a clean slate
"You can't avoid your mom forever."
Mark voiced to his girlfriend walking out of his bathroom. He sat up in his bed shirtless watching her get ready for work. Between their busy work schedules, the new couple found ways to spend time together. They've been bouncing back and forth from their places mostly Mark's considering Alexis lives with Josephine and crave for their privacy. The two have been quite inseparable.
Josephine picked up her pair of jeans and slipped them on. "Then you missed the part where I talked about my upbringing and the time, we stopped speaking to each other when I decided to become a firefighter." She mused.
It appears Isabel rang in the new year with a resolution, contacting her daughter to have a sit down.
Ever since Diego's passing, they've always butted heads. It wasn't any easier during Josephine's teenage years.
"So, nothing came out of the time about calling off the wedding and when you went to her after that huge earthquake?" He curiously asked after Josephine opened up to him of her past relationship from Bryan to her mother.
Josephine lowered her gaze from his concerning look as she grabbed for her shirt. "The only time my mom and I had a heart-to-heart moment was her explaining my dad's passing. Our relationship isn't exactly like the ones in the movies to your dismay." She said, throwing her arms into the sleeves of her shirt. "So, no I didn't talk much with her after the earthquake. All the trauma dumping was the therapist from work really."
"Look, do I wish our relationship could be better? Yes, but there's a lot to patch up that relationship to the point I accepted as it is." She casually said.
Mark nodded along as he didn't want to press his girlfriend. "All I'm saying is don't take things for granted. I'm sure we both know from working our fields." He calmly spoke. "What if she's willing to put in the effort to fix your relationship?"
She knew what he meant. The amount of people they saved in life threatening situations experience how life can flash before your eyes. She did. Specifically, back to the earthquake guaranteed one of the roughest shifts she's endured.
A sigh slipped from her lips before sauntering towards the bed. She crawled to straddle her boyfriend's lap. Her arms snaked around his neck, "I guess I can try to see what she wants to talk about. It's probably time since I doubt Vanessa wants to play middleman forever."
Mark rested his hands on her waist. "Just remember to not overthink it. I'm sure it'll go well.
The couple shared a blissful kiss to which Josephine deepened it. Mark hummed in satisfaction though slightly pulled away. "Hate to say this but don't you have to head out soon?"
"I have time, plus it's really hard to resist you sitting like this without a shirt." She whispered against his lips sealing another kiss.
He chuckled, running his hands down her sides. "But you just put your clothes on."
"And I can put them back on after you take them off." She held a mischievous look then Mark matched that look before moving quickly causing her to erupt into giggles.
Josephine took a sharp inhale inside the hazmat suit worn along with the rest of the 118 members as they arrived at a plastic surgeon's office from a dispatch call. She filed in after Hen where dead silence met the firefighters. It was quite frightening with the uncertainty of what they've just stepped into.
"What are we thinking? Gas leak?" Chimney pondered, closing the door behind him.
Everyone surveyed the quiet and empty waiting room.
"Could be some pathogen. World's a crazy place these days." Hen remarked.
Bobby held up the electronic tool in the room. "Negative for combustibles as of now. Masks stay on for the duration." He strictly ordered, still unsure of the situation.
"Where is everyone? It's too quiet." Buck asked as the team further inside the office space.
Strolling down the hallway, Josephine peered the first receptionist desk on the left-hand side. She perked at the sight of the receptionist on the floor. She nudged Eddie, motioning to the woman. "Got one over here." She called out, rushing to woman's side with the brunette man trailing. "She's got a pulse."
Eddie chimed in, examining the unconscious woman's eyes. "Pupillary response...normal."
"Help! Please help!" The rest of the team's attention turned their heads to a screaming woman's voice down the hall. They went ahead to check out the scene leaving Josephine and Eddie lurking around the area.
The latter found themselves entering the nearest patient room where one of the employees and a patient on the floor unconscious. Both departed each other's side to examine the duo on the floor.
"Eddie, Josie, you copy?" Bobby called in.
"Yeah, Cap." They responded in unison on the line.
"What's your status?"
Josephine pressed onto her radio, responding. "Found a couple more patients in the back. Also, stable."
"I'm gonna send Chim your way. You guys see if you can locate the tank supply room. You turn anything off that's a knob or a valve in this place."
When they exit out of the room and waited in the hallway for Chimney to meet them, Josephine spoke up. "You know I saw a construction truck parked nearby when we came in. I'm guessing it has a connection to what happened to everyone here."
"Seeing that everyone seems fine except being unconscious, possibly." Eddie said.
With their strong intuition, they were right once breaching the tank supply room. Josephine entered first flashing her light and seeing two construction workers on the scene. Eddie took strides over to the man farthest in the room. "I got this guy over here."
