by Naomi Niles
“I’m just sorry I couldn’t see it firsthand,” Sam said. “I would have loved to be there to support you.”
“You had things to do,” Talen said. “I get that.”
“I wouldn’t have missed it for anyone other than Renni,” Sam insisted. “You know that, right?”
“Of course,” Talen assured him.
“Missed what?” I asked, stepping out onto the porch and looking between Sam and Talen.
Sam turned to me and pulled me into his arms. “Hi, you,” he said, kissing the top of my head.
I refused to be distracted. “Missed what?” I asked again.
“It’s nothing,” Talen said dismissively.
“Talen had a fight in Vegas this past Friday,” Sam said. “I was supposed to be there, but-”
“Renni’s career day,” I said, realizing that he had sacrificed being ringside at his brother’s fight to be with Renni on Friday. “Oh God, Sam, why didn’t you say anything?”
“Because there was nothing to say,” he insisted. “I had made my decision.”
“You could have told me,” I said. “I would have explained it to Renni; she would have understood.”
“She didn’t have to, though,” Sam said. “I wanted to be there for her.”
I turned to Talen with wide, apologetic eyes. “I’m so sorry, Talen,” I said sincerely. “If only I had known.”
“Don’t apologize, Mia,” Talen said immediately. “Seriously, it’s not necessary. Sam has his priorities in order. He chose to be there for his kid – it’s what he should have done. And, I’m not a total dick. I get that you and Renni come first.”
I smiled. “You’re making me feel even worse.”
Talen cracked a small smile. He had an intimidating presence with his nearly shaved head and wealth of tattoos, but it was his smile that forced you to see just how handsome he was. He was similar to Sam in that way, except that Talen’s eyes were a startling electric blue.
“Don’t feel bad,” he said. “There will be other fights and other trips to Vegas.”
“I sincerely hope so,” Sam nodded.
“Next time, you should bring Mia and Renni along,” Talen suggested.
I smiled. “I would definitely like to see you fight,” I nodded.
“Then you’re definitely invited,” he replied.
We exchanged a smile and Talen excused himself and went back into the house, leaving Sam and I alone together on the porch. I turned in his arms so that I was facing him.
“You should have told me,” I told him accusingly.
He bent down and kissed me gently. “No, I shouldn’t have,” he said gently. “That was my decision, and I’m a hundred percent sure I made the right one.”
“But he’s your brother-”
“And you’re my…” Sam trailed off a little, trying to find the right word to use for me. He smiled. “Girlfriend doesn’t seem like the right word to use.”
I laughed. “How about partner?”
Sam wrinkled his nose up. “Sounds like we run a business together.”
“Lovers?”
“Too romantic,” he said, shaking his head. “Not serious enough.”
“Soul mates?” I suggested.
“Soul mates,” he repeated, and I could tell he liked the sound of that. “That’s good. You’re my soul mate. And anyway, I did it for Renni. Seeing the smile on her face that day… It was just confirmation that I had chosen right.”
I smiled. “I think I’ve chosen right, too,” I told him.
“That’s a relief,” Sam smiled. “Because I’m telling you now, you’re going to have a hard time getting rid of me.”
“Promise?” I laughed.
“I promise.”
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Sam
“Renni?” I called, poking my head in through her slightly ajar door. She was staring at a pile of clothes littering her bed and she was still in her pyjamas. She turned to me with a serious expression. “I can’t decide what to wear,” she told me solemnly.
I suppressed the smile on my face and entered her room. “Hmm…this is quite the decision, huh?”
“Today’s an important day,” Renni told me seriously.
I frowned at her. “Is it?” I asked. “Why is it an important day?”
I tried to figure out if I had forgotten something important. Mia had a calendar of events set up around Renni’s school and all the little events and bake sales and parent teacher conferences that they hosted every year. I was fairly sure that today was not a special day.
Renni looked away from me as though she were hiding something. “Umm…nothing,” she mumbled.
Instantly, my curiosity was piqued. “Aw come on,” I said, sitting down on the edge of her bed. “I can keep a secret.”
Renni gave me a smile. “I just want to wear something nice today.”
I frowned at her. “Why today?”
“Just,” she said, with a shrug.
“Is there a boy in school you like?” I asked teasingly.
She looked horrified with the idea. “Ew, no,” she said fiercely. “I don’t like any boys…except the ones who are my friends.”
I laughed. “Okay, fair enough.”
“Will you help me decide what to wear?”
“Of course,” I nodded. “How about your polka dotted overalls. You can wear them with your blue sneakers. That’s a pretty snazzy outfit?”
Renni considered that for a moment and then nodded brightly. “Okay.”
“Great,” I said. “I’ll meet you outside in ten; your mom’s already got breakfast going.”
“I’ll be out in a moment,” she said, mimicking the phrase Mia used so often.
I had been living with Mia and Renni for over a week now. I had been capable of moving back to my apartment four days ago, after Doctor Farthing had cleared me, but somehow, I kept finding excuses to stay. I wasn’t the only one, however; it seemed that Renni and Mia seemed to find new reasons for me to stay a couple of days longer. It was a nice feeling, to know you were wanted.
