5. Chapter 5
Chapter five
Anelya
“That’s odd,” I said the next morning to Carolina as she served me a strawberry waffle at the diner.
“What’s odd?”
It was ten in the morning and there was a lull in customers. She’d already been at work before I woke up so I hadn’t had a chance to fill her in on my date. I’d come in to tell her, and to be honest, to get strawberry waffles, and realized I had a voicemail.
“I have a request for an interview today for a paramedic job here.”
“Here? As in here in my town?” Carolina smiled. “That would be wonderful!”
“I only applied yesterday. I’ve barely even received acknowledgements from the other applications.”
“Yes, but those were larger towns. Things are different here. But you’re going, right?”
“Yes.” I’d be foolish to skip it. “I need to learn about the department, quickly. I’ll call one of my professors and do some quick research.”
I took a bite of my waffles. “The food here has a lot going for it, though.”
I walked over to the public library after breakfast, across the square, passing the gazebo where the last signs of Lumberjack Days were being cleared away. I’d made an appointment for the interview for later that afternoon.
I’d come here to visit my sister and try to convince her to reconsider what I thought was a rash move to this tiny town, to buy into a small diner. Instead I’d found her at a creative restaurant that seemed pretty busy, in an interesting town. And you’d found some terrific guys, I thought.
Yes, I was dating two men, at once. And I was looking forward to our next date. I had a couple ideas for our date, but was hoping things went well for the men at their meeting that day. I’d sent them a good luck text that morning, and both had responded immediately, thanking me.
When I found myself wondering when was too soon for heart emojis I knew it was time to put the phone away.
I learned that the fire department, ambulances, and local hospital got extra funding from the Grockton family, especially after Greg’s mother passed away from cancer when he was twelve years old.
There was a foundation in her name that raised money and so those areas had cutting edge equipment and scholarships for people who served in the community.
I learned about innovative pilot programs that universities ran through Grockton.
Equipment I’d only read about and never tried was mentioned in the local emergency department.
I was hoping I could tour it, even if I didn’t get hired here.
That got me thinking about salaries, housing, and what a future here would look like.
Would a relationship with two guys really work long term?
When I thought I’d only be here temporarily I didn’t worry too much about that.
This interview was making me look at things differently. And I liked all of these prospects.
But first, I had to do well in the interview. I knew how competitive all these positions were.
***
“How did you get an interview there?” Sinead Ortiz, one of my professors from my EMT program asked, when I got her on the phone later that morning.
I told her about helping Raymond, and how I thought that was likely what led to the interview.
She whistled. “I toured that department last year. They seem to have endless money. That could be a good place for you, though I’m not sure anyone ever leaves there. It might be hard to get promoted.”
“I’m not sure that’s my goal. I kind of like the idea of teaching CPR, or first aid.”
“Yes, you’d be good at that. You worked well on teams. If you think you would want to stay there, that could be a great opportunity.” Her voice was warm with excitement.
“I had my heart set on Knoxville, maybe getting an advanced degree.”
“There are hybrid programs,” she said. “I could help you figure that out once you get some experience.”
I hadn’t even really thought fully about those plans, or even thought about serious relationships. But here I’d been here a few days and things I’d only let myself wish for seemed to be within my grasp.
***
“We were impressed with the way you helped Raymond,” Captain Renauldt said later in the interview. “I’ve seen several videos of it, and my cousin on the police force mentioned she’d met you helping at the Grockton factory last night, too.”
The smile stayed on my face, but my stomach tensed. Did I get this interview because of the guys?
“Yes, there was an accident with a truck. I was glad I could help the young man who was driving, but the local paramedics were there almost immediately.” I didn’t want to seem like I was taking credit.
“We’d like to see what you could do when you’re officially on the job.
We’d like to offer you a probationary position.
We have a paramedic who is out on maternity leave, who let us know she does not want to return.
We were going to test out subs, but if you are interested, you can work with us for a few months to start, to review in three months for a permanent role. ”
This was unheard of. No testing, no physical fireman test.
“Of course, we’d need to have the fireman physical fitness test.”
“Of course,” I said.
“But we see that you passed it at school recently, so that would be good enough.” The Fire Chief said from his seat at the interview table.
I blinked. This seemed too good to be true.
