Saving Toby Read Online Free PDF Page A

scrambled to reply. “I guess. But I’m glad I can
help your mom. She’s really sweet.”
    “Yeah. She is.” He nodded. “So, what have you been up to?
Going to college?”
    “Yes, I’m at Stony Brook right now,” I said. “But I just
applied to transfer.”
    “Not happy over at the Brook?”
    “SBU is great, but I’d like to try someplace new,” I said.
    He opened his mouth to reply, but we were startled by a loud bang at the front of the house, followed by the crashing sound of the
front door opening and slamming against the wall.
    “Yo, Faye. Where you at?” The loud booming voice seemed to
shake the house.
    “Shit.” Toby’s eyes widened, and he bolted out of the
kitchen. I followed.
    “Hey, man.” A big stocky guy with blond hair was leaning up
against the door. He looked like he’d been drinking.
    “Dev, man, you can’t come crashing into my house like that.”
Toby’s voice was low and serious. “Julia is resting.”
    “Oh, sorry,” he snorted. “Are you ready?”
    Toby shook his head. “I didn’t even have a chance to eat or
change out of my work clothes yet.”
    “Hey, who we got here?” The big guy saw me standing in the
kitchen doorway.
    I ducked back into the kitchen without replying.
    “Leave her alone,” I heard Toby tell him. “She works here.”
    “What kind of work is she doing for you?” I heard him snicker.
“You dog.”
    Scrubbing finished, I started to put the food back into the
refrigerator, trying not to listen to them mumble to each other. The door
opened and shut. Toby reappeared in the kitchen.
    “That was Devlin. He’s a little crazy, but he’s okay.”
    He seemed to want to talk more, but I had finished with the
refrigerator and closed the door.
    “I’m going to check on your mother,” I said, using the
excuse to escape the kitchen. That was the most I’d ever spoken to Toby. Though
he seemed nice enough, his friend Devlin was a reminder that we didn’t have
much in common socially.
    I ignored Toby’s presence in the house as I concentrated on
getting Mrs. Faye settled into a large easy chair in her bedroom and served her
dinner. I would be glad when he was out of the house and I could spend the rest
of my shift with her only.
    We talked as she ate, but soon rowdy voices and the distinct
pungent odor of marijuana wafted up through the narrowly open bedroom window
overlooking the backyard. I glanced out and saw Devlin and another questionable
looking guy sitting on the outdoor table set. They were passing a joint and
joking around, some of their crude comments loud enough for me to hear.
    “Oh, dear,” Mrs. Faye frowned. “ Smells like Toby’s
old high school friends are here.”
    I didn’t respond, instead straightened the pill bottle
collection on her night table.
    Toby came into the room. His hair was wet, and he had
changed out of his work clothes into loose-fitting jeans and a tee shirt. With
a slight swagger in his step, he smiled at me as he passed by. His cologne
mingled with the smell of shampoo and tickled my nose.
    I hadn’t quite reconciled this new version of Toby with the
boy I remembered. The way he held himself, his shoulders back and chest out, he
appeared to be much more self-assured. No doubt, many girls found him
appealing, but honestly, if I hadn’t been so startled by his transformation, I
wouldn’t have given him a second look. He had street attitude written all over him.
    “Hey, Mama Bear,” he said, running his hand over her
shoulder. “You’re not ready? I thought we were going out dancing tonight.”
    “Don’t be ridiculous.” The laughter in her voice belied her
frown.
    “You better watch this one.” He motioned to me. “She has a
big appetite. She cleaned out our refrigerator.”
    Corny, but I couldn’t help smiling.
    “Claudia, honey, you’re welcome to whatever you want when
you’re here,” Mrs. Faye reassured me, oblivious to the teasing.
    “Am I included in that whatever?” He winked at