The Firefighter Daddy

by Margaret Daley

  Katie lifted her chin. “Then she was spying on us, and that’s wrong.”

  “I need to talk to her. I don’t know how much she heard, but I want her to know everything we talked about. Are you okay with that?” He rose.

  Katie nodded.

  Liam kissed her cheek. “I love you, Katie.”

  As he strode toward the hallway, his niece said, “I love you, Daddy.”

  At the door Liam turned toward Katie. His heart swelled in his chest, making taking deep breaths hard. He flipped off the overhead light while she squirmed beneath the covers. “Good night.” He closed her door so Blackie would stay put.

  Liam continued to Madison’s bedroom and knocked. When she didn’t say anything, he turned the knob. The door was locked. “Madison, we need to talk. Open the door.”

  “Go away. I don’t want to.”

  “We still need to talk.”

  “No,” she sobbed.

  Liam descended the stairs and made his way to the den at the back of the house. In the desk he had a device to unlock any door. This would be the first time he used it. He clutched it and began pacing. Maybe he shouldn’t. He could try later when she was calmer. Or, if he had to, he could tomorrow. He didn’t go to work until Saturday. If she was angry, she wouldn’t listen to him.

  What do I do, Lord?

  The only words that came to mind were to be patient.

  Liam switched on the TV to break the silence of the house and take his mind off what had happened with Madison. No matter how much he’d prepared himself for her fury, it still left him doubting himself.

  An hour later he climbed the stairs to check on Madison to see if she was ready to talk to him. He rapped on the door several times and even asked her to open up. Nothing. He tried the knob, and it turned. When he went into her room, it was empty except for Buffy sleeping on the bed.

  He looked in her closet and even under the bed then went in search of Madison. She wasn’t in Katie’s room. In fact, his youngest niece was sound asleep and didn’t even move when he came in to check for her older sister.

  His bedroom and a spare one were empty, as well. He’d combed the bottom floor halfway when he received a call on the landline. He snatched up the receiver. “Liam here.”

  “Madison came to see me. I wanted you to know so you wouldn’t get upset if you couldn’t find her.”

  He leaned against the counter in the kitchen. He really wasn’t that surprised Madison had snuck out to see Sarah. “I hate to ask, but could you bring her home? Katie is already asleep.”

  “May I talk to her for a little while first? That’s why she came, and I think she needs someone to listen to her.”

  “I wanted to. She didn’t want to.”

  “I figured that. Someone...besides you.”

  “Fine. If you can help her, I’d appreciate it.” When he hung up, he sank into a chair at the kitchen table.

  Lord, what do I do?

  * * *

  “He never listens to me. He does what he wants. Forget about Katie and me.” Madison sat on Sarah’s deck. Even in the dim shadows of the single light, Sarah saw the battle of Madison’s emotions in her eyes. They were swollen, and tears ran down her face as she worked herself up about the move to Dallas. Through the sadness emerged anger—even fear—from her scowl to her nervous habit of chewing on her bottom lip.

  When Madison first showed up, Sarah had a hard time coming up with words of comfort when inside she hurt for the exact same reason, except that Madison would go with Liam. He would leave Sarah behind. She’d barely had time to process what he’d told her earlier about not being able to have children before the girl appeared.

  “Your uncle loves you very much and is very concerned about you two. That’s why he’s moving to Dallas before school starts rather than move you in the middle of a school year.”

  “I don’t want to go. Why can’t he stay and work here?”

  Because of me flashed into Sarah’s mind. Now that she knew he couldn’t have children, did she want him to stay and see him all the time? “Until he came to Buffalo, Dallas was the only home he knew. He has friends and relatives there. Those relatives are yours, too.”

  “He has friends here. Aunt Betty is here. She’s family. Please talk to him. Change his mind.”

  “It’s not my decision. I know he didn’t make this decision lightly. You need to tell him what you’re telling me. You told me you wouldn’t talk to him. But you owe him that much. He left everything to come to Buffalo and take care of you and Katie.”

