Page 54 of Manic

The laughter, the clink of bottles, the low rumble of conversation.

It's all so achingly familiar, yet somehow different.

Changed, just like everything else has in these last fifteen years.

That's when I spot them again.

Now the two men are at the bar, out of place in their crisp suits amidst the sea of leather and denim.

One nurses a whiskey, his posture rigid and alert despite his seemingly relaxed position.

The other leans in close, speaking in low tones.

I nudge Tor, keeping my voice low. "Who are they?"

Tor follows my gaze, his expression darkening slightly. "The Irish," he says, his voice gruff. "Liam Mackenzie and his brother-in-law, Aleksandr Volkov."

My brow furrows. "Irish? What are they doing here?"

Tor takes a long pull from his beer before answering. "Club runs drugs for them now."

The words hit me like a punch to the gut.

Drugs?

The club I remember steered clear of that shit.

But then again, the club I remember is long gone.

"A lot's changed in the last few years," I murmur, more to myself than anyone else.

Tor's hand finds mine under the table, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "We do what we have to," he says softly. "To survive. To thrive."

I nod, not trusting myself to speak.

Part of me wants to rail against it, to demand answers, explanations.

But another part... another part understands.

This world, it's never been black and white.

And survival... well, sometimes survival means making hard choices.

Before I can dwell on it further, a whirlwind of excited energy descends upon our table.

Tindra, Rev, and Dalla, their faces flushed with excitement.

"Mom! Mom!" Tindra exclaims, practically bouncing on her toes. "Can I stay over at Rev and Dalla's tonight? Please? They want to have a sleepover!"

I blink, momentarily thrown by the sudden shift. "I... uh..."

Fern chuckles. "It's fine with me, as long as Meghan's okay with it."

Three pairs of hopeful eyes turn to me.

I hesitate for a moment, old instincts warring with the new reality I'm trying to embrace.

"Please, Mom?" Tindra pleads, her eyes wide and earnest. "It'll be so much fun!"

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