Total pages in book: 75
Estimated words: 72126 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 361(@200wpm)___ 289(@250wpm)___ 240(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72126 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 361(@200wpm)___ 289(@250wpm)___ 240(@300wpm)
When Toby came out of the bathroom, he was dressed, and his hair was already brushed. My boy was pumped about the pool tables, and that tickled me. After what he’d been through, it did my heart good to see him excited about something.
I, on the other hand, wasn’t exactly excited about leaving the room. We were told that the men of Satan’s Fury were good guys who would look out for us, and I wanted desperately to believe it. But I didn’t know anything about the club or the men in it. I had no idea what we would find when we left the room, and that made me a bit apprehensive.
I took a deep breath, trying my best to gather my nerve, then opened the door. Toby stuck his head out, and once he saw that no one was around, he stepped out and started walking down the hall. He hadn’t gotten far when he stopped and peeked inside one of the rooms. He glanced back at me as he whispered, “Hey, they really do have pool tables.”
I hurried over to him and peered inside the family room, and it was even bigger than I’d expected. There were TVs lining the walls—each one playing something different, and there were two pool tables off to the side and several dart boards. A couple of bikers were sitting around the room, each with a beer in hand, and the sound of their laughter rumbled through the room.
It was a far cry from anything Toby had ever seen, and I could see the awe in his eyes as he scanned the room. “Wow. It’s so cool and just like Preacher said.”
"You wanna check it out?"
He glanced around at the various men, and his earlier excitement was replaced with fear. He was still staring at them when he shook his head no. I understood his apprehension. Neither of us were used to being around so many men, especially men like these. They were bikers. They carried a weight about them—ominous and fierce. They certainly weren’t like his friends’ dads or his coaches at school.
A part of me just wanted to run back to our room, but as I stood there listening to their quiet banter and wholesome laughs, I found them a little less threatening. I continued watching them, and it was clear that they were enjoying themselves. They all seemed comfortable and relaxed with one another, like they were with family at home.
Comfortable and relaxed were two feelings that had become foreign to me over the past year. It seemed like I was always on edge, and I felt a little jealous as I stood there watching them.
One of the men was busy racking up the balls when Goose glanced over in our direction, and his face softened when he spotted us standing in the doorway. He smiled at Toby as he called out, “Hey, kid. You wanna play a round?”
Toby immediately shook his head, turning him down.
“You sure?” Goose pushed. “We won’t bite.”
Toby hesitated, then looked up at me and asked, “Can I?”
“Of course.” I was just as apprehensive as he was, but there was something about Goose’s smile that set me at ease. “I’ll be right here waiting.”
He didn’t move.
He just stood there staring at Goose and the others.
His doubts were getting the best of him until Goose gave him one last nudge, “Come on. I’ll even let you break if you wanna.”
Toby nodded, then darted over to the table.
Goose chuckled as he handed him a pool cue, showing him how to hold it. I walked over and sat down on the edge of the sofa, watching as my bashful son took his first shot at pool. As I sat there watching him, I was torn between relief that my precious son was having fun and the ever-present anxiety gnawing at the back of my mind.
It was too much.
Too soon.
We should’ve stayed in the room.
But Toby’s laughter broke through the tension in my chest, and for a moment, just a moment, I let myself breathe. I leaned back so I could watch as Goose and the others bantered back and forth with Toby. They were being so nice to him, and it caught him a little off guard. But he played along, and it wasn’t long before he relaxed and really started enjoying himself.
They played a full game, and as soon as he was done, he rushed over to me and whispered, “That was awesome!”
“It looked like you were having a good time.”
“I was.” He was smiling ear to ear as he said, “Goose is the coolest.”
“I’m so glad.” It was getting late, so I suggested, “How ‘bout we go grab a bite to eat, and you can tell me all about it.”
He nodded, then followed me out of the family room. When we got to the kitchen, I was surprised to find that it was massive. There were two long tables in the center of the room that sat at least thirty people, and there was a triple sink and an enormous fridge. The countertops were cluttered with plates, cups, and a couple of half-empty beer bottles.