Heartward

by Andrew Grey

  “I usually hate the day before I have to go back to work. I think about taking Abey to day care…. But I don’t mind so much now.” Tyler curled his arms around him. “I think I can just be still.” He sighed. “This sort of life is why I moved back here. I wanted something quieter, slower….”

  A boom sounded, and the house actually shook.

  “What the hell?”

  Tyler jumped off the sofa and hurried to the back door. “I got to go,” he said on his way through. “Please stay here with Abey.” He grabbed his phone. “Something blew up. I’m not sure what it is, but there’s black smoke to the west of town. I need to get to the station.”

  “Don’t worry. I have things here,” Alan said, and Tyler was out the door within seconds, his car starting and speeding away. Alan pulled his legs to his chest, watching the television and settling in to worry.

  More than once he went to the back of the house, watching the smoke rise into the darkening sky. Soon he couldn’t see it any longer as full-on night fell, but the glow from that direction told him that the fire was far from out.

  Alan turned up the television to see if there was anything on the news, but most of the stations originated from far enough away that they carried nothing. He turned on the radio and finally got some information.

  “An explosion at the regional fuel depot off US 10 has closed the highway and sent flames shooting into the air. Fire crews are working to contain the blaze to the one fuel storage unit, but crews are evacuating the area. More information as it comes in.”

  Alan shook and hoped to hell that Tyler was going to be okay. That fire had to be hotter than hell, and he hoped Tyler and his heart survived it.

  Chapter 9

  TYLER ARRIVED at the firehouse as the trucks were about to pull out. He grabbed his gear and jumped on, dressing as they went.

  “Have you fought a fuel-storage fire before?” Gregory asked as they rode, with Tyler pulling on his gear.

  “Yes. Twice.”

  Gregory nodded. “Then you take the lead.” Just like that, Tyler found himself in charge. “Don’t worry. I’ll defer to you, and the men will follow.”

  “Okay. We assess and hit the ground running. These fires spread fast.” The siren roared, and Tyler yelled to be heard as they screamed down the highway, the column of black smoke getting thicker and closer. “Breathing gear, everyone. The smoke itself is toxic. Take no chances,” Tyler told the men, who all looked wide-eyed. They were ready and trained, but this was a different kind of animal from the fires they usually fought.

  As soon as the truck pulled to a stop, the chief rolled up, sirens blazing and jumped out of his car. “Get hoses on that blaze,” the chief ordered.

  “Belay that!” Tyler countermanded. “Get those hoses hooked up. Team one, you get water on that tank. Team two, the one over there.”

  “I said—” the chief yelled, muscling his way in.

  Tyler whirled around at him. He took a deep breath and made a split-second decision. His job was on the line here, but so was the safety of his men, as well as the people of the area. The longer this fire burned, the more people it would force from their homes as the smoke spread. “If you put water on that fire, it will fill the reservoir around the tank and spread the accelerant. That will only make things worse.” He turned away. “Get hoses on those nearest tanks. Cool them down now, or they will go.”

  Men raced to attach hoses and water sprayed upward, arching through the darkness, the flames glistening in the stream of water. It hit the tank and flowed down the side. A second did the same, cooling the neighboring tank.

  Another company arrived, and Tyler turned to Gregory. “Get them to put foam on the burning tank. It’s a petroleum fire. Water will spread it.” He turned to the chief, who absolutely seethed. “Chief, can you coordinate traffic and make sure all the companies are working together?” He had to give him something to do, but it was pretty clear that Chief Coburn was out of his depth.

  The company from MC East arrived, and Gregory got them spraying foam. The Ludington department arrived on the scene as well, adding more resources.

  “Why aren’t you putting out that fire?” Chief Coburn yelled, and headed to the first of his crew.

  “It’s already starting to burn out because there isn’t that much fuel,” Tyler told him. He really didn’t have the patience to instruct the chief on how to handle this kind of fire. “If those other tanks get too hot, the fuel will vaporize, and the explosion will take us all with them.” He pointed to the others. “They’re full.”

