Strong Enough

by Teresa Hill

  Making my way back to my table for round two, I could hear an all too familiar tune start to play in the background. One thing I loved about this old pool hall was the fact that Danny kept it simple. The Jukebox was not ancient but it sure wasn’t as high tech as those I have seen in other places. The simple box played some of the best rock and country that I grew up on. As the music played I found myself swaying to the tune and singing along as Tim McGraw’s My Best Friend floated around me taking me to an all too familiar place. I taught myself how to play guitar when I was 14. My mom had always been very musically inclined and well, I guess some things just run in the family. I remember singing when I was just a young girl too. Dad used to parade me around, looking for opportunities to have me sing in public. Never did phase me, I would just open my mouth and let my voice run. Didn’t matter the place or the audience, singing soothed me, made me feel accepted. Learning to play the guitar was something I used to keep myself busy when I wasn’t in the pool hall and like most things I did after he passed. It reminded me of my dad. Sitting on my bedroom floor with my mom’s old acoustic Fender, I learned the chords, then learned how to listen for them and how to strum and pic and the next thing you know, I was playing.

  “Can I have this dance?”

  Startled by the question and the hand on my shoulder I turned to see Danny standing there with his large toothy grin. He has always been a sucker for slow dancing and he takes the opportunity every chance he gets. Who could deny such a sweet man a dance? I smiled and placed my left hand on his shoulder and my right hand lightly in his outstretched hand. Dad liked Danny for many reasons. They were soldier brothers, roommates back in the day and Danny was his best man at Dad and Mom’s wedding. But I knew my dad liked him because he knew he was the one person he could trust with his most prized possessions, one of them being me. Acting like a second dad, Danny was my safe haven. He was where I went when the first boy broke my heart and in true Danny fashion and probably the same as my dad, Danny was ready to find him and tie his boy parts in a bow. First kiss, yeah most girls would tell their mom, nope… Danny. First date, yeah, Danny was there to meet him and scare him. Rifle broken down and being cleaned as Cameron came to the front door. Now that was a sight Dad would have been proud of. It was effective too. Cameron didn’t come within two feet of me all night long in fear that Danny would find out. Yeah, Danny has been there a lot when I needed him, and I have no doubt he will be there when I need him again.

  I rested my head on his right shoulder as the song continued to play and softly sang the next verse:

  You stand by me and you believe in me

  Like nobody ever has

  When my world goes crazy, you’re right

  To save me, You make me see how much I have

  “Why don’t you sing anymore Reece? You were always center stage and enjoying yourself. I haven’t seen that light in a long time hun, and well, I miss it. You have such a talent both with how you sing and how you play guitar. I really think you’re missing your calling. Your mom always…… Never mind.” He stopped and stood there looking down at me from his 6’2” large build.

  Sudden irritation and anger filled me. “What Danny, what were you going to say about my mom? What, she always had a beautiful voice? She always lit up a room when she sang? What Danny?”

  I continued, “Well we both know she isn’t like, hell she is barely worth anything anymore. There is no light, there is no voice and there sure as hell isn’t what I know to be anything left of my mom.” Shot out of my mouth with pure anger. I dropped my hands to my side and turned away. If there is one thing Danny knows about me, it’s never to bring up my mom. There is nothing left of her and what is left is worthless.

  Walking away I could hear Danny call after me. Not loudly but loud enough he knew I heard him. But in true Reece fashion, when I don’t want to deal with something, I just walk away, and that’s what I was doing.

  Stepping up to my table, the rack was already placed, and I grabbed my breaking cue and without much hesitation popped the cue ball so hard into the setup I flinched to make sure balls weren’t flying off the table.

