“is she gone?” slowly my father opened his eyes, i knew he pretended to sleep when Gemma and Fiona were still here.
“yeah, Gemma’s following her, to make sure of it” he squeezed a little in my hand to calm me down, something he always did, since i was 5.
“you should go back to Ashley” he mumbled, i saw how much it cost him to talk.
“i can’t just leave”
“you have too, she never travels alone”
“i know, but i can’t leave you”
“ill be fine, just go back to Ashley, i want you two together, as far as possible from Jimmy O”
i knew it was pointless to start a discussion with him. besides that, i hated the fact of Ashley being that far away, and that close to the IRA. for that it didn't matter that Jimmy was probably in Charming.
“Gemma would kill me if i didn't show up tonight” he smiled a little, knowing he had won, when i said that.
“after the diner party you two take the next plane out, continue the tour” he said
“ill go book the flight” Andy said, squeezing my right shoulder before he left the room.
“whats it between you and that Andy guy” my father started as soon as Andy left the room.
“i don't know” i said while i sat down on the bed next to my father.
“he likes you”
“how do you know” i laughed a little when i saw his face, it was a mix of his overprotecting father-who-kicks-everyone-who-ever-looks-at-his-daughter face and the proud thats-my-daughter face
“i’m a man, i see how he looks at you, and how you look at him”
“how do i look at him?”
“like you like him”
“i do not”
“you do”

---

the rest of the day we spent in the hospital, talking about everything, the tour, the band, school. Andy was the first guy who had the guts to talk my father, the first who my father didn't shout at to get the hell out, and the first who actually laughed with him. a little before 8 we left for Gemma’s dinner party, but when we got there, i don’t know what was happening, but i never saw the club so at each others throat. Tig flew towards Bobby to smack him, Opie and Half-sack trying to pull them apart.
“they where helping me clay” Opie said before anyone could do something.
“we had some payback to deliver at caracara” jax filled in.
“i hope it went better than the Trammel task” Tig said sarcastic, i heard the bottled anger in his voice.
“awwh, blow me shithead” Opie said, almost causing tig to flew at his trout this time.
“excuse me” The cop said before walking in, i recognised him as Hale. he was probably the only reason the club wasn't at each others throats right now.
“sorry to interrupt” he continued, everyone looked at him, no idea what he did here.
“i figured i should tell you this in person” the look on his face told us there was something serious, and everyone was silence until he continued himself.
“we just found Luann Delaney next to county 18, beaten to death, there are no other details right now” as soon as i heard the words, my mouth fell open, she couldn't be dead, not Luann.
“i’m sorry” Hale said before leaving the house.
“did you cause this” Clay almost whispered at Jax.
“what you're talking about”
“payback at caracara”
“this on me clay” Opie defended jax
“and me” Bobby immediately filled in.
“what did you guys do?” Tig said calm now, trying to push the anger away.
“i’m not talking anymore” i saw how Bobby was fighting back tears.
“watch you're words Bobby” Tig said before exploding. immediately Opie blocked Tig’s way towards Bobby. that moment everybody started screaming. it was like a bomb exploding.
“do you see what you do to this club!” Clay screamed at Jax.
“i was risking my ass for this club” jax screamed
“bullshit” Clay said
“you’re as blind as you are cripple” Jax said while turning his back towards his stepfather
“no the blind guy is in jail, WITH NO WIVE, CAUSE YOU JUST GOT HER KILLED”
“ I’M NOT THE ONE MURDERING WOMEN” and before anyone could react to the words Jax just screamed, Gemma took a plate and threw it on the table. something that made everyone stop fighting, screaming and look at her. realising it was Luann who died, and that besides the fact that she was the wife of a member who was in jail for far to long, she was a friend, Gemma’s best friend, the loving boss of some girls here, someone who was always there for us, all of us. the woman who i could go to when i was a teenager, about boys, about being a girl in this world of men, about everything.

Notes