by Gina Austin
Even though she threw out the trash and ran the dishwasher, Susan smelled an odor in the air. Immediately rolling up the bamboo blinds, she opened up the kitchen window. Then grabbing two small vanilla scented candles from the kitchen drawer, she placed them on the window ledge and lit the candles. Hearing that her show was back on, she grabbed her chamomile tea and headed over to the living room. A few minutes later, her iPhone rang. It was Liz.
“Hi Liz.”
“Hi. I’m stuck on a decision and need another woman’s advice. Do you have a moment?”
“Of course silly, what’s up?”
Susan turned the TV off, grabbed her chamomile tea and starts heading upstairs to the master bedroom.
Grabbing her TV remote off the bedroom night table, she turned it on to catch the last 20 minutes of her show comfortably laying down on her queen size bed at the same time listening to Liz.
Downstairs in the kitchen, the bamboo window blind rolled back down onto the candles and instantly caught on fire. Spreading furiously throughout the kitchen, the fire devours the wooden kitchen cabinets and the lovely silk flowers that were sitting above them.
“So I’m having some difficulty deciding what color to paint the walls in the living room for the new house?” Liz said.
The fire has made its way out of the kitchen down the foyer which leads to the front door. The kitchen fire alarm has failed.
“Have you narrowed down your choices?” Susan asked.
“I’m stuck between a sage and tan color. Are you watching Dancing with the Stars?”
“Yes. Why don’t you go with both?” Answering Liz while holding her hand up towards the TV, Susan gave a disagreeable expression on the judge’s decision to eliminate one of her favorite dance couples.
Now having claimed the main entrance to Susan’s home, the fire now begins making its way up the staircase.
“I would go with the tan color as your primary and then use the sage as your border color for trimming your walls and window sills. That should also go great with your dark furniture unless you’re buying new furniture?”
“No, no, no that actually sounds good. I can actually picture it in my mind and those colors will go perfect with the furniture.”
“Yeah, I think that will go nicely.” Susan said.
“Thanks for putting your Martha Stewart thinking hat on and coming up with that great idea.”
“Hey what are friends for?” Susan stepped into the adjoining master bathroom and began running the sink water. “Anyway Liz, I’m going to bed now so if there’s nothing else we’ll talk soon OK?” “Not a problem sweetie. Goodnight and thanks.”
“Goodnight.” Susan said.
Once she was done brushing her teeth and turned off the water, she walked into the bedroom grabbed the remote from bed and turned the TV off. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up as she heard the eerie sound of the first-floor fire alarm going off.
Opening her bedroom door she thought, Oh please tell me it’s not what I think it is. Oh God no, I smell smoke.
Her heart beat begins to speed up as she rushes to the staircase to see the awful reality of the fire creeping its way up to the second floor. Susan rushed back to the bedroom window which faces the front of Albany Street. She opened up the bedroom window and yelled, “Please someone help me! Can anyone hear me? My home is on fire! Help me, Help me please!”
Chapter 7
Albany Street was incorrectly named as far as Nick was concerned. Should’ve been called Albany Avenue or Albany Boulevard because this street seemed to go on forever. He thought. If I don’t walk into Sacramento Avenue or some street I’m familiar with, I’ll have to turn around and go home the way I came.
The good thing about getting lost is it gave him time to think about something else rather than Amy. Not that he would admit to anyone, but he did miss his job and his friends at the firehouse. He missed the joking around but especially the action and adrenaline that kicks in when the firehouse alarm starts ringing. The rush of rappelling down the side of a building, running into a burning building, saving lives and making a difference in this crazy world.
Feeling tired now and unable to see the end of Albany Street, he decided to turn around and go back home the way he came.
“Please someone help me! Can anyone hear me? My home is on fire! Help me, Help me please!”
Nick heard the distant cry of a woman’s voice for help clearly but figuring it must’ve been around the bend of the street because he couldn’t see a fire.
Nick ran as fast as he could down the street and there it was. The fire already dominated the 1st floor of a brownstone building with plenty of smoke coming out a 2nd floor window.
“Help me, Help me please!” Nick seeing the woman sticking her head out the window, yelled back.
“i’LL BE RIGHT THERE. KEEP BREATHING OUT THE WINDOW AND GET As LOW AS YOU CAN!”
Nick looks through the front door’s side window pane noticing the fire controlling the entrance, “Front door - definitely not an option.” He said.
Looking up to the 2nd floor window, unable to see the woman’s head anymore, he said, “Oh well Captain, looks like I’ve got one more solo act to perform.”
This particular brownstone building didn’t have fire escapes on the front; only in the rear of and he didn’t see an alley. Nick noticed the adjacent brownstone was the same height. “Guess I’m jumping rooftops.”
