Page 14 of AJ’s Fire

“I love you,” I said once in return.

The EMTs were on us as AJ lifted his head, his bloodshot eyes wide, looking into my soul.

The medics pulled us apart but not before AJ squeezed my shoulder and nodded in response. My heart pounded.

“Ramerez?” he questioned, and it helped me focus.

“She’s okay. On the way to Community Hospital.”

AJ was laid out on a gurney like Freeda before him, and a mask was placed over his face. He lifted it, speaking first to the EMTs, “He rides with me,” then to me. “Can you call Jamie and tell him I might be a little late.” Despite the exhaustion evident on his face, his eyes danced.

I laughed at that though I didn’t find it at all funny. It was just every emotion I had ever felt in the history of forever bubbling up at seeing AJ okay, breathing and talking and worried about getting home for Thanksgiving.

I waited until we were in the ambulance. A visit to the hospital is standard operating procedure, mainly due to concerns over smoke inhalation. I texted Jamie, reading out loud as I typed. “All ok, but AJ needs to get a medical all clear before you guys can take off. Headed to NYCH.”

Jamie called immediately, and the medic and I both had to yell at his brother to keep his oxygen mask on.

“He’s fine, Jamie. This is standard. We’ve been through worse.” I said it with confidence, but I looked at AJ as I said it, and he nodded in agreement. My sense of relief was overwhelming.

When I hung up with Jamie, AJ reached out, and I held his hand. It was something we had never done before. I felt a shock wave cascade through my body, somehow both intense and calming, as his fingers interlocked with mine. I didn’t question it.

Once we were at the hospital and AJ was settled and allowed to take the mask off, he reached out for my hand again.

“I love you, too, bro.” He smiled that bright smile at me. Not shy or awkward or life-changing. Just two best friends, two bros having a moment. I squeezed his hand and squeezed my heart shut as best I could but not before closing my eyes for a moment and letting that overwhelming feeling wash over me one more time.

I opened them to find AJ’s eyes narrowed as he watched me. I ignored his silent question, asking one of my own instead.

“Do you want to talk about it?” I asked.

He shrugged. “Kid panicked, ran. Freeda and I chased. Sandol got to him first; we got caught. Separated.”

A nurse came in, insisting AJ rest for a bit before they released him.

I argued the point after she left. “You're driving all the way to Hampstead tonight. Close your eyes. Rest a little. You know that niece of yours is going to talk the whole way there, and you will not have this opportunity again before …”

“Oh, God, before I have to spend four days with my entire family!”

I laughed at him again because I knew he loved it.

Chapter Five

AJ

I woke up in Hampstead Valley having dreamed of wispy love songs and wispier images of disembodied hands clinging to each other. Terms of endearment floated by along with professions of love. Jackson’s smile was in there too, and his voice, though I couldn’t hear what he said. Jamie’s hand was gently on my forearm, squeezing. The comforting movement had stopped. I looked out into the dark night, and though I couldn’t really see anything, I knew.

“Home sweet home?”

“Yeah, we’re here,” he whispered, turning to the back seat.

I stretched my big frame as best I could in the passenger seat of my brother’s car and eyed Vera, uncomfortably asleep in her booster seat.

“Thanks for driving, man. Bags or Vee?” I questioned my brother.

Jamie asked that I carry my niece into the house.

“Princess duty it is,” I whispered.

The effort of those words reminded me that my throat was still sore from our fire call earlier in the afternoon. It had been an intense few minutes inside that building. Alone, seemingly trapped, hoping everyone else had gotten out, my comms down. I had fought my way through the flames and thought, Thank God, Jackson’s not here. I thought about how I’d feel if Jackson didn’t make it out of a burning building, and I picked up my pace until I was clear of the structure.