I walked into the kitchen where Mia was standing by the stove with her back to me. I took a moment to appreciate the feminie perfection of her hourglass silhouette.
She was wearing a black skirt that hugged her waist and accentuated what a beautiful behind she had. She had paired the skirt with a sunshine yellow silk blouse that draped around her shoulders in flattering panels of fabric that managed to highlight her tiny waist. Her dark brown hair hung in loose waves around her shoulders and despite the heels she was wearing, she moved around the kitchen with natural grace.
She turned to put the eggs in a bowl and she caught me staring at her. “What are you doing over there?” she asked, raising an eyebrow at me.
“I was just admiring the view,” I admitted.
She laughed, and her laughter had this musical lilt to it that made me think of summer and daisies. “Nice view, huh?” she teased.
“Are you kidding?” I said, coming up to her and wrapping my arms around her. “It’s the best view in town. It’s might even be the most arousing view in town.”
“Down, boy,” Mia cautioned. “Renni will be out any second now.”
I sighed, kissing her softly on the lips before I pulled away. “By the way, is there some sort of important event at Renni’s school today?” I asked, taking a seat at the kitchen table.
Mia wrinkled her brows together. “Important event?” she repeated. “No, not that I know of… Why?”
“Because I just walked in on Renni trying to figure out what to wear today,” I explained. “She said it was important.”
“Huh?” Mia said, giving me a shrug and turning back to the stove. “Maybe she’s just looking forward to school.”
“No, there was something more to it,” I said. “Maybe there’s a boy she likes.”
“She’s five, Sam,” Mia laughed. “I don’t think boys are on her radar just yet.”
“Of course, they are,” I s
aid. “You can never start too early.”
“Are you speaking from experience?” she asked, eyeing me carefully.
I gave her a sheepish smile and a wink. “Sure am.”
“I bet five-year-old you was a real Casanova,” she laughed.
“Oh I was,” I nodded. “The ladies loved me.”
“I’ll bet,” Mia said, shaking her head at me, just as Renni emerged from her room.
“Wow,” Mia said, looking at her daughter. “Nice outfit, darling.”
“Sam picked it out for me,” she said, doing a little twirl around the living room.
“Did he, now?” Mia said, looking at me as though she was impressed. “Well, well…we might have to make him your new stylist.”
“I think so, too,” Renni said cheerfully.
Then the three of us sat down to a nice family breakfast, and we spent the whole meal talking about clothes and shopping and polka dots. It was the first time I’d had so much fun talking fashion with two women.
I knew it had nothing to do with the topic and everything to do with the women I had sitting on either side of me. They made everything bigger, brighter and more beautiful.
After breakfast, we headed off in Mia’s car together. Mia and Renni dropped me off at the station, waved goodbye, and headed off down the road. I walked inside, slightly nervous about my first official day back. I was expected to report straight to the chief, and that had me worried. It felt lately like my job was a series of stop-starts. I had been pulled away from work abruptly because of Jackson the first time, and now because of my stint in hospital.
I knocked on the chief’s door and waited for his deep voice to tell me to enter. I took a deep breath and opened the door.
“Morning, Chief,” I said, giving him what I hoped was my most winning smile.
“Burbank,” the chief nodded. “Take a seat.”
It felt a little formal and very intimidating, but I sat down opposite him. “I can’t tell you how happy I am to be back at work, Chief,” I said, before he could speak. “Again.”
“It seems like someone is trying to sabotage your career, Sam,” he said in a tone that suggested he was somewhat amused.
I gulped. “That’s a matter of opinion,” I said. “I think it was just…bad luck.”
“Did you hear the news about Jackson?”
“Eight years,” I nodded. “But he could get out sooner, depending on good behavior.”
The chief looked down and sighed. “I used to consider him one of my best men,” he said, and there was sadness in his tone. “You and Jackson were one of my best teams. You were both reckless, young and stupid…but you were good.”
I smiled. “I’d like to think I’ve matured recently, though,” I said.
“Because of what happened with Jackson?”
“Because of Mia,” I replied, my tone softening as I mentioned her name. “But I suppose Jackson is a part of it, too.”
“Of course it is,” Chief said, nodding firmly. “Something like that needed to happen to make the two of you open your eyes and pay attention.”
“Pay attention?” I repeated.
“To life,” Chief continued. “The two of you were under the impression that you were invincible. It was not bravery, Sam; it was the arrogance that comes with youth. But I can see the change in you; I can see that you understand now that you’re not invincible.”
“I definitely see that,” I nodded.
“By the way, I like your girl,” he said unexpectedly. “She’s too smart for you, though.”
“Don’t I know it,” I smiled. “I’m glad you like her.”
I was starting to get more and more curious as to why I had been asked to the chief’s office. It seemed like he had something important to say to me, but so far this meeting had taken the vein of a conversation rather than a briefing.
“You must be wondering why I asked to meet with you this morning?” he asked, reading my mind.
“Umm… Well, yes,” I admitted.
The chief fixed his eyes on me and I felt a little shiver of nervousness. Then he smiled, and I wasn’t sure if I should relax or not.
“I’m giving you a promotion, Sam.”
