by Unknown
“Lincoln cancelled on him. Seems like Regan isn’t available anymore and I heard through the grapevine you are the reason for that.”
Orlando eyed Anthony. “I swear, Ant, you gossip more than a group of gray-haired old women playing bridge. Is nothing a secret to you?”
Anthony laughed. “Why prolong the evitable? Jon is my boy and I don’t keep shit from him either. I thought Doug would take the news better coming from his brother.”
“It’s all good,” Jon said joining in on the laughter. “Doug ain’t quite ready to handle a woman like Regan.”
“What the hell do you mean by that?” Orlando asked.
“Doug cannot handle a woman like Regan. If she broke your hard-nosed ass, she would’ve killed my poor feeble brother.”
Orlando raised his brow. “Oh, okay, I was getting ready to get upset if you meant something else.”
“Hey this is the first time the three of us have been in solid relationships and happy about it,” Anthony noted. “Jon’s marriage with Gabrielle is strong. I’m going to ask Lincoln to marry me. Orlando, shoot you may be next to take the conjugal plunge.”
Could Anthony be reading his mind? “Shut the hell up, Anthony; I am not thinking about marriage like your ass.”
The alarm sounded breaking their chat. Orlando jumped from the chair jogging through the station with Anthony behind him. He reached the truck pulling on his gear. “Thanks for the advice about Regan, now let’s roll.”
Engine 30 and Ladder 30 arrived on the scene of a commercial office building with smoke pouring from several windows located in the middle section of the building. As soon as the truck stopped, Orlando hopped off and headed to the battalion chief who had the building’s blueprints loaded on a laptop sitting on the hood of his truck.
Orlando looked at the dark smoke drifting into the sky and said, “Chief, the fire looks to be around the 17th and 18th floors.”
“Yeah, those floors are empty and being renovated according to building security. Torres, get your men and start a search and rescue in stairwell B. People in the restaurant will use that stairwell to exit the building. I’ll have Engine 26 take stairwell A. Engine 1 and Engine 10 will proceed to evacuate the inside and sweep for any trapped or injured victims,” the chief said pointing to the area of concern on the blueprints. “Ladder 31 and 39 get those buckets up and start pouring water. This building is equipped with the latest fireproofing technology. That should give us time to do a thorough search. But be quick about clearing those stairwells it won’t take long for the smoke to build inside them.”
Orlando leapt into command mode. “Anthony, Otis, Jon, Nick come with me; we’ll head up. Steve, get with Engine 26 and help clear stairwell A; they are down a man.”
In five minutes, Orlando’s group was inside the building and had located the east stairwell leading to the high-rise side of the building. The interior of the office building consisted of expansive spaces, to narrow specialty shops, which might make finding trapped victims trickier. The fire was rolling floors above them, and the smoke would get thick as it seeped into the stairwell. It would be enough to blind them as they climbed past the floors engulfed with flames.
Orlando called out. “Hey, keep in contact with each other and make sure your SCBA is secure. We might be in here for a while.”
Anthony lifted his mask tugging on the end of Orland’s turnout. “Orlando, I have to tell you something.”
“What, Anthony?” He saw the worried look on Anthony’s face, which was unusual for him. Anthony did not fear any fire.
“There is a possibility Regan is in the restaurant. “Lincoln mentioned she was having lunch at a place called the Roundtable.”
Fear coursed through his body as he increased his pace up the stairs. He couldn’t run them or he would be exhausted by the time his reached the 50th floor.
Anthony was right behind him as they cleared the 19th floor. The climb was steady as office workers passed them on the stairs leaving the building. Those coming down were as quiet as the firefighters going up. All refused help offered by the firefighters.
Orlando stopped as he came upon an elderly woman sitting on the stairs causing the foot traffic behind her to come to a standstill. Her face was flushed as she struggled to breath. “Ma’am, are you hurt,” he asked kneeling on one knee in front of her. All firefighters were trained to provide medical help and he was prepared to administer her help until the paramedics could take over.
