by Lyssa Layne
Maybe it was the injuries she saw in her line of work, or her family, but she’d rarely heard of a firefighter retiring. Most of them either died on the job or were pushed out the door. “Why’d he decide to retire?”
“He retired after 9/11. He’d worked for FDNY for twenty-five years. The last five years, my brother worked there with him…” Katy nodded that she knew about Ryan so that Nick wouldn’t have to say those words.
Nick swallowed hard. “After seeing his son and some of his best buddies die that morning, knowing that his only living son was in the fire academy, he decided it was time to retire…for my mom. She barely survived losing Ryan.”
Katy nodded and lifted his hand to kiss it. They turned onto a gravel driveway and Nick smiled. “Do you like dogs?”
Katy looked up and saw a golden retriever jump on the driver’s side door as Nick parked the SUV. The dog’s warm breath fogged up the window as Nick laughed. “Katy, meet Duke.”
***
Nick got out and rough housed with Duke as the dog wagged his tail eagerly. Katy could relate to the feeling all too well. The sight of Nick always excited her, too. The furry pooch ran towards the house barking for them to follow. Nick reached for Katy’s hand as they walked behind him.
“Duke’s my boy, but unfortunately, the landlord won’t let me have pets so he stays here with my parents.”
Duke trotted back to them and Katy gave him a pat between his ears which he seemed to like. “Duke would make a great running buddy, probably runs faster than you,” she teased.
Nick gave her a hurt look as he pulled her to follow him in the house. Katy looked around inspecting Nick’s childhood home. It was a two-story white house with a huge dogwood tree in the front yard. It had a yard flag with a G, signifying their last name, waving in the wind with pumpkins, gourds, and a hay bale decorating the front porch. Katy tried to picture Nick and Ryan growing up here, climbing the dogwood with Duke barking at them from the ground. It seemed like the perfect place to raise a family, she shook her head, surprised at her thoughts as she found herself picturing her and Nick with their kids climbing the tree.
***
Nick opened the door and they stepped into the foyer. He took her coat and hung it on a hook as Jesse turned the corner, “Hey man, our moms are talking about —” He stopped when he saw Katy. “You didn’t mention you were bringing the doctor?”
It wasn’t as though Nick was hiding Katy. The guys at the station knew Nick had met someone, but only Jesse knew who it was. Nick knew the constant humming and smile he wore during their tours gave it away, not to mention he’d laid off them about smoking. He also spent less time in the weight room and had started running laps outside the station instead. He said he was trying to improve his cardio. Most days, the crew stood outside with cigarettes hanging from their lips as they shouted loving insults at him as he ran past. Nick knew Jesse was skeptical of his relationship with the doctor so he hadn’t mentioned her coming along today.
Katy stepped forward and kissed Jesse’s cheek. “Good to see you again, Jesse.”
She asked where the bathroom was and stepped in leaving the two guys to face each other.
Jesse punched Nick hard in the arm. “What the hell, man? You’re bringing a girl you barely know to your parents?”
“Ow!” Nick rubbed his arm pretending it hurt. “I know her well enough and she’s my girlfriend.”
“Dude, it’s only been a few weeks. What is this? Your third date?”
Nick grabbed Jesse’s shoulder squeezing it tightly. “I told you, man, I love her.” He smiled as Katy came back then went to introduce the future Mrs. Garrity to his parents. Now if only she knew that.
***
Everyone had liked Katy, she fit into their family perfectly. After Nick introduced her, she helped Nora and Alayna set the table. It was hard to believe that they were both already teenagers. They had been so young and innocent when his brother died. As she got older, Nora admitted to her uncle that it was harder to remember her father. Every time Nick saw the girls, he told them a new story about his brother so that they’d never forget him.
Nora was asking Katy questions about her outfit and Katy was sharing her secrets of where to find the newest trends at half the price. Alayna, the quieter of the two, listened intently to the two of them talk. Nick was happy that they’d taken a liking to her. He glanced over at his mom, Abby, and Mrs. O’Neil and they nodded their acceptance.
