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“Good for you,” he said. “Your uniforms should be ready Friday.”

“Thank you, sir.”

It was about time she had a real job. Two years of community college right out of high school and a year of fire academy had only left time for a job dishing up hot dogs at Der Wienerschnitzel. But even there she was a team player. Working as a firefighter would give her a chance to use all the skills she’d learned in the academy. Now to break the news to her father.

He was in the kitchen at the counter, his iPad in front of him, scrolling through retirement properties for sale.

“I got the job,” she said when he looked up. “Chief Saint just called. I start next Monday.”

“Congratulations, sweetheart. That’s a tough company.”

“I know, Dad. Don’t worry about me.”

“They do a lot of brush fires and motor vehicle accidents on the interstate,” he said. “All firefighting is dangerous, don’t get me wrong. But those fires back in the hills, you really have to be on your toes.”

“I’ll be careful, Dad. I promise. I have to go up on Friday to get my uniform. You want to tag along?”

“Nah, I don’t want to embarrass you. I’d have to tell the Saints to watch out for my only daughter.”

“I’m proud of my old dad,” she said, laughing. “Just don’t make trouble for me. He said I was their only recruit this year.”

“I’ll tell you what to do,” he said. “I know you learned this in school, but just as a reminder, put everyone else first. It will be tricky ’cause you’re a girl.”

“Women always put everyone else before themselves,” Geri’s mother, Mary, added. “It’ll be same old, same old.”

“Yeah, but this is different,” Gerald replied. “A female still has to do her job. She has to be ready to jump into her turnout gear and get on a truck in seconds. When she’s not fighting a fire, she has to clean toilets and do dishes, make sure coffee is always made, be first one up in the morning and the last one to go to sleep. When she’s at work for her three days, there will be no time to look at her phone or read a book. It’ll be constant busyness.”

“You guys, I know this. It’ll be fine. This is what I want.”

“You working with all those men,” Mary said, shaking her head. “You couldn’t be a nurse or a teacher.”

“Or how about a doctor or a lawyer so I can retire,” Gerald said.

“Ha! Get real, Dad. I don’t want to do those things anyway.”

So on Friday morning, going to Station #34 to pick up her uniforms, she prepared for the appointment like she was going out on a date. The last one she’d gone on had been so long ago she couldn’t remember what that was really like. Blond hair cut super-short to facilitate the physical activity part of the academy had paid off and was easy to style. But maybe she’d let it grow a little now that climbing ropes wasn’t part of the firehouse curriculum. A white sweater and jeans, short boots and a leather jacket and she was ready to go.

On winding roads the drive up the mountain to the remote station was thrilling in her little sports car. But when she pulled into the parking lot that first time, among all the pickup trucks her car stuck out. She might have to rethink her mode of transportation if she wanted to fit in. The paved lot ended right at the end of the building, and gravel extended out another hundred yards or so. She parked in back. It was another strategy of the rookie: to leave the better parking spaces for the others.

The last time she’d visited the station was for her interview with Charlie Saint. In spite of having been there before, returning was a little intimidating. The crews were returning from a call, and she arrived at the door just as it opened for the first approaching engine. Chief Saint was in his red Explorer with Battalion Chief printed on the door in gold, and he pulled up next, waving to her.

“Go back to my office,” he shouted, waving. “I’ll be right in so we can talk.”

The red vehicle pulled around to the side of the building. Having a meeting with him was unexpected, but she did as he said and walked through the garage to the office in back. The door was open, but she waited outside, watching the activity of the trucks backing in the four bays, in a little disbelief that on Monday she’d be working here, a full-fledged rookie firefighter.

“Hi, Geri, welcome to Station #34.”

She recognized EMT Bridget Saint walking toward her, pulling a yellow jacket off and hanging it on a hook outside the supply office for the paramedics.

“I heard you were coming in today to pick up your uniforms.”

“I’m so excited,” Geri sputtered.

“Good! Excited is good. I hope you feel that way at the end of your first shift,” she said, laughing. “I know everyone is happy to have you on board. We’ve been short-staffed for over a year now.”

“I hope one new recruit will make a difference,” Geri said, trying not to sound doubtful.

“You will. I’m happy you’re here.”

Source: www.allfreenovel.com
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