"Monterey Christmas"

 A distant bell tower sounded the last hour of Christmas Eve. A crescent moon rose high above the sleepy coastal town of Monterey. Its cloud filtered glow brought out deep shadows along the lifeless Irving Avenue

.

 “Rest, she says,” Nate Paradise mumbled. His breath drifted off in an icy cloud.

 The frigid night air stung at his warm Hawaiian blood. He stuffed his chilled hands deeper into the light jacket pockets in search of warmth. The frozen wastelands of Siberia could provide a welcome relief from the chaos and craziness Nate left behind a couple of blocks back.

 “Rest, she says. Why am I here?” His coarse voice disturbed the night’s quiet. A nearby dog responded with the threat of a harsh bark.

 Nate ignored the animal. He ignored the various Christmas lights and season decorated front yards. Nothing about the season could lift his spirits.

 The family situation boiled inside his head and messed with his efforts to find an open bar on Cannery Row.

 Normally busy, Lighthouse Avenue sat empty. The streets had been quiet since he left his sister’s house.

 In a stance of defiance, Nate stood at the intersection to absorb the unfamiliar sights and sounds. The tangy scent of the ocean blended with the sweet smell of burning wood and the lingering aromas from the local seafood restaurants.

 Seagulls griped with sharp screeches over some disturbance. A couple of dogs barked a block away, and a nearby high-pitched bark added to the chorus.

#

 Come to Monterey, she said. Everybody needs to be with family at Christmas time—you will enjoy yourself.

 Tanya was a good person. He loved his sister. But thirteen years ago, she married a sorry excuse for a man. Nate could only tolerate him in small doses. Combine Earl’s childish behavior and the craziness of their demon spawned kids could put the pope in therapy.

 Tanya pressed hard for months, the need to be with family over the Christmas holiday. It didn’t take long for her anxiety to come into play, just like their childhood. When she wanted something from him, Tanya hounded him day and night—often whispering demands into the heating vent connecting their bedrooms.

 Ah yes, those days as kids.

 Childhood Christmas in Jersey amounted to nothing more than a time when kids' fantasies clashed with the struggling life in the lower middle class.

 Nate got a clue on the disappointing reality of Santa Claus over a Miami Dolphins’ sports jacket. He wanted the jacket badly with the full passion of an eleven-year-old boy. Although his parents explained several times their inability to afford the expensive item, he believed Santa Claus would come through.

 On Christmas morning, the jacket wasn’t there. In its place, he unwrapped an undersized football with Miami Dolphins stenciled on the side of the ball.

 Memories of the anger and disappointment rose in his voice. “They likely bought it at some blue light special. It proved Santa to be a fat, lazy childhood myth. And Christmas joy flew out the door with it.”

 In a weak moment, he finally caved into his sister. The years made Tanya a hounding pro.

 Back in Hawai’i I could surf away the morning, then binge watch Dirty Harry movies, and later enjoy a crock pot turkey thigh with a can of gravy. No Christmas cozy, no crazy kids, or anxiety for some dumpy old man sliding down the chimney.

 He attempted to use a criminal case he and his partner, Detective Louie Ratta, needed to solve as the key to staying home. But his longtime partner and closest friend didn’t let him slide.

 “You are not spending another Christmas with Clint Eastwood. If you don’t go out and buy your plane ticket, I will call your sister.”

 So much for partner loyalty.

 Tonight jumped well above his sister’s family craziness. A simple dinner around the kitchen table turned into a food fight between the three cretins. By the time the altercation ended, remnants of dinner dripped down the kitchen cabinets and the Christmas tree lay on its side. Earl, with a goofy grin across his face, said, “Oh, come on, honey. Boys will be boys.”

 Tanya glanced at Nate with a flat smile and gave a shrug of her shoulders.

 Why did I agree to this craziness?

 Before he left on this walk, Nate called around to seek a room somewhere else.

 I apologize, sir, but all our spots have been booked for months. This is the holiday season, sir.

#

 A flame-like glow derailed Nate’s brooding. The orb dropped through the gathering clouds above Monterey Bay.

 The light leveled off from its descent and traveled in a series of erratic maneuvers toward Moss Landing, Castroville, and Marina. Before Nate stepped out of the intersection, it swung back in a wide U-turn. The light sailed its way across the bay towards Cannery Row. After another turn, it continued its descent until the light disappeared behind the buildings ahead.

