Sunday Morning

by prcttyodd

Summary:

"Honestly, you annoyed the shit out of me when we first met. But I've come around to likin' you, darlin."

"Weird way to say you love me, but I'll take it."

["Sons of Anarchy" AU. Like completely AU, the show doesn't happen. Read inside for more details but if that is not your thing, I totally understand.]

Chapter 1: SUMMARY + A/N

SUMMARY:

Jax Teller thought the worst part of his life was getting incarcerated in the first place. Little did he know, life after being released would be even more difficult. Stigma, jobs not wanting him... and mostly living with his mom because finding housing was also a bitch. He's convinced things aren't ever going to get better, and how could they, with a curfew and no income?

After an excruciatingly long process, Jax lands a job... at a local grocery store. For someone as "hardcore" as himself, loving lavish things and big play toys like his motorcycles, it was quite the adjustment. He never saw himself working for minimum wage, or for a company at all, actually. But, beggars could not indeed be choosers, and poor badass Jax must swallow his pride.

The store is an odd place, full of drama, chaos, and unexpected friendships. It's a grocery store... god it shouldn't be so dramatic. To make matters worse, he begins to form a closeness with a woman named Diana, who couldn't be more different than him. Where he is extremely negative and nihilistic, she's a cliche ray of sunshine. If he was honest, she could be fucking annoying, with her upbeat attitude and constant smile... though she did have a nice smile. Despite her consistent joy about everything, he finds himself drawn to her. She makes his head spin, makes him regret his past, and most of all, makes him wonder if there maybe is a good ending to his story.

XX

NOTES:

-Hey, your local AU lover here, back with yet another fic. I have another sons fic planned soon that is actually canon compliant... but first have this. Obviously, if this sort of canon divergence isn't for you, I totally get it, but this your warning. The characters will still act like their canon selves... just in different contexts. ie: Jax is still a badass but this is a world where he has to fit into "normal" life.

-The other characters will play part in this. PLEASE READ THE CAST PAGE!!! IT DETAILS ALL OF THEIR ROLES IN MY LITTLE WORLD. I WAS KICKING MY FEET AND GIGGLING COMING UP WITH THEM. ANY CHARACTERS I DONT USE WILL TURN UP AS SIDE CHARACTERS OR THE LIKE. If you have any ideas, please let me know. I would love to involve you guys, I will gladly give credit for any ideas you guys have for other characters or the ones I'm using. (For example, I don't really have a set role for Clay. But I'm open to suggestions.)

-Yes this is the sunshine/grump trope because I'm sorry I love it. Also a bit of slow burn because they really are kind of put off by each other at first, so it's gonna be a bit comedic. Found family trope too. Honestly, it's gonna be very much corny... but I live life on the cob as you all probably know.

WARNINGS:

-nothing crazy. some swearing, occasional mentioned violence, drug/alcohol use (these are the sons characters after all...), some sexual content. Anything I feel needs a warning will be marked as such. If you find while reading you feel something should be marked with a trigger warning, do not hesitate to let me know. I love you all and want you to feel safe, that's the point of fanfic after all!!!

XX

WITHOUT FURTHER ADO...
WELCOME TO
"SUNDAY MORNING"

Chapter 2: CAST

Notes:

Since this is an AU, here is an outline of how I see the characters.

MELISSA FUMERO
AS
DIANA VALENCIA
"SUNSHINE."

MAGGIE SIFF
AS
TARA KNOWLES
"HER BEST FRIEND. RUNS THE SHOW DESPITE HER OWN LIFE BEING A MESS. GOTTA HAVE THAT SENSE OF CONTROL, YA KNOW."

CHARLIE HUNNAM
AS
JAX TELLER
"GRUMP."

RYAN HURST
AS
OPIE WINSTON
"HIS BEST FRIEND. LOYAL TO HIM FOR LIFE."

KATEY SAGAL
AS
GEMMA TELLER
"MOMMY DEAREST. OVERPROTECTIVE OF HER BOY... AND SHE IS CERTAINLY MORE INTIMIDATING."

TOMMY FLANAGAN
AS
FILIP "CHIBS" TELFORD
"THE UNBOTHERED BACKROOM KING."

KIM COATES
AS
TIG TRAGER
"UNHINGED LOSS PREVENTION. WILL TACKLE YOUR GRANDMA OVER EXPIRED COUPONS."

