Chapter 15 Pieces of Us
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
PIECES OF US
The rest of that day was spent taking stock. Downstairs was a darkened shell—what hadn’t burned was buried under stubborn soot. Upstairs suffered less, but everything wore a layer of grime, and the entire house reeked of smoke.
Graham Kingsley was outside chatting with the few remaining law enforcement officers, watching as they packed up their equipment. Colin, Joshua, and David remained in the house, inspecting the rooms to assess the extent of the damage and determine which rooms to tackle first.
David had brought a few boxes and a tarp. He threw the tarp down on the study floor and set a box on top of it. “I’m gonna start here,” he told Colin. “Get the rest of your lawbooks packed up.”
Joshua pulled off his mask, rubbing his cheek. “I’m going to check the kitchen—” he said, his voice low. “See if there’s anything worth saving.”
Colin followed Joshua down the stairs and watched him sort through the kitchen, moving numbly from cupboard to cupboard. After a moment, he slipped out to the porch, tugging off his mask, gulping in the cooler air.
From the living room, Graham Kingsley spotted Joshua carefully lifting a soot-covered vase he loved toward the sink, and dashed to stop him. “Wait, Josh! Wait! No water!”
He took the vase from Joshua’s hand. “Listen to me. Soot particles penetrate porous surfaces, and water pushes them even deeper.”
He glanced at Joshua’s stunned expression and shook his arm.
“Where’s your mask, son?” He pointed to his own.
“You and Colin can’t be in here without them.
Mind me on this, Josh. This stuff’ll make you sick.
” He took Joshua’s arm and guided him onto the porch, where Colin was inspecting his workout equipment.
“You boys listen to me. I’ve been through this before. You can’t do this alone. I work with professionals specializing in soot, smoke, and fire damage, and you’d do well to hire them. They know what they’re doing. Your insurance should cover some—if not most.”
Colin drew Joshua close, jaw tight. “How much can be saved, Graham?”
“Not all–but some. These folks work miracles. Believe me, what can be saved—they’ll save.”
“What about our clothes? The upstairs is pretty good, but there is soot and smoke damage.”
“Don’t just toss them into a washing machine. That’ll set those soot particles in the cloth. There’s a way to handle these things.”
Colin met Joshua’s eyes. “What do you think, babe? For my money, we do what Graham says—we hire the pros.” Joshua nodded, and Colin turned back to his contractor.“Will you set it up?”
“Absolutely. But right now, you boys need to get out of this house until you’re wearing high-grade masks like mine.
” He pointed outside to where his truck was parked.
“Go into my truck; it’s not locked. In the back seat, there’s a box of N95 masks.
Grab yourself a few. And don’t come in here again unless you’re wearing one.
” He patted Joshua’s arm. “I’ll give Emberlight Restorations a call.
See how soon I can get them out here.” He walked back into the living room, lifting his phone.
Colin eased Joshua out the back door and led him toward Graham’s truck. He followed silently, his expression hollow, eyes distant. Colin grabbed several N95s and handed one to his husband.
Joshua stared down at it as if unsure what to do next.
“Josh?”
Joshua lifted tear-filled eyes. “It’s like our whole life is buried under a thousand layers of ash.”
“That’s why we hire professionals.”
“Is David still upstairs?”
“Yeah, he’s still packing law books.”
“Are they OK?”
“Actually, they’re not bad.”
“How about the attic? All our Chrismukkah stuff?”
“I haven’t been up there yet. But judging from how the upstairs looks, it should be OK. That stuff’s all packed in boxes.”
“We need to make sure Nate doesn’t wash anything, Colin. Graham said water makes it worse.”
“I’ll call him.”
Joshua clutched his arm. “But, Colin, what about the—”
“Josh, wait! Baby, you have to stop. We can’t solve every problem today, and you’ll make yourself sick if you try! There are too damned many of them. I need you strong, right here, right now. Just focus on one task—the one right in front of us. Like you always tell me.”
Joshua nodded, his eyes wide and trusting. “One simple task at a time.”
Colin pulled him close. They stood like that for a long moment, Joshua’s fingers curled in Colin’s shirt. The rest of the world faded; only their shared warmth remaining.
Joshua drew back just enough to meet Colin’s eyes. “Tell me the first task,” he whispered.
Colin brushed his thumb over Joshua’s cheek, tender and steady. “Breathe with me. That’s all. We start there.”
Joshua nodded and gave Colin a small smile. “Breathing. I can do that.”
They drew one breath together, then another, slow and deliberate. Petals from the cherry trees stirred in the breeze overhead, drifting past them like quiet blessings.
