America's Bravest (64 page)

Gabe pushed away from the wall. “Primarily,
we wanted to make sure you’re all right.”

“Yeah,” O’Malley added, “but we wanted to
know about Parker, too.”

“Parker?”

“Is she okay?”

Sydney blurted out, “Did you do anything to
her?”

Tony was unusually grim. “You know, we like
her. And we heard what she did with Snyder. And she called to tell
us to evacuate.” Though a search of the firehouse revealed no
bombs.

Felicia, who despised Parker, was scowling.
“Even me, Chief. We know something’s going on between you and her,
and we wanted to tell you we’ve changed our minds about her.”

Cal threw back his head and laughed. Irony,
in its purest form, stood before him. “I’ll tell you what. I’m
going out to her house now. As soon as I find out what’s what I’ll
let you know.”

With that he strode to his car.

oOo

Parker sat on her deck, in a lounge chair,
watching the lake. The setting out here was lovely, with trees
swaying, a few ducks swimming around, the water glistening in the
last rays of the sun. She was going to miss it. Inside, she felt
better, but…hollow. At least a disaster had been avoided, and she’d
been part of that effort. She poured more wine into the glass she
held and tasted the dry merlot.

She scanned the area, then glanced at her
cell phone. No call. He hadn’t come out. Of course, he’d be busy
with the chaos the department must be in, but still…

She shivered, picturing his blackened face
and his horrendous cough as the officers of the HCFD had trudged
out of the building. Of course, not without victims slung over
their shoulders or in their arms. They were consummate
firefighters, and as she’d cried out her relief, another feeling
ambushed her. She’d been ashamed that she’d attacked America’s
Bravest. For months. Even the last blog, which she intended to
write before she left town, wouldn’t make up for what she’d done.
In truth, Parker was disgusted with herself and her life.

“Well, at least you could have poured me a
glass.”

Her pulse skittered at the sound of Cal’s
voice. She looked over at him on the steps. In the last of the
light, she could see his face was drawn, his eyes pinched—he
probably had a headache—but she was so glad he was here she was
temporarily silenced.

“Don’t say anything. Let me get a glass and
talk.”

She opened her mouth.

“No, Parker. It’s my turn.”

In a minute, he was back, poured himself some
red wine and took the chair across from the chaise. “I thought
you’d come to headquarters.”

“I did.”

“You did?” Blond brows shot up. “Then why’d
you leave without seeing me?”

“I didn’t think you’d want me there.”

“You were wrong. I looked for you. To be sure
you were safe and for comfort.”

She gestured to the pool. “They arrested
Snyder before I got back here.”

“I heard. But you were in danger.” He took a
big gulp of wine. “I hate the thought.”

“I got out. He never knew I was on to him.
I’m sorry, Cal, that the arsonist was one of your guys.”

“It’ll take the department time a long time
to recover, I’ll tell you that.”

A sad half smile broached her lips. “As
deputy chief, you’ll help out there, I’m sure.”

He stared hard at her. “I don’t want to be
deputy chief anymore.”

“Excuse me?”

“Tonight was life changing for me.” He gave a
little smile. “My son heard about the explosion and called me. He
hasn’t done that in years. He thought I got blown up when the bomb
went off. The close call sobered him, and he said he was sorry for
what was between us and he wanted to spend more time with me. To
get past this hump.”

So do I.
“Oh, Cal, I’m glad. I know
how you suffered over the estrangement.”

Again the stare. “I want Peter and his family
in my life, and I’m not going to make the same mistake as I did
last time by putting my job first.” He set the glass down, stood
and crossed to the chaise. Pushing her over with his hip, he sat
down beside her. Gently, he lifted his hand to her cheek and
brushed his knuckles there. Parker melted. She loved that tender,
sweet gesture. “And I want you in my life. I want to tell you about
9/11, sit out here with you in the summers and make love to you
forever. Know, Parker Emily Allen, I’m not going to stop until I
get you.”

“I was planning to leave town.”

“You’re not. You’re going to stay here and
let me convince you of my real feelings. That I never used you.
That I meant everything I said and did.”

It was as if a huge emotional yoke was lifted
from her shoulders. Her heart lightened and her entire body felt
buoyant. “Do you mean that, Cal?”

