Taking Care of Their Own
Chapter 2
Michael was helping Jimmy clean up the kitchen after dinner. Jimmy noticed that Michael kept munching on the leftover stew as he was drying the dishes. He reached up and grabbed a bowl, dumped half of the leftover stew in it, covered it and made a mental note to bring it over to Katy when he brought Michael home later.
"Hey, Sport," said Jimmy. "Ready to work on those knots again?" Michael nodded and, after putting the last of the dried dishes away for Jimmy, ran past him to the apparatus bay to get the practice ropes with a big smile on his face. Jimmy had been teaching Michael the knots that firefighters use every day in their job.
Katy had left about a half hour ago with the other kids, Kim helping her drag them home reluctantly, leaving Michael to hang around the firehouse with the guys. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jimmy thought back on the fun that everyone had at dinner sitting around the huge table, joking and kidding and passing the food back and forth. They had actually managed to make it through a meal without getting interrupted with a call. Everyone had taken turns playing with the kids and no one was really sure whether the kids or the crew had more fun. The kids were in the TV room, playing and watching one of the many cartoon videos that the guys had brought in from home for when the kids from the neighborhood dropped in to visit.
Katy had wandered out into the apparatus bay and was standing in front of Mark's gear locker, still full of his gear. No one had wanted to empty it out, the finality of the action too much to bear.
Jimmy walked up behind her and quietly said, "Hey." Katy jumped a little and turned toward him, "Hey yourself," she smiled sadly. "Thanks for dinner. It was great."
Jimmy nodded and watched as Katy walked over to the plaque that Jimmy had made in honor of those they lost in the attacks of September 11. She ran her fingers across Mark's name, a tear escaping down her cheek, despite how hard she tried to hold them at bay. Even though it tore her apart, she longed to come here - to this place, this job that Mark had loved with all his heart. She was secretly grateful for the invites to visit.
Jimmy started to turn and walk away to give her some privacy when he heard her quietly say, "I guess I should clear out Mark's stuff from his locker." She was referring to his locker in the bunkroom upstairs where members kept personal items for use when they were working - extra clothes, personal items, pictures of wives, kids, girlfriends and boyfriends. Jimmy put a hand on Katy's shoulder and said, "I can do that for you, Katy. Or, I can help you with it if you want me to." She put her hand over his on her shoulder and said, "That's okay. I'll do it. Can you keep an eye on the kids for me?" He squeezed her shoulder again, "Sure. Call me if you need me." He watched her walk toward the stairs, stopping by the trashcan to pick up the empty box that was lying along side of it.
Jimmy still missed Mark so much. They were best friends. They had grown up together and couldn't believe their good fortune at both of them being stationed at the 5-5. "He shouldn't have been there," Jimmy thought to himself. He was in the area because he was at the travel agency. He had been planning a surprise vacation for Katy. He was going to give her six months after the baby was born and then her parents and his parents were going to split up taking care of the kids while he took her away for a week. They hadn't had a vacation since their honeymoon. He loved his life and he loved his kids, but Mark had been craving some alone time with Katy. Then the attacks happened. He hadn't hesitated. There were eyewitnesses that remembered him running into the World Trade Center buildings to help the injured escape. He had entered and re-entered the buildings numerous times, carrying out those who were unable to make it out on their own. Jimmy remembered the sense of relief when he was found in the rubble that had once been the Towers - he was able to have a proper burial - something too many families were denied. Katy had received the tickets and brochures in the mail, addressed to Mark, two months after Stephanie's birth. They sat, unused, in Mark's dresser at home.
Jimmy had come out to check on Katy and found her standing at the open overhead door, looking up at the sky, the now-full box on the floor at her feet. Jimmy walked up to her and looked up. "You okay?" he asked her. She just shook her head no and turned into him. He took her in his arms and held her, letting her cry for as long as she needed to. Matthew had come out looking for his mother and before Kim could corral him back into the other room he saw his mother crying.
Kim knelt down alongside Matthew and he looked at her questioningly, "What's wrong with Mommy?"
"Well, Mommy is feeling a little sad. You know how sometimes you miss your Daddy more than usual and it makes you cry?" Matthew nodded. "Well, that's what Mommy is feeling right now. You know how your Mom holds you when you feel sad and it makes you feel a little better? Jimmy is trying to make Mommy feel a little better." Matthew walked over to where Jimmy and Katy stood. He saw that Jimmy was crying too and he wrapped his arms around them both at knee level. They each reached an arm down and enveloped the boy. Kim walked in to check on the other two kids. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Michael and Jimmy were sitting out in front of the firehouse, working on the knots and enjoying the night air. "That's right, now just bring it through that hole and you got it," encouraged Jimmy, as he heard a phone ringing inside the firehouse. "I did it!" Michael yelled proudly, high- fiving Jimmy. He had been working on learning how to make the quick escape harness that the firefighters wore when they entered burning buildings in case they got cut off and had to make a quick escape out a window. It had been giving him a lot of trouble, but he finally figured it out. "Way to go," said Jimmy.