THEO ROSSI
AS
JUAN CARLOS "JUICE" ORTIZ
"THE CASHIER WHO CANT COUNT. BUT SOMEHOW INSTALLED SELF CHECKOUT HIMSELF."

MARK BOONE JUNIOR
AS
BOBBY MUNSON
"BAKERY MANAGER. CAN COOK UP SOME KILLER MUFFINS. BUT ALSO SOME KILLER TUNES."

DAVID LABRAVA
AS
HAPPY LOWMAN
"THE BUTCHER WHO TAKES A LITTLE TOO MUCH JOY IN HIS JOB AND HIS SHARP TOOLS. CUSTOMER SERVICE IS UNMATCHED, THOUGH."

DAYTON CALLIE
AS
WAYNE UNSER
"BASICALLY RETIRED GREETER WHO NOBODY WILL ALLOW TO BE FUCKED WITH."

AND OTHER CAST MEMBERS AS THEIR RESPECTIVE CHARACTERS. I DO NOT OWN "SONS OF ANARCHY", JUST MY ORIGINAL CHARACTERS AND IDEAS. (:

Chapter 3: Fresh Out The Slammer

Jax Teller wanted a bath.

It was odd, he knew, but after almost 5 years of strictly uncomfortable showers, there was nothing he was craving more than a hot bath.

The warmth, the suds around him, some rock music playing the in the distance, a whiskey on the side that he slowly sipped...

"Teller!"

Jax's daydreams were quickly interrupted, and he turned and cocked a brow, his way of asking "What do you want?" to the officer who called his name without actually saying anything.

"Take your hair out of that ponytail or whatever the hell it is you've got going on. Shake it out." The man asked, and he was dead serious.

Jax would normally be a smartass and make a snide comment about such an odd request, but instead he simply did what he was told. Did he really think Jax was hoarding something in his hair? Whatever, Jax just wanted to get the fuck out and he knew he shouldn't be testing his luck with sarcasm and making this process longer than it needed to be.

Next, Jax was expecting a full search, but he was simply led out. His mother, Gemma, was the one picking him up. He didn't realize, until he saw her face again, just how much he missed being around her.

He also didn't realize how much he missed the actual feeling of being outside. Not in a courtyard being watched... but outside in the actual world.

Jax would never actually admit it out loud, but he was feeling quite overwhelmed. Between seeing his mother, feeling the fresh air without restrictions, and looking back at the place he's been stuck at for years knowing he wouldn't have to go back in... it all hit him at once. He was free, actually free.

"Hon... you okay? Jackson?" His mother's voice. Jax didn't realize he could doze out of reality this much, it was freaking him out how much he was drifting.

He approached her slowly, nodding. "Yeah, ma. I'm... I'm good." He studied his surroundings once again, almost as if he didn't trust the fact he was actually out in the world. Then, he pulled his mother in for a strong hug. "Hey, ma." She smelled strongly of cigarettes, and a bit of a perfume. The same scent she always did, for as long as Jax could remember. The scent immediately made him nostalgic and tugged at his heart, making him realize just how much he missed home, how much he missed just being able to see and hug his mother on a daily basis.

She hugged back, and held on for a while. After they finally pulled away from each other, she studied her son. Something was definitely different about him. He seemed more... docile. He seemed confused. She knew it was probably a lot, finally stepping out. But, it was cute how lost he seemed to be. Despite the fact that he had just finished a sentence for running drugs, he was still her baby boy. "Hey." She said simply, smiling at him. She grabbed his arm to help lead him to the car, but he quickly pulled away.

"Appreciate it. But I'm okay."

She chuckled. "If you say so."

"Ma... can I drive? I missed being behind the wheel." That was yet another thing. He didn't realize just how much he took "normal" life for granted. Not until he got trigger happy and took too many risks and lost it all.

"Of course. Before you do though, I want to take you somewhere. Actually... there's so much shit I need to show you from since you've been gone. But there is somewhere I want to take you first and foremost."

Jax silently obliged, getting in the passenger's seat. He knew better than to argue with his mother or even bother to question her, it was a losing game. So, he was just going to let her take him wherever she had planned.

As soon as she pulled away, he rolled the window down. Feeling the air on him as they drove, he began to itch for his bike again. He missed flying around, without a care. God, there was so much he had to do.

"You know..." He said, breaking the silence that suddenly lingered in the car, "...the last thing they asked me before I left was to take my hair out of the little ponytail I had goin' on. Isn't that fuckin' weird? My hair was their concern? They didn't search me or any of my shit, just told me to take my hair down and shake it out." He laughed, and so did his mother.