“Do
I
? You’re the one who thinks I
did something unconscionable. I didn’t, sweetheart, I swear!”

A few minutes ago, she never would have
thought she’d say—have the opportunity to say— “I believe you, Cal.
Tonight was life altering for me, too.” Her eyes welled. “I love
you. And I want to make our relationship work.”

His grin was thousand-watt. “Thank God. I
love you, too.” A frown. “But we can start wherever you want,
backtrack, get to know each other better while you learn to trust
my feelings. Just let me be with you.”

She watched him with pure bliss in her soul.
Gone were all the shadows.
All
of them. “I know exactly
where I want to start.” Darkness had fallen and high fences flanked
the property. She said, “Push back a bit.”

“Excuse me?”

“I said move back down the chaise. I need
room.”

He slid only a few inches away.

Slowly, Parker set down her glass. Even
though her heart was beating wildly, she grasped the hem of her
tank top and pulled it over her head. Then she lowered her arms and
held his gaze.

“Oh, honey.” He moved closer again. His
throat worked convulsively, and his eyes were moist. “Thank you so
much.” Gently, he drew her to him and held her tight.

And for the first time in ten years, Parker
felt safe with a man, comfortable with herself and joyful at what
the future held.

-oOo-

THE HEART OF HIDDEN COVE

Front Page Photo

The Firefighters of Rescue 7, Group 3, from
left to right: Captain Gabe Malvaso, Firefighter Brody O’Malley,
Lieutenant Felicia White, Lieutenant Tony Ramirez, Firefighter
Sydney Sands Delinsky, Battalion Chief Calhoun Erikson.

***Read inside for more on America’s
Bravest.

Page 2—Photos of the group

A Brand New Life: Gabe and Rachel Malvaso
posing in front of the Fire Academy, where Firefighter Wellington
Malvaso now works full-time. With them are Joey and Lilliana and
soon-to-be Baby Malvaso. (News flash: it’s a girl!)

Brothers, Buddies, Best Men: Brody O’Malley
and Emma Walsh O’Malley with Felicia White and Ryan O’Malley,
posing in Jamaica, where last month the double wedding took
place.

All in the Family: Lieutenant Tony Ramirez
and Sophia Ramirez, their children, Miguel, Mari, and tiny little
Antonia (Nia), just a few weeks old.

Right at Home: Firefighter Sydney Sands
Delinsky, her husband, Max, and the Delinsky girls, Amber and
Daisy, in front of a Sold sign at their new home on Hidden Cove
Lake.

A Place to Belong: Battalion Chief Cal
Erikson and Parker Allen in front of firefighter headquarters,
where Parker works in public relations for Hidden Cove
Firefighters.

Page 3 Family photos

Mitch, Megan, Trish, Bobby and Sabby Malvaso,
held by namesake Sabina “Mama” Malvaso.

Zach and Casey Malvaso, with their children,
Jason, Nicky, Shannon and Lindsay.

Noah and Eve Callahan with their child Ianna;
Eve’s brother Captain Ian Woodward and his wife, Lisel Loring
Woodward, and their baby, Eva. Looking on are Rick and Faith
Ruscio, Godparents to both children, along with the twins, Abraham
and David.

Table of Contents

Page 4 My story—How Rescue 7 Saved My Life,
by Max Delinsky

Page 7 Life at House 7, by Parker Allen and
Max Delinsky

Page 11 Notes from the Brass

Page 19 The History of Women in the HCFD, by
Felicia White

Page 22 Rescue Photos—Fires, accidents and
other
routine
saves

Page 30 From those rescued or helped by the
HCFD

Page 48 Remembering 9/11, by the firefighters
of House 7

Page 53 Firefighter jokes (They’re bad!)

Page 50 Parker Allen’s Blog:
What I
Learned about Firefighters: a Tribute to the HCFD

oOo

Picture this: a hot, sweaty August afternoon.
In the dead center of a large city, firefighters go about their
daily chores: They do some in-house training, check out the rigs,
make sure their equipment is in working order and mop the bays. A
tone sounds over the static-filled PA system and everyone freezes.
It’s a run, and they’re off—shoes flying, turnout gear donned;
within minutes the truck is on its way. With me in it!

