He just trusted me with his biggest secret and I feel like, since I kind of forced him to share it, I should tell him about mine. “Aspen is pregnant. It may or may not be mine.”
Logan’s eyes grow wide and his mouth starts to fall open but he raises a hand and covers it quickly, scrubbing his beard for a second. “Are you fucking serious?”
I nod.
He drops his hand and blinks. A lot. “Jake. When? How?”
“I came out this way to interview for the OP position,” I explain. “I didn’t tell any of you because I didn’t want the pressure of getting you guys all hopeful and excited in case I didn’t get it. I happened to run into her and… we were both lonely, horny, and frustrated with life and… it just happened.”
I can’t tell him the exact truth on this.Yeah, well, I got drunk and decided to use Aspen for a little distraction from the pain of realizing I would never get a real shot at dating your sister.
“What are you going to do?” Logan asked.
“Well, she isn’t ready to find out paternity yet,” I say. “So I’m just trying to wait patiently in purgatory until I find out my fate.”
“Fuck. That sounds like hell,” Logan replies. “Is she really not ready to know or is she just not ready to let you go?”
I shake my head. “She doesn’t have me to release me. We both know I’m not getting back together with her if it is mine. And she doesn’t want me back. She even said I didn’t have to be involved.”
“But you will be,” Logan replies as he takes a sip from his coffee. I nod. “Maybe that’s why she’s scared to find out for sure. Because she’s knows you’ll step up and maybe this other guy won’t.”
“Maybe. But I think she’s just getting through some stuff. She has to tell Abbott and deal with her apartment,” I reply and take a heavy breath. “I don’t know who the other guy is, but if I were her I’d be hoping it was his.”
“Why the hell would you say that?”
“Dude, if it’s mine you know this town, everyone will be whispering about how his granny used to be a stripper and his dad was a foster failure.” I take a sip of my own coffee and then sigh.
“Fuck this town,” Logan says. “This kid would be lucky to have you as a dad. And for the record, I wouldn’t call any firefighter with a medal of valor a failure, Jake. And Aspy… I mean growing up she wasn’t my favorite person but she’s matured. She’s a ball buster and a little eccentric, but she’s also kind and smart and she will be a fantastic mom.”
I ball up the wrapper from my now eaten sandwich and toss it at the trash can a few feet away. I miss.
A few cars start rolling into the parking lot next to the station. The new shift is arriving. Logan and I stand up, I grab my wrapper off the pavement and put it in the trash can. Logan tosses his from the bench and it sails into the can. He starts to make roaring crowd noises as he lifts his hands in victory. I give him the finger.
As we walk back to the firehouse he seems to get serious again. “I fucking hate lupus.”
“We all do.” I give his shoulder a squeeze. “But she’ll be okay. Someone will match.”
He nods. My shift mates start to filter in, yelling greetings at us both and Logan drifts off to strip his bunk and head home. I start my shift.
We actually have a fairly busy morning. A gas leak at one of the restaurants by the pier, a small fire in a backyard—leaves someone tried to burn that got out of control. A cat in a tree. Yeah, we respond to those for Mr. Driftwater who runs an animal rescue partly funded by the town. But despite the grind of a busy day, I feel good because Logan and I have finally cleared the air. The truth was heavy, but knowing that I wasn’t shunned by them, makes me lighter. When the day starts to settle and the calls stop coming in, I play cards with the guys, help the probie cook dinner, make a dent in the new Stephen King novel I’m reading and work out, but I keep checking my phone, hoping the doctor will call with some news. And then he does.
“Hi Jake, it’s Doctor Kelly Biswell from the transplant team at Casco Bay Memorial,” her voice is calm, serene. I don’t know her at all but I instantly take her tone as a bad sign. She’s going to let me down easy.Sorry, Jake but you aren’t a match. You knew it was a long shot.
“Do I want to hear this?” I ask and close my eyes.
“Well, you have some decisions to make,” he replies. “Because you are in fact a pretty solid match for this patient.”
“Are you serious?” I can’t move. I can’t breathe. I’m in shock.
“Yes. Sometimes long shots pay off,” Dr. Biswell tells me. “Now you just have to think about this. Obviously it’s a wonderful thing to donate, but it’s a serious commitment that shouldn’t be taken lightly.”
“I’m donating. It’s decided,” I say and then pause. “If no one else can. She’s got some in-laws being tested. I know she would prefer that.”
Doctor Biswell chuckles at that. “I think when you’re in this young woman’s situation, you aren’t picky. But before you commit we need you to meet with a hospital social worker and they’ll have to approve the match too. Make sure you’re in it for the right reasons, so to speak. Can I send you some information via email?”
“Yeah of course,” I say but I know I’m donating, no matter what. I give her my email and hang up.
Ten minutes later I get all the information and the results. Dr. Biswell has even scheduled an interview with a social worker for the day after tomorrow. I’m not a big fan of social workers since I spent my childhood being yanked from my home by them, but I will deal with the system one more time if it means I can help Terra. I stand in the hallway outside the kitchen and read all the information the doc sent. Twice. And then I get up and head down the hall to the see the captain. I knock on his open door and he looks up from his desk and smiles. “What’s up, Maverick?”
