Page 129 of Engulfing Emma

“Hey, guys,” Lisa says, with Kelly and Rachel not far behind her. “You want to go to lunch?”

Becca looks at the time. “But I just got here.”

Rachel laughs. “We can’t help it if that husband of yours keeps you up so late that you don’t make it here until noon. Go drop your stuff in your classroom. You can start organizing after lunch.”

“Better yet,” I say. “Leave it here and get it after. Come on. It’s been three weeks since we’ve all been together for Taco Tuesday.”

“But it’s Thursday,” Becca says.

“Whatever. We can hit the Mexican place across the street.”

Lisa looks down the hallway. “Is your husband here?” Then she laughs. “I think it’s going to take me a while to get used to calling Jordan that.”

“You and me both,” Becca says. “I left him home in bed. He says he doesn’t need much time to get his classroom in order.”

“Men,” Rachel says.

“Yeah, he’ll probably do it the day the students come back,” Becca says. “Teaching fifth grade issomuch easier than first and second.”

“But not as rewarding,” I say.

I lock up my room and we head out of the building and cross the street.

“Anyone for margaritas?” Lisa asks. “It will be a long time until we can drink at lunch again.”

We all nod.

We’re finishing lunch and working on our second pitcher when something on the television draws my attention. I get up and go over to it.

A building is on fire. Atallbuilding. In Brooklyn. My heart races and my eyes are glued to the screen. I read the closed captioning, trying to pick out information as it scrolls across the bottom of the screen.What building? Where in Brooklyn?

I feel like I’m going to be sick when I finally recognize where it is. And I don’t just feel sick because of flashbacks or irrational fears. I feel sick because Brett is on duty today.

The news camera is showing dozens of fire trucks and police cars. They pan by them too fast for me to see if Squad 13 is there. But I know it is. Even if Brett is out on another call, he’ll eventually show up at this one. That’s how it works when they have a three-alarm fire.

“Turn it up,” I say to a passing waitress. “Can you please turn up the volume?”

“I’m sorry. We aren’t allowed to do that.”

“That’s ridiculous!” I say, hearing the panic in my voice.

Someone comes up behind me, putting an arm around my shoulders. “I’m sure everything is under control.”

“Under control? Fire is spewing out of the windows twenty stories up. Look at it, Lisa. Does that look like it’s under control?”

“Maybe he’s not even there,” she says.

Tears well up in my eyes. “He’s there. He and every other firefighter in Brooklyn.” I head for the door. “I have to go over there.”

“You can’t,” Becca says. “You know you won’t get close. It looks like they’ve got the entire block cordoned off.”

I look at my shaking hands. “I’ll go home then. I can’t go back to work.”

My friends look at each other like they don’t know what to do. “We’ll go with you,” Lisa says.

“No. You guys get your classrooms ready. I’ll call Ivy or Sara. They’re married to men at the firehouse.”

“I’m not letting you go home alone,” Becca says. She turns to the others. “You guys go ahead. I’ll make sure she’s okay.”

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