by Kathryn Shay
“Don’t touch anything.”
Lynne didn’t resent the obvious order. In times of crisis, reminders were the safest way to go. She’d done the very same thing with her people.
They walked back out to the sanctuary and waited in front of the altar. “Nobody’s in the pews,” a man from Truck 2 finally called out.
All firefighters left the building. Outside, she took off her head gear and cold slapped her in the face. Her nose began to drip. Ah, winter!
David Ashford waited for them with his four-person crew. Tess was not among them. Ever thoughtful, David handed her a handkerchief. “Tell me what you saw, Lynne.”
When she finished, he directed his guys to the rooms. “Thanks. Good job.”
As he headed off, she called out, “No Tess?”
He looked over his shoulder. “Don’t get me started.”
Uh-oh. Trouble in paradise. Her friend had spoken candidly about how David was overprotective during her pregnancy. But Tess knew being inside a just-burned building, despite the particle masks the squad wore, could cause harm to a developing fetus.
Lynne headed to the truck, holding her helmet and face mask and helped Braxton roll up the hose. Her shoulders ached from the tension of a church fire. And from carrying the line itself, especially when it was filled with water.
What would Brady do if something like this happened at his church? He’d handle the event. He was strong and brave and had the skills to comfort people.
Too bad he couldn’t be hers.
* * *
“I don’t think she should go out, or you, for that matter. The snow’s coming down pretty hard.” Belinda Jamison was peering through the front window. She’d stayed with Emma for a few hours after school again today.
“Hmm. The salt trucks were already moving on my way home. And we’re used to driving in this weather.”
“I don’t agree.”
“I wanna go.” Emma’s voice turned whiny. “If you can’t drive, Melody’s mother said she’d pick me up. She’s a firefighter. Sometimes she drives those big trucks.”
Yep, that was Lynne. He bit his lip as he thought of her behind the wheel of a rig.
“That’s out of the question. If you go, I’m taking you.”
“You can stay and make pizzas with us. Her mom said.”
He highly doubted that was accurate. The girls had probably conspired together to make the invitation more palliative. They’d been doing that a lot lately.
He peeked out the window. “All right.”
“Let’s go,” Emma said, putting her coat on.
“I’ll drop you off, Mom.”
They stopped at his parents’ house, a stone’s throw from the church. He and Jenny had wanted to live further away from the building for some semblance of privacy. Then he began the ten-minute drive to Lynne’s.
“See, Daddy, it’s okay out.”
Just blink, the old saying went, if you don’t like the weather in upstate New York, it’ll change.
Sure enough, the snow thickened and got wetter by the time they turned into her driveway. The garage door opened. Lynne stepped out of the house and motioned him to drive into the second space.
They exited the car. “I thought you’d stay dry if you parked here.”
“Very considerate.” He avoided looking at the way her jeans gloved her, how the long-sleeved CCFD T-shirt conformed to her curves. “We need to talk.”
“Come inside, then.”
They found Melody waiting in the mudroom. He said to Emma, “Hang up your things, baby.”
Kicking off her boots, Emma put her jacket on the hook, then grabbed Mel’s hand and took off.
“They’ve conspired against us.”
“Yes, I know. Once Mel heard you were on the way, she told me you were vacillating and so they fibbed about the invite.”
“I don’t have to stay.”
She searched his face. “Do you have other plans?”
“I’d planned to be with my daughter.”
“Then eat with us. We have lots of food.”
Briefly, he closed his eyes.
“But if you don’t think you should, I understand. Be careful driving home. If it gets worse, I can keep Emma overnight.”
He turned, opened the door, and took two steps into the garage. Damn, damn, damn. He pivoted. She was still at the entrance. “Fuck it,” he said, using the word that rarely came to his lips.
He walked back inside. For a few seconds, she leaned into him. He slid his hand to her neck and caressed it. But Melody and Emma waited in the living room, so they drew away quickly.
She called out, “Ladies. Let’s make pizza!”
The girls came running to the kitchen, where she took out the already-made dough from the fridge. “First we need flour to roll this out.”
“I’ll get it Mommy.” Melody dragged over a step-stool and reached to the upper cupboard for the flour. She teetered a bit…then dropped the bag! Half of it spilled out on the kitchen tile.
“Don’t worry,” Emma told her. “Daddy never yells at me.”
“Mommy, either.”
Brady gave Lynne a half-smile. She looked at him, a mischievous expression in her eyes. He angled his chin to the floor.
They both bent over, picked up handfuls of flour and threw them at the kids. The girls sputtered. Then Melody jumped off the stool, and she and Emma dived in. Dumping the rest of the bag out, they grabbed mounds of their own and flung them at Brady and Lynne.
Soon, a full-fledged flour fight ensued and puffs of white filled the kitchen. When the pile was gone, they all burst out laughing.
Brady scanned the room. Luckily the mess was contained between the island and the counter but she might find remnant films elsewhere. He gave Lynne a once-over. Her blond hair was tinged white, her face with smudges all over it. Her clothes were covered with the white powder. She said, “Everybody out to the garage.”
No one questioned her order. They hurried out and stood in a corner. Lynne had grabbed four dish towels. “Start by shaking your hair out onto the floor.”
