Logan's Story: A Sand & Clay Prequel Read Free Page A

 
    He sighed quietly to himself as he went to join them at the table and pushed those thoughts out of his mind. He really wanted to stop having these pity parties, but over the last few days it had been a very tempting rut to hide in.  His nerves were on turbo drive due to tonight’s gig at McGinny’s Bar.  
    “Logan? Your hand, son?”  His mother asked him and he blinked back to attention. She was sitting beside him, holding out her hand to him.  His father was as well since they were preparing to say grace.  He quickly took both of their hands and bowed his head.
    “Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for the food our boy has prepared for us tonight and pray that you watch over him tonight during his audition.  We pray you bring healing to my wife and thank you for all you have done for our family.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.”  Mickey spoke solemnly, his eyes closed and his head down.  Logan and his mother echoed their amens and then picked up their forks, hungrily devouring their food.  
    It wasn’t an audition tonight, but Logan didn’t bother to correct his father.  They didn’t understand his love of music and all the time that he put into it, but they were supportive anyway. His family was Irish Catholic and adhered to a strict way of life.  Even with all their values and beliefs, the trio were bonded with such strong love and nothing was ever going to change that.
    “You sure you want to go out tonight, Logan?  You look so tired.”  His mother glanced up at him with her big, round eyes full of concern.  
    “Don’t worry about me, momma.  I’m fine. Hell, I’m excited!” Logan grabbed his mother’s hand and squeezed it lovingly.
    “Watch your mouth around your mother.”  Mickey grunted at his son as he shoveled a piece of bread into his mouth.  
    “Sorry, momma.” Logan immediately corrected himself, knowing to never curse in front of his mother.  His father had always been traditional with his rules, but his mother just rolled her eyes and smacked his shoulder softly.
    “I’m not a porcelain doll, Mickey.  Logan’s all grown up.”  She turned to her son, motherly pride beaming through her glimmering blue eyes that she had passed down to Logan.   
    Logan grinned back at her and then ducked his head down to scoop another forkful of pasta into his mouth.  His dad glared between the two of them, grumbling beneath his breath.  Mickey was perpetually angry, but in truth, it was just a rough exterior.  He was a teddy bear inside with a gruff outer shell that liked to stomp around and be irritated even when he wasn’t. Although in truth, he was angry at his life, so maybe his gruff persona was based on an internal struggle.  Logan always wondered about this, but hoped his father wasn’t as unhappy as he appeared.
     
    ~*~*~*~*~*~
     
    When Logan got to McGinny’s, he realized that he was the first in the band to arrive.  Since he was waiting on Rock and Charlie to bring the van, he camped out at the bar and decided to order a drink to soothe his nerves first.  They had never had a scout coming to see them before and he knew that tonight could change his life.  He didn’t want to sound melodramatic or over think things, but he knew in the back of his mind, he couldn’t screw this up.  He wanted to be famous and live out the dreams of a musician, but more than any of that, his family needed him to succeed. His mother needed him to succeed.
    “Seriously? An Irish man drinking a Guinness?  Wow, you’re a real rebel, huh?”  Logan turned his head to see the owner of the sultry voice that was simultaneously dripping with sarcasm. A tall, thin rail of a woman was staring back at him with emerald green eyes squinting at him while she leaned against the bar, supporting all of her weight on one leg and sticking out her hip.  Her hand was propped on her hip in an aggressive manner, yet somehow she still came across very nonthreatening; which was strange, because everything