“Why? Because some firefighters helped me check out early of World Trade Center 3.” His voice faded for a second.
“Williams?” It took her two tries since the cold made it difficult, but she threw the trauma sheers at him. They bounced off his head and hit the passenger side window. “Are you dead?”
“Unfortunately, no.” His voice was weaker.
“Your share was unfair. I can’t top that. Share something else!” Luna went full juvenile because he expected it. She didn’t remember him when she was a kid, and had been barely out of academy when he’d left for FEMA.
“Then you pick. I reserve the right to veto.”
Luna thought for a second. Her brain seemed slower than usual. She wanted to hear more about Williams’s wife, but he’d exercise his veto for sure. She had to pick a less revealing topic. “Why black coffee?”
“You picked that?” She raised her eyebrows, wishing he could see her in the dim light. “Okay. I didn’t want to get up after my wife died. My team would show up before shift at my house and make me coffee. They were jerks too—they’d put chili pepper in it. My old captain switched the sugar bowl with salt.”
That should have triggered a memory, but the cold made it hard to think clearly.
The cold was getting to him because he initiated a question. “Why are you with the police officer?”
“Elias? Because he’s a good person, and he’s been part of my life forever.”
“That’s true passion there. How often do you visit the Second Precinct?”
“Why would I visit there?”
“Because he’s constantly at my firehouse. If you were serious, you’d go there for breakfast after shift or lunch. Have you ever been to his place?” Williams pressed her.
“This is highly personal. And I’ve been to his house… twice,” she admitted.
“I see. You’re with him because he’s convenient, and your uncle wanted it.” Luna started to deny it, but he chuckled. “Don’t lie. Your uncle shouldn’t have overshared during Trick-or-Treating.”
“There is nothing wrong with a solid relationship. Yes, there is a certain convenience with him, but—”
“Love isn’t convenient. It’s painful and horrible and you’ll still love the way it feels.” He faded again.
“Captain!” He didn’t move. “Jacen!”
“Yes, Dre?” He tried to move against the dashboard. “Dre?”
“It’s Luna. Lieutenant Rodriguez.” She wanted him to hang on a little longer. “Is Dre your wife?”
“Yes,” he hissed softly.
“How did you meet her?” Luna dared to ask.
“I met her during the city basketball tournament. My lieutenant couldn’t dribble or shoot but insisted on forming a team. Not 33’s forte. Boxing good, basketball bad.”
“She beat you at basketball? You’re six-five!”
“No, she worked for the post office whose team of guys whipped our asses. Their women came as cheerleaders. They cheered for us because we were terrible. Since firefighters are more attractive than mail carriers, the lieutenant convinced the pep squad to meet us for a beer. If she’d seen my jump shot, it could only get better from there.”
“You must have loved her a lot.”
“You have no idea. It’s been five years, and I wake up—each time it’s just like the first day.” To Luna’s horror, he closed his eyes and stopped breathing.
“Jacen!” she screamed at him. He was going to leave her alone.
“Let me sleep, Dre. I’ll see you soon.”
Overhead, there was a scrapping noise. Luna thought she might be having a cold-induced hallucination.
