ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝟚𝟝
"Like dude, can you believe I'm getting married?"
Brody laughs, showing us the photos of his wife-Belle- wearing the bright gold rock on her finger. He swipes, showing us a few of their engagement photos as well.
"Congrats, man." Ryan says. He was lieutenant of the station, and boy, was he good at it.
If you'd asked me six months ago who'd get married first, Brody would've been dead last.
Of course, we knew he dated here and there, but he wasn't the type to actually commit to a relationship. Belle had been his longest one, lasting only a year before he proposed.
Brody grins at Ryan, before looking back at me and Hunter.
"That's great and all, I'm happy for you Brody- I really am- but haven't you and Belle been dating for like what, a year?"
Brody smacks me on the shoulder lightly. "Oh please, just because you and Dixie took forever to meet, doesn't mean Belle and I did."
I playfully hit his chest.
"Look, I know how it looks," Brody started, pocketing his phone. "One year, one ring, one life change. But when you know, you know, right? You guys are like my brothers. I've survived burning buildings and midnight shifts from hell with you guys."'
"I'm not getting married without my crew there to watch me lose my last shred of freedom." He finishes.
It was funny he labelled his last moments before getting married freedom. With Dixie, I've felt nothing but free.
She's basically the air I breathe.
"And, I-" He pauses, before clearing his throat and straightening his back.
I laugh quietly before turning to Ryan. "Watch him ask us to be his groomsmen."
The station immediately went quieter. Even the guys cleaning equipment nearby slowed down enough to watch.
Firefighters loved giving each other a hard time, but we also had a bad habit of pretending we didn't care about sentimental stuff. Truth was, most of us did.
Especially me.
"Ah, you fucker. I was getting ready to say it."
I scrunch my nose. "Don't disrespect your chief like that, Lakes."
Brody smiled, rolling his eyes. He then turned to his duffel bag, unzipping it and pulling out a bunch of green envelopes.
We each get one, then Brody pulls out a special blue one for Hunter.
Brody looked over at Hunter first.
His usual grin softened just enough that it almost looked sincere.
"...Alright." He scratched the back of his neck. "So..."
"This feels weird," he sighs.
Hunter smirked. "You're the one making it weird."
"I know."
"Keep going."
Brody clutches on to the envelope tight. "I wanted to ask if you'd be my best man."
Hunter froze, staying quiet for what seemed like forever. For maybe the first time since I'd known him, he didn't have some sarcastic comeback loaded and ready.
"...Seriously?"
"Seriously." Brody nodded.
Hunter looked down at the envelope, then back at him. "Dude."
He shook his head. "I'd be honored."
Brody lets out a deep, relieved sigh.
Ryan clapped once. "Congratulations, man."
Brody stepped back, looking suspiciously close to tearing up before immediately ruining the moment.
I look down at my envelope. "Brody, you know I can't dance, right?"
"C'mon, chief. We all know that."
The rest of the guys laugh, I can't help but crack a grin.
"But I don't need you dancing, I just need you standing there looking handsome."
I tucked the envelope into my locker before looking back at him. "I'd love to."
He continued handing invitations around the room. A couple of the younger guys who'd joined the station over the last year accepted theirs with wide smiles.
One of them asks what tuxedos we would wear.
"Oh, you guys will love it." Brody answered with complete confidence.
Ryan raised an eyebrow. "You've picked tuxedos already?"
"I haven't, but Belle has."
Hunter sighed. "Of course it's Belle."
Brody pulled out his phone again. "You wanna know how many Pinterest boards she has?"
"No." Ryan closes his eyes.
"Don't be such a downer, Ryan." I glance at him playfully.
Brody starts counting on his fingers.
"She's got wedding flowers, reception, ceremony, honeymoon, guest seating, cake- many more to come."
"I don't even know what steak I'm eating." He rolls his eyes. "I swear, once you get married, your opinions just disappears."
Ryan looked at him over the rim of his mug. "I've been married fourteen years, my opinion still exists."
"Does Linda know that?" Brody pointed.
Ryan was quiet for exactly five seconds before giving up.
I chuckled along with everyone else, but it didn't quite reach my chest. I wasn't liking the amount of boring wife jokes these guys were making.
Maybe five years ago I would've laughed harder- maybe before Jordyn.
Before the immense sorrow and grief. Before realizing how quickly a normal Tuesday could become the last normal Tuesday you'd ever have.
I could never talk about my Dixie that way. Sure, she drove me absolutely insane sometimes.
