Page 8 of Counting the Stars

“For starters, you act like a thirty-year-old man-child,” Travis interjects.

“I’m still twenty-nine, thank you very much. And I can be serious when I need to be.” I turn to Jax. “Remember when you fell off the roof and were all doped up on pain meds? I helped look after you.”

“You tried to extort government secrets out of me,” Jax deadpans.

“Oh yeah, I forgot about that.” I play with the paper in my hands.

“I was thinking somewhere along the lines of keeping your clothes on or taking on more responsibilities.” Carter mindlessly doodles on a clean sheet of paper.

“Like what? I already have a full-time job and volunteer when I can.”

A panting sound comes from beside me.

“Where’d you come from?” I look down at Travis’s three-legged dog, Gus. I didn’t even realize he was here today, but it makes sense. Travis rarely leaves home without the scruffy hound mix.

“He loves pizza crust,” Travis says, giving his trusty sidekick some scraps. Gus eats them in one bite.

A thought occurs to me. “Oh! I know! I could get a dog! That would show Gabby I’m responsible.”

“And who would take care of this dog when you’re at the firehouse?” Travis asks.

I look over at Carter, who puts both hands up in the air. “Don’t look at me! I have enough responsibilities as it is.” Carter is an electrician and owns his own business, but on top of that, he helps out his mom and much younger siblings. The man is a saint.

“All right, no dog.” I frown. It would be cool to have a dog of my own, but once again, my roommate is right. I’m not home enough to take care of one. I look over at Travis. “Maybe I could borrow Gus sometime? You know, pup sit or something?”

“I take him everywhere with me. When would I need you to pup sit?”

“I don’t know.” I shrug. “Is there any place he isn’t permitted?” Even though Gus is Travis’s shadow, he is not a certified service animal. We’re lucky to live in a town where most businesses are still locally owned. Many places allow Gus to come inside, but there are a few places that are off-limits.

“We could go to the movies!” Jax says excitedly. “You did mention you wanted to see the new Marvel movie with me.”

“I did say that.” Travis ponders. “And I hate to leave him home alone.”

“Well, now Uncle Alex can watch him while you go to the movies.” I stand a little taller, feeling proud of myself for thinking of this. It really is a win-win situation.

“I’ll think about it.” Travis looks down at his dog and back up to me. “But he’s not calling you Uncle Alex.”

“Then he can call me Tio Alex,” I suggest.

“Oh, for heaven’s sake.” Carter throws his hands in the air. “He’s a dog. He’s not calling anyone anything.”

“Not with that attitude.” I cross my arms over my chest, giving my roommate a stern look.

“I don’t know why I even offered advice.” Carter shakes his head. “This could be a disaster.”

“It might, but I have to give it a shot.” I fold up the list and place it in the back pocket of my jeans. I have to for both of us because deep down, I know Gabby cares about me as much as I care about her. I just have to find a way for her to let me in.

4

Gabby

Grief. How can a five-letter word pack so much power? There are days when I go about living my new normal like everything is okay. And to be honest, my new normal is pretty sweet. I adore the people in my life. I love my job and my shared condo, and even though the winter can be brutal, Starboard Beach is a beautiful place to live. Sometimes, I can’t believe a place like this exists.

Along the main road that borders the beach side of town, there are many lookout spots to pull off to the side and embrace the majestic scenery. Some of these sites have benches that face the rocky landscape and ocean. Today, instead of going straight home after work, I decide to visit one. I need some time to just be.

The waves crash against the rocks and recede back. I think I like watching the ocean because I can relate to its moods. There are days when the sea is calm and the sun shines down, making the water glisten like diamonds from the heavens above. These are the days that bring me hope. The days when I feellike everything is going to be all right with the world. Then there are times when the waves crash irately against the shore, pounding the rocks with such intense anger. After its fury has been spent, the water withdraws almost apologetically, with sadness for its turbulent behavior. Sadness: that’s my mood today.

Earlier during my shift, I was listening to a patient’s lungs. It was nothing out of the ordinary, but when she moved her hair to the side, I got a whiff of her perfume. The musky vanilla scent instantly transported me back in time to days spent at home with my mom. I miss my family so much. I’d give anything to go back to our cramped two-bedroom apartment. We may not have had much in the form of material things, but we had a ton of love.

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