“Hey, you busy?” Jax’s voice over the phone woke up Mina around 9 am.
Mina rubbed her eyes and yawned as she sat up “No, nothing planned for today. What’s up?”
“We’re moving the clubhouse to the Scoops across the street from the coffee shop, you mind comin’ by to help?”
Mina looked at the time and laughed lightly over the phone. “Wakin’ me up before noon on my day off, you’re gonna owe me one, Teller. I’ll be right there give me some time to shower.”
“Jesus Christ, I won’t see you till next week if that’s the case.” He laughed over the phone.
“Shut it! I’ll be there soon.” She laughed and got out of bed.
“Lookin’ forward to it babe.” He smiled over the phone and she hung up going into the shower. She left her long wavy hair down, slipping on a pair of light wash skinny jeans with a light grey v-neck and her light grey KEDS sneakers. She threw a navy zip up hoodie on and headed out the door.
Pulling up to the shop shortly after she took a look around the outside of the place. “Jesus Christ” She laughed to herself before walking inside. “Hey welcome to Scoops, what can I get for you?’ The guy with weird finger gloves asked her.
Mina ran her fingers through her hair and smiled as she approached the counter. “Hi, I’m Mina. I’m looking for Jax?”
“I’m Chucky,” The guy held his hand out to shake hers with that adorable smile. “Jax said you’d be coming by to help. He just stepped out an hour ago, he should be back soon.”
“Thanks Chucky. Need me to do anything?” Mina smiled as she walked behind the counter putting her purse down.
After handling the situation with Venus and her mother, Jax and the club headed back to Scoops. A smiled crawled on his face when he saw Mina behind the counter laughing with Chucky as she wiped down the counters. He really didn’t need her to come help but it was the only chance he’d get to see her today.
Chibs laughed as he patted his president on the shoulder, “Wipe the drool, Jackie boy.”
Jax laughed as he walked inside. They’d really done a great job with the place. It looked spotless and organized. “Guys, I want you to meet Mina. She’s a friend of mine.” He spoke to the club as Mina turned her attention to them.
“And the best damn decorator I know.” Chibs laughed and walked around the counter pulling Mina in for a hug.
Mina laughed and Jax involuntarily narrowed his eyes at the hug, before giving Mina a smile. She hugged Chibs and waved at the guys. “Now what’d I do to earn such an introduction? Ya know, other than come to help and end up doing the whole job?”
The guys laughed and as they heard the little woman speak. Jax laughed a little nervously and stepped closer to her. “This is Bobby, Tig, Juice, Happy, Rat, and our new transfers Montez, West, and Quinn.”
Mina smiled and nodded at the men. “Great to meet you guys. Rat, nice to see you again.”
Jax shot Rat a look as he smiled a little to happy at her.
“Pleasure to meet you, doll.” Tig took her hand kissing the top of it. “Hope we see you around more.” Jax hit him over the head and Tig turned to look at him. “What? Just getting acquainted with our new friend.”
Mina laughed and waved her hand. “Well you will be seeing me. I work across the street at the coffee shop. But I hope you’re all hungry! I bought chinese food for everyone.”
Jax laughed and threw his arm around Mina’s shoulders as the guys dispersed filling their plates before Jax and Mina filled theirs. They all noticed the connection but said nothing, leaving the two alone. Mina walked over to the stools after filling her plate, sitting down next to him.
“What’s goin’ on love? Thought I’d see more of you today since you were moving.” Mina leaned on her elbows on the counter, smiling at him as she took a bite.
Jax smiled and leaned closer to her on his elbow, using his fork to eat the food. “I’m so sorry I ditched you here. I thought for sure I’d have the day to work on this but something came up.”
Mina noticed the cut on his neck and ran her fingertips on it gently causing him to wince. “Something that had to do with this?”
He nodded putting his hand over hers on his shoulder. “Yeah. It’s all taken care of now though.”
She smiled and nodded at him. “That’s what I like to hear.” She paused for a moment watching him eat. “Jax are you seriously using a fork? Come on!” she laughed and grabbed a pair of chopsticks handing them to him.