 He grabbed tight to a street sign and braced for what fear and common sense signaled a coming horrific crash.

 Nothing.

 Several barking dogs sounded off.

 “Am I the only one seeing this?”

 He dropped his icy hands deeper into the jacket pockets. He couldn’t let this pass. After a deep breath, he turned his attention to Cannery Row and the crash site.

 Years on the street could only explain it as an illusion. Not since his early childhood back in Jersey did he believe in such a fantasy.

 A low rumble from the direction of the bay interrupted Nate’s mope fest. He saw no bright flash or the eruption of a mushroom cloud. A good sign.

 Maybe a sonic boom or whatever the Air Force tries to get away with. Around the islands, military pilots loved to kick up their heels in the late hours of darkness.

 Two blocks to go before Cannery Row. If nothing else, he knew a place to grab a drink, The Salty Seal or something. A place for others like him out to escape Christmas Eve. Nate stepped up his pace for the promised attraction.

 The red glow of the orb rose in the southeast.

 His stomach churned. On duty, nothing scared him. Okay, maybe sometimes. Tonight, this wasn’t his turf, and his knees felt weak.

 This couldn’t be normal. Even in California, this couldn’t be normal.

 How close are we to Area 51?

 The light disappeared.

 Nathan Paradise, Detective Step 3 for the Honolulu Police Department, for the first time in his somewhat unblemished law enforcement career, considered to turn around and flee back to the chaos of his sister's house.

But not tonight.

The curiosity of his detective instincts proved stronger and urged him forward to assess the situation.

 Nate considered a call to the Monterey emergency dispatch center. What could he report? A UFO? Oh yeah baby, what a perfect cap to this crazy Christmas Eve night.

Maybe now wasn’t a good time to play the hero. The Monterey Police Department is a good police force. 

Their officers are ready to handle any situation in their own jurisdiction. How would he like it if some off-duty cop stuck his nose into a situation on his watch?

 “Okay, let’s do this,” Nate mumbled to himself. He shoved his hands back into his coat pockets and stepped up the pace along Irving Avenue.

 It probably put down somewhere along the shore of the bay or in the heart of Cannery Row.

#

 The first night in Monterey, Nate took Tanya and her family to dinner at Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. Earl kept the boys under control, and everyone had a good time.

 Afterwards, they wandered the sidewalks around the former fish cannery. Crowds of tourists filled the sidewalks and packed the wren of gift shops and tourist attractions. It reminded Nate why he avoided tourist shops along Waikiki. The excitement on Tanya’s face and the sparkle in her eyes kept his annoyance at bay.

#

 With arms folded tightly across his chest, Nate shivered against the cold at the backside of Cannery Row. At the corner of Irving and Wave Streets, he found no activity in any direction, something he never faced in Waikiki. Around the clock, people walked the streets, especially below his apartment on the east end of the beach neighborhood.

 Street instincts led him to turn right on Wave Street. He’d give it a block or two and take one of the side streets down towards the water.

 Besides closer to the bar, he wanted to prove the light didn’t belong to an invading spacecraft. If the circumstances require, he can make the call to the local authorities.

 No fuss, no muss, Merry Christmas Monterey.

 Nate slowed his pace and slipped into the building shadows. At odd intervals, he froze in place to listen and slowly searched the surrounding area.

Short of an unlit intersection, he noticed a bulky figure move unconcerned through the shadows of a hedgerow. Nate stopped at the intersection to gain some bearing on his location.

 Prescott Street…no, Prescott Lane.

The eerie quiet along Wave Street exposed the sounds of his heavy steps. He passed the Sardine Factory and the Whaling Station Steakhouse. He heard good things about The Sardine Factory and hoped to take his sister there. Nate mentioned the idea to Tanya. After a hesitant moment, she said they ate there once. Her and Earl brought the boys with them. When leaving, the head waiter took Tanya aside and asked her to not bring the two youngsters back until they were much older.

 An enormous figure surprised him as it dashed across the yard of a residential cottage. The suspect appeared to be the size of Andre the Giant but moved with the swiftness of a football running back. 

