Page 51 of Hearts & Embers

Thursday afternoon I found myself standing outside Firehouse 99.

The decision hadn't been planned. I finished work, got into my car, and somehow ended up there. Fortunately Rescue 3 was nowhere to be seen but several firefighters moved in and out of the building carrying equipment, paperwork, and coffee cups. The activity looked remarkably ordinary despite the nature of their profession. For several moments I remained where I was before finally forcing myself inside.

A firefighter seated near the front looked up.

"Can I help you?"

I nodded.

"I was hoping to speak with Captain Cole."

Recognition appeared immediately.

"Aurora?"

The fact he knew my name should probably have surprised me.

It didn't.

“I’m Donny Turner, I’ll fetch Cap for you.”

We shook hands and he hurried away. A few minutes later, the captain emerged from an office and introduced himself with calm professionalism. After introductions and a brief conversation, he suggested a nearby café where we could talk without interruptions. Ten minutes later we sat across from each other with coffee neither of us appeared particularly interested in drinking.

Cole listened while I explained everything:

The burn.

The coughing.

The surgery.

The fear.

The decision to spend time apart.

Most importantly, he listened without attempting to interrupt or immediately solve the problem. When I finally finished, he sat quietly for a moment before speaking.

"You know Jasper loves his job."

I nodded.

"I do and I’d never ask him to walk away but I need to know how I can live with knowing when he leaves one morning, he may never come back."

"You know he isn't reckless."

Another nod followed.

Cole leaned back slightly.

"Most people assume firefighters spend their careers charging into burning buildings without thinking. The reality is considerably less dramatic. We train constantly. We follow procedures. We make decisions based on information and experience. Nobody at Firehouse 99 wants to get hurt."

The explanation sounded obvious. Even so, I listened carefully.

"Unfortunately, no matter how careful we are, we still get injured sometimes."

His gaze remained steady.

"That's reality."