by Naomi Niles
“Dad, I’ve been put on assignment to get some background stories. I think I’ve got a pretty good handle so far on life in the firehouse. I like to go out on some of your calls.”
“No way.”
“Dad, now you promised me, remember?”
“What I agreed to was letting you go with my permission. I’m not giving you my permission. End of argument.” He sat back in his chair, rolling a pencil between his fingertips and looking to see my reaction. I knew that he expected me to blow up, and under normal circumstances, that would have been the first thing that came to mind. I was an adult now, however, and I needed to learn how to deal with characters like my dad if I was going to get anywhere.
“Okay, if that’s the way you’re going to play it. But just be prepared. Every time an alarm comes in, you can expect me to be at your elbow, begging you to let me go along. That might sort of put me in the way. And I know how you don’t like that. So, what do you say to letting me follow the truck? I promise I won’t get near the building, I will stay out of the way, I won’t talk to any of your guys, and who knows? Just maybe we can get some help to some victims who don’t have insurance, lose everything…. You get the idea.”
Dad sat back once again, a thoughtful look on his face. I knew had a soft place in his heart for people who got caught without insurance and had nothing to fall back on. The best thing he could do was refer them to the Red Cross, but that might get them through the first seventy-two hours. After that, they were generally on their own.
“I’ll tell you what I’ll do. I want you to have some basic training. The new guy, Delaney is his name.” I nodded, as though I was slow to recall Sean’s name.
“What about him?”
“I want you to shadow him. I want him to teach you what he knows. It might involve you doing a few sit ups to strengthen your muscles, you need to learn CPR, but most of all you’ll learn how to stay the hell out of the way in a hot situation. One rule though: you will never, and I repeat never, enter a building that is afire. Do we have that perfectly clear?”
Was he kidding? He was putting Sean in charge of me on an ongoing basis and I was going argue about that? “Okay, Dad. Have it your way. It’s really not what I do best, but I guess if I want to get the stories, I will have to do this according to your rules.”
Dad looked at me suspiciously. He wasn’t used to me giving into him quite that quickly. I could see the contemplation on his face, wondering whether I had matured a bit since graduation. It suited me just fine to let him think that I had.
“Are you going to tell Delaney, or shall I?” I asked.
“I’ll have a talk with him. I’m going to be very specific about what he’s going to show you. I don’t want you getting hurt. In the meantime, you’re going to be classified as the firehouse mascot.”
“Are you talking about making me like a freaking Dalmatian?”
“That’s your new name. I don’t want the guys thinking this is about favoritism, even if you’re not a firefighter. Your job is to learn everything that Delaney teaches you and I want you to clean up around the place, chip in on chores, and so forth.”
I rolled my eyes, but I did it carefully while looking at the floors so he didn’t see me. Dad wouldn’t tolerate that sort of disrespect. “I’m heading home to change my clothes and I’ll be back in an hour. Tell Delaney I’ll be ready for them.”
I practically flew out of the station house back home. It took me a few minutes to figure out just the kind of outfit I would wear. It had to be just the right combination of utility and sexy. I settled on a pair of bib overalls with a tube top beneath. I thought it showed my curves, and yet the contrasting masculinity of the overalls just emphasized the woman in me. I pulled a ball cap off the shelf of my closet and wound my hair into it.
Returning to the station house, I found Delaney. He was taking a coffee break. I poured myself one and sat down opposite him.
“Do you mind telling me how the hell you talked him into this?” Sean was looking at me with amazement. I just shrugged. “You don’t think this is going to make it just a little bit harder to keep my living arrangements from your dad?”
I looked around to make sure no one had overheard him. “First of all, the guys in the station house are like nosy brothers. They all look out for me and they’d report anything back to Dad in the blind second. So I would suggest that you not bring up your living arrangements, as you call them, if you want to keep your job here. Other than that, I give you my word that I’m truly going to try to learn from you.”
“So, let me get this straight: during the day, I’m the boss, but at night, you’re the landlord and the boss. Do I have that right?”
“Is that going to be a problem?” I looked at him with my brown eyes, using the sorrowful look that always worked on Dad. It appeared that Sean was not immune to it because he immediately smiled and shook his head.
“No problem whatsoever. Let’s get started. Go over there and give me twenty push-ups.”
He thought he could scare me with an exercise routine; what he didn’t know was that I had been doing push-ups since I was ten years-old—dad had seen to that. I got down to the floor did the twenty push-ups, and then an additional ten with one arm. I jumped to my feet and looked at him, a slightly impudent look on my face.
“Not too bad,” he commented. “Let’s see what you can do with sit ups. You get down there and I’ll say when to stop.”
I assumed the position and began the exercise. He let me keep going for a couple of minutes and then he stood up to leave the room. “Hey, where you going?”
“Don’t worry. I’ll be back. Just keep going.”
The bastard! He wasn’t playing by the rules. Well, there were two ways of doing that. I didn’t need to play by the rules, either. As soon as he cleared the doorway, I stopped the exercise and when I heard his shoes coming back in my direction I picked it up again.