 Now a block away the figure disappeared into the shadows. Despite his back covered in sweat, Nate pushed his body to catch up. The giant appeared again and leaped over a small picket fence. In the glow of old, glass Christmas lights, he saw a backpack or large sack tossed over the suspect’s shoulder.

The suspect jogged across the empty street. He stopped before a bundled figure sleeping with his back against a building wall. He bent over and dropped a colorful package beside the sleeper. After a casual glance in Nate’s direction, the suspect scampered back across the street and disappeared into the shadows.

 He inhaled deep gasps of air to grasp his breath, Nate stopped and braced himself against his knees. He could not recall his last foot pursuit. The best he could remember, he wore a uniform and patrolled a Waikiki beat.

 He could not hold onto this pace. With shaking hands, Nate pulled out his cell phone and punched in the local emergency number.

 “9-1-1 operator, what is the location of your emergency?” asked a tired female voice.

 “I am on Wave Street. I just passed Prescott Street.”

 “You mean Avenue?” the dispatcher interrupted, “What is your emergency?”

 “A possible burglary suspect.”

 “Sir, are you sure?”

 The woman had the ill-humored attitude of his grandmother.

 “Look, I am a police officer with the Honolulu Police Department. I need you to dispatch a unit while I still have eyes on the suspect.”

 “In Hawai’i? Hmm. Sir, whom am I speaking to?”

 “Nate Paradise.”

 “You said you are a police officer?”

 “Detective, Step 3 for the Honolulu Police Department. Please, we are wasting time here. I am not sure how much longer I can keep up with this guy.”

 “Okay, Nate Paradise—an interesting name for someone from the Honolulu Police Department. I bet you get that a lot.”

 “Yeah. Hey, we are turning towards the bay on Hoffman Avenue.”

 The suspect came to a six-foot tall fence. Without stopping, he tossed the large bag over the barrier. Holding onto the bag, he used the momentum to pull himself over the top of the fence.

 What in the world?

 “Whoa.”

 “Sir, are you okay? What is going on?”

 “Sorry. I nearly hit a tree—there are no streetlights out here.”

 “Mr. Paradise, you are not racing in a car, are you? Sir, we don't allow racing on our streets. Someone could get hurt.”

 A block from the line of buildings facing Monterey Bay, the suspect turned left onto a large path.

 “No, I am in foot pursuit. He is now on some bike or walking path.”

 “You are probably at the Monterey Bay Coastal Trail.”

 “Okay, obviously you know better where I am than I do." He paused to slow down his breathing, "Will you please send a police unit here to help me?"

 “Is the suspect armed?”

 “I am not sure. I lost him.”

 “Are you armed, Mr. Paradise?”

 “No.”

 “You might want to back off. You may not recognize what you face.”

 “Yes, I am staying out of his line of sight.” The physical exhaustion and the no-win exchange with the dispatcher brought Nate to a stop. Bent over, he hacked into the gutter, but nothing came up. A couple of deep breaths cleared his mind. “I only want to help identify a possible criminal. It’s a law and order thing.”

 “You will not be much help if you are hurt. Safety first, but you should understand what I am saying…if you are a policeman. I have an officer wrapping up a call for service and will be headed in your way shortly.”

 “What is shortly?” Nate snapped.

 “When he gets there. Christmas Eve is a busy night for domestic issues—any policeman should be aware of that.”

 He could not win with this lady.

 “Yes, you are right. Got it. Thank you for your help. I will keep my eyes open and will wave down the officer.”

 “Wait, I haven't released you yet. You should know better. The assigned officer may require additional information.”

 “Okay. What do you need?”

 Is this woman pulling my chain, or it’s one of those nights where the entire world traded turns screwing with me?

 “Mr. Paradise, you need to have some identification available for the officer, since you claim to be a policeman. If you have any firearms or other weapons, please let me know now so I can pass the information onto the officer. We don't look kindly to people running around our streets with weapons, you know.”

 On the street down the hill, Nate saw a late model sedan move cautiously to the northeast. In the dim streetlights, he recognized the emergency light bar on top of the vehicle.

 “Okay, see ‘em. Thanks for your help,” Nate said. He hung up the cellphone and jogged towards the vehicle.

