12. Where There’s Fire.
12
Where There’s Fire...
Angel Savoie - August 20th, 2025
I was tired as hell right now.
This last week has been hell on Earth, and today was no different. I was so damn stressed from the number of orders we were getting for back-to-school and end-of-summer parties. Then on top of that, there was a stomach bug going around, so most of the staff were out sick. I was pretty much running the bakery on my own when Avery didn’t stop by a few hours a day to help. For the first time in a long time, I felt like I was in over my head.
This week was also the week that I was responsible for caring for Kennedy while her dad and Chris were out of town doing deliveries. They would be leaving early tomorrow morning, and I’d already told my workers that the bakery would be closed tomorrow since I needed to take Kennedy school shopping.
That’s another reason why I wanted to get everything done today.
Well, that and the fact that today was my grandma’s birthday, and I was distracting myself from wanting to spend all day crying...
I was running on two hours of sleep and three coffees, but I could feel the crash coming soon. I hoped to be done with these last few orders within the next few hours so that I could go home and get a couple of hours of sleep before I went over to pick up Kennedy. I glanced at the clock and saw that it was a bit after noon. I’d closed the bakery down for today so I could work in peace and didn’t have to worry about the lunch rush.
I yawn as I focus my attention on the task at hand. The cake I was making called for fondant, and I was about ten seconds from calling it quits. I hated working with fondant, but that didn’t mean I didn’t know how. Usually, I didn’t mind since people rarely ever ordered cakes that used it, but this one customer was adamant about having it over a cake decorated fully with icing. My patience was wearing thin, but I knew that if I didn’t get this done now, I would be stressing about it later.
“Listen! Get your shit together and soften, please,” I argue with the mound of Play-Doh textured substance. I continue to knead it until it finally gives way. “Thank you, you stubborn bastard.”
I managed to get all of the layers wrapped and all of the decorations cut out in record time. By the time I finished that cake, I was way more tired than usual. I wasn’t sure if I was coming down with something or if the fatigue was finally starting to set in. Whatever it was, I knew that I needed to take a break before I passed out.
So, I fin ished mixing and pouring the last couple of cakes before sliding them into the oven. I set a timer on my phone to remind me when to take them out, and then walked out to the small dining area. I figured I could give my feet a break and try to catch up on some reading while I wait.
I set my phone on the table and pulled the book from my bag before settling into one of the booth seats. As soon as I sat down, I felt the comfort of the upgraded cushions, and every muscle in my body relaxed. It was so comfy, and I welcomed it along with cool air.
I attempted to read the book, but my eyes grew heavy with every word I read. I tried to shake the sleepiness away, but it wouldn’t budge. So, I decided to take a quick power nap instead. I made sure that the ringer on my phone was turned on so I wouldn’t oversleep, and I lay my head back against the booth. Within seconds, I could feel myself drifting off to sleep.
I felt like I couldn’t breathe.
I began to cough as my body heated up from the warmth of the room around me. I was so delirious that I couldn’t make out what was happening. My body felt stuck, and my lungs felt like they would collapse at any moment. My eyes snap open, and all I see is smoke surrounding me. The panic set in, and I got up as quickly as possible before grabbing my phone.
My heart started racing as I saw the raging fire coming from the kitchen. I wanted to cry as I watched the flames engulf the appliances, but no tears would come. I knew I needed to get out, but my feet wouldn’t move. I went into a coughing fit once again and felt myself about to collapse, but someone caught me just in time.
“Sweets, you can’t stay here!” I recognize Phoenix even under all that gear. She quickly takes off her mask and puts it on me. She pushes me gently towards the door. “Go ahead! I’ll be right out after I get this fire under control.”
“No, I’m not leaving you,” I replied desperately after pushing the mask away. “Come with me!”
“Angel, this is not a game! Get out of here and don’t come back!” She yells at me, and I jump, nodding before heading towards the door. I push through it right as I hear something crack behind me. I quickly turn to see a wooden beam fall and knock down Phoenix in the process.
“Phoenix!” I yell and attempt to run back in, but I feel a hand grab me. I turn to see Maddox pulling me away.
