Naomi tossed the last garbage bag into the trash can and sat across from her father on the front porch steps. He was playing with a red coin, his one-month sobriety token, flipping it through his fingers. She leaned against the rail, gazing at the stars in the cloudless sky. They sat in comfortable silence, neither wanting to disturb the rare peaceful quiet of the night. The sound of gunshots and sirens blaring in the distance were common. Even though Naomi lived only a few miles away, she worried about her grandmother and Chuy living in such a dangerous neighborhood.
“Did you have a good time, Mijita?” Javier asked.
“I loved it, Dad.” Naomi glanced down at the brown bottle he held.
“It’s root beer,” he said, reading the expression on her face. “I know you’re worried that I’ll start dri