 The brakes squealed as the vehicle came to a stop in the intersection of Hoffman Avenue and Wave Street. A side spotlight chased away the darkness and shined its way up in Nate's direction.

 “Hey, get that light out of my eyes,” Nate shouted.

 The light instantly disappeared.

 Blindness from the sudden darkness added to his exhaustion. Nate stepped carefully towards the vehicle.

 “Sorry,” a voice shouted from inside the vehicle.

 The driver’s door opened, and a young, heavyset man stepped out onto the street. He wore a plain blue watch cap, a red and green Christmas scarf, and carried no gun. The wrinkled tan uniform looked like someone had slept in it for several nights. He noted the red and white FAST insignia on the shirt, which matched the “First Alert Security Team” decal at the rear of the vehicle.

 “Hey, you chasing the burg I heard blasted over the radio?” The security guard gave a sheepish grin.

 Nate perceived an underlying tone of excitement in the kid's voice. Most likely, this will be the only excitement for his night.

 “Yeah, Nate Paradise,” he said, and held out his hand.

 The young man gave a tight grip. “Erie Sokolov. Nice to meet you, sir. You are from a Hawaiian PD?”

 “Yeah. Word gets around fast here.”

 “Yeah, especially when you got the scanner on.” The security guard giggled. “This was on my route anyway, so what can I do to help?”

 “Well, I thought the PD had a unit on the way.”

 The kid nodded his head up and down.

 “That’ll be Officer Lee. He’s coming from a motel over on Lake Street. Somebody popped out a baby or something.”

 “Okay, I guess we’re it for now. Hopefully we can pick up the trail before the suspect disappears for good.”

 “Oh, Officer Lee and I did Boy Scouts together. We got our tracking merit badges, but when it was all said and done, he got more badges than I did.”

 Where is Louie when I need him? But your partner ain’t here. Too bad you drew the backup card. Either play your hand or fold.

 “Officer Lee is also my best friend,” Erie said proudly. “He was always the smart one, but I made Eagle Scout before he did.”

 “No kidding?” Nate ignored the childhood history lesson. His ears perked up a distant noise from down the bike trail.

 A dog bark turned into a moan the way Louie’s dog did when it got its tummy rubbed.

 “Yeah, I did. Officer Lee made it to the police academy on his second try, and I’m going to take the test for the third time in January.”

 “I hope you make it,” Nate mumbled. His attention focused on the distracted dog.

 A couple of more dogs responded.

 “I am…I will. Me and Danny—I mean Officer Lee—have been studying really hard.”

 “Okay, we got something going on up the way,” Nate pointed towards the barking dogs. “We can't wait for Officer Lee any longer. So, Erie, can you position your vehicle a block beyond where those dogs are going crazy and light up the area? I will move up the trail from here.”

 "That should be Prescott Avenue. Yeah, I can." Excitement filled the man's voice, and a smile brighten his round face. “This will be like when we used to hunt squirrels. Oh yeah, man. Hey, I will call Officer Lee and let him know where we are.”

 “Okay, let’s see what we can flush out.”

 Five minutes later, the paved trail became saturated in white light from a block away.

 Speaking of overkill, it looks like ole Erie pulled out all the stops. His efforts have dug up every drug dealer and homeless camper in the area.

 While Nate’s eyes adjusted to the brilliant light, he caught a hurried figure slip into the alleyway to his left.

 Nate found himself close enough to get a better description of the suspect. Well over six and a half feet tall, he wore a bulky outfit that drooped from his broad shoulders. From what he had seen so far, this guy was anything but dumpy.

 Nate stopped and snorted as the suspect disappeared between buildings.

 How can the big boy move so fast?

 A Monterey patrol car pulled up next to Nate. The unit’s rotating red and blue lights added a disco experience to the crazy night.

 “You Paradise?” the officer asked out the driver’s window. “I understand you are a Hawaiian officer. You got some badge or ID?”

 “I do.” Nate used his left hand to reach into the back pocket. “I’m Nate Paradise.”

 The Monterey officer pulled a flashlight from atop the console. He cast an eye over Nate, then shined the light over the open badge case.

 “A gold badge, huh? Dispatch said you were just a cop.”

 Are we in a full moon yet?

 Obviously, this officer wanted to share his miserable night

.

 “Yeah. I told the dispatcher I was following a possible burg suspect.”