  The blown-out tank creaked, and parts of what was left fell into the reservoir, sending showers of burning liquid up into the air. Tyler jumped forward, grabbing the chief and one of the men next to him, yanking them back. The flaming missile missed them, but hit Tyler’s arm, setting it ablaze and blocking his ability to see.

  Almost instantly he was doused with foam, and the heat dissipated. He shook his arm, wiped off his mask, and continued directing the teams.

  “Captain,” Jerry called, tugging him back. “We got this.” He pointed to an ambulance. “Get it looked at.”

  Tyler knew it was procedure, and he trudged out of the fire area, pulling off his coat, which dripped the remnants of the foam.

  “It isn’t too bad. You were lucky.” The EMT looked him over and put some cream on his arm before wrapping it up. “Looks like the actual fire is dying,” she said.

  Tyler looked back, nodding. It was still very hot, but the flames weren’t rising nearly as high. “Yeah.” The foam was doing its job. And so was he. But the chief was going to have his balls, no doubt about it. It wasn’t going to matter to him that Tyler had been right or that the fire was under control and hadn’t spread. All that was going to matter to Chief Coburn was the fact that Tyler had been forced to countermand his orders. But he’d had no choice.

  “You’re good to go. Just make sure to keep your arm clean.”

  Tyler put his gear back on, ready to head back with his team. The chief barreled toward him like a bull, his eyes shining in the firelight.

  “Great job!” one of the commanders from Ludington said from next to him just as the chief arrived. They hadn’t been introduced, but he smiled as he took off his mask. “You handled this baby like it was nothing. This could have gone south real fast, but you had it under control before we got here.” He patted Tyler on the shoulder. “Were you hurt? We saw that you saved the others and took the hit yourself.”

  “Thanks,” Tyler said, and turned to the chief. “Are all the men okay?”

  The chief stood stock-still and then nodded. “It looks like we’re getting on top of this.”

  “We need to douse the fire,” Tyler said as he hurried back into the action. “Let’s get another team on foam, over there. Douse that pool and cut off the fuel supply.” He pointed, and a team sprang into action. Almost immediately the last of the flames began to die. Without fuel, the monster collapsed in on itself, the lights of the engines now illuminating the area. “Keep the hoses on the tanks until the heat dissipates,” Tyler told the teams, but soon enough he gave the okay to stand down, but to remain at the ready in case of flare-up.

  The adrenaline that had coursed through him began to ebb away. That was the moment they were trained to be aware of. All it took was a few seconds….

  The superstructure of the tank, damaged in the heat and explosion, collapsed on itself, metal against metal, creating sparks, reigniting the petroleum, sending a ball of heat fanning out in all directions as the residual combustible caught fire.

  Tyler was thrown to the ground and stayed where he was, his head spinning from the force of the blow. “Get those hoses back on those tanks.” Tyler had already been moving forward. “Keep them from overheating and get more foam!” He took charge, and thankfully the fire had given up the last of its strength. It died quickly just as Tyler’s feet gave out from under him.

  He remembered yelling and the fire, and then the ground suddenly rising u
p to meet him. Tyler lifted his head and lay back down, waiting for his vision and thoughts to clear. All he could think was that everything could go up in flames and they would all be toast. He had to get back on the job, had to make it safe for everyone, his men…. Alan, Abey… his son.

  Tyler realized he was being dragged across the ground and then he stopped. Lights flashed in his eyes and questions seemed aimed at him, so he answered, but everyone seemed far away.

  Chapter 10

  ALAN PACED the floor of Tyler’s living room before going out back. The glow to the west had dissipated, flared, and then dissipated once again. Alan kept his attention glued to the radio for any new information, but they just kept repeating the same piece of news every ten minutes, with little change.

  “The fire at the fuel storage depot is reportedly under control. The fire authorities report that the smoke has dissipated and evacuated residents are free to return to their homes. The cause of the fire, which left two firefighters injured, has not been determined, but there is speculation that one of the tanks was improperly emptied, which allowed fumes to build up in the tank. We’ll keep you apprised of this breaking story.” The station switched back to its normal blend of contemporary music, which seemed out of place when he was so damned worried.

