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Arranging my trunk and making sure I have everything I need for the following shift, I’m trying not to stare at Emily at the car beside me, looking so cute in her ‘bulletproof vest’ that I know, isn’t really bulletproof. It’s not like you put these things on and you’re suddenly superman with super powers that prevent you from getting hurt. As cute as she looks, all I can really think about is how I wish she wasn’t out here. Not only because she’s with a very single and very flirty Martinez, but also because it’s not safe. I should be the one keeping her safe. Why the hell is she here?
Just as I’m closing the trunk to my car, I hear Martinez answer his phone. I can tell it’s not a good conversation; something is wrong. As much as I don’t want him around Emily, he’s still my friend and I’m worried something bad has happened. I can’t tell what though. He’s answering in short clipped responses and not saying much.
“Yeah mom, I’m on my way,” he says as he ends the call.
“Emmett, brother, what’s wrong?” I ask.
“Jonathan, my dad . . . he’s . . . he had a heart attack and they’re taking him to the hospital. Right now. I gotta go.” He turns to look at Emily and says, “Sorry Emily, but maybe another time?”
“Of course, go and don’t worry about me. I hope your dad will be okay.”
“Emmett, whatever you need just let me know. Go on and go. I’ll call and check on things in a few hours if I don’t hear from you.”
I bring him in for a hug and say, “It’s gonna be okay, Emmett. Be strong for your mom and for your dad. You go take care of yours and we’ll take care of you. Now go.”
“Thanks, man.”
I watch as he runs back into the building and hope that his dad truly will be okay, and if not, I just hope he makes it there in time to say goodbye. Not getting to say goodbye to mom, I know how important that is. Shit, I don’t know if I’ll ever get over not being with her at the end. There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think about it.
“Well, I guess I better go turn this vest back in. I’ll see you later.”
Her voice brings me back to the present, and the fact that the woman that has been on my mind every second of every day, is standing here with me. I guess there’s no time like the present to man up and start the process of getting my girl back. I hate that Emmett’s dad is sick, but they do say that things happen for a reason.
“No need for that, you can jump in with me.”
She looks at me with apprehension on her face and starts to play with her necklace. “You sure?”
“Yep, I’ll let the sergeant know when we get logged on and we’ll be set. Let me just make room in the front seat for you and we can hit the road . . . unless you’d rather just ride in the back?”
“Ha, very funny, Georgia. I can wait for you to move things.”
I fucking love it when she calls me that. It means she’s comfortable and reminds me of Cali. Baby steps are what I need to take and I’ll start with that.
“Here, let me just put this in the back and you can go ahead and get in. Just don’t touch anything,” I say only half joking.
“What could I possibly break?” she says as she gets in the car. “Okay, you were right. There are lots of buttons and do-hickies in here that look they do something that I shouldn’t make them do, so I will not touch a thing.” She yells at me from her still open car door.
I join her in the car, start the engine and turn on my MDC. I explain to her that the MDC is the Mobile Data Computer and show her that this is where we see our lists of pending and active calls. It’s also the system we use to run license plates. There’s also an IM system on it so that officers can send messages to each other or the dispatchers. I let her know that she can run some plates for me later and her face lights up like Christmas morning.
I check my lights, sirens and set my radio volume and get ready to head out. I can’t believe she’s sitting in my patrol car with me. She’s been all I have thought about for a week and somehow, on my day off, I happen to come to work and here she is. I know she once told me she wasn’t sure if she believed in fate, but I sure as hell do.
We’ve been at it for a while and there have just been a couple of little stops here and there, but nothing too exciting. She asks lots of questions and I let her run plates on the MDC, but for the most part things stay business like and we don’t discuss anything personal. For me it’s all personal. Sharing such a big part of my life with her is a big deal. Her interest in wanting to know about this world, my world, is a big deal to me. Having her so close to me brings me a calmness I haven’t felt since I was with her in Mick’s kitchen, before she friend-zoned me that is. Oh God and her smell. To have her smell all around me in my car is something that I wish I could bottle or put into one of those car fresheners that look like a tree. She smells better than any perfume out there. I will not stay her friend. Fuck the friend-zone! I need so much more than just being her friend.
We stop at Subway to get a quick bite to eat and I squeeze into one of the tiny little booths they have there. With all my gear on it’s not the most comfortable, but you get used to it and make it work.
“So, how’s Ireland? Is she adjusting well to leaving California?”
“She’s seems to be doing great so far. She loves her new pre-school but luckily she’s only going for a few hours a day, since I only have part time hours at the high school. She loves being close to my mom and Mickey, so she’s a happy little girl. I’m pretty lucky, she’s always been easy. I had an easy pregnancy and a fairly easy delivery. She was four weeks early and really tiny but she was a great baby. Now that she’s a great big four your old, she’s still pretty great.”
“Well, look at her mom . . . she was born with pretty great genes.”
“Shut up,” she says as she throws a Cheeto at me.
“It’s true, Em, she’s pretty damn lucky to have you for a mom.”
“Well, thanks but it hasn’t been easy. I’ve had lots of help. That old saying ‘it takes a village’ is pretty true.”
“Why didn’t you move home to be with family when you had her?”
