Why did she leave? She never left before. Oh God, the poor kids!
Danny opened his eyes and looked around. The kitchen was an absolute disaster as cabinets doors had been torn from their hinges. Glass littered the floor as well as bloody footprints, which Danny realized were his own. He tried to clean them up with a throw pillow, but he was so drunk that he could barely stay level. He rocked too far to the side and fell slamming his head on the corner of the table and everything went black.
***
That was years ago, Dan. Focus on the good.
Danny let the steam fill his nostrils as he went in for a sip of his coffee. Just as quickly as he had fallen into a stupor, a whining horn pulled him from his thoughts. He jolted, making the hot coffee spill onto his crotch.
"Son of a bitch," Danny muttered to himself as he set the coffee down.
A minivan had stopped abruptly on the roundabout in front of him, causing the steady traffic to build behind it. The cart’s small motor whined forward. Danny steered the cart down the curb cutting the van off. The woman was texting, while the side door of the van slid open just as the cart screeched to a stop.
"Seriously?" Danny muttered to himself.
He stepped out from the cart and marched over the side door. The woman was ushering her child out, but the young boy stood frozen looking up at the towering officer. The cacophony of horns nearly drowned out the woman's yelling. Danny knocked on the passenger window until the woman finally looked at him.
"Ma'am, you cannot stop here!" Danny yelled.
The woman raised her hands in confusion. Her son yelled at her, and she yelled back at him. The horns grew louder, and the tension grew with it. Danny could feel the blood start to heat in his body. He tapped on the glass harder now.
"Ma'am, you can’t stop here! Now, move it!"
His blood was boiling now as he pointed violently down the road. She yelled at her son, who shut the door. The van moved around the cart, and the woman waved at Danny with a friendly smile that Danny knew was an insult. Almost like he would always be a lesser being.
Yeah, well screw you, too.
The traffic began to flow again, and Danny took another deep breath. He let the blood boil down in his veins before he walked back to his cart.
Just one drink would turn the tide. Maybe I would even be happy to deal with stupid shit like this.
Danny quickly let the thoughts slip through his mind like sand between his fingers. Those thoughts had only gotten stronger, but the fear of going down a road like that again wouldn't end well for Danny Etter.
His radio headset that was clipped to his chest pocket started to beep.
"39 Sam 7," a woman said over the radio.
Danny clicked his headset, "This is 39 Sam 7, send it."
"A veteran called the station to open the center."
"Is it Eric?"
The woman laughed. "That’s affirmative."
Danny sighed as he clicked the headset. "10-4, en route."
He took a deep breath releasing his headset as he started the cart once more. A woman in a ridiculously expensive car drove past nearly hitting Danny's cart. She smiled and waved as the blood began to boil yet again inside Danny's veins.
The golf cart kept a brisk pace as Danny weaved in between students. Rarely would any of them look up from their phones, which made them just mobile obstacles at best.
Damn millennials.
A young man was walking along as Danny rode up behind him. He was awkwardly skinny with square rimmed glasses that gave him a nerdy, but slightly mature appearance. Danny watched the young man's thumbs twiddle on the small screen in his hands. He was glad he grew up in the time that he did. Everything seemed like it was so dull and unfulfilling nowadays.
"They won’t look up from their screens long enough to notice what is happening," Danny muttered to himself.
Orwell might have not said it, but it has its merit.
The horn erupted from the golf cart, and the kid jumped nearly tripping over his own feet. His phone flew out of his hand, landing on the grass, still glazed with dew.
"What the f—" his face immediately turned into a smile. "Mr. Etter," he sighed, reaching down to pick up his phone. "Nearly crapped myself there."
Danny leaned on the steering wheel, smiling. "You should probably buy some brown pants, if you are gonna be sucked into that phone of yours."
The boy readjusted his glasses as he cleaned off his phone. "Hindsight is twenty-twenty, I guess."
"That’s what people say when they stare at their feet and not the road called life." Danny laughed as he shifted to the left side of the cart. "Come on. Hop in, Kev. I'll give you a ride."