She shook her head crying. “I’m tired. I can’t go any further; it’s too much for me to do. Please, let me die here because I can’t take another step.”
He gently touched her on the hand as assurance she would indeed survive. “Ma’am, I’m not going to leave you here. We’ll get you out of the building safely,” he said motioning for Otis and Jon to come forward. “Lean on these strong guys and enjoy the ride down,” he said patting her on the shoulder.
Jon took her arm and Otis took the other side of her. “We’ll get her to safety and be back in a minute,” Jon said helping the elderly woman stand.
Orlando got on the radio. “Chief, I’m sending down two firefighters with an elderly woman. Have paramedics standing by to assist her. Also, send any available firefighters to stairwell B. There may be more people in need of assistance the higher we go.”
“10-4, Engine 30 sending more help your way.”
*****
Regan panicked as light smoke filled the stairwell as office workers escaped through the emergency doors to jam the crowded stairwell as they descended the floors. They were moving at a good pace when it suddenly came to a halt.
“Ohmigod, ohmigod, ohmigod! I knew I shouldn’t have come here today,” Regan panicked as a light sheen of moisture spread across her face.
“Regan, calm down, please!” Mark said squeezing her hand. “The fire department is outside so help is on the way. These damn people need to keep it moving!”
She shouted back at him. “Your shouting isn’t going to make them move any faster, Mark!”
They’d made it to the 45th floor when another door swung open emptying people into the stairwell. The blaring fire alarms and recorded message instructing people to leave immediately echoed in the stairwell.
Regan held on tightly to Mark’s hand. They had come to a stop once again. “Mark, why have they stopped?”
“I don’t know.” He took her hand and turned around to go up the stairs. “We’re going back up. We should wait in the restaurant for help.”
She drew back her hand planting her feet on the step. “No! We have to stay here. The stairwell is the safe barrier away from the fire. If anything gets us, it will be inhaling the damn smoke. She dropped his hand to dig inside her purse. “I have to call Lincoln.”
“I don’t think this is the right time to make a social call.”
Her hands shook as she swiped through the numbers on her phone looking for Lincoln’s name. She noticed there wasn’t a signal to make a call or to text. “I have to say my goodbyes while I can, Mark. Lincoln is strong and will be able to tell mom and Carter how much I love them and to give Orlando a message for me.”
“Orlando, is that his name?”
Regan’s throat felt thick as white smoke rose over the heads of the people lining the stairs below. She heard coughing and other people starting to yell as panic levels heightened to sheer fear. Her legs shook standing on the concrete steps.
“Yes,” she said pushing thoughts of her demise to the back of her head. “Orlando is a firefighter. When he left for work this morning, I was asleep and didn’t get to tell him I loved him.”
“Wow, you are in love with another man already?”
She nodded and tried not to cry like a big baby. “Yes I am and I won’t get a chance to tell him again or hear him tell me the same.”
“Regan, maybe he is in the building looking for you. He is going to find you and I’m certain he does feel the same about you. What man wouldn’t love you,” Mark said in a gentl
e voice.
She shook her head slowly. “You didn’t and Orlando doesn’t know I’m here. I don’t even know if this is his district. I can’t believe I won’t see him again or hear his voice. God, he got me to go bike riding and do all sorts of things I would never try.”
He put his arm around her. “Stay strong and positive, Regan. If this is a big fire, and I think it is, they roll out all the units. I’m sure he is here.” She began to cough and he handed her a handkerchief. “Here, hold this over your mouth, and breathe slowly.”
Her knees wouldn’t stop shaking as she looked over the railing spiraling down and around endless concrete steps filled with people.
The temperature combined with the smoke in the stairwell became unbearable. Panicked and impatient people began to push from behind. The metal railing was the only safeguard preventing anyone from falling to their death. If shoved hard enough, someone would go tumbling over to descend to the ground miles below.
