RESCUE - Part 2

Chapter 39 - marie

My god. My head. I was getting too old for drinking on work nights, Jesus Christ that early morning was a killer. And so was the day, I wished, I actually wished it'd have been busy, it would've been easier to keep my eyes open, but finally, lunch came, "hey I'm nipping to the firehouse I left my purse the other day, I'm going on my lunch break, I've got my phone if you need me" I kissed mouse and quickly ran out to my car before ringing Spence 'Charlie hey' "are they there?" 'They're here' "I'll be five minutes" I hung up the phone and took a deep breath, looked in my mirror and drove to the firehouse, my heart beating so loudly.

I sat there, looking at the building for a good ten minutes, I was brought out of my trance by spanner tapping on my window, and laughing hysterically at my reaction of jumping out the seat "you're not funny" I shut the car door behind me "I'm hilarious" he grinned as he threw his arm around and walked me through the doors, our laughing soon stopped as, Tony and Lizzie, Marie's parents, stood there, holding each other's hands, I stood up straight and swallowed nervously "mr and Mrs Alfresco" "please Charlie...call us our names, we're good friends, please take a seat with us" i looked at Spence who nodded and smiled "I'll go make us drinks!" He smiled as we all took a seat.

As I was about to fill the awkward silence Lizzie spoke up "what happened Charlie?" Here came the tears "it was all my fault, we swapped places because I'd damaged my arm and-" "no Charlie, what she means is...what happened here, where did you go?" Tony looked at me "after Marie's death I couldn't, I couldn't face working here anymore, it felt like everyone blamed me, and I couldn't face you knowing I'd killed your daughter...my best friend" "Charlie..." Spence came over with coffee and placed the cups down "Charlie, we don't blame you for what happened to Marie" I looked up at Tony "what?" "Have you lived all this time...thinking we blamed you?" "I..I-" "yes" Spence rubbed my hand "my god Charlie we never blamed you for that, we loved you like Daughter, you may as well have been Marie's sister, we could never have blamed you, it was a freak accident! But what we can't forgive you for is leaving this place" they leant forward "you were the life and soul of this place, and you carried Marie's name, her life and her memory, and you left, we tried to contact you, when we didn't see you at the funeral-" "I was there" "you were?"Lizzie wiped her eye "I stood by a tree, in the distance, but close enough to hear every word said, but I didn't think you'd want to see me, I visit her grave every year and place three Daisies" "that's you!?" Tony gasped in shock "those were her favourites..." I slid my thumb ring off revealing three small daisy tattoos "it always had to be three" Lizzie laughed as she admired the tattoo "it was her lucky number" Tony smiled as I placed my ring back on.

After chatting until my lunch break nearly ended I stood up and gave them both a big hug "Thankyou" "for what Charlie?" "For not blaming me..." "If we'd have known, that's how you felt, we would've found you sooner...but could you do us a favour?" "Anything!" "Come back to the firehouse..." I looked at Spence just as all the other fire lads walked in "bring life back into this place, bring Marie back into this place...put a smile back on spanner's face" I turned to Spence and chuckled as he smiled slightly...

I got back to work just in time "I brought coffee!" "Went for your purse huh?" Mouse looked at me as he placed it on the side "gonna tell me where you really went?" I sat down as the lads took their coffee, it was still obviously a quiet day as they hung around, "I went to the firehouse" "and?" He pushed further "and....I've taken my job back as a firefighter..." his face dropped "you leaving here?" "What?! No! No but the acting is slowing down, and I'm only part time here, I'm bored at home I need thrill and I miss my old job" "well, speak to hop, he could give you more hours!" "Michael, I've moved back to the firehouse" "why Charlie?!" "Because I want too Michael! And because it's like home" "this is your home, the beach, the surf..." "Which I'm still doing but I'm doing both jobs part time! What's wrong with you!?" "Nothing!" He stood up with his coffee and stormed out of the tower, I looked down at the floor and sipped my coffee quietly.

That night I was working at summers bar, it was a hen night, summer had a busy night so I offered, the hen night were fairly quiet to say it was her last night as an unmarried woman, that's when spanner walked in with a few lads, otie, couch and gutter ball, all nicknames of course, but all earnt, "what can I get you lads?" "The best cocktails you can make!" Couch cheered as was cheered on by the other lads, I began to mix, and pour before passing them along to lads.

As I closed up Spence waited for me "I'm so glad you're coming back, we've missed you!" "Well I'm glad someone is" "having second thoughts?" We walked to our cars "what?! God no, I'm excited! Mouse...not so much" "talk to him, maybe you'll find out its because he's worried" he hugged me tightly before we made our ways to our cars.

When I got home, mouse was asleep on the sofa, I wasn't going to disturb him, going on how much he'd drunk he wouldn't feel me if I hit him over the head with a frying pan, so I sighed, slumped up the stairs and flopped into the soft duvets and fell asleep pretty much instantly.