As soon as they were both ready, they set off.
“So, how did you feel about your old boss’s visit?” Gabriella didn’t waste any time, and Misty was fine with that. She wanted to talk but wouldn’t really know how to bring it up.
“I was okay, but Gabe… He went nuts! He acted like he was trying to beat his way out of the cage.”
“Oh, well, he’s a bird of prey. He must have felt a threat was near.”
“A bird of prey,” she said, shocked.
“If you were thinking he’d eat birdseed and tweet happily from a tree branch, well, you must have been thinking of a chickadee. He’s no chickadee, dearest.
“But one thing is good,” Gabriella continued. “He’s happy to be with you and delighted to see the baby growing. When he was a smaller bird, any time you were taking a nap, he hopped onto your thigh and laid his head on your baby bump. He may have been listening to the heartbeat…or just expressing his love.”
Misty smiled, knowing her baby’s father would protect them both. As a bird or a man.
“Are you going to find out the sex of the baby soon?”
“We agreed to keep the baby’s sex a surprise. He’ll be back long before the birth. If we change our minds, we’ll do it together.” Meanwhile, Misty periodically wondered if she was carrying a little Gabe or a little Misty. They hadn’t discussed names yet, but that’s how she thought of their child in the meantime.
They were passing by the fire station where Gabe had worked. Of course, no one at the fire station knew Gabe was at home, least of all in bird form. They thought he had gone to Brazil to a plastic surgeon who specialized in skin transplants and some cutting-edge methods to restore the healing and self-image of severe burn victims in record time.
The captain recognized Gabriella and waved as he walked toward them. A moment later, his eyes lit up as he recognized Misty. “You’re Gabe’s wife, aren’t you?”
“Yes. Misty Fierro,” she said and extended her hand when he extended his. They shook hands, and he grinned.
“I was there when he proposed to you. He must have said the right words, because here you are, out walking with your mother-in-law.”
“And I’m going to be a grandma,” Gabriella said.
“I’m sure you’re happy about that.”
“Beyond thrilled,” she said.
“Is Gabe home yet?”
“Not yet.” Gabriella explained that because of Misty’s pregnancy, she’d decided to stay in Boston. If anything came up, Gabe wouldn’t be in any shape to help her, and Misty spoke neither Portuguese nor Spanish. So Gabriella and Antonio were looking after her.
“Double congratulations, then. Boy, when that man decides to do something, he does it up right. Tell him we miss him. He’s one of my best firefighters. Well, don’t tell him that. We don’t want him to get a swelled head.” The captain laughed.
Misty thought about making some kind of joke about the surgery and how his head might be swollen from that but decided against it. Sure, it would be going along with the fiction, but it wouldn’t sound very respectful. She’d leave the joking to Antonio.
“I hope you found someone to cover his shifts,” she finally said.
“Oh, sure. We took on a probie. He’s a little wild behind the wheel, but he just needs practice. Believe me, he’s getting plenty.”
“Oh? Has it been busier than normal?” Gabriella asked.
“Yeah. It usually slows down when the students leave for the summer. Not this year. We’re as busy as ever.”
“Really? With fires?” Misty asked.
“Drug overdoses mostly,” the captain said.
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Gabriella said. “Is the problem getting worse?”
“It seems so. Hopefully, the state will put a little more funding into rehab and prevention. When we get the call, we do what we can to save the person’s life, but most of the time, as soon as they’re able, they go looking for their next fix.”
Misty was truly struck by this. “I wish there was something more that could be done.”