Kevin pushed his glasses up and smiled even more. "Thank you. I thought I was going to be a little late to class. Lately, I haven’t really been sleeping too well. Didn’t even hear my alarm this morning." He jumped in and got comfortable.
Danny hit the accelerator, and the electric engine whined the cart forward. "Maybe you should put the phone down every now and again. God forbid if you let your brain take a break for a second."
"I guess," Kevin said, shrugging it off. "At least I won’t be late today."
"Well, you’re still late if you show up right on time." Danny looked back at Kevin, who was rolling his eyes. He laughed as he turned the wheel. "I'm just busting your balls, kid, relax. I've been in your shoes."
Kevin smiled and nodded his head. He looked back up Danny with slight confusion. "I thought you said you never went to college?"
Danny stared ahead. "Yeah, you're right, but I did date a girl in college once, so it counts for something, right?"
A small laugh came from the boy as he shook his head. "I will just let you have that one."
"Much obliged. So, how's your mom doing?"
Kevin looked out at the campus. "She is doing. We both are just getting through."
"You and me both, kid."
Kevin kept his head to the ground as he nodded. "My mom hasn't said the greatest things about you, but I know she is just biased because she is friends with Mrs. Etter."
"Women gotta stick together. Plus, they have known each other since high school, so I would be surprised if your mom didn't support her. We..." Danny cleared his throat before he spoke. "We all have things we need to improve on. I am hopeful things will get better."
Kevin took in the words as he nodded slightly.
Danny nudged Kevin. "Let's not forget your birthday is coming up in a few weeks. When are we celebrating?"
"I'll talk with my mom and figure something out . We can have a guys night."
"That's what I am talking about, I’ll invite Lucas. We can play some video games and order pizza like men used to do."
"They still do that," Kevin said laughing.
"I thought you boys ate Tide Pods and talked about how many pairs of shoes you have."
Kevin shook his head as he chuckled. "We are doomed, aren’t we?"
"More than you know," Danny smiled.
The cart slowed in front of a brick-walled building. Kevin stepped down from the cart, slinging his backpack over his shoulder.
"Thank you again, Mr. Etter," Kevin said.
"Of course, Kev. Tell your mom I said hello."
Kevin walked towards the door giving a thumbs up.
Danny yelled at him. "Hey, kid!" Kevin turned abruptly. "Call me Dan."
The kid smiled as he opened the door. "Good day, Mr. Etter." He disappeared into the hall as the door began to swing closed.
Maybe there is a little hope.
Danny sped off toward the main building approaching a glass door that read "VETERAN SERVICE CENTER" in bold white letters. A gentleman stood outside in the cold, wearing a gray polo. His arms were built, which made the sleeves of the polo look like they were a size too small. As Danny pulled up, the man ran his left hand through his grizzled brown beard. The man's left arm showed a half sleeve tattoo with a blue and red diamond that stood out on his forearm. Danny got ou
t of his cart and approached the man. A white smile showed a small gap in the middle of his teeth as he saw Danny's approach.
"Etter," the man said. His voice was husky and deep, like gravel on a dirt road. His laugh was even harsher as he looked Danny up and down. "Well, you look like hell, chief."
Danny kept a stern face as he fumbled with the keys on his belt. "And you look homeless, Eric."
Eric looked at Danny's pants and laughed a little harder at the coffee spill. "What happened? You get so excited to see me that you pissed yourself?"
Danny opened the door and held it open for Eric. "No, in fact, I was with your mom finishing things up, but you called. Couldn't clean up in time."
"Well, she is known for her charity work," Eric laughed as he walked inside.
He set his backpack on the floor and sat behind the desk that faced the entrance. Danny walked past and took a seat on the couch that faced Eric. The room was long but not very wide, and its beige carpet and neutral walls somehow felt calming. Both men were just getting settled when the door was pulled open harshly, making them jump a little. An overweight man with square rimmed glasses walked in.