The ladies insisted they had everything under control in the kitchen and dinner would be served soon. Nick walked over and massaged Katy’s shoulders. “You okay?”
She nodded and kissed him. “Yeah, once we got there, my nerves went away. Go hang out with the guys.”
He kissed her back parting her lips with his tongue to show his appreciation and headed to the living room. The men were drinking beer and whispering. Nick walked up and grabbed a beer. “You three look like a bunch of catty old ladies gossiping in here.”
“Just talking about your lady friend,” Jesse said with raised eyebrows.
“Why are you so concerned about it?” Nick asked defensively.
“I know your birthday is coming up soon and I just don’t want you falling for the first girl you think is marriage material.”
Nick took a long swig of his beer and shook his head. His dad came to his defense. “Nick has a level head on his shoulders. I think he can be trusted to make the right decision.” Andy took a drink of his beer and then said, “Besides, she’s a looker, boys, isn’t she?” The guys all nodded and bust up laughing, Nick shook his head and joined them.
***
Dinner had been devoured and everyone sat at the table, stuffed like the turkey that had been served. They were all enjoying coffee while Nora and Alayna took over the television. Nick’s parents had been so welcoming and friendly as they got to know her. Luckily, they had avoided the topic she had dreaded until now.
“So Katy, what do your parents do?” Andy asked as he stirred his coffee.
Katy swallowed, there was no way around it and Nick would find out sooner or later. “My mother passed away when I was a baby and my father passed away a few years ago.” She could have stopped there, but she knew the whole truth would come out sooner than later. “He worked for FDNY.”
Katy couldn’t look Nick in the face, but out of the corner of her eye, she saw his jaw drop.
“Really? I’m sorry to hear that.” Andy’s words were genuine but Katy saw his face light up with reverence. “What’s his name? What station?”
Katy stared down into her coffee and answered in a tone that was barely audible, “Mike Malone, Engine 290.”
No one said anything, the only noise in the whole house were the voices from the television.
***
Nick couldn’t believe what she had just said. How could she not have told him? Why was she hiding it? He shook his head thinking back to the night Mike Malone died.
A little over two years ago, it was a hot July night and a call came in for a five alarm fire at a set of warehoused apartments on 59th. By the time the crew of Engine 58 had arrived, Engines 62, 75 and 290 were already on the scene. As they pulled up, Murph switched on to the same channel as the other engines.
Mike Malone’s voice came over the radio, “Just got to the seventh floor, searching for victims…proby-NO! Don’t open—” The radio cut out as the crew looked up as an explosion on the seventh floor blew out all the windows. Fire and glass rained down on them.
Murph maneuvered their ladder to a seventh floor window and the lieutenant of 290 flew up it before it was in place, two other members of their crew right behind him. Jesse and Nick were gearing up to head inside when they looked up and saw them dragging the proby down the ladder with Malone’s mask on. He looked hurt but even from the ground they could tell he was breathing. Then they saw the lieutenant carrying a lifeless Malone. Malone and the proby were loaded into a rig and taken away while the other firefighters worked to extinguish t
he fire.
It had been a long call, they’d been working for almost ten hours and had finally finished up. They loaded into the engine, but instead of heading to the firehouse, they turned towards St. Luke’s Hospital. They pulled into the parking lot and stopped. Murph looked back at the guys. “We’re here to pay our respects to our brother Mike Malone.”
The crew walked into the hospital in their bunker gear, reeking of smoke, and soot covering their faces. The hallway was already lined with other members of the FDNY there to pay their respects. A female doctor came running around the corner. There had been a male doctor pacing outside Malone’s room. He saw the woman and walked to her pulling her into his arms as she started sobbing and fell onto the floor.
It clicked, that doctor had been Katy.
***
Lisa touched Katy’s hand and, as if on cue, it relieved the tension and everyone got up to clean up the table. Nick lightly placed his hand on Katy’s arm as she turned to look at him, tears in her eyes, she mouthed sorry. He pulled her into a hug, holding her tightly. He broke their embrace and took her hand leading her upstairs to his bedroom to get away from everyone.
