Saved By The Firefighter
Chapter 124

Anders Point of View.

I sit and listen, unable to fathom how Anne is able to be as strong as she is.

"So yes, I am going to Disney, and I am taking Wayne's ashes with me, so my boy will still go. I am thinking of scattering them somewhere in America. I am sure he would have loved that." She tells the table.

I swallow the lump in my throat, this is so wrong, because I am filled with conflicting emotions. Sadness that this poor woman is going through this, and the young lad has been killed, but also utter relief that it wasn't Josie. I know that sounds selfish, but that is exactly how I feel.

Josie has been quiet of late. I don't blame her. It is going to take a while for everyone to get over what has happened. My main concern is every time she leaves for work, I get hit with a paralyzing fear, and I have to resist the urge to grab hold of her, and physically stop her going to the station.

Obviously, I keep my gut-wrenching terror to myself, she has enough to deal with. I know, because she gently sobs every night in her sleep, leaving me feeling helpless as I hold her body to mine, gently trying to tell her it is okay, when I know nothing is okay. "Any more news on the arsonist?" Headache asks, as he pops a painkiller into his mouth.

"Only that there is more than one, but they are still no further forwards." Ben tells him.

"Bastards." Headache spits the sentiment we all feel.

Anne stiffens, and my girl instantly notices, so being the beautiful person she is, she quickly changes the subject.

"So... what have HQ said about your job Boss?" Josie asked Whip-me.

"Well, I was going to wait to tell you all, but as you have asked," Kelvin states, as Joanne reaches over and takes his hand in hers, then gives him a reassuring smile.

"I cannot go on active duty again, obviously. However, they foresee a position as a Group Manager becoming available in the not to distant future." Kelvin smiles. "So...are they going to promote you?" Josie asked again.

"That is what they have indicated. Once I am signed back to work, there will be the Group Manager Job available, once the person has served out their notice of resignation." Kelvin shrugs.

"Is that a posh way of saying they gave Shallow Fallow no option but to resign to keep his pension, or they were going to sack the fucker, and leave him with nothing?" Davey asks.

Everyone held back their laughter at his comment, not wanting to upset Anne with joviality. However, Wayne's mam bellows with laughter at Davey's straight to the point statement.

"I hope they sacked his incompetent a*s. I wrote to them, stating his decision against your advice cost my son his life." Anne said with a shrug, wiping away a tear from her eye, that I am not sure is her grief, or from the laughter, probably a mixture of both. "You were not the only one to complain, there was a petition signed by all the firefighters that were at the scene at the time, including the station officers, sent to them." Joanne informs us innocently.

She is not fooling anyone, we all know she anonymously started that petition, and made sure every firefighter and their mother signed it.

"He was requested to leave," Kelvin confirms.

"So, you are going to be permanently behind a desk and smiling for cameras now, Boss." Josie grins at him.

"Yes, my days running a crew, or fighting a fire are gone now. But at least this way I can help the guys on the ground, so to speak." Kelvin nods. "So, who is taking over as our watch station officer?" Headache asks.

"That is to be decided. Also, there is the matter of the Marley Potts station officer role as well." Kelvin states, then glances at Ben, then Davey.

I am a businessman, and I know only too well by that glance, that one of those two will take over at least on of the roles. I wonder what that will mean for my girl. I cannot help but wish she was behind a desk somewhere.

"So, it is going to be 'all change' then. It is the end of an era." Twinkle sighs, looking into his pint.

"Yes, the seasons are changing. But life goes on." Anne wisely declares, then wipes another small tear from her eye.

The table drops silent at her words, each of us lost in our own thoughts.

"However. Even in change, things remain the same, so how about we all raise a glass to my boy 'y'all"" Anne smiles.

We each raise our glasses.

"To Wayne, I know you are looking down on us now, but if you are talking to God, remember you are f*****g English!" Headache smiles, as tears stream down his face.

"To Wayne." We all repeated and took a sip of our drinks.

"Do you want another drink?" I ask Josie, seeing her drain the last dregs of her pint.

"No, actually, would anyone be offended if we took off?" She asked the table.

"Of course not, Josie. Thank you for coming. Wayne loved you, never more so than when you brought your cakes to the station." She tells my fiancée with a sad smile on her face. "Yes, he loved them." Josie smiled, then wiped a small tear from her eye.

"Okay, see you tomorrow guys." Josie stands, and I followed her, giving the table a wave goodbye, before following her out the door.

