Chapter 20
Heat Advisory
Autumn
After our conversation the day before, I couldn’t stop thinking of Blaze. And I knew dispatch usually showed up to work early in the morning. If I had no chill, I would have called the moment I thought he sat down, but I waited the longest I could. Finally, it was time.
“Tower Three to Dispatch,” I called on the radio, with a smile plastered on my face. Blaze quickly answered, as usual.
“Dispatch to Tower Three, what is your report?” I couldn’t say for certain, but if I had to guess, it sounded like he was smiling, too.
“Visibility, ten miles.” I paused, deciding to add a little more. “Still hot and dry, with winds gusting up to thirty. Morale, medium.”
“Copy, medium morale.” I laughed out loud, followed by a little snort. I was pleased that my finger hadn’t been on the radio button.
“When it’s September, I expect September weather,” I teased, although I wouldn’t change this hot and dry season to go back home.
I wasn’t ready yet. While I felt healed, I wasn’t mentally prepared to start over back home.
Figuring things out, solo. Not much would change, I supposed.
I would be keeping my same apartment, instead of moving in with Ray.
I just needed to find a new job. And the longer I was up here, the more exciting this line of work became.
Perhaps I’d like to work for Maple Haven Fire District? Blaze interrupted my thoughts.
“The weather is crazy in Wyoming. It’s never what you expect. My coworker here is burning a pumpkin candle, so it definitely feels like autumn at my level.”
“Is that allowed?” I laughed out loud again, imagining a candle burning in a dispatch center for fire.
“That’s what I asked. Oh no. She can hear me and now she’s threatening to pour the hot wax onto my arm.”
“Sounds like you are working in pretty dangerous conditions.”
“Compared to what I’m used to, this is pretty scary, actually.” His statement left a question in my mind.
“What are you used to?” A long pause followed my question. I was about to assume another call came in that took precedence, when he finally followed up.
“I’m a hotshot firefighter, but I hurt my leg pretty good early in the season.”
“Hotshot as in ground crew, fighting the fire by hand and shovel, or hotshot as in you are the best in the business?” I asked, the smirk still on my face.
“Definitely the latter,” he replied, and my heart picked up its pace. This banter came so naturally, so easily… And it was the first time I’d ever experienced anything like it.
“I’m sorry about your leg,” I said, under my breath. I wanted to ask the extent of his injuries, but we weren’t quite there yet.
“This old thing? I’ll be okay. I am starting to limp around on it. I’m hoping to lose the crutches by the end of the month.” An instinct to care for this man I had never met kicked in.
“Do you need anything?” A question that felt silly in nature, as I was above the clouds, only leaving my post once a month, and he was on the ground. But he took the question in grace.
“I think for now, I’m set. We’ve got ample baked goods here.
Melody has her collection of fall candles.
I thought it was just the one, but she swapped it out for a full one about five minutes ago.
The flame is burning so strong, it may make our jobs more interesting here any minute.
And Kerry has just brought in a vat of hot apple cider.
If it wasn’t in the high 80’s still, I’d grab my flannel shirt and say that you and I should take a stroll to the pumpkin patch.
” I was certain he was saying that playfully, but I couldn’t stop my cheeks from reddening.
The heat moved into my chest and arms, too.
Here I was, playfully chatting with a dispatcher who sounded cute, and now he was teasing about going somewhere together.
“Only if you are one of those people who enjoy hay rides. I can’t go to a pumpkin patch and not ride backwards on a wagon.”
“And I can’t leave without being covered in small pieces of hay.” My face hurt from smiling.
We continued discussing the logistics of the perfect day at the pumpkin patch.
“There is actually a dress code to the pumpkin patch,” I told him.
“You don’t say? You better tell me to make sure I haven’t been doing the pumpkin patch wrong all these years.”
“First of all, how often do you go to the pumpkin patch? Is that like your ‘thing’?” He couldn’t see my one-handed use of air quotes, but he could hear my laugh.
“Ahh, you’ve caught me. I’ve actually only been once, when I was a kid. It was on a class field trip. I always intended on going back, but just never had a reason.” An unfamiliar voice could be heard in the background.
“More like, he’s never had a girlfriend during the fall season.” It was a woman's voice and suddenly, I recognized it as Kerry’s. I laughed out loud.
“Sorry about that,” Blaze said, shooing them away. “We’re a little too comfortable down here. I’d take this call in the other room if I could, but unfortunately, I’m tethered to a fourteen-inch cord.”
“Have you measured it?” I asked, unable to hold back my laughter.
“I have, because it’s currently maxed to its limits. Like I said, this candle keeps getting closer and closer to me. I think someone really wants me to enjoy the ‘Crisp Vanilla Apple’ ambience they’ve created.”
