Page 129 of Firecracker

Arden squeezed her eyes shut and nodded.

“Obviously, Michael was very unhappy with his life.”

“I didn’t see it.”

Mom reached for her hands and squeezed them. “That’s because he didn’t want you to. Dad and I were there, two months before he died. We didn’t see it either. But loving someone doesn’t mean you can keep them from ever being unhappy. If that’s what you think, you’ll never have a healthy, happy relationship.”

“Love is wanting the person you love to always be happy.”

Mom cast her a shrewd look. “Yes, of course you want that. Since the day you were born, that’s all I wanted for you. But realistically as a mother, I knew that wasn’t possible. What kind of relationship would we have had—what kind of life wouldyouhave had—if all I’d ever done was try to keep you happy?”

Arden thought about that. Maybe her life had been easy compared to some, but she’d had her share of hardships. Mom was right…there was no way she could prevent those from happening to her. And she shouldn’t.

“Love is encouraging the one you love to live their best life. But you don’t have control if he chooses to live his life in a way that’s unhealthy and destructive.”

Arden’s heart contracted so painfully she couldn’t breathe. Mom’s words played over in her head.

Love is encouraging the one you love to live their best life.

“You’ve been so strong through all of this. I know how hard it’s been.”

Arden couldn’t talk. She pressed her trembling lips together.

“But the whole time you held your head up and did what you had to do. I guess I didn’t tell you how much I admired you.”

Arden’s mouth fell open. “Admired me?”

“Yes.” Mom stroked her hair. “Dad and I talked a lot about how strong you were. But running away isn’t the way to be a grown-up.”

Ouch.

“I don’t know what you’re running from…other than maybe yourself.”

Arden flinched at that. Because Tyler had said something similar—that she wasn’t being honest with herself.

“But I do know that you’re strong enough to handle pretty much anything, after what you’ve been through.”

“I don’t know if I am.”

“If you learn from your mistakes, you are.” Mom added, “I also know you can’t stay here forever.”

Arden laughed. “Gee thanks, Mom.”

Mom smiled. “But you can stay as long as you need.”

Arden’s heart swelled as Mom pulled her in for a hug. “Thank you.”

* * *

Tyler was cooking bacon for sandwiches for supper when the tones alerted them to a structure fire. With a resigned sigh—he was really looking forward to bacon—he turned off the stove and set the pan on a rear burner, then headed out to the apparatus bay to step into his bunker boots and pants. It was dinnertime and probably a false alarm. Residential fire alarms were almost always the result of someone overcooking food, so this could be as benign as burned toast.

He threw on his jacket and then he, Cliff, Tremon, and Evan jumped on the rig. Cliff let dispatch know they were en route, and they listened for other information coming in. They heard from dispatch that it was a working structure fire, and they’d started the clock to time the fire. The radio crackled. “Single-story single-family dwelling. Multiple callers. Heavy smoke coming from, uh…heavy smoke and fire coming from the front door.”

This meant another engine would be added to the call. It also told them it probably wasn’t burned toast. Adrenaline spiked through Tyler’s veins as they turned a corner and sped down the street, lights and siren going. Ahead, they could see the column of thick black smoke. Their mobile display terminal showed information about the structure and hydrants.

When they arrived, police were already there and told them there was a possible occupant trapped inside. Shit.

Cliff took control of the incident.

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