  “And now he wants us to leave everything.”

  “He loves you. Family is important to him. Promise me you’ll talk to him. Give him a chance. Will you?”

  Madison stared at her lap.

  Sarah waited for her to reply. This wouldn’t be easy for Madison, but then, it wasn’t for Liam, either. She was the reason he was leaving Buffalo. She didn’t want him to, but she understood why he was. She’d fled town after her husband died. The town was small enough that anywhere she went she was constantly reminded of Peter. Could she give up her dream of having children to be with Liam? Was her love strong enough never to have any regrets?

  Madison rose. “I’m ready to go home, but I can’t promise you to give him a chance.”

  “Okay. I’m here if you need to talk, but so is your uncle.”

  Madison stiffened. “Katie thinks he’s her daddy. He isn’t. He’s only our uncle.” Without waiting for Sarah, Madison entered the house and hurried for the front door.

  Sarah followed, pausing briefly in the living room entrance. “Mom, I’m walking Madison home.”

  “When you get back, maybe you should tell me what’s going on.” Her mother returned her attention to the book she was reading.

  Oh, joy. But, like Madison, she needed to talk to her mom. She’d seen Sarah was upset when she’d charged into the house after going to the park.

  Sarah rushed to catch up with Madison. They covered the block and a half in silence. When Madison reached her home, she ignored Liam sitting on the porch swing and went straight inside.

  Sarah debated whether to turn around and leave without saying anything to Liam. But she should tell him what she and Madison had talked about. She mounted the steps to the porch, but instead of sitting next to him, she leaned against the railing nearby. Even this close to him, she was torn. She loved him. But was it enough?

  “I didn’t want her to overhear me telling Katie. I made a mess of this whole situation.”

  She couldn’t see his face clearly because the outside light didn’t reach to the far end of the porch, but the weariness in his voice made it clear what he was feeling. “I’m not sure telling her straight out would have been any better. Hopefully she’ll come around in time, but as I’m sure you know, she doesn’t want you to move.”

  “What would you have done under my circumstances?”

  “Five years ago I left Buffalo, but it didn’t erase my pain, and in some ways it delayed it. Our situation is different, though.”

  He pushed to his feet and closed the space between them. “Could you marry me knowing I could never father a child?”

  “Honestly, I don’t know. When my daughter died, my dreams of family were snatched away. It left a void in my life.”

  “I won’t be responsible for taking the possibility away from you. I love you too much to do that.”

  When he said those words, Sarah wanted to pull him into her arms and never let him go. But he pivoted and strode to his front door. “Thank you for taking care of Madison.”

  His parting words released a dam on her emotions. Tears blurred her vision and streamed down her face. She couldn’t wipe them away fast enough.

  Quickly she ran for home. Why, God, did You send me a great man to love who can’t have children
?

  * * *

  Pulling weeds in the yard was the perfect task for Sarah on her day off. A light breeze cooled the warm day and in the shade of her oak tree she was comfortable even though the temperature would be in the low nineties by midafternoon. Yesterday at church, Betty had brought the girls with her. Liam hadn’t come. According to his aunt, he was working nonstop to put the house on the market by the first week in June.

  She only saw him now at the fund-raiser meetings and at swimming class. She missed him more than she realized she would.

  Standing on the deck, Gabe barked—again and again.

  What was wrong with him? He moved to the back door and continued yelping. She rose. Nana and Mom were inside. Did he want to go in?

  As she strolled toward her black Lab, the scent of smoke teased her nostrils. Another grass fire? She glanced around then began to hurry toward the house. Through the large kitchen window she glimpsed a gray haze.

  “Stay,” she said to Gabe then felt the door to make sure it wasn’t hot.

  When she opened it, a rush of heat blasted her in the face. In the kitchen, Nana held a glass of water while flames shot up from a skillet on a burner.

