Chapter 25

The sun peaking through the cracks of the blinds in Tinsley's apartment woke her. Sitting up, she lit a cigarette and walked to the bathroom. After releasing herself and finishing her cigarette, she brushed her teeth. Looking at her reflection in the mirror, she noticed that her eyes were almost swollen shut from her crying. Her hair stuck up in every direction. There was dried snot on her shirt from whipping her nose. She was glad she wasn't planning on leaving the house today because she was sure to cause nightmares in small children with the way she looked. Even though she had showered the night before, she started the shower, and climbed in. She washed and conditioned her hair. She washed her body. Turning the water off and climbing out of the shower, she dried off and went to the bedroom. She grabbed another pair of yoga pants and an a tank top and went to make some coffee. As he coffee brewed, she powered her phone up. The notifications began to flow in. 5 voicemails and 39 texts messages. She scrolled through the text messages seeing there was one from Willow.

Hey, call me when you get a chance. Jax is looking for you.

Tinsley wasn't ready to talk to Willow so she scanned through the messages again and saw one from Gemma.

Where are you?

Evidently Jax hadn't filled his mom in. Wanting to get things over with, she dialed Gemma's number. It rang 3 times before Gemma answered.

"Hey sweetheart. Where are you" asked Gemma.

"I'm not coming in. In fact, I quit. I told Jax to let you know because I didn't want to call you at 10pm last night" said Tinsley.

"Wait what? You quit? What's going on" said Gemma.

"You should really talk to Jax. He's the reason I quit." Said Tinsley.

"Well put him on the phone" said Gemma.

"He's not with me. I'm at my apartment. I have no idea where he is." Said Tinsley.

"I don't know what's going on with you too but I'm going to get to the bottom of it" said Gemma.

And with that, she hung up before Tinsley could say another word. Tinsley scrolled through the messages from Jax. Some of them were him begging her to answer. Other were him apologizing. Others just telling her to call him. She listened to the voicemails and it was more of the same. On the last message though, she could hear Jax sniffling as if he had been crying. It broke her heart to think of him crying. He was the strong type that obviously never let himself show those types of emotions. The sound alone caused tears to spring to her own eyes. She wanted to call him and talk to him. She wanted to comfort him but she wasnt the one who needed to make up for anything. She hadn't done anything wrong.

Putting her phone down, she walked to the kitchen and fixed her coffee and a couple pieces of jelly toast. Sitting down on the couch, she ate her toast and scrolled social media. There was nothing new going on. She called her brother and talked to him for awhile. He knew her well enough to know something was wrong but didn't question her.

When she was done talking to him, she laid back on the couch and contemplated calling Willow. She knew Willow would see her point on the whole Jax situation but she didn't want to put her in the middle of anything seeing as how she was screwing Half Sack and Jax and him were good friends.

Deciding not to call her, she went into the kitchen to attempt baking something. Usually when she was stressed, she baked. Some of her best recipes had come from the times after Mason and her had argued the night before. Tinsley drug ingredients out of her cabinets and refrigerator, not knowing what she was going to make. She whipped eggs, milk, and flour. She melted chocolate chips in the make shift double boiler. When she was done, she had made passion fruit infused cream puffs with white chocolate frosting.

Still needing something to keep her busy, she continued baking. By the time she was done, she had used every ingredient she had in her house and every surface in her kitchen was covered in come kind of pastry. There were lemon blueberry muffins, the cream puffs, chocolate chip cookies, peanut butter fudge, and a cherry pie. The bad things was, Tinsley would end up throwing most of it away because she would never eat all of it. Since Saturday, she hadn't ate anything other than the toast from this morning, and she hadn't even ate all of that.

Even though she really didn't want to leave the house, Tinsley decided to get dressed. She packed up most of the goodies and took them to Sunny aside diner. Mr. Miles wouldn't pay her for them but at least by giving them to him to use at the diner, they wouldn't go in the trash. Plus, once she was ever able to open her bakery, people would already know how good her pastries were.

Willow was working but luckily the diner was steady enough that she couldn't hound Tinsley about why she looked like she had been crying all night.

"I don't know what wrong and I don't have the time to dig into here. How about I call you when I get off and the two of us will watch shitty tv and drink our cares away over a couple of bottles of wine?" Said Willow.

"Sounds like a plan" said Tinsley.

Tinsley hung around the diner for a few minutes longer. She could feel people staring at her it was making her nervous.

Leaving the diner, she started walking with no particular destination. Before long, she found herself outside of TM. Tinsley could see Jax's bike parked in the lot. Before she knew it, she was walking onto the lot and towards the office. As she got closer, she could see Gemma was inside. She walked in, closing the door as she did. Gemma looked up at the sound of the door shutting.

"Hey" said Gemma.

"Hey" said Tinsley.

"Want to talk about it?" asked Gemma.

"Not really. I just didn't want to be alone" said Gemma.

"I can understand that" said Gemma.

They sat in silence, Gemma typing on the computer and Tinsley sitting on the couch. Looking out the window, she caught sight of Jax walking across the lot. He looked like shit. She wanted to go to him. Standing, she walked over to the window and just watched him. He dug his phone out of his pocket and with in seconds, hers began to ring. She just looked at the screen.

