Chapter 229
Jax's Point of View
When Rowan had told me she wanted to take the kids to a pumpkin patch, I wasn't expecting much. I mean, how much fun can you really have going to a field to pick out a pumpkin? However, when we walked through the entrance archway of Keema's, I realized how fucking wrong I was. Everything was so idyllic, like Charming itself without the underlined underworld.
There was a large field scattered with various pumpkins, next to a petting zoo holding miniature horses and goats and as we walked past it I was pretty sure I saw a camel. All the families here were completely in their element, which allowed me to partake in that same freedom also. No dealing with bullshit, no worrying about SAMCRO, just me and my little family looking for the perfect pumpkin to carve into the most bad ass jack-o-lantern. This was something I didn't even know I needed, but Rowan did.
Rowan and I carried the kids out into the field of pumpkins and set them down on their feet and watched them toddle along touching every single pumpkin they could. Rae squealed and tried to jump on them making me crack up. Kenny and Ellie took off ahead of us down the field, pushing their own wheelbarrow.
"You know your kids are supposed to pick pumpkins, right? Lena laughed, pointing to Abel who was more concerned with rolling them over. "Your child is a pumpkin tipper."
"Oh, funny, like a cow tipper!" Rowan grinned next to me, shaking her head. "He's checking for bad spots!" Rowan stuck out her tongue, bopping little Leo on his nose in Lenas arms.
Lena sat Leo down and he made a beeline in the opposite direction, sending Opie and Lena both after him.
Rowan knelt down between Abel and Rae, so I joined her. The sun was shining brightly, painting Rowan in a glow of golden. Her hair flickered in the breeze and I found myself mesmerized by her.
We hadn't really spoken since we got here after our argument in the parking lot this morning. In hindsight I should have approached her about getting checked out differently, but it was eating me alive inside this morning. It's something that's been on my mind for months, but I couldn't say anything without giving away that Deacon was ill.
"What do you think of this one?" Rowan asked Abel pointing to a rather large pumpkin in front of him.
"It's so big!" He grinned and nodded his head rapidly wiggling all around.
"It's bigger than you, bud." I picked it up and put it in our wheelbarrow.
Deacon and Gemma were following Rae around making sure she didn't get too far away from us. Deacon was knelt down beside her with his arm around her, holding a miniature pumpkin in his hand showing it to her.
"It's a babee punkin! It needs a Mama and dadee!" Rae spoke, smiling innocently up at her grandfather.
I touched Rowan's arm and gestured for her to sneak a peak at them. I watched her eyes get watery the longer she focused on them. When she finally met my gaze a tear escaped from her eye. Before she could wipe it I reached up and swiped it away with my thumb. "We should do this every year. You, me, the kids and your dad."
Rowan tensed beside me. "Yeah, if he's here."
"He's gonna be here." I replied sternly. My hand found her shoulder and rested there. Rowan chewed her lip anxiously glancing at me. "I hope you're right."
Tig and Chibs were meandering around nearby with Bobby and Clay. "This place it too quiet. If I were to bust a load, you could it hear it all the way from here to Lodi." Tig stroked his goatee, looking up at the sky before smirking with a nod of his head. "Actually, that ain't such a bad idea."
