Hard Love

By Michael P. Senadenos

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

Philippians 4:13, NKJV

In a tale woven with love, faith, and resilience, Papa's world is forever altered when Travis, a charismatic yet mysterious man, enters t

• Language: English
• Publisher: CITIOFBOOKS, INC.
• Release date: Jul 28, 2023
• ISBN: 9781960952448

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Copyright © 2023 by Michael Senadenos

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without prior written permission of the copyright owner and the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher, addressed Attention: Permissions Coordinator, at the address below.

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Ordering Information:

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Printed in the United States of America.

Library of Congress Control Number: 2023910604

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13 NKJV).

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Michael Senadenos is a first-time author. He has worked as a self-employed accountant for over thirty years. But his greatest passion has always been playing and coaching basketball, where his greatest joy is mentoring young athletes. He has organized and directed youth basketball camps for over 20 years. He resides in Northern CA along with his wife, four children, and eight grandchildren.

Table Of Contents

Prologue 

CHAPTER 1

The Green-Eye Club 

CHAPTER 2

The Big Fish 

CHAPTER 3

The Team Dinner 

CHAPTER 4

Second Chances 

CHAPTER 5

Graduation 

CHAPTER 6

Fate 

CHAPTER 7

The Meeting 

CHAPTER 8

The Eye Of The Storm 

CHAPTER 9

The Encounter 

CHAPTER 10

The Dance 

CHAPTER 11

Rise Up 

CHAPTER 12

Peer Pressure 

CHAPTER 13

Hard Love 

CHAPTER 14

Look Up Child 

CHAPTER 15

Redemption 

CHAPTER 16

You Say 

CHAPTER 17

Love Broke Thru 

EPILOGUE

Grace Got You 

PROLOGUE

Papa’s heart was pounding, and his breath was heavy. He could hear shouting from the other side of the door as well as loud slapping sounds. His pulse raced as he listened to the chilling shrills from the terrified girls inside. The rain on his brow dripped slowly down his face. He reached for the doorknob and quickly realized it had been locked.

The house was small, and the front door would lead directly into the living room of the house. The frantic girls could be heard from just inside. To the right of the door, the large picture glass window shed only a single light from within. Trying to remain calm, Papa frantically glanced about as if begging for a miracle. He could see Ms. Moran across the yard on the opposite side of the street. His fists were clenched, and his muscles tightened. He drew a deep breath and took two steps backward away from directly in front of the door. The agonizing screams from within grew louder. He looks to the sky, praying softly, Please, Lord, let your will be done.

Then, as the adrenaline reached the outer edges of his body, he charged the door, leading with his left shoulder. The door burst open as his two hundred twenty-pound frame collided with its wooden shell. Startled faces about the room turned to him as he tumbled head over heels through the shattered doorway.

When Papa came to his feet, he stumbled forward, wrapping his arms around the one called Stitch, a short stumpy man with a long scar down his left cheek. As Stitch was momentarily mesmerized by the sudden entrance, Papa whirled him around one hundred eighty degrees just as the one called Julio, the tall thin Mexican, pulled the trigger to a 12-gauge shotgun. The exploding bullet tore into the back of Stitch’s burly rib cage, bolting him further into Papa’s tight grip. The blast from the shotgun caused Julio to fall backward into the end table at the backside of the room. The gun flew from his hands as the lamp from the end table tipped over, shattering a light bulb into the side of his head, knocking Julio into a daze. The ashtray that was on the end table fell to the ground, flinging a lit cigarette to the carpet. Papa loosened his arms as Stitch crumbled lifeless to the carpet. And as the cigarette began to smolder, yet a third man named Victor, donning a Hell’s Angel’s leather jacket and a heavy beard, charged at Papa wielding a long knife.

Destiny and Kari, in unison, screamed out, Papa, watch out. Papa stepped to the side, letting the momentum of Victor’s wild charge carry him into the wall behind them. As the wall did not yield to the pressure of Victor’s body slamming against it, the long knife bent back in his hand and sliced through his abdomen. Victor instantly dropped to the floor, blood pouring out from his body. The smoldering cigarette had now turned into a small flame. The horrified girls watched with intensity as yet another man appeared from the hallway to the left of the room. This man, known as Razor, approached Papa very slowly, very intentionally. This man was much bigger than the others as his sleeveless shirt displayed two thick, powerful arms, each covered with various tattoos depicting skulls. His eyes appeared crossed, and his nose bent as if it had once or twice been broken.

At that moment, as Razor moved closer and closer, Papa took his first deep breath since having crashed through the door. He glanced quickly about the dark, dingy room as the lighting had been dimmed when the one and only lamp in the room had been knocked out. The area was partially illuminated by the small but growing fire. On the far-left side of the room, Stitch lay near Papa’s feet, dripping blood past the back of his head. Across the floor, Julio was on the floor motionless. The two girls were tied back to back in chairs at the far center of the room. They looked at Papa with anxious eyes, crying his name, yelling for him to help. Their father, Travis, bleeding and unconscious, was tied to a chair in the middle of the floor. His eyes were swollen shut. There were lacerations all about his face and neck. The clothes on his back were bloodied and torn.

Razor inched closer. His eyes were full of madness as his nostrils flared with rage. Papa began to move towards him. Neither he nor Razor bore any weapons other than their own bodies and minds. Both were sizing each other as they circled a couple of steps until Papa’s back was to the picture glass window. Razor then threw a tremendous right hook to the side of Papa’s head, catching him by surprise and sending him back to the floor just in front of the big window. Stunned, Papa quickly regained his feet. And as they came closer together again, for the second time, Papa muttered, please, Lord, let your will be done. At that moment, Razor unleashed a thundering left hook. But this time, Papa was ready. He ducked underneath the wild swing at the same time, grabbing Razor by the arm and whirling him around and letting go just as Razor’s face and body met with the picture glass window. With little resistance, the big, heavy body of Razor broke through the glass. He fell to the floor of the porch on the opposite side. Fragments from the glass diced into his face and body as blood covered him within moments. It was then Papa noticed the lights flashing from police cars and emergency vehicles that were arriving on the scene in front of the small house. Papa leaned over, holding his knees as he gasped to regain his breath. The fire from the smoldering cigarette was spreading throughout the room.

Destiny and her sister looked on. Papa, hurry, the fire, she cried. Papa glanced over at her and Kari. Taking a final deep breath, he stumbled towards them. When he reached their side, he immediately began untying the ropes that bound them.

You two okay? he asked, still panting heavily.

Yes, responded Kari, but I don’t know about my Dad.

Papa, Destiny, and Kari glanced over at Travis while Papa continued to loosen the ropes frantically. Travis’s slumping head was bleeding noticeably as the bruises and welts about his face and neck continued to swell. Papa then turned his attention back to the girls and the ropes.

Destiny, as soon as I get these ropes off, you and Kari get out of here.

What about Dad? asked Kari.

Don’t worry about him, snapped Papa, just get yourselves out of here!

And as the ropes dropped to the floor freeing the two girls, Papa gently nudged them towards the shattered doorway. They moved swiftly to exit as Papa went to Travis and started untying the rope twined about his body. Destiny