"Probably some weird power trip bullshit. You know how that is." She took a beat before speaking again. "I have my spare room set up for you. You can stay as long as you need, I know it's all brand new to you, especially since you're going to have to do things the straight way now."

"Who says I need to do them the straight way?" Jax attempted to joke, but Gemma quickly gave him a deadly stare. "Ah shit, sorry ma. Just joking."

"You'd better be joking. Cause your ass will be on your own the next time you get tied up in some shit. You're lucky you got the sentence you did."

"Lucky? I don't think spending anytime in that place is fucking lucky. But it won't happen again. That much I know. I missed driving a car, that's how much it fucked me up."

Jax looked out his window again, and soon realized where Gemma was taking him: the cemetery. He immediately felt his chest tighten.

"I know this is a lot." His mother said, slowing down to park. "But, I figured you should see him first. I figured it would be good for you."

She was right, not that he'd say that out loud. He was all Jax thought about some days while he was locked up, wondering how he'd feel at his son in such a state. Ashamed, probably. It motivated Jax to be on his best behavior and just get the hell home, that was for sure.

The pair said nothing as they approached the grave, and Jax felt tears well in his eyes. He stared at the blocky lettering on the stone for a few moments, paralyzed. John Teller. He felt his mother walk up next to him, and put a hand on his shoulder.

He turned to face her. "Can I talk to him for a minute by myself?"

"Of course." She said, and quickly stepped away.

He felt so much guilt while staring at his father's grave for those first few seconds, knowing how long it had been since he'd last been here. Knowing the reason he hadn't been was because of his own selfish and irrational decisions killed him inside even more.

"Hey, dad." He said, kneeling down. "Sorry it's been so long."

Jax let the silence wash over him, imagining what his dad would say back to him right now. If only he could hear his voice one more time, if only.

"Listen, I know I fucked up. I did some stupid shit and got caught. I should've listened to you. I know you did some stuff you weren't proud of either, but at least you left this world knowing you stopped it in time to be around for me as much as possible. When I was locked up... I thought about you all of the time, dad. Some days, you were all that kept me going. I miss you."

Jax paused to catch his breath, and wipe the tears beginning to fall down his face. Even crying was something so foreign to him now, something he really didn't get a chance to do much of for the past few years.

"Dad, I made a mistake, but I took my punishment. I took it like a fuckin' man. It sucked... god it sucked. Some days, I tried to fight it like a little asshole. But I knew I had to just take it... I was there for my own actions. I missed seeing you. I missed mom. I missed Ope. Hell, I was just telling mom that I missed driving a car. Of all things. I missed driving! Don't even get me started on my damn bike..." Jax paused, realizing he was going off on a tangent. He could sit here for hours, though. He needed to make up for all of these past years.

"I wish you could talk back to me. I miss your advice. When mom would visit me, she would sometimes read your letters. When she read them to me, I could still hear your voice. I don't know how you came up with some of that shit... but it got me through some of those awful days."

Jax's father was a man who liked to journal. John was a hardcore "badass", it was what drew Gemma to him initially, she had always liked bad boys. But beyond that tough exterior, was a man with a lot of feelings. Feelings, of course, weren't a bad thing, but being a man with a "tough" persona meant he couldn't outwardly express them as much. So, he discovered journaling. And at first, he didn't keep all of them. They were mostly used as a venting outlet, and then disposed of. That begun to change when he found out he was having a son, and left several journals for him, in hopes of growing a collection that could last his child's lifetime and help him understand his father on a deeper level.

At first, Jax wondered why journals would help with any of that, but he realized that after his father's life was cut so short, it was a way to always keep the memory alive. His dad's words were some of the most wise he had ever read, and those about fatherhood and the fear of not being there to watch his son grow in particular tore Jax's heart apart.

Through the writings and his dad's own spoken advice, Jax learned that his father had succumbed to some bad habits. He found dirty ways to make money, and started making it fast, so he kept doing it, especially when he was about to have a son to care for. Only problem was, that lifestyle quickly proved to be risky.

Once he realized this, John was stuck between continuing to push his luck and risk the chance of consequences catching up, therefore possibly compromising his future as a father. He may secure some good money in the process, sure, but the downsides were: 1. Not knowing EXACTLY how much money, and 2. Possibly not watching his son grow.