The room was covered with trophies and medals from his glory days of high school sports. A bulletin board was covered in articles about fires his dad fought. Andy would come home and tell his sons what happened, including pointers on how they could have done better. It was why Nick was so good at what he did today.
Katy looked at the wall of his accomplishments, her back to him, but Nick could see her shoulder shaking as she tried not to cry. All he wanted to do was hold her and make sure she never hurt like that again. She finally turned to him, her palms facing upward and shrugged. “I’m sorry, I should have said something earlier but I, I try not…” She started crying and Nick pulled her against him again.
“Ssshhh,” he held her tightly. “It’s okay, I understand.”
He sat on the edge of his bed and pulled her in his lap. “Is that why you don’t date firefighters?”
The tears were slowing down and she nodded. “I guess I don’t date them. I just love them.”
He smiled. “I promise I won’t let anything like that happen to me.”
Katy sighed knowing that was a promise he couldn’t keep.
***
Nick recalled the aftermath of Mike Malone’s death. He would probably still be alive if that proby had known what he was doing or even if he’d just listened to the veteran firefighter. It was part of the reason that Nick spent so much time with the new guys that came through his station. He wanted to make them the best, not only for themselves, but for their crew members, too.
There had been an uproar after Mike’s death when the proby quit. There’s an unsaid rule with FDNY, you don’t quit. You can request a transfer, you can retire, but you don’t get another guy killed and then quit. The brothers of the FDNY felt they had lost one of their own for no reason when the proby turned in his badge.
***
Katy sat on Nick’s lap as she calmed down while he rubbed her back. She kissed his cheek and looked around the room. She stood and inspected each picture and medal, proud of his achievements even from over a decade ago when she didn’t know him.
Nick watched her wondering what she was thinking and loving her even more after finding out about her dad. If he thought she’d say yes, he’d have asked her to marry him right then and there in his childhood bedroom.
Katy turned around smiling and walked over to him. “How many girls have you brought up here?”
“What are you talking about? I’m a virgin.” He grinned as he grabbed the back of her thighs pulling her on top of him.
She straddled him and she could feel him getting hard. She shifted her weight, pressing down on him. He moaned with this movement and leaned into a kiss sliding his hands under her dress and over her backside, her leggings keeping him from touching her skin.
He slipped his hands inside her leggings and got even harder as he found she wasn’t wearing any panties. He broke the kiss and commented, “I think any condoms in this room are probably too old to use.”
Katy laughed. “Shall we risk it?”
He knew she wasn’t being serious. There was no way a child would fit into her life at this time, she’d made that clear. At the same time though, he knew she wanted to feel him inside her. He’d come to realize that Katy used sex as a stress reliever.
Nick flipped her onto her back and moved on top of her. “Tempting, but I want to make you Mrs. Garrity before we procreate.”
Katy sucked in her breath, shocked by his comment. Before she could respond, there was a knock on the door.
“Nick? Abby and the girls are leaving.”
He kissed her and answered his dad, “We’ll be down in a second.”
***
The crowd began to thin out as they said their farewells and left. Nora and
Alayna asked if they could meet Katy in the city to go shopping for their upcoming dance. She promised they could meet the next weekend she had off. She and Abby exchanged numbers to set up the outing. Mr. O’Neil and Jesse headed home to watch the last of the football game while Mrs. O’Neil stayed behind to help clean up. Nick and his dad sat at the kitchen table talking while the three women washed dishes.
Andy nodded toward Katy. “So she’s the one?”
Nick was taken aback as he’d never said that, but his dad knew him as well as Jesse did. He nodded. “She is.”
Andy reached in his pocket and put a box on the table. “It’s not your traditional engagement ring, but it was your great-grandmother’s. Hold on to it until you’re ready.”
Nick took a peek in the box. It was a rose-gold band with a pearl in the center of the ring surrounded by small diamonds. He slipped it in his pocket already trying to figure out how he’d offer it to her. He shook his dad’s hand appreciating that he trusted his judgment.
