“Correct,” he confirmed.
“So, things were worse before they got better because of this program. And now we’re going to celebrate that?” Erin couldn’t help her smart mouth.
“Hudgens!” Vanessa hissed.
Baker raised his hand. “She is correct. Unlike Cleveland, Seattle has an extremely well-organized paramedic battalion. While it’s true the paramedics’ absence didn’t help, it didn’t make the situation much worse because it was already terrible.”
“But you’re changing it,” Vanessa noted.
“Yes. Done right, everything will change.” His eyes caught Erin’s for a second before he quickly looked away.
Back to the innuendo. She had the sudden urge to grab the Chief by his too neat uniform and kiss him. Even though she hated him right now, her body disagreed. Physically, she couldn’t remember the last time she wanted anyone this badly.
If he wanted changes, making out with him in front of her officers would certainly change things. She struggled to find something neutral to say. “Change is good.”
Baker didn’t acknowledge her. “This is the first of many photo-ops in the coming week. Hopefully after them, I can get back to running a fire department. I’ll do what has to be done. Smile and wave because PR says we should.”
Vanessa was onboard. “Sometimes, it’s just got to be done. And you kept it quiet all these months to make the maximum impact.”
“Exactly. Thank you for understanding, Knight.”
Chief Baker seemed to know his way around the hospital because he led them away from their usual ER entrance and up to the third floor. They entered the pediatric offices which were decorated with an extremely large number of friendly sled dogs.
“This isn’t the Dawg Pound,” Erin whispered to Luna, referencing Cleveland Browns fans.
“No, MetroGen went with more neutral. Balto, the sled dog that saved Nome Alaska, didn’t scream corporate sponsorship,” Luna whispered back.
The PR spokesperson from earlier, Hannah Fitzpatrick, was jumping for joy. “This is perfect. Diversity and women.”
Erin, Luna, and Vanessa exchanged an eye-roll.
The collection people for the photo op included a smattering of doctors, including three somewhat unwilling medical students in short white coats: a medium-sized Indian guy, a white girl with light brown hair, and an older African American man with short curls.
Fitzpatrick lined everybody up and put Erin next to the African American med student.
“We’re getting you a baby. Act natural when you pass the baby to him,” Fitzpatrick instructed them.
“I’m Erin,” she said. The guy had great cheekbones and a nice smile. He appeared a few years older than she was.
“Michael,” he said.
Fitzpatrick handed a baby to Erin. The baby happened to be Hispanic. Check off the diversity box. “You hold the baby. He should examine her. Act friendly and happy.”
The photographers started clicking, and Erin tried to appear friendly and happy.
Fortunately, Fitzpatrick was concentrating on Michael. “This is perfect. Just keep smiling. Pretend you’re an authority figure. Great.”
Soon enough, Erin gratefully gave the baby back to its mother. She turned around and bit back a laugh.
The Chief had a toddler attached to his leg while holding a cooing, jolly six-month-old. The poor mother was profusely apologizing because the toddler started chewing on the Chief’s leg.
“Don’t worry about it, ma’am,” he said. The baby stared at him with an awestruck expression. One chubby hand tried to grab his nose. He successfully ducked out of the way and redirected the fist to his ear instead. Baker caressed the baby’s face and puffed out his cheeks. The baby broke out into a huge grin, and the Chief smiled back, almost shining with contentment.
The cameras captured the moment for posterity too. He caught Erin watching him and briefly glanced down at the baby, who happened to be mixed race with dark ringlets. The planes of his face softened, and Erin swore she felt her ovaries start singing. If she and the Chief had little firefighter babies, would they look like that?
Then she had to kick herself mentally. She was not having baby-related Chief fantasies. Teenagers might do that, but grown-ass, independent women did not imagine making babies with their boss. Especially because said boss hardly gave her the time of day let alone wanted to be her baby-daddy.
Eventually, Fitzpatrick called for a group shot. Erin, being the diversity representative, was placed nowhere near the Chief and got to hold another Latino toddler. The doctors lucked out by posing with the transport bassinets.