Jax was very much like his father, he had the impulsivity down pat, but the emotional regulation part? Not so much. Jax didn't really have it in him to weigh pros and cons, if the pros involved money or something benefitting him, he would usually act on it. Perhaps this was because he had no kids of his own, and Jax often wondered if he didn't exist, would this have been his father's fate?

It could've been worse, but that didn't make it good. Jax was still a bit ashamed of himself, especially talking to his father right now.

"I'm gonna start writing more now too, I think I finally get it dad. I need to let my emotions out in a good way... and stop acting like an idiot. Easier said than done." Jax chuckled. "I love you."

Jax walked away then, going back to get his mother. When they reunited, she noticed the tears in his eyes.

"You okay?" She asked, and he didn't respond. That was all the answer she needed.

"Thank you." He told her, as they walked back towards John's grave. "Thanks for taking me here, ma."

Gemma pulled her son in for a hug, now fighting back tears of her own. "Oh hun, no need to thank me. I know you've missed seeing him. I'll just say hi to him really quick, and we can head back. I know you probably want to eat, shower..."

"A bath." He interrupted, "I need a bath."

She cocked a brow, and gave her side an odd side eye. "A bath? Since when the hell did you like..." She trailed off, starting to gather what the answer was.

"Since I haven't had one in years. Honestly, fuck a shower." He said, with a laugh that got her going too.

"Yeah baby, fuck a shower. You know I have a nice big tub. You can have yourself a nice bath."

"Sounds fuckin' amazing."

Gemma turned her attention to the grave, smiling sadly. "Hey, JT. Look at your boy, starting some shit. He got in trouble though, you should've given him some of your tricks." She looked to her, whose face was not one of amusement... not even in the slightest. "Oh shit... not funny. Okay. Well, I figured I'd come and have him say hi to you again. We'll be back soon. Love ya."

The two exchanged sad glances and walked back to Gemma's Beamer in silence, and Gemma tossed over the key as they got closer.

All of a sudden, Jax felt weak. His desire to drive wasn't really present anymore, he didn't know if he could focus his mind enough. But, he decided he couldn't be weak and had to take a deep breath.

"Okay?" He heard his mother ask, and he offered her a weak smile.

"Yeah," he told her as he inhaled deeply, "I'm good."

Jax unlocked the car, and got into the driver's seat. For a moment, he allowed himself to bask in the feeling, to remember what it was like. Something about the scent of his mom's car made him feel a bit more at ease than he had just a few mere seconds ago; cigarettes, paired with an air freshener, a futile attempt at a cover up.

He started the car and smiled to himself. Perhaps another chance at life wouldn't be so bad after all.

XX

"Jax, left up here!"

Jax rushed to put on his turn signal, he couldn't believe it. For the life of him, he couldn't remember the way to his mother's house.

The driving itself was muscle memory, as soon as he began to move and feel the wind blow on him, he got in the zone. But, the actual directions? He had not a clue. He loathed it, he felt so disappointed in himself. Of course, he recognized the scenery, but getting through it was a whole other struggle.

Gemma looked over at him as he drove, smiling to herself, joy with seeing her son this close to her again filling her. She reached out, and gave a loving squeeze to his arm. He turned his head slightly, giving her a grin.

Following his mom's directions until the last second, the pair made it. Only two things were on Jax's mind as he pulled in and parked the car: sleep, and his damn bath.

"What do you want to eat?" Gemma asked as they got out of the car. "I have things I can make you quick, we should've stopped somewhere. I'm sorry, I should've said something."

"It's okay, I ain't that hungry honestly. I think I'd rather just clean off and go to sleep."

"Hey, you might wanna-" Gemma started, but her son was speed walking to the door. Attached to the car key was the house key, and she didn't even have time to react as he toyed with the door's lock.

When he opened it, a surprise greeted him, a surprise that rendered him absolutely speechless.

"Ope?"

Opie Winston. His best friend. The definition of "strong silent type". The one person that always had his back, no matter what. And him being here now, despite the mistakes Jax made, just proved what a real friend he was.

Accompanying Opie was his family. A son, a daughter, and his wife Donna. Opie's family was what kept his stable. For a while, the two best friends were partners in crime (literally). But soon, Opie realized that his family was far more important to him than anything in the world, and he wanted to be there for his kids, much like Jax's father had decided.

