“Of course,” Angelle said
“The more I see of you, the more I realize that you and Boon are very much alike. He prefers to keep to himself. He’s uncomfortable around groups of people, despite the fact that he’s born and raised here and very familiar with everyone. We very often realize he’s quietly slipped away while no one was paying attention. He’s just not a people person. Until you. After we met you at Tempest’s home, he’s been uncharacteristically anticipating each visit to your family. I even asked him once what made your people okay, and his own not so much. He said, Angelle soothes me. I’ll go through anything to be able to share a little space with her. You’re not just someone he met and decided was his mate. Something inside you speaks to something inside him. And I dare say that something inside him speaks to something in you, otherwise, why would you even force yourself to be here? I guess, I’m just trying to point out that Boon may not be the most romantic, or the best at expressing himself or his emotions. But if you choose him, you’ll be loved and cherished forever. There will never be a purer love.”
Avaleigh, who was sitting nearest to Carolena, reached out and placed her hand on Carolena's. She smiled at her daughter with tears in her eyes. “Don’t let fear stop you from living and experiencing all the wonderful things fate has in store for you.”
~~~
Carnage raised his golf club in the air like a battle maul as he shouted triumphantly.
“You can’t play like that!” Destroy insisted.
“Hah!” Carnage snarled at Destroy, still brandishing his golf club.
“Tell him, Enthrall,” Destroy demanded.
“Well, I would. But there’s nothing that says he can’t use a seven iron on every hole,” Enthrall said.
“That’s not how he’s supposed to do it,” Destroy said.
“Honestly, it’s not how you’re supposed to do it,” Daniel said. “But a seven iron is a golf club, and if he wants to use just his seven iron, who’s he hurting? It works for him.”
“Part of the game is to learn all the finer points. You have to know when to use each club, and how to handle it right,” Destroy explained calmly.
“Since when has Papa ever done what’s expected of him?” Boon asked. He was standing to the side, waiting for his turn. The course they’d set up was small, it only consisted of four ‘holes’. Each time they’d complete the four, they’d pick up the cups and toss them haphazardly to another location, then play that ‘hole’ and try to get the ball into the cup, however the cup landed.
“Never. Not a single time,” Destroy complained.
Carnage completely tuned Destroy out as he watched Enthrall line up a putt and send the ball toward the cup lying on its side about fifteen feet away.
“No!” Enthrall shouted, stomping over to his ball and lining up what would be his last putt of the day. He tapped the ball lightly and it rolled into the cup. “That’s it for me. Your turn, Destroy,” Enthrall said as he scooped up his ball.
“What was your score?” Destroy asked.
“Forty-six,” Enthrall answered.
“I’m at forty-three, so I win,” Destroy said.
“Boon’s at forty-eight, so he’s out. If you can get the ball in before you go over forty-six strokes, you might,” Enthrall said. “But don’t forget that Carnage still has his final turn.”
Destroy walked up to the same spot Enthrall had started from and set his ball down. He started lining up his putt. Satisfied that he had the right angle and striking direction in mind, he pulled back his putter and prepared to tap the ball.
“My fahty-twoooo” Carnage said suddenly and loudly.
Destroy just barely managed to pull back and not hit his ball. He glared at Carnage. “You did that on purpose! Why do you have to try to make me mess up each time I hit the ball?”
Carnage raised his brow and lifted one shoulder in a nonchalant shrug while grinning at Destroy.
“You don’t play fair!” Destroy accused.
“My faiah,” Carnage said, pretending to examine the seven iron he was holding.
“Don’t make a sound!” Destroy insisted, trying to focus on his ball again. He actually managed to tap the ball, but it rolled well past the cup. “Arrggghhhh! That should have gone in!” He strode directly to the ball, picked it up, blew on it, put it back down, and lined up another putt.
Carnage opened his mouth to say anything he happened to think of to mess with Destroy again, but Enthrall caught his eye and shook his head emphatically.
Carnage flattened his lips in irritation, but did as Enthrall asked, not distracting or interrupting Destroy’s concentration.
Destroy tapped the ball, but not hard enough and it stopped halfway between Destroy and the cup it needed to go into. Destroy stepped up to the ball and putted it again. “Damn it!” he exclaimed, when the ball rolled past the cup once more. After three more putts Destroy was fit to be tied as he picked up the ball and manually slammed it into the cup. He picked up the cup, snatched his ball out of it and reared back, throwing the ball as far as he could.
