Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 88220 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88220 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Mia hopped down the stairs to land next to her sisters, already giving bows. We all clapped at their performances. Dash was the first to his feet. “Hunter, Fisher, tell your sisters they look nice.”
That was one thing my kids did well. They parroted the compliment we required them to say, never looking up from the devices in their hands.
“Need help hanging everything up?” Dash asked just as the front door swung open. West, our little cowboy in training due to Scott’s influence, was starting pre-K this year and couldn’t be less interested in going to school. His new school clothes lay in sealed packages on his bed, namely, five pairs of blue jeans, five western shirts, underwear, and socks. My mom ordered them from Amazon.
A few months back, Scott bought West a cowboy hat to match his. My boy wore it now, along with a matching gray hoodie, starched blue jeans, and matching boots. Both wore aviator sunglasses with mirrored lenses. We were still in the long summer season, but no one needed sunglasses at this hour of the evening.
“Watch this.” Scott put West on his feet in the living room, where his thumbs went instantly to his front pockets. Dash was on his A-game, already filming as Scott turned Spotify on with his phone. A twangy Brooks & Dunn country song began playing. Both man and boy began boot scooting, shuffling their feet in a dance, around the living room floor. West held the rhythm and movements like a pro until everyone began to cheer for him. He lacked no confidence as he raised his fists high with pride, the other children got involved, mimicking West’s dancing style.
The song changed and Scott handed West a toothpick. They put them in their mouths at the same time. They’d added props to their show. West’s thumb hitched back into his pocket, and he continued to dance, scooting without missing a beat.
West was an absolute cutie. Tall for his age, he stood out in a crowd, exuding my fearless vibe. West was naturally gifted with safety, meaning every time he hurled his body from the boat into the ocean, he popped up again. Thank goodness for a well-equipped life jacket. None of the children went without one.
“Well done,” I clapped. The rest were cheering for themselves and West, offering a congratulatory high five to each other. The little guy’s grin landed on Dash who was still recording, and he tilted his hat. I couldn’t help laughing as I hoisted him up in my arms, giving him a tight hug. “You gonna be a dancer?”
West tilted his hat back on his head and swiped off his sunglasses. “I’m gonna be a cowboy and have a horse, and it’s gonna be black as night. And me and my horse are gonna do cowboy things. Then I’m gonna get a cowgirl to ride on the back with me.” The declaration was swift and sure. I glanced at Dash to make sure he’d caught that moment too.
“Those are mighty big goals, little man,” Dash said. “Where are you gonna keep that horse?”
That question took a second to answer. “In the backyard.”
What a great life goal. I hugged him tighter before Dash came and took him out of my arms. School started soon and these unexpected joyful nights would lose their frequency. They were all growing up too fast.
Dash
I tried to lay down a foundation where Beau and I would sleep well tonight.
We drank a glass of wine, talked together outside, and swam in our secret alcove of the swimming pool. When we came to bed, I made sweet, gentle love to him. I came on his ass to alleviate the need of a thorough cleaning then held my love in silence while I tried to sleep. From there, I tossed and turned, before finally giving up altogether. I quietly made my way to the living room and read the files I’d brought home by lamplight. The scattered pages went in different stacks in an attempt to utilize the organizational system my brain operated best with.
They’d gathered quite a bit of information already, and I agreed there were more than these women to add to the mix. Predators didn’t stop preying, especially when they got away with it. The gaps were sometimes years apart, then bam, three times in a single year. It stood to reason that there was so much we didn’t know.
The thought of the creepy sport between father and sons made me want to vomit. When had their sick games started? Who else knew?
I couldn’t help wondering what life would have been like if Beau and I had stayed with that family. What if he hadn’t rescued me? The emotional roller coaster of the whole saga was going to be a tough ride.
Given the extensive number of cases filed against my father with the Texas Workforce Commission, it became evident how deep my father’s pockets and influence ran. I also had significant doubt in my ability to financially survive a multi-year battle against Richmond Holdings.