The Academy
A loud obnoxious sound invaded Jenny's dreams. She reached over and slammed her hand down on the alarm. Five in the morning was just too early, but she had to get up. She showered and changed into her business apparel consisting of black slacks and a red blouse. The letter said to wear business casual clothes for orientation day. She also had to put her hair into a bun so it would not touch her collar.
After checking herself in the mirror, she went back to her bedroom. She put her pillow in her blankets to make it look like she was still sleeping. She knew her father checked in on her occasionally before he left for work. She grabbed her book bag, which was loaded up with all her books and manuals, from her chair. She took a quick stop in the kitchen to get an apple before getting into her car.
She threw her bags into the back seat and quietly shut the door. Then she hopped into the front seat. She turned on the radio and left. She spent the entire drive singing and tapping to 80's music on the radio.
It was a little before six o'clock when she left the house and it was 06:30 when she arrived at the LA county fire academy. Orientation was to start at 7:00. There were several people who already showed up and were milling around the lobby.
"Thank God, there's another woman. Didn't want to be the only one dealing with all this testosterone! I'm Linda." The woman extended her hand and Jenny shook it. She was about the same height as Jenny with a little more weight and probably about six more years on her. She was a bit more loud and outgoing than Jen was. She had red hair that was cut short.
"Jenny. Nice to meet you." She had to admit, she was also relieved that she wasn't the only woman in class. A couple of guys walked past the two girl and let out a whistle. "How are we supposed to work with these guys if they're not going to respect us?"
Linda smiled. "Don't let the guys get to you, hon." She said quietly to Jen. "Nice butt!" She called out to the winkers. Both of them turned bright red. The two girls started to giggle. "That group of guys are pretty nice. I got here early and was talking with them."
The conversation in the lobby dissipated when a taller gentleman walked in with his blue pressed uniform and shiny medals hanging on his chest. He went around to different groups and introduced himself.
"Wonder who he is?" She pointed to the man. "Wonder if that's the chief. Hope he's not too tough on us." Linda laughed. Jen took a quick peak at the man and her fear was confirmed. It was Uncle Hank. She turned back and tried to think of a way to disappear.
Chief Stanley walked over to the two girls. "Hello. I'm Chief Stanley." He put out his hand and shook Linda's hand first. Jen didn't turn to look at him.
"I'm Linda Popp." She grasped his hand if shook it firmly. She wanted to let him know that she was strong enough to be here.
He gently shook his hand, trying to restore the blood flow. "And you are?" He asked Jen. She turned towards him, her head looking down at his shoes. His shoes sure shined, she thought.
"Unc...err Chief Stanley, I'm Jennifer Desoto." Their eyes locked. She held out her hand to shake and he took a moment, trying to get over himself, before he finally shook his hands. He didn't recognize the woman standing in front of him. His Jenny-Bean would always be his niece. The little girl who he would kiss her boo-boos to make them feel better. The little girl he'd give piggy-back rides. The little girl he throw up into the air and catch her.. Or wear his helmet to the point it covered her eyes.
"Nice to meet you Miss Desoto and Miss Popp. I know it is still pretty new for women to become firefighters, but I want you two to know that my door is always open, if you need any help at all." His eyes still focused on Jen, but her eyesight was focused on the plaque to the left of his head. She couldn't look him in the eyes.
Chief Stanley walked away and entered the class room. Everyone followed behind him. Name cards had been placed in alphabetical order and Jen found herself between Jared Carter, one of the men who whistled at her, and David Dixon. Linda sat a few rows in front of Jen.
It took the class about ten minutes to get seated and quieted down. And at 7:00 to the second, Hank Stanley was ready to go. He stood at the podium grasping the edges, making his knuckles turn white. To him, it was easier going into a building on fire than public speaking. But he'd have to get used to it.
"Hello everyone. I'm Chief Stanley. I apologize now for a somewhat tedious day." Hank looked around the room, but spent more time watching Jen chewing on her pen. He picked up a stack of papers that was on the paper and handed them to the first person in the row in front of him. "The forms are in alphabetical order. Your assigned squadron is on the first page. I'm passing out the forms that need to be filled out along with the daily schedule and what's going to be happening in the following weeks. We're going to be starting the first hour filling out the packet of forms. Then I will introduce the rest of the crew. They will be speaking about the history of firefighting and the LA county fire department. We will then get into your squads and allow you guys...and girls...time to get acquainted with one another through team building exercises. Then you'll get fitted into your turnout gear. We'll meet up again as a group and go over grading, rules, and so on. I'll be quiet now so you can get to work on all the forms."
Jen fingered through the paperwork before she actually started. She could feel the stare of the chief, but she was unable to look up. She began filling out the forms when Jared Carter decided to bother her. "So, Jennifer Lily Desoto." He read from the top of her medical form. "You haven't filled out the phone number part. Think you could give it to me. We could go out get a couple of beers. Maybe I could talk some sense into you about you thinking you can make it in the fire business." Jen ignored him. She grasped her pen even harder now to the point that her fingers ached.
Jen finished up all the paperwork early and decided to read the syllabus of the academy. The first week would be spent going over class room teachings, equipment check, and physical training sessions which will take place just about every day. The next week would be a test on the equipment check then lessons on SCBA, fire behavior, personal protective equipment and power tools. The week after will be about first aid, hose lay, and flashover behavior. Then it will be moved on to knots, rappelling, and ladders. A week of basic first aid, then live fires, extrication techniques. Everything between wildfires to forcible entry to fire checks on commercial buildings. Each week would have a test and each person had to score about an 80% on the first test. If they didn't they would have to take the test again. Another failure lead to academic probation. Another failed test is a swift exit from the academy.
