Like Father Like Son

Chapter 5 Sean Ruzek

"What a boring ass day, please tell me they aren't all like this?" I ask Kevin, slowly the 'uncle' tag is being dropped. When I was a kid, absolutely he was like an uncle and in many ways he still is, but here at the 21st he's just Kevin.

"They aren't, but give it a few days" he laughed "I remember when your pops was anxious to get out of a training to meet your mom" he stopped mid sentence, I'm not sure why.

"Tell me, please" I loved hearing stories about my dad.

Kevin smiled "we had to have taser certification, which meant getting tazed I guess your pops had a lunch date with your mom, he kept running his mouth in true Adam Ruzek fashion. That big homey doing the class was like 'oh good a volunteer' man I never seen your dad drop so fast"

"Thats funny, my dad's mouth got him in trouble a lot huh?" I grabbed my stuff and headed out, "hey, Kevin?"

"Yea?"

"Thanks"

I planned on stopping at my mom's but I'm drained, the constant reminders of my dad knocked me on my ass a little bit. All I want to do is go to Kaylee's place and crash, it's funny how things work out. Never in my wildest dreams did I think we would reconnect but she and Kyle both stood by me after my dad died. She's the best thing that ever happened to me, I don't know what I would do with out her. Kyle has been great as well, he's over at Firehouse 51, it will be fun when we have the 'Guns vs Hoses' baseball tournaments.

I can't believe I've never thought of this before, Adam has always liked fire trucks, what an ass I am. I have to get in touch with Kyle and see if he can take Adam under his wing, I know he won't listen to me but just maybe Kyle can get through to him.

"Hey baby, how's was your day?" Kaylee asked me.

"Work was boring" I sit beside her "anatomy, maybe if you're luck you can study me later" laughing, "wow, I'm sorry that was corny"

She rolls her eyes at my lame line,"This semester is going to kill me" she closes the book "whats wrong?"

She knows me so well, "Adam's going off the rails, and my mother is drowning in grief"

"I wish I could help, I can't imagine the pain your mom is in" I know she shares the same fears my mother has about my job, she just hides it a bit better.

"I think you can help. Well, not you but Kyle."

Her brow furrows, "Kyle? How can he help?"

"Adam. Since he was a little boy he's had a thing for fire trucks and all things Chicago Fire, do you think Kyle will let him hang out with him?"

"Of course, I can call him"

"No, I will stop by the firehouse in the morning, he's working tomorrow right?"

"Yea, I believe so"

"Hey, Coach Hermann, is Kyle here?"

"How you doin' Sean?"

"I'm good, you?"

I can see the sympathetic smile form on his face, "that's good, your mom how is she?"

There it is the question that seems to come from everyone, "day by day"

He walks inside with me, "Cindy wants to have your mom and the kids over for dinner this weekend, you and Kaylee are welcome to come as well"

"Thanks, Coach. I will let mom know"

"Sean, you can quit calling me coach, you know"

"Watch out boys, we got 5-0 in the house" I can here someone joke.

"Ruzek, what's up brother?" Jake Valente appears from the back of the engine.

"Where's Kyle at?"

"Here" Kyle's head pops out of the drivers side window, "what brings you by?" He hops out of the engine.

"Listen, Adam's headed for disaster. I've tried everything and he just shuts me down, he's got this strange obsession with CFD, do you think he could knock some sense into him?"

Kyle laughs, "you are such a cop, always needing a fire fighter to bail your ass out" he puts the book he was working in on the table "absolutely, he's a good kid. He's just pissed at the world, who could blame him?"

I nod, "I know the feeling all to well, but he needs help and he won't take it from me for some reason"

"Sean, he thinks you're trying to replace his dad. I know that's not the case but as he tough as he tries to act he's what 14, 15 years old. I got this"

"He's 15, and thanks man"

"No thanks necessary, just take care of my sister"

"Always, Kyle, always"