When hair was mostly cleaned, she gave them towels to dust themselves off. Brady said, “Smart idea, Lynne.” He grabbed a broom against the wall, swept up their mess and disposed of the remnants in a garbage can. Inside, they made quick work of sweeping the tile and wiping down the cupboards.
When all was in order, the adults got out the sauce, mozzarella, pepperoni and mushrooms from the fridge. She sectioned off the dough. Emma needed the step stool to reach the counter, but Mel cold reach it.
“You guys can roll out yours first,” Melody said pleasantly.
Brady worked his to pizza size, then Lynne did the same. “Do you need help, honey?” he asked his daughter.
“No, Daddy, I can do it.”
Each girl took turns with the rolling pin. Then Brady doled out the sauce, enjoying casual fun, not present a lot in his life since Jenny died.
The girls laid cheese over their small round circles, then dotted them with pepperoni. When Lynne reached for the mushrooms instead of meat, so did Brady. Their hands touched.
He gave her a meaningful look. She returned it.
“Now, you two, go get showered. Mel, give Emma clothes.” They’d be a little big on his daughter but they’d be serviceable.
When they left, she turned to him. “You have flour on your cheek,” she said reaching out to touch him. Electricity flared in her eyes. He grabbed her hand. Kissed it. “This is going to be all right.”
She sighed. “There’s a full bath down here if you want to shower too. I’m going upstairs.”
“I wish…”
“I know, me, too. But head in there, mister.” She pointed to the corridor. “I have a sweatshirt big enough for you. I’ll bring it down.”
“That would be good.”
With that, she left him.
He wanted to shower with her. Badly.
Go down the hall, son. You two will be fine.
&nbs
p; * * *
After checking on the girls, who were dressing in Mel’s room and giggling their heads off, Lynne came downstairs wearing navy blue yoga pants and a matching shirt, with fuzzy slippers on her feet. Her hair was still damp. When she put a sweatshirt in front of the bathroom, she could hear the shower. She’d also found a pair of moccasins David had left behind in the closet.
She’d turned the oven on and looked out the window at the heavy snow slanting sideways and blocking visibility. As she waited for the temperature to reach 425, she poured a glass of wine and turned on the little TV in the corner.
“Time for your local weather.” The screen switched to Crystal City channel. “All roads in town and the surrounding areas are closed. Travel is restricted except for emergency vehicles.”
“It’s going to go on all night,” the other anchor put in. “I hope the winds don’t increase.” A branch batted the kitchen window as if contradicting her words.
“Wow!” she heard behind her.
Brady had come out. His hair was wet and looked darker. He’d thrown on the sweatshirt and moccasins. “Closed, huh?”
She scrunched her nose. “You know what that means?”
“I do. Emma and I are going to spend the night here.”
“We have spare bedrooms.”
“Too bad.” His expression was impish.
“I’ll put the pizzas in and if you like, there’s wine.” She held up her glass.
“Why not? No driving tonight.”
They sat at the table peering out at the heavy fall of snow. Lynne finally said, “I wanted to mention a church fire the other day. You must know about it.”
“At St. Francis. I went over to talk to Frank Parsons, the priest. Asked them how we could help. He’s going to perform mass at our church for his parishioners until the altar is rebuilt.” Brady shook his head. “I didn’t know you were in the firefighter group that put it out.”
“I was. And that was nice of you to offer help.”
“It’s what we do.”
“I need to tell you something that isn’t public yet. The fire was set by an arsonist.”
His hazel eyes widened. “That’s horrific.”
“I’ve seen this once before. Somebody has a grudge against religion. Or the church dogma changes in some way.”
“Did you know that they came out with a dictum that erases the brand of sin on gay people? They went against Rome to do it.”
“I didn’t. But David probably does. Brady, I’m worried about you.”
“You worry about me?” His hand fisted on the table. “You’re the one who runs into burning buildings. It keeps me up at night.” He stared at her. “You keep me up at night.”
“Tell me you’ve made a plan and practiced it if a fire broke out in your sanctuary.”
“I did. When I first started. We have drills every six months.”
“I’m glad to hear that.”
The oven beeped, signaling their pizzas—and the talk—were over. Just as the girls joined them, the lights went out.
Both Brady and Lynne laughed. “What’s your God thinking doing this to us.”
“God didn’t turn the lights off. But God’s grace kept us safe.”
“I’ve got lanterns under the first cabinet. No candles, they’re a fire hazard.” Of course, Lynne was prepared for an emergency. She was a firefighter. Brady helped her retrieve the battery-operated lights and she put two in the kitchen. “Let’s eat.”
They devoured their food, chatting away like a normal family. Best to remember they weren’t that, though, Lynne warned herself.
“Can we make a fire and sleep by it?” Mel asked.
“We’ll need a fire.” Lynne shrugged. “The house will get cold tonight.”
They cleaned up after the meal and went into the living room. Lynne started the fire. She’d brought wood and kindling inside yesterday so it burst to life. She turned to them. “Girls, get sleeping bags, pillows, and blankets in the upstairs linen closet. We’ll all stay here.”
