Amber Smoke

By Larry Wade Livingston

Amber Smoke is a woman that learns about life from the bottom of existence to one of being successful in her own world. She fights her way up using and being used to accomplish her dreams and desires. She learns how to fight and standup on her own two feet. However, she realizes that everyone needs a friend and someone to watch your back in life. Her entire life is one of walking a narrow line between right and wrong. Her ability to see what is considered morally right, but doesn’t cross the line, is how she goes through life’s changes.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Aug 18, 2022
• ISBN: 9781669843542

Larry Wade Livingston

Larry Wade Livingston was born in Cincinnati, Ohio in the month of November. He grew up traveling state to state only living in cities sometimes for only a few short weeks. His step-dad was an over the road truck driver which allowed him to attend countless schools throughout his entire childhood. Always being the new kid in school he really had no friends. He found that by writing stories it occupied his mind and he could create his own little world. It was a world that he could control and was accepted. I hope you enjoy the stories that Mister Livingston still amuses himself with as an adult. He writes humorous tales to deep complicated ones and covers many subject matters. If you enjoy his tales and downhome style, you can also find other books by Larry Wade Livingston at Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Other books by Larry Wade Livingston The Poetic Storyteller. A book of poems representing the many poetic forms. Three Agendas. A book of three Sci-Fi stories filled with suspense and intrigue. Short Stories from My Heart. A book of Mr. Livingston’s favorite short stories. Sterling Sands. A book of a lawyer’s morality between good and evil. The Protectors. A book of people that are unseen and control part of earth’s survival. The Alignment. A book with many clues throughout to explain the Alignment and its prophecy. A life living fate. A lawyer’s story of making decisions, but were they his alone, or were they predestined? Panadonia. A book about a secret world hidden in the center of earth, until a young boy from earth discovers it’s existence.

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Copyright © 2022 by Larry Wade Livingston.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted

in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying,

recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system,

without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the

product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance

to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Rev. date: 08/17/2022

Xlibris

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DEDICATION

I would like to thank so many people. I have to give thanks first and foremost to Connie Hughes. She was my muse and I’m still sad from her passing. She believed in me when I didn’t. She helped me to develop my writing and my own confidence in writing.

I have to give a special thanks to my mother Goldie Lee Miller and my aunt Ann Parsons. They both were writers in their own ways. It’s sad that their talents were never able to make it to the public to read. I have to give a tremendous thanks to my friends. They always stand by my side and I love them for their support.

I hope my books can bring some emotions to the readers. If through my writings I can have a reader laugh, cry, get angry, feel sad or jump for joy, or even hate it, I’ve accomplished what I intended to do. To connect to the reader is the goal of anyone that writes. I hope I have caused you, the reader, to be moved by any of your many emotions.

Larry Wade Livingston

CHARACTORS

LITTLE KNOWN FACTS

01 An octopus has 3 hearts and 9 brains.

02 A shrimp’s heart is in its head.

03 Orcas (killer whales) are really the largest dolphin.

04 Elephants can’t jump.

05 Ostriches have three stomachs.

06 Some jellyfish never die. They keep regenerating.

07 A fly has two main eyes, but each one contains 3 to 6 thousand simple eyes in them

08 Emmet Dalton of the Dalton Gang was shot 23 times during his last gunfight and miraculously lived.

09 Only half a dolphin’s brain sleeps at a time

10 Fleas can jump 350 times its body length

11 Hummingbirds are the only bird that can fly backwards

12 Slugs have 4 noses

Amber was a sweet little girl born to Glen Smoke and Sarah Calhoun in September, on Labor Day. Amber was the results of a non-loving affair that had taken place at a New Year’s Eve party. I know that description sounds rude and not flattering in anyway. However, those are the facts in this particular case.

Glen Smoke and Sarah Calhoun both were heavily under the influence and one thing led to another. You’ve heard stories about said actions of this type many times. Glen was captain of the football and basketball teams at Rolling Hills High School.