  Apparently my excessive use of force on this rack was a good thing. I dropped three of the nine balls on the table. Gliding around the table, it took little effort to eye my shots and with ease hit one right after another right after another into the pockets until I was left with the 9. Pausing to look at my opponent, I could tell he was in shock that he had not even had an opportunity to shoot. Well hell, what was I supposed to do? Couldn’t give him the last shot, I would have done all the work and left it for him to win, after all it is the race to the 9 ball. With a slight shrug of the shoulders I offered a sincere I’m sorry I just dropped your ass before you could leave your seat look at him and took the shot landing the 9 in the pocket with ease. Standing and walking over to me, my opponent shook his head with a smile on his face and reached out his hand. “Good job Reece. Even if I didn’t get to shoot I am glad I lost to you,” he said and just walked away. Huh, why can’t they all be that nice? I thought to myself as I watched with a little bit of amazement that he was not upset. I mean look at what had just happened with my last opponent.

  The night continued on in a similar fashion. I had a few good opponents that put a good effort forward, but truth be told, this was not much competition for me. One by one, ended each round as a winner. By the tenth and final round it was obvious I would be victorious, but of course we played the game out. It was ironic to me that my final opponent was another chick. She definitely had skill. Being as I won the table, I passed to her to break. The game wasn’t easy but it wasn’t what I would call difficult either. Eight ball pocketed, game over, she gave me a polite handshake and turned on her heels and headed out. At this point it was now almost 2:00 am, and I am exhausted.

  Picking up my cell phone I sent a quick text to Adam:

  Me: Hey you

  Adam: Hey back at you, finally done?

  Me: Yup, just finished up, I won…

  Adam: Did you think you wouldn’t?

  Me: Well you never know… but… nah I knew I would win!

  Adam: Ha, that’s my girl, always humble in her actions… LOL

  Me: Hey, watch it, I resemble that remark. LOL

  Me: So just wanted to let you know I was heading out soon and to make sure we are still set for tomorrow morning? Pick me up at 8am. I am soooo wanting French toast it’s not funny!

  Adam: Your house, 8am, French toast got it. So everything else goes alright tonight?

  Me: Um yah, it was fine.

  Adam: Be careful going home. I hate that I am not with you. Txt and let me know your home

  Me: I will, wish you were here too! Night Adam!

  I slid my cell in my back right pocket and looked around to see if I could find Jodi. Good lord where is that girl? If she left with that guy I am going to have to hit her over her pretty blond head. She knows not to leave without me….eerrr where is she? Frustrated I continued to search across the bar. Being as there were only fifteen people left in the bar, there wasn’t much searching to do. She is nowhere to be found.

  “Hey Danny, have you seen Jodi?” I asked as I plopped down on the red leather bar stool in front of the cash register sitting on the bar. “She knows better than to leave without saying bye,” I said with a bit of a pout.

  As he lifted the individual liquor bottles from the bar well and placed them one at a time on the scale for weight, he glanced up. “Ha, Jodi has a mind of her own and when it’s focused on a guy has she ever done what she knows she supposed to? Sorry kiddo, she left about an hour ago with some tall guy. You were playing the last game when I saw her sneak out.”

  “Crap” escaped me as I spun around and planted both feet firmly on the dirty linoleum floor.

  “Well I guess I’m driving home by myself. Night Danny thanks again for tonight. See yah later today.”

  Heading toward the back exit which was closer to my car I heard Danny yell out to be care
ful and text when I got home. Knowing I would do as I was asked I flung my left hand up in the air with a swift wave and headed toward the back door. Stopping only to grab my black pea coat off the hook next to the tall table. Reaching my arms in and through my jacket, I buttoned up and slung my cue bag over my shoulder as usual and felt my pockets for my keys and cell. After confirmation I had everything, turning I headed for the back door.

  Chapter 3

  Opening the heavy metal door and stepping out into the alcove, a cold blast of air hit me in the face causing me to retreat a bit. Taking the collar of my jacket, I lifted it up a bit to cover more of my neck and stuffed my hands back in my jacket pockets. For the time of year, the weather was colder than normal and rainy. I’m just thankful that snow has not fallen. Always seems our Texas weather acts up before Easter and we end up with snow.