Jimmy looked at the clock and realized that it was 9:30. "Wow! We gotta get you home Mikey," said Jimmy as D.K. yelled out to him, "Katy said she's gonna file a missing person's report if you don't bring her kid back to her!" They both laughed and Jimmy said, "Tell her we already left!"
Michael and Jimmy put their chairs back inside the firehouse and turned to head home. Jimmy stopped quickly, saying, "Hang on Mikey. I put some leftover stew in a bowl for you to take home. You can have some for lunch tomorrow or something," he called over his shoulder as he ran back to the kitchen to grab the dish. He returned quickly and the two headed over to Michael's house.
Katy was waiting in the doorway, the three younger children already in bed and fast asleep. "Sorry Katy. We just kinda lost track of time," said Jimmy, apologetically, handing her the bowl of leftovers. She smiled and nodded as Michael jumped in with, "Mom, I finally did that knot!" She hugged her son, "Great job, Mikey. I knew you could do it if you just kept trying. Now go ahead and wash up, brush your teeth and put on your PJs. You can take a bath tomorrow. I'll be up in a minute to tuck you in," she said as Michael yelled over his shoulder, "Ok! Bye Jimmy!" Katy cringed at the level of his voice and loudly whispered, "You better not wake up that baby!" She laughed and looked back at Jimmy who was still waiting to be scolded for keeping her son out so late.
"It's okay. He doesn't have to get up early tomorrow and I figured you guys were just hangin' out," she said, forgiving him. He noticed that her eyes were red and still wet. He looked past her to see the box of Mark's belongings spread out on the couch and coffee table. She must have been going through everything, remembering. Jimmy nodded and said, "Well, g'night Katy. Tell Mikey I said goodnight." Just as he finished the sentence, he heard the sound of the air horn and the distinctive sound of the engine as it revved up. The crew was letting Jimmy know they had a job.
Jimmy jumped down off the steps saying, "Gotta go to work!" He turned and headed across the street. "Be careful," Katy called after him. He waved over his shoulder and was jumping into the truck as D.K. handed him his turnout gear and said, "Apartment building." Michael was watching the truck pull out from his bedroom window upstairs, remembering all the times that his father had waved up at him, knowing that his son was looking out the window waiting for his wave as he went to a job.
The Lieutenant turned toward the crew and said, "Dispatcher is getting numerous calls. There's smoke and fire showing. The building is being evacuated." The crew made last minute adjustments to their gear, put on their "game faces," and mentally prepared to go to work. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ TBC.
Chapter 2
Michael was helping Jimmy clean up the kitchen after dinner. Jimmy noticed that Michael kept munching on the leftover stew as he was drying the dishes. He reached up and grabbed a bowl, dumped half of the leftover stew in it, covered it and made a mental note to bring it over to Katy when he brought Michael home later.
"Hey, Sport," said Jimmy. "Ready to work on those knots again?" Michael nodded and, after putting the last of the dried dishes away for Jimmy, ran past him to the apparatus bay to get the practice ropes with a big smile on his face. Jimmy had been teaching Michael the knots that firefighters use every day in their job.
Katy had left about a half hour ago with the other kids, Kim helping her drag them home reluctantly, leaving Michael to hang around the firehouse with the guys. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jimmy thought back on the fun that everyone had at dinner sitting around the huge table, joking and kidding and passing the food back and forth. They had actually managed to make it through a meal without getting interrupted with a call. Everyone had taken turns playing with the kids and no one was really sure whether the kids or the crew had more fun. The kids were in the TV room, playing and watching one of the many cartoon videos that the guys had brought in from home for when the kids from the neighborhood dropped in to visit.
Katy had wandered out into the apparatus bay and was standing in front of Mark's gear locker, still full of his gear. No one had wanted to empty it out, the finality of the action too much to bear.
Jimmy walked up behind her and quietly said, "Hey." Katy jumped a little and turned toward him, "Hey yourself," she smiled sadly. "Thanks for dinner. It was great."
Jimmy nodded and watched as Katy walked over to the plaque that Jimmy had made in honor of those they lost in the attacks of September 11. She ran her fingers across Mark's name, a tear escaping down her cheek, despite how hard she tried to hold them at bay. Even though it tore her apart, she longed to come here - to this place, this job that Mark had loved with all his heart. She was secretly grateful for the invites to visit.
Jimmy started to turn and walk away to give her some privacy when he heard her quietly say, "I guess I should clear out Mark's stuff from his locker." She was referring to his locker in the bunkroom upstairs where members kept personal items for use when they were working - extra clothes, personal items, pictures of wives, kids, girlfriends and boyfriends. Jimmy put a hand on Katy's shoulder and said, "I can do that for you, Katy. Or, I can help you with it if you want me to." She put her hand over his on her shoulder and said, "That's okay. I'll do it. Can you keep an eye on the kids for me?" He squeezed her shoulder again, "Sure. Call me if you need me." He watched her walk toward the stairs, stopping by the trashcan to pick up the empty box that was lying along side of it.