And then he named a salary.
Definitely too good to be true.
***
“When are you moving in?” Carolina was jumping up and down at the diner. Everyone around us was watching.
“Carolina, wait.”
I waved at everyone but took her arm and moved her back to the kitchen.
“I’m almost done,” she said. “Let’s go celebrate.”
“I’m only on probation, and I don’t want to crowd you. I thought I might rent a place. I love you and appreciate you but you love your home. I’m taking over your YouTube room as it is.”
Carolina filmed herself making recipes.
She waved a hand. “I haven’t had much time for that lately anyway. Chef,” she called to the night chef. “I’m off. Sheila and Rayanne are out front.”
“See you tomorrow, boss.”
“When do you start?”
“Tomorrow is my tour and first test shift,” I said. “Some of my equipment is in storage in Knoxville but they said I can use anything they have here. Hopefully soon I can go get everything.”
“Everything? You think you might stay here? And keep dating the guys?” We were almost to our cars. I’d parked next to hers. “Five people told me you were holding hands with them last night. And one person say you kissing in Greg’s window.”
I rolled my eyes. “How come I don’t hear anything about you?”
“I have no life,” she said. “Now I grabbed sandwiches. Let’s eat at home and drink wine.”
“I’ll meet you there.”
***
I checked my phone when I got in my car.
Still no messages from the guys. I wondered how everything went at their meeting.
I wanted to tell them my news, too, though part of me still worried I got the job through my connections with them.
I didn’t want to be another person in this town under the umbrella of the Grockton company and family.
You helped Raymond, I reminded myself, and you’re good at what you do. If you don’t like this department and this town, you can leave after three months.
Visions of kissing the two men from the night before ran through my mind again. I already felt connected to the Grockton stepbrothers.
There was a small vase arrangement of white and pink roses and daisies at Carolina’s house when we got home.
“Congratulations on the new job. Fondly, Burris and Greg.”
“Well!” Carolina smelled the roses. “These weren’t cheap.”
And yet it wasn’t a huge arrangement. I think they knew I’d be put off by a big ostentatious arrangement. “How did they know?”
“Everyone knows everything here, Anelya, I told you.”
The fear that they were involved in me being hired rose in my mind again. But maybe Carolina was right.
I took a selfie with the flowers and sent them a thanks. I added that I hoped their meeting went well.
“Things went pretty well,” Greg responded. “New people started today and we should have answers soon.”
“Enjoy your flowers. See you soon,” Burris added.
“I wish I had two handsome guys sending me flowers and wanting me to stay in town,” Carolina said.
My sister had not dated anyone that I knew of since Jared in our hometown, who she was with for over two years.
“Have you dated anyone here?”
She shrugged. “I’ve been busy with the diner, but recently I set up an online profile. I feel like I’m finally getting over Jared.”
I was thrilled when she broke up with him, as he seemed to have no ambition and also put her own plans and goals down, but I’d tried to hold my tongue as much as possible.
I hadn’t always been successful and for a while, we hadn’t been as close.
Then I’d been vocal about not thinking her moving here was a good idea.
“I’m sorry,” I said. “I was clearly wrong about moving here.”
“Yes,” she said, setting the flowers on a table in front of her comfortable couch. “But you were right about Jared. I know you and Mom and Dad were worried about me investing in a diner in a small town. But I know what I’m doing. Just like I know you know what you’re doing dating two guys at once.”
“Thank you,” I said. “And I’m not sure I do know what I’m doing. But I like them.”
She nodded. “They seem like nice guys. Greg is harder to know, as he seems quiet and kind of intimidating. But I know they do a lot of good in the town. I haven’t heard bad things about either of them.”
I thought about Greg losing his mother when he was 12, and wondered if that was why he was quiet.
“I won’t even ask too much about what making out with two guys is like,” she said.
I shook my head. “Good. Because it was so hot I wouldn’t even know how to describe it.”
***
The smell of flowers permeated the entire first floor of Carolina’s townhome as I hurried to get ready for my first shift the next day. Both men had sent me good luck texts, which I appreciated. We’d made a plan to see each other the next night, but I wanted to focus on the job first.
Being a proby was usually the domain of firefighters, but no one ever really knew how new team members would be treated in a station.