He rushes to the main entrance of the apartment building “Great!” speaking sarcastically “I’ve got to get buzzed in”.
He presses all six buttons on the intercom panel. Instead of some person just buzzing him in, he hears the voice of someone who had one too many drinks. “Please leave your message at the sound of the beep and your donation at the door ha, ha,” said the drunken man.
Nick responded quickly, “This is the fire department. Buzz me in please!”
“I’ll have my rent in next week. I promise. Goodnighty, sleep tighty.”
Nick pressed all 6 buttons again, hoping he wouldn’t get the drunken guy again.
“Who is it?” Somebody responded over the intercom half awake and upset.
“This is the fire department, Buzz me in!”
“What?”
Nick replied with calm and authority. “Sir, listen carefully. There’s a fire in the building next to yours. Buzz me in so I can help the person that’s trapped. Buzz me in now!”
BUZZ
He opened the door and sprinted up the 3 story brownstone building. The person who buzzed Nick in opened his apartment door as Nick reached the second floor, a middle aged man with fear in his eyes, “I smell the smoke.” The man said nervously.
Nick immediately told him “Call 911 and report the fire. Then knock on your neighbors doors and tell them to leave the building just in case the fire spreads.” Nick didn’t wait for the scared man to respond, but turned around and continued double stepping his way up to the rooftop.
Feeling grateful that the rooftop door wasn’t locked, he saw that the smoke was coming from the building on his left. Jumping over to Susan’s roof, he quickly dashed to the rear of the building and located the vertical ladder that led to the 2nd floor fire escape. Rushing down the fire escape, arriving on the second floor, he noticed the brownstones small patio area had no exit that he could see.
Nick thought, Looks like I’m leaving the way I came in.
Without wasting any more time he turned around, took off his jacket and wrapped it around his right arm and fist. He broke the window and cleared out any excess glass so no one would suffer any wounds on the way out. Nick made his way to the front bedroom, passing by the staircase where the flames were already making their entrance to the second floor. Already coughing himself, he found Susan unconscious on the floor by the open window she had screamed from.
Quickly pulling the blanket from her bed, Nick turned on the bathroom shower to wet the blanket. Covering himself and Susan in the blanket for protection, Nick carried her d
own the hallway to the back bedroom and exited through the fire escape. Carefully placing Susan on his back to free his left arm, he pulled himself up the vertical ladder safely making their way up to Susan’s rooftop. Laying her down on the adjoining building’s rooftop ledge, he then hopped over easily and placed Susan back on his back as he made his way down the staircase and safely to street level.
Exiting the building, he saw a number of the neighborhood residents already on the street. Crossing the other side of the street, Nick gently laid Susan down on the sidewalk pavement. Squeezing out the water from the bed sheet, he folded it into a small pillow, lifted her head, slid the pillow under to support her head and neck then lowered her. He checked for vitals and let out a sigh when he sensed her pulse. Nick couldn’t help but notice how beautiful the woman was but when he noticed the engagement ring on her finger, he immediately refocused on what he was doing.
Nick voiced into the crowd. “Was the fire called in?”
“Yeah. Yes.” A number of people responded.
Knowing that his engine company would respond to this call, he hoped the ambulance would arrive first. Nick truly didn’t want Captain Miller any more reason to change his indefinite suspension to permanent.
Although Susan wasn’t responding, Nick said softly to her, “I won’t leave you until the ambulance gets here.”
Nick couldn’t help but think how lucky this lady was that he was walking by when he did. Very lucky! And some of that luck spilled onto Nick as he heard the familiar sound of an ambulance nearing the scene.
“They’ll most like take her to Norwegian American Hospital since it’s the closest in the neighborhood. Nick remembered that the hospital was closer to his house than him walking all the way home from where he was now. He thought, would be nice if the EMS Techs will let me hitch a ride with them to the hospital, being not too far from home.”
Chapter 8
Susan was dreaming. She was dreaming of her dead father who seemed just the same age from the last photo they took together when she was a little girl. However in the dream, Susan was still her current age.
Her father said, “Susan, I’m so proud of you and how beautiful you’ve grown to be.”
The sound of her father’s voice vibrated her very being with such serenity and joy, she can feel the love coming from him like a warm blanket wrapped around her.
She hugged him tightly and said, “I’ve missed you, daddy! I’ve missed you so much!”
She released him from her hug and grabbed his hands, starring at his hazel eyes. “It’s so good to see you after so many years!”
“It’s good to see you too. More good things are coming your way.”
“What good things daddy?”
“Oh! Wonderful things! But you’ll miss them all if you don’t wake up.”
“But I haven’t seen you for so long daddy. I ‘m afraid I’ll never see you again and I want to stay right here with you.”
