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“Are you married?” she asked, trying to see Bridget’s left hand.
“Nope, single with a baby.”
A look of hopeful excitement passed over Connie’s face. “You still have to meet Big Mike’s other sons, Joey and Mike Junior. And there’s Devon Lyon, Rick Jackson and a few other single guys. All smart, handsome men. Joey might be a little old for you. He’s in his thirties. Forget Joey, I just remembered he finally has a girlfriend.”
“Ha! I’m not looking, and I already met Mike and Devon,” Bridget said. “I’ll barely have enough time to clean my apartment now that I’m working full time with a baby, let alone date. But thanks anyway.”
“I hope you change your mind,” she said, winking.
Later that night, after dinner when the men were in their recliners watching reruns ofThe Big Bang Theory, Connie went up to the lounge from the office off the garage, with a cake she’d brought from home.
“Hey, Connie,” they called out.
“Come have cake during the commercial.”
“I’ve seen this episode at least ten times,” Rick said, putting the foot of his chair down.
He helped, getting out paper plates and plastic forks someone had donated to the firehouse, while she cut the cake.
“So, did you meet the new EMT?” she asked, looking at him sidelong.
“The pregnant one?” he asked, sticking his finger in the icing, and Connie swatted him away.
“She’s not pregnant anymore, and she’s gorgeousandsingle.”
“She’s single?” He looked off into space, frowning.
“You know how babies are made, right, Rick? You don’t have to be married to make a baby. I forget what the stats are, but they’re pretty impressive, like fifty percent of births in the US are to single women.”
“I don’t believe that!”
“Google it. And if you stick your finger in my cake one more time, I’m going to chop it off with this knife.”
“That’s a spatula.”
“It’s sharp.”
“What’s all the whining about?” Tony Saint had come over for his share of the cake.
“The new EMT isn’t married,” Rick explained. “And she has a kid.”
“She was here when she was pregnant,” Tony said. “I remember seeing her from the back and running up to her to say hello, but when she turned sideways, she had a medicine ball under her uniform.”
“She was huge,” Connie said, laughing. “But she wore it well. I looked like a swollen tick when I was pregnant. So what do you guys think?”
“She’s cute,” Rick said. “I don’t know if I want a kid though. What about you, Tony?”
“I’m engaged, remember. At least for now. Patty keeps me on a short leash.”
“Patty’s worth it,” Rick said, walking away with his plate of cake. “She’s gorgeous.”
“How’s that working for you?” Connie asked after Rick left. Tony and Patty’s fights were legendary among the firehouse staff after witnessing many of them over the years.
“It is what it is. We fight, she tells me what to do, and I usually do it until I can’t stand it anymore.”
“Honey, that doesn’t sound like the way to a happy marriage.”
Tony looked behind him and then got up close to Connie. “I have my doubts about our chances,” he whispered. “It’s okay as long as we’re engaged, but marriage? I doubt that will even happen.”
