Danno told her that “watermelon” would act as the password between her and the driver and not to get in the car with anyone who came to pick her up who did not know it outright. She nodded and hung up, and then waited under a nearby tree whose shadows swallowed her from street view. The car that came was black with tinted windows and gold rims. The driver wore a gray blazer and stubble sprinkled his jawline and coffee can of a neck. Keeping his eyes straight ahead, he rolled down the window.
Ala approached, suddenly feeling ridiculous about having to ask him for a password, when she would obviously do anything to get out of the area at this point. Bruce was probably awake and looking for her, calling the police to tell them he knows that Ala was involved in the fire.
“Did Danno give you a password?” She said, not knowing what to do with her hands and holding them behind her back.
“Watermelon,” he said. “Get in.”
She let herself in to the back, pulling the nightgown so it covered her knees. The driver lit a cigarette and turned the radio on. Whatever career path he had pursued most likely promoted more excitement than driving a girl with an awful haircut and no shoes around in the middle of the night.
A blues song vibrated in the back speakers, forcing her to bite down on her lip to keep from audibly crying. She turned her face toward the window and let a few tears leak out before straightening out in the seat. She had almost died. And now another chance had come from someone who loved her and didn’t bother asking questions.
They passed the local library after twenty minutes. Bruce did not live that far away from her parents, yet his neighborhood had been unrecognizable. He probably visited the same library. His mother probably shopped at the market that Ala’s mother shopped at. They probably had seen each other before. A strong gulp managed to push the bile back down her throat.
She rolled down the window as the car turned onto the street where her parents had lived. It looked the same as always when she had returned from a trip. The houses looked smaller, cozier, as if she had conquered somewhere more important, and was coming home to recharge. Now her heart banged against her chest with the thrill of being safe, of coming back from the dead.
Before the car came to a full stop, she opened the door and spilled out in front of Emmanuel’s house. The car stopped sharply. Danno came out the front door and nodded, sending the car on its way. Before Ala could comb through her hair with her fingers, she was in his arms.
just write something 