  Alan reached for his phone to see if there was a message, but there was nothing. He hadn’t missed a text or a call, so he sent a text for Tyler to let him know that he was okay when he could. Then he set the phone on the coffee table, willing it to chime, but it remained silent. Alan wasn’t sure what the procedures were for finishing up a fire like this, but the more time that went by, the more he became convinced that part of the procedure had to be for them to let people know that they were okay. That only sent him into a spiral of worry.

  A knock on the door made him jump, and Alan hurried over and pulled it open. “Mrs. Banik.”

  “Where’s Abey?” she demanded.

  “He’s in bed. Tyler went to the fire, and I stayed here with him. He had to go in a hurry. Is Tyler all right?”

  Mrs. Banik shrugged. “He’s been taken to the hospital. They said that he was injured and is alive, but apparently he hit his head. The captain who called said he directed everyone until the fire was controlled and then collapsed onto the ground.” She sat down on the sofa.

  “Are you going up to see him?”

  “Yes. But I had to make sure Abey was okay. When I got the call, I had no idea where he was and I damn near panicked.” Her hand shook, and Alan went to get her a glass of water. She clutched it with both hands. Her phone rang, and she nearly dropped the glass. “Honey,” she answered. “Are you okay?” She practically slumped onto the cushions as she listened. “Oh thank God.” She paused, hand shaking slightly. “Do you need me to come pick you up? … I think I should. … All right. I’m at your house now.” She pursed her lips and then extended her hand. “He wants to talk to you.”

  “Tyler,” Alan said, half snatching the phone.

  “I’m okay. I got thrown to the ground and hit my head. They think I have a concussion, but other than a headache, I’m fine. I also burned my arm, but that’s going to be fine as well. The thing is, I may not have a job because I countermanded the chief. I had to. He was putting everyone at risk.”

  “Don’t worry about that. He can’t do anything without board approval as far as that is concerned. Do you need a ride home, or are they keeping you?”

  “Gregory will bring me back as soon as they release me. Is Abey okay?”

  “He’s still asleep, and he’ll be just fine. Are they expecting you at work tomorrow?”

  “Gregory said he already put me in for medical leave for a few days, so I’m going to stay at home with Abey.” He paused for a few seconds. “Okay, I have to go. But if you need to leave, I’m sure my mom can stay there.”

  “I’ll be here until you get home.” There was no way he was leaving. Alan needed to see that Tyler was still in one piece, just like he was pretty sure Tyler’s mom needed the same reassurance. He hung up and handed the phone back to Mrs. Banik. “Why don’t I make us some tea or something?”

  She nodded. “I spent a lot of nights sitting up like this. He was gone for three years, and every time there was a story on the news about wherever he was, I messaged him and stayed up until he responded.”

  “I’ll go see what Tyler has, and we can wait for him.” Alan found tea and got some water going on the stove. He also found some crackers and a few cookies. Carbs were good at a time like this, so he brought those too, giving Mrs. Banik a mug of tea. “Who knows how late he’s going to be.”

  “Do you have to work tomorrow?”

  Alan nodded. “I have to open the store at ten.” He also needed to drop off the files at the town hall. “It’s Marcie’s day off, so I have to be there. But hopefully Tyler will be okay, and after some rest, he’ll be more like himself.” Alan sipped his tea, making a face. He really didn’t care for tea, but he drank it anyway. “Did Tyler get any head injuries when he was in school?”

  “No. Did you?” she asked.

  “Thankfully no.” At least he didn’t have that hanging over him like a lot of guys did. Head injuries were common in some sports, and multiple injuries could lead to some pretty serious issues. “But he’s going to need to be careful after this.” He set the mug on the table. “Tyler sounded pretty okay. He was lucid and talking normally.” He was trying to reassure her as well as himself.

  Mrs. Banik’s phone dinged, as well as his. Tyler was on his way back, but it was going to take a little while to get there from the hospital. Alan sat on the sofa, sipping tea and absently eating some crackers until lights panned through the room and pulled into the drive. He jumped up and opened the door, waiting as Tyler slowly made his way up the drive.

