Chapter 20
Alex
It’s the start of a new year, and I’m itching to drive to Norfolk and tell Ricky I’m dating his sister. Don’t get me wrong, I’m dreading the conversation. But I’m tired of hiding how I feel about her. I want to be able to enjoy taking her out—live life like a normal couple.
We’d already missed out on New Year’s Eve together. There were the usual parties, but we didn’t want to be spotted out and about until we broke the news to her brother. Add to that, I had to work on New Year’s Eve, and it made ringing in the New Year with Tuesday difficult. We settled for kiss emojis sent to each other at midnight.
But as my girl is a glass-half-full kinda woman, I came home at the end of my twenty-four-hour shift to find her waiting for me in my apartment. We started the year off right with breakfast, sex, a nap, black-eyed peas and stewed tomatoes for good luck, sex, football bowl games, and another nap. Undercover relationship or not, I wouldn’t mind spending every New Year’s Day this way.
Tuesday
There’s an inch of black ice on the ground, and the 911 calls had been coming in back-to-back. Volunteering during inclement weather is no joke. The only good thing is knowing there is always the possibility of getting dispatched on a call in Alex’s jurisdiction. The thrill of seeing him in his uniform on scene never gets old.
I’d just turned on the television when the loud overhead blare of an impending call rang throughout the building.
“Okay, I blame Tuesday for that. It’s like you were tempting the gods, thinking you were going to have time to turn on the TV.” Max laughs.
“You’re probably right.”
We all head to the ambulance as we listen for them to repeat the address of the 911 call as well as the details of what we’re responding to.
“Medic 7, medic 7. Respond code three to an MVA on Highway 301 South at Route 54.”
“Big surprise, a motor vehicle accident,” Henry says as we head to the ambulance. He jumps into the driver’s seat, and Max is the senior EMT, so he takes the front passenger seat while I ride in the back. If I was more invested in a medical career, I would’ve completed my advanced life support or paramedic training as Ricky had. But I just haven’t felt motivated to add that to my already heavy course load, work, and newfound social life.
We speed down the two-lane highway, lights and sirens blazing, until we arrive on the scene of a multi-vehicle accident. It’s early evening but dark, given it’s January. Henry pulls up behind the last car on the shoulder and puts the ambulance in park. Grabbing the medic bag containing most of the things I’ll need to stabilize a patient in a minor accident, I fling it over my shoulder and jump out the back doors of the unit.
As I come around the ambulance, my boots slide beneath me despite their tread. The ground is very slick. I wish the cars traveling near us would move over, leaving a lane clear like they’re supposed to. Attempting to stick close to the vehicles in case I need something to grab onto, I walk carefully toward where the firefighters are standing. They arrive on scene first and can usually direct us on where we need to go. Coming closer, I notice one is standing facing me, a large smile evident despite the darkness that surrounds us.
My heart warms, helping to thaw my body from the frigid temperature better than any insulated squad jacket could. Deciding I’ll get the update on where I can best help from him instead of Henry, I keep my sights trained on Alex until his facial expression changes.
“Tuesssssss!”
On instinct, I look over my shoulder just before everything goes black.