***
In the kitchen, the older women washed the dishes as Katy dried them. Lisa looked frail and exhausted. In Katy’s professional opinion, she knew this would probably be her last Thanksgiving and Katy knew Lisa thought the same as she insisted on doing all the cooking and cleaning, not wanting to miss any part of the holiday celebration.
The women discussed tips they’d seen on Pinterest about how to get rid of stains on their clothes and how to make dishes sparkling clean. Katy smiled and nodded acting like she knew what they were talking about. She didn’t have a spare moment in her life, especially now that she’d met Nick, so she had no idea what Pinterest was nor did she ever have time to clean. If something needed cleaning that badly, Katy usually threw it away and bought something new. Mrs. O’Neil went to collect more dishes to wash.
Lisa handed her a plate. “You make my boy very happy.”
Katy looked over at Nick and saw him shaking Andy’s hand. “He makes me happy, too.”
“I know I probably won’t get to see him marry, but I would like to know that he’s at least found the right one. Have you two discussed marriage?”
Katy almost dropped the dish she was drying as Lisa asked this. She opened her mouth to talk, but nothing came out. Lisa’s fragile hand touched Katy’s hand.
“I’m sorry, honey. I shouldn’t have asked that. You’re a doctor, you know I don’t have much time left. I just want to know that my Nicky is taken care of when I’m gone.”
Without thinking, or even being asked, Katy blurted out, “We’re engaged.”
The gravy boat Lisa had been holding slipped out of her hand and shattered on the floor. Katy’s face turned crimson, unsure where those words came from or how Nick would react. Lisa pulled her into the biggest hug she could muster. When she pulled away, she was grinning and laughing, tears rolling down her face.
“Andy, did you hear that? My Nicky is getting married!” Lisa shouted as she tried to run over to hug Nick.
Both men looked at their women in shock. Katy stood there unable to move as Lisa hugged her son, looking like a small ch
ild against his large frame. Nick hugged her back, not taking his eyes off Katy.
Andy patted his arm. “Looks like I gave you that ring just in time. Go put it on your fiancée !”
***
Andy pushed his son in Katy’s direction and Nick stumbled over to her standing by the sink, the gravy bowl in pieces beneath her. He stood in front of her and looked down into her blue eyes. He’d never seen her look scared before and he wasn’t sure what had happened, but one thing was certain, he was anything but upset.
Nick pulled her away from the splattered ceramic to the middle of the kitchen. He took the dish towel from her hand then dropped to one knee. As his fingers touched her, he could feel her hand shaking. He kissed it and then slid the ring on her finger. “Katherine Olivia Malone, will you marry me?”
She looked like she could faint at any moment. Nick looked into her face and tried his best to put her at ease with his eyes. She seemed to relax a little as she nodded. “Yes,” she barely squeaked out.
Nick jumped up whooping, lifting Katy into the air and spinning her around the kitchen. He set her down and kissed her. He nodded to the ring on her finger. “Well, Mrs. Nick Garrity, do you like it?”
***
Lisa had started calling family to spread the good news. Mrs. O’Neil had walked back in to see Katy say yes and started clapping. Andy walked next door to finish watching the game with Jesse and his dad. Nick didn’t have time to think about how his buddy would react to the news.
He took Katy into the living room where they were alone. He pushed her hair back out of her face, unsure of what to say, afraid if he said the wrong thing she’d back out. Luckily, Katy beat him to speak. “I’m sorry, I just blurted out that we were engaged because I thought it was what your mom wanted to hear.”
Nick’s ego deflated and he felt a stab in his heart, but then he decided to go all in before he lost his nerve. “It’s just a ring right now, Katy. We don’t have to get married tomorrow. I meant it when I asked you to marry me and you’d make me the happiest man in the world if you would be my wife.” He paused and saw Katy open her mouth to say something so he rushed on. “Think about it, you don’t have to decide right now.”
