Noncandescent

The Fallout

Buck’s having dinner with a bunch of friends, listening to their advice.

“Buck, hon, you should just leave. Any man that’s so quick to treat you like that doesn’t deserve you.”

“Absolutely. Any man worth their salt knows being there for their family always comes before even thinking about being there for anyone else.”

At this, Hen asks, “Buck, do you need somewhere to crash for a while? If this is what you’re coming home to every night, I don’t think staying there’s a good idea.”

Buck shakes his head, “No, if anyone’s going to leave, it’s him. I’m not going to bail on Christopher just because his dad has issues.”

Marge pipes up again, “That’s right. Stand up for yourself. Make him respect your presence in that little boy’s life. If there’s one thing a guy understands...”

“It’s respect.” Eddie tells Bobby, at the fire station after their shift just ended. “That’s the real problem. That’s why we’re on the rocks right now. He doesn’t respect me at all.”

Bobby doesn’t say anything, just smiles as he listens to Eddie go on,

“You know what the worst thing about this is?”

“He has no idea!” Buck tells the group. “He thinks everything’s been hunky dory up to now. I’m even willing to bet he actually thinks...”

“Everything’s been fine until this past year. Now it’s like he’s going off the rails. It’s like the lawsuit all over again.” Eddie shakes his head, unable to make sense of any of this.

Bobby finally gets a word in, “Do you really think this all suddenly started happening?”

Eddie replies, “That’s what I’m saying. I have no idea what to think. I can’t tell what he’s thinking at all. He gets upset over every tiny thing. He gets offended by one small comment. He’s way too sensitive for a guy.”

“He’s completely insensitive.” Buck tells them, now starting to get upset. “I can’t remember the last time he asked me how I feel about anything. He doesn’t even listen to me! I could be saying the same thing over and over again, and he won’t have a clue.”

“And then there’s the nagging. About how I never listen, or something like that. Drives me insane.” Eddie shakes his head. “I swear I’m this close to going...”

“Insane!” Buck exclaims. “He doesn’t have the first clue about what I need. More and more, I’m realizing that we're just not...”

“Compatible. I’ll bet you anything he’s talking to our friends right now, about what a jackass I am. I can see it now: all hunched over a table, hugging and saying they’re there for him.”

Eddie’s right, as they all reach an arm around Buck, saying stuff like, “We’re gonna get you through this.” “It’s all going to be okay.”

“So you really think this is it? No chance of reconciliation?” Bobby asks.

Eddie looks right at Bobby as he says, “I don’t see any good reason to reconcile.”

The next day, Eddie’s on his laptop, when his phone rings.

“Hola, Abuela.” He listens for a second, then, “No, not really. I think me and Buck are done for good.” He pauses, then, “No, I don’t. It’s over.” Pause. “He says he doesn’t want to be married anymore.” Pause. “Of course, abuela, you can come over whenever you want.”

Then the fire station bell goes off, so he tells her, “I have to go. Talk to you tomorrow.” and hangs up, heading out for another job.

As they head out to the site, Bobby says on the radio, “We got a two vehicle accident, possible entrapment. One of them is on the train tracks. Contact the dispatcher to stop all trains heading this way.”

“10-4. EMS is en route.”

Bobby tells the rookie, “You’re coming with me.”

She replies, “Yes, sir. Let’s go.”

“Buck and Eddie, check out the car. Find out what you can.”

As the three walk to the car, Bobby orders, “Buck, check on the passenger.” then he turns to the bystanders. “Everyone, stay clear of the tracks and the vehicle. I’m Captain Nash with the LAFD. We’re here to help.”

From inside the car, a woman begs, “Please, I need help. I can’t get out.”

Buck asks patiently, “Ma’am, I need to tell me where you’re hurting.”

“My legs, my legs hurt. Please, help me.” The woman begs again, some blood dripping out of her nose.

The three quickly assess the damage, then Bobby asks, “Okay, we’re going to help. Where else does it hurt.”

The woman whimpers, “My neck. Please, just help me.”

“Listen, we’re getting you out of here, you’re going to be just fine.”

But then they hear the unmistakable sound of a train in the distance, so Captain quickly tries to get word to the dispatcher, “Dispatch, this is Captain Nash. There is a car on the train tracks, I need you to notify the train dispatcher to stop all oncoming trains.”

“ Captain Nash, be advised we’re currently unable to make contact with the train dispatcher. ”

At that, Bobby calls out to the rest of the team, “No, we don't have time. We’re going to have to push it off the tracks ourselves. Let’s go.”

It takes four of them alone to move it even an inch, so Bobby calls out, “Get the chain!”

But they’re running out of time, as now they can see the train moving closer, so Bobby orders, “On the count of three.”

At three, they push, but it barely budges, as the bystanders start screaming for them to get out of the way.

They count to three and push again, this time successfully getting the car off the tracks, just barely missing the train as it speeds right past them.

With the immediate danger out of the way, now they can focus on getting the family out of the car, using the jaws of life to rip the mangled door off the hinges.

After they all have a moment to breathe, Eddie moves off by himself to sit and breathe, so Bobby goes over to talk.

“You okay, Eddie?”

Eddie nods, “Just need a second, Bobby.”

Bobby sits down next to him, “I think you might have Buck beat with how close you came to dying and still survived.”

Eddie jokes back, “Well, I’ll try not to break it next time.”

Bobby says, all serious, “You shouldn't be trying to break it at all.”

Eddie jokes one more time, “Yeah, and I’d hate to be the one to tell your wife about this.”