baby! • evan buckley (911)

05

Sam wasn't one to open himself up to others. But maybe that that had been for his less than stellar friendships over the years. He had his mother, who he didn't want to burden, and a sister still off in New York.
Los Angeles seemed to have a mind to change that, starting with Eddie.

They had fallen into an easy conversation immediately, a gradual friendship two hours into their hangout at a bar neither of them had previously been to. Sam talked a lot about his past. Past friends, jobs, relationships. But Eddie, he preferred to talk about the present, and the common theme seemed to surround his coworkers.

"You talk a lot about the 118." Sam had spoken bluntly, downing the last of his glass. He had opted for water rather than the beer Eddie had only taken a few sips out of all evening.

"Yeah," Eddie agreed easily, nodding his head as he leaned into the back of his seat at their table, grabbing a fry out of the basket in front of him. "Buck, Hen, Chim, Bobby, they're all pretty great."

Sam imagined how Eddie's friend, Buck may have reacted to a bold statement such as the one he had just thrown at Eddie. Buck would surely duck his head, a bashful smile on his face with a blush of embarrassment to match. He found himself blurting out a question.
"How long have you all been friends?"

"From the beginning." Eddie smiled, before letting out a small chuckle. "Actually, no, Buck and I butted heads, but by the end of my first shift, we were buddies."

"You seem to be close now." Sam tried for nonchalance, leaning forward.

"Yeah," The other man confirmed, voice calm, easy. "Buck's a good guy, even through it all."

Sam's eyes narrowed, keeping his face blank rather than betray his confusion.
"What do you mean?"

Eddie seemed reluctant to continue. Maybe the calm conversation up to that point had loosened his tongue.
"He's just had a rough go of it." The man had shrugged in response, cryptic, and unwilling to continue.

Sam dropped it with a quick nod, lines at the edge of his mouth threatening to give way to a thoughtful frown. A cellphone rattled from the tabletop, where it rested beside Eddie's lax hand. Sam read the contact name as "Bobby" from across the table before the firefighter snatched it up with a quick apology to Sam, holding it up to the side of his face.

"Hey," Eddie greeted, brows furrowed as he listening to the voice on the other line.

"I'll be there in ten minutes." His eyes were narrow, jaw muscles tensing. "I'm not saying here, Cap, I'll be there in ten minutes." He muttered into the phone before hanging up.

"Everything alright?" Sam asked, studying Eddie as the other man shot out of his seat.

"Buck's been hurt." Eddie explained, feeling at the front of his jeans, digging a frantic hand into his pocket. He pulled out his wallet, but Sam beat him to it, a few bills hitting the table.

"I got it." Sam muttered, grabbing at the jacket hanging on the back of his chair as he stood. "Which hospital? I'll meet you there."

"Oak Memorial." Eddie answered, already moving to head out the door, Sam following quickly behind him.

"I'll be there." Sam said in goodbye, parting ways with Eddie to climb into the truck parked beside the firefighter's own.

-

The room was quiet, dotted with a few waiting strangers who seemed equal parts anxious and sad. A few people looked up to eye him as he and Eddie entered, but the others kept their solemn eyes fixed on their chosen points of the room, whether it be a mark on the wall or a speck of dust on the white linoleum flooring.
Sam hated waiting rooms, he found them suffocating.