Hell, Fire & Freedom (Fighting for Freedom)

by Callahan, Shannon

  “How are you, Marie?” I yell out.

  “I’m fine,” she says, and I look over to see someone helping her apply pressure to her arm.

  Time seems to stand still before two ambulances arrive, pulling in one after the other. The paramedics rush over and one starts to work on Terry, while the other sets to work on Marie. I stand up, knees weak, wondering what the hell just happened. This can’t be real, it has to be a dream. I look around for Blaze, but he’s nowhere to be found.

  “Did anyone call the police?” I yell as I start to run off toward where I last saw him.

  “I did when I called 911; they should be here shortly,” an older gentleman says.

  “Send them this way!” I holler back.

  I run through the cemetery screaming his name before I find him with the shooter pinned to the ground, punching him in the face, over and over again. The man has already lost consciousness, but Blaze continues to pound into him.

  “Blaze,” I holler, rushing to his side and latching onto his arms. “Blaze, stop, it’s over, baby. It’s over. She’s fine, and hopefully Terry will be, too,” I say soothingly, and Blaze looks at me with a pained expression on his face. His knuckles are bloody, and his suit is also splattered with blood. I check for a pulse on the shooter—the asshole is still alive. That’s good news for Blaze at least.

  “Who is this? Why did he do this?” Blaze growls.

  “I don’t know. He looks like a scary homeless person,” I tell him as I hear the sirens approaching. “The police are here, though. Let’s get off of him, okay?” I ask soothingly.

  Blaze climbs off of the shooter, and I finally get a good look at him. Scruffy grey hair, dirty beard, dressed in a black hoodie and jeans. I can make out some scary tattoos on his neck and hands. He looks vaguely familiar, but I just can’t place him. Why did he hate my ma so much … enough to hurt her innocent daughter? I can’t help but wonder.

  I pull Blaze into a hug, praying like hell that this will all be okay, that everyone will make it out of here alive. I can’t allow myself to imagine any other outcome.

  Epilogue

  Two months later…

  The past two months have flown by since Ma’s funeral disaster. We decided not to bury her in the cemetery because of the bad memories now associated with her resting place. Instead, Marie decided that we should let her ashes go in the lake near our childhood home. Our grandmother told us when we were kids that Ma used to swim there every day when she was younger. I sell Ma’s trailer, and we donate the proceeds to the Cynthia McNeil Women’s Shelter. I say a tearful goodbye to Tara, and thank her for all of her help. I volunteer my time, if she ever needs it.

  I make a mental reminder to ask the therapist about the ill feelings I harbor toward my ma. It’s hard when I feel like every bad thing that happened in mine and Marie’s life is a direct result of something she did, or in most cases, didn’t do. I never felt bad about these feelings until Terry told us why she acted the way she did. Even though I could never condone her behavior, at least I can now understand why.

  Terry made a full recovery in the hospital. I visited him every day, even after Marie was released, until he was well enough to go home again. I often sat with his beautiful mother and watched the connection the two of them had. It was obvious they loved each other, and they never let a day go without telling each other so. I looked on, wishing I could have had the same relationship with my ma. I guess the best I can do now is use them as an example if I ever have my own children.

  I asked Terry why he did it—why he saved Marie—and all he had to say was that nobody should ever hurt a woman. He’s a good man, and Blaze has been in to thank him, as well.

  Marie and I moved whatever wasn’t smoke damaged into Blaze’s home. Unfortunately, it wasn’t much. The fire was put out before it destroyed the entire building, and luckily nobody besides Carl was hurt or killed. On the bright side, it did get Miss Rose moved into a seniors’ home quicker. I had profusely apologized to Tara and sent my condolences to the anonymous condo owner, but insurance would be taking care of them.

  Blaze’s shoulder has also healed nicely, and he is back to work at the fire hall, and at Prescott Safety, as well. I feel like he’s really starting to enjoy the work his dad did. Oh, and he faced no charges in attacking the man at Ma’s funeral.

