Page 21 of Raging Inferno

“You look like you want to jump out of the car,” he says with a smile. “I don’t bite, Melissa.”

The sound of my name paired with the sincerity in his eyes makes me relax and I lean against the leather seat.

“Unless of course, you give me the green light,” he teases, as my eyes snap back to him. He winks and those butterflies jump inside of me again. “Don’t worry, you’ll like it,” he adds.

“Shame on you,” I say, smacking his arm playfully.

Big mistake.

His arm is like a boulder and instantly I envision what it might feel like to have both of them wrapped around me. The sound of his laughter brings me back to reality and I decide to change the subject.

“Does Gabriela know you’re with me?”

“She does,” he admits, tearing his attention away from the road. “Is that problem?”

I think about it. Ideally, it would be best if she didn’t. The last thing I need is for everyone at work to know I’m dating my student’s father. They already talk enough behind my back, pitying me and my situation. On the other hand, it’s just dinner. One night. One meal.

“No, it’s not,” I say, deciding its innocent enough.

“She was happy,” he adds. “In fact, she chose the restaurant.”

The rest of the ride is relatively quiet until he pulls up to the restaurant. Getting out first, he hands his keys to the valet attendant and opens the door for me. Taking my hand, he guides me into the dimly lit restaurant where the hostess takes us to a candlelit table in the corner. I go to sit but, he stops me.

“A man should never have his back to the room and a woman shouldn’t face the door,” he explains, pulling out the chair in which he wants me to sit.

“Why is that?” I ask curiously. Taking my seat, he slides the chair closer to the table before making his way across from me.

“A man should always be made aware of his surroundings when he’s with a woman. That way he can keep her safe should anything unexpected occur,” he replies, taking the menu from the hostess.

“Spoken like a true hero,” I tease.

The waiter comes to the table reciting the specials and takes our drink order. Jimmy orders a bottle of wine for the table. With our glasses full we mull over the menu. Once we decide, I reach for my wine and realize I’m not nervous anymore. The conversation starts to flow freely as we get to know one another.

“So, I’m going to ask you the million-dollar question,” I begin, watching the dimples in his cheeks as he butters a piece of bread.

“Have at it,” he says, placing the bread on my dish before reaching for another.

“What made you become a fireman?”

Lifting his head, he smiles.

“My mother made me take a bunch of city tests when I graduated high school. At the time, I had no idea what I wanted to do and took on some construction jobs. I met Lisa, we got married and two months later she was pregnant with our first daughter. Odd jobs here and there weren’t going to cut it anymore, and I enlisted in the navy. I did three before I came back home,” he says, taking a bite of bread.

When did watching a man chew become sexy?

“For a while, I worked with my uncle and then the fire department called. With one daughter and another on the way, I was eager to start my career. By the time I graduated the academy Lisa was seven months along.”

“Was she supportive?” I ask, recalling their argument in my office and her blatant disgust for Jimmy’s job.

“In the beginning, Lisa was the epitome of the perfect wife. Not only was she supportive, but she was understanding of the job, the sacrifice and the brotherhood.”

“So, what happened?” I question curiously as I lift my wine glass to my lips. Jimmy leans back against his chair and seems to contemplate his answer. It’s almost as if he’s replaying the story of him and Lisa in his head trying to pinpoint the exact moment their love grew stale.

“A few years on the job and it started to take its toll. On me, her and our marriage. She went from laying my boots by the door to never asking how my tours were. I’d come home after not being able to save someone and I’d try to talk about it with her but, she shut me down. Her famous line was, you can’t save everyone. I should’ve read between the lines. I should’ve listened closely when she told me not to get bent out of shape because I couldn’t get to the old lady trapped in her bedroom or the little boy who was hiding in a closet,” he continues, releasing a sigh. “I became too absorbed in losing people I didn’t know to realize I barely recognized the woman I married or that I was losing her.”

“I suppose it isn’t easy being married to a first responder. Always worrying if they’ll come home or if they’ll lay it all on the line,” I say thoughtfully, pausing to study him. “Though in hindsight it seems like a miniscule hardship compared to what the man sent to rescue people in dire situations must feel. I mean you’re the guy people call when they’re in danger. As citizens, we don’t think about your life or your family when we’re dialing 9-1-1. We just expect you to show up and make it better. No one thinks about the man beneath the uniform and if they do, it’s not until he’s already done his job. Until he’s already risked his life to save yours.”

The heavyweight of my words drags me down and I think back to the heroic stranger who saved Chris so many years ago. So much time had already passed before we met and yet, anytime he talked about it there was so much appreciation in his eyes. It made me sad to think I never got the chance to meet him and thank him myself. I can’t imagine how different my life would be if that fireman hadn’t saved Chris that September day. I may have lost the man I loved, but I still had him for a little while. I still experienced a beautiful love and was able to give life to an amazing little boy.

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