While Opie tried to deter Jax, Jax obviously didn't listen. Opie didn't exactly agree with all of Jax's decisions, but he kept by his friend's side, and waited until he would arrive home. Hopefully, he would learn from his mistakes. That being said, it didn't make Opie's loyalty waver. Not many things did.

Opie pulled his best friend in for a hug. "Hey man. Figured we'd say hi for a bit, I know you're probably tired. But, we all missed you."

"Jax!" Both kids yelled in unison as they ran up to join the hug. Jax couldn't believe how big they were, it really made how long he was away hit him like a pile of bricks.

Jax found himself quite overwhelmed again, and god, he was starting to hate that feeling. "Hey guys." He told the kids simply. He smiled over to Donna, who was beaming at the two men. "Hey, Donna."

On the kitchen table was a little cake with the words "Welcome home" written in red icing, and Jax smiled.

"I know it's not a lot," Gemma said, "-but I figured you'd be tired. And Ope really wanted to see you as soon as you got back out."

"Yeah man, we'll leave anytime you want us to. We just wanted to say hi. Glad to see you again, don't do anymore stupid shit okay?" Opie chuckled, and it took a second, but Jax did the same.

"Oh, trust me I don't plan on it." Jax told him, and it was the God's honest truth. He took so much for granted before he got locked up, and his best friend was one of the major ones. Not seeing Ope... it did fuck Jax up, more than he'd like to probably admit.

"There's beer in the fridge... not too sure how beer and cake go together, but we were just aiming for some comfort." Donna said, with a warm smile.

"Maybe in a bit. I don't really feel like drinking right yet."

"Jax Teller not drinking? Well, that'll be the fuckin' day!" Opie joked, and Jax laughed along with him.

"Man, I feel fucking weird. Like there are clouds in my brain. Ever since I left that place... it's just weird."

"Well... we'll be out of here soon. Until then, let's have some cake and talk about something else."

"Cake! Cake!" The kids chanted. Jax couldn't help but smile from ear to ear.

"Sounds great to me, Ope."

XX

The Winstons didn't linger long just as they had said, out of respect for Jax. As much as they wanted to stay and chit chat, Jax was very pulled back and seemed very exhausted.

After they said their goodbyes, Gemma said she would clean up the little mess in the kitchen, and she showed Jax to the bedroom where he would be staying. She had got his basic needs together and bought some new clothes for him, socks, underwear, and the like. The dresser was full. She was beyond prepared.

Much as his mind wanted to linger on the fact that he was living with his mother again as a grown man, he forced himself away from overthinking, for the first time of the night. He tried to think fondly of the fact that his best friend was here instead, and that he got to sit with him and his family and eat cake to celebrate his homecoming.

It worked, because he quickly felt himself relax. Which was perfect for his final plan of the night.

"Ma, I'm gonna run a bath, if that's okay." He told her, grabbing some clothes to change into.

"Of course it is." She told him. "Take your time, and relax. And then, get some rest. You need it."

He did just that.

XX

A/N: so this first chapter was going to combine Jax's intro AND Diana's intro as well as the store, but I didn't want it to be too bulky. Plus, as I wrote more, I actually prefer this. This is going to be Jax's story just as much as it is going to be about the romance. I want his integration back into society to be a highlight, and Diana is simply going to be a part of that.

One more thing: would any readers like OCs added to this story? You will get an intro to the actual retail "world" next chapter, but I definitely need some extra side characters to use as more staff. They can have as large or as small of a role as you'd like, and they can definitely be paired up with certain Sons characters if you'd like. If not, I'm just going to use random side characters that I make up hahaha I just figured it would fun to ask since the side characters will be more OCs anyways!!!

Thanks for all of the love so far!!! Have a good day/night!!!

Chapter 4: Do-It-Yourself, or Die Trying

"Diana, tell me why I took on this store again?" 

 

Diana Valencia looked away from the email she was reading to lock eyes with her best friend (and boss), Tara Knowles. This same conversation happened at least twice a week, always beginning with that exact question. 

 

She took a sip of her iced caramel pecan coffee before answering. "Tara, tell me why you always ask me that question as if I have any clue what goes on in that beautiful, yet insane brain of yours?" Diana responded with a chuckle, throwing a grin in the other woman's direction. 

 

Tara was promoted about two months ago, taking on the role as store manager after impressively only working 5 years for Food Barn, a local bargain grocery store. The company itself was a bit of a mess, so of course they quickly clung to someone with natural intelligence and professionalism such as Tara, and Diana was basically her right hand. The two were typical "work besties" that blossomed into so much more, they were now integral to each other's work lives and personal lives. 

