"So yeah, there I was, totally minding my own business, riding down the street on my bicycle thinking I'm the shit, right?" Danny paused to take a sip of his Coke. "Next thing I know, I've got Grandma jumping right in front of me with a broom."
"No way, what did she do?" Samantha asked incredulously.
"She whacked me with it," he exclaimed, throwing his hands up. "I swear that old woman knocked me about two feet off that bike."
Samantha threw her head back and laughed. "That's what you get for stealing her grandson's bicycle!"
"Definitely the dumbest criminal I was, riding the bike right in front of her house," Danny shook his head at his childhood antics. "Aye."
"I wish I could have seen that," she said impishly. "That ego of yours needs to be knocked down a notch or two."
Danny chuckled. "Oh, don't worry, my friends did a good job of never letting me live that one down."
Samantha smiled. She loved it when Danny told stories, his Cuban accent was always more pronounced, his gestures more expressive. They were having a late dinner and a couple of drinks at what Samantha claimed was one of her favorite restaurants. Truth be told, she picked it at random, hoping no one from the office would see them there.
Danny's fork stopped halfway to his mouth. "Sam, you are staring," he declared.
Samantha smiled demurely. "I didn't think you would mind," she said softly.
Danny raised his eyebrows. "Ah, in fact I don't. Have I told you how beautiful you look tonight?"
"Only about twenty times, but who's counting right?" Samantha chose to wear a soft, pale pink cashmere sweater dress that looked fantastic against her fair skin and strawberry blonde hair, clinched with a wide brown leather belt that accentuated her slight curves.
"So…how are things for you on the relationship front?" Danny asked nonchalantly, busily stabbing his steak with a fork.
Samantha took a nervous sip of her wine. "I told you before, I'm not seeing anyone."
Danny nodded, quiet. Samantha cocked her head. "Danny? If there is something else you want to ask me, you should just ask me."
He looked up, giving her a little smile. "Okay," he drawled sheepishly, "what happened with you and Martin?"
Samantha shrugged. "It didn't work out," she stated.
Danny pursed his lips. "I know that…what happened between you and Martin? I mean, was it that everyone found out about it? I know you are totally against going public…"
Samantha nervously cleared her throat. "Danny…sometimes…sometimes people who you know so well, or think you know so well, aren't who they seem. As a matter of fact, it turns out they are nothing like the person you thought they were."
Danny slowly nodded his head. "So…Fitzie isn't 'Mr. Straight-Laced' after all, eh?"
Samantha looked him in the eyes, her own mirroring sadness. "No, Danny. I wasn't the person I should have been."
XXXXXXXXX"Uh-huh, there was a call placed in Zone 3 to….Danny check Zones 6 through 8." When her request was met with silence, Elena looked up from her printout. "Danny? Danny?"
Danny blinked his eyes and looked at her. "Wha?"
Elena cocked her head. "Where are you at today, huh?"
Danny leaned forward. "It's all good, what have you got?"
"Alright, a call was made from Zone 3 on the campus, but I can't find where it was routed to…can't be 1 thru 5 because I have those sheets. What do you have for 6 through 8?"
Danny perused his files. Satisfied he was back down to Earth, Elena started jotting down notes. Before she could finish a sentence, Danny interrupted her thoughts.
"Can I ask you something?"
Elena raised her eyes. "Okay, what?"
Danny hedged. "Uh…never mind…Zone 7 you said?"
"Zones 6 through 8," Elena stressed impatiently. She went back to her notes.
"Elena…"
Elena slammed down her pen. "What now, Danny?"
"I need relationship advice," he whined.
Elena was in no mood to hash over Danny's problems, but she needed him to focus. Resigned, she folded her arms. "What can I do for you?"
"Okay…let's say you're dating a guy…no, no you've started dating a guy. Yeah, you started dating a guy and you really like him."
Elena nodded. "Go on."
"You guys start talking about past relationships and he tells you the reason why his last girlfriend didn't work out because someone, someone misrepresented themselves. That's bad right?"
Elena nodded thoughtfully. "Yes, that would be a hit to the trust department."
Danny folded his hand into a fake pistol. "Bang, you got it."
"Okay…so I don't get it…what's this have to do with anything?"
"Well," Danny drawled, "come to find out it's the guy you're dating that misrepresented himself, not his ex-girlfriend."
Realization dawned on Elena's face. "Ah, okay," she said, leaning back in her chair. "And the guy is honest with me? I mean, he tells me that?"
"Yes, but still…"
"But still…it's a hit in the trust department," Elena finished.
"Exactly," Danny sighed, gloomily.
"Well…maybe something can be said for honesty?"
"I guess…" Danny said. "But I want someone to be honest about who they are, 24-7. If they can't then what's the point?"
"You know, opening up to people, to a new person, isn't always an easy thing to do," Elena reminded him. "Sometimes that person just needs a little patience and support."
"But what if they don't come right out and say, 'Hey, I'm damaged'?" Danny asked, frustrated. "What, am I supposed to wait around until they decide to come clean?"
"Well, then maybe that's where your decision comes in. Is this person worth waiting around for?"
He grabbed his coat and stood up. "Early lunch. You want anything?"
Elena fought the urge to remind him they had a missing soccer coach and she needed help with the cross checking. "Sure, whatever your having," she said, giving him an encouraging smile.
"Okay, thanks Elena," he said, heading out. Elena watched him with a thoughtful expression on her face.