“Well, I suppose I could let you go. Here I am, just chatting your ear off about appropriate attire to wear whilst walking through a field of gourds.”
“There is nothing else I would rather discuss. But...” After what felt like forever had passed, Blaze ended the check-in.
“I better go, Autumn. Talk to you at the next check-in.” The promise of chatting with him again later made me feel like I was floating.
I looked at the small clock on my bedside table—we had been conversing for nearly thirty minutes.
At this moment, I didn’t think I had ever felt more intrigued by a man.
*****
My daily routine was well underway. After going down to the base of my lookout, I showered and readied myself for the day. Even if I never saw other people, showering, brushing my teeth and dressing made me feel like a million bucks.
The water in the sun shower had been consistently warm these days.
Normally, at this time of year, the air was feeling crisp.
But normally, I was also living and working just a few blocks away from The Pumpkin Perk Cafe, which since its inception, cranked out fall vibes all fall and winter long.
Suddenly, I was jonesing for a pumpkin frappe with extra cinnamon and those little pumpkin shaped sprinkles on top.
Climbing back up the stairs to my tower, I had perfected the art of not looking down. My mind would only let my eyes look to the steps in front of me, while the fact that I was living high above the treetops didn’t enter my mind until I was safely inside, with solid ground below me.
After spending time in my Bible, and in prayer, I reflected on the desire I had to talk to dispatch, handing it over to God.
As I prayed, a large gust of wind came through the area, rattling my windows.
The humidity was practically zero today.
The fire danger couldn’t have been higher.
The treetops were filled with pinecones, hundreds more than what was considered normal, which I remembered that Kerry told me was due to stress.
The trees were thirsty. The forest was preparing for an event, just like the entire team of Maple Haven Fire District.
Suddenly, I wanted to report this wind. I wanted to paint a clear picture of what was happening in my surroundings. Because that was my job, to stay up here, alone, and watch. Monitor conditions. Eventually, I talked myself into it.
“Tower Three to dispatch,” my voice only a little bit confident, but I knew once Blaze answered, it would feel like I dipped my feet in a pool on a hot day.
“Dispatch to Tower Three.” I gasped as a voice, that I realized now must be Melody, answered.
“Oh, I—” I lost my point of calling, because I never really had one if it wasn’t to talk to him. “Never mind. I figured it out.” A long pause followed.
“Do you need something, Autumn?” she pressed, and with every syllable she spoke, I felt even more lame than I had when she answered.
If it wasn’t that obvious, Melody, I was calling in to flirt with Blaze.
I was racking my brain for a reply that didn’t make me feel as pathetic as I sounded, when suddenly, I didn’t have to.
“She wanted to know if I had been successfully burned by this out-of-control candle flame that you keep nudging towards me.” Hearing his voice on the radio felt like biting into a piece of warm apple pie while being curled up under a blanket.
It felt familiar. Cozy. But also new and exciting.
I exhaled, no longer feeling stupid by my calling in, but validated.
“Yes, exactly,” I laughed.
“I, uh, am sorry I didn’t answer,” he said with an uncertainty in his voice.
“I had just gotten up to do a lap around the room, and I couldn’t hobble back in time.
Melody keeps reminding me that I’m not the only one who works here, so I need to focus on my physical therapy, because she can answer the calls.
” I pictured a guy fumbling around in a leg cast, and I found myself wanting to know what he looked like.
But with so many ears around, I kept that to myself.
“That’s okay. I just wanted to report that we are getting some serious wind gusts today, in addition to these extreme fire conditions.”
“Thank you for letting me know. Can you give me an updated visual report?” And we were back to chatting.
“Other than this alarming cloud that looks like a wiener dog wearing a pumpkin costume, there is nothing else suspicious to report.”
“I am pleased to let you know that I know exactly what a wiener dog in a pumpkin costume looks like. My old neighbor has three of them and last year, they came knocking on my door before demanding dog biscuits.”
“The dogs can knock on the door? I’d be quite alarmed by that as well.” He laughed.
“Exactly. Not having pooches myself, I had to find something to offer them. Turns out, they are just like the ducks in the pond, and tearing up little pieces of bread made them happy.”
“I heard that bread is actually terrible for ducks,” I said in a matter-of-factly tone.
“Well, it might be terrible for them, but what about wiener dogs?”
“Perhaps we should consult the Game & Fish. Certainly, they have a wildlife biologist who feels confident and well-versed in the crossover from waterfowl to wiener dogs who can consult on the matter.” I barely got through the words without laughing my head off.
“I like your laugh,” he said, quietly. It sounded like he was smiling when he said it, too.
“Well, I better let you get back to it, Blaze. I’ve nothing else to report at the moment, but I should get back to monitoring this cloud.”
“Have a good afternoon, Autumn.”
“You too, dispatch.” I knew then that I was in trouble.