world around you

Tonight’s an important night.He’s met Tess a few times; at a barbecue Tommy and Maria threw for all their closest friends, then again once at the supermarket on accident, and finally that one time at the self-service car wash when he’d offered to do her windshield.Somehow, that stupid car wash encounter gleaned him a dinner date for tonight.Joel ain’t been on a date in…well, he can’t even count on his damn fingers. Since he lost Sarah’s mama, no one ever really mattered enough to look twice at. And after losin’ Sarah…Nothing mattered.Things are different these days though. He’s…well, you’d call him healed, maybe. Life is good- he’s got Ellie, his family, reasons to get up and live every day. Now, he’s even got a goddamn date.Joel would be lying if he said he wasn’t nervous; Tess is a nice woman, but she’s damn tough too. He gets the feeling if he messes up, it’s over. She don’t strike him as the type of woman who likes to waste her time.Still, he’s looking forward to this. (joel's first date in two decades gets interrupted when his kid needs him)