A Family for the Firefighter
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Jacquelin Thomas
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37
CHAPTER ONE
TIRED AND HUNGRY, Leon Rothchild parked in the driveway of his aunt’s home in the Victorian district of Polk Island a few minutes past 8:00 a.m. He’d just finished a twenty-four-hour shift at the local fire department. Whistling softly, he got out of the truck and walked past neatly trimmed rosebushes in pink, red and white to the steps of the wraparound porch. Perched on each side of the front door were Eleanor Rothchild Pittman’s beloved Boston ferns. He paused in his tracks when he spied her keys still in the lock.
Aunt Eleanor forgot to take her keys inside... They’d probably been out here all night. He grabbed them and entered the house that he had grown up in.
“Hey... It’s just me, Auntie.” Leon always felt a sense of security whenever he visited his childhood home.
“C’mon to the kitchen, son,” she called out in response. “You’re just in time for breakfast.”
He’d been fighting hunger pangs all morning, so her words were music to his ears.
The sound of bacon sizzling in the pan on the stove, the smell of fresh coffee and the stack of pancakes made Leon’s mouth water.
Eleanor assessed him as he strolled into the kitchen. “Son, you look like you’re losing weight. I don’t know what they feed you at that station, but you need to come by here or the café every day to pick up a plate of food.”
Laughter spilled from his lips as Leon embraced her. “Aunt Eleanor, I’m fine. You don’t have to worry about me.” Dangling her keys, he said, “But you’re going to have me worrying about you. You really need to be more careful. We get a lot of strangers on the island.”
“Oh, my goodness,” she murmured. “I would’ve been running myself ragged looking for them.” Eleanor took the keys and hung them on a hook beside the refrigerator.
When his parents died in a car accident twenty years ago, Eleanor and her husband, Walter, stepped up to care for Leon and his younger brother. He was ten years old at the time and Trey was eight. Four years later, Walter passed away. Bonded by blood and their grief, Eleanor and the boys clung tight to one another.
Leon picked up a plate and placed two slices of bacon and a small stack of pancakes on it. “I’m glad you finally hired somebody for the bakery. You’ve been working some pretty long hours for the past couple of months.” Leon poured himself a cup of coffee, then strode over to the table in the breakfast nook and sat down.
“Me, too,” Eleanor stated. “She started earlier this week. She moved to Polk Island from Charleston. She’s very dependable and the girl can bake...”
“Sounds like she’s perfect for the job, then.”
Eleanor pressed both hands over her eyes as if they burned with weariness. “It’s perfect timing too with June right around the corner. I already have five contracts for wedding cakes. This month and the next are gwine be busy months. Polk Island, South Carolina, is becoming a popular spot for weddings. There was even a nice article in one of the bridal magazines about our little island.”
The ringing of the telephone cut into their conversation.
“Hey, sugar... Your ears must’ve been burning. I was just talking about you...” Eleanor’s left eyebrow rose a fraction. “Whoa... Slow down... I’m having trouble understanding you.”
Leon blessed his food, but before he could take a bite, the change in Eleanor’s tone caught his attention. When she hung up, he asked, “Everything okay?”
Worry colored her expression. “I’m not sure. I need to go to the shop, son. My new employee has a family emergency. Silas isn’t coming in until noon. Josh can’t handle the morning rush alone. Finish eating your breakfast.” Eleanor picked up her purse and keys. “Just put everything in the dishwasher when you’re done.”
“You’re finally using it?” Leon asked in amazement. She’d put up a fuss when he first purchased it for her nearly two years ago. His aunt had insisted it could never clean her dishes as well as she could.
Eleanor broke into a grin. “I’ve seen the light.”
He chuckled.
She planted a kiss on his cheek. “Love you, son.”
“I love you too, Auntie.”
Leon returned his attention to the food on his plate.
TEARS BLINDING HER eyes and choking her voice, Misty Brightwater rushed into the day care. “How could you just let my ex-husband walk in here and take my daughter? I should’ve been notified the moment he arrived.” She struggled to keep her voice at a normal volume to avoid upsetting any of the children.
