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“Mama,” Carlos reaches up, gently pushes his his mom’s hand down. Her folded napkin, refusing to go down without a fight. “I’m 28, I can wipe my own mouth.”
“Well then why don’t you?”
“I’m still eating,” He says, hoping it’ll suffice as an answer. It must because his mom makes a muted “hm” and goes back to the lunch in front of her.
His phone rings and he answers it with a blessing from his mother. “Hello? Oh hi.” It’s the wedding venue that TK’s fallen in love with. He keeps the conversation short; remembering the important details, which is all of them.
“Let me talk to my fiancé and I’ll get back to you.” Carlos doesn’t ignore the warmth he feels when he refers to TK as his fiancé. He hopes it never goes away. “You’ll here from us by end of business day today.”
His mom looks at him, waiting to be included. “That was the dream venue. A couple from Fort Worth just broke up so that means they have an opening.” HIs moms eyes widen. “In eight weeks.”
“Carlos, that’s fantastic! TK’s going to be so excited. It’s like the good news doesn’t stop.” His mom smiles, waiting for Carlos to agree. He exposes his tell when he doesn’t smile back. “Don’t tell me TK doesn’t know.”
Carlos waits a second too long to respond; a second too late to make any lie he’s thought of believable. “Not yet.”
“Carlitos,” His mother says it in a way that’s scandalized. “You need to tell him. Today.” His mom’s harden, but loving stare, doesn’t leave room for argument.
Carlos sighs, “I know”
—
Carlos is waiting, watching the vehicles back into the right spot, back where they’re supposed to be. Where you’re supposed to wait for them. He smiles when he sees TK hop out of the back of the ambulance and TK couldn’t look happier to see him.
“Hey babe, you hear for lunch?”
Carlos knows he should say no; tell TK the truth and stop stalling. That, and he really doesn’t think a second lunch would help with his productivity throughout the rest of the day. He does what he thinks is best.
“You know it.”
—
“You sure you don’t want anything else to eat?” TK looks down at the bottle of water in Carlos’ hand. Carlos is sitting across from him, they’re in the sleeping quarters away of the firehouse away from everyone.
Carlos hasn’t stopped thinking about it; he’s barely thinking about anything else right now. It’s at the forefront of his mind, begging to be let out. “Yeah, I’m fine, I already ate.” He doesn’t realize his slip up until he sees TK set his bag of chips down.
“So you weren’t here for lunch.” TK’s using the voice he uses when he’s not mad, just confused. Carlos is silent, not knowing how to continue. “Baby,” TK says it in that voice Carlos loves. TK eyes soften. “What is it?”
Carlos inhales, exhales; then he just comes right out and says it, “I got an offer for detective.”
A beat goes by.
“Carlos, baby,” TK suppresses his excitement, knowing he’s at work. He does it in a way that you wouldn’t know, but Carlos knows TK. “That’s amazing. You’ve wanted this for months!”
“Thanks baby,” Carlos smiles, but it’s tight. He does it in a way that you wouldn’t know, but TK knows Carlos.
“And there’s something more you’re not telling me.”
“It’s an offer in Dallas County.”
“Dallas.” TK repeats; letting the word settle.
“I had applied back when we had broken up; I don’t know, I thought it was best to maybe leave things behind.” Carlos doesn’t want to think too much about it. He’d never leave TK, not really. Just like TK would never really let Carlos go, not really.
“I interviewed, got the recommendation from Washington and then it went radio silent for, well, a while. They called me earlier this week to give me the offer.”
TK’s silent for a couple of beats before asking, “What did you say?”
“That I’d need a couple of days to think about it.”
“What’s there to think about?” TK asks. “Baby, it’s detective. Detective.”
“Yeah but,” Carlos decides to bring it up, the lingering thought that’s made him keep this information to himself. “You’d come too?”
“Of course,” TK is shocked it’s even a question. “You’re not getting rid of me that easily.”
Carlos knows he should stop himself, knowing that no matter what he says, TK will find a way to make him feel better about than he wants to admit to himself.
“What if we hate it?”
“Okay, loving the optimism” TK jokes. “But, if for some reason we don’t love it; we can figure out the next step together. Hell, maybe even come back to Austin act like it never happened. You know the 126 is going to miss their favorite personality hire.”
Carlos looks at TK; holds an unwavering gaze. They’re doing this. They’re really doing this.
TK smiles, “Say yes, babe. Anywhere you go, I’ll follow.”
“Even if it doesn’t go according to plan?”
“Well that’s what’s so great.” TK walks over to Carlos, bends down so they’re eye to eye. “We get forever to figure it out.”