by Naomi Niles
“He hasn’t come up yet,” Hamish said in a shaky voice.
I whipped around, forgetting the urgent cold threatening to shut down my body. I stared at the now submerged vehicle, looking for any signs that Jackson might be about to pop out of the surface.
“Fuck,” I breathed. I took a step towards the water, ready to jump in again if necessary.
And just at that moment, I saw air bubbles burgeon on the surface of the water and a second later, Jackson appeared with a body at his side. He had the passenger under his arm, and I breathed a sigh of relief as he started swimming towards the bank.
I stepped forward as he approached and helped him up as the paramedics closed in around the passenger. “Nice work, buddy,” I said. “You had me worried there for a second.”
Jackson gave me a frozen smile, but I knew he wasn’t in a position to start talking just yet. Hamish handed him another blanket, which he draped around his shoulders gratefully.
“You two better let the paramedics check you out,” Sean said. “Make sure everything is okay.”
We were sitting in the back of the rig with our matching blankets, having just been examined, when Mitch came at us with burning eyes.
“What the fuck were you two thinking?” he demanded. “Did you not hear me say we needed back up?”
“If we had waited, we could have lost them both,” Jackson said firmly. “We didn’t have time to lose.”
“What you two did was stupid and irresponsible,” Mitch continued, shaking his head. “We could have lost four people today, instead of two.”
At that moment, one of the paramedics who’d seen to the driver approached us. She looked drawn and serious, but I could tell from her manner that she was bringing good news.
“Just thought you should know that they’re both breathing,” she said. “We need to get them to the hospital to run a few more tests, but there’s no reason to believe they won’t make a full recovery.”
“Excellent,” Jackson smiled.
I turned to Mitch. “We just saved two lives – how does that make us stupid?” I challenged.
“You got lucky,” he snapped. “Don’t think for a second that it might not have gone the other way.”
“We’re fire fighters, Mitch,” Jackson reminded him. “Every situation we’re in can go either way.”
Mitch shook his head at us and walked away to deal with the aftermath of the situation. Jackson and I turned to each other and exchanged a smile. “This story is totally going to get me laid,” Jackson said happily.
“I wouldn’t go out on a date just yet,” I teased. “Cold water causes shrinkage.”
He laughed. “I’ll keep that in mind.
Hamish shuffled over to us with wide eyes. “That was… That was seriously amazing,” he said, with awe in his tone. “You guys were great out there.”
“I know,” Jackson said, with a smug smile.
“I… I can’t wait to do something like that,” he said in a shy voice.
Jackson grabbed the helmet from Hamish’s head and flung it into the lake so that it sat close to the shore. “There,” he said. “You can wade in there and practice with your helmet.”
Hamish looked shocked for a second and then he smiled, realizing that this was just another form of harmless hazing. He rushed to retrieve his helmet before it floated out of reach. I put my arm around Jackson and let myself feel the triumph of a successful rescue.
“Good job today, bro,” I said in a self-congratulatory voice. “We saved two lives today.”
Jackson nodded. “All in a day’s work.”
Chapter Six
Mia
I stared at my reflection in the mirror. I hadn’t worn this particular dress in years. The cap-sleeved dress with a bow at the waist and a long flowing skirt was one Clint had bought for me before Renni was born. The floral pattern that adorned the dress was too bright and whimsical for my taste now. Apparently, I’d gotten too cynical for this style in the past few years.
I removed the dress and rifled through my closet. In the end, I picked a pair of nice black boot cut pants and paired them with a white silk blouse that hugged my body and hinted at the lace Victoria Secret bra I was wearing underneath. I turned back to my reflection and decided Vanessa would be happy with my look.
The thought made me realize that I dressed more for my girlfriends lately than I did for men, or even myself. I tried not to be too depressed by that thought as I sat down in front of my dressing table to apply some makeup.