 

Tara chuckled at the snarky comment, as Diana took yet another sip of coffee. 

 

"How many coffees have you had today?" Tara asked with a raised brow. "I know your heart is racing..." 

 

"Gotta keep the smile on my face somehow, and having something to sip on just makes me feel at ease. This is only my second one of the day, I just got it on break a few minutes ago!" 

 

Tara sighed, half lovingly, but half exhausted by Diana's overpowering energy. Perhaps the coffee was what did it, but Diana was also just... impossibly happy all of the time. Even with all of the workplace stress, and personal stress, she never seemed unhappy. It scared the shit out of Tara, but also was something she found extremely admirable about her best friend. Diana probably had the best temperament Tara had ever seen, and she had met a lot of people. 

 

"Did you see the email about all of those price changes? And the fact that they're doing a pricing audit on us soon? So, they want us to change nearly everything this store and keep up with it looking nice with virtually NO staff, and then possibly get fined at the audit for not being able to change virtually EVERY SINGLE TAG? My god. How does this even work?" Tara tucked her hair behind her ears, which was the number one sign that she was getting riled up and upset. 

 

"That's the exact email I was just reading. Listen, I'll do what I can to help you, always. Do you need me to come in overnight one of these days and retest everything? For you, I gladly will!" Diana replied warmly, unnervingly calm about the situation, a situation that made Tara want to tear her hair out and scream. 

 

"That's not a terrible idea, but I have to worry about OT. Trust me, I want more than anything to pay you as much as I can. But they get on my ass about payroll every week now and it drives me nuts. I barely have staff, so of course the ones here doing everything are going to get extra! God. And I can't even take you off another day and switch it. THATS how close cut we are." Tara inhaled deeply. 

 

Then, as if on cue, there was a knock on the office door. Diana jumped up to open it, hoping she could take care of whatever it was, to not stress Tara out more. 

 

"Juice." She said, smiling at him. "Going on break or something?"

 

The man smiled back at her, then looked over to see Tara in utter distress, and the look of happiness fell. "Not yet. Uhhh, some guys are here with huge boxes. They said they need the store manager's signature to verify they delivered it or something." 

 

Tara sighed. "Tell them to bring it all over here so I can see what the hell it is." 

 

"Tara you get it signed, I'll see what it is and maybe I can help you figure it out. I'm not really busy at the moment anyways!" Diana said, still smiling. It almost drove Tara insane, but it was oddly endearing how much her friend genuinely did want to help her. 

 

Diana rushed out of the office, coffee in hand, and made her way over to the men with the boxes... Juice wasn't lying, they were massive. What could possibly be in them? Looking at the side, she quickly got her answer. 

 

"Oh god..." 

 

"Self checkout parts? What the fuck?" Diana jumped when Tara appeared behind her, also scoping out the boxes. "I never got any communication about this. Are you sure we're supposed to have this?" She asked the men. She paused for a moment before saying "I'm sorry for swearing like that. It's been a hectic day." 

 

"You're good. Uh... yeah, here's the address we got told to deliver to." The man told her, showing her the screen on his tablet. "That's here." 

 

She sighed, signing off on the delivery, because what the hell else could she do at that point? 

 

The delivery guys dropped the last of the boxes by the service desk, scribbled on a clipboard, and disappeared faster than Tara could say what the hell. She stood there, hands on her hips, staring at the stack like it had personally offended her.

 

"Great. Perfect. Exactly what I needed. A surprise multi-thousand-dollar installation project on a random Thursday."

 

Diana, sipping from her iced coffee like this was just another day in paradise, tilted her head. "Look at it this way... at least it's not another pallet of frozen turkeys in July."

 

Tara shot her a look sharp enough to kill. Diana just grinned wider.

 

From the next register over, Juice perked up like a meerkat. He had been eavesdropping since he got Tara and Diana out of the office. "I'll do it," he said, puffing his chest. "I'll set it up. I know tech." 

 

Tara blinked at him. "You once crashed our time-clock system by trying to change your profile picture to Spider-Man."

 

"And you gave three people the wrong change yesterday," Diana added sweetly, sipping again.

 

Juice, undeterred, almost as if he couldn't catch they were mocking him: "Exactly. I'm due for a comeback."

