Marcus

 

One week later…

 

“Knock, knock,” I hear called out while someone is banging on my bunker door. “Get your ass out here, Marcus, before one of the guys steals your woman and kid,” Jensen hollers out.

“Fucking hell, they better keep their hands to themselves, I’m coming!” I shout back, getting out of bed and into my uniform. It doesn’t surprise me that my fellow firefighters want my woman, she’s gorgeous and Shyann is too cute for any man to resist. These thoughts make me anxious to get outside to my girls. I open the door and Jensen is standing there with a smile on his face.

“Your woman is now our favorite visitor. She brought dinner and a cute kid to entertain the men, not to mention, she’s not so bad on the eyes herself.” I punch him in the shoulder as I pass him.

“Keep your eyes to yourself!” I tell him as I pass him by. “She’s mine, they’re both mine, motherfucker.” He laughs at me, knowing he’s gotten a rise out of me. Which I’m sure was his intention in the first place. Since Emory and I got together, the guys like to razz me about my balls and how they’re securely in her purse. That’s fine, she can have them, they belong to her anyways. I walk out into the common room where she is sitting with Shyann firmly placed in her lap.

“Hey, baby,” I say as I reach her. I lean over and plant a kiss on her lips to let the guys know she is most definitely taken. Then I kiss Shyann’s head and she immediately holds her arms out for me to pick up. I grab her from Em’s lap and sit next to her. Of course, I have to move Jacob over, he’s sitting as close to her as he possibly can. “Get your ass away from my woman,” I tell him.

“All you had to do was tell me to move, asshole. You didn’t have to sit in my lap, you’ve got your woman to snuggle up to, don’t get any ideas where you and I are concerned.”

“Dickhead, have I ever given you the impression I want your ugly mug, when I have this gorgeous woman to go home to every night?” I hear Em giggle at my statement.

“Save us, Emory. He’s one broody asshole when you’re not around,” Jensen tells her.

“Sounds like he’s one even when I’m around,” she says, causing the guys to cackle like a bunch of hyenas.

“Hey,” I say pinching her side, “whose side are you on anyways?”

“Yours, baby, always yours, you know this,” she says, batting her eyelashes my way. I lean over and give her a quick kiss.

“Damn straight you are, Emory.”

“How are you feeling today, Em?”

“I’m feeling really well, in fact I have more energy today than I have in a while.” I take in her appearance and she does seem to have more color to her today than she has lately. “I brought everyone dinner,” she says to me.

“Oh yeah? What did you bring us?”

“Tater tot casserole, homemade biscuits and your favorite string green beans with bacon chunks.”

“Thanks, baby,” I say leaning in to kiss her. I see all the guys get up and head into the kitchen. “Hell no! I’m first, motherfuckers, my woman brought the food, so I get first dibs.”

I hear a round of, “Hurry the fuck up.”

“That’s not cool.”

“We’re fucking starving, man.”

“I’m coming, motherfuckers, pull your big boy britches up,” I say as I make my way to the front of the line, where I stack my plate full.

“Leave some for us,” Jacob calls out.

“Maybe,” I state, as I walk away from the guys. I put enough on my plate so that if Emory or Shyann want some they won’t be left in the cold. These guys will finish it off before she gets a chance to make herself a plate. “Wanna bite?” I ask her as I retake my position next to her.

“No but thank you. Shyann and I ate before we came. I didn’t want her fussy because I didn’t know if we’d have to wait on you or not.”

“Good plan, baby. Now, what made you decide to do this for these nuts?”

“I wanted to do something special for you since you won’t be home for forty-eight hours. We miss you when you’re gone, so it’s for purely selfish reasons on my end.”

“Nothing selfish about wanting to see your man. My Tawny used to do things like that before she passed away,” Chief says, walking into the room.

“I’m so sorry for your loss,” Emory tells him.

“Thank you, but it was ten years ago.” Chief’s wife, Tawny, died during child birth. She had a brain aneurism and died before she even got the chance to meet their son, Trevor. We all pitch in and help out where we can with the little guy, but mostly his sister-in-law, Taylor, keeps their boy when he works overnights. Otherwise, we all pitch in taking him to ball practice, games—which you’ll find most of us there rooting him on. Or school sometimes, depends on his needs. He won’t let any of us take Trevor for a weekend overnight to give him a break, he tells us he wants to spend as much free time with him as possible. Now that I have Shyann, I understand where he’s coming from.