Soon, they were set up for the night.
“Hey, Mom, can we make S’mores?”
Brady lazed back on a recliner. “You got the stuff?”
“Of course.”
“Then why not?”
“Help me get it out,” she said. In the kitchen, she leaned against the counter. “Are you worried about this?”
“Not with the girls here.”
“I mean you staying overnight at a woman’s house.”
“Hmm. Well, my car’s in the garage, but in any case we can’t possibly leave. So no, I choose not to worry.”
She smiled. “I’m glad you’re here.”
“I feel the same.”
They awoke at dawn. Lynne was sidled into Brady on the couch, both covered with the same blanket. He kissed the top of her head. “Good morning,” he whispered.
“Good morning.” She yawned. “I got to sleep with you again.”
“In the most platonic sense.”
With the girls fast asleep still, they got up and made coffee because the power was back on. By six-thirty Brady roused Emma, put her in the back seat, and got on the road.
* * *
Nobody saw Carlton Matthews driving past David’s house at the exact time the Reverend Brady drove out of Lynne’s garage.
* * *
The monthly elder’s meeting tonight was only an hour away, and Brady had yet to finish his minster’s report. He was sequestered in his office, alone with the sound of the clock ticking, when someone knocked on the door leading in from the outside. Give me patience, Lord, he prayed as he reluctantly got up to see who was visiting him. “Adam, this is a surprise. Did I forget a meeting?”
The boy’s eyes darted around. His entire body simmered with anxiety. “No. It’s kind of an emergency.”
“Come in.” As Adam entered the office, Brady gestured to the back of the large room which sported a small couch and a stuffed chair. “Sit.”
On his way over, Brady locked the door to the church. Adam’s father, Carlton, would be coming in for the meeting in the conference room. Brady took the chair, so they faced each other. “What’s going on?
“My father kicked me out of the house.”
“What?”
“He found out I wasn’t at Jason’s for an overnight. I lied about where I was, but someone must have seen me and Sara going into…a room.”
“What kind of room?”
Adam reddened, now. “A hotel room in Campton. We spent the night together. When I got home the next day, Dad had all my stuff packed and told me if I couldn’t obey his rules, I wasn’t welcome in his house.” The boy’s eyes teared. “He doesn’t love me, Rev. He doesn’t.”
Sometimes Brady believed that, too, but he tried not to judge. Still, the man was so strict in the name of God, who wouldn’t approve of Carlton’s actions.
Brady intentionally relaxed. Kids read body language loud and clear. “What are you going to do?”
“I don’t know. I called Sara but she wasn’t home. Her mother likes me. Maybe she’ll let me stay there. All my stuff’s in my car.”
“An option.” That would infuriate his father.
“I got money I been saving for college for two years. I could pay for a place of my own.”
“Let’s not make any rash decisions. Do you have your cell phone on?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Your dad might call. He, um, he’s coming in for an elder’s meeting tonight.”
“Don’t tell him I’m here.”
“I won’t. But I may try to get him to talk to me about your fight.”
The boy nodded.
Brady gestured to a small TV in front of the couch. “Make yourself at home.”
He left his office and locked it again. He didn’t want anybody wandering in. When he walked into the conference room, he noted he was the last to arrive. Couldn’t be helped.
Herman Holland checked the clock. “Welcome, everyone. I hope you’re we
ll. Let’s start with a prayer.”
Janine Springer, one of the nine, gave sweet words about doing God’s work.
Then Herman handed out an agenda.
As it was passed around, Carlton spoke. “Before we get into this,” he held up the paper “I have a matter of urgency that can’t wait.”
Herman shot a glance at Brady. Brady nodded and Herman said, “Go ahead.”
The man’s features twisted into a snarl which made Brady recoil. “I caught Reverend Jamison sneaking out of a woman’s garage at six in the morning.”
“Excuse me?” Herman again.
“Our minister is sinning right under our noses. What’s more, I think he’s a bad influence on our children. Adam’s uncontrollable now. I blame him.”
Brady scanned the others. Mouths were agape. Everybody stared at Carlton as if he’d grown a second head.
“Reverend Brady,” Herman asked, “do you want to comment on that?”
“Yes.”
He focused on Carlton. Now, the expression in the man’s eyes was…triumphant.
“Carlton, you didn’t catch me doing anything you might consider wrong. My daughter was in the car.”
“I didn’t see her.”
“She was asleep in the back seat.”
“Harrumph!”
April Limon, a fair woman, came to the edge of her seat. “I don’t like that Brady has to defend himself. This is a personal matter.”
“I can deal with this, April. It does concern my personal life. But I can explain. Let me give a caveat first.” He scanned the rest of the elders, and every single one had sympathy in their eyes. He gentled his voice. “I don’t like having to be accountable to you all for where I spend my time or who I’m with. But in this case, I will.
“Emma is friends with the young girl who lives in that house. I brought her over during the snowstorm which worsened by the time I got there. They invited me for pizza and Emma and I stayed for dinner, hoping the storm would clear up. By the time we were done, the roads had closed, then the power went off. I would never endanger my child by driving in those circumstances. The four of us got blankets and slept in front of the fireplace to stay warm.”
