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Mike and Anna moved to Balsam Ridge eight years ago. He and I were in fire school together. He was from Kansas, and he took a position at a fire station in his hometown when we graduated. He met Anna and married her two years later. I was a groomsman at their wedding. When a spot opened up at Valley Fire and Rescue, he was the first call I made. He and Anna were on the next flight to Tennessee.
They have no family here, except for us. Their fire family.
Family isn’t always blood. Family is the souls that tie themselves to yours for the long haul.
Anna and this baby will always have me and the support of every member of this community.
One of the Red Cross volunteers comes and lays a hand on Anna’s back as I rock her.
“We have an ambulance here. They need to check you out, sweetheart.”
Anna protests, but my mother and Leona gently coax her into letting them tend to her needs.
I let go of her, and the paramedics lead her outside.
“Don’t worry; we’ll go with her,” Leona says, referring to herself and Mayor Gentry.
I thank them.
The room fills with the evacuees, and I let them know that their houses should be safe to return to tomorrow once the all-clear is given. All, except for one.
I turn to Weston. “I’m so sorry, brother. We weren’t able to save your house. The fire was too intense when it crested the ridge. The men fought it as hard as they could, but it surrounded them, and they couldn’t—”
Weston throws his arms around me. “I don’t give a fuck about that damn house,” he cries.
I grasp him, and I begin to tremble in my brother’s arms. Then, one by one, my other brothers surround us and add their arms to our embrace.
An odd mix of relief, guilt, and anger wrestle inside of me.
When I look across the room, I see her eyes. Her beautiful eyes.
I release my brothers.
“I gotta go see about my girl,” I tell them.
I walk into the crowd, and Susanna stands. She looks exhausted, and her swollen eyes come to mine, but I look past her to Maxi’s anguished, tear-streaked face.
“Baby,” I whimper.
It’s all I manage to get out before she takes off running and launches herself into the air and in my arms.
She cries unintelligible things into my ear, and I hold her so tight against me as she begins to gasp for breath.
“Shh,” I mutter. “It’s going to be okay.”
I had to leave Maxi with my family and escort Carla to Knoxville.
I sit with her while Jay is in surgery.
The doctor comes out to tell us he survived, but he is being placed in a chemically induced coma while his body heals in the burn intensive care unit. He had to be intubated due to smoke damage to his lungs, and multiple skin grafts were performed.
I accompany her into the recovery room to see him.
It’s jarring. He is covered in bandages with only his eyes and nose exposed.
He isn’t recognizable.
The nurse warns us not to touch him, and I can see Carla fighting with herself not to embrace him.