“What?” I balked, in shock.
“I’m promoting you to Lieutenant,” Chief said, as he rose from his chair.
“I… Wait… Seriously?” I asked, mimicking his movement and standing instinctively.
The chief smiled. “Seriously.”
“I… I don’t know what to say…”
“You say ‘Thank you, Chief, I will stop being an idiot and start being a responsible fireman.’”
“I… Thank you, Chief, I will stop being an idiot and start being a responsible fireman.”
“That’s a good lad.”
“But…why?” I asked, genuinely curious.
“Because we have a bunch of new rookies coming in soon,” Chief explained. “And, I think you will be the perfect man to get them trained and ready for the real world. They’ll need supervision, advice, and most importantly, they’ll need someone they can relate to. I think you would be good at getting through to these boys…and girls.
“And apart from that, I think it’s time you gained more responsibility. Maybe then you’ll realize the importance of working as a team.”
I opened my mouth to say something, but no words came out. I shut my mouth and took a deep breath. “I just… This is really unexpected.”
“I’m aware,” Chief nodded. “Don’t question it, just embrace it.”
“Thank you, Chief,” I said, stretching my hand out for his. He gave me a firm handshake and then told me to get out of his office in typical fashion. With a massive smile on my face, I did as I was told. The station was uncharacteristically quiet. I headed straight for the day room, and the moment I walked through the doors, a chorus of cheers welcomed me.
I stopped short, taken back by the gathering that stood around the room waiting for me. At the head of the group stood Mia and Renni in her polka dotted overalls.
There was a small banner tied to the corner that read “Congratulations, Sam!” Renni ran towards me and grabbed me around the middle in a tight hug. I just laughed as everyone cheered and then a moment later Mia approached me and gave me a hug.
I kissed her and then looked down at Renni. “Was this what you meant when you said today was important?” I asked her.
“Uh-huh,” she nodded, with a beaming face. “I thought I had ruined the surprise.”
“Well, I certainly didn’t suspect this,” I said. Then I looked towards Mia. “You knew about this?”
She smiled and nodded as Sean and Mitch came forward. “I got a call from Mitch a few days ago. He told me that the chief had informed them all of your promotion. They wanted to do something special for you, especially after what happened with the fire.”
“You’re an idiot, kid,” Mitch said fondly. “But you’re also a hero. There’s no disputing that.”
I smiled and shook hands with Mitch. “I’m not a kid anymore, Mitch,” I said. “I think I’m well on my way to being a man.”
“I’m guessing you have her to thank for that,” he said, gesturing to Mia.
I glanced at Mia and smiled. “Of course.”
Mia laughed, and I placed my arm firmly around her shoulders as Renni slipped her hand into mine.
I felt buoyant in that moment. I felt complete. It almost felt like I was flying. And for a moment, I actually believed I could.
Six Months Later
Epilogue
Mia
I was sitting in front of the hotel’s ornate dressing table, applying a fresh coat of lipstick as Renni watched me carefully.
“I wish I were as pretty as you, Mommy,” she sighed.
I laughed. “You’re prettier than I am,” I assured her. “Trust me.”
“I can attest to that,” Vanessa nodded, as she entered our room and plopped herself down on the bed beside Renni. She had changed into a silk crepe dre
ss in a bright shimmering orange that brought some color to her white blonde hair. “But the dress is stunning.”
“Sam bought it for me,” I said, turning from the mirror so that I was facing Renni and Vanessa.
The dress was a shimmering silk organza confection in a sea of pale blues and greens that made me look as though I were floating when I moved. I suspected Renni had a lot to do with the choice. It was romantic and whimsical, and it reminded me of fairytales.
“I have to say, I’m glad I joined you guys on this trip,” Vanessa said.
“You don’t think Vegas is overrated anymore?” I asked, smiling at her.
“Definitely not anymore,” she said. “It’s glorious.”
“I like it, too,” Renni piped up. “Especially those girls in the colorful feathers.”
Vanessa and I shared a glance and we laughed together. “Where’s Sam?” she asked.
“I think he popped in to check on Talen,” I replied. “His big fight is tomorrow, and he wanted to give him a little moral support before the day. Talen’s going to be training the whole of tomorrow so I don’t think we’ll get to see him much.”
“I’m looking forward to this fight,” Vanessa said. “Especially the part where I get to see Talen shirtless.”
Renni giggled, and I shook my head at Vanessa. “Seriously?”
“What?” Vanessa shrugged unapologetically. “It’s a valid reason.”
I rolled my eyes at Vanessa and turned back to the mirror to finish off my make up. “Are you sure you two wouldn’t rather join Sam and me tonight?”
I saw Vanessa and Renni exchange a glance. “Why on earth would we want to crash your romantic date?” Vanessa asked.
“Because Sam and I can have a date any old time,” I replied. “And I really don’t want you taking my daughter to a casino.”
Vanessa stuck her tongue out at me, making Renni laugh. “Please, I wouldn’t do that before she turned seven. Geez.”
I smiled. “You know Sam won’t mind.”
“I know he won’t,” she nodded. “But Renni and I have major plans, okay? We’re kind of having a girls night.”