Jax laughed and broke them apart, starting to fumble with them over his food. “This is why Americans use forks!”
She laughed and shook her head. “Don’t tell me you’ve never used chopsticks”
His smile got brighter as he shook his head. “Let’s just say, I’ve never been a fan of the Chinese.”
Mina smiled and leaned closer to him placing the chopsticks in his fingers they way they were supposed to go and placed her small hand over his showing him how to use them. He wrapped his other arm around her waist from behind and watched her. “See it goes like this.”
He smiled and grabbed food with the chopsticks taking a bit but his phone rang turning his attention to it. He saw Unser’s number and answered. “Yeah?” His voice got serious and he jumped up off the seat alarming the rest of the guys. “I’ll be right there.”
“What is it?” Mina asked concerned.
“My mother attacked Tara at the hospital. I gotta go.” Jax asked as his eyes turned black with anger and worry.
Mina got up and pushed him forward. “I’ll help Chucky lock up later.”
He nodded and ran out the door with Chibs and Bobby following him. The rest stayed behind waiting for the next move.
Jax and the guys sped to the hospital and ran up to Tara’s office where he saw her crying on the floor with blood all around her. “Oh my god” He ran over to Tara who was curled up in a corner crying. He kneeled down next to her, wrapping his arms around her tightly.
“She wouldn’t let anybody else help her!” Margaret stood by the door watching the scene.
He took Tara’s face in his hands gently wiping tears. “What do you want me to do?” She just shook her head and hugged him tightly.
“Get the boys to Scoops with Mina. Now!” He yelled out at Bobby, who immediately left the room. Jax sat there holding a crying Tara until they were able to put her in a room. He was forced to wait outside while they examined her but he paced back and forth until they finally let him in.
Running to her side he held his crying wife tightly. “I’m so, so sorry this happened.”
She held him tightly holding him closer. “I can’t be around her anymore, Jax.”
“I know.” He he took a deep breath as rubbed her back feeling tears run down his face.
Tara lifted up her gown to show a huge purple bruise on her lower stomach. “She kicked me in the stomach. What kind of sick person does that?”
He stared at the bruise quietly in disbelief. “Why?”
She shook her head and lowered her gown. “She thinks I’m still trying to take the boys away from her. She’s so…violent.” She let more tears fall. “Jax, I don’t even tell you half the things that happen.”
Jax looked down and shook his head. “I didn’t know.”
“I don’t ever want her near our children again.” She managed to get out in between breaths as more and more tears filled her eyes.
All Jax could do was nod. “I know.”
“Promise me Jax.” She begged and he nodded. “Promise me!”
“I promise.” He spoke quietly look down at her teary face.
After Lowen walked in, he had no choice but to fill out the paperwork stating his mother unfit to be around the children. He needed his wife and his boys safe and this was the only way. His own mother had done this. Caused him to lose a child.
Bobby returned to the shop with the boys and let them eat some sweets around the shop before filling Mina in on what happened. “Jesus Christ.” Mina whispered holding her hands on her chest. How’s Jax taking it?”
He shrugged and shook his head. “Like any father would.” Bobby nodded and motioned his head towards the stools where Mina joined him. Chucky brought them a cup of coffee and he took a sip watching Mina add sugar and cream to the cup. “How long have you known Jax and Chibs?” He tried his best to lighten the mood.
Mina smiled slightly and stared at her coffee before looking up at him. “I met Chibs a while ago in Belfast. I dated his nephew who looked up to him so much, I just had to meet him.” She laughed lightly and shrugged. “I’ve only known Jax a few weeks. We’ve been good friends ever since.”
Bobby laughed took a sip of his coffee, “Chibs nephew was a really good guy. I’m sorry he went out like that.” Mina nodded and gave a sad smile. “You and Jax though. I’ve never seen that boy more smitten.”
Mina laughed quietly and shook her head. “He’s smitten with his wife and kids. He’s my best friend, Bobby. I just want everything to be okay for him.”