Located far from normal civilization, was the small community of Pleasantville, Alabama. There wasn’t a lot to do there for teenagers. They mostly smoked, drank and had sex. If there had not been satellite service availably, they wouldn’t have even had television for the citizens of Pleasantville to watch.

All the people of Pleasantville attended the one Baptist Church in the city. Once the community discovered that Sarah Calhoun was expecting, the community as a whole shunned her and her family. The Calhoun’s felt they were forced to stop going to church. They slowly became very introverted. They rarely left their home and were quickly renamed as the recluses, by the citizens.

Sarah’s father (Andy) still went to work at the small lumber yard where he worked. But the other workers shied away from him when they could. Her mother (May) only left the home when she had to buy food at the one tiny store that was available.

Sarah had quit school because she could no longer take the on-going verbal abuse from the other students. Glen himself, provided the worst and most hurtful words to her. He denied he had ever had sex with her and could not be the father to her bastard child. Even the teachers treated Sarah with little respect or paid any attention to her dilemma.

She basically hid in her home until it was time to deliver her baby. When the time arrived and she began to experience labor pains. Her parents drove her to Mobile, Alabama. They checked her into Mobile Infirmary Medical Center. After six hours of hard labor, Sarah gave birth to 8-pound, seven once, Amber. Sarah named her daughter Amber May Smoke. May for her mother and Smoke, because that was Amber’s real father’s name.

They returned to Pleasantville the next day. They witnessed their neighbors glaring at them as they drove through the community. An entire year passed and when Labor Day came around again, Amber had her first birthday party. It was only Sarah and her parents, but Amber laughed and enjoyed sticking her hands into the cake.

Glen and his family hated that Sarah named her daughter Amber Smoke. They even hired an expensive attorney to fight to have Sarah legally change Amber’s last name. That took time and money. But when that effort came to its end. It was ruled that Sarah could name her child anything she wished.

After the court’s ruling in Sarah’s favor, the entire community completely ignored the Calhoun’s. Andy was fired from his lumberyard job for being two minutes late on day. The little store that sold groceries on credit to everyone, refused credit to the Calhoun’s after the court’s decision. The last straw was when the school age teenagers began to call Sarah a whore and other derogatory remarks. As much as the Calhoun’s loved Pleasantville, they decided to move to Mobile. It was hard to leave the community where they had been born and raised. Amber had just turned one year old when the Calhoun’s moved to Mobile.

Sarah was a year behind in her school work. She had not returned to school since dropping out shortly after becoming pregnant. Andy got a good job working at Home Depot and May found a job as a cashier at the Safeway store.

Sarah started school two weeks after arriving in Mobile. She enjoyed going back to school and interacting with girls her own age. It was nice for her to be a regular teenager again. One fantastic piece of luck was that the Safeway store had a free nursery for their employees. May took Amber to work with her and the nursery staff watched her for May’s entire shift. That was a blessing that no number of words could ever express.

Everything was going great in Mobile. The move actually turned out to be the best thing in the world for the Calhoun’s family. School let out in early June and Sarah had made up her lessons with hard work and preservation. After the summer passed, September arrived and a big day happened in the Calhoun’s family. Amber turned two and Sarah was starting her senior year in school that same week.

Much to her dismay, the first day returning to high school, she saw Glen Smoke walking in the hallway. She stopped dead in her tracks and a wave of fear spread throughout her body. He didn’t see Sarah as she disappeared into a classroom. She overheard other students in class telling one another that Glen Smoke had transferred to Mobile High from Rolling Hills High School. He was going to be their quarterback for his senior year.

After the lunch break, Sarah reported to her afternoon art class. Her mouth and eyeballs opened as far as possible when she saw that Glen was also in the class. She sat in the back as far behind him as she could. She was hoping that he wouldn’t see her. That strategy failed miserably when the teacher voiced a rollcall. When her name was called, she had to respond. Glen’s head spun around and he stared at her with an evil grin, before turning back around.