“Doesn’t ball season begin soon?” I ask him.

“In about six weeks, he’s excited. We’re going to buy him some new cleats when I get off shift. That boy grows like a weed, I can’t keep up with him when it comes to clothes and shoes.”

“That’s what kids do, Chief, they grow so fast that one minute you’re caught up, and the next you’re buying out the department store.” Sam says, entering the common room with a plate of food himself. Sam’s story isn’t as sad as Chief’s is, but his woman gave birth to their son, Chandler, signed away her rights, and walked out the hospital doors without looking back. He keeps to himself and never allows any of us to pitch in and help him in any way.

We sit and bullshit with the guys for the next hour, then it’s time for Emory to get Shyann home, she’s getting cranky. She’s still teething, but it’s not as bothersome to her as it was before. I think we’re getting this parenting shit down. I walk her out to the car, buckle Shyann into her car seat and kiss my woman goodbye. I watch as her car exits the lot and heads down the road. I watch, as a matter of fact, until I can’t see her car any longer. I love my job, but I’m beginning to hate the nights away from my family.

 

 

We’re sitting in the waiting room for Em’s appointment. This is the appointment that will let us know if we should up her medication or if her cells are regenerating with her current dosage of meds. Her legs are bouncing up and down in anticipation, she isn’t able to hide the anxiety from her face today, which tells me she’s truly worried it isn’t working. I on the other hand have faith that it’s doing its job, because I can’t imagine any part of my life without her being by my side.

“Emory Masters?” The nurse calls her name. We stand up and I take her hand in mine and lace our fingers together. I give her hand a squeeze to remind her I’m here, by her side where I’ll always be. She squeezes back, and I know she’s in the here, and now, with me, and not lost inside of her head somewhere.

“That’s me,” Emory tells her, as we make our way to her.

“Follow me,” she tells us as we fall into step behind her.

We’re led to a corner where there’s a weight scale, and a chair with a blood pressure cuff laying on top of it. I turn my head in a show of respect. Once she’s done getting herself weighed and her blood pressure is taken we’re led into a room.

“The doctor will be with you shortly, are there any issues that have arisen since your last appointment?”

“Other than the drowsiness and exhaustion I can’t think of anything.”

“Same here,” I tell the nurse.

“I see that’s charted in your notes. I’ll let the doctor know you’re ready to see him.”

“Thank you,” we both say in unison. She walks out the door and we look at each other.

“No matter what,” she whispers.

I take her hand in mine and repeat, “No matter what.”

We only sit for a few minutes before there is a knock on the door and Dr. Tremaine comes into the room. I watch him scan the room and his shoulders drop slightly, guess the fact that Glory stayed home with Shyann is a disappointment to him. Oh well, he’ll get over it. In my opinion, he should be going to her instead of the other way around, he should be showing up at the door with flowers and candy and whatever else he can come up with. She deserves to be chased, admired and given one-hundred percent of his attention after everything she’s been through.

“Emory, you’re looking well, dear,” he says, as he takes a seat on his stool.

“Thank you, other than being sleepy all the time, I’m feeling much better.”

“Well, your labs are excellent. Your levels are where they should be, and the bloodwork indicates the meds have done their job. Your cells are regenerating, so I’d like to wean you off the medication. I’ll give you a smaller dose, we’ll let that be in your system for a few weeks, draw more labs and repeat the process. Won’t be long and you’ll be taking none at all. You’re well on your way to recovery.”

I jump up from my seat and grab Emory. I pull her up to me and swing her around the small exam room. Excitement is in the air, as I say, “I told you, baby. It’s you and me forever!”

“Yes!” she squeals out, my excitement contagious.

“We need to go home, tell the family, and celebrate!”

“You two get out of here, I’ll call in your new script, Emory. Congratulations,” Dr. Tremaine says with a smile on his face.

“You and me against the world, Marcus.”

“And what a world it is with you by my side, Emory,” I say, leaning down and kissing her. Already planning our evening celebrations…alone.