In the wake of a bad call, firefighter Eddie Diaz realizes the extent to which he has failed as a husband. In a desperate attempt to save his relationship with his husband, Buck, Eddie turns to "The Love Dare," a Christian self-help book recommended...
“Abuela, it’s going to be fine. I’ll be completely healed up in a couple weeks.”
Eddie tells her over the phone, after being released from the hospital.
“Yes, I have it all wrapped up as we speak.” “Can you just cut me a little slask, por favor? I’m a firefighter, and that means I’m going to be around fire.” “I know. I just don’t need to be grilled every time I answer the phone.”
A beat, then Eddie picks up the book, answering, “Yeah, today’s day 23. It was pretty tough this morning. Newspaper called me a few times already. Apparently the only person I’m not a hero to is my husband.”
Quickly, Eddie assures her, “No, I’m not giving up.” One last pause, “Gracias, abuela. I’ll call again soon.”
Feeling better just from the phone call, Eddie hangs up.
Later, he’s on the laptop, looking at different parts to restore his car.
But this time, a pop up shows up, for a porn site. Normally, this wouldn’t be a big deal. Just exit the window and move on.
And still, he starts to hover the mouse arrow over the window, finger ready to click.
But something about this particular window is different. It’s not the sexy person pictured, or even the fact that most likely it’ll freeze his laptop for days.
No, this time, he’s hesitating because he knows what he has to do, what the Love Dare wants him to do, he just doesn’t know if he has what it takes to make that leap.
“No, I can’t.” he mutters to himself, and gets up to step away.
He keeps looking back at the laptop, fighting the urge to sit back down and forget this whole thing.
But he knows he can’t. He’s made it this far, he can’t stop now. He knows this already.
“Then why is this so hard?” he asks out loud to the empty room. The question, naturally, is completely rhetorical. He knows why.
Because somewhere in his gut, he knows this is the point of no return. Whatever happens from here on out, whatever he decides to do next will be the foundation he has to build on, to see the rest of it through, regardless of the outcome.
Frustrated, he goes back to the couch, picking up the book. Maybe if he reads it again, it’ll help him make up his mind.
Day 23: Beware of parasites. A parasite is anything that can attach itself to you or your partner, draining the life out of your marriage. They typically manifest in addictions like gambling, drugs, alcohol, or even pornography. They promise to make you feel better, but in truth they carry poison, taking your thoughts, energy, and money with them. They take you and your love away from the people you love. Very rarely does a marriage survive with unchecked parasites. If you love your spouse, you must take any parasite that’s latched onto you, and destroy it once and for all. If not, it will be the very thing that does you in.
It does help some to read it again, and for a moment, Eddie just looks at where the laptop is, with the pop up window still on the screen.
And in an instant, he’s getting up and grabbing the laptop, not caring about the cords still plugged into it as he takes it right outside.
He sets it down right on the front patio table, then picks up the baseball bat still on the ground, ready to swing.
Eddie pulls out his medallion, kisses it once, and with a, “Okay, Chris. No more addictions.”, he takes the bat right to the laptop screen, knocking it right on the ground, shattering glass everywhere.
He doesn’t even care if someone’s watching this time, because this is too important.
He swings the bat down on the piece of crap laptop over and over again, an extra one they never needed anyway, and doesn’t even turn on half the time, watching the laptop keys fly off the board, until there’s absolutely no chance of fixing it.
This just might be the first time in his life where he took a bat to something, and actually feels better in a way beating up the trash can never did.
Hours later, when Buck’s finally home, as he gets out of the car, he sees something that he’s almost positive is just his mind playing tricks on him.
But no. As he moves closer, there’s Eddie’s laptop, smashed, nothing but a pile of plastic and wires.
He goes inside, setting the mail down and tossing his keys aside, when he sees it.
On the table where Eddie usually keeps his laptop, is a vase of flowers. But this time they’re a far cry from the pathetic bouquet he received a few weeks ago.
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These are big, beautiful tulips. They almost look like they were freshly cut.
Buck’s not sure what to think at all, but as he moves closer, he sees another card.
Fully prepared for another pathetic message, he picks it up.
I love you and Chris more!
Buck looks at the flowers again, then back at the card. This, Buck can admit, has way more sentiment than that last bouquet did.
The next morning, after Eddie’s early morning run, he goes straight to his room and crashes.
Once he hears the sound of the front door closing, Eddie decides to get up anyway.
When he moves to the living room, he sees the tulips and note still there.
Considering the fate of the last bouquet he bought, he’ll take it.
He moves throughout the house, looking for any signs of Buck, not even sure what he’d say if they do see each other.
Then he sees it. An envelope, addressed to him, right by the decorative fruit bowl.
Eddie smiles when he sees it. Maybe things will be okay after all. If writing notes is what it takes to get them on the same page, he’ll gladly do it.
A hope that’s instantly dashed when he pulls the papers out of the envelope, and turns them over, and sees just about the furthest cry from a love letter that he’s ever seen.
“No.” Eddie gasps in desperation, as he frantically flips through the others, and they just confirm the rest of them.
The shock is enough to make him start shaking uncontrollably, as he leans against the wall, legs collapsing as he keeps reading the papers over and over.
“No, no.” He pleads, begging someone, anyone, to tell him it’s not real, that this isn’t happening.
Finally, he can’t look at them anymore, dropping the papers on the floor as he puts both hands behind his head.
Up until now, he’s always known this was something that could happen, but to see it now, after everything, after he’s just recommitted to being a good husband and father, it’s like a punch to the gut.
In another part of the city, Abuela’s listening as Eddie calls her, crying his eyes out as he tells her the worst possible news he's had in a long time, rivaled only by when Buck told him he lost Chris in the tsunami.
