Abel Teller's kindergarten teacher is replaced midway through the year with a newcomer to Charming, Maddox Turner. When Jax meets Maddox, she turns his life upside-down in more ways than one.
...
Once they were in Maddox's hotel room, she went to shower while Venus ordered them some dinner. When the food had arrived and Maddox was comfortable in a pair of leggings and oversized baseball jersey, they all sat on the bed and pigged out on pizza and beer. Venus looked at Maddox and pointed to her cell phone.
"You really should give Jackson a call, sugar. He was worried sick."
Maddox sighed and grabbed her phone, sending Jax a quick text.
I'm fine. Don't worry. Donna and Venus are here.
She laid her phone down as Donna looked at her. "So what did my asshole cousin do to cause you to run?"
She started to answer as her phone pinged.
You need to come home. Now. Don't make me, Tig and Opie come after the three of you.
She lifted a brow at that. She looked up at Donna. "Hold on a second. Let me answer Jax."
We're fine. They need time to rest.
She turned her phone off and laid it on the bedside table. She sighed as she took a bite of her pizza. "The Monday after we all had dinner together, Jax found out, presumably through Opie. Anyway, he showed up after school and we... kissed in the parking lot." When the other two women made kissing noises, Maddox rolled her eyes and continued. "Anyway, apparently Mark took a video of it and threatened to tell the school board that I was seeing a parent unless I broke it off with Jax."
Donna scoffed. "He's such an asshole."
Maddox nodded in agreement. "So, I took some time off from school and came down here for some surfing and to clear my head."
Donna nodded as Venus cocked her head. "You know that you need to tell Jackson about all of this, right? Let him handle Mark, honey."
"Yeah, but what if Mark goes ahead and gives the video to the school board? Then I'm out of a job."
Venus shook her head. "It won't come to that, believe me." She nodded from Maddox to Donna. "Why don't you tell Donna about your other problem? See what she thinks?"
Maddox's eyes got wide and she shook her head quickly. "I really don't think that's a good idea. At all."
Donna frowned. "Maybe I can help. Won't know until you tell me what it is."
Maddox closed her eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath to calm her nerves a bit. She opened her eyes but looked at the paper plate in her lap. "I didn't just move to Charming to be a teacher. I... I'm looking for my father."
Donna nodded. "Well, Charming's a pretty small town. It shouldn't be too hard to find him."
Maddox nodded then looked gratefully at Venus when she took her hand and held it in her own. "I know who he is, I've just never met him. I have, however, met my brother." When Donna just looked at her with a slight frown on her face, Maddox sighed. "He's a member of the club. So is my father."
It took Donna a moment to put it together but when she did, she swallowed hard and blinked. "Holy shit! Holy shit, Maddox! Opie? Pop?"
Maddox nodded. "Yeah, Piermont Winston is my dad."
Donna shook her head. "I just don't... I mean, when? How? Pop's been with Mary since I've known them." When Maddox looked down at her lap again, Donna reached over and took her free hand. "Hey, it's not that I don't believe you. I just... do you have any specifics?"
Maddox shrugged. "Yeah, I know that mom met him when he was in San Diego getting ready to go to Vietnam. She was a nurse at the naval base. From what I understand, they met again after the war was over and had a brief affair. For whatever reason, he left her, I now presume to go back to Mary. She was already pregnant with me when he left to come back to Charming."
She got up to pace the floor for a few minutes. "Look, I don't want or need anything from him. I just... I just want to know him. Mom died a year ago from cancer. I don't have anyone else... I just want to feel that connection, even for a few minutes, but... this could blow back on my relationship with Jax, such as it is."
Venus frowned. "I don't see how that would be true."
Donna nodded as she gave Maddox a small smile. "She's right though. If pop or Opie don't want her around... "
Maddox took a deep breath and finished the thought for her. "Jax will break it off with me. This thing between us isn't strong enough yet to stand against the wishes of a brother. So, do I let the idea of getting to know my father go, or do I let Jax go on the off chance that he will side with Opie and our father?"
Venus sighed and shook her head as Donna stood up and walked over to pull Maddox into a hug. "Listen. This is what we're going to do. We're going to go back, you're going to tell Jax why you left like you did. You're going to let him handle this shit with Mark, and believe me, he'll handle it. Then, we'll give it a couple of days before I broach the subject with Opie. If we get him on your side, Piney will follow, okay?" She smiled at Maddox. "Don't worry. One thing at a time." She winked at the other woman. "Besides, I kind of like the idea of having a sister-in-law."
Venus chuckled as she joined the other two women for a group hug. "See? That's why I brought Donna along. A level head never hurts anything." When the three parted, Venus looked at the bed. "You think this is going to fit three? I am exhausted."