After class, Sarah saw Glen talking to a group of boys wearing football jackets. They started to point at her and laughing as they continued walking down the hallway to the boy’s locker room. The next couple of weeks were a nightmare for Sarah. She didn’t know exactly what Glen was telling everyone about her. She only knew it was being accepted by the students because of the way they were treating her.

She had been a cheerleader once, but she was rejected by the girls that voted on who was on the team. She didn’t want to involve her parents. She thought she was old enough to start handling problems on her own. She saw Glen the next morning as he was opening his locker. She approached him and looked straight into his eyes.

Why are you deliberately destroying my reputation? I’m not bothering you or talking about you. I’ve moved on and I leave you completely alone. Please, Glen, stop spreading rumors about me and Amber. I’d appreciate it if you would do that.

Why should I? You tried to destroy my football career. You’re a bitch and deserve everything that comes your way.

I haven’t destroyed your football career, you idiot. I sure as hell could if I wanted to do that.

What more can you do to me? Everyone knows you’re a lair and the town whore.

I tried to work this out peacefully with you. But due to the way you just treated me and said the thing you did. I’m going to remember this day and I will use it to have my pound of flesh. Sarah said as she turned and walked away crying.

Why don’t you die and go to hell, bitch? Glen yelled.

It was a hard year for Sarah. She endured all the name calling and being ignored by the students. Her grades began to slip lower and lower. She barely graduated. Honestly, she was next to last in her class of 125 students.

Sarah was glad that high school was over and done with. She was eighteen and had to get a job. Her grades were no longer good enough to attend college. In fact, her attitude had changed dramatically.

All the teasing and isolation during her senior year had taken a tremendous toll on her mentally. Her self-worth had eroded to the level of being nonexistent. She applied for a job everywhere throughout the Mobile area. The Human Resource Department at each place she applied, rejected her once reading her name.

As if things couldn’t get any worse. A month after graduation, Sarah’s parents were killed in an automobile accident. Sarah was now a single mother and unemployed. Sarah inherited the house and everything else. However, a few days after her parents’ funeral and burial, Child Services came to Sarah’s home.

She learned that if she didn’t have a job or show them means of supporting Amber, they would be forced to place Amber in their system. Sarah’s parents had left a small amount of money in their saving account for her. It was only ten thousand dollars, but it was enough for her to keep Amber with her for a few months.

Her time and money disappeared at the same rate and soon she was facing get a job or lose Amber to Child Services. There was only one place left in town that she hadn’t applied repeatedly for a job. She had her next-door neighbor, Annie Coltrane, watch Amber for her. She drove around the city for hours, before she finally stopped in front of Jugg’s strip club.

She watched the clientele that kept coming and going from the building. She finally exited her car and entered it herself. She walked up to the bar and asked the barmaid for the owner or manager. She pointed to a large man talking to three girls in a corner of the establishment. She approached him and he suddenly turned and they collided face to face.

Watch where the hell you’re going. Who are you and what do you want? he said.

I need a job and I was told you’re the one to ask.

Have you ever stripped before? You’re cute enough and have good tits for the job.

I’ve never stripped or even been in a strip club before two minutes ago.

"You think anybody can do this job, so you’d just show up and go to work. It’s harder than it looks kiddo. You realize you don’t get a paycheck. You live on just the money the men throw at you while you’re stripping and dancing. The house gets a third of whatever money you rake in at the end of every night.

You’re responsibly for your costumes and music. You give Barney your CD and he’ll play it when you’re on stage. Before I hire you, let’s see what you have to offer my customers. Make sure you use the pole for some of your audition. By the way, I’m Joey Stubbs, the owner of this place. What did you say your name was?"

I’m Sarah

Get your ass on stage. Barney, put on Pour a Little Sugar on Me, by Def Leppard.

Sarah walked out onto the stage and stood there shaking. She grabbed the pole for support and looked out over the small daytime crowd of customers. Then the music sounded and it was louder than she had imagined it would have been. It startled her, but the men looking at her began yelling.

