99 Problems.....but a Bitch Ain't One

We sat around the bar for a while, just talking and I was being caught up what I had missed over the past months. Jax’s baby was born 10 weeks early due to his junky of a whore ex wife. I never liked her, and what she did to my precious nephew was despicable. I was in my own thoughts once again until I heard Piney yell my name.

“Reese? Are you with us?”

“Ya Piney, sorry just day dreaming again.” I said while snapping back into reality.

“I see you got new ink....a snake? What the hell does that mean?”

I looked down at my forearm. I got this tattoo two months ago with one of my friends, Asia. It had been right when I broke up with my ex boyfriend Collin. We had been at race, and threaten to make me leave.

I didn’t back down from him. I loved this man truly, but he broke my heart. I couldn’t give him the satisfaction of him still telling me what to do. Instead, I did what I did best, and that was racing. I got into my car and drove up to him. Didn’t say a word but to revved the engine instead. He got the hint, and got into his car. We both pulled up to the starting line, no cash was on the table, just me earning my right to stay in the world I belonged to. Cody, one of Collins right hand men, came and raised a bandana, and just a swift move of his arm we were off. After that race, I had won the right to stay there. Asia ran up to me saying that the last turn was perfect, that I just snaked passed him and took the lead.

It was the reason why I got the snake. It stood for a guardian, when a temple feels threaten, the first instinct of a snake is to stand their ground, then they go into attack mood. And thats what I did. I stood my ground and fought back for the sake of myself.

“Its just something I got, nothing special to it.” I didn’t want to give the full explanation of the story to the boys, they didn’t need to know of my illegal racing.

“I know what it means, being in college you finally found out how to work a snake. Got it on your arm to let a man know that you can calk theirs real good” Tig said with an seductive smile.

“Watch it, thats my god daughter your talking about.” said Bobby Elvis.

“Even if it did mean that, doesn’t mean I would ever calk yours. But I am heading to the station, its about time I face Luann.” I said while taking my last shot and grabbing my car keys.

“I can’t let you drive down to the station, you’ve had to much.”

“Unser you have been drinking too, I am fine.”

“Let Unser take you to the station, he needs to check somethings for the club, If you need a ride I will send Juice to pick you up.” Clay had said. When Clay made an order, I knew I had to obey it.

So instead of driving my car I grabbed the bottle of Patron and took a large swig, which was definitely a regret. I slammed the bottle down and walked over to Clay.

“Alight fine. I will call you later.” I said while kissing his cheek.

“Lets go Unser, tell Gem I will help her with dinner.” I yelled back and walked out the door.

“I am not excited for this ride.” I heard him say to the club before he walked out after me.

Again we were driving down main street, heading down towards the station. “So you graduated with an accounting degree I heard.”

“Ya I did. Just thought if I ever came back to Charming that I would help out and do the books for my mom. Maybe help out Uncle Bobby with the books if they needed it... I don’t know. It was just a degree that I thought would be useful at the time.”

“Ya I get it. What have you been doing down in LA? You know besides school.”

“Do you want the truth, or the lie I have been feeding my mother?”

“Ugh, I guess both.”

“Well the truth, I work down at a garage, and race during the nights. Promise I haven’t been arrested.”

“I know, your mother and Gemma make me check your records every so often.”

“Of course they do.” I said while pulling out a cigarette and lighting it up. I slowly puffed it and let some smoke out.

“What I have been telling my mom is that I do the books for the garage I work at and their store. And on the weekends I work at a bar.” I offered him a drag of my cigarette, but he just waved me off.

“ I figure she knows I race though.”

“Ya I am sure she does.” we pulled into the station. I got out of the car and quickly put out my cigarette.

Ah memories I thought to myself. Every time I had been pulled over by someone other than Unser, I would just speed away from them until I got to the station. There, I would hop out of my car, and Unser had always been waiting outside to take me in and give me a talk about how I am putting others in danger. I always brushed it off, and he knew he did.

Then it also reminded me of the time Officer Hale arrested me for flashing him when Donna picked me up from the SAMCRO party. He was new to the job, and took it seriously. I was waiting behind with my head in the toilet puking my brains out when Hale came and opened the cell saying I made bail. He walked me outside to where Jax and Oppie were waiting. Both by their bikes and laughing their asses off at the new drunk who managed to get arrested after her first party.

Unser and I walked side by side into the station. The Blonde cop who was at my mothers studio was sitting at her desk. Probably doing paper work for this stupid seizure they had done. Unser was walking me back to the holding cells when we were stopped by Hale and that ATF agent.

“So I see you’re here for your the family reunion.” the agent said and then began to step closer “to bad she is under federal watch. No visitors during her holding period is allowed. Even her sweet street racing daughter.”

She had some nerve to be coming up to me when I was drunk on tequila. “And who the hell are you?” I said while putting my hands on my hips.

“Agent June Stahl, ATF.” she said while sticking out her hand. I did not dare touch this women, cause if I did, I would have smashed her face in the desk right next to me. Instead I just looked down at her hand and back up to her face. Hoping she would get the hint.

“Well then, I guess you don’t have any other business to handle here. How about I give you a ride back to your place? Maybe we can get to know each other a bit better.”

“And I bet you would like that. I can get my own ride, thanks.”

“Suit yourself, we’ll be in touch though.” She looked at me and gave me a flash of her teeth and turned on her heel and walked away.

“Ugh, come back to my office, and I will call Clay for you.” Unser said while putting a hand on my back.

“No, I’m gonna go smoke, just tell him I will be waiting for Juice outside the station.” He nodded as I turned to go walked out.

