Page 6 of Almost Always

Fucking hell, this kid. “Come here.” He stretched his arms out and Cal pressed into Rafferty’s chest. His smaller arms didn’t get very far, but his fingers curled into the sides of his shirt and he held on tight. Kissing the side of his son’s head, he pulled back and looked into his eyes. “What do we say every morning before we start our day?”

“I am brave, I am strong, I am wonderful,” Cal whispered.

“Louder.”

“I am brave, I am strong, I am wonderful.”

Rafferty nodded. “And what’s your name?”

“Callahan Duncan Ames.”

“All of it, one more time.”

He pushed his shoulders back and sucked in a deep breath, exhaled and smiled. “I’m Callahan Duncan Ames and I am brave, I am strong and I am wonderful.”

“That’s my boy.”

He got the first real smile of the day from his son and released a shaky breath as Cal returned to finish his breakfast. Boots was on the floor at his feet, hoping for scraps even though he’d eaten his breakfast already. He leaned back in his chair and watched his son, hoping that one day he would find his way in the world. He’d find the people that mattered the most to him and make sense of his life. Until then, Rafferty would do everything possible to guide him through the good and the bad.

Snatching up his phone, he made a note to get in touch with the local therapist he was recommended. While slow-going, the sessions Cal had attended in the city had been helping.

“I’m done!” Cal announced, displaying his empty plate with a proud smile. Rafferty didn’t miss the piece of toast that he snuckto Boots as he slid out of his chair and carried everything to the sink.

He finished his coffee and followed his son. “Grab your things and we’ll go.” Moving at the speed of light, Cal hurried out of sight. He rinsed out the dishes and put them into the dishwasher. Grabbing the bag he’d packed for himself—laptop, sketchpad and all of Boots’s requirements—Rafferty waited at the front door as his son returned in different clothes.One day at a time, he reminded himself.

As part of his effort to help Cal adjust to this new school, Rafferty had been parking the car and walking his son to the entrance. That morning, they drew a crowd because of Boots, who enjoyed every bit of attention. It made his son smile, but he also saw the anxiety flickering in Cal’s eyes. Instead of getting involved, he stayed to the side and held the leash, while his son introduced the kids to their dog.

When the teachers called, everyone rushed inside the building. Cal turned to him with watery eyes. “I love you, Daddy.”

Squatting, he blinked back his tears and hugged his son. “I love you too. Have a good day.”

Cal made a loud smacking sound as he kissed his cheek and giggled as he ran inside. Rafferty stayed where he was, wiping at his eyes as he caught his breath. Being a father hadn’t been on his list of things to do when he was in his early twenties. Being asinglefather was definitely not even on his mind.

Helping Boots back into the car, he loaded up Google Maps. Being a small town, Wildes didn’t have their own fire department. Allenwood, the town next door, had a big enoughsquad that took care of everyone around them. Initially, he’d looked at houses there, but Cal wasdeterminedthat they live in Wildes.

Pulling up outside the firehouse, he stared at the red brick building with green trim. It took up an entire corner of a residential street and had two floors, with large windows on the upper level. The double bay doors were open, revealing bright interiors where the trucks were parked. It looked very different from the firehouses in New York, but somehow the quaint neighborhood made it more appealing.

Being a firefighter had never been a full-time job, but volunteering helped him make a difference. Since his father retired, he’d been running Ames Landscaping, but Callahan was still his priority. While he never wanted more from firefighting, that didn’t stop fire chiefs in the city from trying to change his mind.

Walking through the open doors, past the trucks and into the lobby, he took in the place that would be his second home. Chatter and the scents of hot delicious food floated over, making his stomach rumble. As Boots tugged on the leash, Rafferty looked around the space. White walls kept the interior bright and the multiple doors in front of him led to other parts of the firehouse. To his left was a glass office where he saw an older woman shuffling over with a smile.

“Rafferty, I presume.”

“Yes ma’am.”

“Welcome to Allenwood. I’m Gladys and I run this whole firehouse.”

“That she most certainly does,” a much deeper voice said and he glanced over as a broad man in a crisp white shirt walked over, hand stretched out. “Captain Henry Parish. Welcome to Allenwood.”

“Rafferty Ames, good to be here.”

“Don’t let the Captain give you a hard time. He’s actually quite a softie.” Captain Parish grunted at the words, but flashed a smile before leading him towards an office. Boots whined at the loss of his second human, but Gladys was there quickly. “I’ll keep an eye on him.”

“Thank you.”

Once they were both seated and Parish had gone through his files, he leaned back in his chair and nodded. “Why not join us full-time?”

Expecting the question, he smiled. “I’ve got a kid who needs me alive for the next nine years at the very least. Besides, I was never looking at this as a full-time job. I respect and admire the hell out of everyone who does this work, because it’s hard. I went through the bells and whistles so I would be prepared, but I’ve got a family business to run and well, my kid.”

---