Playing with Fire

Chapter Thirty-One - Sylvie Brett.

*Edited*

Everly

"Listen up, listen up,"

I looked up from the magazine I was reading and smiled at Chaplain Orlovsky as he set a boot down on the table. 

"The good shepherd soup kitchen that I run has an oven that doesn't get above 100 degrees, has a kitchen that the city is going to condemn. Now that means a lot of cold, homeless chicagoans are gonna get turned away during the holidays. I can't have that."

"We'll fill it up, Chaplain."

"I'll come collect after next shift. Don't let me down."

Chaplain nodded his head over to me and I walked over to him. 

"Can I tell you the hardest thing about my job?"

"What's that?"

"People come to my office when they're in the deepest valley, but they stop coming once they've climbed out of it."

"Yeah, I'm sorry I've been meaning to come by and say hi."

"Well, don't give it a second thought. I'm hearing great things about you."

I smiled. 

"Keep it up. You make me so proud."

"Thanks Chaplain."

I walked back over to the common room and put a 20 in the boot. 

"Don't be crying poor on me, Capp. I know what your side job pulls in, come on."

"You don't even know what my side job is."

"Sure I do, You're a... Come on just throw a 20 in."

He shook his head and threw it in. 

"Cheap."

He gave me the finger as he walked away and I laughed. 

"Come on Cruz, pony up."

He sighed as I walked around the table with the boot. They all put money in and I smiled. I watched Kelly walk over to his quarters and I sighed. I really needed to tell him about this. I walked over to his quarters and knocked on the door. He motioned for me to come in and I pulled open the door. 

"Can we talk?"

He nodded and I walked in. I leaned on his bunk and sighed. 

"I'm leaving the firehouse in a couple of weeks."

"What? Why?"

"Doctor's orders."

"What's going on?"

I looked down at my stomach as I rubbed it. I took a deep breath before looking back up at Kelly. 

"It's called Placenta Previa, hum basically means I could bleed out anytime during my third trimester or when I give birth which will likely mean a c-section, but that's still a risk. Just wanted to let you know so you're prepared for the possibility of taking care of this child by yourself or with Brittany, whichever."

"Ev come on, you're not going to die."

"I hope not, but it's a real possibility here."

Kelly nodded. 

"Brittany left."

"What?"

"Yeah, hum she had things to work out and we called it quits."

I nodded.

"I'm sorry."

Kelly nodded. 

"I'm sorry I left you to deal with all this by yourself."