One Rule

Chapter 44

Getting out of Charming when I did was probably one of the best decisions I ever made in my life. It's definitely in the top five. So much happened in Charming after I left, and most of it was just bad. A couple weeks after my dinner with Happy and his mother, both Clay and Tara were arrested on unrelated murder charges.

Things in Tacoma were quiet. I didn't hear a lot out of Charming after hearing that Tara and Clay had been arrested. I had to ask everyone to keep the gossip to themselves unless it was something I absolutely needed to know. I left for a reason. I could practically hear Kozik in my ear, telling me not to let them suck me back in. Eventually, life fell into a steady rhythm of work, doctor's appointments, and club parties on the weekends when I was feeling up to them. When I wasn't, some of the girls would bring dinner over and keep me company.

Bishop checked in every now and then. He always seemed to call when I was needing someone to talk to, and didn't want to bother anyone else with my "problems". The mood swings from my hormones were awful, and he could make me laugh when I didn't want to.

"How is it you always seem to know when to call?" I asked one day. It wasn't a great day at work, and my hormones weren't helping in the slightest. I felt like crap, and was convinced that I'd never be considered "pretty" again.

"Who knows? I just get a gut feeling that you need to hear from a friend, and I call," Bishop replied.

"I think you have a superpower," I told him. "I really need a laugh today."

"I told you about my Prospects, right?" he asked.

"Angel and Coco? Of course you have," I replied. "What did they do now?" Sometimes these calls turned into the chronicles of the stupid things that those two got into. These stories usually ended with Coco saying, "my bad". Most of the time, it was a set up just to see what they'd do.

"They can't cook for shit," Bishop laughed. "Somehow, Angel managed to set the stove on fire trying to boil water."

"That takes some special talent," I laughed. "Don't your Old Ladies do the cooking?"

"If we had Old Ladies," he replied. "So it usually falls on the Prospects," he explained

"If you're going to make the Prospects do the cooking, maybe you should make them prove they can actually cook before you let them Prospect," I teased. "Or get an Old Lady. I'm honestly not sure which would be easier."

"You've got me there," he replied. "Is there any chance I could come see you before you have your baby? Let me come up there and cook you dinner, and spoil you for a night."

I was about six months pregnant at the time, and no real complications to speak of. Honestly, I was kind of looking forward to the company. "Um, sure," I replied. "Are you headed my way on business," I started to ask before he cut me off.

"No, I just want to come see you," Bishop said. "If it's not okay, just say so, I don't want to intrude."

"There's really nothing to intrude on." I looked at my calendar. "Just let me know when you're heading my way. I'd love to see you."

"I will."

I actually ended up having to postpone his visit because a couple days before he was supposed to come see me, I heard someone mention that they were heading to Chester for a meeting with SAMCRO, and the other Northwestern charters. I approached Lee and asked if I could go. It was time to let the cat out of the bag, and I really wanted to see everyone. Lee reluctantly agreed to let me go. He even ordered their Prospect to drive me, so I didn't have to drive myself.

I called Bishop that night. "I have to postpone. Can you make next weekend work?" I explained that I had the chance to see my brother, and I couldn't pass that up. I kept apologizing profusely.