First, I applied a thin layer of foundation to my skin, making sure to match my skin tone. Then I dotted some eyeliner onto my eyelids and smudged it out with a brush, making sure to pull out the edges to give myself a winged catlike look. I softened the edges of my eyes with some dusky caramel-beige accents, and then I finished off with a natural toned blush and a little nude lipstick.
My dark brown hair had always been straight and naturally limp, so I left it loose around my shoulders. Slipping on some comfortable black wedges that added three inches to my height, I went to Renni’s room.
“Sweetheart?” I called. “Are you ready?”
Renni had her back to me and was rifling through her drawers, obviously trying to find something she wanted to wear. I smiled at the sight.
“You know what?” I said. “Since this is a special occasion, you can wear whatever you like tonight.”
“Whatever I like?” she repeated, looking thrilled.
“Yup,” I smiled.
Renni opened her second drawer and pulled out a little blue dress, which she slipped on over the white t-shirt she was wearing. The t-shirt didn’t go with the dress, but I kept my mouth shut, true to my word. I watched as Renni went to the corner of the room where her shoes were lined up and picked out her yellow rain boots. She slipped them on and turned to me with a huge smile on her face.
“Ah… Are you sure you want to wear that honey?” I checked.
“Yup,” she nodded. She picked up her little pink purse and hiked it over her shoulder. “Let’s go.”
I smiled and nodded. I grabbed my own purse and Renni and I headed over to Vanessa’s art exhibit, which was right across town. It took us nearly half an hour to get there, but there was ample parking, and I found a free spot easily. Renni and I walked in hand in hand as I looked around eagerly for Vanessa.
We went over to the section where her artwork had been displayed. Her images were whimsical and romantic. She was a bold and aggressive painter, and the colors she used in her work were nothing short of fantastical. She painted mostly abstracts, but there were a few paintings that were a little more definitive. It was all part of her new style. Once we were done admiring her work, Renni and I continued our search for Vanessa.
We circled the gallery twice before I found her. She was near the bar with a drink in hand and in animated conversation with two men in great suits. She took a sip of her martini as she spotted us. She excused herself immediately and headed over to Renni and me.
“There you are!” she said. “I was scared you weren’t coming.”
“We wouldn’t miss this for the world,” I said. “Would we, Renni?”
“Nope,” Renni confirmed. “Not for anything. Your paintings are perfect, Aunt Vanessa.”
Vanessa placed a hand over her heart as she smiled down at her. “Thank you, my love,” she said, obviously touched by the compliment. “You have no idea how much I appreciate that. And I can just say, that outfit is off the walls.”
Renni beamed with pleasure.
“I have a little surprise for you,” Vanessa said.
“For me?” she asked, immediately excited.
“Uh huh,” Vanessa nodded. “We have a little play area set up in that corner over there. They have a bunch of fun games you can try, and there’ll be other kids you can play with, too.”
Renni looked up at me instantly.
“Come on,” I said. “Let’s go see what it’s all about.”
Once I had her se
ttled in the play area, I turned to Vanessa. “This is a really nice gallery,” I said. “And Renni was right, your paintings are perfect. They seem different somehow, displayed like that.”
“I thought so, too,” she beamed. “I’m so glad you came. There’s someone I want you to meet.”
Instantly, I tensed. “Who?”
“His name is Garret,” she said. “He’s a lawyer, too; he’s thirty-one, handsome, and very accomplished.”
“Vanessa,” I said warningly.
“Just talk to him, Mia,” she said, in a reasonable voice. “Five minutes. If you don’t like him, you can move on.”
“Promise?”
“Cross my heart and hope to die.”
I rolled my eyes and nodded in defeat. Instantly, Vanessa turned to her left and gestured over a tall man sitting by the bar. He had strawberry blond hair and pearly blue eyes. He was good looking all right, but he didn’t do anything for me. I realized I had become exceptionally critical about men lately, but told myself that it was just good sense to be picky. I had Renni to think of.
