Spark in the Dark

Chapter 109

14 Months Later

Shawn was sitting in her office at the porn studio with her feet up on the desk and her computer resting on her lap when her cell began to ring. Resting her feet on the floor and her laptop on the desk, she reached for her phone and checked the caller id before answering.

"Hello, Bride-to-be. Are we having cold feet this morning?"

"Noooo," Lyla's voice came through the phone. "Ope just called. They're at Stockton now. Guys should be walking any minute."

"Oh. Okay."

"Are you sure you don't want to go to TM?"

"I'm sure. Besides, I thought you needed help getting everything set up?"

"I do, but you have time to go to TM first if you want to change your mind."

"I'm not changing my mind."

"Your dad is getting out today, too," Lyla told her reasonably.

"And I already told him I will see him tonight."

"Just because Juice will be there is no reason not to go."

"That's not why I'm not going," Shawn lied. "You're getting married today. I'm your maid of honor. It's my job to help you set up for the reception. Stop trying to get me to dodge my duties."

"Alright, if you say so. I'll see you at the reservation in about an hour then?"

"Yeah, I'll leave here soon," Shawn promised and hung up.She finished up what she was doing and carried her laptop out to Dondo to let him check over what she had done. He was a great boss to work for, but he wasn't as trusting as Luanne had been. He liked to approve of everything before it being posted. Once he gave her the nod of approval, Shawn went back to her office to wrap up her work.

She glanced at the time. The guys were probably out. Or at least about to get out. There was still plenty of time to head to TM.Shawn packed up her things and went to her car.

As she pulled out of the studio parking lot, she turned towards the reservation. If Juice had wanted her to be at TM, then he should have said so.

* * *

Juice stood in the holding room with the other guys. He was taking his personal belongings out of the plastic bag they had been stored in for the last 14 months and putting them back where they belong. First he took his rings and put them all on. The last thing was his wallet. He looked around to see if any of the guys were paying attention to him. Satisfied that they weren't, he opened the wallet and peaked inside. He could see the photo strips from Fun Town were still inside, but he didn't dare pull them out of his wallet in order to see her face.

He couldn't believe it had been over a year since he'd seen her or even spoken to her, for that matter. He had no one to blame for that but himself. He hadn't realized just how little privacy he would have in prison. All of the phones were lined up in a hallway, very close to one another, making it impossible to call her without the person next to him knowing who he was talking to. On top of that, Tig ended up being his cell mate. There was no way to write to her. Tig saw all the mail he sent and recieved. He thought about sending her letters to Chibs, but by the time that idea occured to him, he worried too much time may have passed. It didn't help that Tig was actually an incredibly nosey bastard. He was always looking through Juice's shit.

The rest of the guys were ready to go, so Juice put the wallet in his back pocket and walked out the doors with the rest of the guys. Once they reached the group there waiting for them, Chibs gave him a big hug and gave him his cut back. Juice put it on and took a deep breath. It felt damn good to be out of there, again.

They rode back to Charming, only stopping when the new Sheriff in town decided to show them how big his stick is, and arrived at TM. His heart was racing, hoping like hell Shawn would be there. Tig had already mentioned to everyone that she would be busy helping Lyla get ready for the wedding that night, but Juice couldn't help but get his hopes up.

He looked around, watching as Jax lifted Abel into his arms, then kissed Tara and their new son, Thomas. Clay kissed Gemma. The other guys paired off with some Cro Eaters and there was no sign of Shawn. He knew it was coming. Why would she be there? He let her down. Hurt her. He promised not to disappear and then did just that.

He walked over to where almost everyone was standing as Gemma greeted him.

"I set up your old dorm for you," Gemma told him. "Put some of the shit from your townhouse in there. Rest is in storage. Like that giant ass mirror above your bed."

"Thanks for handling that for me, Gem," Juice told her.

"Not your fault your old place evicted you," Gemma told him as Tig approached them."Hey, Tigger."

"Hey, Gem," he said and kissed her on the cheek. "You been keeping an eye on my girl for me?"

Juice's ears perked up everytime Tig mentioned Shawn over the last 14 months, and this time was no exception.

"Sure have. She's good. She'll be there tonight," Gemma informed him.

"She riding with you to the reservation?" Tig asked.

"No," Gemma said and took a quick glance at Juice. "That, uh, guy she's been seeing last couple of months is giving her a lift."

Juice felt like someone ripped his heart out right then. He turned away and walked inside the clubhouse. He grabbed a bottle of liquor and took a swig. She had moved on. Of course she moved on. He couldn't be mad at her for it, either. It was his own fault. His own stupidity that led him to where he was now.

A Cro Eater approached him with a smile on her face."Hey, sweetheart. Feel good to be out?"

"Yeah. Real good," Juice lied.

"You need anything?" She asked. "You know a massage? Little release? Whatever."

Juice looked at her as he thought about it. Shawn was with someone else, had been for months, why shouldn't he?

"Sure," he said and took her hand to lead her down the hall.