One Paycheck

Chap 8 "Missed Out"

Esme's POV

I followed Kelly out the car. "Kelly Severide," I stated. He kept walking towards his car. "Kelly, stop." He turned around and looked at me. "You're gonna make a pregnant woman chase after you?"

"What do you want, Esme?" Kelly asked.

"You can stop acting like a jerk," I crossed my arms.

"I see you everywhere. How am I supposed to get over you?" Kelly asked. I looked at him. "To be honest with you, I've been trying."

"Not hard enough," I replied. Kelly looked past me. I turned around and saw Stella. "Okay. I see what's going on. Forget it. " I looked back at Kelly. "I tried being a friend and its obviously not working." I walked back into the bar. "I'm ready to go, Jay."

"Okay, Jay nodded. We left Molly's. He drove us nome and we walked inside. I looked at all of the packed up boxes. "Sorry. I haven't had a chance to unpack."

"Is it a good idea for you to move in with me?" I asked. "What if we don't get married? What if we break up?"

"Esme, you asked me to move in with you so I didn't have to be far away," Jay stated. "It also helps me. I don't have to pay rent for the apartment, so the extra money goes to Clarabelle."

"I know, but I think it's the hormones talking," I sighed. Once Clarabelle was born, I took a whole year away from the firehouse to clear my mind. To get away from everything. Once I was ready, I went back to the firehouse with Clarabelle in her stroller. I walked in and it was so different. "Hey, Joe."

"Esme!" Joe gave me a big hug. "I've missed you!"

"Same here," I smiled. "And this is Claire."

"I thought you named her Clarabelle," Joe stated.

"Claire for short," I nodded.

"She looks just like her mama," Joe nodded.

"Why does the house feel different?" I asked. "No one kept me in the loop and I was feeling left out."

"Oh, we had a call about three months ago. Otis passed away on that call," Joe nodded. "Sylvie is engaged to Kyle and moved back to Fowlerton."

"What?" I asked. "Otis passed and no one told me?!"

"Esme, you said you didn't want to be bothered," Joe stated. "I'm sorry."

"Next time, call me if someone else passes," I pointed. "I'm not going to take another hiatus."

"Hey Joe," guy joined us.

"Hey, Gallo," Joe nodded. "Uhm, Blake Gallo, this is Esme Tiberg."

"Hi," I smiled as we shook hands.

"Gallo is our newest member on Truck," Joe smiled.

"Esme!" Sylvie attacked me with a hug.

"Sylvie," I replied. "Joe told me you moved to Fowlerton."

"I did, but I am back," Sylvie smiled. "I've missed Fifty One."

"It hasn't been the same since the news I heard," I sighed.

"I'm just glad to be back," Sylvie stated.

"I thought you couldn't miss more than a week at a time at the daycare," Joe replied.
"You got a whole year."

"Oh, yeah, uhm, I bought both daycare locations," I nodded. "She has a permanent spot."

"Ah," Joe nodded.

"I'm going to take Claire to see her dad," I smiled. "Oh, congrats on the engagement, Joe. Chloe's a lucky girl."

"How?" Joe asked.