 The officer gazed towards the bright glow of the FAST vehicle. “I see you got some help. Okay, where’s your suspect?”

 Nate pointed a thumb over his shoulder. “Yeah, he rolled up before I got off the phone with dispatch. He says he’s a friend of yours.”

 “Yeah, figured Erie would be here. The Cannery is his primary patrol route. He’s a good guy. We go way back.”

“Yeah, good guy. Right now, he has setup an observation position we hope is ahead of the suspect. The suspect disappeared down this alley.”

 “Okay, we’ll see him soon enough. The alley horseshoes around. I don’t see the original purpose. These days it serves as a haven for the homeless. We chase ‘em out about once a month.”

 Officer Lee glanced back at the FAST vehicle.

 “What have you got on the guy?” His tone sounded impatient.

 Must be a busy night.

 “Six-four, maybe six-foot six. He has an athletic build and makes for quite the challenge to maintain contact.”

 “Hmm. Anything else?” He stopped keying information into the vehicle’s mobile data computer. The screen glow brought out deep shadows to Officer Lee’s stoic expression. It reminded Nate of a Twilight Zone episode. Is there a ghoul behind the face of the freshman officer?

 “He also appeared to be wearing a heavy jacket. Hard to tell the color in the shadows.”

 “How do you know it’s a male?”

 “I saw signs of an unkept beard. He also carried a large canvas bag over his shoulder.”

 The officer glared at Nate for a long moment before he keyed in the information.

 At this rate, the suspect will reach Pacific Grove before things get going.

 Officer Lee got on the radio with dispatch to request backup to assist with the search. The familiar voice of the dispatcher rambled into a situation update why there’s no available backup.

 Nate’s mind drifted back to his sister. How worried could she be? Despite her overprotective ways, Nate loved his sister. Maybe he should cut her some slack occasionally.

 “How do you want to work this? It’s your call.”

 The officer glanced up at Nate. “Thank you.”

 He didn’t miss the sarcasm in Officer Lee’s voice.

 “You got a gun?”

 “No. The dispatcher asked the same thing, and I told her the same thing. With California gun laws a bit squirrelly, I dressed accordingly.”

 “A good call. Look detective, I will take it from here. You don’t have to do this. Besides, ole Erie will lend a hand. This is probably nothing.”

 Nate appreciated the out. “If you don’t mind, I already have one foot in the water.”

 Besides, he wanted to size up this guy. The shock will come if he ain’t a professional athlete.

 On cue, an enormous figure emerged a block away. He jogged across the trail, past the caboose, and into the alleyway by The Salty Seal Brewpub and Sports Bar.

 Someone else likes to drink there, too.

 Officer Lee jumped out of the unit, pulled his service weapon, and joined Nate, headed towards the alley.

 Frustrated, Nate waved his arms at the FAST vehicle to get Erie's attention.

 Okay, now this clown is playing games. 

 Cold and tired, he had to bring this to a close. He toyed with the idea this may not be a burglary suspect at all. Not the way this guy moved. Maybe it’s a thrill-seeker messing with them or a local drunk out to have a little fun.

 The trio met up opposite the alley entrance, behind the caboose. “There.” Nate nodded his head towards the alley.

 “Yeah, he did,” Erie interrupted. The high-pitched voice sounded like an excited child on Christmas morning. “I saw him go in there.”

 “Yeah, okay.”

 “Roger that. Spread out and let’s put this clown down,” Officer Lee said, satisfied, to add something to the conversation.

 Officer Lee and Erie teamed themselves up on the far side of the display caboose.

 Nate shook his head and stepped away from the other two men and moved to the wall of the weathered caboose.

 He wished Louie could be here as backup. This was not the situation to depend upon the uniformed frick and frack. Him and Louie always knew the other’s thinking and got the job done. No words, just action all the way.

 But wishes belonged to kids. The situation at hand did not belong to the starry dreams of children.

 Off to the right, the two men fanned out.

 Officer Lee, both hands steady around his Glock 19, walked along the sidewalk using a tactical approach.

 The sound of a loud metallic rattle came from the left. Nate froze in his tracks. It sounded like someone, or something hit a cyclone fence. The other two men also stopped and turned towards the disturbance.

 Rat-a-tat-tat sounded from the shadows.

