2025-11-03 17:05:03
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Thirty Five
The next few days, Devon was reintroduced to the workers and staff on the vineyard, and he a lot of things had changed about him. Finally, he had had it all wrapped around his head and he got around to calling Hector. He sat on his bed, his palm sweating like he was nervous to tell his friend, the man who had helped him and even unknowingly reunited him with his own family. He pressed the phone to his ear and waited as the phone rang, his heart beating as he remembered that he was now someone new. He was no longer the man that strived and struggled like an animal, during and after leaving the prison, but a new one who had been given a purpose. Devon swallowed hard, his throat tightening as the ringing continued on the other end. His knee bounced restlessly, the tension in his chest building with every passing second. It wasn’t fear, not really… more like the strange pressure of stepping into a version of himself he hadn’t fully accepted yet, even though it was far better tha
Thirty Four
The next few days, Devon was reintroduced to the workers and staff on the vineyard, and he a lot of things had changed about him. Finally, he had had it all wrapped around his head and he got around to calling Hector. He sat on his bed, his palm sweating like he was nervous to tell his friend, the man who had helped him and even unknowingly reunited him with his own family. He pressed the phone to his ear and waited as the phone rang, his heart beating as he remembered that he was now someone new. He was no longer the man that strived and struggled like an animal, during and after leaving the prison, but a new one who had been given a purpose. Devon swallowed hard, his throat tightening as the ringing continued on the other end. His knee bounced restlessly, the tension in his chest building with every passing second. It wasn’t fear, not really… more like the strange pressure of stepping into a version of himself he hadn’t fully accepted yet, even though it was far better than wha
Thirty Three
For a moment, nobody breathed at all or said a word. Everyone just maintained their position, and stared. The only sound in the dining room was the soft, trembling buzz of the phone vibrating once in Georgie’s unsteady hand before falling silent again. Someone was texting Devon, but right now, that doesn't seem to be important. Devon stood rooted to the spot, unsure whether to reach for the phone, reach for Henry… or run out of this room because he wasn't sure he knew what this was all about, or maybe he was just lost in the meaning. He looked around the table at the wide eyes, the stiff shoulders, the disbelief tightening in every face of the people standing around. Everyone stared at the lockscreen photo like it were a ghost resurrected in digital form.Then Sophie whispered, her voice breaking the fragile silence like cracking glass. “Uncle Henry… what’s going on?” she asked. Henry swallowed, his throat bobbing slowly as he looked at Devon… really looked at him; like every pie
Thirty Two
For a full minute, everyone was quiet, and Henry had gone back to his food like nothing had just happened. Devon stared at him, not even sure what to do anymore at that point seeing as all eyes were on him. He cursed Georgie in his head, blaming him for his lack of appetite to eat his lunch. It was as if he had known he was up to something since that smile he had given to him outside. He wondered how this would have gone if he hadn't had that conversation with Hector, and then worked up the courage to go talk to Henry. That was how this man would have outed him just because he was that wicked. He had lost his appetite, honestly, and there was no reason sitting on here, pretending that what had just happened, had not. At that, he pushed his chair back, and pushed up in his seat. “Mrs. Martha. Thank you for lunch. I'm sorry I couldn't eat much.” he said, even though he was sure what he ate shouldn't even be considered eating the food at all. He started to walk away when Rogelio pic
Thirty One
Georgie grinned through the serving of lunch and it made Devon really uncomfortable, even though he couldn’t figure out why for the life of him. It wasn’t as if he did anything wrong but knowing that men like Georgie would only be this happy when they were planning something bad for others was what had his stomach in a twist. After Mrs. Martha sat down, with food in front of everyone, Sophia spoke. “So, Uncle Henry, I heard you ordered in some new designs of bottles.” She started. “Yes, Sophia. I hear they should arrive soon.” He said with a nod.Devon soon zoned them out, just faced his food and no one else. He said nothing, until Georgie spoke to him first of course. “So Devon, speaking of hearing about new. things, I heard something interesting about you.” He started.Sophie stopped talking… actually, everyone around the table stopped talking, and looked at Georgie. “Dad, what are you talking about she asked. Georgie grinned, looking at his daughter with a shrug. “Well,
Thirty
Staring down at the picture on the screen on his phone, Devon smiled, feeling suddenly nostalgic. He had gone on his mother’s old social media photos, and he had found this there, the only one that had his father and mother with him in it. He was five years old in this photo, maybe six, he wasn’t sure, but he could still remember the taste of the cookie he had just bitten into, the remaining chunk still in his hand as they took that photo. He remembered his mother’s voice, the one calling for him to smile. “Smile Devy, be a good boy for mommy.”“You mean for daddy?” his father had interjected, a hearty smile on his face, and then he remembered his mother had thrown her head back and laughed. Goodness, if only they hadn’t died, but they had, about four or five years after this photo was taken. He shook his head as the tears resurfaced, but he pushed them back down to focus on the photo. “I miss you so much, Mom, Dad.” He whispered, shaking his head as if to clear himself from th
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