“Mia Dennis, this is Garret Cooper,” Vanessa introduced. “His firm is one of the sponsors for this exhibit.”
“Nice to meet you,” he said with a charming smile.
I nodded, returning his smile reluctantly. The moment we had shaken hands, Vanessa made some transparent excuse and disappeared, leaving us alone.
“So, have you always been interested in art?” I asked. I tried hard to sound interested in the conversation.
“Not particularly,” he replied. “I sort of have to be here…for obvious reasons.”
“Right,” I nodded.
“But I was impressed with Vanessa’s collection,” he said quickly. “I don’t know much about art, but I liked her work.”
“She’s a fantastic painter,” I said, with feeling. “She always has been. I’m glad she’s finally getting recognized for her work.”
“You two have been friends for a while?”
“Since college,” I said. “We started our freshman year in the same dorm.”
“Lucky you.” Garret smiled, as he took a step closer. “Most people aren’t so lucky with their first roommates.”
“I’ve heard,” I nodded.
I was trying to find a way to end the conversation when Renni walked up to me. She stuck out like a sore thumb with her blue dress and yellow boots, but she still looked cute as hell. And, I didn’t think I was biased in believing that.
“Hey, angel,” I said. “Finished with the play corner?”
“I want to see Aunt Vanessa’s paintings again,” she said, slipping her hand into mine.
I looked up at Garret and I saw his expression change instantly as he eyed her. “This is my daughter,” I said. “Renni.”
Garret’s eyebrows rose slightly and he seemed taken aback by that information. “I see,” he said. After a moment, he smiled, but it was a forced smile that clearly told me he had lost interest the moment he knew I had a child.
“If you’ll excuse me,” I said. “Renni and I are going to look around a little more.”
He seemed all too eager to say goodbye, and he walked away without a second glance. I tried not to roll my eyes as I made my way to the section where Vanessa’s paintings were displayed.
“Who was that, Mommy?” Renni asked curiously.
“No one important, darling,” I said, squeezing her hand.
After we had eaten a few canapés and had circled the gallery once more, I found Vanessa. “Hi,” I said. “Just wanted to let you know that we’re heading out.”
“Already?” she said. “I haven’t had a chance to talk to you properly.”
“It’s a busy night for you,” I said. “You should be networking. We’ll catch up another day.”
Vanessa gave Renni a little smile. “You spoke to Garret?”
“He seems nice,” I said. “But ultimately not for me.”
“Did you give him a chance?”
“You didn’t tell him that I had a kid, did you?”
Vanessa leaned in a little. “He was bothered by that?”
“Apparently.”
Her face crinkled. “Well, then… I’ll do better next time.”
“I really wish you wouldn’t.”
She smiled and gave me a wink. “Talk soon?”
“Of course,” I nodded.
Renni and I hugged her goodbye and then made our way to the car. It was a cold night and the roads seemed to have a layer of frost over them. Conscious of that fact, I decided to reduce my speed and drive as slow as I could manage.
We were almost home when I took a corner and the car hit an ice patch I hadn’t seen.
My heart froze in shock as I lost control of the wheel, and the car skidded out of my control. I heard a scream from the backseat and felt terror grip my body as the car spun across the road and into a ditch. The car spun, and it felt as though we were upside down. My hair was in my face, and the side of my head was aching. I realized I must have hit it when we had skidded.
I felt the car stop violently, and black spots pulled up across my eyes. I realized I was about to lose consciousness, but it was the thought of Renni in the backseat that gave me the strength I needed to claw myself back to lucidness.
“Renni,” I said softly, hoping that my voice wasn’t shaking. I tried to turn back to look at her, but I couldn’t seem to angle my body or my neck in that position. “Sweetheart? Are you okay?”
First I heard the sound of her tears, and then I heard her voice. “Mommy,” she sobbed.
I knew she was scared, but I prayed that that was all it was. If she were hurt, I would never forgive myself. I tried to move and realized we were on a slant.
