Meet me in the Middle

Chapter 34

The parallel between the theatre fire and this one was astonishing. We were back in the same seats we were in after Beckett saved my life, but instead of me having my head thrown back against the headrest, Beckett has his with his eyes closed in pain. I'm hunched over, clinging onto his hands, wishing I can anchor him to right here and now and not the past that was busy breaking him. The longer I look at him, the more worried I become. Please, please, please don't spiral.

When we stop at the station, I have to squeeze his legs to get his attention. He jumps out and stumbles to his office. "Sean, wait." I try to follow him to a private place, away from the ears that means him harm, so that I can be there for him like he has been there for me. But before I can reach the door he just shut in my face, Ruiz steps in front of me and stops my progress. "Chief said to keep you all separated." I roll my eyes at him and move to step past him, but he blocks my way again.

I don't care about my job one bit right now. My friend needs me, and I was hell bent on getting to him, so I give Ruiz a look to get out of my way when Jack steps in. "Maya, please. I don't know what's going on between you two, but you will put both your careers in jeopardy if you walk in there." I take a longing look towards his closed door before I nod. He was already in so much trouble and no matter how much I wanted to be by his side, I didn't want to ruin anything for him.

Andy and Sullivan disappeared even before we arrived. Jack tells me to hit the gym so I can stop fidgeting. My body was so restless from all the adrenaline that was coursing through my veins in the last couple of hours. "You guys should hit the showers and get dressed in new uniforms. The station needs to look at its best for when Chief Ross arrives." I walk away before they can say anything else.

I connect the pressure washer and start hosing down the trucks before they get pulled into the station. The debris, dust and soot from the scene was still clinging onto them like ghosts. Doing this task also put me in a direct view of the window in Beckett's office so I could keep an eye on him. He was sitting at his desk, just staring into oblivion. I direct the jet of the pressure cleaner to the window and the water hitting the glass pulls him from his reverie. He looks out at me still in a daze. I smile at him and give him a small wave, at least getting rewarded by a tight smile in return.

I go back to washing Engine 19 when the rest of the team, excluding Sullivan and Andy starts helping out in silence. Ruiz informs me that Sullivan was in the gym, so I should rather steer clear after this and Andy was nowhere to be found. I only manage to nod at him, still looking up at Beckett's office every few minutes. About an hour later when all three rigs were clean and being dried off, Vic walks over to greet the woman who just walked into reception.

"Bishop! You got a visitor." I drop the rag I was busy with and check in with the team to make sure that they were good on their own. As I walk closer to the reception area, I realize that I was still practically naked underneath my turnouts, except for the t-shirt I pulled on before running back into the factory. "I'm Maya Bishop. I heard you were looking for me." The woman was dressed in a tight-fitting suit and high heels. Her briefcase was slung loosely over her left shoulder, and she was typing on her phone while waiting for me.

"Hi, Mrs. Bishop. I'm Hannah Parker. I'm a paralegal at Kingston, Maxwell & Co. Your attorney asked that I deliver this to you." She hands me a yellow envelope and I swallow the rush of dread that takes over my soul. "I only called Ms. Kingston yesterday. I wasn't expecting to hear from her again this soon." She gives me a comforting smile and silences her phone that has been buzzing non-stop in her hand.

"Your case is pretty straightforward, and it helps that you were referred to Ms. Maxwell by one of her family member. It's a standard document with all the details you provided us with yesterday. It's only the first draft and we can make any changes should you wish, otherwise you can just initial each page and sign in full where marked." She gives me a quick, yet firm handshake and walks away, leaving me standing there like a statue looking down at the envelope.