That man never called back, thank goodness. The rest of my shift was good, nobody was seriously injured, and everyone who called us for help today got the help they needed.
Today was a pretty good day.
I'm now sitting at the burger joint just a few blocks from the station, eating a messy hamburger with Cedric.
This is not a date I have to keep repeating inside my head.
“How was work?” Cedric asked, laying down his burger and grabbed a handful of fries.
“It was good. Someone pranked called the center today, and it was just strange.” I shrugged and took another bite of my burger. “This is wonderful.” I commented.
“I told you. It's the best place in town for burgers.” He smiled and popped a few fries into his mouth. “What was the call about? What was weird about it?”
“I didn't tell you, so you would turn all cop on me, Cedric.” I murmured, not wanting to bring up that disturbing call again.
“I'm always a cop, Avery.” He grunted and raised an eyebrow. “ Tell me.” He ordered.
Ugh, I did not want to be having this conversation while I'm trying to enjoy my dinner.
“I promise It's nothing. Just kids.” I sighed, hoping this will be the end of it. “We still need to go to my house to grab my clothes, and I'm excited to take my coffeepot out of the box.”
“Already done.” He said as he watched me take another bite of my burger.
“Excuse me?” I asked. He already set it up?
“What babe? I told you I was going to head home to shower. I put it on the counter before going to pick you up.” He shrugged, like it wasn't a big deal.
“Oh, okay.” I whispered.
Not understanding why I got so happy about him putting out our coffee maker without me having to ask him or do it myself. My ex wouldn't have done that, he would have left it in the box, in the truck until I got it out myself.
“Tell me about you, about your life.” He smiled and leaned back in his seat, sipping on his beer.
Oh, we're doing that now?
“Um why?” I asked, not really wanting to bring all that mess to my fresh start.
“Because why not? I want to know.” He shrugged, placed his elbows on the table and waited for me.
“Well, I lost my parents and my grandmother. Losing them is what made me want to become a nine one one operator.” I whispered, not wanting to give him all the details.
“How did you lose them?” He asked.
“Excuse me?” I asked, not understanding what he meant. They died. That's how I lost them.
“How did they die, babe?” He asked, gently this time.
“My parents from a car crash and my grandmother from a heart attack, though I truly believe all could have been saved if the ambulances responded sooner.” I informed him.
I wasn't being petty or blaming anyone. It took them twenty-two minutes to get to the scene of the crash and over fifteen to arrive at my grandmother's house.
Response time needed to get better, and that's one of the main reasons I wanted to become an operator.
I put pressure on them to get there as soon as they can.
“I'm sorry, Avery.” Cedric spoke softly. “Anna and I lost our grandpa two years ago. He was a funny old man, a bit grumpy on Sundays when my mother forced him to wake up early for church. Said he got up early enough times in his life that he now deserves to sleep past six o'clock.” He smiled as he told me, and I could assume those memories were flashing through his mind. “He was good to us though, the best grandpa.”
“I'm sorry about your grandpa, Cedric.” I told him softly, reached out and grabbed his hand and squeezed it lightly, wanting to comfort him.
“We are more alike than you think, babe. We both understand the true value of family and would do anything to keep them safe.” He smiled and looked down at our hands.
I hadn't realized I did that until my gaze followed his down, and I felt my heart skipped a beat as I stared at our entangled fingers.
“Tell me about your ex.” Cedric demanded and kept a firm grip around my hand as I tried to tug it away.
“I would rather not bring up that asshole.” I whispered, not wanting Cedric to feel any sorrier for me than he always does.
“Babe. Tell me. I want to know.” Cedric order and gave me a supportive smile.
“No.” I informed him again. I will not be talking about my parents and my ex all in the same night without being in my kitchen.
I bake when I'm stressed, and speaking about them will in fact make me stressed, and I'll be stressed and not in my kitchen.
No, thank you.
“Tell me.” He demanded again.
“No.” I snarled.
“Babe.” Cedric sighed before giving my hand a light squeeze. “Talk.”
“He cheated on me.” I growled. “But you already knew that.”
“Yea, I knew he was a cheating dick. I want to know what yalls relationship was like.” He shrugged.
“Why?” I asked, curiously.
Why does he care?
“Why what?” Cedric asked, confused. “Why do I need to know about your past relationship?”
“Yes.” I confirmed.
“Because I would like to know why you're always throwing attitude at me.” He smirked.
“This conversation isn't funny.” I snapped, getting ready to just call Anna to come pick me up.
“See. Attitude.” He growled softly. “Don't worry, I like it. Never thought I'd find a woman throwing attitude towards me sexy, but babe, on you, it's fucking hot. You're lucky, I think it's worth the trouble.”
Well then.
My mouth hangs open, as I sit speechless in front of him, my burger forgotten about, not knowing what to say back to that.
“Fine.” I finally said moments later after staring at him, with my mouth wide open like a fish desperate for water.
“We met when we were younger. He was so sweet to me in the beginning. Loving. Always made me laugh. Supported me emotionally when I was having a bad day, thinking about my parents or grandma. All that changed, though, over the few years that we dated. He became distant. We stopped having sex.” I said and reached across the table, grabbed his beer and took a big sip before continuing. “He would come home late telling me he was having to deal with late meetings and at first, I understood, and was okay with it, but those late nights turned later and later. I would try to talk with him, but he made me feel like I was crazy, it was all in my head. He would tell me he loved me that morning and then wouldn't come home until three am the next morning. I cooked him dinner that he wouldn't even be home for. Each night, I'd hope he walked through that door just to sit down and have dinner with me. Just have a little time for me. One night I did my own stake out.” I paused and waited for him to laugh at the joke, but the look on his face showed nothing but a pissed off man. “I stayed at his work building for hours and when he left I followed him. I followed him for twenty-three miles and found myself sitting in my car in front of my best friends house. I was confused. I didn't know what he was doing there, but as the time got later, and later I knew what was happening. He was having an affair with my best friend. I drove home, heart broken and confused. I didn't know how I was going to handle it and didn't handle it for a few days. I walked around my house, went to work with my mind in zombie mode. Just going through the motions until I could decide what I needed to do. Until one day I caught them in bed together. They both told me it was the first time, but I knew better. Both told me it meant nothing, but I knew better with that too. In the end, I ended both my friendship and my relationship, realizing I deserved better. Better in the man I was with and better in the woman I had called my best friend.” I whispered harshly, feeling all those emotions running through my mind once more.
I'm not even upset about my ex-boyfriend, I'm upset with my ex best friend. I still don't understand how she could do that to me, after everything we have been through together.
“They both didn't deserve you.” Cedric growled and looked as if he would arrest them both.
He would.
“Now you know why my friendship with your sister is important.” I told him softly. “She was the first woman around my age to not feel sorry for me. She met a strange woman in a grocery store, noticed she was having a bad day, and invited her out. It meant a lot.”
“Under all that attitude babe, you're soft as a kitten aren't you?” Cedric grinned as I sat straight up and jerked my hand out of his.
“Not a kitten.” I growled.
“A puppy then?” He chuckled.
“Keep it up, cop, and I'll smash the rest of my burger in your face.” I said and gave him the attitude he thinks is so hot.
“Totally worth it.” He whispered so softly that I barely heard him, but when I did my breath hitched and my heart jumped, not caring about the fact that I didn't want to start falling for this man, but it was too late.
I think I already am.