  “Don’t, Nana,” Sarah shouted at the same time her grandmother tossed the water on the fire.

  Instantly the flames multiplied and expanded twofold. The alarm in the hall sounded as Sarah raced across the room and tugged on Nana, who was staring at the stove as though paralyzed.

  “Nana, we’re getting out of here.”

  The smoke filling the kitchen irritated Sarah’s throat and stung her eyes. She practically dragged her grandmother from the house. When she jostled Nana out the door, Sarah spied her purse on the counter not far away. Her cell phone was inside.

  “Get away from the house with Gabe.” Sarah hastened to her bag and snatched it off the granite top.

  As she ran from the house, Sarah dug into her purse, grabbed her phone and punched in 9-1-1.

  After reporting the fire, she hurried Nana out of the backyard. “Where’s Mom?”

  “Living room the last I saw. Sleeping.”

  Sarah rounded the front of the house, expecting to see her mother outside because of the alarm going off. She heard the siren in the distance. Help would be here soon, but what if her mother was trapped or smoke had overcome her?

  “Stay here, Nana. The fire department is on its way. I need to borrow this dish towel.” She removed it from her grandmother’s hand that still clutched it.

  Wrapping the towel around her face, Sarah rushed to the porch and peered into the front window. Smoke billowed from the kitchen and poured into the connected dining and living rooms. Through the haze, her mother lay on the floor. Not moving.

  Sarah fumbled in her purse for the house key and turned the lock to open the door. As she charged into the burning house, the sound of the sirens drew nearer. She grabbed hold of her mother’s arms and tugged her toward the entry hall.

  A firefighter dashed inside, followed by two others.

  “Get them out of here,” Liam said to the others behind him. “I’ll go after Nana.”

  Over the noise of the crackling fire, Sarah yelled, “Nana is out front.”

  Liam disappeared into the hallway.

  Maybe he didn’t hear her. She started to go after him. Brandon got in front of her and blocked her. “Get out.”

  “But—”

  “We saw your grandmother going in the front door when we pulled up.” He moved her toward the front door.

  Junior! He was in Nana’s bedroom. Sarah hadn’t even thought about that. “She’s going to her bedroom to get her cat. It’s the first one along the back of the house.”

  “Leave.” Brandon pivoted and hurried toward the hallway.

  Near the paramedics who were working on her mother, Sarah faced her home, flames now shooting up into the sky and consuming the structure. Nana’s bedroom was the closest one to the kitchen. Heartbeat thundering in her ears, Sarah waved off one of the EMTs. Her throat burned and her eyes watered, but she wouldn’t move from this spot until she saw Nana, Liam and Brandon come outside.

  * * *

  Smoke snaking through the house, Liam felt his way down the hall, found a door on the left and pushed it open. He searched it before ruling it out. Across from that door was another one. He shoved inside and found Nana holding Junior while she sat on the floor by the window.

  “Nana, I’m Liam.” He helped her up and tried to raise the bottom pane. It wouldn’t budge.

  “I couldn’t leave him in here.” Coughs racked her.

  Liam shared his oxygen mask with her then took his ax to break the glass. The door crashed open as Brandon came into the room and grabbed Nana to move her out the way. Liam swung the ax and shattered the window.

  “The fire is spreading rapidly in the attic.” Brandon, supporting Nana, moved toward Liam.

  He poked his head out and quickly assessed their escape route. Eight feet to the sloping ground. “You go out first,” he said to Brandon, “and I’ll lower her down until you have a good hold on her.” Liam took Junior and gave the kitten to Brandon.

  His friend leaped to the grass, rolling when he landed with Junior. He put the kitten on the ground and then hurried to the window. “Ready. Hurry. The whole right side is in flames.”

  “Nana, you have to do as I say. I’m going to pick you up and hand you off to my friend. Understand?”

  She nodded.

  Thankfully Sarah’s grandmother was petite and only weighed about a hundred pounds. Liam wrapped his arms around her middle and guided her legs out the opening first. Nana flailed as she hung on to the side of the house for a few seconds.

