CHAPTER FOUR
Brock
Sunday began like any other day, only I was back on duty and not behind my desk, which in my book was always a good thing. Top that off with the memory of the night before, and I was a man on cloud nine, feeling the goddammed oats of a much younger man at that. A strong dose of crazy wild adrenaline was shooting through my veins making me excited and energetic.
Today we were short one man, plus another was out with the flu so I would be running our usual training session by myself. I usually had a second in command but not today. In addition to that responsibility, I would be on call like everybody else. That part was not usual but I loved getting back in the game. As much as I didn’t want to see anyone get hurt or become homeless by a fire, I hoped the bell would ring so I could finally see some action. I wasn’t a firebug or anything an but I’d be lieing if I didn’t say that sometimes it was downright frustrating having nothing to do. Most of the time that wasn’t the case however. People could be so stupid. It never ceased to amaze me how many catastrophes would have been avoided had someone used an ashtray, not smoked in bed, or my all time favorite, the proverbial turkey barbecue gone bad. What the hell was wrong with people? A boiling pot of peanut oil and ice cold turkey didn’t make a lick of sense. Who the hell came up with the idea? And how long would it take people to learn, you don’t cook that shit indoors!
Despite my love of being in power, the fact I had more experience than any other man on the team, I didn’t love being chief. It took me away from the real life and death action, away from the men, away from what was most important. Saving lives. Making a difference. Being a pencil pusher had never been my idea of fun, yet after a particularly incapacitating injury I didn’t like to talk about, it was the only way to keep my job. And so chief of the department I’d stayed.
With so much fucking energy this morning, I decided to take on rookie duties, give the guys a break, I told myself. I’d been up since 4 a.m anyway, lifted more weight than my usual two hundred pounds and twice as many reps. I just couldn’t seem to slow down. Amy.What the hell did a young gorgeous thing like her, see in an old coot like me anyway? Not that I was an old man or anything. I was in better shape than men half my age and only forty-one. Still, pushing close to twenty years her senior was a bit much. I chuckled to myself. When Amy was in diapers I was learning to drive. When she was in kindergarten I was graduating college. In some people’s eyes, our age difference bordered on statutory but I was never one to worry about appearances. It was just a number right. What was important was that we clicked. And boy did we fucking click!
I started the coffee machine, raised the flags in front of the firehouse, and put away all the dishes before eight o’clock in the morning. By nine o’clock I had the equipment in the ambulance all checked over. I started breakfast, flipping eggs with one hand, flap jacks with the other, and setting the table in between while it cooked. Mateo was the first to sit his ass down and gave me a sly smirk. I grinned and set a couple eggs on his plate. “Smart man,” I told him. “Got here before the rest of those greedy sons a bitches.”
“Uh huh.” He covered his coffee cup after I poured him a cup of coffee and went for the creamer reminding me he liked it black. “Someone’s awful cheerful this morning,” he told me.
And then I realized I’d been whistling the whole time. Haven’t done that in years.
“So who is she, chief?”
“What? Who?”
“Who’s the doll has you all perked up this morning? I haven’t seen you this jacked since the Saints beat the Colts.”
I looked over my shoulder and frowned at his long black pony tail, the piercing in his right ear, his cocky twenty something year old grin. “What the hell are you talking about, Garcia?” A couple of the other guys trickled in but I didn’t turn around. I caught four pieces of toast in mid air and placed them on a plate.
Williams took a seat beside Garcia. “He’s asking why you left the event last night and then showed up an hour-and-a-half later strutting like a peacock.”
I placed the toast on the table along with a tub of margarine. “Not you too,” I said.
Williams chucked the back of the younger man’s head. “Take your hat off, kid. Have some respect.” Williams was old school. Never question the hand that feeds you and don’t speak unless spoken to. The two of us were like den mothers sometimes.
Garcia took a grey knit cap off his head. He hooked it on the back of his chair as Robinson and Clarke came into the room. I poured each of them coffee and placed it by their plates.
“You had a hot date?” Clarke asked.
Robinson slapped the table, delighted with where the conversation was heading. “I’m dieing to hear about this one. Please tell me it’s not that chick from Main Street Brewery though.”
I paused with the coffee. “I don’t know who you’re referring to.”
“Sure you do. Don’t you remember? She slipped her card on the end of your pike pole, then kept calling you her Big Strong Pikeman while you questioned her about that kitchen fire.”
“Hey, how did she know it was called a pike? I’ve always wondered about that?” asked Garcia shoveling in the food at a record pace.
“Wasn’t her first fire,” said Williams taking a few flapjacks in his plate. “Pyromaniac. Don’t you kids read the papers?” He poured maple syrup on the stack, took a big bite and moaned. “These are great,” he said, stuffing a sausage in his mouth as well.
“I knew there was something not right about that chick,” said Clarke.
Garcia got up, scraped his plate into the sink and then stacked it with the rest of the dirty dishes. He unbuttoned his cuffs and started to roll up his sleeves. “I think it’s my turn.” He smelled of cheap aftershave and sour skin. He was new to the Company and probably hadn’t read about our no-cologne policy. We lived too close to each other for too many hours. Besides who the fuck were we going to impress? I grinned to myself, knowing what a hard time the guys would probably give him. At least it wouldn’t be from me this time. “No problem, kid,” I said just so he’d move away from me. “I’ve already washed half of them already so I may as well keep going.” I hadn’t washed dishes in ages either. I was sure the rest of the crew were wondering what’s up.
“Soooo, if it wasn’t your stalker than who was your date?” asked Williams. His eyes were raised, a dangerous grin on his weathered face. He was joined by a dozen more of my fellow firemen all in various stages of curiosity. “I mean, I didn’t see you with anyone. Did any of you see him with anyone? Nope, we didn’t see you with anyone. I guess she was a fantasy woman turned on by your brilliant skill at flapping hotcakes?”
“Fuck you, Williams,” I said. This was the thanks I got for making them a full breakfast.
Williams laughed. “Not gonna tell me huh?”
“Maybe she got all hot and bothered when she saw him roasting sausages,” Clarke said. A burst of laughter filled the room. One thing I did not like was being ridiculed. It undermined my authority and I needed these guys respect. And my personal business was just that. My personal business.
“Chief…,” Garcia began but I knew if I opened my mouth at all I might regret what came out of it. I untied my apron and threw it on a chair. “Kid, it’s your turn after all. ” And then I left.