He walked in and stood over top of me, his shoes straddling my shoulders. This gave me the most delicious advantage of looking up at his crotch each and every time I sat up. I think I could’ve done that all day. “You think you’re pretty smart, don’t you?”
“Excuse me?”
“Just because I left the room doesn’t mean I wasn’t watching. I watched you from the camera in the office. I saw you stop. I figure you owe me about a hundred more sit ups.” He stifled a grin and walked back over to the lunch table to sit down.
“Are you freaking kidding me? I won’t be able to sit up for a week.”
“Don’t push me. That could introduce some interesting scenarios. Knock them off and then we’ll take a ride over to the tower.” He poured himself another cup of coffee and sat down to watch me. Although it was one of the most painful things I had ever done in my life, I wasn’t going to let him defeat me. The last one felt like it ripped the muscles out of my chest.
I crawled to my feet this time, glaring at him. “I hope you’re enjoying this. Payback is a bitch, you know.”
“Now, now, you promised to do what I told you. That’s your first lesson. It has nothing to do with how many sit ups or push-ups you can do. It has to do with following orders. There’s no room for argument when you’re at a fire. If I tell you to stay put, that’s exactly what you’re going to do. You got that?”
I frowned, kicking myself mentally that I hadn’t seen what he was doing. I could barely move and would’ve killed for a hot bath and a half dozen aspirin. Instead, I nodded demurely.
“Okay, climb into my car and let’s go over there.”
How ironic that my slave driver opened the door for me. This was going to be a confusing time. We were both playing roles. At times, I was his boss, at times his landlord, and at times his student. He could pretty much say or do anything to me he wanted and Dad wouldn’t utter a peep. What Dad didn’t know was that I was vying for the most important job of all: I wanted to be Sean’s lover.
We arrived at the tower and had to sit in the car to wait our
turn. There were a few guys from another precinct doing the exercise. Sean pointed to them. “Watch what they’re doing.” I nodded, trying not to fall asleep from exhaustion.
“I want you to watch how they work together. They’re always in pairs; one guy is responsible for his partner, and vice versa. This way somebody knows where you’re at and what you’re doing at all times. If you get into trouble, you’re not on your own. I don’t know how much time you spent on the scene, but it can get pretty confusing. Especially at night. You’re standing somewhere that’s completely unfamiliar to you and every second could mean a life being lost. The fire is always unpredictable, so you have to be on high alert. It’s the only thing to light your way and yet you’re trying to put out the flames. People get dirty, they get hurt, bystanders get too close. It can be a real mess. I figured the best place for you is to be in charge of the bystanders. That way you won’t get tangled up in hose or have anything fall on your head, and you’ll be right there with the people that you want to interview. Up front and center, so to speak.”
I nodded. There was a lot of logic in what he was saying. “That’s a good thought,” I commented.
Just then, another truck of guys from a different district pulled up.
“Oh, looks like we’re going to have to put your training off to another day. These guys really need it; they’re in the trenches. So, why don’t you knock off for now, maybe go home and take a hot bath, swallow a couple aspirin?”
My eyes opened wide. How did he know that’s what I wanted? Had I somehow said it aloud? It didn’t matter. I was grateful for his understanding and nodded my head, giving him a thumbs-up.
“That’s what I thought,” he said, his voice a little brotherly. I was going to have to change that.
Chapter 7
I stopped by the office the next morning on my way to the firehouse. John was in his office, already munching furiously on the stogie he held so dearly. I leaned my head inside his doorway, tapping on the door as I opened it.
“Have you got a minute?”
“That depends. Are you going to waste it?”
I was dressed in sweats. Not very glamorous, but necessary when you’re in fireman training. I could see him look me over and wonder why I was dressed that way. “I hope not, but of course that depends on you. I’d like to tell you what I’ve been cooking up and see what your thoughts are on it.”
“Okay, go ahead.” He pointed to the chair opposite his desk. “I’ll give you ten minutes to waste.”
“Yes, sir. So, as I think you already know, my dad is District 13 Fire Chief. He’s going to let me tag along on some runs and I want to do a series that spotlights the victims. Lots of human interest. You know, kids who will have no toys for Christmas, they had no insurance, and now have nowhere to go, you get the whole picture. In order for him to allow me to do this, I have to go through some basic fireman training. My job is going to be to stand on the perimeter and hold back onlookers. He’s going to make me earn my keep.”
“Go on,” John motioned me to continue.
“Okay, so, you know how the city feels about its firefighters. They’re one step short of being God. I can’t help but think that by dedicating a section of our paper to the firefighters on a regular basis, that it will bring in some more subscriptions and certainly some advertising. No one can say no to a New York City firefighter. Not since 9/11.”
“Well, I can see you’re not above making the most out of a situation. Aren’t you a little embarrassed?”