Jimmy still missed Mark so much. They were best friends. They had grown up together and couldn't believe their good fortune at both of them being stationed at the 5-5. "He shouldn't have been there," Jimmy thought to himself. He was in the area because he was at the travel agency. He had been planning a surprise vacation for Katy. He was going to give her six months after the baby was born and then her parents and his parents were going to split up taking care of the kids while he took her away for a week. They hadn't had a vacation since their honeymoon. He loved his life and he loved his kids, but Mark had been craving some alone time with Katy. Then the attacks happened. He hadn't hesitated. There were eyewitnesses that remembered him running into the World Trade Center buildings to help the injured escape. He had entered and re-entered the buildings numerous times, carrying out those who were unable to make it out on their own. Jimmy remembered the sense of relief when he was found in the rubble that had once been the Towers - he was able to have a proper burial - something too many families were denied. Katy had received the tickets and brochures in the mail, addressed to Mark, two months after Stephanie's birth. They sat, unused, in Mark's dresser at home.
Jimmy had come out to check on Katy and found her standing at the open overhead door, looking up at the sky, the now-full box on the floor at her feet. Jimmy walked up to her and looked up. "You okay?" he asked her. She just shook her head no and turned into him. He took her in his arms and held her, letting her cry for as long as she needed to. Matthew had come out looking for his mother and before Kim could corral him back into the other room he saw his mother crying.
Kim knelt down alongside Matthew and he looked at her questioningly, "What's wrong with Mommy?"
"Well, Mommy is feeling a little sad. You know how sometimes you miss your Daddy more than usual and it makes you cry?" Matthew nodded. "Well, that's what Mommy is feeling right now. You know how your Mom holds you when you feel sad and it makes you feel a little better? Jimmy is trying to make Mommy feel a little better." Matthew walked over to where Jimmy and Katy stood. He saw that Jimmy was crying too and he wrapped his arms around them both at knee level. They each reached an arm down and enveloped the boy. Kim walked in to check on the other two kids. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Michael and Jimmy were sitting out in front of the firehouse, working on the knots and enjoying the night air. "That's right, now just bring it through that hole and you got it," encouraged Jimmy, as he heard a phone ringing inside the firehouse. "I did it!" Michael yelled proudly, high- fiving Jimmy. He had been working on learning how to make the quick escape harness that the firefighters wore when they entered burning buildings in case they got cut off and had to make a quick escape out a window. It had been giving him a lot of trouble, but he finally figured it out. "Way to go," said Jimmy.
Jimmy looked at the clock and realized that it was 9:30. "Wow! We gotta get you home Mikey," said Jimmy as D.K. yelled out to him, "Katy said she's gonna file a missing person's report if you don't bring her kid back to her!" They both laughed and Jimmy said, "Tell her we already left!"
Michael and Jimmy put their chairs back inside the firehouse and turned to head home. Jimmy stopped quickly, saying, "Hang on Mikey. I put some leftover stew in a bowl for you to take home. You can have some for lunch tomorrow or something," he called over his shoulder as he ran back to the kitchen to grab the dish. He returned quickly and the two headed over to Michael's house.
Katy was waiting in the doorway, the three younger children already in bed and fast asleep. "Sorry Katy. We just kinda lost track of time," said Jimmy, apologetically, handing her the bowl of leftovers. She smiled and nodded as Michael jumped in with, "Mom, I finally did that knot!" She hugged her son, "Great job, Mikey. I knew you could do it if you just kept trying. Now go ahead and wash up, brush your teeth and put on your PJs. You can take a bath tomorrow. I'll be up in a minute to tuck you in," she said as Michael yelled over his shoulder, "Ok! Bye Jimmy!" Katy cringed at the level of his voice and loudly whispered, "You better not wake up that baby!" She laughed and looked back at Jimmy who was still waiting to be scolded for keeping her son out so late.
"It's okay. He doesn't have to get up early tomorrow and I figured you guys were just hangin' out," she said, forgiving him. He noticed that her eyes were red and still wet. He looked past her to see the box of Mark's belongings spread out on the couch and coffee table. She must have been going through everything, remembering. Jimmy nodded and said, "Well, g'night Katy. Tell Mikey I said goodnight." Just as he finished the sentence, he heard the sound of the air horn and the distinctive sound of the engine as it revved up. The crew was letting Jimmy know they had a job.
Jimmy jumped down off the steps saying, "Gotta go to work!" He turned and headed across the street. "Be careful," Katy called after him. He waved over his shoulder and was jumping into the truck as D.K. handed him his turnout gear and said, "Apartment building." Michael was watching the truck pull out from his bedroom window upstairs, remembering all the times that his father had waved up at him, knowing that his son was looking out the window waiting for his wave as he went to a job.
The Lieutenant turned toward the crew and said, "Dispatcher is getting numerous calls. There's smoke and fire showing. The building is being evacuated." The crew made last minute adjustments to their gear, put on their "game faces," and mentally prepared to go to work. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ TBC.