The sun fled as the moon crawled its way up to the sky, marking the start of dusk. Stars speckled the dark sky as a tall man made his way through the pavement, exploring the singing wind and the rustling night leaves, seeming to call his name Helio, Helio, Helio, and soothing his tired soul.
Helio was a tall, handsome Chilean-Argentinian man with a brown, piercing gaze and a sharp, spiky taper fade. His whole family had immigrated to the US wanting opportunity for their six children, but ends meet was meager. Seven years out of high school and not enough money for college, he had enrolled in the Air Force. Since then, he’s risen the ranks. He eventually carried the title of staff sergeant. It was an honor to him, but the tired and stressful days working at the base were taking a toll on him. With the Friday night ending with forty hours of training and work, he decided walking by the stars would help him recharge.
Helio turned a corner. He looked up from his downward gaze. About three hundred feet away, Helio saw a small diner, with a faded blue exterior and red shingled roof. The smell of grilled meat wafted through the air. He had assumed they were making their last batch of food. It be a quiet supper, with the stars to accompany him as he thought about this week’s work. So he quickened his pace and entered.
The door opened with a calming creak. He peered around the diner to see a waitress scrubbing the tables. His gaze stopped there, observing the woman. She was beautiful, with kind hazel eyes, a glimpse of her gentle soul. Her brunette, wavy locks framed her doll-like face and flowed down to her apron. Although ridden with work, she couldn’t be older than her twenties. Her hands were calloused and rough, and paired with her dirty sweater and furrowed brow, Helio thought of the long nights she spent here at the diner.
She smiled. “Coming in late today? We were just about to close.”
“Sorry,” Helio chuckled. “I assumed that I could get the last bit of food before it closed. But I can find somewhere else.”
“No, please.” The waitress waved her hand. “Sit down, you look tired.”
“Oh yeah, I’m so tired,” Helio remarked. He took a seat near the door where the stars painted white sparkles on the table.
“We only have wings left, sir. Is that alright with you?”
“Of course. I’m just looking for a late supper.” Helio tapped his stomach, smiling.
“I understand. I have brothers. But I’ll get those for you right away.” The waitress left to the kitchen, and Helio turned to peer out the window. He sighed. He imagined his hands on the plane control panel again, flying through the sky and the beautiful clouds. He had not been militarily deported in a while, which made flying a beautiful thing. Sometimes though, flying the aircraft was such a chore, and such a wound to the soul when in battle.
The pitter-patter of the waitress’s shoes came as she offered Helio a hot plate of buffalo wings. “Enjoy, sir!” The waitress was about to scurry away to do more work when Helio held up a hand.
“Please, ma’am. You also look very tired. The tables look spotless already.”
“I know. I know. Just, I want to do a good job.”
“You’ve done a great job. Come, have you stopped to look at the stars at night?”
“No, I don’t stop to notice a lot of things, actually.” She smiled and rubbed her hands on her apron.
“Well, if you don’t mind sitting. Come and watch.” The waitress agreed, sliding onto the bench across from Helio to peer out the window. “It’s important to stop sometimes. When the world is spinning, you have to stop and appreciate the things around you. See the Sagittarius is awfully bright tonight.” Helio pointed to the constellation.
“You seem to appreciate the things around you a lot, sir.”
“Helio.” He held out his hand.
“Helio. I’m Manuela.” She shook it. Pausing, she heard his slight accent. “You speak Spanish?” she asked quickly, switching to her mother tongue. “Where are you from?”
Helio also switched to speaking Spanish. “Um, I was from Chile. My parents moved here when I was quite young though. You?”
“I’m from Honduras. My parents moved here recently. I’ve just been working waitress jobs and such since then.”
“Ah. Making ends meet, eh?”
“Yep. It’s not the most ideal. I wished things were different sometimes… well, never mind.”
“No I understand,” Helio said. “It’s not easy coming to a new country and working these jobs when everyone treats you like dirt.” He put his buffalo-stained hands up. “Not you, particularly, I meant,” he chuckled. “Just people like us in general.”
“I know, don’t worry.” She looked out the window again. “I want to be a nurse. I want to help people. So many people can’t get proper treatment. And I know one person can’t do a lot, but I wish I could help make the health care crisis a bit less bad,” she said, her face lit by the moon. “Sorry, that was too much.” She put a lock behind her ear and peered down. They were silent with only a cricket chirp to fill the quietness.
“I want to help people too,” Helio replied. “But I don’t know if what I do is always right, y’know.”
“What do you do?”
“I’m an airman, in the airforce I mean.”
“Patriotic,” said Manuela. “Don’t worry, it takes a lot of bravery to do it.”
“For sure. It takes a lot to be a nurse too.”
“It does, but that’s just a dream, Helio. I don’t know where to go to get that degree,” she lamented. She looked at him, slightly dejected. Helio gazed into her sad, hazel eyes. Eating his last wing, he wiped his hands and mouth and reached into his pocket. He pulled out a fifty-dollar bill.
“Manuela. To your dreams of helping people, I hope it comes true.”
Manuela gawked at the money. Then immediately, she urged, “No, Helio. I can’t take that. That’s insane.”
“Manuela, I insist.” He smiled and placed the bill in one of her work-ridden hands, folding the other hand on top. “Your work doesn’t go unnoticed.” Helio picked up the plate and set it in the bin above the trash. “Have a good night,” he wished her, then opened the doors as the gentle breeze ruffled his hair. “And please,” he turned around. “It’s late, go home and get a good night’s rest, Manuela.” They smiled at each other. Her smile was beautiful, awakening the crooked crow’s feet on her crinkled hazel eyes. He gazed for a bit longer before shutting the door.
Walking out, he turned to check the name of the diner. Smiling, he continued down the star-speckled pavement, waiting for the night to take him in again.
**Chapter 2 is available soon on The City Voice!
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