chili tent and saw Jax standing there.

"Yo!" He greeted her.

"Hey, shithead," she said back.

"We're at a school fundraiser," Gemma complained.

"Sorry, Gemma."

"Check that out," Jax said and motioned over to the egg toss. Opie and Ellie were carefully tossing the egg back and forth. "You have anything to do with that? Saw you say something to Ellie."

"She was feeling a little self conscious. I just made fun of Ope. Cheered her right up." Jax narrowed his eyes at her. "What?"

"It's like you're a good friend, but in the shittiest way possible," Jax pointed out.

"School fundraiser!" Gemma yelled at them, again.

Jax and Shawn laughed and Jax motioned for her to follow him. They went back behind some of the tents near where Opie had put the boxes of fireworks for later that night.

"Hey, that guy at the egg toss?" Shawn asked him. "Why does he look familiar to me?"

Jax lit a cigarette. "Remember Kyle?"

"That's Kyle? Damn, he got old."

"Yea, but his taste in women stayed the same," Jax pointed out Kyle's date to her.

"Well, that's the thing about high school girls. He gets older, they stay the same age. Did you know he tried to sleep with me once?"

Jax nodded. "Did you know Tig tried to beat the shit out of him for it?"

"Well, that's not surprising."

Jax laughed and Opie came over to join them.

"Hey, thanks for that," Opie told Shawn. "Pretty sure she would have said no if you hadn't said anything."

"Everything ok , man?" Jax asked him.

"I'm having a hard time," Opie said.

"Shawn!" Gemma called her. "Less talking, more face painting!"

"Why can't Jax do it for awhile?" Shawn asked, earning a look from Gemma before she went back to the chili. "This is your mom's fundraiser. I'm painting faces. Opie's doing the fireworks. What's your job?"

Jax shrugged. "Show up?"

"Unbelievable," Shawn said to Opie, making him smile. "Well, gotta go. Those kids aren't going to draw cat whiskers on themselves."

"See ya later, kid," Jax said before turning his attention back to Opie.

* * *

Shawn was watching a high school band play and waiting for the fireworks to start when her phone rang. She smiled at Juice's name and answered.

"Hey, you busy?" Juice asked her. "It's loud there."

"Just at Taste of Charming. There's a band playing now and Opie should be setting off the fireworks soon."

"I won't keep you too long. I'm coming back tomorrow, anyway. Just wanted to check on you."

"I'm glad you called. I miss you," Shawn admitted.

"Me too. Have fun, then go get some sleep. You won't be getting much tomorrow night."

"Promise?"

"Hell yea."