  It took a long, full week to determine who the shooter was. It turned out Carl wasn’t lying when he told me he had hired a hit man to kill both Marie and me, even after he was dead. The man was actually Carl’s uncle, who was released from prison a few months before. He was charged with two accounts of attempted murder and is awaiting sentencing. They’ve also arrested Carl’s mother in connection with it, as it turns out it was her job to pay the uncle. I never did like the woman.

  Last, but not least, Marie has also made a full recovery, thanks to Terry. The bullet wound just grazed the surface of her arm. Leave it to Marie to be happy it at least happened during her summer vacation, and didn’t interfere with her schooling. I think she’s actually more determined to become a doctor now than ever. I told her about what Terry told me, and we cried together. We cried because not only did our “grandfather” steal Ma’s childhood, but he stole ours, too.

  I returned to work a few weeks ago, and luckily Stella and the rest of the crew welcomed me back with open arms. It’s been really nice to be back in a routine now and to feel as normal as I possibly can.

  This brings me back to now—10am on a Sunday morning—and we are all off to have breakfast at The Frothy Moustache and then go see a movie. We have been trying to do something as a family every Sunday, just to create a sense of normalcy. Plus, we all love spending time with each other, so it works well. All of my feelings and fears about Marie and Blaze not getting along well have flown out the window. If I can’t make it to a swim practice, Blaze is there. He comes to all of her competitions with me, and he absolutely loves cheering her on. Yeah, things are going pretty well.

  “Brynn, please, please let me drive!” I hear Marie beg. She only has her learners’ permit, and she knows she’s not allowed to drive with two of us in the vehicle, yet she always begs anyway.

  “Marie, you know that’s not possible. How about I take you out tonight?” I offer.

  “Oh, come on, Brynn, just this once?” Marie pleads.

  “That’s fine with me. It’s one of the last nice days we’ll probably have. I’ll take the Harley and meet you guys there. I need to stop by the fire station, anyway,” Blaze offers.

  “Thank you, thank you, and thank you!” Marie squeals, pulling Blaze into a hug. I’m not sure if Marie actually loves to drive, or if she just loves to drive my car. I can’t blame her, though, I love my car. Blaze refused to take it back or even trade it in for something normal like a Honda. He also refuses to let Marie drive his motorcycle, so I guess she’s going to have to learn on something.

  “All right, all right, grab your sweater,” I tell her. She runs off to her very pink and cheetah print room in search of a sweater.

  “Are you sure, Blaze? I don’t mind taking her later on tonight.”

  “Not at all. Just order for me, and I’ll meet you guys there a little later,” he says, pulling me in and kissing my lips tenderly.

  Marie comes back into the living room, grabbing my keys off the table by the front door. “Let’s go!” she says excitedly.

  “Love you!” I call out to Blaze.

  “Love you, too, beautiful,” he answers back.

  Marie and I climb into my beauty that I’ve affectionately named Sally. We pull on our seatbelts as Marie puts the key in the ignition, and she purrs to life. We pull out of the driveway and manage to make it to the café relatively unscathed. Thank you, Blaze, for putting in the first twenty hours of driving lessons with her because my heart couldn’t take it. She parks in the employee parking lot around back.

  “Hey,” I greet one of my favorite customers as we walk in the door.

  “I’m going to grab that table i
n the back. Surprise me,” Marie says, pointing to an empty table.

  I step in line. Unfortunately, being an employee still doesn’t throw you to the front of the line. Unless I want to get behind the counter and serve myself, I’m stuck waiting. Maybe I should have been a barista. I look up to the board, wondering what to order for Marie and Blaze when I hear a voice from behind me.

  “First timer, huh? You have to try their chocolate peppermint latte and their almond croissants. I swear it will change your life … I know it changed mine.”

  My heart stops beating, and I spin around, but I don’t see anyone immediately. That is, until I look down and see Blaze on bended knee. My mind doesn’t register what’s going on.

  “What …” I stammer.

