Excerpt: "The Bridge Between Us"

Let's begin this year with an excerpt from "The Bridge Between Us." This is a second Draft to "The Different Moons."

Chapter 1

“No Family Is Perfect”

Sighed.

Silvana Vega looked at the clock hanging from the wall. It was 1:24 AM. She leaned on the cold window frame and pulled the pink curtains to the side. She took a peek at the dark street only illuminated by a light pole and sighed again.

“Where are you Daniel? Where?” She mumbled. Silvana walked over to the night table and turned on the light in the lamp. Then she sat at the edge of her bed and reached for her bible on the nightstand. “God help us.”

There was a knock on her door. “Mom?”

“Mateo, come in.” It was her oldest son.

“I saw your light on and I wanted to make sure you were okay.” He walked inside the room and kneeled in front of her. She caressed his cheek and pinched his nose. “Mom!” He complained.

“I'm worried about Daniel. He comes home late every night and he is not focusing at work. Today at the market I bumped into the principal at the elementary school, you know where Daniel teaches?”

“Yeah.” Mateo nodded.

“He told me Daniel is not concentrating in his work and worse that he has been absent a lot. He is going to fire him and what then? Where is Daniel going to find a good job?” Silvana held tighter to the bible. “We can't lose what we have, you understand?”

“Mom, I'll talk to Daniel. We are not going to lose our home, I'm working and I'm making sure that the rent is paid.” Mateo assured her.

“What is he doing with his life?” She wondered. “I mean, where could he possibly be at this time?”

Just then a car pulled up in front of the house. Silvana quickly walked up to the window and looked, it wasn't Daniel. But it was someone that she knew very well and despised; sheriff Vargas.

“Damn it.” She cursed under her breath, then rushed downstairs as Mateo followed right behind. Silvana opened the door and watched as the Sheriff brought her son in the house. “Daniel, are you okay?”

He was barely conscience.

Mateo, he was very strong and had worked in construction before. He was strong enough to pick up Daniel and throw him over his shoulders. “Thank you Sheriff, good night.”

“No, no Mateo. I'm not going to do this again, do you understand? Your brother better stay the hell away from that bar. It's not pretty what's going to happen to him next time he shows up there.”

“What bar?” Silvana asked. “What are you talking about?”

“Your son is enjoying the company of Johanna Rodriguez who works at a local bar, The Pink Heels is called. It's not a good place Ms. Vega and I'm worry about Daniel.”

 “I'll take care of it.” Mateo assured him. “Again Sheriff, thanks.”