Chapter 29
Buffy aimed the hose at the engine and watched the stream of water make its way down from the roof to the body. She reached for the bucket and sponge and started scrubbing the roof.
"Hey, Rodriguez, get down from there!" Evans called to her. "Your center of gravity is off. You're gonna fall if you're not careful!"
Buffy looked down at him. "Engine needs washed, Evans. My week to scrub."
"Yeah, but you can't! I mean, you might fall. We can't risk you getting hurt." He stepped up beside her. "Get down, I've got this."
Buffy sighed. "Evans, I'm pregnant, not an invalid. I can wash the engine."
"That's exactly my point, you're pregnant. You or the baby could get hurt if you fall. Why don't you wash the Chief's buggy?"
Buffy stepped down and sighed. "You know, I'm really getting tired of being House Bitch," she grumbled. "And I'm getting tired of all of you treating me like I'm made of glass."
"Just watching out for you, Rodriguez. Enjoy it while you can because once you get back from maternity, it'll be balls to the wall again."
"And I can't wait."
She started off to wash the Chief's SUV. She had no sooner gotten the hose on it then Welch walked up. "Hey, Mama. Let me do that."
"No," she insisted. "I can handle it."
"Rodriguez-"he started.
"No, Welch. I can do this. I need to do this."
Welch looked at her. She was frustrated and pissed. Anyone could see that. "Ok," he said as he backed off. She obviously wasn't going to tell him, but he had his suspicions.
"Tired of being House Bitch, huh?"
She stopped scrubbing.
"It's procedure, Rodriguez. It's nothing against you."
"I know. But it sucks getting to watch you guys all go out and I'm stuck here babysitting the dog."
He smiled. "The dog likes it when you're here. He knows he's gonna get treats."
"You know he likes to watch the Judge shows? He seems to have a big crush on Judge Milian."
Welch laughed and handed her the hose. "He's got good taste."
Buffy looked over at him. "Never thought of you as the redhead type, Lieutenant. Thought you'd go for tall leggy blondes."
He shook his head. "Nothing up there. At least with a redhead you have some spice."
"And a lot of fire."
"That too."
She dropped the sponge into the bucket as soon as she heard the tones drop. "Better hustle, Lieutenant. It sounds like a bad one."
Welch handed her the hose. "We'll be careful. I'll make sure they all come back in one piece. Don't worry."
Buffy moved out of the way. The Chief would be heading for the SUV in a second. She unhooked the hose from the spigot. "But I do worry," she said as she watched them head out to the fire.
Back inside, she made a cup of decaf tea and curled up in front of the TV with Sparky. He whimpered and glanced at the remote. "Oh, Okay," she conceded as she flipped the channel. "But just remember that this is only going to go on as long as I'm stuck here with you. Once I'm back on truck, you're going to have to find someone else to flip your channels."