“My phone,” I said, to no one in particular. “Where is my phone?”
I looked around, but I could see nothing from my vantage point. The world seemed black around us, and I wasn’t sure if I could move. The only thing I wanted to do was to make sure that Renni was all right.
“Honey,” I said, trying to keep calm. “Honey, does anything hurt?”
“Mommy… I’m scared,” she sobbed in response.
“I know, darling, I know… Just hang in there,” I said, desperately trying to locate my phone.
And then, out of nowhere I heard voices. Suddenly the side of my door was wrenched open and light flooded in. The man looking down at me was dressed like the EMTs on television, and he had a calm look on his face.
“Are you alright, ma’am?” he asked.
“My daughter’s in the back,” I said immediately. “Please, make sure she’s ok.”
“Of course, ma’am,” he said. “We’re getting her out now.”
I heard another loud sound and a bunch more voices. “What’s happening?” I asked.
“Don’t worry, ma’am,” the EMT replied. “We got your daughter out.”
“Is she okay?”
“She’s being examined now,” he replied. “Hang in there, I’m going to try and get you out, alright?”
“I… Okay,” I nodded, desperate to be free of the car.
It took them what seemed like an eternity, but they finally managed to get me loose from the seat. I was surprised to find that once I was on my feet, I actually felt pretty okay. I was led to the back of an ambulance where one of the EMTs checked my vitals and examined me closely.
“I need to see my daughter,” I kept saying the whole time they examined me.
“She’s with one of my colleagues, ma’am,” a female EMT told me. “She’s safe. I don’t think there was anything wrong.”
“She’s not hurt?”
“Not at all. Just a little shaken up, that’s all. You were very lucky – the car took the brunt of the damage.”
“How did you get here so fast?” I asked.
“A neighbor saw the car skid, and she called nine-one-one.”
“Thank God,” I breathed, saying a silent prayer of thanks to God and the stranger who had helped us.
/> “You have a small bruise on the side of your head,” the EMT told me. “But you don’t seem to have a concussion. Like I said, you’re very lucky.”
“Can I see my daughter now?”
“Yes, of course.”
She took me around the ambulance, and the moment I turned the corner, I saw Renni. She was seated in the back of a fire truck with one of the firemen and seemed to be laughing at something he was saying. I felt relief wash over me and it was all I could do not to run over and grab her.
“Renni,” I called as I rushed over to her.
“Mommy,” she yelled, as I gave her a huge hug.
I pulled back and stared down at her. “Are you alright?”
She nodded with a smile. “I was scared, but Sam saved me.”
I turned to the fire fighter sitting next to my daughter. He was young and handsome, and he was smiling at me with beautiful hazel eyes that managed to be kind and light-hearted at the same time.
“Thank you,” I said fervently.
And then in an act of pure impulse, I threw my arms around him and gave him the biggest hug that I’d ever given a stranger in my life.
Chapter Seven
Sam
The car had slid off the road and into a narrow ditch. It was in a precarious position, but at least there was no chance of it falling any further.
“There’s a child in the back seat,” Mitch told me. “No older than five or six.”
“I’ve got this,” I assured him, heading towards the back of the car.
The child in the backseat was sobbing uncontrollably. She had her hands over her face as though she were scared something was going to fall on top of her. I lowered my voice and spoke to her calmly while Sean helped the child’s mother in the front seat. I didn’t even glance in that direction. My only focus was the child in front of me.
“Hey, kiddo,” I said, trying to keep my tone light so that she wouldn’t freak out further. “I’m going to try and get you out, okay? But I’m going to need your help.”
At first I thought she hadn’t heard me, but then she dropped her hands from her face and nodded. She was a cute kid, with a long face and rounded rosy cheeks. Her eyes were a light green, and her hair was dark and dusky. The tears marring her innocent little face made me want to do my very best for her.
