The Decks and the Road book 1- Freeborn The Final Chapters - Chapter 30 (Two and a half years later) Natalie - We were off for Miami.  It was our first spring break as college freshmen.  I’d been to Miami once with my mom and dad, but it was no adventure.  Back then I was more like a piece of luggage, and my father kept me close.  This time he didn’t even know I was going.  Wisdom and I were still inseparable, and Radiance and I were becoming like one another’s shadows.  Our eyes had stumbled on each other one day as we were both getting our campus I.D.’s made.  We had a way of resembling each other, and we certainly enjoyed all the confusion it caused.  I’d been excited about the trip for weeks, but the moment we entered the highway, there was a nervousness that came over me.  I didn’t let it show and continued to sing along with the radio.  We were all singing along actually, for the first two hours or so—then it must ...

The Decks and the Road book 1- Freeborn The Final Chapters - Chapter 29a Kayla - The last three weeks were not as I expected.  The team at Simpleton and Fisher had helped me to map out my next three storylines.  They were good, but it meant I’d have to visit my father.  I’d gone back and forth for months trying to wiggle my way out of it, but Taye thought if I did, it would take my writing into a new dimension and solidify my audience.  It wasn’t a farfetched thought really.  I’d been considering it off and on for some time, but it still felt like too soon.  I had asked Dr. Kat for her thoughts on the matter, and she too thought it would be good for me.  Wood was no different, and so I prayed about it.  I didn’t really get an answer concerning my question, but then all of a sudden, I’d gotten my next book.  It didn’t come as a suggestion, but more like an assignment.  I had characters and names and all the ways they would ...

The Decks and the Road book 1- Freeborn Chapter 27 Jennifer -The shape and size­ meant it was an invitation of some sort.  It came among many other envelopes of the same size.  It was a sign of the upcoming season.  I assumed it was one of many Holiday invites I would get over the course of a few weeks.  Yet, it was unlikely that I would spend the Holidays in Tampa, so I left it for last.  When I couldn’t ignore the rust colored envelope anymore, I opened it.  To my surprise, it was a wedding invitation.  It was a welcomed thought, and there was a part of me that wanted to be there, yet I knew my whole heart couldn’t celebrate with her.  Besides, I’d already committed my Thanksgiving weekend to helping Kayla plan her celebration and house warming.  I also wanted to call and congratulate her, but that was the lesser part of me.  Instead, I stuffed all my feelings along with the invite, back into the envelope and headed for ...

The Decks and the Road book 1- Freeborn Chapter 26 Nathan - Six years before my father passed away he handed me twenty-six cards.  We were just sitting on the front porch.  It was one of his favorite places to sit.  Sometimes I’d sit on the wall in front of his chair, and we’d chat.  That day I was sitting beside him.  Perhaps I knew there was something he needed to give me.  I suppose it was the moment he knew that he was passing the shop on to me, but he never made it clear.  He never really talked about the shop like he did the family name, and the cards were all about names.  He called it The Shepherd’s Deck.  They were hand-written and laminated.  His exact words when he passed the deck on to me were, “Anything you want to know about what connections to make is in this deck.  I haven’t used it in twenty-years.  I used to need to reference them, but I know it like the back of my hand now.”  I knew my f...

The Decks and the Road book 1- Freeborn Chapter 25 Tayeton - Life at Simpleton and Fisher was good.  I enjoyed meeting with all the talent.  It was good for me to feel a part of something to come.  It helped me to envision myself on a longer road.  Walter and I met for lunch on many days.  It was always a working lunch.  In fact, with him it was always work, and sometimes we’d have lunch.  I’d become a part of a bigger world, and yet an underworld all at the same time.  It was all around, and still only a certain few could see it, touch it; recognize it.  I could tell by the way he’d look up at certain points while he talked on the phone.  It was as if something would poke him, and he’d remember to check his surroundings.  Sometimes, he looked twice.  I could see the questioning in his mind; trying to size me up.  It was as though, he was always checking his calculations to see if anything had changed. ...

The Decks and the Road book 1- Freeborn Chapter 23 Nathan - Since the day I’d confirmed my love to Natalie for her mother, I’d been trying to make it more apparent.  I hadn’t seen the question coming, and I didn’t think I’d have such a solid answer.  It forced me to challenge my pain.  I was proud of Natalie.  I didn’t know she had such guts.  It was a good sign that our relationship wasn’t superficial, and that was important to me now that she was sixteen.  Erilyn and I still didn’t approach any of the things we knew were tearing us apart, but we talked more and spent more time together.  The more I really looked at her, I could see how understated she’d gotten over the last few years.  It was almost like she’d begun disappearing.  Her hair was always brushed flat.  She’d stop painting her nails.  She kept a pair of studs in her ears, and she no longer wore the bracelet I’d given her early in our relationship. ...

The Decks and the Road book 1- Freeborn Chapter 22 Kayla - We’d met with Rick Simpleton twice; once for lunch and another at Simpleton and Fisher.   He was an associate of Wood’s.  When he’d suggested that I write a book, he did tell me he knew someone that could get it published.  It had taken me a few months after he made the suggestion to begin writing.  I wasn’t sure if I had something to say.  I’d heard many times that there was a book in everyone, but I guess I never really considered myself a part of everyone.  Eventually a title came to me.  Once I had the title, it seemed like the story just followed.  I’d only shared this with Jennifer.  It was so personal; so unlikely, and I didn’t want any pressure while I made my attempt at something I had no real knowledge about.  She was excited of course.  So was Wood to learn that I’d taken his advice.  I was hoping that the publisher would let me keep the n...