The Fighter

Chapter 4

I dropped Avery off at school and decided that I wasn't going to school. There was no way I could focus on anything, other than everything that happened yesterday. Kim was texting me every five minutes for the first hour that I wasn't there. I took a nice ride and then went to the fire house to see what was left to be done from last night. Kyle came in when I was washing one of the trucks. "Hey, what are you doing here?" he asked kind of shocked. "I came to do some work." I smiled and turned on the hose. "What? Do you think that your Papa will let you have some action on the next call if you suck up around here?" "No! I am not sucking up! I am doing my job." "Your job huh? Shouldn't you be in school?" "Shouldn't you not be asking me so many questions?" I laughed. "Seriously, what are you doing here?" "Seriously, I didn't want to go to school today. I have too much on my mind okay?" "Oh really? Well, talk to me." "Fine, I was just thinking about what Gavin had said. That's all." "What he said about you not being able to do this and take care of Avery, or what he said about knowing where your Dad is." "A little of both. What if he's right? What if I'm screwing my sister up? What can I give her exactly? And my dad, he's closer than he has been since he ran away, I don't want him coming back into our lives. I don't need him. We don't need him."

"You are not screwing your sister up. You can't give her everything, but who can? You give her what she needs. She loves you and she thinks that you are the greatest person in the entire world, and you know what? She's right. And as for your father, don't worry about him. You have to forget that he's even around. You don't need him, and she especially doesn't need him. Maybe Gavin does, but you don't. You've done this well without him." "I wish Gavin could see what you do." "He's not around as much as I am, so he doesn't." "Thanks for your help again yesterday. I couldn't have handled him without you there." "But, I didn't do anything." "You did though." "If you say so Mick." He laughed.

My phone started ringing. It was Chris. "Who's that? Your boyfriend?" Kyle teased. "He is not my boyfriend!" I protested. "Oh, so it is who I thought it was!" "Shut up! Hello?" I yelled at him again before I answered. "Hey, are you okay? You weren't in Psych." Chris asked. He sounded concerned. "Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just taking it easy today. We had that MVA and we were out all last night." "Oh, right! I heard that come in last night." "Yeah, I'm at the station finishing putting things away and cleaning up." "Okay, you're not doing everything by yourself are you?" he asked. "No, Kyle is here. Somewhat helping." I laughed. "Okay, good. Hey, I'll call you when I get out, maybe we can go somewhere and hang out." "Sounds good. I have to get my sister at 3, but then I'm free." "Okay, I'll talk to you later." "Okay, bye." I hung up and Kyle gave me a look. "What is that face for?" I asked. "What face?" "The face that you're making." "Oh, that face. Oh, nothing. You just like Chris." "I do not!" "You do too!" "I do not!" "You do too!" "No! I do not like him!" "Yeah, sure! You're going to start your whole you don't need a man thing again aren't ya?!" he laughed. "I do not do an "I don't need a man thing!" But I don't!"

"What are you two arguing about now?!" John walked in and I rolled my eyes. "Nothing! We weren't arguing!" I laughed. "It sounded like it." John winked at me. "We were arguing. She's a liar!" Kyle teased me even more. "Are you all done picking on me or is Jet going to walk in and pick on me too?" I asked. "Nah, he's working." John smiled. "And why aren't you?" "Vacation. Shouldn't you be in school?" "I asked her that too! She's here so she can suck up and get in on the action at the next MVA." Kyle smiled. "Shut up Kyle! That is not why I am here!" they were picking on me again.

I left and went to get Avery at school. She ran over and gave me a hug. "How was school today?" I asked with a smile. "Good, you have to sign a permission slip." She held my hand all the way to my truck. "Permission slip? For what?" "A field trip." "Oh, where are you going?" "To the police station." "Well that sounds fun." I laughed. "Yeah, I wish they were bringing us to the fire house." "That's what I'm for. To bring you to the fire house." "Yeah, I want to show my friends what you do." She was the sweetest little girl in the world. We drove back to grandmas and I made her dinner. Chris called me and asked to go and get burgers with him. So, I waited for Grandma to get home and I went. I figured why not.

Chris was happy to see me. I met him at the Diner a few towns over. "How's your sister?" he asked. "She's good. She's taking a field trip next Wednesday to the police station. She says that she wishes that she was going to the firehouse." I laughed. "How cute." He laughed too. "Are you going home for Thanksgiving?" "Yeah, I can't wait to see my mom. I miss her and my sisters" "You have sisters?" "Yeah, two." "That's sweet. I have my brother Gavin and well you know about Avery." "What happened to your mom?" he asked me. "She passed away. She got sick. It was quick." I sighed. "I'm so sorry." "That's why I have been taking care of Avery since she was born." We had a good time. I went home after and got Avery's bath started for her and did my homework. Maybe Kyle is right, maybe everyone is right.