Page 48 of Scorched Hearts

Elle got into her wheelchair, wiping her face. “Sweaty.”

“That’s good! It’s like working out. The more effort you put in, the more you’ll get out of it. You’re making real progress, Elle.”

“All thanks to you,” she said simply.

Chatting, they went out of the clinic. Elle was still getting used to being in a wheelchair. The world around her looked very different from its perspective, and going through the streets in a sitting position still often caught her off guard. She couldn’t drive, which grieved her tremendously, and had to order Ubers that would be accessible to her, which often meant waiting longer than usual. Because of all the obstacles, she didn’t like going out alone. Sometimes a bunch of her friends would come visit and go out with her. She had to be careful not to drink and choose venues that would be wheelchair accessible. The inability to walk opened her eyes to many issues she wouldn’t have thought of otherwise. At first, her house hadn’t been wheelchair accessible, so she and Maya had to install a ramp. She tried going upstairs on her own many times, but she’d get tired midway.

She felt strange about her legs being fully able to walk, only her brain not knowing how to use them. It was as if she’d gone back to being a baby again, unable to climb the stairs and having to rely on the help of others.

On the other hand, this experience had made her ask for help so many times that she’d finally had to learn to accept it. She’d grown more comfortable with asking for help, even if she still disliked it tremendously and would rather suffer. Everything came to her little by little. Accepting help and being able to walk again, she knew she’d manage both. Especially having Maya by her side. Their relationship had flourished despite the workload Maya was under, and Elle appreciated every single moment they got to spend together, no matter how brief or sparse.

She got out of the van, thanked the driver, and rode up to her house. Strangely, ever since she’d come back from the hospital in a wheelchair, Mrs. Dumas had kept quiet around her. No bickering or unpleasantries, not a single thing muttered under her breath. Maybe she thought that at the end of the day firefighters did deserve the pay that they got.

If I were her I’d feel silly too, Elle thought.

Mrs. Dumas’s kids also appeared more polite, and the entire situation made Elle laugh a little whenever she would see them getting back from work, mowing their lawn, or whatever other family activity they partook in while making sure the entire neighborhood saw them. Sometimes she felt sorry for Mrs. Dumas. Her husband was almost never to be found doing the work around the kids. It was always she alone.

Elle’s house stood as empty as always. She was getting sick of the solitude of it, the space that wasn’t shared with anyone. It felt wrong to have the entire house to herself. Unnecessarily grandiose. She thought of selling it, of suggesting Maya to move in together into something they’d build. To have a home, like a real adult couple. She couldn’t wait to see Maya again and discuss it with her, do something about all this emptiness. She was supposed to visit in the evening, but the day stretched like warm caramel, early afternoon golden with mature sunrays.

Elle’s phone rang.

“Yes, Captain Ramirez?” she said in an all too happy tone. She lived for these phone calls, learning how the brigade were doing, how big or small the progress was. She felt as if a part of her rested there at the station, though she couldn’t get back to it.

“Hi, Rodriguez.”

She heard the familiar voice and couldn’t help smiling.“

“How is your physiotherapy going?”

“It’s going as fast as it can. Which is not very quickly.” Elle sighed. “How is the team doing?”

“Everyone is missing you. Especially in the truck. You know O’Malley will never be as good a driver as you were.” Were stung Elle’s heart. She had to get used to her current life, but a part of her still yearned for the thrill of action.

“That’s just obvious,” she joked. “I hope I can get back someday.”

“We all do.” Ramirez paused for a moment, and Elle felt she had something on her mind. But Ramirez couldn’t be rushed, and she knew that eventually she’d tell her. They rested quietly on the line for a while, enjoying the momentary comfortable silence.

“Listen,” Ramirez began. “I have an offer for you.”

“Oh really?” Elle’s interest was piqued. “What is it?”

“I think it would do you good to do some work. I know you must be bored nuts right now, the only thing on your mind being rehabilitation. A woman can go insane this way, so I thought I’d talk to my superiors.”

“And?”

“I have a job for you. A desk job, but it’s all I can offer you for now. Once you’re back on your feet, literally, you’ll be able to join us again as a firefighter.” Ramirez seemed proud of her suggestion, waiting excitedly for Elle to speak.

“A desk job? What kind of desk job?”

“Talent management. You would take care of newcomers to our brigade. Isn’t that exciting? Judging people as a job? I think you’d be a perfect fit. On a more serious note, your achievements and years of experience would make you a valuable asset.”

Elle sank into thought, never having considered working a desk job. She definitely had never considered hearing such an offer from Ramirez, but then, everything changes, and nothing should surprise her at this point.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity, Captain, I’ll think about it. I’ll let you know in the coming days. Is that all right?” She didn’t sound convinced, but her words were sincere. She wanted to give it fair consideration, and she trusted Ramiez to know what she was saying.

“I know it’s definitely a change from what you’re used to. But sometimes changes are good, don’t forget. You may learn something new, so give it some thought and don’t hesitate to let me know. I’ll support you either way.”

“Thanks, Captain,” Elle got slightly flustered, never knowing what to say in the face of such sincerity from Ramirez. Ever since her injury, their relationship had grown all the more affectionate.

---