Always You

Chapter 20

{Layla}

As the fire engine cuts through the traffic, racing towards our destination my mind is stuck back at the station. She loves me, she actually loves me. Those three words made me happier than I ever thought was possible. I was in a euphoric bubble. The girl of my dreams loved me back and her adorable child in my arms. It felt like we were a real family.

Then reality took hold.

I'm in a fast-moving truck on-route to a serious fire. People have been killed on the job in less dangerous settings than this. I'd just got this ready-made family and now I was risking my life. What is wrong with me?

"Stepho, how do you do it?"

"Do what?"

"How do you come to work every day with a family at home?" I ask. Stepho was married with two kids, he had a family yet still did his job.

"I'll admit that I did question my career a few times, like when my wife and I said our vows, or when my kids were born. I love my family and of course don't want to leave them. Maybe part of it is a bit selfish, I love my job, I love the comradery. Then I think about the lives we help. Someone has got to do the job why not me. It also helps my amazing wife completely understands and told me to stop talking stupid when I thought about quitting and get back to work." He chuckles. "Things getting serious with the two of you?"

"She told me she loved me for the first time."

He nods sagely. "I think that was obvious to us all when she turned up to check you were okay. The only times her eyes left you were to look at that little girl of hers. Who is a little sweetie, by the way."

"Isn't she?" I smile. It's not just Meg I would be leaving if something happened to me it would be Abby as well, that kid has had my heart since the first time I met her, I don't want to hurt either of them.

"Look take it from someone with a bit of experience. Worrying about this now isn't going to do anything but put you in danger. For now, you need to focus on the job, when you get home, because you will get home, then you and the misses can have a talk."

I nod and try to calm my mind.

{Twelve years earlier}

All my confidence from the day before flew out the window upon our untimely wake-up call. The girls had been up late talking as it was; then I stayed up a little later with Meg. I don't know what came over me with the cover of darkness. First, I held her hand in the cinema then with everyone else asleep I asked her for a kiss. Oh, that kiss. I finally understand why people are obsessed with kissing because that was beyond words.

The boys were given the very strict instructions that yesterday was girls day and they had to stay away. Somewhere in translation the boys interpreted that as come wake us up at eight in the morning. I mean eight? really? When we don't have school? What kind of teenagers are these boys?

They didn't half-arse the wake-up call either. It was full-on loud and annoying. A sure way to make sure nobody would not be awoken by their antics.

I was enjoying watching Meg's sleepy confusion up until the moment Dan sat down next to her. Maybe if it was just him sitting there, what I can only describe as jealousy, might not have flared up as it did. What made me queasy was watching him put his arm around her and ask her gently if she had a good time. I know he's very protective of her and he practically had to talk her into coming out in the first place. These are all valid reasons but I want to put my arm around her.

After some of the excitement has worn off. Translation, Jada and Amelia have stopped yelling at the guys. Partly from ruining the end of girl's day and mostly from being caught in pyjamas. Breakfast is being made for the eight of us.