The woman working the front desk uttered, “I had no idea... I’m so sorry.”
“I made it clear to the director that John didn’t have permission to ever take Talei from here. He has supervised visitation only.” Misty put a hand to her mouth to keep from screaming as her heart pounded rapidly. After a moment, she said, “I’ve called the police. They should be here any minute.”
“I’m so sorry, Miss Brightwater. I didn’t know.”
“Where’s Mrs. Washington?” Misty asked. She grappled to keep the panic she felt from her voice. She was working at Polk Island Bakery & Café when John called to let her know he had their daughter and was going to disappear. “I wouldn’t have known a thing if my ex-husband hadn’t called me.”
“Mrs. Washington left to pick up some supplies, but she should be back soon. I really am sorry. There wasn’t a note in the system.”
“Well, there should’ve been,” Misty stated.
The thought of Talei being with John terrified Misty. His actions of late had caused her to take certain precautions to avoid exactly what just happened.
Twenty-six years old, Misty had moved to Polk Island three weeks ago to build a new life for her and her three-year-old daughter, Talei. When she and John were first married, Misty used to ride with him in his delivery truck to different towns, including Polk Island. She fell in love with the small-town charm of the place. After their divorce was final, she decided to put down roots here. It was the perfect place to raise Talei.
At least she thought so at the time.
LEON LOCKED UP his aunt’s house and climbed into his car. He was so tired his nerves throbbed. The May air blowing hot through the open windows of his truck did nothing to stop the sweat dampening his neck and chest. Leon made a mental note to take his truck to the shop to have the air conditioner checked out before the hot weather took over. He considered stopping by his mechanic right now, but he really wasn’t up for it.
Leon was exhausted. He never slept well whenever he had to stay at the station. At the moment, he was looking forward to a shower and his bed. A couple of hours of sleep would do him a world of good.
A cow darted out into the middle of the road just as a car was speeding up the road. Stomach churning, Leon watched the events unfold as if in slow motion.
The Mercedes Benz GLS 580 connected full force with the animal before it careened off the road and smashed into a huge oak tree, stopping the car.
Leon quickly pulled off the road and parked. His heart fluttered hard against his ribs. He took a deep breath, then exhaled to calm himself. Certified as an EMT, he called 9-1-1 as he rushed over to the vehicle to check on the occupants inside.
“There’s been an accident on Highway 171,” Leon said when someone answered. “I have a male unconscious. Massive head trauma, extrication necessary... John...” he uttered, recognizing his friend. For a moment, he forgot to breathe. “Thirty-year-old male.”
The sound of a child screaming hysterically commandeered his attention.
Leon’s gaze swept to the back seat. A little girl strapped in a car seat sobbed and trembled with fear. He worked swiftly to get to her. “It’s gonna be okay, little one,” he murmured. Faced with the choice of whom to care for first, Leon chose to remove the child. John’s injuries were life-threatening, which made performing triage in the field impossible.
Talei... John’s daughter...
“There’s a toddler in the vehicle, as well,” he told the operator who was on speaker.
He laid the phone on top of the vehicle to free the little girl from the restraints of the car seat and checked for visible injuries. “She’s scared but looks okay otherwise.”
Leon’s emotions were all over the place when she stopped crying and clung to him for dear life. “We’re gonna get your daddy some help,” he whispered while keeping John out of his daughter’s view.
“Daddee...” she said, her eyes bright with unshed tears. “I w-want Da...Daddy. I...s-scared.”
Leon’s heart broke at the stark fear he saw in her eyes. “You’re safe, Talei. I promise.”
Teary-eyed, she looked up at him.
“My name is Leon. I’m a friend of your daddy.”
“Eon,” she said in a trembling voice. “I scared.”
He took her tiny hand in his. “You don’t have to be afraid.”
