Will you help me raise this kid? (Buddie story)

The new program

I wake up in my bed. Yesterday was tough. Christopher moved to Texas to his grandparents cause he learned that's what you do when life gets tough. Run away. He learned it from both his parents. I'll miss having a kid in my life. I know there are Denny and Jee but Chris felt like he's my own. I couldn't protect Christopher from what happened. I hear a scream from downstairs.

„Hey Buck you up? Our shift starts in an hour! Cap said he has something important to tell us. We better not be late!" 

Eddie. I already forgot he slept over. He said he couldn't handle the house this quiet. As is best friend I immediately told him he could stay for a few days.

„Yeah i'm up. I'll get ready and meet you at the door at 7.45 am okay?"

„Yeah."

I go downstairs to the bathroom and brush my teeth and get dressed. It's already 7.45 so I go to the front door to meet Eddie.

„You ready?" I ask. He just nods and opens the door. We both get in my truck and head to the fire house. We go change and as soon as i step out of the locker room I see Bobby.

„Good Morning Buck. Can I speak to you in my office please? It's important."

-What did I do this time?- I think.

„Yea no problem, Cap."

I follow him to his office. He closes the door. It must be serious if he closes the door.

„So it first I want to say you're not in trouble. I wanted to tell you about our new volunteer program in this fire house." I just nod while he talks. „Teenagers all around the world sign up for this program in which they move to Los Angeles and work at the fire house as firefighter assistants. Often when we are out on calls people have questions or need someone to listen to them. The firefighter assistants job will be calming people down, listening o them and answer their questions."

„ Okay and what does that have to do with me?" I ask confused.

„We have a 14 year old girl in Germany who signed up. She's an orphan so she doesn't have a family she can live with when moving here. So Buck, my question is, how do you feel about adopting her?"

Did he really just ask me if i can adopt a girl I've never meet? I don't even speak german! I don't how to raise a child! But if I say no, she wont be able to work here. You know what?

„I'll adopt her. I mean how hard can it be?"

„Great. Thank you, Buck. Here are your adoption papers. Her name is Olivia. You'll like her. Trust me. I talked to her on the phone yesterday and she seemed really nice.

I signed all the papers. Omg. I am a dad now. Wow. I don't feel different at all. Feeling different is probably just a „ I was at birth"thing.

„Hey Cap. When is she arriving?"

„Tonight at 7 at LAX airport. I know you don't really have time preparing but i think she'll understand if you explain the situation to her. She could stay at Eddie's tonight in Chris' bedroom."

„Yeah, I'll ask him. Bye."

I leave the office looking for Eddie. I go up the stairs still processing what just happened. I'm still thinking about what happened when i hear a voice saying me name. Eddie's voice.

„Buck. Hello? Earth to Buck!"

„Yeah?" I say now looking up to him.

„You zoomed out. Are you okay?"

„Yeah. No. I don't know..."

„Buck what happened? I know something is wrong."

„I just adopted a girl from Germany and she arrives at 7 tonight and I don't have a bed."

Everybody turned around to Buck and Eddie.

„You did what?!" they all say in unison. Only Eddie is calm because he sees how stressed Buck is and how much he needs his help.

„Hey it's okay Buck. I'll help you. You guys can stay at my house tonight."

„Thank you, Eddie"

They continue their shift till 6.15. Buck and Eddie get dressed and drive to the LAX airport to pick up Buck's now daughter. He doesn't know if he's more scared or excited to meet Olivia. What if he messes it up? At 6.45 they arrive at the airport. Eddie looks over to Buck.

„Ready?"

„Ready."

They get out of the car and wait inside the airport. 20 minutes later they see a girl who looks like the girl in the picture, which Bobby send Buck. She has purple, long hair. She's wearing blue converse shoes. Buck goes up to talk to her.

„Hey, are you Olivia?"

„Yes, are you Evan Buckley?"

„Yeah, that's me but Buck is fine. My boss told me about you today so i don't have anything set up but luckily my best friend Eddie has a spare room right now. His son is currently not living with him so you can sleep in his bed."

Olivia just nods and follows Buck to Eddie. They put her suitcase in the trunk and start driving.

„So you guys are from Los Angeles? It has always been my dream to live here." Olivia says.

„No. I'm actually from Hershey and Eddie is from El Paso. I moved here a couple years ago and started working in the firehouse. In 2019, Eddie joined the 118 and we became best friends.

„That's cool, too. I am from Stuttgart and started learning English at six years old so im pretty good at it. Hey Eddie, Buck mentioned your son. Why doesn't he live with you anymore?"

„Oh that's not really a topic he likes to talk about so-."

„Buck it's fine. I dated his dead mom's doppelganger so he moved to his grand parents." Eddie cuts Buck off.
The rest of the ride was quiet.

Words: 993