Season 4 One Shots

Revenge Dress

Any other day, at an event like this, with his wife dressed like that, Robert Sullivan would have been calculating the minutes until they could leave and not draw disapproving looks from the higher-ups within the Seattle Fire Department. Or, they might have shown up late, saying they got caught in traffic or had to stop for gas. The gleam in their eyes and small, shared smiles would have made it clear to anyone listening just how flimsy their excuses were. They were newlyweds after all. While the brass might not approve and their friends would tease, it would be evident to anyone paying attention how in love Andy and Robert were.

Instead, Robert, dressed in a dark grey suit, stood glowering against one of the tent pools that held up the large canopy covering the outdoor dance floor. It was early August 2020. They weren't done with COVID yet, but case numbers had fallen, and with the Seattle first responders getting tested every few days, the mayor's team was confident that they could get together for this night of hors d'oeuvres, drinking, and dancing in a reasonably safe way. The cause was a good one, raising money for a scholarship fund for the children of Washington first responders who had lost their lives to COVID, but tonight Robert wished he could be anywhere but here.

His problem was not with the event, although even under the best of circumstances he didn't enjoy being "strongly encouraged" to attend work-related activities on his personal time. Tonight the reason for his sour mood was the presence of his wife. Since Maya and Carina's wedding two weeks prior, they had been living apart. From his post away from the revelry on the dance floor, he thought back to that night.

"I'm done trying to persuade you to talk to me," he angrily whispered to Andy as the news of Maya's demotion sunk in among the crew assembled for the wedding. "I packed an overnight bag before I came here. I told myself I'd give it one more chance, but I'm not going to beg. The apartment is yours. I'll find someplace else to crash."

"Robert, wait," Andy began, but he quickly made his way out the front door of the restaurant.

She began to walk after him, but Travis and Vic stopped her; they were stunned by the text message and wondered whether she could share some insider information.

Robert left the restaurant, got in his SUV, and took a breath. His head was spinning, and he had no idea what to do next. He had packed an overnight bag for himself, but to be honest, he didn't think he would be looking for a place to stay. Andy had been angry with him before, but it had never gotten this far.

He was never much of a drinker, but at that moment the thought of drowning his sorrows was appealing, and that thought scared him. He pulled his phone out of his jacket pocket and glanced at the time. It was just after 11:00: late, but not unreasonably so.

"You awake?" he texted quickly to Richard before he lost his nerve or convinced himself it wasn't really necessary.

Within a minute, Richard had called him, and Robert breathed a small sigh of relief. He trusted that Richard could serve as a calming counterbalance to his tormented state of mind.

After providing a brief summary of what led to the phone call, Robert said: "I was seriously considering buying a bottle of vodka, getting a hotel room, and drinking myself into a stupor. My problem was with drugs, so I know I'm not forbidden from drinking, but I don't want to substitute one addiction for another."

Robert, expecting Richard to quote him a line about only thinking about the next minute, or hour, surprised him when he said: "Why don't you stay here? I'm sober so we don't keep any alcohol in the house."

"I couldn't possibly impose on you like that," Robert responded. He was hoping his sponsor would share some sage advice; he was not looking for an invitation to his home.