Like Father Like Son

Chapter 6 Adam James Ruzek

Oh, joy now they've called in reinforcements, now it's time to see if 'the firemen can save poor Adam'.

They don't realize, I don't need to be saved. Every night when I go to sleep I hope I don't wake up, that way I can be with my dad again.

This house is a disaster, I'm pretty sure if my grandparents didn't live here, we would all be in foster care. My mother barely takes care of herself, let alone us. Grandma cooks and cleans, grandpa takes us where we need to go, all while mom cries in her bedroom.

Let's be reality she's the one that needs saving.

I hear Kyle honk.

"Bye mom" I call out, not surprised at all when her eyes never leave the television, sometimes I'm not sure why I bother talking.

"Whats up Adam, are you excited?" Kyle asks, I think he's the excited one.

If I'm being honest, I'm kind of excited. I've always loved fire trucks and the fire department it used to drive my Aunt Trudy crazy.

"I guess so. At least it gets me out of the boxing gym"

As we pull up the guys from Squad are running drills my dad's friend Kelly Severide is leading them, I'm hoping he doesn't see me.

"Hey Adam, good to have you here" Kelly says as he tells the guys to pack it up "I know Kyle's on truck, but you can hang with Squad too, see what the real men do"

I'm trying really hard to look pissed off, but they are being really cool and not one person has brought up my dad.

"That would be cool, thanks Kelly"

"Back off Severide, you aren't stealing him, he wants to be on truck, don't you kid?"

I smirk at him, "I don't know Kyle, squads got the all good tools" I smile at them both, this could work.

As the alarm rings, I see them all stop and listen for the call and as they are called I watch as they drop everything and get on their trucks.

"Ruzek, get your ass on this truck" Kyle calls out.

"I can come?"

"Yea, but move it kid"

I quickly jump in and sit next to Kyle, "hey Kyle?"

He turns to me, "yeah?"

"Thanks" I'm sure he doesn't realize it yet, but for the first time in a long I'm excited for something.

The call wasn't much, just a small accident I'm not allowed out of the truck during calls but it's so cool to watch them work. They are all treating me like a normal kid, as we head back to the firehouse they start picking on Kyle, I even joined in a little bit.

We had a few more calls, a car fire was my favorite, dinner at the firehouse is the best.

"Adam, it's time to go man" Kyle calls from the parking lot, and I hate it.

"You coming back tomorrow?" Severide asks.

"Can I?"

"Only under one condition"

Shit, I knew it was too good to be true, I can feel my shoulders sag "what is it?" I'm pretty sure I didn't piss any of them off.

Kelly starts laughing, "relax Ruzek, tomorrow you ride with Squad, will that work?"

Relieved, "hell yes!" Though I can see Kyle shaking his head in the driver's seat of his car. "Sorry Kyle"

"It's alright Adam" he waves me in the car "I gotta get you home"

The pit in my stomach returns, going home isn't all it's cracked up to be, Sean got out as soon as he could he didn't even care. Once he left my mom just got worse, Sean kept things together without him we all just fell apart, that was when my grandparents moved in.

Sean's car is in the drive way when we pull up, I can feel Kyle's eyes on me.

"Adam, listen I know this is none of my business"

I reach for the door handle, I knew today was too good to be true.

"Wait, just hear me out. Sean loves you and he doesn't want to take your dad's place at all, you don't remember but he was kind of like you as a kid, he doesn't want to see you end up in trouble"

I roll me eyes, "if that is the case, why did he walk away from us?" It was finally out in the open, I said it.