"Talk to him" said Gemma.

"I don't know what to say" said Tinsley.

"I don't know what's going on. Jax wouldn't tell me anything and you don't want to open up to me. The two of you obviously love each other. Talk to him" said Gemma as she walked out of the office shutting the door behind her.

Tinsley let it go to voicemail. The office phone started ringing so she answered it, trying to be as cheerful as possible. The caller needed to schedule an oil change, tire rotation, and get his air filter changed. Tinsley took down what he needed and made the appointment.

As she was on the phone, the office door opened. Jax walked in, obviously not expecting to see Tinsley standing there. Tinsley breath caught in her throat at the sight of him. He looked nearly as bad as she did. He stopped dead in his tracks. After a moment, he stopped forward just enough to be able to shut the door.

"I was just about to leave" said Tinsley.

"Don't go. Please. Can we talk?" Said Jax.

"Unless you are ready to explain some things and apologize -and I mean really apologize- for the things you said last night, we have nothing to talk about." Said Tinsley.

"I will. Just not here" said Jax.

"Then I'm leaving." Said Tinsley.

She walked towards the door but Jax blocked her path.

"Please Tinsley. Give me a chance. I just don't want to get into here. Meet me at my place tonight?" Said Jax.

"I have plans with Willow." Said Tinsley.

"Then I'll meet you after she leaves" said Jax.

"I'll think about it" said Tinsley.

Jax stood there. He wouldn't let her by. Turning, she headed for the door to the shop. Jax reached out and grabbed her arm. Memories of Mason's kidnapping flooded back and before she knew it, she had rounded on Jax and caught him under his left eye with a right hook.

"Oh god. I'm so sorry" said Tinsley.

"No, it's my fault. I shouldn't have grabbed you" said Jax.

She moved closer to him, inspecting the small cut on on his cheek bone. Leaning up, she placed her hands on his shoulder and she kissed the cut, trying to take the pain away. Jax's intake of breath was the only indication that he was bothered by her closeness. Tinsley could feel the tension in Jax's body. He was strung as tight as a twisted rubber band.

"I'm sorry" Tinsley whispered.

"No need to apologize baby. It's me who should be apologizing." Said Jax.

Tinsley's phone rings broke the moment between the two of them. Looking at the screen, she saw that it was Willow. Backing up, she answered the phone.

"Hey, I'm just leaving the diner. Sherri came in early so Mr. Miles let me go. I'm on the way to the store to get some wine and pick up a couple pizzas and come cheesy chick flicks. Want me to pick you up on the way?" Said Willow.

"Yeah, sounds good. I'm at TM so just pick me up here." Said Tinsley.

"That mean you and Jax have figured out whatever is going on?" Asked Willow.

"No. Just pick me up and we will talk about it." Said Tinsley.

"Ok, be there in 5" said Willow.

Tinsley hung up the phone and looked at Jax dead in the eye.

"Willow will be here in a minute." Said Tinsley.

"Call me when she leaves?" Asked Jax.

"I don't know how late it will be when she leaves. Or if she will leave at all." said Tinsley.

"Then call me when you get the chance." Said Jax.

He leaned down, kissing her tenderly on the lips then turned and walked out the door. Tinsley was still trying to gather herself with Willow pulled into the lot.

Climbing in, Tinsley buckled up and the two headed off to get wine, pizza, and movies.

When they got back to Tinsley's apartment, her mood had lifted just the slightest. She wasn't going to tell Willow about the guns because it wasn't her place to tell it. If Willow found out about it, it would be from Half Sack.

Sitting down on the couch, the popped in a movie and dug into the pizza and wine.

"Ok, spill it." Said Willow.

"Jax and I had a fight." Said Tinsley.

"How bad of fight?" Asked Willow.

"The kind where I left my key to his house at his place and I packed all my belongings and walked 3 miles home." Said Tinsley.

"Oh" said Willow.

"Yea. It was bad. He threw Mason in my face" said Tinsley.

"He did WHAT!" Said Willow.

"He said that if Mason was as abusive as I claimed, then why did I fall into the sack with him so quick." Said Tinsley.

"I'm going to kill him." Said Willow.

"No, don't do that because it would kill me" said Tinsley.

"I told him in the diner that if he hurt you, I would chop his dick off, slice it, deep fry it and feed it to him for dinner." I hope he's ready!" Said Willow.

"Please don't go that." Said Tinsley.

"Ok, but only because you asked me not to. Just know that when you say the word, I'll make it happen." Said Willow.

"I appreciate that." Said Tinsley, smiling.

They both settled in and drank the two bottles of wine. They ate both pizzas. They both laughed. They both cried.

At midnight, Willow got a call from Half Sack and left in a hurry. Tinsley cleaned up the mess and got ready for bed. She laid down on the couch. Picking up her phone, she called Jax. He answered on the second ring.

"Hey" he said.

"Hey. Willow just left." Said Jax.

"I hear ya." Said Jax.

The both stayed silent for a few moments. There was no sounds between the two of them but the open air of the phone.

"Can I come over?" Asked Jax.