They stood there until the chaos receded, resting in the place love had created. A still, quiet space inside the storm where they could find a moment of peace.
The sound of a truck drew them back to reality, and they turned to see Trent Peterson and his husband, Jeff Kerry, moving toward them. The two men dashed to their side, wrapping both of them in a tight embrace.
“Stopped by David’s, but Nate said you were here. Is the case finally closed?”
“Yeah. We’ve been cleared.”
Trent nodded. “Well, OK.” He pressed his lips together. “I was thinking that you might need to rent a storage unit for a month or so. A place to store things that are clean or in good shape until you can move back in.” He nodded toward his truck. “It’s yours anytime you need it. And so are we.”
Colin pressed his palms to his face. “Jesus, Trent. It’s all so goddamn overwhelming.” He turned to receive Jeff’s hug while Trent wrapped an arm around Joshua.
“Where’s David?”
“In the study, packing my law books.”
“Is Nate here?”
“Just texted me. He’s coming soon.”
Trent nodded, tightening his arm around Joshua’s neck. “When Nate gets here, we’re having a meeting, the six of us. We’re going to figure out a strategy… an order we should do things. We need a plan!”
“We’re hiring a professional restoration company,” Colin said.
“Smart move,” Trent said.
Joshua glanced toward the street, frowning. “What time is it?”
Trent pulled out his phone. “Almost four.”
Colin wavered, suddenly feeling the world shift on its axis. He gasped and grabbed Trent’s arm.
“Whoa, hey—Colin? You alright?”
“It’s nothing.” He gripped Trent’s arm, waiting for the spinning to ease, then squeezed his eyes shut, swallowing against a wave of nausea.
Trent’s jaw tightened. “You sure?”
“Just give me a minute,” Colin said, forcing a shaky breath. But when he opened his eyes, he saw Joshua moving to his side, concern flickering in his eyes.
“Are you OK?”
“Yeah, babe. Had a quick moment. I’m just tired.”
Joshua nodded, but his gaze lingered, the line between casual worry and anxious suspicion starting to blur. He didn’t push—just slid an arm around Colin’s waist. “You sure?” he asked, voice soft, searching his face.
Colin forced a smile, but Joshua’s frown lingered—a new uneasy worry in his eyes.
Jeff moved beside Trent. “You want us to start boxing up what’s clean, or just stand guard?”
“Not much we can do until the restoration company gets here,” Colin muttered. He took Joshua’s hand, holding it gently against the pain of his burns, then looked up as David appeared in the doorway, carrying a large law book.
“This one looked important, so I’m bringing it to the house,” he told Colin, then, reading the exhaustion written on his face, he laid a hand on his shoulder.
“Listen. Graham just left. He talked to Emberlight—they’ll be here first thing tomorrow.
There’s nothing more we can do tonight. Let’s head home.
You need food and rest. You both look like hell. ”
Colin hesitated, but nodded, knowing he’d hit his limit. He could see the suspicious worry in Joshua’s eyes and tried to smile as they moved toward the car.
Joshua squeezed his arm, silent gratitude in his touch. At the edge of the yard, Colin turned for a final look—breathing in the sour stink of burned wood and the unnatural silence of a home gutted by disaster.
At David’s, the familiar scents and quiet order of the house felt almost surreal after the chaos they’d left behind. Colin’s shoulders sagged as he stepped inside, swaying on his feet as the last reserves of his strength drained away.
David took one look at him and laid a gentle hand on Colin’s back. “Come on,” he said, voice low. “You and Joshua—downstairs. Your room’s made up. And sandwiches are waiting next to your bed.”
Joshua nodded, barely able to protest as David guided them to the stairs and followed them down. The room was already dark and cool, the bed turned down, and fresh towels stacked on a chair.
Colin tried to thank him, but David just shook his head. “No speeches. Just get some rest.”
They showered in silence, barely speaking, and by the time they slid under the covers, exhaustion hit like a tidal wave. Joshua’s hand found Colin’s beneath the blanket, and for a few blessed hours, sleep finally claimed them.
Dawn arrived–a dim light filtering through rain-streaked windows. Joshua woke first, stiff and disoriented, with Colin still fast asleep beside him. When he finally rose, Colin moved with slow, deliberate motions, as if walking through water.
Breakfast was quick—a bite that no one tasted. David handed Colin a slip of paper and a set of keys. “Trent leased a storage unit for you so you don’t need to think about it.”
Colin swallowed hard and nodded, clutching the keys.
By the time they piled into the car, every movement felt choreographed by exhaustion. Nate checked his phone for updates from Emberlight, then quietly passed around N95s. Nobody mentioned the house until it came into view again, blackened and gutted.