Lyla and Dawn had just left the Teller house a few minutes ago after they had dinner together. As planned, Cleo made quesadillas for everyone and Abel helped like he had promised in the morning. The brunette loved to get Abel help her with cooking⸺ this way she had company and she could teach Abel some things.

She didn't care about other's opinions about teaching a boy how to cook. It wasn't masculine enough for many, but his future girlfriend would probably thank her for it. And Jax assured her many times he had no problem with it. Her brother was a great cook, too, because their mother always made sure to include him. And he still became one of the most respected men in Santo Padre.

Abel's weird reaction when she mentioned Gemma before was still in the back of her mind⸺ it had been the whole day. How did Gemma hurt them? What was it Abel knew and they didn't? She hadn't seen any injuries on Abel's body. The little boy's words made her feel so uneasy that she made sure to check his body while she gave him a quick bath before, see if he had any bruises. Cleo felt absolutely stupid doing that since she couldn't imagine Gemma hurting her grandkids or a child in general⸺ but she still felt the urge to check if Abel had any injuries.

After Lyla and Dawn left, her guilty conscience caught up with her. Although Jax and Gemma's relationship wasn't the greatest at the moment, Cleo felt bad for even considering that she might've hurt Abel.

"Jax, can we talk?", she asked with a sigh after she put the last plates in the cabinet and leaned against the kitchen counter.

"Yeah sure", the blonde, who just entered the kitchen, nodded at the brunette. "What's going on, babe?"

With a heavy heart, she started to tell him what happened in the morning and what Abel had told her. She also admitted that Abel's words unsettled her and that she briefly doubted wether they were true.

"I knew Gemma wouldn't hurt him but I kind of⸺ I don't know. He acted so weird and we both know your mom is not in her right mind at the moment. With all the drinking I was afraid she could've snapped", Cleo sighed as her fingers gripped the edge of the counter. "I'm sorry for even thinking that she could've done such a horrible thing."

Jax listened carefully and let her talk without cutting her off. Tara always tried to talk shit about Gemma and he hated it, but this here was different. Cleo would never say things like that unless she was really scared that there was some truth to it⸺ and Jax couldn't blame her.

His mother changed drastically in the last year. She always disliked Tara, tried to ruin what they had before their relationship turned to shit. He hoped it would be different with Cleo, especially because his new Old Lady did nothing wrong at all. But no, his mother still decided to stick her nose into his new relationship, too. And if Gemma didn't get what she wanted then she became obnoxious, maybe even dangerous.

"Stop apologizing because you were worried about my son." Jax wrapped his arms loosely around her shoulders and looked down at her. "I know you don't want to accuse my mother of anything but you did the right thing, babe. Gemma is so far away from reality at the moment that I would've had doubts, too."

"Thank you, Jax." While snaking her arms around his waist she let out a relived sigh and lifted her head a bit so she was able to look at him. "What are we gonna do? I mean, it has to mean something, right?"

The blonde nodded briefly and kissed the top of her head, staring out of the kitchen window for a long moment. Something was torturing his son's mind and it sucked that they had no idea what exactly it was. But it had something to do with Gemma.

"Can you put Thomas down? I'll have a talk with Abel", he spoke up after another moment of silence and slowly pulled away from his girlfriend. "Maybe I can get something out of him."

"Yeah, of course", the brunette nodded quickly and grabbed the sleeve of his hoodie when he was about to walk away. "Are you okay, baby?"

Concern wavered in her voice as she looked at her tired looking boyfriend. Since they lost the baby this was nothing new but today he looked extra exhausted and it worried her.

"I'm fine, babe", he smiled at her, yet the smile didn't reach his blue eyes. "Just a rough day."

Sighing, she nodded. If she would keep pushing him to tell her the truth, he would just shut down even more. Why wouldn't he open up to her? She knew everyone's grief was different but she wished he would let her know when he felt like shit.

⸺

Jax put the book aside he just read to Abel and smiled at his son. He really needed to spend more time with his kids again. So many things can happen in only a few minutes, which they unfortunately had to find out for themselves recently. The accident could've ended way worse and that thought gave him the worst nightmares he ever had.

"Can I ask you something, buddy?", Jax asked the little boy, caressing his cheek with the side of his index finger.

Abel nodded, rubbing his tired eyes.

"Why did you say those things about grandma? How did she hurt you, Abel?" He tried to keep his voice soft and understanding in the hope Abel would tell him something.

The boy fiddled with his fingers, looking clearly tense. A kid his age shouldn't have to answer such a question but Jax needed answers. He needed to know what his mother did.

"She hit us with her car", he hardly whispered, a sad look on his face. "I waved but she didn't wave back. She drove funny and then she hit Cleo's car."

Jax sat there in silence, his face scrunched up in confusion and shock⸺ even pain. One look into his son's eyes gave him the truth he needed. His kid wasn't lying, Abel was traumatized and scared while holding a grudge against his grandmother. Justifiably.

"Are you sure that it was grandma, Abel? You can't say such things if you aren't hundred percent sure that it wasn't a different person", he told his son, a part of him still hoped Abel was just confused. Or that it was a person who just looked a lot like Gemma.

"No, it was grandma, I saw her", Abel's voice quivered, yet he sounded so grown up. Way too grown up. Jax knew his son went through a lot more than a kid at his age should and Gemma just added another traumatizing event.

How was he supposed to deal with this? It was his mother, yet he couldn't let her get away with it. Gemma never used the road leading to Cleo's mom's house. It must've been a planned accident which made everything worse. Why would she do this to Cleo? Did she know about the kids in the car? She wouldn't have left Cleo in that car if it had been a normal accident.

Fact was that his own mother killed his unborn child and harmed his family.

"Alright, we'll talk about it in the morning. Get some sleep, buddy." Jax tried his best to give his son a comforting smile while his blood was boiling.

Rage filled him while he stayed in the room until Abel fell asleep. It was a sense of vengeance he never felt before. It was stronger, different. While Cleo and he suffered the loss of their baby, his mother really had the nerve to show up everyday and still look them in the eyes, acting like she felt so bad.

But it explained why she suddenly tried to be so friendly and caring towards Cleo. She felt guilty. It was a guilt she had to carry forever, and yet she acted like she wasn't the one to blame.

Jax gently ran a hand over Abel's head as his son's soft snoring told him that he was sleeping. His heart broke for the little boy. He'd always remember his grandma as the woman who had hurt him, his little brother and Cleo. That's not how a child should remember their grandma⸺ or any family member.

With an empty look on his face, he got up and left Abel's room, leaving the door open just a bit. He heard Cleo sing a lullaby to Thomas as he walked past the nursery and swallowed dryly. His mother caused the woman he loved so much pain⸺ he couldn't forgive that. And he knew he couldn't keep this from Enrico. In general, he had to tell everyone who put the sweat, time and work into finding the person who hit Cleo's car.

He felt like a fuckin' asshole even if there was no reason for that. But it was his mother, his family that deprived Cleo of the chance to meet her baby⸺ their baby.

The guilt he was feeling was eating him up and he had to leave the house to sort his thoughts. He slipped his kutte on and put on his white Nikes before he slammed the door behind him harder than he wanted to. The blonde cursed under his breath while heading towards his bike.

Anger gave him questionable ideas and the lust for revenge led him right to his mother's house. He had no idea what would happen but he needed to hear it from her. He needed to watch her break.