Danny held his 3 year old daughter, Anna in his arms, rocking her back and forth trying to ease her crying. He looked over at his wife, how was sitting on the curb with her arms wrapped around their 7 year old son Mateo. They could feel the heat radiate off the inferno that used to be their house. The fire trucks and emergency vehicles pulling in and out.
He knew deep in his heart this day would come. He knew when Lindsay was putting away laundry and found matches in his son's drawer. He knew when he went out back and found his son lighting another pack of matches in the back yard. He knew when he saw the look of amazement on his son's face that this day would come.
They had taken him to counseling a few weeks ago, but after that initial session Lindsay said he was never going back there again.
"There is nothing wrong with my son!" she said through gritted teeth in as hushed a voice as she could. "We are good parents!"
"I know we are baby. And I'm not saying there is anything wrong with OUR son," he said back. "But I've seen that look before. Not from Mateo, but Louie. When we were kids Louie, had a fascination with fire. And he had that same look that Matty gets. I was young but that is a look I will never forget."
"So because your good for nothing brother liked fire, my son needs to see a therapist?"
"I just want to take a precaution," Danny sighed; he really hated sometimes how much of a Messer his son truly was. "Lou ended up burning down grandpa's work barn one summer. I just don't want Mat to go through that."
He walked over to where his wife and son sat on the curb. He set Anna on her wobbly legs and bent down to pick his crying son up. He looked at Lindsay, and saw the heart break on her face, their son's actions scaring her.
"Daddy? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to. Please don't hate me," Mateo sobbed into his shoulder.
"It's okay buddy. Daddy doesn't hate you, I could never hate you. You're my son Mateo, you always will be. I love you son. We are gonna be okay, all 4 of us," Danny soothed his son, "All that matters to me is that you, your mama and sister are okay."
The next day Lindsay lay curled up into Danny in the guest bed at Flack and Stella's, "I never thought…" Lindsay began her voice tight and trembly.
"It's gonna be okay, Montana. My family is safe, that's all that matters," he said softly into her hair.
"I'm gonna call the counselors office again today," she said, "Make him another appointment."
"I'm sorry he has so much Messer in him," Danny said sadly.
"There are plenty of good Messer things about him though Dan," she said kissing his cheek, "He is a good kid, just needs a little help."
Prompt from allunwritten smg./albums/v635/ladyaduial/AllUnwritten/?actionview¤tfire-fighters.jpg