  “I’m okay. My head feels like it’s been in a blender, but I’m okay.” He came inside and sat down with a sigh.

  “Dear… you….”

  “Mom, I’m okay. I hit my head, and the doctors want me to take it easy. I was able to get the job done and then my legs gave out. I’m going to be okay. I’ve had worse injuries than this before.” He sighed, and Alan brought him some water.

  “Did they say you could eat anything?”

  “My stomach isn’t upset, so I can have a little something.”

  Alan brought him a few crackers, and he nibbled. “You’re supposed to remain awake for a while too.”

  Tyler nodded slowly, his eyes already closing.

  “I’m going to take Abey home with me, and….”

  “No, Mom. Abey’s asleep and I don’t want to wake him. I’ll be fine, and I’m going to want to see him in the morning. Just go on home and get some rest, okay? There’s no need for you to sit up with me. I need to somehow stay awake for a few more hours, and then I’m going to bed.”

  “But you shouldn’t be alone.”

  Tyler caught Alan’s gaze and smiled weakly. “I’m not going to be alone. Alan is going to stay with me.”

  “Of course,” he said right away.

  “I don’t know…,” Mrs. Banik said.

  “Mom, I’m probably going to need you to help with Abey tomorrow, and I have to get to bed soon. Just get some rest. I’m going to be okay.” Tyler didn’t move, but his mom finally went toward the door.

  “Are you sure about this?”

  “It’s okay. I’ll be fine, and there’s no need to worry. I promise to call you in the morning to let you know that I’m all right, but there’s no need for you to sit up all night or try to sleep on the sofa. I’m going to stay up for as long as I can and then go to sleep. Alan will wake me a few times in the night to ensure I’m okay.”

  “But….” She opened her mouth, and Alan could just imagine the questions that ran through her head. “I see….”

  Alan supposed this was what parents looked like when they came face-to-face with the person their son was sleeping with. It was pretty easy to accept on paper, but to see it or to have it right in front
of you was a completely different thing.

  “Mom. It’s fine. I’m tired, and Abey loves Alan.”

  She swallowed. “But for him to see….”

  “Mom, I came into bed with you and Dad when I was a kid. Was there anything wrong or bad about that?” Tyler asked. “Of course not. You were my mom and dad, and you comforted me when things got scary. It’s the same thing, and Abey is perfectly fine, asleep in his bed. And you should be home, asleep in yours.” Tyler held his head in both hands. “I really can’t believe we’re having this conversation right now. I need to rest, and they said I could take some Tylenol. I’m going to do that, watch a little television, and then go to bed.” Tyler stood and slowly walked to the bathroom.

  “I care for Tyler… and Abey. It’s that simple. There’s nothing wrong or weird about it.” Alan followed Tyler with his gaze. “Now, please excuse me. I need to see that Tyler is okay and gets what he needs. I promise to take good care of him, and if anything happens, we’ll call. Both he and Abey are going to need you tomorrow. You need to be rested so you can help.”

  She nodded and quietly opened the front door. Alan saw her out and then checked that Tyler had taken his pills before getting him settled on the sofa with pillows and a blanket.

  “You know what would make this perfect?” Tyler asked as Alan stood next to him.

  “What do you need?”

  Tyler patted the cushion next to him.

  Alan smiled and carefully sat down so he didn’t jostle Tyler, then leaned close. “Is this better?”

  “Much,” Tyler whispered, and Alan could feel him relax. “I’m sorry about Mom. She… they aren’t used to seeing me with anyone, and I think it shocked her a little, even though she’s pretty supportive. They never met anyone I was dating before.” Tyler yawned and groaned. “That hurt.”

  Alan tugged him a little closer, and they sat quietly together. “Are you falling asleep?”

  “Yeah. I know they say I should try to stay awake, but I’m exhausted. It isn’t like I feel dizzy or my mind is cloudy—I’m only wiped out.”