6. Roman
Chapter Six
ROMAN
I wake up to see Julia’s glorious hair spread all over my pillow and for a second I think I’m still dreaming.
We didn’t get much sleep last night - not that I’m complaining - and she’s still deeply asleep.
I ease myself out of bed without disturbing her and go into the kitchen to make coffee as quietly as I can.
The coffee brews as I stare out the window.
All the emotions of last night have settled into place, like the snow falling outside.
Just as the yard is starting to show the tiny signs that winter isn’t as fierce as it was before and spring is coming, there’s a new hope inside me that Julia and I can be together.
Because I know, and I knew even before last night, that she’s the only girl for me.
I know I need her in my life, now and forever. Happy ever after.
Only there’s one massive problem. Our families.
“Roman?” It’s Julia. I pour us both a cup of coffee and head back next door.
Several orgasms and a hot shower later, Julia’s climbed back over to her apartment as she has to start work.
I make it through a full day of deliveries before heading out to the fire station where I have evening training.
It goes on later than usual because there’s a real emergency on Blitzen Street, just a block away from the fire station.
The old barn, which is one of the oldest buildings in Snowflake, has gone up in flames.
Folks come from all around to see what happens - there are agonized shouts as the ceiling caves in.
It’s been here forever and there are a few tears as people realize a piece of the town’s heritage is burning down.
It’s heartening to see everyone helping out, even Mr. Paris, who has run over from his hotel to see what he can do.
He’s deep in conversation with Bette Bells as they pass buckets of water from hand to hand, and they seem to be getting on famously.
I make a note to let Julia know the gossip when I see her again.
She’s never far from my thoughts. Although I’m concentrating on what I’m doing, the instant I have a break she’s in my head again.
We don’t finish until after midnight, and I’m tired and sweaty when I come home. All the lights are out next door, so I don’t hop over the balcony. I take a shower and get into bed, my head still full of Julia.
I’m woken by my smoke detector going crazy and a haze of gray smoke in my bedroom. I spring out of bed, instantly alert. I feel the front door and it’s cold, but I can already see from the back window that the smoke isn’t coming from my apartment.
It’s coming from next door.
Julia’s apartment.
Every nerve in my body is tingling and my alertness kicks up a notch as adrenaline surges through me.
I have one focus - to get her out of there.
I call the station, give them the details and tell them to call Mayor Caputo as I’m opening up my balcony doors.
Pulling my work boots on and my T-shirt over my mouth, I squint my eyes against the smoke.
I can’t see any flames as I peer next door and hammer on the glass, but Julia’s living room is thick with dark smoke.
No answer.
What if she’s not there?
What if she is?
Fuck it. I boot in the glass of the balcony door and smoke pours out.
I crouch down to find air and crawl in, giving myself a hefty scrape on some broken glass.
It isn’t painful, as all my senses are on hyper alert, focused on finding Julia and getting her out of there.
Calling her name, I move from the living room to the small hallway.
The source of the smoke seems to be coming from the tiny kitchen at the end.
I hear faint coughing from the room to my left and I’m crouched over and I run into her bedroom. She’s lying on the bed, semi-conscious and pale. I lean down and scoop her into my arms.
“Roman?” She smiles at me and then her head falls to the side.
Shit. I think she’s fainted.
I can feel myself getting light-headed with the heavy pall of smoke covering the room so I make a dash for the doors to the living room balcony.
I boot the doors open from the inside and gulp down the fresh air for a moment before carefully climbing over to my side.
My balcony doors are open and my apartment is less smoky now, so I lay Julia down on the sofa.
She’s breathing lightly but hasn’t regained consciousness yet.
I hear hammering from next door and I climb back over the balcony to see Ty and Mayor Caputo coming down the hallway, coughing and spluttering.
“Julia? Where’s my Julia?” Mr. Caputo’s face is streaked with tears.
“It’s okay Mr. Caputo, I brought her next door. I’ve called the fire department and an ambulance. You can hop over the balcony there.” I point at the balcony doors.
He heads straight outside, leaving Ty and I staring and coughing at each other.
I gesture at him to follow me. We make our way down the hallway to the kitchen. Ty starts sobbing once we get there.
“Oh no, I was going to fix the current for the circuits in here. They must have got overloaded. It’s my fault.” He’s losing it.
“Ty! Get it together! Let’s put this out.
” I shout at him. “Go, turn off the electricity at the mains.” He runs out of the kitchen and I hear him fumbling around outside.
The toaster in here is still plugged and the wire is smoldering, while the toaster is on fire and the countertop is burning.
I grab a box of baking soda from the cupboard and toss it over the burning toaster and wire.
“Done!” He shouts.
At the same time the guys from the fire department shoulder their way into the apartment. I’ve extinguished the flames, but they have to check that everything is safe. Ty is slumped by the wall, coughing, so I get him to his feet and take him downstairs into the shop where there’s more room.
He keeps saying “I’ve killed my cousin...” and shaking his head back and forth. I go into the little downstairs kitchen and stick my head under the tap to wash my eyes out and get him a glass of water.
As I come back, flashing lights outside are heading away. It’s an ambulance.
Ty points.
“They’ve taken Julia away.”
My heart falls.