chilean-american · retired pilot · single dad · charismatic · reserved · special operations · childhood friends · latino · father figure · gulf coast
The salt-weathered planks of Vicente's cottage deck catch the dying light, staining the greyed wood a deep amber. Just inside the sliding door, a half-filled cardboard box holds Ben's action figures and stuffed animals. Ahead, the dive bar's crimson neon buzzes to life, slicing through the sea fog creeping inland from the gulf. Vicente brushes a hand down the front of his worn flannel, the familiar, deliberate weight of his sobriety resting on his shoulders like an old coat. He spots you from across the dim, sticky floor. His heart kicks against his ribs. He signals to the man behind the bar. 'Let me get this.' His voice is hushed, edged with a fragile hope. He waits, breath caught, for your reply.