CHAPTER 8
Matt's house...
Anna didn't know what to say. Avoiding to look at Sophia, she stared at the wall in front of her.
"Anna, who is that woman? Answer me, come on!" Sophia asked almost in a whisper.
"I don't know what you're talking about..." Anna had to lie to not get in trouble with her dad and Sophia.
"Don't play with me, girl, I've known you said to Matt you'd seen her...". Sophia turned Anna's chair to face her.
"Start talking, come one!"
"Sophia, I'm telling you the truth, please!" Anna looked down and tears filled her eyes.
Sophia squeezed Anna's hands. " Come on! Who is that girl? Tell me, if not...".
"If not, what Sophia?" said Matt angry. Anna ran towards him, hiding behind him as sobbing.
"Matt ...", Sophia overreacted again, she has no excuses.
"I think it's time for you to leave...".
Sophia walked out of the room, Matt sat Anna down on her bed and went after his girlfriend.
"Why didn't you ask me before going to Anna? She's a child." He was infuriated.
"I'm so sorry, I shouldn't-", he cut her off.
"I won't forget what happened here, ...you are smarter than that... How you could think it was okay to press my daughter when she can't even protect herself ?!".
"Look, please...I'm sorry Matt. We can fix it, right? " Sophia made a huge mistake.
"Sophia, we are done here. I wish you all the best, please get out of my house...".
She grabbed her purse, coat and slammed the door behind her.
When Anna heard the door she ran down the stairs. Matt knelt and she ran toward him. She hugged him. "Forgive me my love!" he could say.
"Daddy, I'm sorry!".
"Princess, you don't have to apologize, you know, right?"
"She asked me about that girl at the park, but I didn't say anything."
"You did right... This conversation concerns only you and me and no one else..."
"Okay, I'll finish my homework...". Matt stood up and Anna went to her room.
Later...
"Hi, Sev? Can you talk right now? Are you alone?"
"Yes, what's the problem?"
"Sophia was here and we broke up... I think she heard my conversation with you the other day and asked Anna and not me... Sophia held Anna's arms, intimidated her... I'm disgusted with her...".
"Man, I'm in shock, Anna is just a child...".
"I thought I knew her, but I was wrong". Casey heard something in the background, Shay's voice.
"Shay just arrived."
"Okay, we talk later..., thanks again for listening to me...".
"No problem."
...
Matt was waiting for Antonio in a cafeteria.
"Hey? How have you been?"
"Great, thank you, how about you?"
"Well, I can't wait to surprise my sister", Antonio was excited.
"Sorry, man, I think I'll take a few more days... One of my equipment is broken, but I'm taking care of it."
"No problem, so take your time."
"What do you think about my sister?" Matt choked up a little and shook his head.
"Cool, she is...".
"Beautiful?" Antonio said laughing.
"Yes, beautiful...", Matt wondered what was going on with Antonio.
"Don't be shy, she thought you are cute... Matt, I have to go, we talk later?"
Matt just nodded and stood there thinking about what Antonio said.
...
Molly's...
Molly's was crowded tonight...Today they were celebrating Shay's birthday with a Hawaiian night at the bar.
Shay was one of the owners and was against the idea to have the bar closed only because of her birthday, Hermann and Otis agreed with her.
The guys from truck and squad were together chatting when Shay finally arrived. Everyone started to cry out, whistled...
"Thank you! But where is my cake?" they all laughed.
Hermann came out of the crowd with the cake, they sang happy birthday for her, and Donna helped to serve the cake.
"Shay, your gift", Severide spoke up.
It was a heavy package, she opened it, "You know me very well, Sev...", he had bought her a fancy bottle of wine.
An hour late...
Severide and Casey were talking and Shay showed behind them. "When are you going to tell me?" she said.
"Tell you what?" Matt said before taking another sip of his drink.
"Nothing's happening, so there's nothing to tell...," Severide said looking at her.
"You know... I'll find out sooner or later", she winked and walked away.
"I'll get another beer...," Matt told Severide before getting up from his seat.
"Get me one, please."
"Hermann, please two beers!"
Matt looked around and couldn't believe whom he was seeing...Gabby. She was talking to a woman.
"Here, Lieutenant...".
"Thanks, Hermann...", he looked back at Gabby, she hadn't seen him yet.
"Casey, you won't believe what I just heard..." Severide said.
Casey was still looking at Gabby.
"What?" Severide exclaimed.
"It's her Severide, my mysterious girl, I mean: Gabriela...".
"Go talking to her. What are you waiting for?".
"Have you forgotten that I am Matthew Casey and Tom Miller for her?"
"Hmm, I see. Go ahead, I won't let anyone near you two... Don't miss this chance...".
"Ok, thanks!" said Matt before heading toward Gabby.
When Matt approached Gabby, she was alone, drinking her beer.
"Hey, excuse me..." he said.
"Hey, hi!" She was surprised to see him.
"May I?" He asked if he could sit down beside her.
"Oh, of course! Tom, right?"
"Yes, Tom!" said Matt feeling a little uncomfortable.
"How's going on... the apartment?" Gabby asked.
"It's going well and thanks again for your help that day!"
"It was nothing," she said laughing.
"So you're looking for another apartment?"
"Not for now. I don't think I can't find another like that one, you know, with a good value... Anyway, I've started to work, I'll save money to go hunt again...".
Matt looked at her so intensely that she looked away twice.
"I see...", suddenly, Cruz came out of nowhere and stood beside him, "Lieutenant, poker's night is at Mills's... Are you in?"
Matt froze, his secret was about to be revealed, though Severide came in to save his friend, "Cruz, you don't know what Otis made..., come one... ", they walked away with.
Gabby smiled at him, "Lieutenant, huh?"
"I'm a firefighter", Matt smiled back.
"You own a business, firefighter, what else is on that list?" she said flirting at the same time. "...Superhero in your free time?"
His heart melted even more for her.
"No, but maybe one day, who knows?" he said without taking his eyes off her.
Since Gabby broke up with Bryan, she was very hurt and struggling to trust people. Laura had told her that not all men were like Brian. It was the second time she met Tom, maybe it was a sign?
"I am a paramedic."
"A kind of superhero of real life, right?"
"Yes, I love what I do. There is no better thing in the world to do what you love and help people, at least that's what I think."
"I agree with you! I always wanted to be a firefighter, it is more than a job for me, there is no greater reward than save someone!"
Gabby will take a chance, she decided that very moment. Her heart melted with his words, he was honest about his feelings, she thought.
"I've never seen you before here. It's your first at Molly's? My friends own the bar...".
"Yeah, first time... My partner in ambo invited me, she loves it, so here I am."
"I like you came...," Matt said with a small smile, trying to understand his feelings for her.
"Me too...", gabby loved his eyes, she thought she had never seen such beautiful blue eyes.
"Gabby, shall we?" Denise interrupted them.
"Yeah...," she said looking at Denise and then looked back at Matt: " I have to go."
"Oh, yes, of course...".
Denise realized that she had interrupted something, "I'll wait for you in my car...".
"It was really nice to see you, Gabriela."
"It was a pleasure and you can call me Gabby."
"Gabby, can I have your phone number?" he said a little nervous.
"Please, don't call me to choose the color of the living room...", she said joking.
He laughed.
"... Hermann, you have a pen?"
"Here, Lieutenant."
"Thanks, Hermann!"
"Give me your hand," she said getting close to him. He stared at her as she wrote her phone... He wouldn't forget her perfume.
"Now, I have to go. Good night!"
"Good night, Gabby!"
As soon as she left, Severide walked up to him. "How was it?"
"Great, really great."