“It’s okay,” he soothes the startled children. “Come with me.”
I have the woman get in front to have the children follow in line behind her.
“I’m scared,” a tiny, innocent voice whines.
I glance down into the big, brown eyes of a little girl. She can’t be more than eight years old.
“I got you.” Picking her up, I turn to follow behind Don and the rest of the children. “Cover your mouth and nose,” I instruct, lifting the top of her shirt to show her how to best protect her from breathing more smoke than her little body can handle.
“No, no! Back exit!” Don instructs when the teacher and children start to turn toward the front entrance.
We race down the hall as quickly as possible. The smoke is thick but clearing out. Most of the fires have been put out. Once we reach the window again, Sean is there helping the teacher and children get out. Don is next to hop out, followed by myself.
We guide the children around the front of the school and into the arms of the awaiting paramedics who will check them over.
Lifting my face mask, I head toward our truck.
“Nice job!” Sean yells, clapping me on my back.
I give him a nod and a tight smile. Suddenly, I am thrust backwards, hitting the truck with my back.
“What the hell was that?” an angry looking Don fumes.
I smack his hand away from my chest and push him just as forcefully as he pushed me. “What the fuck is your problem?”
“You’re my goddamn problem,” he yells, getting in my face.
I’m not sure where his anger is coming from, but at that moment I don’t give a fuck either. He’s had a bug up his ass about me since I arrived at the station house, and if we need to solve it right here and now so fucking be it.
“Don’t ever put your fucking hands on me again!” I seethe.
“Don’t ever—”
“Hey, hey, what the hell is going on here?” Captain Waverly intervenes, getting in between the two of us. “We’ve still got a fucking fire to put out. Let’s go!”
I give Don one last glare before snatching my ax off the ground and turning to round the truck and help complete this run.
As I do, I look farther down the street to see a worried, distressed woman running toward one of the ambulances. I can’t hear what she says but I see the instant relief that washes over her when she spots her daughter on one of the gurney’s sitting up with arms outreaching.
My heart squeezes in my chest and that pang of guilt I’ve learned to become familiar with seizes me. I avert my eyes, unable to take in the scene anymore.
Chapter Nine
Janine
“The hell?” I groan as the banging on my door seems to grow louder.Who the hell is knocking on my door at… I lift the satin eye mask I wear to bed every night and blink, glancing at the clock on my nightstand. It’s almost two in the morning.
I struggle to get out of bed, nearly stumbling over another unpacked box by the door.
“Who is it?” I call out, as I move closer to the door. When I peer through the peephole, I’m not totally surprised by the man standing on the other side. I should’ve known to expect him to pop up when I least expected it.
I step back, and for one second I think about not opening the door.
“Open the damn door.”
My hand, which was already reaching for the knob, moves faster at his demand. “It’s nearly two in the morning.”
He shrugs. “It’s a Saturday.” Without more preamble than that, he brushes past me, entering my place.