I hated cops so much, even Unser sometimes. He was a hell of a guy, but I never would trust him since he was on SAMCRO payroll.

I pulled out my carton of Marlboro red cigarettes and my lighter. Shit. My lighter wasn’t working. I gave it a couple of shakes, but of course it wouldn’t light. This really was becoming one shitty day. I pulled the cigarette out of my mouth, but before I put it away, someone came back behind me with their cupped hand that had a spark of flame in it.

I looked up to see Hale. I put the cigarette back in my mouth and inhaled a depth breath. Thank God.

“I didn’t know you would be back in Charming.” he said while squatting down next to me.“And didn’t know you would take a liking to the cowboy killers either.”

“Well what can I say, the stress of Charming makes me smoke these bad boys.” I said while exhaling a cloud of smoke.

“Look, I can get you in there to talk to you mom, if you just wait another 20 minutes. Stahl is going to Stockton to visit your dad, trying to get some information from him.”

“And your are telling me this because?”

“Cause I know you are probably worried about both your parents being behind bars, I don’t want to see you get hurt.”

“Ha, that’s not the first time I heard you say that to me. I don’t care if Luann is behind bars. Its her fucking fault for being a dumbass.”

“Still not happy with your mother I take it.”

“Even if I was, it ain't any of your business.” I spit back at him. “Look I do not need your help with anything while I am here. Just go back into your office and keep your precious town of Charming safe from my dad’s club.”

I looked him straight in the eye when I said this. Instead he just looked out onto the street, and sat in silence for what it felt like 20 minutes.

When we could here the chopping sound of a bike pulling up, he took this as a que to get up and go back inside. Before he left he, he turned back at me and said

“Good to see you back home Reese.” and walked off. I just saluted him and got up to go stand in the parking lot. Juice pulled up with an eager smile on his face.

“I didn’t know you were back in town Reese! How long have you been here?”

“Long enough to piss off a ATF agent and Hale.” I walked up to him while he was getting off his bike and put my arms around his waist, purposely trying to get a little excitement out of him. “Its good to see you Juicy.” I said and kissed his cheek, leaving a little red lipstick for anyone to see.

“You too. Clay said you needed a ride? Were do you want to go? Back to your place?” he said with a little wink.

“Ha, I am sure you would like that. But no, take me back to TM, I need to go get my cage. It has all my shit in it.”

“Alright, hop on. We can always go back to my dorm” He said while climbing back onto his bike and handed me his spare helmet. I rolled my eyes and climbed on. I wrapped my arms around his waist , and with out any hesitation we were off.

We got back to Teller-Morrow shop and I quickly jumped off the bike. I felt a little less buzzed after the ride. I had to try and keep my balance cause it seemed that Juice was still not comfortable enough on the bike.

“I see you still don’t know how to drive this thing.” I said and handing him the helmet.

“A lot better than I use to be. I just don’t usually have a gorgeous girl on the back.” “Spikes up your nerves to much?” I said and smirked at him.

“I guess you can say that.”

“Hey you know were Jax is? I gotta ask him something?”

“I think he went back to his house? Had to go clean up some shit in the baby room.”

“Got it, will he be back do you know?”

“Ugh, maybe, I know him and Oppie are doing something for the club tonight, you can ask op”

“k” I turned on my heel and walked back into the club house.

There I saw both Clay and Bobby sitting by the bar talking about something. Obviously something they didn’t want me to hear. Bobby straightened up to address me.

“Back so soon Angel, thought you would be talking to Luann for a while.”

“No, met that ATF bitch again, and apparently no visitors.” I said while coming around the bar to face the both of them. “She also said she was on her way to see my dad at Stockton. Something’s going on Clay.” I said while looking at him and pouring him some scotch at the same time.

“Shit” Bobby said . “We need to get them in there as soon as possible tonight.” he said while turning to Clay.

“I’ll call Unser and make sure he comes here when he gets off. Do you need to see Luann doll face?”

“I guess that’s the reason I am in town. What do you have in mind?”

“Unser is sneaking Jax and Oppie in to get a message to Otto through Luann tonight at the station. I will let you tag along if you need too, only if you need to though.” Clay said pointing at me.

“Ooh being apart of club business, count me in.” I said with a smile on my face.

“Its not like that. Just make sure Luann gets the message. Until then stick around and wait for them. I gotta go check on my old lady,”

“You got it Clay.” I retorted back to him as he got up and left.

“You need another Uncle Bobby?”

“Only if your offering.” I turned around the bar and got two beers and two clean shot glasses out. I never drank this much, but I wasn’t gonna pass up a heart to heart with my godfather. “You thinking about coming back? We all miss you here.”

“I don’t want to, but I know I am needed here.”

“Not needed, we just like the company. You doing ok down in LA?” To be honest, the past four months have been hard on me. I had to move out of my one bedroom apartment and found a two bedroom place with a rando roommate. I wasn’t making as much at the garage anymore. They hired a new mechanic that took away most of my business. It was almost to the point where I was gonna need to go get a weekend job at a bar just for some extra cash in my pocket.

“I am doing the best I can.” I said while putting my hair up into a high messy pony tail.

I never had to worry about money when being in college. My mom had her porn studio that my dad managed to get for her to get her out of the business. She was getting 60 percent of the profits and dad made it clear that when I was in highschool that 10 percent of her profits every month was to be saved so I can go to college. She had done what my father had told her, and who would have known that she made a decent amount of money during those years. I also should have expected that with his ties to the club, a good share of his portion went to my college fund. Otto had stressed that he wanted me to become more than the life him and my mom had. He didn’t mind me settling down with a Son, but thought I was capable of accomplishing more with my life than becoming just an old lady.