Luckily, their legs were short, and they couldn’t get too far before Dhillon caught up to them. “Hurry, Daddy. We want to surprise Mommy.” Samir took his hand and pulled.
Dhillon allowed his children to pull him into the fire station. They let go of his hands as Jeff appeared in the bay and they took off for him, ramming themselves into their uncle-to-be’s legs in enthusiastic twin hugs. Scout bounded after them, trying to get her share of the love.
“Look at you guys! Samir, look how tall you are. You, too, Anjali. What are you now? Like, six?” Jeff was animated with the children in a way that he wasn’t anywhere else in his life.
The children fell into fits of laughter. Samir held up three fingers. “We are three, Jeff Uncle.”
“You were at our birthday party!” Anjali pointed a finger at him, scolding him for forgetting. “Remember?”
“Jeff Uncle is getting old, beti. He can’t remember.” Dhillon grinned as he mocked his sister’s fiancé.
“Still younger than you, brother.” Jeff laughed and pulled Dhillon into a hug. “How’s it going?”
“Great. Excited about today.” Dhillon looked around. “Is she on a call?”
“She’s in the kitchen with the guys.” He scooped up Samir and Anjali. “Let’s go find Mommy!” Scout followed them.
The twins squealed with delight as Jeff carried them off. Dhillon started to follow but was stopped by someone calling, “Bhaiya!”
He turned to his sister as she walked up to the station. Hetal had just come from the veterinary ER, where she moonlighted on occasion. Tristan was holding down the fort in Dhillon’s new clinic.
“Where are our little rug rats?” Hetal asked as she joined him.
“With your fiancé.” Dhillon hugged her.
She grinned. “I feel like I haven’t seen them in ages.”
“They’re huge now. Almost ready for college,” Dhillon teased. “You saw them last week at their birthday party.”
They passed the wall of fallen firefighters, Dhillon mentally thanking them and simultaneously grateful that Riya’s picture was not there. They arrived in the kitchen, where everyone was gathered, and Dhillon caught sight of Riya holding both children, listening to their latest stories. She was on a forty-eight-hour shift, and the kids were missing her. Her hair was in its regular braid, a few pieces flying loose. She was completely attentive to whatever the children were saying to her, but she caught his eye and smiled a smile that was just for him. Warmth spread through Dhillon as it always did when he saw her.
His in-laws chatted with his sister. His mother stood close to Jeff, squeezing his shoulder and laughing at something he said. Rohun Uncle stood beside her, watching her attentively. Everyone important to Dhillon was right there in the room.
Marcus came and stood by him. “Big day for our girl.”
Dhillon beamed with pride. “Yes, it is.”
Bill came over, extended his hand. “Hey, Dhillon.”
Dhillon shook it. “Where’s Angie?” But as he glanced behind Bill, he saw her setting up a cake. “The kids are still talking about the cake Angie made for their birthday.”
“Me, too.” Alejandro sidled up.
Scout wandered about, going from person to person, playing with Rohun Uncle’s dog, Zeus.
Dhillon approached Riya and held out his hands for Samir to come to him. The little boy reached from his mother’s arms to Dhillon’s. “Hey.”
Riya narrowed her eyes at him. “What’s going on? The kids, your sister, our parents?”
Dhillon raised his eyebrows and jutted his chin toward Captain Davis. “Listen.”
The captain got everyone’s attention. “Thanks to everyone who could be here. I’m going to make this quick, since that alarm could sound any minute. Firefighter Desai has passed the lieutenant’s exam and is now our newest lieutenant.”
Riya turned to Dhillon, pride in her eyes. “That’s why?”
He nodded. Smiling, Riya wove her way through her family and colleagues to her captain’s side.
“Firefighter Desai, I think it’s an understatement if I say that this journey was rough.” He grinned at her as a murmur of agreeable laughter floated through the kitchen. “But you have grown as a firefighter, you have worked hard and earned this rank.” The captain paused. “Lieutenant Ambrose.”