Regan held onto the railing as the shoving got harder. Her brain shuffled through the millions of images and memories it stored. Is this how it is going to end for me? Why God? Why are you choosing Mark to be the last person I see? I love Orlando. Please let me live to see his face once more; to tell him how much I love him. She prayed hard as she slipped on her butt as the pushing and shoving on the stairwell became more aggressive.
Mark turned around and yelled. “Stop with the fucking shoving! There’s nowhere for anybody to go!”
He moved her against the inside wall taking her place against the railing. One of his best qualities was him taking charge of situations; life and death emergencies were no different. She took off her shoes as they advanced down one more level to stop again.
She looked at him. With his face covered in sweat, he kept his cool. The material of the expensive charcoal colored suit wrinkled from the stifling heat. This man she once loved deeply and today she might be dying with him. “Mark, thank you for keeping me calm, I’d be freaking out if I were alone.”
He smiled at her. “I’m not going to let anything happen to you. Just because we aren’t married anymore doesn’t mean I don’t care about you.”
The handkerchief was providing little relief from the smoke clogging her nose and throat. She attempted to make a joke. “Well, it seems we might die together after all.” Her heart beat faster as people started screaming from behind her. The noise was loud and echoed off the walls in a jumbled roar. She couldn’t make out what they were saying.
Then they appeared. Firefighters were there to save them. They approached from behind and ascended the stairwell. She exhaled leaning against Mark’s shoulder. “Thank God,” she cried.
The sea of people began to flow down the stairs in an orderly fashion. Regan stopped as a firefighter stood before her. Through the mask he wore, she knew who it was. Her arms went around his neck holding on for dear life. “Orlando!”
He lifted the mask from his face and said, “I got you, baby. You’re safe.”
*****
Regan sat on the grass in Public Square getting oxygen from a paramedic. Feeling better, she handed over the mask and thanked the paramedic before he moved on to help the next person. The white cotton pants she wore collected stains from the grass and dirt as she stretched out her legs, wiggled her toes and inhaled fresh air into her lungs. She had her purse at her side, but her shoes were missing. She must have dropped the Jimmy Choo white slingbacks somewhere in the stairwell. A volunteer passing out bottled water handed her one. She smiled thanking him. “Thank you.”
Mark took off his suit jacket and sat next to her on the ground. His dress shirt was unbuttoned to his chest and the silk tie hung loosely around his neck. “Are you feeling better?”
She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. “A lot better since I’m out of there.” She looked at the building now billowing white smoke into the crisp blue sky. Black soot outlined where the fire did the most damage. The middle section of the building was being maintained by firefighters on aerial ladders pouring water inside the broken windows. She had not seen Orlando since he escorted her from the building and assumed he was inside working or rescuing more people.
Mark stretched. “Well, I’m going to take off if you’re okay?”
“Mark, thank you again. I’m sorry I was mean to you at lunch. You never know when your time is up and should always be kind to others.”
“That was a close call. I was going to skip out of town without saying anything to my family. I think I will give them a visit before I leave.”
May one of these tree branches fall and strike me on the head for asking him this, but he did help me through a crisis. She fiddled with a spot on her blouse and asked. “Have you called Naomi? You should let her know what happened and that you are okay.”
“I will do that later. I don’t want her to worry her in her condition. Regan, this was a wakeup call. I need a vacation and somewhere far away from the bustle of work. And a place with no cell phone reception is looking quite good right now.”
She patted his hand. “I hear ya. I’d love to be on the beach right now listening to the ocean waves smashing on the shore; no one around but me and Orlando, a bottle of champagne and maybe some romantic island music.” Her daydream could have dragged on but she was interrupted by a familiar voice.
Orlando approached from a distance. “Is everyone okay?”
Regan turned to see him. She had never seen him dressed in full gear; just the t-shirt and blue uniform pants. The authoritative appearance it gave him, made her shiver under the warm breeze. The coat and pants were dirty from the years of battling fires. The thick rubber boots made his feet appear larger than what they were. Even his helmet was singed and worn.
