Page 18 of Phoenix Rising

Becky continued across the firehouse, talking about every single detail. Lucinda followed along and asked specific questions if she was confused. Becky liked that she was trying her best to understand.

Then, the alarm blared.

Lucinda jumped at the sudden sound. Immediately, Becky turned off her easy, joking demeanor and turned back into a raging leader. "Keep behind me. People will be down here to head out any moment."

Lucinda shifted behind Becky, whose arms were folded across her chest.

Leilani and Ember burst from inside the firehouse, dressed only in a shirt and pants. Captain Carter followed closely behind.

"Captain, report!" Becky bellowed over the shrill alarm.

"Medical emergency. The ambulance was called, but we're closer. We're only four blocks away. It sounds like a heart attack." Carter swung onto the truck after Leilani, and Ember fired up the engine.

Becky gave the team a thumbs-up before the truck peeled out of the station, its yellow lights bouncing off the glass windows.

"Should I have gone with them?" Lucinda asked uneasily.

Becky turned off the firehouse alarm, covering the station in silence once again. "Why?"

"They said it was a medical emergency. I could have helped," Lucinda said, looking after the truck.

Becky couldn't help the soft smile that grew on her lips. "They are more than capable of handling this. In this country our firefighters have medical training too. Don't worry." Her fingers grazed Lucinda's. "Let me show you the rest of the place."

Becky held the door open to the living quarters.

"Aren't you nervous about your daughter going out there every day?" Lucinda climbed the steps.

Becky pulled her eyes away from the swell of Lucinda's ass in front of her. "Excuse me?"

Lucinda stopped at the top of the stairs and turned around. "This is a dangerous job. It must be hard to send your daughter out to fires, no?"

Becky contemplated her words. "When Ember told me she wanted to be a firefighter, I told her no. I couldn't stand the thought of my baby trapped in a house of flames." Becky rubbed the back of her neck. "But she told me that she really wanted to help people. She wanted to protect the city just like her mom." Becky shrugged. "Who was I to stand in her way?"

"So you're not afraid of her getting hurt?" Lucinda's perfume wrapped around Becky's skin.

"Oh no. I'm fucking terrified every day." Becky laughed half-heartedly. "Ember got injured a while back. Bad." She shuddered at the memory. "I thought...well, we all thought she was a goner. But Josephine—Dr. Mars, saved her."

Lucinda's gray eyes widened. "Dr. Mars operated on her own partner?"

"Yep." Becky popped the 'p.' "No one else was available, and Ember was..."

Becky didn't like to talk about that day. She didn't even discuss it with Ember. But somethingabout Lucinda made Becky want to unveil all her thoughts, wishes, and secrets.

"Anyway, she survived. Obviously."

"And you still let her go out there." A statement, not a question.

"She is a grown woman. And is a lot more sensible these days. Josephine has been a very positive influence on her. She doesn’t have the kamikaze streak she once did.” Becky walked through the living area. Old bags of popcorn and empty soda cans were strewn about. Firefighters were a messy bunch. "I don't think I could stop her if I tried. She's a lot like me in that way."

"How so?" Lucinda leaned against the wall. A few pictures of past firefighting teams swayed gently behind her.

"Well, I don't know if you've noticed, but I can be a bit..." Becky waved her hand in the air, searching for the word.

"Headstrong? Stubborn?" Lucinda smiled.

"Relax, Lucinda. I thought we were friends now." Becky shifted closer to her and was pleasantly surprised when the doctor didn't pull back.

"Dr. Everett." She blinked at Becky. "We're in the office."

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