Say You Love Me

Say You Love Me - Chapter 22

The University of Pacific was about 30 minutes away from Charming. They had a brilliant business management program and the campus was beautiful. It had been three months since Jax went to jail and I had settled into a routine. I enrolled in school full time and went to classes all day Monday through Wednesday and then worked at the office at the garage the rest of the week. I tried to keep busy, studying extra hard and making sure the office was in tiptop shape. I hadn't been to visit Jackson at all. I did answer his phone calls and I did reply to any single letter that he wrote me. I just thought that if I actually saw him, that it would make everything worse. I always cried every after getting off the phone and respond to his letters. It took a few times of me making up excuses not to visit him but both Gemma and Jax realized that I was trying to avoid seeing him all together. A year had passed before I knew it and I was on the Dean's List at school. Gemma and I had just gotten back to my house when I got the letter.

"It looks like all my hard work has paid off, I made the Dean's List," I handed her the letter. A smile came across her face as she read it.

"That's wonderful sweetheart! We should celebrate! Let's throw a party at the clubhouse."

I hadn't gone to many of the parties at the clubhouse since Jax had gone in. It didn't feel right that he wasn't there with me.

"Gem, I'd rather just take off for the weekend and go somewhere and relax. Like a weekend getaway at a beach house."

"That could work. I know where we can go. Tell you what; we can take off to the beach house this weekend. We can pack tonight and get on the road first thing tomorrow morning. I'll drive."

"Deal! I'll see you first thing tomorrow. See you later."

"Bye sweetheart," she said with a kiss on the cheek as she showed herself out.

I took a shower, threw on one of Jax's SAMCRO shirts and did some straightening around the house. I had folded and put away laundry and started to put the dry dishes away when my phone rang. I had saved the jail number so I knew it was Jax calling right away.

"Hey Baby," I heard him say over the phone.

My heart dropped to my stomach when I heard his voice.

"Hey Jax. How are you holding up?"

"Well you know just hanging around counting down the days until I can get out of here and see you. How are things with school?"
"I just got the letter today, I made the Dean's List."

"Of course you did babe, you're brilliant. Listen... I know we have been over this before plenty of times but would you reconsider coming to visit? It's been a year and I know that you still don't want to see me, I don't blame you at all...but I need to see you," Jax said with a moan.

"Jax...you know that once we start these visits it might make everything worse. For the both of us and I'm not sure if I can handle it."

"Handle what exactly baby?"

"You know what I'm talking about! I'll think about it but you know what I'm talking about."

"That's all I'm asking for Darlin'. I'll let you go so you can stay on top of that Dean's List. You have fun at the beach house this weekend. I love you."

"I love you too," I said as I hung up the phone.

I had just layed down after I finished packing my bags and was about to close my eyes before I realized that I didn't say anything to Jax about going to the beach house this weekend.

I woke up, fixed myself a strong cup of coffee and reviewed a few chapters for my accounting class. I got lost in my work and before I knew it, it was 8:30am. For whatever reason, I felt the need to look half way decent today even though I'd be riding in a truck for three hours. I got dressed, and dragged my bags out to the living room. This was going to be a well-deserved break. I did have class on Monday but two days away of no school or housework would do me wonders. I heard Gemma pull into the driveway. I grabbed my purse, suitcase, locked the house up, and made my way to her truck.