Oh, boy.
Eric sighed heavily as he ran his hand over his face. "What the hell, McGuiness! I told you to open the door like a normal human being."
McGuiness held up his middle finger laughing as he walked in.
Danny had to move his legs so the overweight veteran could squeeze by. The smell of body odor filled the room as McGuiness shuffled to the back with a foam box of leftovers. He made it to the end of the room and squeezed under a desk, slightly out of breath. McGuiness looked back at Danny, adjusting his glasses. His eyes looked like giant spotlights behind the inch-thick frames. Danny leaned back in slight disgust, resting his hand on the grip of his 1911 that was holstered on his right side.
"Fucking McGuiness," Eric muttered to himself as he scribbled something on a notepad viciously.
Danny leaned forward. "What’s his deal anyway?"
"Oh I caught him taking peoples lunch out of the fridge about a year ago. I made him go around to each vet apologizing. He hasn’t forgiven me ever since."
"Eh," Danny sighed. He took a quick peek at the overweight man and then back at Eric. "So, you gonna be there this evening?"
"Yeah, I got a shit-ton of calc homework, but my ass will be there. Apparently, Eddy is gonna tell the story about how he became sober. I’ve heard rumors, but I always wanted to hear it from him."
"Really?"
Eric smiled. "Oh, yeah. I'm bringing popcorn."
Danny laughed as he collected himself and stood up. "Well, bring me a bag as well."
"You got it," Eric laughed as he pulled out a binder.
Danny patted the armrest. "Alright, brother, I got shit to do, but if you need anything, let me know." He stood up and adjusted his belt.
"Will do, chief. Oh, before you go, how is it going with the family?"
Danny swallowed slightly. "You know, it was great. Susan is getting so big now, and Lucas is hitting that age where he hates everyone."
"I mean when I was thirteen, I was a little shithead too. You know hormones and with all that free internet access, things can get interesting. Hell, when I was his age I was either getting in fights or rubbing my gentleman's sausage to swimsuit magazines."
Danny shook his head as he rested his hand on his pistol. "You are a pathetic creature, Eric."
McGuiness started to laugh from behind the desk.
Eric poked his head around the corner. "Shut up, McGuiness!"
The overweight man shook his head as his face flushed red. "Asshole," McGuiness whispered to himself.
Eric looked back at Danny. "See you tonight?"
"I wouldn't miss it for the world, mi amigo," Danny said tapping the door frame. He smiled once more as he walked outside.
Danny sighed as he drove back to the roundabout. Sure, life was much more comfortable since he retired from the Los Angeles Police Department. His contacts were able to get him an interview with the dean of the school. The job paid well, and the benefits were even better. The best thing was that he never had to watch his back. He felt that the move would help his relationship with Maria, but things never work out the way people think they will. Had he known he could have landed a cushy job like this, retirement would have years ago. Before he and Maria had real problems. Before, the booze had really started to take hold. Unfortunately, there was little he could other than give her "her space" as she liked to call it.
"You are a fool," he muttered to himself as the brakes squealed the cart to a stop.
He watched the cars wind around the loop as he tried to take a swig from his coffee. A horn went off in the distance, and this time the lid of the coffee cup popped off, dumping the entire steaming liquid onto Danny's lap.
CHAPTER FOUR
THE BACK GATE shut behind Danny as he pulled the backpack from his shoulder. He jiggled his keys looking for the one to the back door.
"Howdy ho, neighbor," someone said with an Indian accent.
Danny jumped, moving his hand to his chest. "Ken, you trying to make me crap myself?"
Ken was poking his head over the fence. His black mustache hid a smile that was nearly ear to ear. He laughed as he rested a hand on the wall. "Just was watching Home Improvement on Hulu. How are things, my friend?"
"Things are going, man." Danny turned towards Ken, leaving the keys hanging in the lock. "How're things on your end?"
"Things are great, my man. Ishita is about to take the kids to see their grandparents and guess what that means?"