I began my research on fire fighting years
ago when I decided I wanted to write about this truly noble
profession. I spent many hours with the Rochester Fire Department,
in upstate New York, a five hundred plus organization of men and
women dedicated to saving lives. I visited the station houses
first, met with firefighters, paramedics, battalion chiefs, and
arson investigators; even the top guy, our fire chief, spent an
afternoon with me—and he was instrumental in helping me create the
chiefs in these novellas. I talked at length with many of them and
ate meals with them—firefighters love their food and go to great
pains in fixing it. Some invited me to their homes to talk to them
and their families. A truck was actually taken out of service for
an hour to show me how to use the Hurst tools. From here I went on
the ride-alongs, where you ride the trucks to actual calls with the
firefighters. Imagine my shock when the first run I went on was a
stabbing!

I also visited the Rochester Fire Academy. I
met with instructors and recruits and sat in on numerous classes
and drills. I can open an oxygen container now and know the basics
of cutting through a roof with a K-12 saw. I dressed in their gear,
posed for them as a patient in EMS drills, crawled through their
maze with them, and participated in night training evolutions.

As I did this primary research, I read about
fire fighting: famous books like
Thirty Years on the Line
by Leo Stapleton,
Report from Engine Company 82
by Dennis
Smith,
The Fire Inside
by Steve Delsohn, and
Fighting
Fire, A Personal Story
by Caroline Paul. I also read books on
firehouse jokes, fire fighting lore, fire museums, arson, and fire
house cooking. I even subscribed to
Firehouse
magazine,
though I confess my husband thought that this was going to an
extreme. The most strenuous tome I read was the entire recruit
manual on fire suppression (700 pages) and parts of the recruit
texts on EMS—Emergency Medical Systems.

When I was looking for a focus for the Hidden
Cove series, I remembered reading about a camp for the children of
slain firefighters and police officers put on by the renowned Camp
Good Days and Special Times on Keuka Lake. I interviewed the
chairman (he, too, gave me hours of his valuable time) and asked to
volunteer. Though that particular camp wasn’t offered that year, I
did spend almost a week at a similar one, a camp for kids affected
by homicide, at the same residential facility. Much of the setup of
my fictional camp in these novellas is based on this selfless,
heart-warming endeavor. I go back every summer to help Camp Good
Days and Special Times provide a respite for kids dealing with
life-altering problems.

My heartfelt thanks to everyone who helped me
learn about their areas. Particular gratitude goes to Joe
Giorgione, Rochester firefighter and paramedic, who steadfastly
spent hours with me explaining techniques, developing plot lines,
and figuring out answers to the unending questions I had. He also
graciously accompanied me to several book signings. You can see a
picture of Joe on my website.

Once again, I think I’ve given an accurate
portrayal of a fire department in upstate New York. Along the way,
I took a requisite amount of poetic license—the books are fiction,
after all, and they are clearly love stories—but I hope I stayed
true to the character of these special men and women. They are
among the most courageous, generous, interesting, and exciting
people I know. It is my sincerest hope that these books pay tribute
to America’s Bravest.

Kathryn Shay

oOo

Contact Kathryn Shay at
www.kathrynshay.com
(contact
Kathryn);
www.facebook.com/kathrynshay
;
www.twitter.com/KShayAuthor

Kathryn Shay’s Books available on
Smashwords:

People in the stock car racing town Glen Oaks
called them The Outlaws when they were young, but no one knew the
kids on the streets would grow up to be such upstanding citizens.
Follow these three relationships between these couples throughout
the book: Linc, now a minister and Margo, a confirmed atheist; Beth
who falls for the man the town blames for her husband’s death ten
years ago; and Annie and Joe whose marriage broke up over truly
irreconcilable issues.

Meet stoic by-the book Secret Service Agent
Joe Stonehouse who’s paired with rebel Agent Luke Ludzecky as they
go undercover in a typical American high school that has been
tagged as having the potential to erupt in deadly violence. Their
task of infiltrating the student body is hard enough, but when Joe
becomes involved with principal Suzanna Quinn, and Luke is
attracted to teacher Kelsey Cunningham, who thinks he’s a student,
the operation gets even more explosive.