“I know, right. She sat me down and we talked about art for hours. I didn’t wanna admit it at the time, but I had been longing for the peace art gave me. Tanya said she wouldn’t press charges against me if I started coming to the rec center three days a week. She saved my life. She was the one who encouraged me to make the mural for Chi Chi.”
She taught me how to let go of the pain I was holding on to, how to channel it into something I could be proud of.
“Micah. That’s amazing.” Dani moves the camera from in front of her face, making sure I understand her words are for me and not the video.
“Thanks. I don’t think I ever told my parents that story.” I look into the camera. “My bad, y’all.”
Dani laughs before cutting off the video. We move to Tanya’s office for Dani’s test shot, working silently side by side to get everything set up once again.
I count her down and then press record.
“I’m here in Tanya’s office. She used to spend a lot of time here. So far, we’ve found some really cool things of hers that we think y’all are going to love.”
She keeps going, but I struggle to listen.
What the fuck is that?
Everything from the words she’s saying to the way she’s standing screams impersonal. I’ve seen her videos on social media—I know how lively she can be, and this isn’t that.
“Dani, I’m really sorry. Can I interrupt you?”
“What’s up?”
“It’s just …” I try to find the words to say what I know I have to say. “Are you gonna do these parts of the videos like this the whole time?”
Her hand finds its way to her hip, and I know I’ve fucked up.
“What do you mean?”
“Well, you just seem sort of … stiff.”
“Stiff.” She repeats the word in that tone that tells me I’m close to death.
So why don’t I just shut up? “You sound like you’re a reporter doing a segment on someone you didn’t know, not a tribute for a dear friend.”
“Hmm,” she hums.
“I’m sorry. I just think you should relax. Maybe not treat it like it’s a project.”
As soon as I say it, I know I’m cooked. Her face turns cold, nothing but harshness in her eyes. I can see the muscles in her jaw bulging.
I brace myself for the verbal beating I know is coming when she surprises me. “Thanks for the advice, Micah.” Her smile is almost Joker-like in its fraudulence.
This is worse than I thought. “Right. No, you should ignore me. I don’t know what I’m talking about.”
“No, you’re absolutely right. Why don’t we switch? I’ll record a second story from you and then we can pick up on mine next time.”
“Uh, if you’re sure.”
“I’m sure.” She brushes past me to reposition her camera.
Fuck.
It doesn’t take long to record my segment. I throw a proverbial dart at the wall of our memories and share whatever it lands on in my mind.
Once we’re done recording, Dani packs up her equipment and heads for the door.
“Wait, Dani.”
