Page 37 of Where There's Smoke…
“Thanks, but I’ve learned my lesson about that,” I tell them. I sigh. “I really should’ve just escorted her outside.”
“Yeah, you should have,” Kentrell nods. “Why didn’t you?”
I don’t say anything as I think back. The front door was a couple of feet away, and all I could think about was getting her out. I wasn’t paying attention to what was happening around me, and that’s how I missed the beam falling until I was trapped underneath it. I didn’t even register to just go with her. I missed so many steps in the protocol, and was lucky I didn’t lose my job.
Iknowthe main priority is always to get the civilians to safety first. I messed that up when I didn’t immediately take her to safety, and in turn, I got hurt, and everything fell apart. My mood shifts again, and I feel like shit. Damn, I’d just gotten out of this funk, and now I was back again.
“Hey,” Emerson calls, and I look over at him. “Stop beating yourself up about it. It was only a minute in time. Things could’ve been worse, but they weren’t. Remember that.”
I nod, and Kentrell motions for me to stand. I do, but look at him skeptically. He doesn’t say anything as he and the others lead me out to the living room, where I’m shocked to see a plethora of food.
I don’t hesitate as I sit down on one of the sofas. Emerson passes me a plate and cutlery before taking a seat beside me. We devour the food as we catch up with one another. They let me know that Uncle Sol had called in temporary firefighters from the city to work today, just so they could come to check on me. I appreciated that even if I didn’t admit it.
Once all the food was gone, we decided to head out to do a bit of fishing. Much like Angel, they were confused about why I didn’t keep the fish instead of tossing them back. I took the time to explain to them everything as I had explained to her, and although Kentrell and Jed still thought it was strange, Emerson understood.
“We all need a hobby to keep our minds off stressful situations and anxiety-inducing thoughts,” he nodded as he looked out over the lake. “Mine is skating.”
“Skating?” I asked, genuinely shocked. He nodded before turning to me with a smile. “Since when?”
“Well, I’ve always loved skating since I was younger,” he admitted. “The rink in my hometown was like a safe haven for queer kids like me. It was one of the few things that brought joy to my depressing ass life, especially after I came out to my parents, and they disowned me on the spot. The owners at the rink never treated me differently because I was trans or pan. They never treated any of us any differently and constantly supported us. They’re the ones that told me about Tucker.”
“Really?”
“Yeah,” he nods with a smile. “Honestly, at first, I thought it was a myth. A progressive small town where queer Black and Brown folks are the majority? That was some shit you read in fiction books. So, imagine my surprise when I finally moved here after graduating from college and realized how real it was. I love it here. However, it would be even better if y’all had a rink so I wouldn’t have to drive an hour to skate.”
He laughs, and I join in because he was right. Although this town had a lot going for it, we still didn’t have as many entertainment venues as they did in the big city or the next town. If we wanted to play mini golf or skate or see a movie that wasn’t at the local drive-in, we had to travel to do so. I mean, Tucker was still a fairly new town, just making fifty-five this year. We had a ways to go, but we were getting there.
“Well, I’m glad you found your way down here,” I assure him with a smile.
“Right, because now I don’t have to suffer alone whenever Jed’s tone-deaf ass tries to hold a tune,” Kentrell jokes, causing Jed to roll his eyes.
“Aye, y’all stay playing with me, but I could’ve very well been a popular K-Pop idol by now had my parents moved back to Korea when I was in high school,” he argues, but we all fall out laughing.
“Man, they would’ve cut your ass as soon as you hit the first note,” I tease. “K-Pop idol, my ass.”
“Man, whatever. Y’all don’t see the vision,” he grumbles, waving him off. He sighs deeply before turning to me. “Phee, how long until the action happens?”
“You can’t rush fishing, Jed,” I chuckle, shaking my head. “It’s all about patience, my friend.”
“Did Angel like this when you brought her out here that one time?” He asks me skeptically. All I could do was smile and nod at the memory.
“Oh, she loved it,” I chuckled. “I mean, at first she was hesitant, but she loved learning about the things that I enjoy, and we ended up having a great time.”
“That woman really loves you,” Emerson smiles. “Y’all were really made for each other.”
“Yeah,” I say, smiling to myself. “That’s my soul, and...”
My heart beats wildly against my chest as that craving starts to build up in my chest. It turned into an ache, and I knew that I’d spent too long away from the love of my life. I look around as they’re all waiting for me to continue. The more I think about it, the more I realize that it was time for me to head back. Fuck waiting until tomorrow.
“And it’s time for this little retreat to end,” I say, standing. “Come on, let’s go.”
“Wait, what about the fish?” Kentrell asks as I begin to reel in my line. They all follow suit.
“Honestly, fuck them fish. I miss my girlfriend, and now I’m anxious to see her, so let’s go. Fuck a break.”
They laugh and take turns teasing me as we head back to the shore. I pack all of my things and make sure all of the lights and appliances are turned off or unplugged. After locking up, I toss my bag into my truck and usher Nori into the passenger seat. My stomach was doing flips as we rode back toward Tucker.
I couldn’t wait to see my Angel.