 

Tara muttered something under her breath that sounded suspiciously like I hate my life and disappeared into the office with her phone. The door shut, and Diana and Juice were left staring at the mountain of cardboard.

 

"You're not seriously going to try and set these up, are you?" Diana asked, already knowing the answer.

 

Juice whipped out a box cutter like it was a weapon. "Oh, I'm doing this."

 

"Get someone to cover your register. Here goes nothing!" Diana mumbled and sighed, crouching down beside him as he ripped into the first box like a kid on Christmas morning. Packing peanuts erupted everywhere. Within seconds, the floor looked like a snowstorm had hit. 

 

"Don't worry," Juice said confidently, digging through wires and metal panels. "I watched, like... at least six YouTube tutorials on this kind of thing."

 

"Juice, honey..." Diana said flatly, gathering handfuls of peanuts into a bag. "YouTube can't save you from electrocution."

 

Meanwhile, in the office, Tara pinched the bridge of her nose as corporate droned in her ear.

 

"Yes, the self-checkouts were supposed to be installed last week," the rep said cheerily. "The vendor should've reached out."

 

"Well, they didn't," Tara hissed. "And now I've got parts in my lobby, a short-staffed store, and a cashier who thinks he's Iron Man with a wrench—"

 

A clunk and the sound of something heavy dropping echoed through the door. Tara froze. Closed her eyes. Counted to three.

 

Back outside, Diana had abandoned the peanuts to hover nervously over Juice, who now had wires draped over his shoulders like a scarf.

 

"Okay! Juice, put down the screwdriver," she said in her best kindergarten-teacher voice. "Tara, deep breaths. We'll figure this out together, like always."

 

The office door swung open. Tara leaned in the doorway, one hand to her forehead, the other holding her phone. "If I survive this place, it's going to be because of you, Diana. Or despite you. Haven't decided yet."

 

Diana beamed. "That's the nicest thing you've ever said to me." 

 

Tara finally smiled. Genuinely. "Don't get used to it." 

 

XX 

 

Tara slammed the office door shut, exhaled deeply, and sat down in her chair. She leaned back, and for a moment, felt her eyes shut. For a moment, there was silence. Bliss. 

 

Then, another knock at the door. Diana was still out there with Juice, so Tara couldn't even send her to the door this time. 

 

"I swear to god, if this is Juice again..." Tara mumbled to herself, yanking the door open. 

 

"What is it?" She preemptively snapped, but immediate regret washed over her when she saw who was actually on the other side. 

 

A tiny old woman, in a red cardigan, clutching a floral cloth shopping bag. She immediately beams at Tara. 

 

"Hello, dear. You're the manager?" 

 

Tara quickly snapped into customer service mode, fake smile and all. "Yes. Yes I am. What can I help you with?" 

 

"Happy directed me to you. I just wanted to relay my compliments directly, and let you know that he is absolutely wonderful. He is so polite, and he cuts my roast and everything I need perfectly every single time. He has such kind eyes, too. Such a sweetie. He has some of the best customer service I've ever experienced." 

 

Tara cocked a brow as she took all of what the woman was saying in. Was she really talking about the butcher? The one who only seemed to be truly happy when he was using a blade of some sort? She supposed she shouldn't ask questions. She simply smiled instead. "I'm glad you had a good experience, ma'am. He is a hard worker for sure." 

 

"Oh, he's the best! You've got a good one here at the barn." The barn was what all regulars and locals called the store. It was something that would be bizarre to most, but it was a sort of inside joke to those who knew the store, as customers and as workers. 

 

Tara wished the woman a good day, and stood in silence long after she shut the door. Then, it all came crashing onto her again. 

 

"What episode of the twilight zone did I step into today?" 

 

XX 

 

When Diana returns to the office, her coffee was empty. 

 

"You know, I think that's why you just radiate joy." Tara commented. "You have caffeine in your veins. Of course you're happy all of the time." 

 

"Make fun of me all you want, but sounds like jealousy to me!" Diana chuckled. "Juice is like... actually going to town." 

 

Tara shot the other woman a concerned look. "Going to town? Until he sets this place on fire... screw it. Let him. It would solve 90% of my issues right now. Apparently they were supposed to reach out when the parts were sent out for delivery, to set a date with actual technicians. I guess they are booked up for weeks. So if Juice breaks anything, we will have to wait even longer. Good news is, I haven't heard from the company, so they can't get on me too much about installation times." 

