Loving Catalina was the easiest thing Eddie Diaz ever had to do. Almost losing her in a car accident became the immediate worst.
Catalina loved her husband and son more than anything else in the world. They were all she had left.
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Eddie shook his h...
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Catalina followed Buck and Christopher around the pier as they played games and got on rides. A soft smile on her face as she listened to Christopher's laughter and Buck's words of encouragement.
Buck loved that kid, she knew that much, and it made her happy that Christopher wasn't completely alone anymore. Of course, he had Eddie and Isabel but Eddie was always at work and Isabel was getting older, she couldn't take care of him as much as she wanted.
After a few more games, Buck and Christopher went and sat next to Catalina on a bench, Christopher standing up as he looked out onto the water.
Buck couldn't hear her anymore but he both knew she was there, Christopher helped them communicate, almost like a mediator. They'd grown used to that ghostly feeling around them. It was almost scarier not having that feeling now.
Christopher still remembers the first time he stopped feeling her around. It was the first time Catalina was stuck inside the hospital.
Christopher was still only a toddler when it happened and Eddie will never forget the drive to the hospital with a crying Christopher in the backseat. He could never forget the way Christopher relaxed instantly as soon as the sound of the heart monitor reached his ears and his father set him down to lay in bed next to Catalina.
"Do you ever think about what you wanna be when you grow up?" Buck asked Christopher as he held onto his shirt. Catalina turned to Christopher, anticipating her son's answer. "Astronaut or a pirate," Christopher answered honestly, making Catalina smile brightly at his innocence and youthfulness.
"Some good choices. Cool outfits too." Buck answered as he looked up at Christopher, making Catalina laugh softly. "No wait," Christopher said, wanting to change his answer.
"A firefighter." He finished, making Buck chuckle. Catalina sighed, placing her hand on his shoulders, and giving it a light squeeze. "Yeah, me too," Buck responded sadly. Catalina knew how much he'd been struggling with this. Being a firefighter was everything to Buck and not being able to do that was eating him alive.
Catalina and Buck had been spending a lot of time together whether it was Catalina suddenly finding herself in his apartment or Buck hanging out with her in her hospital room.
They kept each other company while everyone else worked and lived their lives. But, they understood each other. They both felt like their lives were at a standstill, just waiting for that push to get back to what they knew best.
Catalina and Buck stared up at Christopher who was enjoying the view of the ocean. Christopher had his hand lightly going over Buck's face, the hairs of his beard slightly prickling his fingers.
Suddenly, everyone around them started commotion as they moved closer to the railing. Buck turned his head, worried, before standing up to look at what everyone else was looking at. Catalina watched as Buck stood still, his hand still secure on Christopher's shirt so he wouldn't fall. "Buck? What is it?" Her voice was shaky as she stood up and looked out at everything.