Bobby smiled knowingly at the girl, “It shows. How much you care. He needs that at this time.”
Mina and Bobby sat at the shop with the boys. Thomas on her lap and Abel eating his ice cream next to her. She laughed and smiled with Abel as he fed her some of his ice cream when Jax walked in looking ready to break down.
Abel walked up to him giving him a hug. “Daddy, Mina’s really nice. I like her!”
He put on the best smile he could manage as he hugged his boy. “That’s good to hear. I need to talk to Mina though. Why don’t you spend some time with Uncle Bobby and Chucky?” Abel smiled and ran over to the counter with Chucky. Mina nodded handing the baby to Bobby.
Jax took her hand and led her up the stairs to their new chapel room. He sat down and she sat down on chair next to him. Without a word she pulled him close into a hug. Jax wrapped his arms tightly around her digging his face into her neck as he started to cry. She stroked her fingers through his hair letting him cry it out as she held him closely against her.
Ten minutes later he pulled away from her to wipe his eyes. “She lost the baby. My mother kicked her in the stomach and caused a miscarriage.”
Mina looked down holding his hands tightly in hers. “I’m so sorry, Jax.”
“How could my own mother do this. My unborn baby!” He shouted as he wiped more tears from his eyes. “She’s all about family yet she kills my unborn child?! She would never go this far!” he slammed his hands onto the table.
Mina thought for a moment. She’d seen Gemma with those kids. The fierceness in her motherly instinct. “Maybe you just answered your own question, Jax.” She mumbled under her breath as she traced circles onto his hand.
“What?” He looked at her dumbfounded.
“You know your mother better than anyone. If you believe that she did it, then that’s what it is. If you know she’d never harm your children, born and unborn, then you might have to look this over.” Mina spoke quietly and soothingly.
Jax stared at the table for a long while. Everything she said made sense, but his wife wouldn’t lie to him. Not about something like this. He looked up at Mina and sighed. “Mina.” She nodded her head locking eyes with him. “I can’t keep being around you.” She continued to hold his hand and looked down nodding slowly. “I’ve fallen in love with you Mina. I can’t be around you without wanting to be with you every second of every day. I need to focus on my wife and the loss of our unborn child. I’ve never been as close to someone as I have to you I shouldn’t be. I need to be close with my wife again. And I don’t think I can do this while I’m still around you.”
Mina stared at the ground and nodded. She felt her eyes blur from unshed tears but nodded sadly. She’d fallen in love with him too. Despite every logical reason to not do it she did it. It’d happened slowly. Over all the dinners they had. The laughs they shared. The midnight movies. This was wrong. They weren’t dating. They weren’t together. He had a wife. A wife who’d just lost their baby because of his mother. She wanted to cry but couldn’t let herself.
Taking a deep breath she nodded. “You’re right. It’s for the best that we don’t hang out anymore. You have a wife. Beautiful boys. It’s not right for me to be near you. Especially not if I’m pulling you away from them.”
She stood up slowly and he did as well pulling her in for a hug. She wrapped her arms around him, digging her face in his chest and held onto him tightly. Lifting her chin up he locked eyes with her. She bit her bottom lip and he couldn’t help himself, he lowered his head to kiss her but she placed her fingers on his lips. She kissed her fingertips over his lips and pulled away slowly, adjusting herself and wiping stray tears.
“I’ll see you around Jax.” She gave a sad smile before walking out the door. Jax stared at the table, slamming his hands into it multiple times before lowering his head in his hands. He couldn’t believe how hard that was. How much it hurt him. She’d become one of his closest friends – hell, he was closer to her in more ways then one. He wanted to be with her. Wanted to forget everything and everyone and just be with her. But he knew it had to be done. Tara and him and him had been through to much to end things now. To be with someone new.
Jax picked up Tara from the hospital once they discharged her and drove them all home. After tucking in the boys he laid in bed with her. For the first time in a long time she curled up next to him and cried. He rubbed her back and held her as close as he could. He needed to be here for her. For his family.