Page 4 of Slammed Into Inferno

Two weeks later, I am sitting behind the nurse’s station, simply charting away from the last patient I checked on. Okay, well, my favorite patient on the entire floor, who is the sweetest twelve-year-old boy. Like I have said, working in pediatrics is hard because no child should ever be this sick and well, Luca is vastly sick. He has leukemia, and this is round two for him. His parents said the first round when he was five was scary as it should have been, and the medication worked. Now, seven years later, it is back, and it came back even more aggressive. I am charting away and Sophia strolls back, bopping around the corner with the biggest smile I have ever seen on her.

I look up at her, “What has you smiling like a schoolgirl?”

“Oh, you did not hear?” Sophia is smiling like a kid on Christmas morning.

“Hear what?” asking her, worried because it could mean several things.

“Today, my friend, we are getting visitors from the hottest fire department on this side of the city. Engine Fourteen, or as most women in Boston with a pulse, calls them, Smoke Eaters. I am telling you, Evie, these men are so fine it should be a crime. They do a calendar every year for fundraising for their firehouse, andgood godit sells out in thirty seconds. I was lucky to snag one a few years back. Best investment,” Sophia’s eyes are wide as ever when she tells me the news.

“Okay, Soph.” She glared at me for my reaction to her. I have no idea what is so great about this firehouse.

Ugh, why did I agree to work three twelve hours in a row? I need the money to pay for the amazing apartment I have as well as the city of Boston is not cheap. Also, I have the tendency to always say yes when a shift needs to be covered. Some call me a pushover, I call it wanting to be financially independent with the amount of money I will be making. It makes me think if I ever do take a traveling nursing job, I won’t need to take overtime, I will make more for just signing with the company. The thought has crossed my mind a time or two as it is offered here. After I am done checking the supply closet, I notice the nurse’s station has many women surrounding it.

“Umm what is this, Grace?” Confused to what has everyone in a tizzy. I mean is what Sophia told me true? If not, why everyone is acting crazy…. right?

“I am sure Sophia told you about Engine Fourteen. Well, they are due any moment. They are the engine that does a lot of volunteering monthly. They like coming here and talking with the kids. It brightens up the kids whole day and for once they can forget how sick they are.” And now Grace is all big eyed too over this? Oh Lord.

“Wow, this is pretty outstanding.” Ding. Two elevators as pop open and out steps the Smoke Eaters as Soph said to me earlier. Doesn’t everyone have work to do? Jeez, it is only a group of men doing some volunteering. Keep your panties on ladies. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Soph smiling. She must have spotted a firefighter she likes. Knowing her, they will be in her or his bed tonight. You get on with your bad self, Soph.

“Evie, I guess we haveslammed intoeach other again.” Hearing that deep Boston accent which has been haunting my dreams since we last met. I mean, how on earth can this man be so beautiful in jeans and in an Engine Fourteen hoodie with a backwards hat.

I turn and smile, “Declan, hey! So, you work on Engine Fourteen?”

He chuckles, “Yeah, I do. The boys and I are doing our monthly volunteering and we come here the most. The kids are so cool and if we can make their day a little brighter, then we have done our job right.”

What he is saying hits me in the heart. Not only is this man beautiful as he is caring for others. Completely opposite of Jake in every single way. I would not catch Jake volunteering, let alone put someone else before him.

Someone clears their throat at the corner of the nurse’s station, “Yo, eyes off my girl!” I turn to see it is my favorite patient, Luca.

I laugh, “Luca, this is my friend Declan who is here volunteering today.”

Luca narrows his eyes and crosses his arms, “All right. Friends are cool. Nothing else, man. Evie is my main girl, all right? I know I may be young, but the heart wants what the heart wants. So, watch yourself, brother.”

Declan smiles at him. “I hear ya my man. You got great taste my man and I agree. Need to lock it down!”

Sighing, I stare at both. “Luca, we have talked about this.”

“Girl, I can wait!” Luca winks at me as he says he will wait.

“Okay, prince charming, let’s go see what is happening in the common room. And no clown mask today. My heart cannot take you jumping out of any spaces again today,” I tell him guiding him down the hall.

“Ugh Evie, you take away all the fun,” Luca wines.

“One, Luca, I need to change and flush your port for your next round of chemo tomorrow since you were being a big baby about it earlier and I need to get your new medicine to prep for tomorrow too. I had to bribe you with my mom’s famous chocolate chip cookies. Two, clowns are so creepy and stop doing it. I almost had a heart attack earlier. And thirdly, I will not sneak in your favorite ice cream tonight before Debbie’s shift. So, if I were you, I would get my butt in gear.” Debbie is so judgmental and most of the kids cannot stand her because she does everything by the book, with no exceptions. These kids are sick enough. They should be having fun, seeing as they are stuck within these walls.

“Deal and one kiss on the cheek too,” he says with a wink.

“We’ll see. Now go before I tell Debbie you are the one who pulled the prank in Joey’s room.” I cross my arms at him.

“Blasphemy, Evie! You wound me. Fine, I will go. You promise me rocky road ice cream, if I was nice today.” He grabs his chest, acting hurt. Okay buddy, keep up the act, although we both know I will get him the ice cream.

“Dude, you know rocky road is girl ice cream. I consider myself a chocolate fudge man.” Declan speaks up and continues to say, “I know, it is so damn good I can see what the fuss is about it.” Declan's fists bumps Luca.

Luca finally makes his way to the common room. Declan waits until he is out of earshot. “So, you’re spoken for, huh?”

“Funny… uh, no. He is one of the sweetest kids, and it is a harmless crush, I’m sure,” I whisper. Luca is only a kid, not even a teenager… yet, and his cancer has returned even more aggressive this round.

“I can see why the kid has a crush.” His right dimple pops when he smiles. Damn dimple. I can feel my face turn beat red in front of this gorgeous man. And of course, the one day where I gave two shits in my appearance. This is what three, twelve- hour shifts in a row has me looking like; my hair is in a messy bun with strands falling out all around, no make-up, glasses, scrub pants with a long sleeve gray shirt and my Tufts Children's fleece vest. Thank goodness he did not see me dressed up as Bat Girl yesterday for my sweet five-year-old girl who had her third surgery to remove her bone tumor on her right arm. Poor thing. Now, in hindsight maybe it would have been a better look than what I am rocking now.

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