  Liam poured all his strength into holding on to her. “You’re okay, Nana.”

  Finally, Brandon grabbed her legs and Liam lowered her farther toward the ground.

  “I got her,” Brandon shouted.

  Liam let go and prepared to jump as soon as they were out of the way. As Brandon moved Nana back, an explosion rocked the house, knocking Liam to the side, his shoulder ramming into the floor.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Numb, Sarah sat with Betty, Madison and Katie in the ER waiting room.

  She shouldn’t have gone out in the backyard and pulled weeds. She shouldn’t have left Nana alone out front. But then her mother might have been caught in the fire. She shouldn’t have rescued the litter of kittens, then Nana wouldn’t have gone back into the house for Junior.

  Now three people she loved were in the hospital. Nana and Mom were heading upstairs. Her mother had a concussion from leaping off the couch when the alarm went off. She’d slipped and hit the coffee table, but the doctor said she should be better in a few days; her overnight stay merely a precaution. Nana had broken her hip from the force of the hot water heater exploding; she’d fallen back into Brandon. Her grandmother would be in the hospital for a while then, probably a rehab facility. Sarah needed to go up to see them, but she couldn’t leave until she knew Liam would live. A piece of the bedroom ceiling had trapped him, but Brandon and the firefighters had managed to get the fire under control well enough to get Liam out.

  She had her arms around both girls. They leaned against her, not saying a word as the minutes ticked away. Betty sat across from them as though in shock, and Sarah understood that feeling. So much had happened in a brief time, the least being the destruction of her childhood home.

  Finally, Brandon came to the doorway and motioned for her to come to him.

  “I’ll be right back. I’m going to get something to drink. Do you want anything?”

  Betty shook her head while Madison and Katie murmured, “No.”

  She met Brandon outside in the hallway. “What’s going on?”

  “The doctor will be here shortly to ta
lk with Betty, but they’re taking Liam to a room. Like your mother, he has a concussion but also several cracked ribs and smoke inhalation.”

  “I’m staying. I won’t leave until I’ve seen that Liam is all right.”

  “I figured that. They’re going to let you take the girls into the room so they can see he’s alive. Betty, too. On the ambulance ride to the hospital, Liam rallied for a few minutes. He wants you to take care of his nieces. He’s afraid it’ll be too much for his aunt.”

  “I’ll do anything I can.” She’d walked away from the car wreck alive while Peter and her daughter had died. And now she’d survived another tragedy. This time she wasn’t going to blame herself. The fire was an unfortunate accident. Putting blame on someone wouldn’t make the pain go away.

  Half an hour later Sarah, Betty and the girls left Nana’s room after visiting Sarah’s mother. Now they headed for Liam’s room.

  Brandon was inside and stood when they entered. “He was given something for the pain and is sleeping. Sorry, I thought he’d still be awake.”

  “Rest is the best thing for him. Right, Madison, Katie?”

  “When will we be able to talk to him?” Madison asked in such a low tone Sarah barely heard her over Katie’s sobs.

  Betty walked to the bed and kissed Liam on the forehead. His girls did the same thing.

  When Sarah approached Liam, the fast beating of her heart drowned out the beeping sounds from the machine. Her attention focused only on one thing: Liam hooked up to monitors, his face pale, his eyes closed, his long lashes sweeping the tops of his cheeks.

  She leaned close and whispered, “I love you,” then took his free hand and kissed the palm. When she swung around, she swallowed the tears threatening. His nieces didn’t need to see them. “We’ll come back tomorrow morning to visit your uncle. You’ll see. He’ll be much better then.”

  “What about school?” Madison asked, her gaze never leaving her uncle’s face.

  “I think you can miss one day under the circumstances, but you’ll need to go on Wednesday. Your uncle wants me to watch you both.” Sarah had already mentioned that to Betty, who had been relieved. “But I don’t have a place to stay.”