Ladies and gentlemen, another meeting that could have been a post-it note.
We've been assigned for the day but remain unreleased as Sergeant Barnes tells us about his family reunion that's happening this weekend. I swear, if he says one more thing about his cousin's amazing potato salad, I'm gonna storm out of here in protest. I'm not trying to be dramatic. I'm just officially hungry for potato salad now and since I'm about to start a shift, that craving is painfully out of reach.
I feel a sharp kick to my leg and my eyes shoot over to Jimmy at my right.
He ducks his head close to mine and drops his voice. "You wanna hit the Rib Shack before our shift tomorrow? I feel like potato salad."
At least I'm not the only one. "Count me in."
"Good," he mutters with a smirk. "We need to hang out before you switch shifts on me and move to daylights. Like you requested. For a woman."
"Not just any woman," I happily remind him. "The woman. I can't do this fucking swing shift anymore, man. I'm tired of always working or sleeping when she's free."
"Are you saying that being in love is making you crave structure?" Jimmy shakes his head but I don't miss the proud smile on his face. "Never thought I'd see the day but I'm glad you found someone important enough to change shifts for. I hope you enjoy Main Street, buddy."
Oh yeah, Main Street. Fitzgerald's territory. My penance for requesting daylight shifts means I'll be rotating more time on everyone's most hated beat.
It'll be a few months before we have any new rookies to send to that block and the Chief can't seem to find anyone that works it as well as I do. So, when I asked to work daylights, he was all too pleased to put me at Fitzgerald's mercy. I think he's still getting back at me for ditching on his cousin during that date from hell.
I'm good with it though. It's a small price to pay to free up my nights and evenings for a couple of my favorite girls.
"Alright guys," Barnes interrupts my thought as he hollers across the room, trying to get everyone's attention since literally no one is listening to him ramble on about his family reunion anymore. "Before you go, just a reminder that Safety Days are coming up in March and sign ups sheets are in back. If there's a school you'd like to visit, hurry up and claim it. If you're scheduled that day, we'll work shift swaps later."
I practically skip to the back. I've been waiting for this sign up sheet since the moment I found out Amber worked at a school. It was a small nugget of a plan back then but now that we're together, it's exploded into an epic scheme and a mission of love. What kind of boyfriend would I be if I didn't show up in uniform to watch my hot girlfriend drool over me in her workplace? The fact that Mia attends school there only makes it better.
"What's that on your wrist, man?" Alcott asks as I write my name alongside Bright Horizons Education Center. He waves his hand at my right arm, gesturing to the woven bracelet Mia gave me. "Did you go cute on me, Sallow?"
I elbow him in the ribs. "It's from Mia, you jackass. She said it's to keep me safe."
And I'm never taking it off. But I keep that part to myself.
"Good luck with that," Jimmy says with a snort laugh. "Nothing can save you from the wrath of Fitz' mean right hook. No matter how cute your new piece of jewelry looks."
I ignore him. There's no way I'm letting anyone or anything ruin that moment with Mia.
Being with Amber has brought plenty of new excitement to my life, things I've never felt before, feelings I know I'll never experience outside of her. But Mia has been a gift, the life experience I didn't know I needed and one I never imagined I'd love so much. She's one of the coolest, sweetest humans I've ever known and, while I'm still learning how to navigate having her along for the ride, I'll stop at nothing to figure out everything I need to know to make this work.
The busted playhouse flashes through my mind, an unwelcome reminder of my time spent away in New York and the damage Vince caused in my absence. It makes me feel sick. I can't wrap my fucking head around what he did, what he could have done. All I've thought about since we got back is making it right and since most of it feels out of my control, I've been hyper focused on the one thing that I can do.
I need to fix the playhouse and my work schedule has kept me from that task for too long now. But, thankfully, I'm off this weekend. Trevor and I are going to take care of it while Mia is at a sleepover.
I haven't been able to get her words out of my head. "Are you going to make it all better?"
Dang right, kiddo. That's exactly what I plan to do.
._._._.
"When you feel LOST and about to give up... cause your Best. Just. Ain't. Good enough!"
Here we go. Somebody brought Fitz in.
"And you feel the world has grown so COLD! And you're driftin' out all on your own..."
There's nothing like returning back to the station after a long shift to the sloppy sounds of Motown streaming out from the holding cell around the corner.
"And you need a hand to hold!"
As I head for the lockers in the staff lounge, Tory pops her head out from the holding room. She's the officer manning the cages tonight and her look is both amused and apologetic. She knows more than anyone how deep my love/hate relationship with Fitz goes, having lent an ear to so many of our heartfelt conversations through the cell bars and provided the ice for nearly every black eye the old man has given me over the years.
"I was hoping he'd be done by the time you got back," she says. "He's really on a roll tonight."
I laugh. "No worries. At least I wasn't the one that had to bring him in. How long has he been here?"
"Since a little after midnight," she sighs in defeat, making me wonder exactly how long he's been at it with the musical theater tonight. I don't envy her job right now. "I'm pretty sure he's sobered up. He just really loves this song."
I see what you did there, Tory. Trying to pass him off to the next able bodied person that can get him out of your hair as soon as possible. To be honest, I get it. We've all been there when it comes to Fitz.
"If he's sober, I guess that means he needs a ride?"
"Kind of," Tory mutters, a touch of guilt running through her voice.
"Darlin' reach oo-uu-ut."