Leon glanced over his shoulder at his friend and prayed help would arrive soon. He released a short sigh when he heard sirens. “Hang in there, buddy. Paramedics are coming. I have your little girl and she’s fine. Hang in there.” He could see the fire engine moving swiftly toward them. He knew an ambulance would be close behind.
The paramedics arrived seconds later, followed by a police car.
Leon gestured for a female coworker to come over. He was more than a little relieved to hand over the little girl to someone else. Had his own daughter lived, she would’ve been the same age. It was too much of a painful reminder.
“This is my friend Lizzie. She’s going to stay with you so I can help your daddy.”
“Help D-Daddy.”
“Hey, sweetie. I have this little guy for you.” Lizzie gave Talei a teddy bear wearing a T-shirt with the fire station logo emblazoned on it. “He’s gonna be right here with you, and so am I.”
His coworker Charles asked, “You know the driver?”
“Yep. He’s the friend I told you about. His name is John Hayes.”
Leon and John had been roommates in college until John was forced to withdraw from school to help his father with the family trucking business in Orangeburg, South Carolina. He was shocked seeing John and wondered when he’d arrived on the island. Normally, his friend would notify him whenever he was coming to the area.
Leon walked with Charles to the damaged vehicle, where they were in the process of extricating John.
“This doesn’t look good,” he mouthed under his breath.
Charles placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. While he stood there, random thoughts circulated in his mind. Leon recalled the moment when John asked him to be Talei’s godfather. He couldn’t accept at the time because it was too soon after the death of his own wife and child. Leon wasn’t able to attend John’s wedding because he’d just started training with the fire department, so he never had the opportunity to meet his ex-wife.
In recent months, John often confided his struggles and frustration in wanting to get his family back together. He’d shared with Leon that his marriage had been a tumultuous one. He blamed his ex-wife for being selfish and thinking only of herself.
Once John was extricated, paramedics transported both him and his little girl to the hospital. Talei put up a fuss when they put her in the ambulance, but she calmed eventually when Lizzie promised to ride to the hospital with her. They decided it was best to transport John in a separate ambulance.
Leon gave the police an overview of what happened, then he was free to leave.
Exhausted and emotionally drained, Leon headed in the direction of his home but turned around abruptly and drove to the hospital instead. There was no point in going home when his thoughts were of John and Talei.
A notification came across his phone. It was an Amber Alert for Talei Hayes.
“John, what did you do?” Leon whispered, bewildered. “They’re acting like you kidnapped your daughter.”
At the hospital, he spoke briefly with a nurse who informed him that his friend was taken to the trauma center.
His stomach in knots, Leon dialed the number to Hayes Trucking. “Hello... I need to speak with Elroy regarding his son. Tell him it’s Leon Rothchild calling.”
Elroy came on the phone a minute later. “Hey, it’s good to hear from you...”
“John’s been in an accident,” Leon quickly interjected. “He’s at Polk Island Hospital.”
“What happened?”
“A cow ran into the middle of the road... His daughter was with him.”
“Is Talei...” Elroy’s voice broke.
“No... She’s fine,” Leon quickly assured Elroy. “She’s scared, as you can imagine, but no injuries. But John’s in serious condition.”
“Clara and I will be heading your way within the hour. Keep me posted on my son, Leon, until we arrive.”
“I will.”
Leon hung up and placed another call. “Aunt Eleanor, I’m at the hospital. John was in an accident. He’s in bad shape.”
“Oh, honey, I’m gonna pray for him.”
“They’re saying he kidnapped his daughter. I need to speak with the sheriff. It has to be a misunderstanding.”
“Lawd, noo,” Eleanor moaned.
“What’s wrong?” Leon inquired.
“Misty’s little girl was taken by her daddy. That’s why I rushed over here to the shop.”
He was stunned. “Is her name Talei?”
“Yes.”
Leon couldn’t believe it. There had to be an explanation. “John wouldn’t do something like this, Auntie. I’ve known him a long time.”