Take it off baby. Show me your tits, the men shouted.

Sarah was a good dancer and her mind reverted back to her cheerleader days and those routines. She began to dance and only thought about keeping her daughter with her. She was able to block out the men glaring at her and yelling. Her mind drifted to a far distant world and started undressing.

She didn’t even realize that when the music stopped, she was standing naked on stage with men applauding and whistling. She quickly returned to where she was and the fact, she was naked. However, she didn’t feel embarrassed or dirty. She gathered up several dollar bills and a few twenties that were on the stage’s floor. She picked up her clothes and walked off the stage to the sound of men cheering.

Okay kiddo, you can start tomorrow morning at ten AM. After you build a following and develop a better stage routine, I’ll move you to the nightshift. That’s where the big money is made by the dancers. Joey said.

Thank you, Mr. Stubbs.

Don’t make me regret my decision. Get with B B and work out a list of songs that he has available. You can make up your own playlist when you’ve the time.

Sounds great. Who’s B B?

Barney Brown, the deejay. We just call him B B for short.

Sarah went and met with Barney. They picked five songs that would last through her fifteen-minute time on stage. The girls rotated every fifteen minutes. There are eight girls working the dayshift. Sarah only had to dance once every two hours.

What she was supposed to do during her off-stage time, was to get the men to buy drinks and give them lap dances. Sarah had no problem with getting the men to buy more drinks. However, she wasn’t going to give lap dances, that was more than she was willing to do.

Sarah went home and thanked Annie for watching Amber. She told Annie about her job and that she needed a babysitter from nine AM to seven PM Monday through Friday. Annie being a good friend, accepted the responsibility and agreed to how much Sarah would pay her at the end of each week.

It didn’t take long until word spread all over town that Sarah was stripping at Jugg’s. After a couple of weeks, Glen and a few of his football player friends showed up and sat down in front of the stage.

We want Sarah, we want Sarah, they repeated loudly.

B B started playing Sarah’s music and she slowly walked out onto the stage. Glen and the others started whooping and hollering at her as she started her routine. She was able to block out their insults and behavior. Joey had heard enough as he grabbed Glen by the back of his neck and pushed him towards the door.

You and your friends, get out of my club. Nobody talks or treats my dancers the way you have been. Get out and never come back. If you do, you’ll leave in a lot different way than you are now.

You know who you’re talking too asshole? Glen blurted.

I don’t give a damn if you’re the President of the United States, I’d still be kicking your ass out of my club.

Joey pivoted and waved at the two large bouncers that worked at the club to come over. That was all it took for Glen and his friends to exit in a hurry.

Thank you, Joey. That means a lot to me that you stood up for me. Sarah said.

Sarah was so relieved that she had not taken any clothes off that would have exposed womanly attributes. She felt that Joey realized her situation and that caused him to act as fast as he did. Sarah continued with her dance routine, but she was thinking about Glen and how she hated him.

She finished her shift and headed for home. She was being monitored by child protection services bi-weekly. She was providing a home, daycare, (Annie) and had a job. She wasn’t in debt and had money in the bank.

Even though Sally Whitehead, (Children Services evaluator) didn’t like that Sarah was working at Jugg’s, she was meeting all the requirements to keep custody of her daughter Amber.

Sarah read in the paper that Glen had been drafted by the University of Alabama. He was going to be the captain and starting quarterback for their football team. She was upset about his celebrity status, while she was still considered a whore and the towns disgrace. She held her tongue and told herself his time to pay would come in due time.

The next two years flew by and nothing had changed for Sarah. She still worked at Jugg’s, but Glen had reached the level of having national media coverage. It was rumored that he was leaving college early and entering the NFL draft.

As Sarah was working, she constantly heard men talking how Glen might go in the first round. He would make millions from football and endorsements. Sarah couldn’t deal with him getting all that attention knowing what he had done to her. She thought about it and decided to call ESPN and other media outlets if necessary.

Hello, how may I direct your call? said a female voice over the phone.