Danny stared at Ken, unfazed. "Do I want to know, Ken?"
Ken thought about what Danny said. He finally caught on laughing. "No! No! I see what you did there." He pointed a finger towards him. "You're a dirty man, my friend. A foul man. For your information, I was going to have a little John Wick marathon. Was wondering if you wanted to join?"
Danny pondered the idea. "Will there be korma chicken?"
Ken gasped at Danny's reply. "You think I would let you, Dan the man, come over without korma? What kind of neighbor do you think I am? Of course, the korma will be there!"
Danny smiled, shaking his head. "Well, if the korma is there, I am there. You have a deal, my friend. Now I'm beat to all shit, so I'm gonna head inside." He turned for the door. "Have a good one, Kenny."
"Oh, Mr. Danny?" Ken said softly this time.
Danny turned back.
"Bring that orange beer."
"The Belgian white?" Danny took a step back, pointing at Ken. "Ken, you know I don't drink—"
"You don't have to, but I can't take out money without Ishita knowing." Ken lifted his hand to block his voice from inside. "She caught me having a subscription to one of those websites, and now I am so screwed. It was just softcore. Nothing crazy."
A sliding door opened on Ken's side of the fence. A woman started yelling in what Danny presumed was Hindi. Ken's head disappeared from view.
Danny laughed. "You got it, Kenny. Hello, Ishita!"
"Hello, Danny! Can I hire you to arrest my husband?" she replied, her accent not nearly as thick as Ken's.
"I would, but I am afraid he would like being handcuffed too much," Danny replied as he opened the back door.
Ken's head popped over the fence. "You are a dirty man, Mr. Danny!" A broom head appeared next to Ken's face and hit him in the face. "Ishita!"
A metal clink yanked Ken from the fence. Danny closed the door just as a small argument erupted outside. His laughter subsided as he looked at the dark living room and kitchen.
The smell of home invited him in, but it felt odd without anyone there. He threw the keys on the island in the kitchen and opened the fridge. The light attacked Danny's eyes as he searched for a non-alcoholic beer. His hands gripped a glass bottle. He quickly shut the door and retreated to the couch, clutching the cooled bottle. With a heavy sigh, he fell onto the sofa.
"This is life, ain't it?" Danny said as the twis
ted bottle hissed open.
Danny looked at the table staring at the furry black teddy bear on the table.
"Just you and me, I guess," Danny said, raising his bottle.
Out of boredom and self-loathing, he opened his phone. Three blue messages stared him in the face with no reply, the last one from him reading, "How do I fix this" in a blue bubble. Maria's name was at the top of the screen. He took another sip of the beer, half-tempted to chuck it and go buy something that would make him feel happy inside. He opened his photos and looked at an album called "Family".
They looked so happy at the top, but, as he scrolled down to more recent photos, the decline became prominent. Maria had told him to see a psychologist for years. Danny would say that only soldiers have PTSD. He never fought in any wars. His four years in the Corps was just training and a few deployments on a Navy vessel. The rest of the time he spent in the LAPD. Cops never had war stories.
He took a sip of the fake beer and set it down on the table and laid his back on the couch. Danny turned on the television to the local news. A reporter was telling the story of a recent police shooting north of him in Southern California. The story pulled his mind from the ache in his heart. Danny turned up the volume and kicked his feet up on the table.
The television echoed through the room. "Authorities have released a statement saying that the alleged victim was erratic and extremely violent with the officers who were on scene. The video released by one of the bystanders shows just that."
The video on the screen cut to a blurred video where a scream was heard, and a blurry figure rushed at two officers who shouted to stop. The blurry man then charged the officers. Gunshots were heard as well as a scream. The camera started to shake like the cameraman was running away. The video ended abruptly.
Dan sipped his beer, spilling a little on his shirt.
Smooth Dan.
The news continued. "Authorities have asked us not to show the entire clip as it would impede the investigation. The authorities believe the victim had taken an unknown drug, causing the suspects violent behavior."
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