The Fighting Russell

1

It was an early summer morning in Chicago, and I was getting up to go and have a shower before I headed out to work for my 24-hour shift. After a quick shower, I put my hair into a French plait, put my uniform on along with my CFD jacket, put my boot on and tied my laces, grabbed my bag along with my keys and headed out the door and made my way to my black SUV and headed to the firehouse. Upon arriving, I see my work brother Severide standing out the back of the firehouse, I thought it would be funny to scare him, so I quietly got out of my car, closed the door without slamming it, and started creeping up behind him and jumped on his back.

"Jeez Russell, don't scare me like that," Kelly said.

"Sorry bro, I just thought it would be funny," I said, jumping off his back and heading to the locker room. I place my back in my locker, along with my jacket, and make sure that my phone is in my trouser pocket before heading to the common room to see the others this fine morning. As I'm leaving the locker room, I feel my phone buzzing in my pocket and I look at the caller ID and it is my brother, George. I answer the phone as I'm walking into the common room.

Sophia: Afternoon Georgie, you alright?

George: Morning Soph, I'm good, how are you?

Sophia: Yeah, I'm good, on a 24-hour shift today, so it going to be long.

Everyone in the common room is looking at me and is probably wondering who I'm talking to. Most likely because of my accent change. This is because I sound more British when I'm speaking on the phone and a little bit more American when I'm at work.

George: When are you coming home to visit? I miss you so much and it's almost been two years.

Sophia: I'm not sure George, I'm trying to get time off, but CFD are being quite strict lately and I'm hoping to get some time off in the next couple of months.

George: Why can I hear yelling in the background?

Sophia: Well that's Casey, yelling a Cruz because Cruz burnt the food again, so I'm going to have to go because I need to keep the situation under control before it turns into a bitch fight and firefighters in a verbal bitch fight tend not to end well, so I'll call you later in the week and send my love to mum, dad, Cara and Benjy and all the Formula One lot.

George: Will do, bye.

I hang up the phone, put my phone back in my pocket and look at every one.

"Well good morning, everyone, sorry about that was, my brother who lives 4000 miles away, just calling to see how I was, and he knows not to call me in the next 24 hours but hey, I've got my family away from home," I said to everyone that was in the common room. I walk over to the table, pull out the chair and sit next to my two best friends, Brett and Gabby.

"You alright Soph?" Brett asked.

"Yeah, I'm good. Can't wait for this shift to be over with, because tomorrow evening, I'm flying back to the UK to go to the British Grand Prix and to surprise my brother in the paddock or his garage" I said to the two paramedics.

But what no one knows is that I am leaving CFD in the 3 months' time, because I want to be closer to my family and all my friends in Formula One, Two and Three. Being a firefighter and saving lives is amazing but the real dream is getting back into racing and being able to race alongside of my brother and all my friends.

"How long are you going to be gone for?" Gabby asks.

"I'm going for 8 days. So, I'll be back by the end of next week" I replied just as the bell rang, but it was for the ambo to go out.