“Conshon.” By the time my name was called in roll, I’d said hi or exchanged smiles with most of the team members there. I’d been pleasantly surprised by the diverse group, in age and appearance.
One of the paramedics had shown me where my uniform was, and where I could order spare gear. The polyester outfit was familiar from ride alongs in school, but this time I wasn’t wearing a “student” tag.
“Here.”
“You’ll be shadowing the team on the medic tonight.”
Even before the Captain who’d interviewed me, Rhonda’s cousin finished speaking, the siren sounded.
“Let’s roll.”
I grinned as I raced after the paramedics.
***
Four hours later, we’d gone on three calls and were back at the station eating hastily heated lasagna one of the fireman prepared. It was amazing, and I said so.
“Cooking schedule is on the board,” the older man who had cooked said with a smile.
I would have to get Carolina to give me lessons, or maybe to help me cater, I thought, at least at first.
I’d barely swallowed my portion when the siren rang again.
“We are usually quiet on Fridays, newbie,” O’Fallon, the Paramedic Supervisor said to me.
“Really?”
“No,” he said with a grin. “Let’s roll.”
That call took three hours as we dealt with the aftermath of a bar fight with glass injuries. It was a multi unit call, and police officers had been injured as well.
By the time we finally got time in our bunks, I lay fully clothed, aching and wondering if I could do this. Four hours of sleep gave me enough energy to go to the next call.
***
“Still happy your boyfriends helped you get this job?” An older man with a thicker build said as he came in for the next shift said as I sat on the bench, trying to remember if I had all my gear to go home.
“What?”
“Shut up, Harlan,” O’Fallon said. “You’re just jealous.”
Between losing a patient to a heart attack at a senior center on our last call and being bone tired, I felt like I just wanted to cry.
I waved at O’Fallon and headed out. I knew those guys got me the job.
Carolina was working in the diner.
“Oh boy,” she said, seeing my face when I came in. “Long shift?”
“Yes.”
“Strawberry waffle?”
I nodded.
“And pie?”
I nodded again and sat at the only seat available at the bar.
“You know Burris and Greg,” the man next to me said. “Right?”
I wasn’t sure what to say. At that moment, I didn’t think dating two guys who seemed to be absolutely everywhere was going to work out for me. I just nodded, realizing he looked familiar.
“Bryan Themes. I’m in town about buying furniture for my stores nationwide.”
Why was he speaking so loudly? Then it clicked in my tired brain. He was their friend working undercover.
“Hello. I know their company has a great reputation.”
“Almost as good as the pie at the diner here. I was lucky to get some, though, as Greg placed an order for most of the pies for the employees earlier today.”
I looked at the dessert case. It was nearly empty.
“It’s true,” Carolina said. “He placed a new standing order for Fridays for employees of the factory. I’m going to have to hire some student bakers from the community college to help with pies.”
“Are you two related?” Bryan asked.
“She’s my sister,” Carolina said.
“Ah, that might explain the big order,” he said.
I had that uncomfortable feeling again, that Greg and Burris were trying to buy my way into staying in town. Things were going too well around here.
I needed to tell them this wasn’t going to work out. This was just too much. All of it.
“I hope I see you again soon,” Bryan said as he went to leave.
“He paid for your lunch,” Carolina said. Then she studied me. “I don’t like that look on your face. The guys are trying to be nice.”
“I know, but they are coming on too strong.”
“You’re just tired. You haven’t dated nice guys before. Maybe take a nap first, then talk to them.”
I texted them that I wanted to see them, and thought I’d be going to the office. Instead, Burris invited me to come by the house.
***
I stopped by Carolina’s first to shower and change, then wound my way up to a mountain subdivision until I came to a gate that opened when I pulled up to it.
“Of course they live in a mansion,” I thought, enjoying the view of the town from where I parked the car on the side of the circular driveway.
The home was large but not really a mansion. It was the view and the large pond to the side of the house that made it impressive. I wondered if that was where Burris went fishing. There was a small dock with a boat.
Greg opened the door as I approached and pulled me into a hug and a kiss.
Thoughts of telling them they were coming on too strong evaporated.
“Can you stay for dinner? Bryan is coming to give a report but we’d love it if you’d join us.”
“Sure.” My plans went off the side of the mountain with my resolve.