  “Brynn Vincent,” Blaze says, pulling a ring box from out of his jacket pocket. “You changed my life in this very spot, not even a year ago. Since then, you haven’t left my mind for a single moment. Would you make me the luckiest man on Earth and be my wife?” he asks, tears forming in the corners of his eyes as he opens the ring box. Inside is a beautiful yellow gold engagement ring with a large diamond in the middle, two smaller ones on either side, the rest of the band is encrusted with smaller diamonds. It’s breathtaking. My eyes spill over with tears, and I realize the café is painfully quiet.

  “Yes! Yes, of course I will,” I say, and the café erupts into applause. Blaze looks like a giant weight has been lifted off of his shoulders. He stands up, gathering me in his arms, kissing me fiercely. He picks me up, our lips still working together, and spins me around. I vaguely hear a few cat calls before he sets me down again. I blush a hundred shades of pink.

  He pulls the ring out of the box and slips it on my left ring finger.

  “Thank you,” I breathe.

  The next twenty minutes are filled with congratulations from my favorite customers, and, of course, Stella and Wren, who were both hiding in the back, even though it was their day off.

  “I’m making your wedding cake, so don’t you dare hire anyone else!” Wren teases.

  “I wouldn’t dream of it,” I tell her, pulling her into a hug. “Thank you.”

  “For what?” she asks.

  “For being a good friend. They’re hard to find, you know?”

  “Not as hard as a sexy ass firefighter for a husband,” Wren says, ogling my soon to be husband. Holy crap, I’m getting married!

  Marie joins us from the table in the back, pulling me into a hug.

  “Did you know about this?” I ask.

  “Of course I knew! I helped him pick out the ring. You seriously didn’t think he had that good of taste, did you?” Marie teases.

  I laugh with her until things start to die down. “Well, I guess that’s my cue to leave.” Marie says as I watch Jill’s car pull up to the curb.

  “Where do you think you’re going?” I ask.

  “As far away as I can from you two tonight!” she laughs. “Jill will drive me to school tomorrow. Don’t worry!”

  Blaze and I hug her goodbye, and as soon as the car pulls away from the curb, Blaze throws me over his shoulder like a cave man, carrying me out of the café and onto the back of his bike.

  “My car …” I start.

  “Wren’s taking it back tomorrow.”

  I nod and wrap my arms around his waist, as we pull out onto the road, driving back to our house as quickly as possible. When we pull up to the house, he doesn’t hesitate. He throws me over his shoulder again and carries me into the house. Inside, he rips off my shoes and steps out of his. He pulls me down so that my legs are wrapped around his waist, and carries me to our room, showing me just how great of a husband he’s going to be.

  10 months later…

  Marie

  “I can’t do this,” I hear my sister cry for the billionth time today.

  “Yes, you can, Brynn,” I reassure her, pulling her veil into place. It’s finally her wedding day, and although it’s only small, Blaze didn’t spare any expense. Brynn’s gown is a beautiful Alvina Valenta sheath gown, made entirely of lace, with a sweetheart neckline, and a sheer lace top. It hugs her every curve perfectly, and I can’t help but be proud of how far she’s come. Brynn has never been one to put herself first, but lately Blaze has been pushing her more and more to make sure she gets what she wants and is happy, too.

  I hear the harp begin to strum. “Ready or not, it’s time to go,” I tell her, straightening my long plum gown that also boasts a sweetheart neckline. It’s simple and elegant, and I was really glad when Brynn let me pick my own dress. I was also glad I could easily wear a shawl with it, covering the now hideous scar on my arm from the shooting. I grab on to the crook of her elbow, and we walk outside into the backyard which has been completely transformed. Beautiful white lights are arranged in the trees and lining the aisle. As soon as she sees Blaze, all worry seems to fade from her mind, and it’s now her dragging me down the aisle.

  We make it to the end of the aisle in record time. Blaze pulls me in for a hug and kisses my temple. I pull Brynn’s veil back and wipe the tears from her eyes before giving her a kiss on the cheek. Yeah, tonight is going to be a good night.

  Brynn

  “I do,” Blaze says, and I let the tears stream down my face. The priest speaks again, but I don’t hear a word he says. I know exactly what I want to say, though.

  “I do.”

