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This Wheel's On Fire

He couldn't believe what he was seeing. Callie was usually the good one. Not that he would ever admit it, but based on his friends and his various, potentially illegal hobbies, he had assumed it would be Dylan that would eventually be escorted home by the police. Lindsey looked at his daughter briefly, then the officer.

"Yes, she's mine. What..." He looked at Callie again as tears began to well up in her eyes. "What did she do?"

"The bonfire got out of control, did some damage to the next door neighbor's fence and rose bushes. Sweet old lady. Apparently the kids tried to put out the fire with beer." The Officer shook his head. "There were no adults on the premises."

Lindsey's eyes became stormy and grey. His jaw clenched in anger. "Callie, go upstairs," he growled and she nodded.

"Yes, daddy." She wrapped her sweater around herself and walked past her father.

"Hey...sis!" Dylan called out but it was like she didn't hear him as she went up the stairs without saying a word to anyone.

Stevie pulled herself to her feet and waddled toward Lindsey and the man in uniform talking to one another.

"Thank you, Officer." Lindsey said and the officer gave a quick nod.

"My pleasure. Try to have a good night."

Stevie's eyebrows knitted together in confusion and worry as the door closed. "What happened?" she asked and Lindsey turned around, not noticing she was even there.

"Callie's new friends got in trouble at that party I didn't want her to go to in the first place!" he whisper shouted.

Stevie drew in a breath. "What about our girl?," she asked softly.

"She wasn't drinking, and she's the one who eventually helped put out the fire." His wife's eyes grew wide. "The fire got out of control, ripped through some lady's rose bushes and did damage to her fence." His voice grew louder, no longer able to keep it down as he had tried to do before.

"Oh my god!"

"Apparently Callie's the only one who knew dumping  alcohol on a fire wasn't going to extinguish it."

"I'm glad she's safe," she said and Lindsey shook his head.

"She's fine, but I'm never letting her hang out with those kids again."

"Where was Lexi's mother?"

"Probably working, left the big brother in charge but he didn't stay either. I told you it was a bad idea!"

"Please don't yell at me," Stevie pleaded. She was determined to find the silver lining in this. "This night didn't turn out the way we planned it but—"

The doorbell rang again and Lindsey rolled his eyes. He walked away from her, back to the front door to retrieve her copious amounts of greasy food from the delivery boy.

"Let me get my wallet," Lindsey said, and he breezed past her again. He pulled his wallet off the coffee table, opened it up and tipped the boy handsomely, unbeknownst to him. "Good night."

"Hey, thanks Mister." The teenager looked thrilled and hurried back to his old red hatchback.

"See, that kid knows how to be grateful," Lindsey pointed out and Stevie shook her head. "A five dollar tip and he's—"

Stevie looked amused. "Honey, you gave him a fifty." His jaw went slack and she giggled. "It's okay, don't worry about it."

"Do you know how many diapers fifty bucks could buy?"

"Two boxes, and I don't care." Stevie kissed his cheek. "You made his night."

"Yeah, but what about mine?" Lindsey complained. "My teenage daughter just got escorted home by the police and I gave away money we needed to some kid who will probably do with it what Callie's friends did." He sighed heavily. "Tonight just isn't my night."