Smoke
Five
“How did it go?”
Bayleaf shouted over the roar of the engine,
“It didn’t! thought I was joking wouldn’t stop laughing so I – “
“Got the ump and walked away?”
“Nah I was about to, but the bells went and done the job for me!”
“Christ Kevin!”
He could feel himself getting more irate, Bayleaf knew all too well that life doesn’t always stay out of the station and it often caused dramas on shift, he had grown to like Scarlett, taking her under his wing, he and sicknote were often on hand to answer any questions and offer any advice, he prayed that the usually level headed Kevin did the right thing by her, the crew couldn’t afford to lose another decent firefighter,
“Still not told her about Marnie”
Kevin replied his heart squeezing in his chest, he kept himself busy focusing on the call they had been given. Bayleaf sighed loudly, shaking his head.
The crew fell in to silence, the flames had been extinguished and a fatality had been discovered, they stood close together next to the motor, shoulders heavy with sadness as the body of a fifteen-year-old was carried out. Kevin glanced at Scarlett, her eyes brimmed with tears.
They made their way back to the station, the crew undressing and sloping back to bed, Kevin stood in the kitchen taking a few mouthfuls from a glass of water, Scarlett walked in, keeping her head down she brushed past him,
“Sorry” She murmured after knocking him, He cleared his throat, slamming his glass down on the side before forcing his way past her, “Kev?” She grabbed his wrist before he could move further away, “That was my first one”
His stomach dropped knowing exactly what she meant, although it may not have been her first fatality it would have been her first child, and that was always a bitter pill to swallow,
“You alright?”
She nodded and rooted herself to the floor in front of him, with slow movement, she placed her hands on the sides of his neck, bringing herself to his height she placed her lips against his, he sunk in to the moment for a few seconds before pulling away quickly, shocking himself and her,
“I’m sorry that was ridiculous”
Her voice broke as she rushed away from him, aggressively wiping her eye with the back of her hand,
“No, it wasn’t” he planted his hands in his pockets, “You still up for breakfast? My treat”
She turned and looked at him, sniffing,
“What?”
“The first is always the most difficult” he walked over to her pulling her in with one arm around her shoulders, just holding her for a minute “I couldn’t rest without knowing you’ve had something to eat and have cracked a smile before you come on to the next shift with that on your mind!”
She nodded, wiping her eyes once more, she buried her face in to him,
“It was fucking horrible kevin!”
She sobbed, he nodded, keeping hold of her he stroked her hair,
“I know”
“You’re late home”
Marnie whined as Kevin walked through the door,
“I know, I went for breakfast with a few of the blokes from the station”
“We’ve got food here?”
She questioned as she stood from the sofa, Kevin rubbed his temple sighing,
“I know Marns don’t start!”
“I’m not starting I’m literally just saying we’ve got food here! Why go out to eat? We’ve got a wedding to pay for!”
He rolled his eyes,
“I’m going to bed, I’m back on shift tonight”
“Ugh! You and those poxy fire engines!” she shouted as he walked away “I’m sure you’d rather marry them than me!”
Scarlett sat on the sofa, her legs tucked underneath her, staring in to the distance, the radio played quietly in the kitchen, her coffee had gone cold, she had given up on all hope of sleeping, her mind still racing, with the events of the night shift before, her lips where sore from biting them, trying to get rid of the memory of Kevin, she hoped he would put it down to her being shaken up, her skin prickled at the thought of seeing him again.
“You alright love?”
Sicknote asked, later on at the station, she jolted out of her daydream and smiled towards him half-heartedly,
“Yeah” she nodded trying to sound convincing “Yeah, I’m fine, have, erm, have you seen Kevin about? I need to ask him how he fixed my car yesterday, just in case it happens again”
“He was cleaning the pump last time I saw him love”
“Thanks!”
She rushed away from him, Bayleaf strolled over,
“What’s up with her?”
“She’s been looking for Kevin apparently, car advice”
Bayleaf sighed rolling his eyes,
“Right!”
“Why’s that?”
“I’ve got a feeling our Kev is about to give little Scarlett the run around!”
He threw the sponge down in the bucket, spraying Scarlet with foam,
“Seriously?” She huffed “Look I came to talk to you about last night, this morning whatever you want to call it, it shouldn’t have happened, I was wrong, I panicked and –“
“Don’t worry about it, no harm done, car still running alright?”
“Yeah, yeah thank you”
“Happens again, let me know”
“Yeah definitely”
She walked away almost feeling like she hadn’t accomplished much, somewhat hurting over his nonchalance,
“Here Scarlett” he called after her swallowing hard as she turned around to look at him “Some of us are popping to the pub tomorrow if you want to come with?”
She smiled inhaling deeply,
“Yeah sure I’ll be there”
He smiled back feeling his heart skip a beat or two.