“The man Misty described sure doesn’t sound like the one I got to know and love,” Eleanor said. “I had no idea that she was even married to John Hayes. She never mentioned his name.”
“I called his parents. He’s in surgery right now, but I thought they should know what happened.”
“Of course they should,” Eleanor agreed. “Sugar, how are you doing?”
“I don’t know what to do with all this,” Leon confessed. “When I last saw John, he mentioned taking his daughter on a trip. I knew he and his ex were fighting for custody, but he led me to believe that they had worked everything out.”
“I can’t believe he’d just take his daughter like that,” Eleanor said. “John must’ve felt pretty desperate.”
“There are two sides to this story—that’s for sure,” Leon stated.
“When Silas comes to work, I’ll come to the hospital to sit with you.”
“Thanks, Auntie.”
Leon heard Talei crying for her mother. He walked in quick strides toward her room.
As soon as the little girl saw him, she reached for him.
Leon hesitated a moment, unsure whether he should pick her up, but the fear on her face propelled him into action. He took her into his arms. “Talei, hey. It’s alright. You’re safe. This nurse just wants to make sure you’re okay. Her name is Amy.”
Sniffling, Talei eyed him as a lone tear rolled down her cheek.
“Leon, how does she know you?”
“Her father is my friend. Were you able to make contact with her mother?”
“She’s on the way,” Amy responded. “Do you think you can stay with this little princess while I check her out?”
He nodded.
“I want M-Mommy,” Talei whimpered.
“She will be here soon,” Leon said. Stark fear glimmered in Talei’s eyes. He just wanted to make her feel safe.
“Daddy...c-car...”
“The doctor’s taking good care of him,” Amy told her. “Can you tell me who this is on your dress?”
“Minty M-Mouse.”
“I love Minnie Mouse.” Smiling, Amy continued to check Talei’s vitals. “I love Mickey Mouse, too.”
“Mickey and Minty on TV.”
“Yes, they are. Would you like to watch some television?”
Talei nodded.
Amy turned to the Disney Channel. “Here you go, cutie.”
“Wado,” she whispered when the nurse left the room.
Wado. Leon recalled a conversation he’d had with John. His friend had boasted about his daughter learning the Cherokee language and traditions. He’d also confided that his father was against it—Elroy Hayes thought it disgraceful that his daughter-in-law had dismissed her Black heritage by choosing to live as a Native.
Leon sat on the bed with Talei on his lap. Mickey and Minnie Mouse danced across the screen, but the little girl remained strangely quiet. Every now and then she would jump at the sound of a loud noise.
“I scared,” she mumbled.
“I’m not gonna let anything hurt you,” Leon assured her. “Your mom will be here soon, but until she gets here, I’m not gonna leave you, little one.”
She turned to look at him. “Eon... I want Daddy.”
“He would be here with you, but he got hurt, so the doctor has to take care of him.”
“Doctor make him better?”
“Yes. The doctor’s going to take care of him.”
Amy entered the room.
“Leon...” She placed her hand on his shoulder. “I’m sorry.”
He felt the familiar stirrings of sadness. He knew John’s condition was serious, but still he’d hoped and prayed for a positive outcome.
“He didn’t make it,” Amy said softly.
Leon fought back tears. “Thanks for letting me know.” A raw and primitive grief overwhelmed him.
He glanced down at Talei, who looked to be falling asleep. When Leon tried to lay her down in the hospital bed, she began crying again.
“I’m here, sweetie. I’m not going anywhere. I just wanted to make you comfortable. You look sleepy.”
Talei clung to him, her dark curly puffs of hair tickling his neck.
“Okay, little one.” Leon held her close to his heart.
Talei’s eyelids grew heavy. She fought her exhaustion, but eventually drifted off to sleep.
Leon swallowed hard as he rocked gently back and forth.
John was dead. His friend was gone.
Anguish threatened to overwhelm him. His heart hadn’t fully healed from the deaths of Vera and his own child. It was still broken into so many fragments, he wasn’t sure it could handle another loss.
