Chapter Five
Xavier
People often thought that as a firefighter we only worked when there was a fire. This wasn’t the case. We were constantly doing drills and working on ways to improve, and each day was as exhausting as the next. It was important to also make sure that we were in good physical health because it took a lot to fight a fire and we had to have the best people on the team. Working for the National Park Service meant that I was also involved in a lot of community work, and I was often called to work with the conservation team. It always amazed me at how much these people cared for the community. It was another long day at work, and my day wasn’t over yet. I was walking toward my car when Kenny called me over.
“Hey man, I’ve decided to keep bugging you until you come out with me. I mean, I’m your best friend—surely you’ll have to say yes to me eventually.”
I laughed. “You’ll eventually give up on me. I’m just as strong willed as you are.”
“No way. You won’t give up on me. I’m stronger. You’ll see. So, our time has started now. Want to join me tonight?”
“Nope. Count me out,” I said and chuckled.
“Oh come on, at least come out for a beer. You don’t have to stay all night. Doesn’t a beer sound good to you?”
“Actually, a beer sounds great to me.”
“So then? What’s the problem? And don’t tell me that you can’t drink on Thursday. We have the next few days off so we might as well use them wisely.”
“And by 'wisely,' you mean going out and getting trashed?”
“Since when has that been a problem for you?”
“Since I got a DWI.”
“Well, you don’t need to take your bike. I always get a cab when I go out. Come on; we can split the fare.”
“I honestly can’t, Kenny. I’m actually heading right over to Rick’s place. He needs my help with a few things, and I promised him I’d be there.”
Kenny groaned. “You’d rather help an old man than spend time drinking beer with your best friend? What has this world come to?”
“Rick isn’t old.”
“He also isn’t your responsibility. You do realize that he’s not actually your stepfather anymore, don’t you?”
“Of course he is.”
“No, he’s not. And you could go and help him tomorrow.”
I pulled a face. “You’re a pain; you know that? Fine, he’s not my actual stepfather, but that doesn’t mean I can’t help him. He’s a good man.”
“And you’re the only one he knows to ask for help? What’s the point of being a pastor if you can’t ask all the people in your church to help you?”
“I don’t think that’s the reason he’s a pastor. Anyway, I want to help him.”
“I hope you’ll at least get that beer you want.”
I thought of the milky cup of tea that I was more than likely going to get. “I hope so too,” I said.
“Well, have a good time. If you get bored, think of me having the time of my life with the most beautiful girls while drinking the most delicious beer. That should make you feel better about the choice you made tonight.”
I laughed. “Sure, I’ll keep you at the forefront of my mind all night.”
“And remember, I’m not giving up on you. One of these days you will be coming out with me.”
“We’ll see. We’ll see. Anyway, I better get going. Don’t forget your pants in the morning!”
I made my way over to Rick’s house and wondered if Kenny wasn’t right about my poor social life. I had chosen to go and visit my former stepfather over a night out with my best friend. That probably didn’t say too much about me. But Rick had done a lot for me, and if he needed my help, then I didn’t want to let him down. I also felt bad that I was the only one that stayed in touch with him. I knew that it meant a lot to him that I still considered him to be such an important part of my life.
“Thanks for coming over. Tea? Or do you feel like a beer? I’m sure you’ve had a long day.”
I breathed a sigh of relief. “A beer would be amazing. Thank you.”
Rick didn’t drink much, not because he didn’t want to or that he was against it, but he liked to maintain a certain image for the people at the church. He still enjoyed a beer or a glass of wine every now and again but generally did it away from the watchful eye of the public.
“Glad you said that. I could use a beer myself,” he said and threw me a cold one.
We sat together in the living room while I told him about my day. He’d always been so fascinated with my career and liked to know everything about it. I wasn’t sure if it was the actual firefighting that he was interested in, or if he just liked to get involved in my life, but either way, I thought it was nice. I told him all about Kenny and the pants, and he dissolved into laughter.
“He’s a crazy guy. Not much has changed, huh?”
“Not at all. So, what do you need help with? Your pipes again? I was hoping they would be fine for a while.”
“No, the pipes are fine. Thanks, Xavier. You did a great job with them. Actually, I don’t need your help tonight, but I was wondering if you could help me fix up the garage tomorrow. I know you’re busy though so if you can’t, I completely understand.”
“Actually, I have the next few days off, so I don’t mind helping at all.”
“You don’t have plans?”
I shook my head. “Nope. And I’m always happy to help. So, fix the garage up? What are you planning to do with it?”
“It’s become a bit of a dumping ground lately,” he said. “I always put things there when I’m not sure where to put them. And I want to get it turned into a bedroom.”
“A bedroom? You planning on renting it out?” I asked. He’d once turned the garage into a bedroom before and had created a separate door and windows for it. He always left the car outside so the room had been perfect for it. I’d even stayed there once before, but that had been a long time ago.
“Oh goodness, no. Sorry, I forgot to tell you. Remember I told you that Holly might be coming home? Well, it’s definite!”
“So it’s not just for a holiday then? She’s coming home for good?”
“Well, until she can find another job. I cannot wait to have her around again. I know we said we’d see each other often when she moved but she was always so busy. Life got in the way, I suppose. It’s going to be great having her here again. I figured I’d give her the garage just to give her a bit of privacy. She’s an adult now. I doubt she wants me around all the time.”
I smiled. “That’s nice of you. Wow, it will be great to see her again. Little Holly, I’ve really missed her. I’d love to help out. I’ll come around tomorrow. Think we can have it done in a day?”
Rick shook his head. “Sadly, the place is kind of a mess. It might take a little longer than that. She didn’t give me much notice so we’ll just have to work with what we’ve got.”
I stayed a little longer, finishing my beer and talking to Rick. It was obvious that he was excited about his daughter coming back home, and I was glad that he’d have someone around to keep him company. I knew how much he missed my mother and how lonely he was since she had died. He didn’t talk about it much, but I knew that the nights were probably the worst for him. This was just the sort of thing he needed to keep his mind occupied. I drove home thinking about how good it was going to be to see Holly again. She had always been such a sweet and fragile little thing, and I’d always been protective of her. I hated the way people felt they could take advantage of her and that she had no idea how to stand up for herself. I was interested to see how much she had changed. When I thought about her, I couldn’t help but still conjure up the small figure in my head. I chuckled as I thought about her pushing those big round glasses up her nose. Why hadn’t I kept in touch with her?