 He felt the hairs stand up on the back of his neck. The sound gave him pause; it reminded him of the tapping of small hooves.

 Nate found himself shivering uncontrollably from a gust of damp wind.

 The other two, also looked troubled by the situation.

 After a deep breath, Nate got back on his feet, waved the others forward, and put on a burst of speed towards the sound of the clatter. The uniformed pair paused for a moment, then followed him into the breech.

 Annoyed with the activity, a squawking flock of seagulls flew off the roof of a nearby building.

 A dull thud boomed off the buildings like a large wrecking ball slammed into the ground. The seagulls turned direction in unison as though avoiding an invisible barrier. The formation headed inland sounding an alarm of high-pitched shrieking.

 Nate’s knees weakened as the asphalt trail shook under his feet.

 An earthquake? Is this a normal California thing?

 What is the suspect’s role in all this?

 The world spun around him. Nate’s ears popped and his head throbbed with pain. He dropped onto one knee to maintain his balance.

 The men broke from the cover of the railcars and surrounded the location of the noise. They stood before an empty trail.

 Approaching emergency sirens broke the surreal moment.

 Erie spoke up. "There’s nothing here.”

#

 Nate, Officer Lee, and Erie huddled together beside the FAST security vehicle. They ignored the activities of two Monterey Police officers giving the scene one last walk through. Two other units who responded to the call for backup left the scene on new calls for service.

 A busy night.

 “What do you suppose it was?”

 “How should I call it in?”

 Nate folded his arms against the coastal chill, but dropped them to his sides after he observed the other two men unmoved by the cold.

 “You think my social media buddies will believe this without photos or streaming video?”

 “I got to tell my sergeant something. How will I explain this? I’m open for suggestions.”

 The questions came in rapid fire, but Nate ignored them. He struggled for his own answers. Could this have been some crazy prank? This could not be a normal occurrence around here.

 “Okay, so maybe we need to forget about this whole thing. There are no simple answers. I think we accept it as a cruel prank and go enjoy Christmas, or whatever,” Nate said. He pulled his coat tighter around him.

 “Wait. We just ignore a suspect who disappeared by supersonic means? It may work in the middle of the Pacific, but on the end of the Pacific we got to explain ourselves. My sergeant will play a ruthless game of stump-the-chump with me. Not to mention the harassment from the rest of the force.” Officer Lee glared into the night sky as he rubbed at the back of his neck.

 “I’m not sure what we accomplished. Maybe it's time to call it a night. I recommend you close the report with the statement, complaint unfounded.”

 In an act of surrender, Officer Lee nodded and walked towards his vehicle.

 Erie placed a hand on Nate’s shoulder. “Hey man, you want a ride home? I got to go turn the car in, but I can drop you off on the way.”

 “If you don’t mind, I’d appreciate it. Your cold here is too much for my thin Hawaiian blood.”

 Both men chuckled.

 “No prob, man. I’ll crank up the heat.”

#

 Nate sat across the kitchen table from Tanya. The Christmas decorated mug filled with hot chocolate comforted his aching hands. They had wiped evidence from the food fight off the walls and floor. A few plates still littered the table from dinner.

 The house was quiet.

 Sadness appeared to have its arms around his sister. Although the need to talk about the night welled up inside him, maybe this wasn’t the best time.

 The act of kindness with a gift for the homeless guy held onto his thoughts. “Something crazy happened here tonight,” Nate grumbled into the mug.

 How long had it been since his last hot chocolate?

 “Yes…yes, crazy is a good word for it.” Tanya gave aimless attention to a ketchup stain at the center of the table. “So, you want to tell me what happened tonight?”

 “I believe I may have stumbled on a burglary in progress near Cannery Row.”

 “What?” Tanya slapped the table with the palms of her hands. “Nate, I don’t care about that or whatever caped crusade you pursued. You walked out of here filled with anger. This is Christmas Eve…it’s family time. It’s the whole reason I wanted you here. And you rushed out the door as if you were trying to escape some jail.”

 Nate glanced up at his sister. The usual sparkle in her eyes disappeared, replaced by a dull stare.

  “Look, I’m sorry. The night became overwhelming for me. Tanya, I’m not used to family life anymore.” Nate snorted. “It’s just me.”