“Angel, you gotta get out of here!” He yells, but I shake my head before using every ounce of strength I have left to push him away. I rush back into the building without thinking. “Angel!”
I didn’t look back as I ran back over to where she was. She screamed in pain as she tried to push the burning wood off of her. I covered my mouth with my shirt and grabbed a broom to jab underneath it. My heart was breaking as the tears finally started to fall. I struggled to breathe as I tried my best to free her.
“Angel! Get…out…PLEASE!” She pleads as tears fall from her eyes. I shook my head as my chest started to tighten. “Please…go…”
“I’m not…leaving…you,” I cried between coughs. The smoke was getting to both of us, and I felt like this was really about to be our last day on earth, but I wasn’t leaving her. I refused! “Phoenix, please hold on...just...a little...longer!”
“Phoenix! Phoenix, oh shit!”
I look up to see a few of the others come in. I couldn’t tell who was behind the suits, but I didn’t have time to figure it out before they jumped into firefighter mode and worked to get us both out of there. I was the first one brought outside, and once I saw the light of day, my head started to throb.
There was a whole gathering of people outside trying to see if everything was okay. My brothers and cousin had shown up, and Maddox was trying his best to get them to calm down. Once they saw me, they all rushed over to me to see if I was okay, but my attention was still on Phoenix as they helped her out of the building.
My heart sank as I watched smoke pour out of the building. I wanted to cry and scream because how could I have been so stupid to fall asleep? I could feel my knees go weak, but the paramedics caught me before I could go down. They helped me into one of the ambulances even though I refused and then hooked me up to an oxygen tank. I hadn’t realized I was wheezing until we pulled away from the curb and headed to the hospital in the nearest big city.
All I could do was cry as memories of what happened swirled through my head. I should’ve dragged Phoenix out with me. Maybe she wouldn’t have gotten hurt. I knew she was trained for this stuff, but once I s aw her pinned down like that, all logic went out the window, and all I cared about was saving her. I couldn’t lose her. I loved her too much.
I feel my eyes growing heavy as voices buzz around me. I knew that Chris was riding with me, and it sounded like he was asking one of the paramedics something, but my focus was not there. I was quickly slipping out of consciousness, but I could still feel my sadness building up. Tears fell down my cheeks right as the world around me went dark.
August 26th, 2025
“Is she gonna be okay, Doc?” I hear someone say as my eyes flutter open. I wince at the bright lights above me. “She’s been out for damn near a week now.”
“Yes, she will be fine for the most part,” another guy says. “She just needs rest. From what you all told me, it seems like she was overworking herself prior to the incident. Her body needs to catch up and heal.
“Well, if that’s what’s wrong, then why is she still hooked up to all those wires and stuff?” I recognize Chris’s voice. When I’m finally able to focus my vision, I see my brothers huddled up a few feet away, talking to who I assume is the doctor.
“As you ’re aware, she inhaled a lot of smoke and has needed some time to recover from that as well, especially because she has a history of asthma and bronchitis. If she had been in that smoke any longer, it would’ve been much worse,” the doctor answers. “She’s gonna shake back. She just needs time.”
My chest tightens as my eyes shut once again. All I could think about was how stupid I was for putting myself in that position. I should’ve never taken that nap. My heart skips a beat as I quickly sit up, making my head spin. If I’d been out for a few days, then what had happened to Phee? Was she okay?
“Angel, you’re awake!” Orion says as they all crowd around my bed. The doctor proceeded to check all my vitals and whatnot while my brothers looked down at me with concern. After the doctor assured them that I was doing better, they didn’t hesitate to lay into me. “We’re glad you’re okay, Angel, but what the hell were you thinking? Why would you run back into a burning building?”
“I…I couldn’t leave her,” I squeaked out as tears pooled up in my eyes. “She was hurt.”
“Angel, you could’ve died!” Chris argues. “There were other firefighters in there who were trained for situations like that. You are not! You should not have run your ass back in.”
