A Princess in Charming

Chapter Two: Gemma

Gemma knew that Kristina always worked the morning shift at the diner. She made sure she was there when the place opened so she could avoid the morning rush of Charming residents coming in to pick up their coffee on their way to work. She figured maybe she could push the young woman in Jax's direction. Let her son never say that she didn't do anything for him.

Kristina was as friendly and perky as always when she approached the counter. "Morning, Gemma. What brings you in so early?"

Gemma took a seat on one of the stools and put her purse on the counter. "Thought I'd be nice and pick up breakfast for the boys down at the garage. Can I get twenty bacon and egg sandwiches and a large box of coffee to go?"

Kristina put in her order before returning to the counter to get the coffee together.

"So, I hear you shot Jax down," Gemma said it conversationally. "Why? Don't let the patches and motorcycle fool you, the boy's got a heart of gold."

Kristina sealed the to-go box of coffee and attached the tap before setting it on the counter and answering her. "Jax does seem like a good guy. In another life, I'd totally be interested. It has nothing at all to do with him."

"Then what does it have to do with?"

Kristina set a stack of styrofoam cups next to the box of coffee and sighed. "I'm pregnant... and as if that wasn't enough, I come with enough baggage to sink a ship the size of the Queen Mary."

"Where's the baby's father?" Gemma asked gently.

"Dead," Kristina said in just above a whisper but there wasn't any sadness in her tone. Gemma found this curious.

"The baby's dad was a bad guy, huh?" she guessed.

Kristina just nodded.

"How'd he die?" Gemma was figuring that it wasn't a natural death.

"My father's a bad guy too." The young woman's answer was cryptic.

"So you're all alone?"

Again Kristina nodded and Gemma found herself feeling sorry for the young woman. She dug around in her purse and pulled out a business card for the garage. Finding a pen, she jotted down her cell phone number. "Here," she handed Kristina the card. "Call me when you get off this afternoon. I've been looking for someone to help me out in the office. The pay's better and you'd have the club to look after you once you have that baby."

Kristina looked hesitant to take the card. "The people around town call the club SAMCRO. The way they talk... do you guys operate like the mob or something?"

Gemma looked her dead in the eye. "We value loyalty and family above all else. We look after our own and handle problems ourselves. Is that what you were asking?"

"Yeah, that's what I was asking." Kristina reached out and took the card.

Once Gemma was back in her car and on the road, she called her husband. "Juice's good at digging up dirt on people, right? See what he can find out about a girl named Kristina Davis."