Bayleaf shouted over the roar of the engine,
“It didn’t! thought I was joking wouldn’t stop laughing so I – “
“Got the ump and walked away?”
“Nah I was about to, but the bells went and done the job for me!”
“Christ Kevin!”
He could feel himself getting more irate, Bayleaf knew all too well that life doesn’t always stay out of the station and it often caused dramas on shift, he had grown to like Scarlett, taking her under his wing, he and sicknote were often on hand to answer any questions and offer any advice, he prayed that the usually level headed Kevin did the right thing by her, the crew couldn’t afford to lose another decent firefighter,
“Still not told her about Marnie”
Kevin replied his heart squeezing in his chest, he kept himself busy focusing on the call they had been given. Bayleaf sighed loudly, shaking his head.
The crew fell in to silence, the flames had been extinguished and a fatality had been discovered, they stood close together next to the motor, shoulders heavy with sadness as the body of a fifteen-year-old was carried out. Kevin glanced at Scarlett, her eyes brimmed with tears.
They made their way back to the station, the crew undressing and sloping back to bed, Kevin stood in the kitchen taking a few mouthfuls from a glass of water, Scarlett walked in, keeping her head down she brushed past him,
“Sorry” She murmured after knocking him, He cleared his throat, slamming his glass down on the side before forcing his way past her, “Kev?” She grabbed his wrist before he could move further away, “That was my first one”
His stomach dropped knowing exactly what she meant, although it may not have been her first fatality it would have been her first child, and that was always a bitter pill to swallow,
“You alright?”
She nodded and rooted herself to the floor in front of him, with slow movement, she placed her hands on the sides of his neck, bringing herself to his height she placed her lips against his, he sunk in to the moment for a few seconds before pulling away quickly, shocking himself and her,
“I’m sorry that was ridiculous”
Her voice broke as she rushed away from him, aggressively wiping her eye with the back of her hand,
“No, it wasn’t” he planted his hands in his pockets, “You still up for breakfast? My treat”
She turned and looked at him, sniffing,
“What?”
“The first is always the most difficult” he walked over to her pulling her in with one arm around her shoulders, just holding her for a minute “I couldn’t rest without knowing you’ve had something to eat and have cracked a smile before you come on to the next shift with that on your mind!”
She nodded, wiping her eyes once more, she buried her face in to him,
“It was fucking horrible kevin!”
She sobbed, he nodded, keeping hold of her he stroked her hair,
“I know”
“You’re late home”
Marnie whined as Kevin walked through the door,
“I know, I went for breakfast with a few of the blokes from the station”
“We’ve got food here?”
She questioned as she stood from the sofa, Kevin rubbed his temple sighing,
“I know Marns don’t start!”
“I’m not starting I’m literally just saying we’ve got food here! Why go out to eat? We’ve got a wedding to pay for!”
He rolled his eyes,
“I’m going to bed, I’m back on shift tonight”
“Ugh! You and those poxy fire engines!” she shouted as he walked away “I’m sure you’d rather marry them than me!”
Scarlett sat on the sofa, her legs tucked underneath her, staring in to the distance, the radio played quietly in the kitchen, her coffee had gone cold, she had given up on all hope of sleeping, her mind still racing, with the events of the night shift before, her lips where sore from biting them, trying to get rid of the memory of Kevin, she hoped he would put it down to her being shaken up, her skin prickled at the thought of seeing him again.
“You alright love?”
Sicknote asked, later on at the station, she jolted out of her daydream and smiled towards him half-heartedly,
“Yeah” she nodded trying to sound convincing “Yeah, I’m fine, have, erm, have you seen Kevin about? I need to ask him how he fixed my car yesterday, just in case it happens again”
“He was cleaning the pump last time I saw him love”
“Thanks!”
She rushed away from him, Bayleaf strolled over,
“What’s up with her?”
“She’s been looking for Kevin apparently, car advice”
Bayleaf sighed rolling his eyes,
“Right!”
“Why’s that?”
“I’ve got a feeling our Kev is about to give little Scarlett the run around!”
He threw the sponge down in the bucket, spraying Scarlet with foam,
“Seriously?” She huffed “Look I came to talk to you about last night, this morning whatever you want to call it, it shouldn’t have happened, I was wrong, I panicked and –“
“Don’t worry about it, no harm done, car still running alright?”
“Yeah, yeah thank you”
“Happens again, let me know”
“Yeah definitely”
She walked away almost feeling like she hadn’t accomplished much, somewhat hurting over his nonchalance,
“Here Scarlett” he called after her swallowing hard as she turned around to look at him “Some of us are popping to the pub tomorrow if you want to come with?”
She smiled inhaling deeply,
“Yeah sure I’ll be there”
He smiled back feeling his heart skip a beat or two.