CHAPTERFIFTEEN
Danny
Nighttime isthe worst when it comes to being at the station, since we never know when we’ll get called out. It’s not easy to rest. It’s as if your body is constantly in a state of awareness. I never sleep well when I’m here. It’s late, but I wonder if Hayden’s awake.
D: You awake?
H: Actually I am. I drank too much coffee today, and I’m struggling. You?
D: I never sleep well at night at the station. I’m always on alert. Sorry you can’t sleep.
H: It is what it is. I’m glad you’re awake so that I can talk to you.
D: Same, so what should we talk about?
H: What’s your favorite color?
D: We’re going to go that route huh? Instead of finding out all the boring things on a date, we’re going to do it by text?
H: Why not? When we go on a date, then we can do all the fun things instead.
D: Okay, I’ll bite. I’m a black and grey type of guy. You?
H: Ohhh I can see that. When we talked at the car, ya know when you changed my tire, I told you rose pink was my favorite, but I lied. I like blues and greens.
D: Like the sky and trees?
H: Yeah, I spent a lot of time as a kid outside because of dad’s job. Those colors and images say freedom to me.
D: Most embarrassing moment?
H: Hands down, pool party as an eighth grader. Jumped off the diving board and came up. My bikini top was at the bottom of the pool.
D: Oh shit.
H: Yes! There were boys there too.
D: I’m sure that gave them some spank bank material.
H: LOL! Stop it. Now I’m even more embarrassed. What about yours?
D: In the academy, I put the hose on a tanker backward and blew it up. Don’t ask me how I did it, it’s almost impossible. I didn’t live that down for months.
H: Surprised my dad took you on after that…LOL!
D: Me too honestly. He’s tough.
H: Have you always lived here?”
D: Born and bred. I’ve gone back to Mexico twice with dad to see some of my family there, but for the most part I’ve stayed here. There are times when I wish I went to college, but in the end, I knew it wasn’t for me.
H: I had a great time in college, but I’m glad I came back. I missed it.
D: Do you miss your sister? She lives in Nashville, right?
H: She does, and I do miss her, but we’re only a few hours away from each other. Not a total day drive. It’s easier now than it was when I was away. If I need her, I can go to her, or she can come to me. I worry about her though, living there by herself without me and dad. At the same time I know she deserves to live a life without having to be responsible for others. Since I was little she was like my mom and sorta took on that role.
D: I’m lucky to have Sam and Javier living here. They get on my nerves a lot, but I don’t have to worry about them either. I worry more about my dad.
H: Why? From what I’ve heard he’s in good shape.
D: Because some people in this town still have backward notions of what other ethnicities are like. It’s not as bad as it was when I was a kid, but he’ll still be watched slightly closer in some stores, or they’ll talk to me instead of him. I hate that. Although English is his second language, he speaks it better than some natives.
H: You’re proud of him.
D: Insanely so. He made something out of himself when others said he couldn’t. I wanna make him as proud of me as I am of him.
H: I have absolutely no doubt you can do that Danny, none at all.