 “You are so right. Nate, it’s all about you. I try…I try to involve you in family activities. But oh no, you got some crime to solve…some cat stuck in a coconut tree… There’s always something going on. You are not some superhero for the security of the world. You are my baby brother, who belongs to this family.”

 Her green eyes welled up with tears.

 “Your midnight wandering reminded me of daddy’s late night call outs. Do you remember when we used to sit late nights with mother in front of the television? I do. I always prayed daddy would come back. And tonight brought back the Christmas daddy got shot.” Tanya grabbed a napkin to wipe at her tears. “I hoped those moments were behind me.”

 “Tanya, I’m sorry. I didn’t know.” Nate’s eyes well up.

 “Of course you didn’t. Why should you? You are like daddy. You run to the sound of the sirens…and you always will. There is no changing that about you. I don’t get what made tonight different. I put a lot of time and effort to make more of family time than what we had as kids.”

 “I’m sorry. Really, Tanya, I never want to see you hurt.”

 “No, of course you don’t.” A cough from one of her boys made her pause. “Look Nate, forget it.”

 “Please—”

 “Nate.” She took a deep breath. “Nate, you may find this hard to believe, but I love my family. And you know why I do?” An excuse popped into his head, but a slight rise of her hand, stopped him. “This family is so important to me because it’s not what we grew up with. It’s not daddy, it’s not mother, it’s not you, and it’s definitely not the old me. Earl comes home on time every night and spends time playing with the boys. The boys will grow up without any fear if one of us will make it home. As you can tell, these boys can be a handful, but they are kids without the fears of adult problems.” Tanya took a couple of sips from her glass of water. “And I am good with what we have.”

 Except for their mother’s passing, Nate could not recall another time when they sat down for a serious chat.

 “I am not like mother. I will not let this family experience the dynamics we lived as a family. Yes, this family—my family—has its issues, but we have love here. And I wanted you to enjoy what family love is all about. Consider it a Christmas gift for you.” A smile lit up her face, and the sparkle returned to her eyes. “Whether I like it or not, you are not the superhero you assume you are. You are my brother.”

 He saw a strength he didn’t recognize in his older sister.

 “Speaking of gifts, when I went outside for you a few minutes ago, and I tripped over this. It’s got your name on it.”

 She jumped up from the table and hurried into the other room.

 She returned from the front room and sat before her brother a package dressed out in colorful Christmas wrapping paper.

 “Someone left it on the porch,” Tanya said, joy filled her voice. “So Nathan, you got someone in the area you ain’t talking about to your sister? I’ll find out, you know.”

 “I have no doubt.”

 He saw no return address or any sort of postmark, only Nathan Paradise written with artistic swirls.

 Something stirred up his survival senses.

 He considered a call the police, but it might push Tanya over the edge. To make matters worse, the Monterey PD might flag him as a troublemaker.

 He scanned the package for anything odd.

 “You get to open one present on Christmas Eve. It’s still the family tradition. Open it, Nate; I want to see who it’s from. Actually, I want to see what kind of style your secret admirer has.”

 As a young boy, he ripped away the paper from all his presents, always eager to get to the goods. Despite the childhood primal instincts, Nate carefully peeled away the wrapping. Underneath the colorful paper sat a plain, white box. He smiled at his sister. Her green eyes shown bright with anticipation. Under the pretense of a brother teasing his sister, he moved his fingers along the box bottom. He didn’t have the heart to explain to her about the dangers of wires or other telltale signs of an explosive. 

 After a deep breath, he opened the box to an aqua heavy winter coat.

 “Hey, that’s cute. Definitely stylish flavor here. Pursue her, Nate,” Tanya said with a giggle. “Hey, look at the front? Look at this, the jacket includes a touch of Hawai’i with a Dolphins’ logo.”

 Nate turned the heavy coat around and held it up by the shoulders

.

 His eyes clouded up. “It’s a porpoise,” he snapped.

 “No, it’s not, Nate. I may not follow football, but you used to have those things hung up all over your bedroom walls.”

 Nate shrugged his shoulders.

 On the left side of the jacket, next to the palm tree, Nate gawked at the iconic Miami Dolphins logo. And below the logo was a white stitched Paradise in Monterey.

THE END…for now…