“I…but…”
“Look,” Orion says as he sits on the stool beside the bed. He shakes his head before sighing. “I know you love her, but that was dangerous as hell, sis. You’ve been unconscious for six days now. We were terrified that you wouldn’t wake up. Don’t do that shit again. Please.”
“I won ’t, I promise,” I nodded as tears fell. My mind was still on Phoenix, though. I needed to know if she was okay. “Where is Phee? Can I see her? Is she okay?”
“She’s fine aside from a fractured wrist,” Chris assures. “She should be back soon.”
“Wait, she’s not here?” I ask, my heart sinking. “Where did she go?”
Before they can answer, the door slides open, and in walks Phoenix with a few plastic bags as the doctor excuses himself. When she lays eyes on me, she drops the bags and rushes to sit in the seat that Orion vacates. She gently cups my cheek in her right hand and examines me closely.
The room is quiet as we stare at each other. My eyes take in her slightly disheveled, yet attractive appearance. She was wearing a pair of jeans and a graphic tee, but it was the cast on her left arm that caught my attention, making my stomach lurch. She was really hurt.
Soon, tears were falling from my eyes.
“Angel…are you alright?” she asks softly, but I shake my head as she delicately strokes my cheek.
“It’s all my fault,” I cry. “You’re hurt because I wasted so much time arguing with you instead of doing what I was told. I’m so sorry, Phee.”
“Angel, no, baby, it’s not your fault,” she tried to assure me, but I couldn’t hear her. All I could hear was that little voice in my head that said that it was. Every bad thing that has happened this past week. “Hey, Sweets, look at me.”
“Phee, I just...can you give me some time?” I whisper.
“Time f or what?” she asks, slightly offended that I would even suggest that.
“Time to process all of this,” I reply. “You can say it’s not on me all you want, but I know it is.” My eyes meet hers, and I see them gloss over. “Please.”
Before she can say anything else, I pull away from her and duck under the covers, my mind spinning. I could hear my brothers trying to get me to stop acting like a brat, but I wasn’t. This was all my fault, and there was no reason I should be babied when I messed everything up. Not only had Phee gotten hurt because of me, but my shop was probably ruined.
“Angel, I just want you to know that I’m not going anywhere,” I hear Phee say, but I don’t reply. “I don’t care what your mind is trying to tell you. Me getting hurt was my own fault, not yours.”
I let the tears fall as my breathing became uneven. All I could picture was the terrified look on her face as she asked me to go, but I wouldn’t. Seeing her trapped under the beam, with me unable to do anything, was like a stab to the heart. I’d never seen her cry before then, but just remembering how defeated she looked made my heart ache.
I’m not sure when I dozed off, but when my eyes opened again, the room was dark, and the covers had been removed from over my head. I blinked before sitting up in bed, realizing that I was alone. My chest tightened as the tears welled up again. Had she left after all? Did my brothers leave? It hurt. It all hurt so much .
I was just about to call them when the door to the room opened, and Chris appeared with a bag in his hand. When he sees I’m awake, he quickly closes the door and shuffles over.
“Angel, you’re awake,” he says, and he sits beside me. I don’t hesitate to pull him in for a hug. He chuckles, patting my back softly. “Whoa, sis. Everything’s good.”
“Chris,” I sigh, and we break apart. “I thought everyone had left.”
“Nah,” he assures me. “We moved out to the waiting room once you fell asleep because we didn’t want to wake up with our talking. Your body is exhausted, Angel, and you need all the rest you can get.”
“Phoenix…”
“She’s out there too,” he nods, and my heart calms a bit. “She’s giving you your space, but she refuses to go too far.” I stare down at my hands, slightly embarrassed. “You know she loves you, right? You know that she’ll never blame you for what happened. She’s not upset with you. Hell, I don’t think she ever could be. However, she wants to respect your wishes, but I can tell it’s hard for her...and I know it’s hard for you.”
“Yes...” My voice trails off.
“I think having a little distance for a bit is good, though. This was a lot, you know? Y’all almost could’ve died, Angel. She couldn’t help you like she wanted, and vice versa. That’s enough to mentally drain anyone.”
“And then I added to it,” I sigh. I could feel the tears building up again. What was I doing, pushing her away?