  The backdoor shut behind me with a thud startling me a little. This alley always gives me the creeps, but yet I park down here every time. It makes it easier to get to my car and typically means I don’t have to mess with the drunken idiots in the front of the bar. Cat calls at 2:30 am when you are stone cold sober coming from overly sexed guys, although it seems flattering, it really is super annoying.

  The dark red brick of the building lends for little visibility as I peered down the alleyway from the doorway. My car is parked just up the alley and to the left in the back parking lot. I’ve walked this path so many times it normally doesn’t faze me. However, with all the events that have happened tonight, there is something that has me a little on edge. There is an eeriness in the air and my internal “oh shit” meter keeps going off.

  Sticking close to the side of the building, I clung to my cell phone and keys in my pocket. As I continued to walk forward, I looked back over my left shoulder down the other end of the alley to see nothing there. Releasing a brief sigh of relief I moved to turn to face forward when I as met with, him. Breath hitching and my heart coming to a complete stop I struggled to breathe in, causing me to stumble a bit.

  “Whoa there girl, don’t want you to fall and hurt yourself,” he said with a chuckle as his eyes showed no laughter and his hands braced my upper arms.

  “You scared me, what were you trying to do give me a heart attack?” I said as I pushed out of his firm grasp. “You didn’t need to sneak up on me.”

  Looking at me with disdain, he shifted in front of me as I tried to step around him. “Where you off to so quickly there Reece? I’m just trying to talk to you.” His hand reached up and pushed the section of long auburn hair off my shoulder and moved to caress my left cheek with the back of his index finger.

  Moving my head away from his touch I backed up just a bit. He was looking at me with a hunger that definitely had me afraid. Damn I wish I had that pepper spray that Danny had given me for Christmas, a lot of good it’s doing in my car right now. “So, um, I don’t even know your name, through all that in there I don’t think we ever introduced ourselves. You obviously know my name is Reece. You are?” Befriend the enemy, which has to be a rule or something right?

  “Little late for names don’t you think?” He said with a hush stepping toward me again. “You didn’t care to give me much time in there. You were pretty quick to make and pass judgment on me let alone ask my name. So why do you want to know it now?” His eyes narrowed on me as the words left his lips and the question settled in the air.

  “I’m sorry about inside, look I wasn’t trying to be a bitch or hustle you, I get serious when I play and well, tournaments are serious business to me.” Look sincere Reece, make him believe you are being sincere.

  “Ahh,” he chuckled. “You were being a bitch, a pretty big one. Wouldn’t give me the time of day and then your man boy shows up and man handles me in front of my brothers, and I swear I saw you smiling as he did it. Then to top it off you feel the need to kick my ass in the last game by cheating, so sorry Reece but your attempt not to be a bitch failed, and pretty drastically,” he said as he tilted his head and looked down at me, but this time I saw anger, pure anger.

  I have stepped back enough that I was now bracing myself with my right hand against the cold and wet bricks of the building. The moisture in the air caused the bricks to be a bit slippery and my nails dug into the hardened mortar around them trying to balance myself as he continues to advance on me. My eyes dart around looking for a way out or even someone to come to my aide. The parking lot is a few feet ahead and to the right. It had only a few cars in it, one of them being mine. My eyes moved to my car and suddenly I saw four guys standing between my car and what I would guess would be their truck. Oh shit, this is not good. Making a run to my car would put me right in their path. I looked hard to see if I recognized them. SHIT! Yep I recognized the guys; all four of them were his frat brothers, same ones from the bar. Their tan colored Ford F250 sat blocking in my black two door Honda Accord. From where I could see I didn’t have a way out.

  “Guess you saw my brothers over there from the look on your face. See, they aren’t quite happy with you either. Making a fool out of a brother in public is something we take seriously,” he finished. “I didn’t try and make a fool out of you, you were being rude to me and that’s why Adam stepped in. As for the game, I won it fair and square, and I’m sorry if you don’t understand that.” With those words I spun on my heels to walk the other direction and back into the bar.

