Family Is Forever ~ A One Chicago Story

Chapter 73 - Dinner

"Its about time" Kelly says as Liam and I walk into the common room at 51

"Oh well next time give me more notice" I shoot back at him putting some bags down on the kitchen counter

"Noted" he replies laughing "now I suggest you get started as the others will be back soon

We quickly get started making pizza and garlic bread, by we I mean me all Liam could properly cook was pasta from a bag and as Kelly had already said he couldn't be bothered.

It had just set the dough aside to prove and was about to start on the garlic bread when capp cruz and tony wander into the common room.

"So I take it this is your grand plan to get us out of cooking Lieutenant" Tony says laughing.

"When I have a free day in the foreseeable future I'm teaching you guys to cook" I tell them all

"and that goes for you too Halstead" I say pointing my wooden spoon at him.

Liam was sat on the counter behind me scrolling on his phone not paying attention to anything that was going on and looked up when he heard his name

"What did you say baby?" I roll my eyes at him as the squad guys laugh.

We continue cooking for about 20 minutes before truck, engine and Ambo pull back onto the apparatus floor.

"Really Kelly" mum says as soon as she sees me and Liam

"What" Kelly says defensively "its not as if Jess took much persuasion all I had to do was let her drive my rig"

"He's got a point" I say smiling at my mum

"Yeah but really you could have just done it yourself or even got the candidate to do it" dad says hugging me

Kelly has a reply to this to

"1 I couldn't be bothered and 2 we can all agree the candidates cooking is nearly as bad as cruzs"

"And you'll never guess what" Liam says from behind me looming up from his phone

"What?" I reply

"The candidates dad is actually a chef"

This makes everyone laugh. It's a good job that Diaz wasn't in the room as he might have had something to say about Liam shading him.

_________________

Dinner goes down very well with 51 and as always I get lots of positive feedback.

"Jess I still think you should have become a chef" capp says as he helps hims self to his third lot of pizza

"Yeah, but I cook for fun not because I have to" I reply "anyway moving on Kelly, when can I drive the rig"

Kelly looks up from his phone (I think he and Stella were texting each other from opposite ends of the table but choose not to comment on it)

"Your not going to let it go now are you" he says sighing

"Nope" I reply putting emphasis on the p

"Its late now but if you come by when your next off shift we can do it then"

"Awesome thanks"

"How come your letting her drive the rig and not me?" Diaz askes looking a bit pissed off I think he might of been pestering Kelly to have a go.

Kelly rolls his eyes "1 I trust Jess more than you, and 2 after you nearly crashed 61 there's no way your going near my rig, need I go on."

"No Lieutenant" he says getting up from the table to get some more coffee

"Did you say he nearly crashed 61" says Liam looking up from his phone

"Thats none of your bussiness what he said!" Snaps Diaz

"Come on Eddie what happened, we used to tell each other everything what's with the cold shoulder" Liam replies

"I can't believe you asked me that, you left the school without a word, completely ghosted us for 6 months, then the next thing we see is you posting your new friends all over social media, we get it you've moved on but a text to check in or say you've found someone better wouldn't go amiss"

Liam scoffs "so this is what it's about, that I made new friends, do you have any idea what happened to me in those six months, those people your talking about were there for me thought the hardest part of my life and you expect me to just cut them off"

"Go on then tell me what happend I'm all ears" Diaz replies aggressively "did you fail your exams or something"

Liam opens his mouth to reply but closes it again he's not ready to openly talk about his dad yet, he Instead turns to me and I get what he's trying to say.

We grab our things and get ready to leave but not before I do one thing.

"Your an dick you know that right" I say looking at Diaz

He looks around the room at all my close friends and family "is anyone going to stick up for me" he asks

Dead silence.

Liam and I turn and walk out of the Firehouse, I don't think Liam will be going back there in a hurry not after what Diaz said to him.

Those six months were hard on him and I could tell he really missed his dad.

That was when I decided that I needed to do something to for him to help him with his grief.