Page 29 of Instant Heat
"I'll come see you next week, okay?"
With an I love you I felt I hadn't earned, we said our goodbyes. I tucked me phone inside me pocket and headed for the station, intending to drown myself in work until I felt anything else than the guilt gnawing on me insides.
Two hours later, I was buried in the previous day's report when a knock sounded on me open door. I looked up to see Chief Abbott filling the doorway.
"How are you holding up?" he asked as he seated himself in front of me desk.
I set the paper down and leaned back in me seat."Still observing everything, sir."
He made a humming sound, eyes scanning over the surface of the desk before meeting mine."Brooks giving you trouble?"
I took a breath through me nose."Nothing I can't handle."
To me surprise, the Chief started chuckling. When he noticed me confused stare, he lifted a shoulder."Nothing happens in my station without me knowing about it. He let you walk back from the hospital." He dropped his elbows to his knees and leaned forward."I'm curious; why didn't you write him up?"
"He's just puffing his chest, sir. I took his job."And I'm sleeping with his sister.I still had trouble connecting the two of them.
"The boys of Sixty-Three are mighty fine men, but some of them can be a bit… let's say… temperamental. I get that you're still finding your footing here, but son, I'm afraid you're gonna have to show these boys why you're their lieutenant."
Chief Abbott pushed to his feet and gave me a brusque nod before he ambled out of me office. Apparently, me morning had gone from bad to worse. I pulled me phone from me pocket; if anything was going to make me feel better, it was Rae's voice.
Just as me finger descended on the green button, the ear-splintering sound of the firehouse alarm sliced through the air. With a sigh, I threw the device on the table before sprinting to the change house to get into me gear.
Lights flashing, siren blaring, we made our way out of the station, but not before Thatcher gave me one hell of a look. I shook me head because this pissing contest was getting old. Thefeisíneeded to get over himself and realize there were more important things than his inflated ego.
"Hey." Nathan sitting next to me nudged me shoulder."A bunch of us are going out for a couple of drinks tomorrow night. You wanna join?"
I was about to say yes when I remembered that Rae wanted me to meet her friends. I shook me head,"I have plans."
"Are you shitting me?" He looked both amused and confused."You've been in town for what… five minutes and already you have a date?" Nathan shook his head."How do you do it?"
I flashed him a way-too-cocky smirk."Must be me Irish charm."
"Send some of that my way, will ya?"
"No amount of charm in the world will getyoulaid, man," George, one of the probies mocked. A few more light-hearted insults were thrown Nathan's way and pretty soon we were snickering. It felt good to be laughing with me fellow firefighters. If I had any say in it, Sixty-Three was going to be me home for a long time. So getting along with these boys was a necessity.
The rig rolled to a stop at the scene. It was another medical call—surprisingly we handled a lot more of these than actual fires.
When George, Nathan, and I headed into the apartment, we found our patient slumped over on the couch, clutching her chest. Her breathing came in quick successions. I glanced over me shoulder and mouthed for Nathan to call for an ambulance before I slowly dropped to me haunches in front of the woman.
Placing me hand on her knee, I drew her attention. When her panicked gaze met mine, she sputtered,"I… think… having… heart attack."
"I know it's hard, but take a deep breath for me, okay?" She nodded."Me buddy over there—" I lifted me chin in Nathan's direction. "—has already made the call the EMTs will be here in just a bit."
Instead of nodding, the woman gripped me wrist and squeezed. She looked even more panicked than before."No!" She was shaking her head furiously."No."
I patted the hand cutting off the circulation in me arm."We want to help you."
"No ambulance. I don't want to go."
I couldn't even remember how many times this had happened before. Ambulances and elderly patients didn't mix. A little old lady had told me once she was afraid she'd never go home if she left in an ambulance.
Still patting her hand, I calmly said,"It's important we get you to the hospital. What if I went in the ambulance with you?"
Her head bobbed slightly, her voice shaky."You'd… do… that?"
"Of course I will." I flashed her a smile and pointed toward a table stacked with framed photographs."You can tell me all about your family on the drive over."