  A firm grip on my upper right arm stopped me in my tracks. His grip tightened causing me to wince in pain. Opening my mouth to yell, his hand clasped down on my mouth as his fingers dug into my cheek while he pushed backwards. SMACK! Right into the brick. My head is spinning from the pain, and my eyes are closed tightly. Jesus Christ that hurt. I open my eyes and try to focus on his face. I can feel the warmth of the blood trickling down my skull and my neck. It is an effort to keep focused. His face is blurring in and out. His lips are moving, but I can’t hear what he is saying. He is getting angrier I can see it in his eyes.

  “….are, fucking bitch, you think you can just turn and walk away from me? You think I’m not worth your time? Where is your protector now you fucking bit…” He said with an eerie calmness as he slammed me back into the brick wall. My head bounced off the brick again. The back of my head is throbbing, and I can’t focus as my vision is blurred. I tried to gather my thoughts to talk to him, hoping that I could somehow calm him down. My attempt was futile as I opened my mouth and nothing came out.

  With my eyes, I looked at him with a plea for him to stop. His gaze changed from anger to lust. The whites of his eyes grew smaller as the green of his eyes grew bigger. His grip on my arms lifted just a bit, as he now had me pressed firmly into the wall. I could smell his whiskey breath as he leaned closer to me. He drew a long sniff of my perfume from the base of my neck up to my ear. Pausing he pushed in closer to me. “You smell good enough to eat” was all I heard before his lips were on my neck. I pulled my head further away from him as he attempted to kiss up and down me in a feverish way. My stomach was starting to turn in disgust. My chance was now. As his face was still pressed to my neck, I lifted my right knee and swung forward trying to connect with his manhood. His hand landed right at the end of my knee knocking it down.

  “Apparently you don’t seem to realize I am more aware of you than you think.” POP! My body shook and I began to slide. What just happened. My knees began to give. Two extra sets of hands grabbed me before I hit the ground.

  “Dude, what are you going to do now? She can’t even stand. Bro, you punched her like a dude that was awesome.”

  “Holy Shit, what do we do with her now, if we leave her here someone will see us.” It was all muffled although they are standing right here. I’m attempting to open my eyes, but the swelling has already set in.

  Using all the force I have I pushed outward with both arms trying to break free. A fist connects with my stomach and causes me to hunch over then another punch to the same spot. I gasp for breath as the cold wet wind burns my lungs. My knees connect with the groun
d, and I am being held up underneath my arms. Each breath I take causes me to wince from the pain and all I can see is darkness, and it seems so calming.

  Cold leather pressed against my skin is beneath me now. I don’t know for sure where I am. Still barely able to move, I can tell I am about to lose consciousness again. The seat shifts to the left of me and then to the right all around my body. I feel heaviness over me almost like darkness is hanging over me and pressing down on my chest. I attempt to breathe when I catch a whiff of his cologne. I can pick out the lemon and lavender mixed with citrus. I know this smell, but where do I know this smell? The touch of a hand on my thigh pulls me back to the present. A hand is running up and down my thigh and curving over to my hip. “Mmmmm do you know how fucking hot you are?” Broke the silence. His voice deep and one I don’t recognize. “I watched you all night, bending over that table with your ass in the air teasing me. You knew what you were doing. You knew you were making me hard.” His voice full of lust and demand. I attempted to speak but his hand quickly covered my mouth. Unable to open my eyes, I was still helpless, hopeless, defenseless. His free hand traveled up my left arm and back down across my t-shirt. Somehow I lost my jacket. It just registered with me how cold I was. I’m not sure if it’s from the weather or from the chills I am getting from the groping going on. His hand rests on the button to my jeans and the bottom of my t-shirt. I can feel him playing with the button but not trying hard to unbutton it. Wish I was wearing button fly jeans right now. “You don’t have to worry sweetheart, I am going to make you feel so good.” Hearing these words increased the panic. I attempted to scream but his hand still covered my mouth and was clenching down so hard I could feel his fingers digging into the skin of my cheeks. I could tell he was gritting his teeth as I heard his breath passing his lips with force. As his hand slides down the top of my jeans and pry’s its way between my legs, my thoughts drift.