Hello, I’m Sarah Calhoun and I’ve got information about Glen Smoke that I’m sure the public would like to know about.

One moment please, I’ll connect you to someone that can help you in that matter.

Hello, Rick Winger here. What can I do for you?

Mr. Winger, I’m Sarah Calhoun. Glen Smoke raped me when we were in high school. I’m raising our child by myself and he’s a dead-beat father. He refuses to acknowledge that my daughter is his child.

Whoa, that’s a very serious accusation young lady. You can’t go around and say things like that without a boatload of facts to prove what you’re saying.

I’m raising our child. What more do you need to support my claim that Glen Raped me and I had his child?

Did you obtain a DNA test or maturity test, to back up what you’re saying?

No, I didn’t need one. I know who my daughter’s father is one-hundred percent.

Where are you calling from?

Mobile Alabama.

I will be in Mobile in two days to look at several players that may get drafted in April. I see your number on the I D log. I’ll call you when I arrive in Mobile. If you’re willing to have your child’s DNA tested and yours as well. I will know if you’re telling the truth. I’ll pay for all the tests and I won’t say anything to anyone until the results are available. Have you called or said anything about this to anyone else in the media?

No, ESPN is the first media outlet I’ve called. Yes, I’m more than willing to have the tests you suggested. I can’t wait to prove what I’m saying to you.

I’ll see you in two days. In the meantime, I will make appointments for your tests so that everything will be ready when we arrive. I can obtain Glens DNA from medical reports that all football players have to go through before they can play. Glen can’t get drafted unless he submits his medical evaluation from a certified sports doctor.

Thank you, Mr. Winger. I’ll see you in two days.

The next two days took forever as far as Sarah was concerned. She was excited about finally getting back at Glen for all the hurtful things he had done to her. Her phone rang and Mr. Winger asked for her address. He arrived at her house and after introducing himself, they departed for the Mobile Health Center.

The phlebotomist drew the samples she needed from Sarah and Amber. Mr. Winger had already obtained Glen’s DNA from his required sports medical examination. He had to submit one in order to be considered eligible for the draft.

By late afternoon, the blood types were correctly evaluated and were compatible with the possibility that the three subjects could have given birth to a child. That in its self didn’t mean that Glen and Sarah were certainly Amber’s parents. Only that their blood types have the blood type of Amber. Their blood type is the same as millions of other men and women. Those couple would have a baby with the same blood type as Amber.

Sarah returned home and dropped Amber off at Annie’s and went to work. Mr. Winger said he would call Sarah once he received the results of their DNA tests.

It was a couple of weeks before Rick at ESPN received the test results. Once seeing that Amber was indeed Glen’s child, he approached his boss and they discussed if they should proceed or not with the story. After some debate they decided that if they sat on the story and it came out in the future. They would have to endure the press exposing them of hiding the story. That would raise the question, what else were they hiding and were they paid to keep the story under wraps?

Mr. Winger decided to ask Glen in private, was it true what Sarah had told him. He wanted to see if Glen would lie to him or tell him the truth that Amber was his daughter. Rick went to the stadium and sat in the bleachers. He watched Glen and others go through their practice drills. He was still there as an agent to see who the draft might be interested in voting for.

When practice concluded, Rick motioned for Glen to come over and talk to him. Glen knew who Rick Winger was, from his highlight show on ESPN. He ran over and shook his hand firmly.

Hello, Mr. Winger, I’m a big fan of yours. Glen said.

Nice to meet you too, Glen. I wanted to talk to you away from everyone else. I have come into some information that needs to be sorted out before the draft. Do you know Sarah Calhoun and Amber Smoke?

What the hell did that lying bitch say now? She’s done nothing but try and destroy me since high school. She’s been spreading these lies about me being her daughter’s father and that I raped her. It’s all bullshit Mr. Winger. The truth is she had the hots for me in high school and I shut her down and told her to leave me alone. That’s the honest reason she spreads these lies about me.

"Are you sure that’s