"No."
Caleb looked at her.
"Mom."
"No."
Joseph laughed.
"I respect that."
Sarah looked at him suspiciously.
"What would he do?"
"Learn."
"Learn what?"
"Mechanics."
Caleb's eyes widened.
Joseph continued.
"He's got good hands. He watches details. He doesn't panic when things go wrong."
Caleb looked down.
Joseph added:
"And he knows how to stand up when he's scared."
Sarah was silent.
Finally she asked:
"What's the catch?"
Joseph smiled.
"There isn't one."
Caleb started working at Callan's Garage the following Monday.
He expected trouble.
Instead, he found family.
The bikers who had terrified half the town were different around Caleb.
One taught him how to rebuild an engine.
Another taught him welding.
Another showed him how to negotiate with suppliers.
Joseph taught him something else.
"Never confuse being fearless with being brave."
Caleb looked up.
"What does that mean?"
Joseph tightened a bolt.
"Fearless people don't feel fear."
He looked at Caleb.
"Brave people do."
Caleb smiled.
"You think I'm brave?"
Joseph laughed.
"Kid, you were terrified in that diner."
"I was."
"I could see it."
Caleb looked down.
"I thought you were going to die."
Joseph nodded.
"And you stayed anyway."
For two weeks, everything seemed normal.
Then Troy Dawson returned.
It happened on a Friday evening.
Caleb was closing the garage.
A black SUV pulled up.
Troy stepped out.
Two men followed him.
Caleb froze.
Troy smiled.
"Look who found himself a motorcycle gang."
Caleb said nothing.
Troy walked closer.
"Feeling important now?"
"No."
"You should."
Troy laughed.
"Because you're about to lose everything."
Caleb frowned.
"What are you talking about?"
Troy pointed at the garage.
"That place."
Then he pointed at Caleb.
"You."
Then he smiled.
"I'm going to make sure everybody knows what kind of person you are."
Caleb shook his head.
"I don't care."
Troy's smile disappeared.
"You should."
He stepped closer.
"You embarrassed me."