It had been a busy day for everyone.
As was the routine, they exchange a few words as they took their things and left the locker room no later than 6.30pm.
Chris got into his van and drove home. She was very worried about Tan, about what he was going through, she didn't know how to help him, what to advise him.
He went into the house and threw his backpack and leather jacket on the small table in the hall. He headed for the kitchen to get a glass of water when his phone made a sound.
"ufff, who is it now?" she took the phone out of her jeans pocket and was confused. It was Luca, what could he want? Had something happened? He opened the chat and read
"Hi Chris…. Can we talk? I'm downstairs, will you let me in? "
Chris immediately replied "sure ... Get in"
She directed for the door and opened it, she still had a very confused expression.
A few moments later Luca was there in front of her.
"Come in" she invited him in "I hope you brought some beer, given your urgency to see me" Chris continued jokingly, to mask the tension and all the thoughts that fluttered in her brain.
"Of course I brought them" replied Luca, with a coldness and concern that Chris had never seen on Luca's face. She was quite struck by what she could not answer, she sat on the sofa next to him and remained silent, waiting for Luca to spit the toad.
"I don't know where to start" Luca said in an almost imperceptible voice, but that Chris heard, and his eyes widened in surprise. "I'm going straight to the point." He let out a sigh, for strength and continued, "I've been wondering for some time what you and Street have. I have made so many conjectures, thoughts, stories, in my mind. I couldn't really understand what was going on. "
Chris took courage, and she try to fight him, but she knew that Luca had a good nose for these things, "what do you mean Luca? I can't understand where you want to go "
Luca looked up, he too knew Chris well, he knew that he would never admit to anyone, much less to herself what she felt about Street. But he felt compelled to help her get the feelings out. Chris is like a sister to him, and Street is a brother to him too, but she needed help more, she absolutely had to do something.
He looked into her eyes and said, "Chris, you can be honest with me," he paused for a few seconds, and continued "Chris, between you and Street that something is wrong, I'm sure. It's not about the job, you are two very professional cops, and you will never compromise at work, I know that too. But the thing that worries me is your life outside of SWAT. "
He stopped hoping she would say something to her, but it didn't. "Chris, you're in love with Jim" he said in one breath and looked into her eyes, and was confirmed when her eyes swelled and filled with tears in a split second.
For Chris it was like a blow to the heart, she stopped breathing for a few moments. She didn't know what to say. Luca knew everything, it was the only thing he could think of in that instant.
Her breathing became more frequent, panic invaded every single point of her body, so much so that she began to tremble, she could hardly breathe anymore, when Luca took her face in his hands and said to her, in a tone that was completely different than worried, "Chris, don't do that. Don't worry, I won't tell anyone anything. It was never my intention to blurt out something to others. " He gave her a smile and then continued "it's just that I worry about you two. I see you so gloomy, thoughtful. After work, you just stay indoors, you get lost in your thoughts… .. I don't want you to make the same mistakes as I did when i was young. "He stopped and saw that his panic had diminished. He sighed, and then continued "you are young, you have a life ahead, and you get lost in this bullshit! I know very well how much you care about your job, how much you had to endure to get to where you are now. You do not want to lose everything you have built up to now, but it is not right that you let what is between you two flow ".
Luca, at all costs, wanted her to speak. He decided to shut up now, to pull himself together and let her think.
He got up and went into the kitchen to get her a beer.
Meanwhile, Chris broke off all the panic and fear that had invaded her in the last few minutes and said "you're right. Every single word you said, since you entered is correct "she caught his breath, now aware of his own feelings, and in order to make them even more real, she repeated aloud" I don't want to lose my job and I don't want Street to do it. I don't want to break the rules. I don't want to throw away everything I've built up to now and all the sacrifices I've made up to now and I don't want Street to do it. " She stopped for a moment, took a deep breath and threw it out in one breath "I'm madly in love with Jim!" immediately felt a certain heat rise from her body, her cheeks were a fiery red, he could feel it, and this caused Chris a certain embarrassment.
oh yes, she had finally expressed to someone but above all to herself that she was in love with Street!
Luca ran to meet her and wrapped her in a tight embrace "you are finally able to express what you feel. You will see that by now you will feel better and you will surely know what to do. "He winked at her and sat up relieved on the sofa.
Chris followed him, grabbed the beer from Luca's hand and took a sip "as you are sure of everything" he said with a certain sarcasm.
"I'm sure you will both find a solution together." Luca told her
"wait a moment. What do you want me to do? We don't really talk about it. "She stopped him before he could continue
"You will talk to Street as soon as possible, tell his how you feel, and together you will find a solution."
"not a chance. What I told you remains here within these four walls. "Chris finished, closing his arms on his chest as a sign of closure.
"Come on Chris, don't be so stubborn, you just admitted to me how you feel about Jim" Luca couldn't hold back a grin, as no one on the team had ever called Street by his name, Jim.
"What stops you from telling him." Chris's gaze almost burned Luca's eyes. "Besides, I don't think you have much of a choice, since he's on his way here right now!" Luca smiled at her.
Chris jumped and pounced on him, and I start hitting him. "How could you ! Ugly animal, nosy! " continued to punch him.
"Stop Chris ! I beg you! Let me explain. "Chris stepped back and stopped to hear him." Let's hear what you have to say in your defense now. "She looked at him seriously. Inside, however, it was anything but serious: all his guts were in turmoil, his thoughts wandered, in the bottom of his heart the fact that Street was coming was the only thing she wanted at that moment. In fact she was grateful to Luca for what he had done.
"Seeing you these days, and in any case rethinking your behaviors, I thought that the only thing that could help you was to talk." He paused for a moment, "I think you two are not stupid, and that you are not two teenagers who cannot express and control their emotions. But I know for sure that for your stubbornness, neither of you would have ever taken the first step "
Those last words rang in Chris's head, like the words of a sage. She did not know that Luca was so attentive to their behavior, and that he had been observing them for some time "did you follow us? Do you know that I could report you? " she looked at him smiling
"I know very well that I have invaded your privacy a little, and have overheard your conversations sometimes"
Chris put his hands in his hair and started pacing nervously back and forth in front of the sofa where Luca was sitting.
"Luca, thank you for your concern and interest, but this is my problem, and I have to solve it myself"
"Sure, I can't tell Street that, but I can create the opportunity for you to do it" Chris stopped and looked at him again as if he wanted to strangle him, but Luca gave her a smile.
Luca looked at his phone to check the time, got up from the sofa and said "well, it's time for me to go. I did my duty, to move these two principles a little from their comfort zone "
"You did not do any of your duties" Chris took Luca by the arm "you are not going anywhere, now that Street arrives you say you were wrong, and you go with him"
When he finished saying the last word, someone knocked on the door.