She got off the ground aching to embrace him, but she didn’t since technically he was on duty. “I’m grateful to be alive.” Mark cleared his throat to get their attention. “Oh, honey, this is my ex-husband, Mark Richards. Mark, I’d like you to meet Lieutenant Orlando Torres of the Cleveland Fire department.”
Mark was the first to offer his hand. “Lieutenant, I’ve heard nothing but praises about you from Regan. Thank you for getting us out of there.”
Orlando removed his helmet securing it under his arm. He returned the handshake. “I’m sure Regan exaggerated somewhat, but you’re welcome.”
Mark shoved his hands in the pockets of his pants. “Well, I’m going to go. I’m staying at the Ritz so that is in walking distance for me. Regan, it was nice seeing you again,” he said kissing her on the forehead. “Take care of yourself. Lieutenant, take good care of her. She is one hell of a woman and deserves better than what I put her through the last few years of our marriage.”
Orlando hitched his chin. “Don’t worry about Regan. I got it covered.”
Regan drank the rest of the water in the bottle. She couldn’t look at either man without showing the pain she was experiencing. Mark was going away from her life for good and it hurt. It didn’t matter how much she loathed him in the past, he was her first love, and the first ten years of their marriage was blissful. Losing him meant losing a large chunk of her past and the memories she shared with him.
As Mark walked away, Orlando spoke softly. “Sweetheart, are you sure you don’t need to be transported to the hospital? Is your breathing okay? Are you experiencing any chest pain?”
She blinked away the tears. “Really, I’m fine. I lost my shoes but other than that, I’m not hurt. I will admit I was sacred as the dickens and thought I would die. Thankfully, Mark kept me calm until you got there. He said you would find me.”
“He was right about that. Regan, you can mourn that part of your life being over. I’m not that oblivious and know you two actually loved each other at one time.”
Tears welled in her eyes. They were tears of sorrow and joy waiting to be released. “I’m okay. I will have a good cry later, but I’m okay. I’m just glad to see you,” she said not able to resist hugging him any longer.
His wrappe
d his arms around her shaking body. He looked up to see Mark looking at them shaking his head and doing a slow turn to continue his walk to the hotel. Orlando kissed her cheek. “Baby, I have to get back to work. Oh, I have your shoes on the rig. I’ll bring them over to you and walk you to your car. Where is your car?”
She looked around the chaos surrounding Public Square. She had parked in a lot currently blocked by Cleveland Police and other emergency service vehicles. “Well, it’s in that lot police have blocked off. How am I going to get home? Will I have to sit in this park until police clear the area?”
He chuckled. “Nah, you can sit on the rig and ride back to the station with me. Once I’m done here, I’ll take you home since I’m officially off the clock.”
Bouncing on the balls of her bare feet, she exclaimed. “Oh boy, I get to ride on a fire truck!”
He placed his helmet on her head. “Yup, you get to ride with the men of CLE-FD.”
“I love you so much,” She said looking into his eyes.
He tipped her chin up with his finger. “I love you too, and don’t ever forget that, Regan.”
Chapter Eleven
Orlando put the last of the dishes in the dishwasher and checked the backdoor before grabbing a beer from the fridge. Walking through the dining room, he stopped to close the windows since it was raining outside. He looked around. He couldn’t believe he shared this house with Maggie. The bay window he’d installed had changed the character of the room. The furnishings Regan selected gave it elegance but not too much. All the furnishing in the home was tasteful. The paintings on the walls and the artifacts on display showed she traveled the world.
Damn, there is no way my salary will afford her these luxuries he thought as he replaced the crystal vase in the center of the dining room table. In the living room, he sat on the sofa and clicked on the television to watch a west coast baseball game. Regan was napping in the bedroom and he didn’t want to disturb her after the day she had experienced. The doorbell rang as he popped the cap on the beer. Using a coaster, he set it on the coffee table to answer the door. It was probably Lincoln coming to check on Regan.