She worked too much, forgot to eat, and argued like she got paid by the hour.
Even though she definitely doesn't.
But every one of those things was still her, and if loving every complicated piece of her meant getting flamed by the guys every now and then, I'd take that deal every single time.
I glanced at the clock mounted above the bay doors. "Alright, ladies."
Hunter sighed dramatically.
"We've got equipment checks." I continued.
"I liked it better when we were talking weddings." he groaned
"You'll survive."
"I might not."
Ryan pointed toward the apparatus floor. "We should listen to Chief West, you guys."
The station immediately shifted gears. One second we were standing around laughing, the next, everyone was moving with the kind of routine that only comes from doing something thousands of times.
Hunter headed toward Engine Three, clipboard already in hand. I walked over to the truck, running my hand along the side panel almost absentmindedly.
There was something comforting about routines that I couldn't wrap my finger around.
The open compartment, checking air packs, everything was exactly where it should have been.
Dixie's organization had been rubbing off on me lately and it showed.
"West."
I looked over. One of the newer firefighters was wrestling with a hose coupling.
"Are you trying to break it?" I couldn't help but smile and cackle.
He laughed sheepishly. "I think it's trying to break me."
I walked over, crouching beside him.
"You've got it backwards."
"I do?" He frowned.
"Here." I took it, twisting it half a turn before locking it into place. "There."
His eyes widened. "Gee, thanks chief.
"I appreciate it."
"Anytime."
By the time we finished checking equipment, the bay smelled like diesel, soap, and coffee. Pretty normal morning. Hunter tossed me a bottle of water.
"Catch."
I caught it one-handed. "Where'd you learn how to throw like that?"
"Practice, I was honestly aiming for your face."
I smiled. "Oh, I'd like to see you try aiming for my face."
A tone sounded over the station speakers. Medical assistance. Nothing major. An elderly man who'd fallen trying to get out of bed.
We had handled it in under an hour.
By the time we got back, the station had settled into its usual form again.
Hunter disappeared toward the kitchen, and Ryan shut himself inside his office. I was halfway through wiping down one of the benches when somebody bumped my shoulder.
Brody. He leaned beside me, arms folded.
"So."
"So." I say back.
He nodded toward me. "How's married life?"
"I'm still happily married, thanks for asking." I laughed.
"That's usually how it works."
"I was hoping."
He grinned. "No, seriously. How're you and Dixie doing?"
I thought about it for a second.
We were better. Not perfect.
But, much better than where we were before. "We're alright."
"'Just alright?'" He wrinkled his nose.
"That's the best you've got?"
I shrugged. "It's the truth, Lakes."
Brody looked unconvinced. Typical. "You two still argue?"
"Every now and then." I smiled to myself.
"About what?"
Did he really need all the personal details?
"Depends on the day."
He nodded slowly.
"You know..." He lowered his voice like he was about to reveal some ancient secret. "Girls really aren't that complicated."
That sentence alone made me suspicious.
"They just want attention."
I stared at him.
"Flowers every now and then, say they're right, don't argue, then they're happy."
He then smiled deviously. "Hey, if you do it all correctly, you might get away with having some cute chicks on the side."
"You idiot," I chuckle awkwardly. "You really think that's the secret?"
"I'm pretty sure. I mean- I'm getting married."
"I don't think you've been married long enough to write the handbook." I laughed, shaking my head.
He waved me off. "I'm telling you, women are easy."
I looked at him for a long second before setting the rag down.
"I don't think you've met my wife. Not all women are like that"
He frowned, but I kept going.
"Some days she wants coffee, some days she wants pure silence, some days she wants me to tell her she's working too hard, some days she wants me to pretend she's not."
I smiled without realizing it.
"And sometimes, she just wants somebody to sit in the same room while she works."
"Dixie isn't every woman, and I'm pretty sure Belle isn't going to be, either."
I finish up.
He stared at me for what seemed like forever before cracking a big smile and shoving my shoulder.
"Man, love's got you tight." He concluded.
I guess he would have to learn the hard way.
"I don't know, man. You talk about Dixie like she's..."
He searched for the word, waving his hand around. "...I don't know. Magic."
I laughed. That's all she really was, even though she would've hated that term.
"You've got this whole.." He circled his finger in the air. "..thing."
"What do you mean by that?"
"The way you look at her."
I furrow my eyebrows. "I look at my wife."
"No." He shook his head. "You look at your wife."
He emphasized the word like it meant something.