Letting out a laugh, I said, “Wow, really?”
“Yeah. Clearly, you like fire, otherwise you wouldn’t be a firefighter.”
“Hmmm. At least take me out to dinner first. Get to know me a little.Thenyou can talk about my love of fire,” I teased her.
She giggled at the idea and said, “I’m sorry. Next time, maybe you can tell me why youchoseto be a firefighter?”
Feigning shock, I said, “Next time? You mean, you want me to come back?”
She rolled her eyes. “Well, you’re clearly not going away on your own…”
I cupped my hands around my mouth to make a megaphone and yelled, “GOOD PEOPLE OF WHISPERING PINES! SHE WANTS ME TO COME BACK!”
“Oh my god! I’m leaving. Have fun,” she said playfully as she waved her hand in the air and walked toward the house. Feeling like a million bucks, I hopped into my truck. I needed to get home to get ready for work, but staying distracted by Laida was becoming my new favorite activity.
***
“Harrington! Another shift, you ready?” Brady Wilkinson was another firefighter on the team and the buddy I was closest to.
“You know it.”
He sat down next to me. “Whatcha been up to?”
“I’ve been around, man. Not much.” I tend to keep my personal life guarded. The whole firehouse knows what happened between me, my ex, Mikaila, and my ex-best friend, Jacob. Jacob was also a firefighter on our team. When things went down, he left. You can’t come back from that and he knew it. “Just keeping busy. Working around the apartment.”
We were interrupted when the Chief yelled for me. “Harrington! My office…”
Wilkinson’s eyes went wide and he goes, “Ooooh, you’re in trouble.”
“You wish,” and shoved him in the arm with a laugh.
When I walked into the Chief’s office, he was sitting at his desk, so I sat in the chair in front of him. “What’s up, Chief?”
“I’m putting you on fire prevention and public education next month. You’ll be managing requests for safety teachings in schools and providing station tours to the public when they come in.”
The Prevention and Public Education duties are highly sought after because they give you face time with the community. Anyone who got their turn at this knew they werein line for potential promotion or at least being looked at by leadership. “Thanks, Chief. I’m looking forward to it.”
Just then, the fire alarms went off, and dispatch came over the radios.
Dispatch:"Engine 7. Respond to a reported structure fire at 1015 Pines Ave, cross street, Lake Ave. Report of smoke and flames visible from the front of the residence. Be advised, one dog and one elderly man possibly inside.”
Engine 7:"Dispatch, Engine 7 responding to 1015 Pines Ave.”
It was going to be a long night.
***
When I walked into my apartment, I dropped my clothes in the entryway and dragged myself to shower. That fire was intense, but we managed to get the old man and his dog out. They were the only people in the home at the time. The ambulance took them to the hospital where they were treated and released. I was relieved when I heard they’d be alright.
Unfortunately, his house was gutted. Fire can take everything from you. My mother had a house fire when I was young, and I think a part of me always knew I would be in public service somehow because of it. We lived in the country, and it took too long for the fire trucks to get to our house. One day, I had the chance to volunteer at the firehouse, and I was reminded of our house fire. That’s when it all clicked for me that firefighting was what I was supposed to do with my life.
I took the firefighting courses and started volunteering more regularly after a year into my relationship with Mikaila. Finally, Chief Carson asked me to sign on full-time. I did, of course, and I couldn’t be happier. It’s a job few people understand, but they’re always grateful that I’m there.
I shut the shower off, reached for a towel, and wrapped it around my waste. Drying myself off, I wondered what Laida was doing. Regretfully, we hadn’t exchanged numbers. Just then, my phone pinged with a text.
Unknown number: Are you ok?
Me: Maybe. Who is this?
