Chapter 23
Pray for Rain
Autumn
“So, now you know what my hair looks like. It’s only fair if you tell me what your hair color is.” If my smile had gotten any bigger, my jaw would have fallen off. On today of all days, the day I was to wed Ray, this distraction was an absolute blast.
“I don’t know. Brown, I guess.”
“Brown… You guess? Is that the best you can do?” He scoffed at my question.
“Okay, brown, as in the color of a tree stump in spring.”
“Alright…We’re getting somewhere, hotshot.”
“Dispatch, for now,” he teased.
“Do you plan on returning to firefighting when you are healed up?” I asked, realizing I didn’t even know what happened to his leg.
“Yes, absolutely. I want to be boots on the ground, fighting fires for as long as I am physically able. That just came a lot sooner than I expected.” His voice trailed off. I could feel the disappointment in his tone, and if nothing else, I knew what that felt like.
“I’m sure you’ll be back in no time. By the way, what happened?” A long pause followed. We both liked to do these long, dramatic pauses with each other, and I didn’t know about Blaze, but I was glued to the radio, waiting for even a breath from him.
“We were out on a fire, and it had just taken a turn. It was burning erratically, very unusual for the time of year, since it was still spring. But after this winter we had, or lack thereof…”
“Of course,” I said, not needing him to tell me again. I heard it from every angle, and now that I’d worked this job, I didn’t think I’d ever look at a mild winter the same again.
“And a new hotshot was on our crew. A tree started to fall, and she froze. Fear, shock, whatever it was, she couldn’t move.
So, I pushed her out of the way, and here I am.
With pins and this giant brace that squeaks ever so slightly when I walk, like a pair of shoes from a discount store. It’s really giving me a complex.”
“Well, you failed to mention until now that you’re also a hero…” My cheeks reddened as my flirting went through the roof. I had never been so emboldened before, but it was far easier to talk to a man over a radio than it was in person.
“I’m not a hero,” he said under his breath.
“I think that pushing someone out of harm's way and taking the brunt of it definitely constitutes a hero, Blaze.”
“You can’t see me now, but I’m shaking my head,” he said, with a little laughter.
“I shouldn’t have had her that close to the tree to begin with.
She was brand new; it was her first fire.
She should have stayed right next to me or another crew member.
Pushing her out of the way was what anyone would have done.
Anyone a part of our team, anyway.” I nodded, understanding that this scenario brought him emotions that he was still clearly dealing with.
Kind of like myself and calling off the wedding with Ray; or rather, he calling it off with me.
I decided then and there that I would tell Blaze what happened.
“Remember earlier when I said that this was supposed to be my wedding day?” I waited, holding my breath for him to reply, hoping he didn’t have another call coming in soon. This would not be my favorite time for him to get another call.
“Yes. Do you want to talk about it?” I nodded in reply and started.
“I met Ray at church… And for most of our relationship, we had been apart. But do you know what kept me going?” He answered like rapid fire.
“What?”
“Everyone telling me that I hit the jackpot. It was like fuel to the flame. Like igniting a prescribed burn… You need the area to experience the fire, but not get out of control, if you will.”
“Are you using fire metaphors to me? By golly, I think I have a crush.” His words made me almost drop the radio.
I squealed in response, jumping up from my seat, feeling like I could do a cartwheel.
But I would’ve never attempted a cartwheel; one, because I was still holding the radio to my chest like a teddy bear and two, because a one-handed cartwheel would make me need a Life Alert button.
“Simmer down, pot roast,” I teased, and he busted up laughing.
“And I thought I was supposed to have the jokes? Looks like I’ll be opening for your comedy show.”
“Har har. Anyway… Where was I?”
“Any man who would let you out of his sight is a total tool. You were about to say that.” I had never felt so validated in my life. I paused for a moment and smiled up at God. If nothing else came from this, God had given me the chance to have the time of my life, and that was enough.
“Okay, did God put you up to say that?” I howled with laughter, never having needed to hear something so much in my life. “Anyway...” I continued. “You see, he was pre-med and the pastor’s son.” I dropped the words like an anvil.