 

"See, look at you, looking on the bright side. Who are you, and what have you done with Tara?"

 

Tara chuckled. "Very funny." She paused for a moment. "Speaking of funny, guess what happened while you guys were out there..." 

 

"What?" 

 

"An elderly woman knocked on the door, apparently Happy sent her over here." 

 

"Oh my god, did he freak her out with his knife comedy?" 

 

"You see, it's the opposite actually. She complimented him. She told me he was the sweetest, and even that he had kind eyes. He cuts the roast meat perfectly. He's a... sweetie." 

 

Diana burst into laughter at the last line. "Seriously? Woah!!!" 

 

"Oh I wish I was joking, but I don't think I could make that up even if I wanted to. We're living in an alternate universe." 

 

"That's kind of sweet though, like how cute!" 

 

"Cute? That man has a teardrop tattoo." 

 

"And apparently a popularity with the old ladies." 

 

Tara shook her head and laughed. She reached over, picked up a pen, clicked it, and... 

 

Knock. Knock. 

 

"Oh, there is no way..." 

 

Diana jolted up. "I'll get it, I'll get it." She quickly yanked the door open. 

 

"Hey ladies. Look, I have a little something for you guys. Something exclusive." 

 

Tara got up to join Diana in the doorway. "Bobby, what is it?" She snaps, and she truly doesn't mean to, everything is just hitting her at once. 

 

Bobby stands there in his apron, holding a tray of muffins steaming like they came from heaven's oven. He looks unfazed by her tone, as though he's used to it. And he is. 

 

"Blueberry crumble," he tells the women, "It's a new variation. You need to try one fresh before I put them out. Trust me, they are going to fly off the shelves." 

 

"Bobby, I would love to, but I'm kinda-" Tara began, but was quickly cut off by Diana. 

 

"I have no idea what she's on about as per usual, I'll take one. That sounds delicious."  

 

Bobby looked over to Tara again. "Come on, just a bite at least. I even made a couple extra, so you can maybe take some home for the boy." 

 

Tara's eyes softened, darting back to the muffin tray. "He does love blueberries Fine. But if they're dry, I'm writing you up." 

 

"Oh you won't be disappointed, trust me." He sauntered off then, clearly proud himself. 

 

"Thanks Bobby." They said in unison. 

 

"Woah." Diana said, taking a huge bite out of the muffin after he was gone. "How does he do that so well? That's so good." 

 

"I stopped questioning things around this place a long time ago." 

 

XX 

 

By the time Tara and Diana made it back to the front, Juice had disappeared behind a half-built self-checkout station like it was his own personal fortress. Tools were scattered everywhere, wires draped across the counter, and the instruction manual was tossed to the side, completely ignored. Customers passed, staring at the scene like it was a car accident. 

 

"Juice," Tara said slowly, "if I see even one spark—" 

 

"Shhh." He held up a finger, eyes narrowed with laser focus. "I'm in the zone."

Diana covered her mouth to keep from laughing. "Since when do you even have a zone?"

 

Juice twisted one last bolt, gave the side of the machine a dramatic slap, and then... the screen flickered to life.

 

WELCOME TO FOOD BARN SELF-CHECKOUT. 

 

All three of them froze. 

 

"No way," Diana whispered, half in awe, half in horror.

 

Juice leaned back, arms spread wide like a magician revealing his final trick. "Ladies and gentlemen, your tech guy has arrived."

 

Tara blinked, then blinked again. Against every fiber of her logical brain, it had worked. "Dear god, what is happening?" She paused. "...Okay," she said finally, rubbing her temples. "Fine. You win this round. But if that thing eats someone's twenty-dollar bill, I'm holding you personally responsible." 

 

Juice grinned like a kid who'd just stuck the perfect landing at recess. "Worth it."

Diana clapped him on the shoulder, laughing. "Well look at that, Juice. Maybe you are Iron Man after all.”

 

Tara just shook her head, muttering as she turned back toward her office, "I really am living in the Twilight Zone."

 

And for the first time all day, she was smiling when she said it. 

 

XX 

 

A/N: this story is literally so fun to write, I love it aHHH. The other characters will be introduced soon, but here are some to start. I'm so excited for this. 

 

Once again, thanks for all of the love so far!!! I'm glad you guys like this wild concept as much as I do!!! Once again, any fun concept ideas or characters you have, shoot them my way!!! I am open to anything (: 

 

Thanks for reading, have a good day/night yall (: