I smile as the tears form in my eyes and I blink them away. “Thank you.”
I walk out smack into Roman. “You in trouble?” he asks me, his chin motioning to the office door.
“No,” I say, glancing around. “I was just telling him that—” I lean in, and his eyebrows pinch together, probably wondering what the fuck I’m doing. “I’m pregnant.”
“Shut the fuck up.” He laughs. “No way.”
“Way.” I return as we walk toward the locker. “I’m telling you and Captain and, well, I want to wait a bit before I tell everyone else.”
“Your secret is safe with me,” he assures. “This answers why you’ve been eating so much.” I push his shoulder. “You brought seven snacks with you yesterday for one run.” I stop in front of my locker. “You let me know if you need anything, yeah?”
“If you treat me differently, I’m going to hurt you, and you’ll need an ice pack for days.” He cups his junk and turns away.
I have enough time to change and put my lunch bag away before we get our first call. We’re in the middle of breakfast when we get news of a fire, and everyone is out the door.
At the scene, Roman and I wait while the firemen do their thing. A fireman carries out a little girl, and we both spring into action. She’s coughing as Roman places her on the gurney, and I grab the oxygen mask.
“Hey there.” I smile at the girl, who looks scared out of her mind. “Are you hurt anywhere?” She shakes her head side to side. “What’s your name?”
“Amaya,” she says in a small voice. “Where’s my mom?” I look over at the apartment complex, where flames are coming out of the middle-floor windows.
“She’s coming,” I tell her, even though I don’t know. I look up at Roman, who moves out to look for her mother.
Amaya coughs again. “How about we get you some air?” I put the elastic portion of the mask around her head. “This is going to make you feel better.” I sit beside her. Her eyes are fixed on the building, then scanning the crowd. Two more firemen come out, and the rig next to us moves toward them. A woman is in their arms, unconscious.
“Mommy!” Amaya cries, pointing to the woman.
“They’re going to help her,” I assure her as I hold her hand.
It takes a bit, but her mom finally wakes up, and I let out a huge sigh of relief. Amaya is reunited with her mother, and both of them go to the hospital in the other rig.
“We need a medic!” Burke shouts. “Roman, Collins!”
We both run.
“I think I broke my foot,” an older lady says. “I was rushing down the steps, and I twisted it and fell.”
“We’ll take care of you,” Roman tells her, and she smiles at him. When she sees me, a familiar sneer spreads across her lips. I don’t know her, but I know this look all too well. Roman speaks up: “If you don’t treat my partner with respect, I’m not going to be happy.”
“It’s fine,” I mumble as we load her on the gurney. “I’m driving.”
He nods his head, getting in the back of the ambulance with her.
At the hospital, we wait for the triage nurse to take her. “I’ll do the paperwork,” Roman offers, and I wheel our gurney back to the ambulance to disinfect it.
I’m jumping out of the rig when I run smack into my father. “Well, well, well,” he says. “We’ve been looking for you.” He’s wearing a pair of jeans that look like they’ve been washed a month ago and a black T-shirt.
“Yeah? Have you?” I spray down the gurney, not willing to have a confrontation in the middle of the emergency room for everyone to talk about.
“You’re never home.” He snickers, folding his arms over his chest. The hair on the back of my neck stands up. “Who’s the guy?”
“No guy.”
“You know you aren’t supposed to lie to your parents.” He looks around. “Word on the street is you’re dating this guy named Theo.” I avoid looking at him. I want him to know nothing, to keep them as far away from Theo as I possibly can.
“Followed him home the other night.” My head flies up to meet my father’s blue eyes. “He has one of those big houses in that new neighborhood.”
“He’s no one,” I say, checking to make sure no one can hear us. I hate that I’m lying, but I have no choice. I will protect Theo at all costs.