"Chim, grab the guy on the table. I'll search for the leak." She ordered to which he obliged and headed to the second unconscious worker.
"Stable here."
"This one's breathing. This guy won't budge."
Josephine walked towards the opened wall of pipes. She beamed her flashlight soon discovering the leakage. She radioed in, "Cap, found our leak." She turned the knob tightly, diffusing the leak brewing within the office. "Plugging the leak now."
"Copy that, Josie."
"Hey, Eddie! Need your help over here! Grab some tools!" Chimney shouted from the other side of the room.
Josephine spun around, walking up as Eddie rose on his feet. "What do you need? Saws? Jaws?" He questioned.
Seeing Chimney crouching under the table caused Josephine to furrow with curiosity. "Wrench. We'll have to travel him with the blade." He informed the two while analyzing the situation underneath.
"Easy, easy." He firmly instructed when Josephine and Eddie assisted him to lift the man with a saw punctured into his body. "Okay, that's got to sting." He grimaced at the sight while pressing down the cloth on blood seeping from the saw.
After cautiously placing the man on the gurney, the trio rushed out of the room and towards the ambulance surpassing Hen and Buck forming quizzical looks at the sight of the wounded civilian.
Sound of punches thrown to the punching bag in the boxing gym. Standing against the pillar at the boxing gym was Alexis staring at her best friend in amusement. She tilted her head and folded her arms on her chest.
"Is this your way of letting out the nerves before meeting with your mom tomorrow? I'd say you're doing a wonderful job."
Josephine's eyes remained intact with the bag as she continued with her workout. "Well, my therapist says bottling up feelings will only hurt you more." She gritted; each jab became harder than the next.
Upon taking Mark's advice, Josephine reluctantly responded to her mother about getting together this week. She wasn't sure what this brunch would entail although a lot of emotions stirred at the idea. More to the fact her mother initiating for them to spend time together. Considering their track record of their relationship, she never has high expectations especially with this upcoming brunch date.
Vanessa, knowingly to be the one to maintain a better relationship with their mother. She was the mere image of the woman. As Josephine was with her father. Didn't mean her relationship with Isabel had been trouble from the beginning though.
"Do you have any idea what it will be about?" The blond wondered.
Josephine huffed after the timer on the phone rang. "No," She propped her arms out for the blond to remove the boxing gloves to grab a sip from her water bottle. "I asked Vanessa about it, but she was completely mute." She rested a hand on her hip while the other brought the bottle to her lips to drink.
"Well, that's going to be fun."
The brunette forced out a tight lipped laugh, "I'm already regretting it. But I've faced worst at work and survived. Trying to see the light in all this and not overthink like Mark said."
"Mark isn't wrong though. He clearly hasn't met your mother, but this could be the start of something new for the both of you." Alexis fondly said. "How about we get our nails done after we're done. A little bit of TLC to help calm your nerves."
She shrugged, not opposing to the idea. "Sure. It's the new year and might feel refreshing. Plus, my mom might lecture me about self-care."
"Great! Let's go!" Alexis beamed, snatching up her bag.
Furrowing her brows, Josephine questioned. "Wait, I thought you wanted to get a workout in?" She pointed to the punching bag.
"I'm good. It's my resting day." The blond simply answered. "I just wanted to show off my new workout set." She teasingly said, giving a little twirl of the maroon sports bra paired with yoga pants. "And be here as moral support, of course."
Josephine stifled a laugh, nodding slowly as she picked up her gym bag after stuffing her gloves inside. "Right...I can't deny that you look superhot though." She followed Alexis out of the boxing gym.
"Have you gone inside yet?" Mark inquired on the other line on speaker when his girlfriend called him on his break at the hospital.
Josephine blew through her lips, "Considering I called you, no. I'm parked and sitting in my car." Her eyes casted over to the café across the street.
Ten minutes surpassed since her arrival with five more minutes to spare until the set time to meet her mother. She thought coming early would bring her at ease merely preparing the brunch date. Nevertheless, nerves emerged yet it was the curiosity of this occasion. As her older sister refused to spare any intel—a lot of assumptions came to mind. The last thing she'd want for this brunch to end up in another dispute.
"You and your mom have always been civil with each other at family events. This time you're going to be sitting at a café with strangers around, basically the same thing." Her boyfriend reminded and assured his girlfriend. "Show your mom that pretty smile of yours and just listen to what she has to say. The sooner you walk in it'll be over in no time."
"Show that pretty smile of yours?" Josephine snorted, repeating his words in a mocking tone. "I'll keep that in mind."
Mark let out a small chuckle, "You got this, Josie Santiago. Go on and survive your mother's wrath and I'll grab takeout from your favorite place tonight."
Josephine bit down her lip from smiling. "I appreciate the support, thanks. I should start heading out." She checked the time seeing it hit the five minute mark. "I'll text you the outcome. Good luck on your surgeon, hopefully I didn't take up most of your break."
