Disclaimer: All recognisable character belong to HiT Entertainment. All OCs belong to me.

Chapter 19

"She's so cute!" I whispered as I snuggled Sarah close to my chest. My new-born niece was sleeping contently in my arms. Bronwyn and the twins had arrived home from hospital the day before, and all of them were rather tired. Bronwyn was asleep upstairs, and so Charlie was feeding James from a bottle.

"I hope they don't stay this young for long," Charlie said. "I've found I'm not very good at changing nappies."

I chuckled just as the phone rang. Balancing Sarah with one arm, I picked up the receiver.

"Hello?"

"Sam? It's mum. Can you come home for dinner now, please? Dr Roberts is joining us."

I raised my eyebrows in surprise. I couldn't remember Dr Roberts ever being invited to dine with us. It was most unusual.

"Uh…sure. I'll be there soon."

Mum hung up without saying goodbye. I put down the receiver.

"Mum wants me to go home now. Do you want me to put Sarah in her cot?"

"Yes, please. Just be careful when you go upstairs."

I nodded before I carefully carried Sarah upstairs to the nursery.

…

About ten minutes later, I arrived home. I found mum just putting the finishing touches to the dinner table.

"Why is Doctor Roberts coming for dinner, mum?"

"I have some things I need to discuss with him, so I thought we could do that after dinner. It was just easier to have him around. He's in the sitting room with your father. Can you please go and tell them that dinner is ready?"

"Sure."

I headed into the sitting room. "Dinner's ready," I announced.

Before long, the four of us were seated at the table. Once we'd helped ourselves to whatever we wanted, the conversation began. It soon became clear that mum had an ulterior motive for inviting Dr Roberts for dinner.

"Sam's going to be graduating at the end of June," mum began. "Two days after his birthday as well."

"And he's going to be the youngest student to ever graduate from the Newtown Grammar School," dad added proudly.

"That's only because I was moved up a grade, remember?"

"Have you given much thought as to what you want to do for a career, Sam?" Dr Roberts asked.

"I have, actually."

Now it was mum's turn to raise her eyebrows in surprise. "Oh? You've never said anything. What do you want to do?"

"I want to become a fireman."

Mum's fork fell from her hand. It clanged loudly when it hit the floorboards. Dad leaned over to pick it up.

"Well that's…different," Dr Roberts managed to say.

I looked down at my plate. This was not the reaction I'd been expecting. "What's wrong with me wanting to become a fireman?"

"Oh, Sam!" mum exclaimed. "You're too smart to waste your life doing THAT! I want you to go to Oxford or Cambridge."

"Your school principle told us the other day that you're on track to get dux of your class," dad added. "If you get that, you'll get a scholarship to Cardiff University."

"Your parents want you to become a doctor, Sam," Dr Roberts explained.

What? I gulped to try and control the anger that was starting to rage inside me. I took a sip of water before I spoke. "Well, that isn't what I want to do. It's my life, and nothing you say will make me change my mind."

"You were almost killed in the house fire, Sam!" mum blurted out. "Do you honestly imagine that we could live with the thought of you being surrounded by flames every single day?"

I exhaled deeply with frustration. "But that's exactly why I want to do this, mum! It's so I can help save lives, just like Fireman Steele saved mine."

Mum bristled. "I will NOT let you join the fire brigade, Samuel, and that's final!"

I stood up so abruptly that my chair fell over backwards. "And I will NEVER become a doctor!" I shouted. "You know I faint every time I get a needle. How on earth do you expect me to be able to give what I can't take myself? I am sick and tired of having you always telling me what to do! Just because you were never good enough to become a doctor, that doesn't mean that I have to do it for you!"

Mum's jaw dropped in astonishment. But before she could speak, Dad stood up as well. He pointed towards the stairs.

"Go to your room, Samuel! I will not let you speak to your mother like that, especially in front of a guest!"

"Don't mind me," Dr Roberts muttered. "I'm enjoying this!"

I glared furiously at my parents. "Make me," I said so coldly that I could have formed a wall off ice between us. Then, I turned and ran out of the house through the front door.

"Sam? Come back here this instant!" I heard mum yelling as the door slammed closed behind me.

I continued running, up the street and down towards the quay. I had no idea where I was going, nor did I care. All I knew was that I had to get away from that atmosphere.

Somehow, I ended up down at the beach. I started walking along the edge, avoiding the water as it lapped in and out with the gentle, rolling waves. I enjoyed being down on the beach at night, especially when there was a full moon like tonight. I took my time, wandering aimlessly back and forth along the shore. Now I wish that I hadn't told my parents about my desire to become a fireman. However, my biggest regret was that I'd allowed myself to lose my temper. Mum and I were both equally as stubborn as each other, so I knew there was no easy way out of this.

Finally, after I'd been walking for over an hour, I decided to turn back. I'd calmed down by now, and I was regretting not wearing a coat. Even though it was late springtime, it was a cool night, and a strong wind was blowing on the beach. I wrapped my arms around myself, to help keep myself warm.