“No, not at all. You might be missing the point. To be a New York City firefighter is an honor. It’s something that guys strive for, train for, study for. For example, when I leave here, I’m headed toward the tower over on the North Shore. I have to run twenty stories of metal stairs and then back down, without puking. Even at my age, that’s not going to be an easy task. These guys have to do this kind of thing regularly. So my angle on this is that the men who become firefighters are the best of the best. They’re not only intelligent, and in magnificent condition, but they have to be smart enough to think in the middle of an emergency when their life may be on the line. Our city fire departments need more of these kind of men. So, from the fire department standpoint, this is sort of a recruiting effort. From our standpoint, it will sell papers and ads. It will put a spotlight on some of the unfortunate who suffer from fires, and it will celebrate the excellence of the firefighting profession. This might even become a fundraiser to help some of those who have suffered from house fires. I really think it’s a win-win all the way around and I think it would be great attention-grabber for the paper. It would really set you apart from the competition. As you know, they really are all about making money. You, on the other hand, will be known for integrity. I think you told me that was something that used to exist in your profession, and you seldom have a chance to embrace that again.”
“Well, little lady. You have been doing some thinking. I have to say I’m just a little bit impressed. Of course the whole thing is nothing if you don’t do a good job of it. Do you think you can handle it?”
“Believe me, my Dad will see to it. He’s put me under the care of his newest hire. This guy is like a Marine drill sergeant and every bone in my body already aches. If I stick with this, I’ll earn the respect that I need to get access to all the components that can build this picture. In fact, you might even say that I’m in a very unique position. Not many reporters out there have a dad who is a fire captain.”
“You do have a point. It would be a shame to waste such a valuable contact. So, what you need from me?” I heard the not so subtle tint of sarcasm in his tone.
“Not too much, really. First, I need your permission to do this because obviously it’s going to take some time away from my actual writing. After all, I have to train for this. I have to do that in the daytime when the training facilities are available. Second, of course I need you to continue to pay me, even though I won’t be in the office every day as you seem to want me to be. Next, I need some sort of reassurance that this is not going to be in vain. After all, I’m not in this business to earn money; I’m in this business to report and to write. I want to be that person that someday you’ll say, ‘I knew her when.’ That’s just about all there is to it. What do you say?”
John looked me over, as though judging whether I was really going to deliver. I suppose I understood why he had some doubts; I wasn’t exactly firefighter material and unless I was on the scene, the whole thing wouldn’t be delivered. On the other hand, I felt I was a good example of integrity and I wanted a chance to prove myself. I also knew that he was drawing out the suspense simply because it gave him a few more moments of power. I let him have it. I sat quietly and put an anxious look on my face. This was pretty much the same way I had to treat Dad.
“Okay, kid. You got your chance. Don’t blow it. Keep in touch at least once a day with Martha by phone. Don’t disappear on me. And don’t let anyone else know what you’re up to. We don’t want someone jumping on the bandwagon and cutting in line.”
I smiled broadly and winked. “I could just about kiss you right now.”
He frowned, but blushed at the same time. I imagined it’d been quite a while since a young lady had kissed him. “Don’t worry, I’ll keep my distance despite your magnetism and extreme generosity.”
“Oh, bullshit. Get on outta here!” John motioned me out and shouted at me to shut the door behind myself.
Martha watched me walk across the empty room. “Well, if you don’t look like the cat that just caught the canary.”
“Good to see you, too, Martha. Actually, John just listened to a proposal and took me up on it. You’re looking at New York City’s newest, soon-to-be, female firefighter.”
“I thought you worked here at the paper?” She was looking at me over the top of her glasses. That meant she really didn’t expect a response, but I would give her one anyway.
“I’m a reporter first, and a firefighter second. I’m going to build a w
hole section of our newspaper dedicated to the firefighters of New York City. You can ask John for the details. I’m sure he will remember it much differently than I explained to him, but the gist of it is that I won’t be reporting here into the office each day. I will, however, be giving you a phone call. So you can keep track of me.”
Martha nodded in approval. “It shouldn’t take you long to figure out how to wrap him around your finger.” She looked back down to her desk, calmly rifling through some old papers in a gesture of dismissal. I took the hint and left.
* * *
Sean was waiting for me at the tower. He was standing between me and the low light of early winter, a very masculine and attractive silhouette. I felt that familiar warmth low in my belly and I knew that I wanted him. I wasn’t sure if he understood that. Yes, he had kissed me, but had he meant the same thing with that kiss that I wanted him to mean? I could see that I was in that sticky part of wanting a relationship and not knowing how to get it started. There were no rules in this adult world. I couldn’t ask a boy to the dance or over to the house to watch videos. He was no boy; he was a man, and I certainly wanted more than videos.
“I’m glad you finally decided to grace me with your presence,” was his sarcastic welcome.
“Sorry about that, boss. I had to run by the newspaper for a few minutes, and you know the traffic around here.”
“Yes, I have had a little experience with that.”
“So, what kind of torture do you have in mind for me today?” I was admiring that dimple in his chin. Evidently he was doing a little admiring of his own.
“Well, at least this time you came dressed for the job.” His words were sarcastic but his attitude was very appreciative. Damn, there was that warmth in my belly again. I wanted to be in bed with the man. How do I get from dirty sweat suit to bed partner? “Go over there to that slab of concrete and give me fifty push-ups.”