We headed up Chester road towards the carpark, walking back up to the crematorium to pick up the car. I took hold of her hand in mine, not really sure what to say to her. "Sorry, I just needed to get out of there. Especially when they began to talk about change. I have something to tell you." Josie sighed, then her beautiful blue eyes looked up at me.

I nod my head, waiting for what it is she wants to say.

"I have applied for a head office role. I will need to do six months' training, but I want to go into the fire investigation side of things. Honestly, I am okay working on the fires at the moment. But, I want a family, Anders, and the last thing I thought as we opened that fire-door, was you and me with kids running around our feet and how I would probably not see that. I cannot work putting out fires and have that dream. Well, technically I could, but I don't want to anymore. I may not be accepted on the course, but it is what I want." She tells me.

I don't say anything, because if I did, the relief, and shouts of glee that she would be away from running into burning buildings, will be my go-to response, and I don't think she needs to hear that from me right now.

"Say something." Josie tells me with pleading eyes.

"I think it is a very good decision, and I love the fact that the job would be safer, especially if we are wanting to start a family. But, it is your choice, Josie, not mine." I smile at her.

"So... you want a family as well?" she asks.

"Yes, I do. The sooner the better, if I am honest. I am quite envious of Ben stroking Lucy's bump, believe it or not. But we have a wedding to organise first." I grin down at her.

"I was thinking, I have some leave left from work. Fancy a trip to Vegas? Get married by an Elvis impersonator? We can have a party afterwards for everyone, but I just want to be able to call you my husband. Life is too short to wait for months and months booking a traditional wedding, worrying about seating plans, and who is going to be offended if they are not sitting at a certain table. I want it just the two of us." Josie asks a shy smile on her face.

"Not sure about the Elvis impersonator part, but you had me at being called your husband, so when can you get leave?" I smile down at her.

"Not sure, Davey is running things as Acting Station Officer, so I will collar him tomorrow, maybe after I am finished this next lot of day shifts." Josie grins up at me.

"Well, then. Let me know tomorrow, and I will book us up for two weeks in Vegas, with a wedding included." I grin down at her, then place my arms around her waist, turned her towards me and crash my lips on hers.

We are lost together, both of us melting into each other, the world around us disappears, until someone passes in a car and honks their horn. Some lads, hang out their window shouting "Get a room." Making Josie giggle, and I break the kiss, flipping them the bird, as I rub noses with my soon to be wife.

We make a turn into the cemetery. It feels peaceful, as we head towards the crematorium, we stop suddenly. Another coffin is being brought out of a hearse, only this time there are not hundreds of people there to say goodbye to a loved one. A solitary person stands, her eyes red raw.

"Liv." Josie breathes out.

"I did not know it was his funeral today. Does Davey know?" I asked Josie.

"Yes, he offered to come, but Liv is blaming him for not getting Keith out of the building in time." Josie sighs.

"In fact, she is blaming all of us. She is leaving my house and returning to Harrogate in a few days." She continues.

I say nothing, because what is there to say? I am pissed that Davey's sister is blaming everyone for her loss, but at the end of the day, she is grieving, even if that fucker was partly responsible for the beating my father and brother gave her. If I am honest, none of us are mourning his loss.

"Let's leave her in peace." I whisper to Josie, knowing she would want to go comfort the girl, but I also know that Liv will probably not appreciate it, and may spout some s**t to her, which would make me lose my s**t and say something back to her. Not an ideal situation.

"Yeah, I think it is best. Do you mind if we go past the flowers again? I just want to tell Wayne that I have planned a wedding he would be proud of." Josie offers me a soft smile.

"Yes, are you telling the others or just coming back married?" I ask her.

"I will be telling them, the lads need to organise my hen night." Josie giggles.

"Oh, I see. What about my stag do?" I grin at her.

"Why don't we have a joint night out?" She asks, and I nod my head, loving the idea.

We cross over the small path and make our way into the stone-walled-off area reserved for the floral tributes for those that have been cremated that day. As we walk down, Josie freezes as she sees Twinkle's Mrs standing sobbing her heart out. "I am sorry Wayne. You were not the one supposed to die." She whispers.

I blink my eyes, wondering what the hell the woman was talking about, when I saw my father walking over to her, gathering her into his arms, and kissing her on the head.

"We knew there was a risk when we planned these attacks. But we will make sure the next one kills your husband. Fran, I promise you." My father tells her, as Josie and I stand watching, then before I can stop her, my girl rushes towards them, screaming like a banshee.