"Not tonight Jax." Said Tinsley.

"I need to see you" said Jax.

"I need to see you too Jax but it can't be tonight." Said Tinsley.

"Why?" Asked Jax.

"Because it would be too easy for me to give in. I need to know that you realize just how bad you treated me last nigh. I need you to realize that you screwed up and not me." Said Tinsley.

"Ok, then tomorrow. Mom said she's not accepting your 'I quit' and that she's expecting you back at the garage. I'll give you the space you need baby but please, let me explain everything before you decide that you are done with me" said Jax.

"I'll be there tomorrow. And eventually I will give you the chance to explain but I just need some time to process everything." Said Tinsley.

"I can live with that" said Jax.

"Ok, I'll see you tomorrow then. I need to get some sleep" said Tinsley.

"Dream of me?" Asked Jax.

"Jax..." said Tinsley.

"I know. I'll talk to you tomorrow" said Jax.

"Ok. See you tomorrow." Said Tinsley.

She hung up the phone and snuggled into the blanket. She drifted off to sleep. Her dreams were once again filled with Jax. It was the same dream she had the night before. Expect this time they weren't in North Carolina and they weren't on the beach. This time, they were at Disney Land.

***************************************

Tinsley woke the next morning at 5:00 am. She got a shower, dressed in her light colored skinny jeans and baby pink v-neck T-shirt. It had that distressed look so it was super thin and very comfortable. It gave you the feeling that or your favorite T-shirt that had been washed a million times. Finding a white spaghetti strap to put on under it, she finished getting dressed and went back to the bathroom to apply some makeup. She told herself she wasn't doing this to impress Jax but she knew deep down that was exactly why she was doing it. She styled her hair in loose curls, pinning the top back out of her face. Once she was satisfied with her look, she found her white chucks and slid them on. She knew it would take her a little over an hour to walk to TM so at 7:00 she walked out of her door. When she turned to lock it, she found an envelope outside of her door with her name on it. Opening it up, she saw a set of keys inside and a note. Taking the note out, she read it

Tinsley, I know you said you needed some space and time to think. I'm willing to give you that. But I won't have you walking back and forth to work when I have a car in my driveway that you can drive. I brought it for you. It's yours. You'll find the Tahoe parked in the lot. I'll see you when you get to the garage. -JaxP.S. I love you. I know you don't think I'm telling the truth and I know my actions the other night say otherwise but I do love you. I love you more than I have anything else in my entire life. I just hope you are willing to forgive me.

Tears sprang to her eyes. Tinsley locked her apartment, and headed towards the Tahoe. She decided to stop by the diner to get breakfast since she had a little extra time. Choosing banana pancakes, he got them to go and headed for TM.

When she pulled into the lot, she noticed Jax was already there. Parking the Tahoe near where Gemma parked, she got out, carrying her breakfast plate to the picnic table in front of the club house. She went inside to get a cup of coffee to eat with her pancakes.

She was on the way out of the club house when Jax came out from the back where the apartments were located.

"Hey" Jax said.

"Hey. Just grabbing some coffee" said Tinsley, holding up her cup.

"You look amazing." Said Jax.

"Thanks" Tinsley said.

Taking her cup of coffee, she went out the picnic table and settled in to eat. Jax joined her at the table.

"That smells amazing." Said Jax.

"Tastes amazing too. Want a bite?" said Tinsley.

Jax's mind was on one thing and her comment was rated PG in his mind. He knew was she tasted like and he did want a bite. But she was talking about the food. Plus, he knew it was too soon to act on the thoughts she was having.

"No, I'll pass" said Jax.

"Suit yourself." Said Tinsley as she went back to eating.

When she was done, she carried her plate to the trash and took her mug back into the club house. She walked out of the club house noticing Jax wasn't sitting outside any longer. She found herself wondering where he was. She walked towards the office and started up the computer and went about doing her daily duties.

Around lunch time, a woman came onto the lot that she didn't recognize.

"Where's Jax"? Said the woman.

"I'm not sure. Maybe in the garage. What's your name and I'll find him and tell him your out here." Said Tinsley.

"Mary" said the lady.

"Ok. Have a seat in the office and I'll find him for you and send him your way." Said Tinsley.

The lady headed towards the office and Tinsley went in search of Jax. She found him in the garage doing what looked like exhaust work on a custom chopper.

"Hey, there's a lady in the office looking for you" said Tinsley.

"She give you a name" he asked.

"Yeah. Mary." Said Tinsley.

Wiping his hands on the red cloth the shop kept handy, Jax walked towards the office. Tinsley hung back in the shop. Dog was replacing the heads on a 65 Mustang. The car was in pristine shape. The candy apple red paint was shining enough that you could see your reflection in the paint. The Crager wheels that were on it looks to be the original chrome. Whoever ownd this car took extremely good care of it.

It wasn't long before Jax was walking back to the shop. She could tell something was bothering him.

"Hey, I need to go take care of some things. If mom asks, tell her I'll be back" said Jax.

"Ok sure." Said Tinsley.

Jax walked towards his bike, climbed on, and tore out of the lot. He was clearly a man on a mission.