“Don’t be afraid Susan. I’m in your heart. Always have been and nothing can ever keep me away. I love you Susan.”
“I love you too daddy.”
“Trust me now and wake up. Wake up to the wonderful things I have in store for you.
Wake up Susan… wake up now.”
Susan woke up to the sounds of sirens and the feeling of being in motion. She realized she was on a gurney in the back of an ambulance heading to the hospital. She looked to her left and saw a man. A handsome man smiling at her and thought she was still dreaming because the man looked like Ryan Reynolds. Nick was the first to speak. “Welcome back! We’re taking you over to Norwegian American Hospital. Sorry for the bumpy ride, a lot of pot holes on this road.”
Susan pulled off her air mask and spoke with a bit of scratchiness to her voice, “Was I in a fire?”
“Unfortunately, yes.” Nick said sorrowfully. “What’s your full name Miss?”
“Susan Taylor.”
Nick looked at the EMS tech, “Did you get that?” The tech nodded yes.
“How did I get here?” Susan asked
“I got you out. My name is Nick Gates.” Susan stared at him. My hero is Ryan Reynolds. She felt her eyes getting heavy.
Nick noticed that her eyes were slowly closing and thought it best to put her air mask back on, “Miss Taylor, I’m going to put your air mask back on.”
She mumbled just before her eyes shut completely, “Thank you. Call me Susan.”
Chapter 9
Susan woke up at the hospital the next day remembering the dream she had with her father. He was so alive. I touched his hands and could feel their warmth. Wish I could’ve stayed in such a vivid dream. And that fireman; what an attractive hunk of a man. Even though it was a brief moment they shared she remembered the tenderness of his light brown eyes. His eyes that communicated to her that she was safe and still had a long life ahead of her.
She reached the remote to buzz the nurse’s station, “Yes?”
“Can you send the nurse in please?” Susan asked.
“She’ll be there shortly.”
“Good morning, how are you feeling?” The nurse asked. “Other than my sore throat and chest hurting when I breathe, I’m alright.”
“Do you remember what happened?”
“I was in a fire.” Susan said.
“Yes and the soreness you’re feeling as you breathe is due to the smoke you inhaled but the antibiotics we’re giving you will help with that and you’ll be good as new in no time. Is there anyone you would like me to contact for you?”
The nurse handed Susan a pad and pen. Susan wrote down Tom’s Liz’s names and phone numbers including her assignment editor at the news station.
“By any chance, do you know the name of the fireman that rescued me and the fire station he’s assigned to? He told me his name but I can’t remember and I would like to thank him properly.”
“According to the report the EMS tech provided, the fireman’s name is Nicholas Gates from the Logan Square Fire Station. I’ll Google it for you and give you the stations address and phone number. Meanwhile, get some rest as it’ll be a few days before you’re released.”
“Ok, thank you.”
“No problem Miss Taylor. I’ll check on you later.”
***
Later on that evening Tom entered the hospital room, “Oh Susan thank God you’re fine. I took the next flight back as soon as I heard the news. “How are you feeling darling?” Tom asked.
Susan replied, “I’m feeling a whole lot better now that your here.”
“Is there anything I can get for you?”
“Some water would be great.” Tom grabbed the water bottle on the movable bed tray that was out of reach for Susan and handed it to her. Susan took a few sips while Tom wheeled the bed tray to arm’s length of Susan’s bed.
“How did everything go in Arizona?”
I’ll have to fly back there but let’s not talk about that now I’m more concerned about being here for you and getting you out of this hospital.” Susan was so happy to see the genuine compassion and love coming from Tom’s eyes. She felt so lucky to have him in her life.
Tom asked Susan, “Since this unfortunate accident happened would you like to just move in with me since you’re in between homes right now?”
“I’m not really comfortable with that idea Tom. “I’ll get a hotel room in the meantime until I could figure things out.”
“Not a problem sweetheart. I know you feel strongly about not living together until we are married and I respect that however if you change your mind you know that my home is always open to you.”
“That’s very sweet of you. Thanks.”
***
Having booked a short term furnished apartment at the Marriott ExecuStay hotel, Susan walked into her temporary home. “Hopefully you won’t have to stay here that long.” Tom said as he placed a small box on the table.
Susan asked, “What’s in the box?”
“That was all that was recovered from the fire.�
�� Tom pushed the box towards Susan.
“Wow! Everything I ever owned reduced to a small box.” Susan said sadly but decided to open it later.
“You know what I take that back. Things can be replaced but at least I’m here and alive.” She lifted her arms up in victory and with a big smile on her face said. “I’m alive and grateful!” Tom smiled and mimicked Susan but said in a reserved manner “So am I.” Susan smiled at Tom for trying to be as enthusiastic as her.