“Doesn’t mean he’s worth anything in the life-partner department.
And doesn’t mean he’s a good guy, and I’m getting the sense that he isn’t.
In fact, I just want to jump the gun and ask a question,” Blaze said, and instead of feeling like I had more to say, I was relieved he was so into this discussion.
“Ask away,” I said.
“What’s her name?” My jaw dropped.
“H-how did you… How did you know?” Was he psychic? Did someone tell him? It dawned on me that Don could have told him more information, but I really didn’t get that sense either.
“Just a wild guess, but when a guy is running around hearing the praises of everyone around him, and it sounds like people have been minimizing how special you are in his comparison… I knew this guy had an ego the size of the Grand Canyon. And Autumn, you didn’t deserve that.
You deserve someone who makes it known that you are the prize.
” I was stunned by his words. Tears welled up in my eyes.
This wasn’t about looks, this wasn’t about physical chemistry, athletic ability, or how well someone looked in a white lab coat.
For once, someone who didn’t even know what I looked like, who was getting to know me on a personal, deep level, was speaking to my soul.
“Are you still there, Autumn?” I wiped back my tears, choking back more ugly crying that I couldn’t stop. Then, I realized I didn’t have to stop.
“Yes, I’m here,” I said through the tears.
“I didn’t mean to make you cry,” he said softly. I shook my head, laughing again because he couldn’t see it.
“These are happy tears. Tears of release. Thank you, Blaze. No one has ever spoken to me like that in all of my life.”
“That’s a crime, Autumn. You deserve only kindness coming towards you.
I hate to do this now, but I have to check back in with the fire crews.
I’ll be back, Autumn.” And at that, I cried some more.
It was the perfect timing to sign off for now, as I needed to reflect on my feelings and talk to God.
All of these things were happening at once, feeling both fast and slow as molasses.
But now that we had a fire on the border of my territory, I prayed for safety of the surrounding towers, for Blaze in dispatch, and for myself in Tower Three.
*****
“Kerry to Tower Three.” Kerry’s voice perked me out of my padded bench, where I had been lounging with my Bible, peeking up from the pages every few minutes to make sure there was no new smoke around me.
“Tower Three to Kerry, over.” I had a smile talking to her. She was a great lady.
“Does tomorrow work for a supply run? I can’t say how much longer we have, but the temps are still looking scalding for the next few weeks at least…”
“Tomorrow works great for a supply run,” I said, jumping up.
“Great. I’ll pick you up at the base at eight, if that works for you?”
“That would be perfect. See you then. Over.”
I tore through my suitcase, looking for the clothing I was teasing myself for packing. Up until now, I laughed at the prospect of wanting to look cute whilst working in a lookout tower. I didn’t have a reason… until now. Until Blaze.
Blaze could look like the Ogre of Hunchback Hill, and I would still find him charming because of his kindness, his humor, and his ability to make me feel beautiful.
His masculinity brought out a femininity that I had long forgotten I had.
As I tore through the suitcase, I found the pretty earrings that brought out the color of my greenish-blue eyes and the sheer black lace top that I liked to wear over a tank top with jeans and cowboy boots.
When I brushed out my tangled hair, I would look like I’d just walked out of a shopping mall, not a lookout tower.
The only problem was I couldn’t possibly hike down the hill in these cowboy boots.
They were made for slipping a boot out of a stirrup on a saddle, not for treading down uneven, rocky, slippery terrain.
I’d probably go down on my rear if I tried, as I laughed at the thought.
Since I’d be leaving the tower tomorrow for the first time since talking to Blaze, I just had a feeling like there would be a fleeting chance I would see him.
After all, Kerry was supposed to pick me up last time, and then it was Don instead.
What if… No, certainly they wouldn’t send someone from dispatch to help me get my groceries.
Besides, the person had to be able to hike up the hill with me, and Blaze’s leg was not there yet.
From the sounds of it, he struggled to walk around the room still.
Either way, I prayed that he and I could meet. I prayed so hard, and I waited for God to answer me. Tomorrow couldn’t have come soon enough.