The Life of Nikki Winston

Nomad; It's Time for Truth

Quick SHOUTOUT to Ms_FearlessStefo2010 for starting to read The Life of Nikki Winston and voting on 11 of the chapters up to this point in this time. Thank you so much for liking my work enough to vote for it. It really gives me more confidence in my work and myself and I really appreciate you right now. Thank you SO MUCH!

The next afternoon, I was pulled out of my compulsive cleaning by a call from Gemma. "What's up, Gem?"

"I just got a call from Stahl. She told me Jax is planning to go Nomad."

"He's doing what?" I asked, dropping the handle of the mop I was holding.

"He's blaming Clay for burning down Caracara and calling for a vote to let him go Nomad."

"Shit! Gem, I'll be at the clubhouse in ten. Don't move until I get there." I told her, hanging up and grabbing my shit. I threw on slippers as I ran out the door, ignoring my truck in favor of my bike to get there as fast as possible.

Eight minutes later, after speeding so badly I nearly got into three accidents, I skid my Dyna to stop in front of Gemma's office and shut it off, rushing inside to pull her into a desperate hug. I knew immediately why Gemma tensed against me; I could hear Jax coming in behind me. Nobody walks into a room quite like Jackson Teller. I released Gemma to turn to face him. "Hey." He greeted, propping himself against the threshold of the door.

"Were you gonna tell me?" Gemma demanded as I completely separated from her and put my back to a corner of the room behind her.

"Of course I was gonna tell you. I just... I just didn't want to say anything till things were certain."

"Are things certain?"

"Vote's tonight."

"Sit." Gemma instructed him. I watched through slit eyes as Jax did as his mother told him, fighting off tears that threatened to break me. We just talked about being together yesterday. About being happy and taking things slow and he just decides to go Nomad without even telling me or Gemma? I didn't even get to tell Gemma about the progress we made and now it feels like we've taken a step backwards. "The other day you, uh - you asked me what was in that box. It wasn't just old t-shirts."

"I know."

"Why'd you burn it?"

"I didn't know what to do with it."

"And now?" Jax scoffed, shaking his head. "It was after Thomas died. Your dad was lost. Darkest part of his life. You want it back?"

"No. I think it's good you have it."

"Well, if I know your father, there's more than one copy."

"Yeah."

"I loved your dad. More than... more than I've loved any man. Great lay. Smart, big heart... and very complicated. Sound familiar? His complications killed him."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't think your father's death was an accident. I think he hated his life, and he let the road take it. I don't want that same fate for you, Jackson. Things I do, I do to keep you safe. Less complicated."

"I know, Mom."

"Nomad... it's a bad idea. Page 449." I waited for what Gemma said to him to sink in, before I followed Jax out into the lot.

"Jax!" I ran after him, cutting him off and making him face me when he wouldn't stop. "Jackson Teller, don't you dare ignore me now. You will listen to what I have to say, god damn it, or I will tie you to the bed of my truck and drag you out into the woods. Do you hear me?" When he didn't try to walk away again, I grabbed his face and turned his eyes to meet my own. "You listen to me good and well, Jax. After we all talked about yesterday and all the progress we made, you are not gonna try to throw it all away over some damn anger issues. You don't know for a fact that Clay was the one to burn down Caracara. No one knows who did it yet. What I want to know from you, right now, is why you think you can just tell me that you want to work things out and be with me, then the very next day, without even telling me, you decide that you want to go Nomad. I found out from you Mother, Jackson, and I don't appreciate it. You should have told us when you made the decision, certain or not. We talked about earning trust just yesterday morning, and I thought we were going to be okay. Then you up and decide to pull this shit. What am I supposed to think, huh? Nomad means you have no real home anymore, you go where you're needed when you're called on. Am I supposed to just sit here like a good girl and wait for you to come home, if you even come home?"