Chris and I talked for a bit longer as we ate the dinner he’d brought. Later, Phee came back in and sent him home to get some rest, assuming that I would be in good hands. We didn’t say anything for a while, but she sat on that uncomfortable ass seat beside the bed and held my hand in hers as we watching some old western movie on the TV.
I couldn’t help but steal glances at her throughout the night. She was so gorgeous and protective, but there was a slight anxiousness that wouldn’t go away. It was etched in the eyebrow furrows and jumpiness whenever one of the nurses came to check on me.
She gently squeezed my hand every thirty minutes or so, almost like she was checking that I was still there. It’s the way I’d catch her eyes traveling to the heart monitor every few minutes, or the way she chewed the inside of her cheek when she didn’t think I would see. Everything about her exuded nervousness and discomfort. I was confused.
“Phee, baby, are you okay?” I asked her after the fifth time she checked the monitor. “You seem anxious. Is it because of me? I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make it seem like I didn’t want you around. I do! I’m just feeling some guilt about the whole situation and...”
“No, it’s not you,” she cuts me off before sighing. “Sweets, I understand how you're feeling when it comes to all of the guilt because just like you’re blaming yourself, I’m blaming myself too for not taking you out of the building. This could’ve all been avoided had I stuck to the protocol, but that’s neither here nor there.”
“Then what’s wrong? Why are you suddenly on edge?”
“It’s just...hospitals make me nervous,” she admits. “My grandpa spent his last months in a hospital, so I equate them with death more than anything. He was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and dementia about a year before he passed, and it progressed quicker than even the doctors could imagine. I watched as he slowly slipped away until he was nothing more than a shell of himself. Then, one day his heart decided it was tired, and...yeah.”
“Baby, I’m so sorry,” I say, pulling her in for a hug. I could feel the tears fall against my shoulder. “If it’s too hard...”
“Angelica Reneé Savoie, you better not finish that sentence,” she says, pulling away from me. I stare at her in shock, my jaw on the floor. She wipes her eyes before looking at me. “I told you before that I’m not going anywhere. Anxiety be damned.”
“Wait,” I wave my hands frantically. “How in the hell do you know my full name?”
She looks at me sideways before shaking her head. “Sweets, we’ve been dating for months. We’ve said I love you dozens of times. What would make you think I didn’t know your full name?”
“Y-You never call me by it.”
“That’s because I respect your privacy,” she tells me before smiling softly. “I saw your name on your license one day, but I knew that Angel was what everyone called you, so that’s what I call you. Although you know I prefer to call you Sweets anyway. I apologize for using it, though. I just wanted you to know how serious I was.”
“Thank you,” I squeak, blinking back tears. “For not using it all this time, even though you knew it.” I sigh. “After my parents passed, I started to go by Angel because it’s the nickname they gave me. I wouldn ’t answer to anything except that, and eventually, that’s what everyone, even my teachers and friends, were calling me. I only use Angelica for legal documents because I don’t want to completely change it. I like it, but I’ve always preferred Angel more.”
“You’re good, Sweets,” she assures me. She stands and steps out of her shoes. “Now, scooch over so I can hold you as you sleep.”
“This bed is not big enough for both of us,” I manage a laugh, but she waves me off.
“That’s okay. I like having you right up under me anyway.”
I couldn’t argue with her because I knew that whenever we slept together, there was barely any space between us. So, I scooted over to make room for her, and she squeezed her long, muscular frame into the bed with me. She wrapped her arm around me as best as she could with the cast she was wearing, and soon we were cuddled underneath the thin blanket, staring into each other’s eyes. I felt a wave of calm wash over us as our breathing and heartbeats synced.
“I love you, Sweets,” she whispers before kissing me gently. “I’m so glad you’re okay.”
“I love you, too,” I assure her. I bury my face into her chest and breathe in her comforting scent. “I’m glad you’re okay, too.”
She doesn’t reply but kisses my forehead once more. It didn’t take long for sleep to creep back up on me, and soon, I was drifting off to sleep once again. I was definitely gonna be well-rested by the time I got out of this hospital.