  The priest keeps talking, but neither Blaze nor I hear him as he pulls me in for a kiss so deep my knees weaken. Blaze lifts me up into his arms, our mouths still pressed together, as the cheers erupt around us. He doesn’t pull away from my mouth until we’re halfway down the aisle. I look over and smile at Blaze’s firefighter friends, Stella, Wren, Terry, and his mother, Sherry. We may not have much immediate family, but Blaze and I do have some incredible friends.

  That’s all going to change soon, though.

  Blaze carries me out to his Harley, and we drive off to the airport. Marie’s staying with Jill for the week while we’re on our honeymoon in Jamaica. I can’t wait to finally give him his wedding gift.

  ~

  Blaze lays me down on the bed at our resort; we spent a long day soaking in the sun and climbing a waterfall. Now we’re back in our room, balcony doors open, and the light from a beautiful star filled sky pours into the room. Blaze presses his lips to mine and kisses me gently, taking his time. He pulls off the white tank top I had changed into after we got back from the waterfall. I stifle a giggle.

  “Babe, what the hell are these?” Blaze asks, confused at the sight of my new panties that come up past my belly button.

  “What do you mean? They’re my new panties,” I say as seriously as I can.

  “Oh,” he says, and I’m sure he’s disappointed that I’ve changed from my old lace panties into these complete coverage ones.

  “Do you like them?” I ask, keeping the serious look on my face.

  “Uh, yeah beautiful, you can make anything look sexy,” he stammers.

  “Oh good, I was worried you wouldn’t like them, especially since I have to wear them for the next nine months.”

  “What?” he asks confused, before I see the wheels start spinning in his head. “No way!” he cries out excitedly.

  “We are! I found out a week ago, and I’ve been dying to tell you, but I wanted to give you the best wedding present I could think of,” I laugh. We had only started trying three months ago. I didn’t care if I was fat on my wedding day. I just wanted to start our own family.

  “Fuck me, but I’m a lucky man,” Blaze says, pulling off the panties and laying gentle kisses on my belly. He gathers me into his arms, carrying me out to the balcony.

  “Blaze, I’m naked!” I cry out in a whisper.

  “Beautiful, I got the ocean view room for one reason, and one reason alone,” he says, setting me down on the balcony. I hold onto the railing and watch as the water rushes onto the beach before receding and crashing over and over again. He’s right, it’s breathtaking.

  Bl
aze stands behind me, his hands splayed out over my stomach. “Mmm,” I say as his hand dips lower, finding my clit and circling it over and over again. I feel the intensity start to build as I brace myself against the railing.

  “Not yet, babe,” Blaze whispers into my ear. He reaches down and guides himself into me from behind. I feel myself breathing heavily, and wait for the panic attack, but it never comes. I’ve grown to trust Blaze more than I trust myself. Instead, I relax into him, as he begins to thrust rapidly. I lean over the railing, my naked breasts open to the wind as he continues to pound into me. I moan quietly, pushing myself into him, letting him go deeper.

  “Hey honey, come look at this!” I hear in a southern twang.

  My heart stops.

  I look over to my right and there’s an elderly woman, leaning over her balcony and looking onto ours.

  “Oh my God!” I scream out, covering my breasts and trying to move away. Blaze erupts into a fit of laughter.

  “Oh, come on, you would not be laughing if that was a man!” I scold.

  “No, I wouldn’t, babe, but it was an old chick, and that was fucking funny.”

  I start to push his chest, to get away from him since he clearly doesn’t understand my embarrassment, but he just scoops me up and lays me down on the balcony floor, positioning himself over me. Yeah, I can’t say I used to like when a man was stronger than I am, and pushed me around, but Blaze never does it in a harmful way. It usually ends in something delicious, so I can’t complain too much.

  He moves quickly this time, and I feel it building fast. I reach my climax, hollering out his name. My sex clenches around him, triggering his own release, as we come together. Once our breathing returns back to normal, Blaze whispers in my ear, “Hey honey, come look at this!” And we erupt into a fit of laughing together, him still deep inside of me.

  ~

  “Push Brynn, you’ve got this,” Lana says, coaching me. She really is an incredible doula.