The Nurse and the Fireman

Chapter 12

Dennis knocks on Gog's door. He opens it, staring Dennis down before finally walking inside, leaving the door open.

Dennis glances out the window. "You shouldn't have done that, Gog. You should go down there, apologize."

"I ain't going nowhere, you fucking narc. What did you tell him?"

"I told him everything. Only thing you can do now is go and give Rosa what she came for."

Gog throws his hands up. "I don't know what she came for. She's mad as a box of frogs."

"I think she wants to know you give a toss that you killed her baby."

"Now you leave me out of it, alright? I've got Emily to think of. Okay? Den. Okay?"

"Okay." Dennis shrugs. "As long as you go down there and show that woman you're a human being."

"I ain't going down there to watch her plant a tree outside my fucking window. Accusing me of.. this is my home." Gog yells.

A crowd gathers around the tree. Rosa sees Kev walk up. "You came."

"Yeah of course yeah. Your husband not here?"

Her face falls. "We separated. The kids, they're living with him."

"Rosa, I think... I think what you're doing here today it's amazing. You've been very inspirational to me and well..."

Rosa smiles and squeezes his arm. Charlie approaches. "Alright, Kev?"

Kev pulls her into a hug. "Hey Charlie."

"We should start." Rosa walks back to the tree.

Charlie stands on the left of Kev to watch. "Asbo here?" He asks quietly.

"Dunno." Kev gives her a confused look. "Saw him here earlier, then he disappeared. I haven't spoken to him since the hospital, though."

"Why not?"

"I just can't Kev. Not right now. Not after... everything."

"He needs you, Charlie. Now more than ever."

Charlie shakes her head, fighting back tears. Kev rubs her back before pulling her into a side hug and kissing her on top of the head. Dennis makes his way to the little ceremony and sees the two of them. His heart hurts at the sight of it. Not because he thinks there's something between them, he knows they're very close in a platonic way, but because Charlie hasn't spoken to him or come to see him. She didn't even say goodbye when he left the hospital this morning. He doesn't want to upset her more, so he stands beside Kev on his right, glancing at him briefly. Charlie steps away enough for Kev to release his grip on her.

"Thank you all for coming. I really appreciate it." Rosa addresses the crowd.

Kev leans close to Dennis. "I was hoping you'd be here. I made a decision." Charlie peers over, trying to listen. "I thought, if he comes, if he's got the guts to face this, then... well if she can start to put it behind her, so can I." He pats Den on the back. Den nods appreciatively. He catches a glimpse of Charlie watching them, but she instantly averts her eyes when she sees him looking.

"I want this to be a celebration. None of us knew Scarlet for very long... But she lit up my life. And I feel very lucky to know her. So that's it." Rosa blinks back tears and studies the crowd. "I don't really know what else to say, except," She gazes over to Charlie, Kev, and Dennis before looking back at the crowd. "Except we all know who did it. Why I lost my baby. Why that man," she points at Kev, "nearly died. And none of you would say anything! And now you're all here, looking at me. Well I appreciate your support but you can all rot in hell for all I care. Cause the people that stand by and let something happen like this, they're just as bad. So piss off! All of you just piss off!" She screams at the others. They start to trickle off and Dennis shoots a glance up at Gog's balcony, where he's watching with a smirk on his face.

Rosa grabs the tree to put it in the hole. Kev steps over. "Here. Let me." He reaches for the tree but Rosa yanks it away.

"I-I want to do it." She slams the tree into the hole, kicking away the flowers people had left there, and falls to her knees to scoop dirt over the base.

Kev steps back to his spot between Charlie and Dennis. Dennis is frozen where he stands. But when Rosa starts to slow down the scooping because she's crying so hard, Charlie walks over and kneels beside her.

"Rosa, love... it's okay." She puts her hand on Rosa's shoulder. Rose tenses at first but then falls into Charlie's arms, crying and wailing. Charlie holds her right, rubbing her back reassuringly.

"No wonder she became a nurse. She's got such a big heart, it's the perfect job for her." Kev says to Dennis.

"Yeah..."

"That right there," Kev points at Charlie, "is an amazing woman. Grief and guilt is a nasty thing but if you keep down the path you're on, you're going to lose her either way." Dennis meets his eyes. Kev nods and walks back to Rosa who is now standing.

Dennis knows he's right. He knows why Charlie won't talk to him. Last night he woke up when he heard voices and realized it was Kev and Charlie talking. He pretended to be asleep when he heard Kev telling her what happened in the tunnel. He didn't know if she would forgive him. She had begged him not to think that way anymore and he betrayed her. He seemed to be good at that.

"Rosa. Is there somewhere I can take you?" Kev asks Rosa.

"Let's have a drink. You know the pub around the corner? Meet you there. Just want a moment on my own." She surprises Kev by kissing him on the lips.

Kev isn't mad at this, but it does concern him. He felt she was lying and wasn't going to come which made him worry what she was going to do instead.

Charlie tells Rosa she will clean everything up. Dennis starts to go help but the look Charlie gave him made him stop in his tracks. Feeling defeated, he leaves the courtyard. He leans against the wall in the corridor, debating on going back to Gog's to beat his face in. But he decides against it and heads to his flat. On the way, he passes Rosa carrying a grocery bag. "You alright?" He asks. She continues on without a word. He shrugs and leaves her be.