Page 27 of Saved By the Firefighter

She steadies the clipboard we’re using and scribbles her answers on the homework sheet. Then, without prompting, she answers the next question, correctly writing that the story was about the Green Knight saving the river from drying up.

I give her a hug. “That’s right! Great work. Why were you so worried? You got this?”

She shrugs, a small pout forming on her lips. "I’m stupid.”

“What? Why would you think that?” I tip her chin to look at me. “Sweetie, why would you say that about yourself?”

“Mr. Harvey says I don’t listen and I get bad grades. I just get bored.”

“No, you’re not stupid. Don’t ever say that about yourself, okay? You’ve gotten all of the answers right today on your homework. I was just thinking about how smart you are.”

She glances up at me with big, sad eyes. “That’s because you’re here. I like having you here.”

I tap on the homework sheet, trying to get her focusing on that again because my heart is aching too much. I like Charlotte, too, but Jake was right about confusing her. This poor girl seems to be hurting for a maternal figure, and I’m still so curious about why her mother isn’t around. What does Charlotte do when Jake has to be gone for work? Doesn’t her mother pick her up then? Or is she stuck with babysitters? What about grandparents?

I still don’t know enough about Jake and I don’t like this feeling that my presence is making Charlotte think things that can’t happen—like me staying longer. For her sake, I think I need to think about heading out.

“How are you feeling?” I ask her after she finishes answering another question about the book we just read.

She stares at me for a moment. “Um, still sick.”

“What hurts?”

She coughs, but it feels a little forced. “My throat really—” Her attention shifts to the door.

Jake is leaning against the doorframe, his silhouette defined by the hall light. He’s observing us like he has been these past few days. He eats meals with me and Charlotte, and watched TV with us on the couch last night, but he’s been eerily silent, lingering on the sidelines. Our eyes meet for a second before he looks away, crossing his arms. I really wish he would stop wearing tank tops because those naked biceps are too much for me to handle.

Charlotte flashes him a smile and then coughs again, but it sounds about as genuine as a three-dollar bill.

“We have another book to read,” I tell him. “Care to join us?”

He’s still staring at the beige carpet as he shakes his head. “Just letting you know soup is almost ready.”

"Thank you." I offer a smile, hoping to coax one from him in return. No such luck. With a curt nod, he disappears down the hall.

I sigh, focusing on Charlotte. "Your daddy always seems…lost in thought."

Charlotte's gaze drifts to a dollhouse in the corner as she mutters, "Daddy's been grumpy since Mommy left."

My breath catches. Mommy left?

This feels like an opening to try to find out some more info because I haven’t seen any pictures of Charlotte’s mother hanging around. There was a turned-over picture frame on Jake’s nightstand when I was in his room, um, preoccupied with his body. But I figured that was a picture of his parents and he didn’t want their faces around while we did such unspeakable things to each other.

"That must be really tough," I say softly, unsure how far I can push without overstepping. "Do you miss her a lot?"

"Uh-huh" is all Charlotte gives me, sealing her lips as if they're under lock and key.

"Was your mommy funny? Did she read bedtime stories to you like we're doing?" I prod, nudging my glasses up my nose.

"Mommy was the best at voices," she whispers after a pause. “Do you want to see Mommy?”

“Um, sure.”

Charlotte hops off the bed with too much energy for a kid who is really so sick. She opens the door of her dollhouse and pulls out a locket. Then she bounces back to the bed, jumping onto it next to me. Yeah, this little girl is playing us now. I think she’s fully recovered.

“It’s hard to open,” she says, handing me the silver locket.

I press my thumbnail into the crack and pop it open. Inside is a picture of a woman with brown hair and eyes that are very much like Charlotte’s. An inscription opposite the picture reads: Sarah. Forever In Our Hearts.

---