LAUREL SAT INSIDE OF GEMMA'S OFFICE AT TM, waiting for the matriarch to get off the tense phone call she was currently on. Gemma had invited the older Knowles sister to some lunch and girl time — something Laurel could definitely use.

"Fucking bitch." Gemma muttered as she slammed the phone down.

A laugh left Laurel's lips at Gemma's words. The Teller—Morrow woman had never been one to mince her words. It was what Laurel admired about her so much.

"Sounds like that call went well." The younger brunette teased, raising an eyebrow towards Gemma.

"Fucking stuck up bitches." Gemma shook her head as she grabbed her purse from the desk. "You'd think there was more auto shops in town with how demanding they are." The older brunette rolled her eyes. "Are you ready to go?" She questioned while standing up.

Laurel nodded, grabbing her own purse and standing up. She desperately needed some time with Gemma, with Tara being back and Happy and her currently not talking it was a lot.

"Hear any more from Tara?" Gemma questioned as they stepped out into the bright sun. "I know she's tried to talk to Jax — stupid bitch." She shook her head in disapproval as her heels clicked against the pavement.

A sigh left Laurel's lips. It wasn't surprising to her that Tara had tried to reach out to Jax. It was more hurtful and disappointing that instead of trying to fix the broken relationship between them, she was instead more worried about Jax Teller's dick.

"No. We're never going to be okay and I've come to terms with it years ago. It's just disappointing, but I should be use to it by now."

A frown formed on Gemma's lips as she stared at Laurel with sympathy in her eyes. She knew the Knowles sisters would never be close — even the death of both parents couldn't fix the broken relationship between them.

"Your sister has always thought she was better than you." Gemma stated matter of factly. "It's not true."

A small smile found its way onto Laurel's face at Gemma's words. "Thank you. I'm just hoping she goes back to Chicago soon and leaves us all alone again." Laurel sighed as her green eyes wandered across the lot — her sunglasses covers eyes meeting Happy's scowling face.

"What's going on with you two?" Gemma raised an eyebrow as she noticed the tenseness between the two. She had noticed it days ago but Happy refused to say a word, only stomping around the clubhouse like someone had stolen his favorite knife.

"Nothing." Laurel's response was quick and she tore her eyes away from the tattooed biker.

It has been days since Laurel had told Happy she was done, and honestly she hated how quick to her emotions she was without thinking things through. She missed Happy — even if she acted like she didn't. They shared something for years — even if Happy only claimed it was sex. They still shared parts of themselves.

A scoff left Gemma's mouth. She knew how much Laurel and Happy meant to each other — even if they both denied it. Happy had never been one to go back to the same woman yet he had been going back to Laurel for years. Gemma knew that meant something even if he denied it.

"Can we please talk about anything else. I don't want to hear Tara's or Happy's names today." Laurel pleaded with the nosey older woman.

Gemma nodded as the pair entered her Cadillac. "Fine with me, baby."

A wide smile was on Laurel's face as she pulled into her driveway. After some shopping and a lunch with Gemma, she was feeling lighter and much better, though the moment she spotted Tara standing on her front porch the smile was gone from her face and replaced with a frown.

A deep sigh left her lips as she exited her car. Hopefully she was only here to say goodbye and be on the next flight to Chicago — that would make the smile come back on her face.

"Hey." Tara's voice sounded awkward as she stood on Laurel's porch with her arms across her chest.

"What's up?" Laurel got straight to the point. She wasn't going to do this small conversation bullshit again.

"Dad's place is all clean. I put the rest of his shit in storage in case you want something."

"I don't want anything, but now that it's all done when do you go back to Chicago?" Laurel could see the annoyance on Tara's face at her question, but really what else did she expect?

"That's the thing I'm not going back. I'm going to move back here permanently and live in dad's house. I got a great job offer from St Thomas." Tara refused to look Laurel in her eyes as she talked.

"No." Laurel shook her head. "You can't just come back here and keep dad's house. I thought we spoke about selling it and splitting the money. Why the fuck would you want to leave here and in that house again?"

A burning rage was filling Laurel's body as she spoke. How could Tara just decide all of this on her own? It wasn't fair — though Tara had nerve been a fair person.

"We did speak about it, but I think it's better if I keep it." Tara huffed with annoyance.

"It's not your fucking choice, Tara!" Laurel wanted to rip her hair out as she pushed by Tara, stepping into her home and slamming the door behind her.

A few tears filled her green eyes as she leaned against the door, waiting to hear Tara's car leave. She should have seen this coming, but she didn't and that was so fucking naive of her.

AN —
Bit of a filler chapter I feel like. I'm trying to be more active on here but it's not going so well lol.