Chapter 37
“You can find me on the corner of Denial & Furious.”
-Aaron
“Chief, I need backup in here,” Bridgit calls from outside the fire station office.
Two distinct “Maaaaaaaaa” sounds come from the bay, followed by grunting and a metallic crash.
“Son of a goat!” Bridgit swears.
I take my time walking into the bay, knowing whatever it is, it’s going to be a mess. The firefighters are out on an EMT call, so it’s only Bridgit and me at Engine One.
I find my assistant chief tangled in a fire hose as Char and Broil stare down at her, telling her they didn’t do it with their insistent “Maaaaaaas.”
“Don’t you dare laugh at me,” Bridgit points. “Get over here and help me out of this mess!”
I pinch the bridge of my nose and bite my lip to keep from laughing. I snap my fingers and point out of the bay. “Char, Broil, you two make yourself scarce!”
The pygmy goats give me another “Maaaaa,” one last chance to convince me it’s not their fault, then they bounce past the pumper truck to escape through the open garage doors.
“What were you doing out here?” I pick the tangled hose apart to reach Bridgit.
“I was about to perform a function test on this hose,” she sniffs.
I pause in my untangling. “That’s a two-person job.”
She shrugs. “Well, I was getting it ready for when the team returned. Then, we’d work on the pumper.”
“Why?”
Bridgit rolls her eyes. “What are you doing here, Chief?”
“I’m untangling the consequences of your actions. And by the way, you’re welcome.”
“Not this,” she motions to the hose, then at my face. “That. What are you doing in the firehouse today? You look like shit.”
“Don’t sugarcoat it because I’m your boss!”
I get the rest of the hose off of her, and she’s able to stand. She pokes me in the chest. “You’ve been through an ordeal and need to rest. Go home.”
I shrug. “Can’t. Dahlia borrowed my truck. She dropped me off.”
“Then, I’ll take you home.”
“No.”
Bridgit raises an eyebrow. “Why not?”
Because memories of Camellia are all over my house? Because I don’t know where else to go?
I say none of these things, instead, remaining silent.
“Whatever,” she sighs. “Help me coil this sucker back on its hooks, and we’ll go to lunch.”
“I’ll help you with the hose, but I don’t want to go anywhere.”
Bridgit grumbles something under her breath, but we make quick work of recoiling the hose.