At five til eight, Hank left the room to get the rest of the crew. He saw the six men that would be helping him. Firefighters Marco Lopez, Jeremy Wills, and Justin Holly, Engineer Chet Kelly, Captain John Gage. John Gage was called in as a last minute replacement for Michael Rowlings who broke his foot during a rappelling accident. Hank asked Gage and Roy if one of them could be an instructor while the other worked double shifts. Roy let Gage take the instructor spot after seeing Gage's face light up. "Marco, Chet, and John. I need to speak to you for a second." The group went off to the side of the room. Things got a bit complicated. Jen is one of the students."
The guys gave Hank a questioning look and then looked to each other for an explanation. Chet spoke up. "Cap...Chief. Who are you talking about?"
"Jenny-Bean...Jennifer Desoto. Roy's daughter. You twit! Did any of you know about this?" The guys just shook there heads.
"Chief, are you sure? Roy wouldda told me if Jenny was going to the academy!"
"The more I think about the less I think she told anyone about it. So, now that we know one of the students personally, I must remind you all not to make it any easier on her or to make her special. Alright." The guys just nodded. "Let's go talk fire history."
The group went into the classroom. Jennifer saw a few more uncles and cursed out loud. "Damn!" David and Jared looked at her. Jared got a big smile on his face.
"You just realized it was a mistake not giving me your number, huh. Baby, I'm big on forgiveness, so you can just give me you're number before you leave," Jared said with a smirk on his face.
Jen turned to him. Her heart was racing and her palms were sweating. "Shut up. Just shut up and leave me alone." She could have kicked herself for blanking out at the picnic a few days before. She probably could have had a little bit of warning if she paid attention to the guys talking about how excited they were about heading up the class.
"Alright class. I first want to introduce Station 51 B shift Captain John Gage. He's replacing Michael Rowlings as an instructor. Captain Rowlings is currently recuperating from a leg injury." Jen looked at her top sheet to realize that her squad leader was now Uncle Johnny and that the squads were divided up by last names. She was going to be stuck with Jared Carter for the next twelve weeks.
Hank introduced the rest of the guys to the class and all the guys except for Johnny gave the history on the fire service starting with Benjamin Franklin being the father of firefighting to the newest equipment and everything between.
Next, each squad went outside to do their team bonding. John started with an ice breaker of your name, where are you from, and some of you favorite things from color, music, tv shows, and places. When Jen was about to speak on her favorite color, Jared interrupted by saying "her favorite color is pink."
"Nice guess. It's blue. Just like the sky." She wasn't going to start a word war with him. He wasn't worth her time. But she wished she could've said the same for Linda.
"You jerk. You're supposed to catch me. How can I trust you if you drop me!" Mark was supposed to catch her while Linda fell back. This was going to hurt their trust issues. Linda yelled to Mark Rupp. The guy she said had a nice butt. Marco had his hands full trying to calm Linda down. Hank stepped over to set things straight with Mark.
After Hank realized there was enough bonding for one day, he rounded up the the students so they could try on the turnouts, get issued their SCBA equipment, and their locker. After that was done, the group was then lectured on the correct way to address the cadre and captain during the academy, the grading policy, and the dress code.
The class was then dismissed. Jen said her good byes to Linda and the people in her squadron she could tolerate. The cadre were at the opposite end of the building discussing their first day and preparing for the next.
Jen realized during the lecture that she had to clear the air with her uncles. And hopefully prevent them from spilling the beans. She'd especially have to look out for Uncle Johnny. She walked down the hallway and went into the office area. There were seven cubicles scattered around. "Can I help you miss? I'm sorry I don't remember your name."
Firefighter Holly, I'm Jennifer Desoto. I was hoping to speak to Chief Stanley, sir.." She stood up straight.
"Hey Hank. You have a visitor. Miss Jennifer Desoto." Hank came from the back of the room. Marco, John, and Chet came in closer to hear the discussion. He motioned for her to follow him back to his desk in the back corner. He sat down at his desk and motioned for her to sit down in front of his desk. She was starting to get nervous because Hank had not said anything to her.
She sat down and opened her mouth. Then shut it. She didn't know where to start. "Chief Stanley..." God, how she hated being so impersonal with the man who saw her butt naked when she was child during her "I hate diapers" phase. He just looked at her while she concentrated on picking her cuticles. She closed her eyes and took a big breath. "I couldn't face my dad. I couldn't tell him that I wanted to do a job where he saw a few of his friends die, especially not after Roger Whitney."
"So, Roy doesn't know anything? What does he think you're doing?"
"Dad thinks I'm in school getting a head start on nursing classes. I'd like it to stay that way. So, please don't tell him about this. And that includes you guys as well." Marco, Chet, and John stepped out from behind the thin wall.
"He's going to find out eventually Jenny." Hank said. The guys were quiet, trying to take a cue from the chief.
"I don't want him to know until after I graduate. It's no secret he doesn't want me to join and I don't want to risk him talking me out of it. Please, don't tell him."
Hank took a few seconds to think. He knew that he would do everything in his power to stop Jen. There were countless nights where Hank counseled Roy after Roger Whitney's death. And many times it ended with not being able to protect someone's son. And how he was worried that he would not be able to protect his own children. Hank wouldn't even now how to tell Roy that his baby girl was going into a dangerous field of work.
"I won't say anything to him, but I wish you would."
A/N: Sorry for the slow update. Things should hopefully pick up after my finals week and time to kill on road trips to football games. I would love it if you left a little review. Comments, criticisms, thumbs up or down, are all appreciated. Have a great day everyone!