Daughter of Mayhem

Charming Charlie

The gas station just inside the city limits had only one car in the parking lot. I parked in front of one of the two pumps and went inside. I'd hoped to make it all the way to Teller-Morrow without having to fill up but, my low fuel light had been on for at least fifty miles and I was pretty sure it wouldn't make the last five and a half to the garage. The dinging bell on the door alerted the clerk behind the counter; a girl who was three grades below me when we were in school.

"Charlie Winston? Is that you?!"

"Hi Tracie," I said with a friendly smile. She was kind of annoying and bubbly in a way that didn't exactly fit in with the biker culture that enveloped the town but, she was always nice and she wasn't afraid of me and my family like some of the others.

"I haven't seen you in a couple of years. Where have you been?"

"Oh, I've been here and there. Mostly there."

"What brings you back?"

"My brother just got out of Stockton and I'm coming to spend some time with my family."

"That's great, Charlie! I'm sure your pops will be glad to have both his kiddos home."

"I know he will," I said as I grabbed a bottle of water and placed in on the counter.

"You're not the only one who's back in town."

"Oh yeah? Who else? And can I get twenty on pump two?"

"Sure. A few weeks ago, Tara Knowles came back to settle her dad's estate. She went all fancy and became a surgeon and got herself a cushy job at the hospital." I suppressed a shudder at the name and saw a bit of red. I hoped that needy, self-righteous bitch wasn't trying to get her hooks back into Jax. After she destroyed him a decade ago, I sincerely hoped he knew better than to allow her to get too close.

"Well, good for her," was all I said. I watched as she added the money to the pump outside.

"All right, you're good to go! I'll see ya around, Charlie!"

"Sure thing, Trace. Good seeing you."

"You too!"

I walked outside, the door slamming behind me and making the bells on the handle jingle. After I put the nozzle in my gas tank, I stood waiting until it was done filling and my thoughts wandered. Of course I would come home around the same time Tara Knowles would. She always believed she was too good for Charming and its residents. Even though I believed she did love Jax when we were younger, she still didn't believe he was good enough for her. Not so long as he was in SAMCRO. She even tried to convince him to leave the Club but, it didn't turn out the way she wanted it to. Thank God those roots ran too deep for Jax to leave. He wouldn't have been happy when all he'd ever wanted was a bike and a cut. Same as Opie. The click of the gas nozzle shook me from my thoughts and I finished my gas purchase.

As I drove away, I took a deep breath. In ten minutes, I would see the men who'd had the most influence on my life. Time moved quickly and when I pulled into the parking lot of Teller-Morrow, I felt giddy when I saw the row of Harleys lined up. I recognized my father's immediately and couldn't get out of my car fast enough. The guys who worked the garage paid little attention to me as I made a bee-line for the Club House.

The bar was relatively empty, save for a few crow-eaters. I saw only three new faces, the rest were regulars...to the bar and to the Club. The door to Chapel was closed tight and I knew the guys were in there, talking about whatever drama had occurred or upcoming event. I didn't know how long they'd been holed up in there so, without knowing how long I'd be waiting, I went to an empty stool at the bar.