I was halfway back to the quay, when I saw lights coming towards me. One of the lights hit me full in the face, making me flinch and look away.

"Sam?"

It was Fireman Steele. I walked over to him and Station Officer Boyce.

"Are you okay?" Station Officer Boyce asked.

I nodded. "I just needed some time to myself."

Fireman Steele wrapped a blanket around my shoulders. "You shouldn't have run off like that. Your parents are worried sick!"

I decided to keep my thoughts to myself this time. I knew I was too outspoken, and it was time I learned to just not say anything if I didn't need to. Station Officer Boyce and Fireman Steele escorted me over to the quay. As we climbed the stairs, I saw my family standing at the top of the stairs.

"See?" Charlie said proudly to mum and dad. "I told you he'd be down on the beach or in the forest."

"Lucky he was on the beach," Fireman Steele said. "We might never have found him in the forest."

"Is he okay, Station Officer Boyce?" mum asked. I could hear the concern in her voice.

"Yes. He's just a bit cold."

Reluctantly, I climbed the rest of the stairs, and I let mum embrace me. "I'm sorry I yelled at you, mum," I apologised. "But that doesn't mean I've changed my mind."

"We'll talk about it later," mum replied. "Let's get you home."

"Don't think for a moment that you've escaped punishment, Sam," dad warned.

I didn't. As soon as we got home, dad took me upstairs to my room where he gave me three solid hits with his belt. It was rare for him to belt me, so I was left in tears by the time he was done. Since I was still only fourteen, I didn't feel like I was too old to receive such a punishment. And I knew that I'd thoroughly deserved it.

Mum came to see me after a little while. I'd stopped crying by then, and I was lying on my bed, studying.

"When's your last exam?"

"Tomorrow. Then, we're just going to have fun for the rest of the week. After that, I'll be on holidays until September."

Knowing that I'd be sore after dad's punishment, mum gently removed my shoes for me. "You know I only want what's best for you, Sam. As the oldest, Charlie was destined to inherit your father's business. But you have the opportunity to do something worthwhile with your life. I just don't want to see you waste it on a job that isn't going to provide you with much income."

"Money doesn't buy happiness," I replied without looking up from my book.

"Honestly, I think you're smart enough to become a scientist," mum muttered. "That's enough studying now. Time for bed."

I didn't bother protesting. As I sat up, mum planted a gentle kiss on my forehead.

"Good night."

"Nos da."

…

A few days later, on my way home from school, I made a detour to the fire station. I found Fireman Steele inside the engine bay, testing some equipment.

"Hello Fireman Steele," I greeted him.

"Hi Sam. I hope you've recovered from your little adventure the other night?"

"Honestly, you all made a big fuss over nothing. I could never get lost around Pontypandy. I know many places that you don't. But I didn't come here to discuss that."

"Well, I'm afraid I don't have any jobs for you right now."

"I've come to see Station Officer Boyce."

"Oh? He's in his office. Follow me."

Fireman Steele escorted me to Station Officer Boyce's office. The door was open, so he knocked lightly on it.

Station Officer Boyce looked up. "Oh, hello, Sam. What can I do for you?"

I took a few steps into the office. "I'd like to know how I would go about applying to join the fire service, please."

Station Officer Boyce smiled. "So, you've definitely decided that you want to become a fireman then?"

"Yes. The only problem is, my parents don't want me to join. I'm going to need their permission, aren't I?"

"Yes, I'm afraid so, since you're under eighteen. And that's another problem. You do need to be at least seventeen and a half before you can apply to join the service. They won't take you before that age."

"Oh." I immediately felt bitterly disappointed.

Station Officer Boyce stood up and he went over to one of the filing cabinets. "Don't be upset. There is one option open to you. You are old enough to become a Fire Cadet."

"What's that?"

Station Officer Boyce removed a sheet of paper from the filing cabinet, and he handed it to me before he answered. "It's a basic training program for teenagers. You'll need to attend a fire station once a week for three hours, where you'll get to learn how to use most of the equipment. If you do well in that, and you still want to continue your career as a fireman, you will stand a good chance of being selected to join a fire training academy."

"I like the sound of that. Thanks. No doubt mum will still want me to attend university though…"

"If you attend university in Cardiff, you could attend a Fire Cadet course at a station there," Station Officer Boyce suggested. "Cardiff is probably the best place for you to train as a fireman. You'll learn ten times more there than you could ever hope to learn at the Newtown Academy."

I nodded. What Station Officer Boyce said made sense. Since grandad lived in Cardiff, I knew I could live with him, and I could undertake fireman training without my parents even knowing. Plus, I could still study just like mum wanted me to do, and I would earn a degree that I could fall back on if I needed it. It was a win-win situation for everyone.

"Thank you for your help, Station Officer Boyce. I think I know what to do now."

"You're welcome. And good luck. I know you'll make a brilliant fireman one day."

"I hope so too," I said as I left the office.