Other Side of the Tracks

Chapter 16

*Roughly a week after the party*

"How to..." Julia groaned as her fingers hovered over the keys on her laptop. "I don't even know how to Google this shit. How do I cook books that are already supposed to be cooked?" Her eyebrows rose and she laughed. "How to cook books." She said as she type it into the search bar and hit enter. Seeing the results were nothing but recipes and cook books she added accounting to the end and tried again.

"All shit I already know," she sighed. Scanning the results she chewed anxiously as her cheek. "I can't do this," Julia realized.

"You in?" It was Charlie's rough voice coming from the other side of the door. "It's me."

"Yep," she slammed her laptop shut. "Come in."

"How's it going? First week of work?"

She smiled and nodded with exaggerated excitement. "I like having an office."

"Good." Looking out her blinds he smiled and watched the men moving in and out of the lobby and foyer. "I can't believe this all in the first week. We're going to make a lot of money here."

"We are," she agreed. "Maybe so much that you could retire?"

"I was thinking about that," he pointed at her. "I'm not sure I'm ready."

She chuckled, forced and weak, and tried to hide her panic. "You don't trust me?"

"Do I have a reason not to?"

"What?" It was all in his voice. Charlie had gone from his usual lightheartedness to a deep gravely tone. "No, of course not."

"Good," he sat across from her. "I want to see some of this cash and we'll see where we are in six months."

Her face fell. "Six months?"

"Eager to take control?"

"Yeah," she lied. "I've been preparing for this for years."

"A few more months won't kill ya then." He leaned over and tried to look at her ledger but Julia was quick to cover. With a loud cough she tipped her water over and directly onto the sales reports from the week.

"Shit," she hissed. Grabbing the papers she dumped them in the bin under her desk. "I'm such a klutz. Did you get any on you?"

"It'll dry," he said sharply. "I should go."

"Alright, I'll be back the bakery tomorrow. Usual work, so I'll see you in the morning."

"Good," he smiled with a dark look in his eyes.

--

"Hey little man, you gonna be good for Grandma?"

Abel pouted but nodded as Jax placed his cup of milk on the table. "Where's Mommy?"

"I'm gonna find out," Jax assured him.

Gemma followed Jax to the door, her heels clomping angrily behind her, and grabbed his arm before he could actually leave.

"What are you thinking?"

"She overslept," he said calmly. "I don't need you sticking your nose in this. There's no reason to think she relapsed."

"There's reason," Gemma scoffed. "She's Wendy and you broke her heart...Again."

Clenching his jaw, Jax jabbed his finger in Gemma's face. "Don't blame that shit on me," he growled. "IF she relapsed she made that decision herself."

"Okay," Gemma stepped back. "Okay."

Jax stormed out of the house and toward TM to grab someone to help in the search for Wendy. It had only been twelve or so hours but it was long enough to be concerned. When he arrived Julia was already there, swinging on the play set with a cigarette hang out of her mouth.