"Getting to hear your voice is the best part of my break," His mouth formed a smirk, truthfully speaking.
"Cute, baby. I'll see you later."
Once ending the call, Josephine picked up her purse and escaped her car. After locking it, she strolled from the parking lot to the crosswalk making it to the café on time. She sharply inhaled before walking inside the crowded café where she searched for her mother.
A couple of feet at a table by the window, Isabel styled in her usual chic attire patiently waiting for her daughter. When Josephine discovered the older woman and began approaching the table, her mother eventually met her gaze and rose to her feet. She engulfed her youngest daughter then planted a kiss on her cheek before retreating to her seat.
"Thank you for coming, Josie."
The young brunette shortly nodded, "Well, it's rare that we spend time together. Although, we have our own lives and busy schedules. Your message sounded urgent." She quipped, bracing a tight lipped smile.
Isabel's red lips parted, finding herself a bit hesitant with words for the last week. "It is...this isn't solely about wanting to mend our relationship if you assume. There's something I need to tell you which I rather you hear from my voice than any other."
At the 118 firehouse, Josephine sat at the couch alone with the television screen on. She wasn't entirely certain what was playing because was in a trance of her thoughts. Ever since the brunch date, she's been spacing out a little bit. More so, replaying the conversation with her mom the previous morning.
Buck jogged up the staircase finding the brunette quiet to herself on the couch, eyes averted from the animal planet channel playing. He contorted a bewildered expression before taking long strides to the couch. "Didn't know observing wild animals is entertaining to you." He voiced, flopping back on the cushioned seat next to her.
His presence startled Josephine, reeling her back to reality. She blinked at the blond in confusion, "Um, what?"
"You like watching Animal Planet?"
She whipped her head at the screen then back to blond. "Not really. I turned on the tv and it became background noise, honestly." She deeply exhaled, flickering down to her hands fiddling on her lap.
Buck's eyebrows frowned, growing a bit concerned. "What's going on? Since shift started, you've been quiet. You could tell me if you want. I-I don't want to intrude your business. I mean, last time you almost bit my head off—" He rambled on much to Josephine's annoyance.
"If I tell you, will you shut up?" She deadpanned, halting the blond from uttering another word and only nodding in response. Her face softened as she deeply exhaled. "My mom reached out to meet up which happens not so often. So, yesterday I went to the café to see her where she decided to drop the bomb about a tumor in her brain..." She trailed off, swallowing thickly once saying it aloud for the second time.
When Isabel told her, Josephine struggled to process the news. She let her mother explain although felt unfocused to listen thoroughly. She nodded along to the information shared and gave short responses in return. Her stay at the café wasn't long, it became harder for the brunette to sit still any longer and continue the conversation. So, she bolted not without apologizing to Isabel who understood.
"T-The tumor is small. She's lucky that the doctor caught it on early." She further entailed. "So, uh, she's going to have surgery to get it removed next week."
Buck elicited a half grin, "T-That's good, right? Your mom will be fine after the surgery." He tried to comfort, understanding the strained relationship between mother and daughter.
Her lips twitched into a slight smile, nodding. "Um, yeah."
"How are you feeling? Be honest with me." He asked directly. From his past relationship with Abby, he noticed the toll it took on her with her mother's illness. News about Josephine's mother's brain tumor seemed to cause a shift in Josephine.
"Scared?" She scoffed, "Everything about it especially being my mom. We might not have the best relationship but she's my mom, Buck." She pursed her lips, lowering her gaze. "But I'll be okay. Mark already talked it out with me last night."
Josephine brushed the subject off, "Can we talk about something else? Perhaps, a positive topic? How's your relationship with Ali?" She dived into Buck's love life. Despite not having any connection with the woman from the earthquake, Buck thought he didn't give her an actual chance due to his feelings for Josephine. Seeing her happy in a relationship with Mark, encouraged him to try and move forward instead of being envious. He called Ali up for another chance in which she accepted.
"We're great. She's in New York for work." Buck grinned.
"I'm happy for you. She's a good one."
The two were interrupted by Eddie who ushered them to the railing where Bobby and Hen gathered. They found themselves eavesdropping on Chimney and Maddie who popped in at the firehouse searching for the man. She shared the news of sending her divorce papers to Doug, a piece of information she wanted him to know. In a way, this symbolized the next step of her new chapter to which included in furthering her relationship with Chimney. As the romantic gesture came to an end where the latter set up their first date, a round of applause and whistles sounded off by the fellow members of the 118 teasing the man.
-Hope you like it! Tell me what you think! Don't forget to vote and comment! Stay tuned!-
WRITTEN: 3/12/22
PUBLISHED: 3/13/22