There he goes again.
Tory groans and shakes her head as she spins back around, disappearing into the holding room. I follow her, just to investigate the shenanigans Jimmy and I will be dealing with before we go home, and I'm not disappointed at all by the scene in front of me.
Fitz has his arm stretched out through the bars of the cell, his hand flexed with feeling as he belts out the lyrics. This old man is completely off his rocker. But honestly? I'm about to start dancing, he's actually killing the song tonight.
Jimmy traipses in behind us, ignoring the performance entirely as he tips his chin at Tory and sends her a wink. "What's up, Tory? You look nice tonight."
Aww. These two and their year long flirtationship.
Tory's cheeks turn pink as she smiles at him. "Thanks, Jimmy. You look..." Letting her eyes travel over his uniform, she gives him a nervous laugh now. "Well, you look exactly the same as every other time I see you."
Jimmy turns on the swoon, leaning against the concrete wall beside her. "And how do I look every other time?"
Come on, Alcott.
"Um... good?" Tory's eyebrows knit together for a second before she laughs it off and her eyes light up as they flash to Fitz then back to Jimmy again, lightning fast. "You know, I have a really important job that needs done, Jimmy. And I think you're just the man for it."
If Jimmy was turning on the swoon, Tory just turned on the scheme.
"And what would that be?" Jimmy asks, oblivious.
She bats her eyelashes. "Take Fitz home for me?"
Jimmy's shoulders drop in defeat and his eyes shoot over to me. "This was you," he accuses, narrowing his eyes at me.
I laugh, raising my hands defensively as I make my way to the staff lounge. "I had nothing to do with it, man. You can blame your charm."
Jimmy shouts after me. "He's your best friend! You're helping, Sallow!"
"Yeah, yeah. I'll help, you big baby."
After grabbing my stuff, I stop by the holding room to wait for Jimmy. Fitz is still singing away to the same Four Tops song he was performing earlier but more to himself now as he paces the concrete floor with a little pep in his step.
When I approach the cell, he looks up at me and that endearing old smile crosses his lips. "This one's for you today, Officer Sallow. Pay close attention to the lyrics. Now if you feel that you can't go on... because all your hope is gone. And your life is filled with much confusion, until happiness is just an illusion." His arm comes powering through the bars again. "Reach out!"
My laugh echoes through the small room. "Why is that song for me?"
"Cause you're always down in the dumps and so negative all the damn time, kid," Fitz shrugs, continuing his stroll around the cell.
Nah. That might have been me before, when I didn't know Amber. But those days are over. Brushing shoulders with love's eternal bliss changes a person, it's given me a completely new outlook on life. If I've really been that much of a negative asshole in the past, consider the next phase of my life the redemption story.
"Not anymore, old man." I tip my chin at Fitz with a grin. "I'm reformed."
He leaps over to the bars, gripping onto them as the smile on his face grows. "You got the girl, did ya?"
"I did."
"I'm so proud." The joy on his face is infectious.
"That means a lot, Fitz," I tell him honestly. Heck, that might be the nicest thing the old man's ever said to me.
"Although," he sings out, shooting me an evil grin. "I pity the poor girl who has to look at that ugly mug of yours."
Alright, I take back my comment about him being nice.
Jimmy strides in, swinging a set of keys around his finger. "You ready to go home, old man?"
"I've been ready," Fitz says, watching carefully as Jimmy unlocks the cell.
I step out of the way, fully intending to join Jimmy on the drive to take Fitz home but definitely making him do the hard part of escorting tonight since I'll be the main one tasked with this job soon enough.
"Stay calm for me, Fitzgerald, and I'll let you walk out of here uncuffed," Jimmy warns, a little trickle of fear in his voice as he opens the cell and Fitz steps forward.
"I'll be on my best behavior, Jimbo," he says, freeing a rumbling chuckle from deep in his belly and looking between the two of us. "What a treat that I get to see both of my favorite officers this fine evening..." His voice trails off as a mischievous twinkle takes residence in his eyes.
Oh boy. I take a step back. I've seen that twinkle before.
"There's just one problem," Fitz says, keeping his eyes pinned on my unsuspecting partner. Here it comes. And Jimmy has no fucking idea. He doesn't know Fitz well enough. "You missed my performance, Alcott."
"Duck!" I try to warn him.
Jimmy goes flying backward.
He didn't duck.
I hurry up and grab Fitz, shoving him through the still open cell and slamming the door shut. Laughing my ass off the whole time, I might add.
"Come on, Sallow," Fitz whines. "I've got a date at the park later. I can't be late."
A date at the park, sure. "Why don't you take a nap first, old man. You're not going anywhere anytime soon."
I meet Tory's frown with an apologetic smile before glancing back at Jimmy. He's glaring at Fitzgerald, holding his nose and trying to catch the blood pouring out from it like a waterfall.
"Fuck you, Fitz," he spouts off.
"Fuck you back, Alcott."
When I start dying of laughter again, Jimmy's irritated eyes shoot over to me. "Fuck you, Sallow. Isn't this usually your thing?"
Fitz and I exchange a friendly glance, even though I know damn well my turn for a black eye or a bloody nose at his hand sits right around the corner. Today though, I walk away uninjured.
I turn to Jimmy and hold up my arm, twisting it back and forth and watching Mia's bracelet shift around on my wrist.
"What can I say, man? Looks like this thing works after all."