"Chanel?" A voice asks, pulling me out of my sleep. I open my eyes to see my dad sitting in front of me.
I inhale deeply and stretch out. "What?" I ask as I sit up.
He looks down at his hand and hands me a small plastic cup with some pills. "How are you feeling today?" He asks, not wanting to make eye contact with me.
That's one of the great things about my dad, he's never been one for wanting to make us embarrassed. I can tell he's afraid to glance at the burn scars that cover the right side of my body.
"Dad, you can look at me. It's okay." I assure him and take the pills. "And so far I'm good. Not too much pain. What time is it?"
My dad shrugs in his chair. "About 9 a.m."
"Dad!" I shriek and swing my legs over the side of the bed. "I told you that you didn't have to get the kids ready for school anymore!" I huff and slide my feet into my slippers.
My dad shoots me an evil grin. "I missed out on a lot of mornings with you kids. I really like getting them up in the morning, and besides," He looks at me, his smile unwavering. "They like my breakfast better than yours."
"Oh please." I chuckle and stand up, even though I know it's true. "I'm going to shower and change then we can go do something, okay?"
My dad's eyes light up. "So you're really feeling that much better?" He questions and stands up to follow me out of my room.
I dip my head up and down. "I sure do. Why don't we go down to Memorial Park for a bit? I haven't been there since I was a kid."
"Okay, dear," Dad agrees and kisses my forehead. "Whatever you want." He grins a huge, toothy grin that makes him look ten years younger. "I'm so glad you're feeling better." He adds.
My dad makes me smile so much. He's such a great guy and I'm so lucky to have such a selfless man in my life.
When I called him from the burn unit in Missouri, he dropped everything and got my old friend from middle school to drive out with him. Apparently they went to the same church. But either way, once he got there, he never left my side. Unless he was taking the kids somewhere or taking them to the hotel to sleep, he was at my bedside.
I've spent the last six months in the burn unit. Thankfully, I was able to be transferred to Chicago Med to be closer to my father and my kids were able get into a normal routine with school.
I even got to reconnect with an old friend, Laura. When my dad asked her to go to Missouri with him, she packed up right away and drove him out. When she can, she drops by the house to see how my dad and I are doing. It's nice to have a friend who comes by to check on me. I had forgotten what it's like.
"Thanks, Dad." I reciprocate his smirk and turn around and march to the bathroom.
After I shower, I get ready. I decide that I'm going to try to look nice for the day. A day out with my father is a perfect reason to look decent.
So I line my top eye lids with jet black eyeliner and finish off with dark mascara. The dark makeup makes my blue eyes pop and seem 5 times brighter than they usually are.
I pull half of my hair up, leaving the other half down and straighten it. After I'm done, I adventure over to my room and pull out an outfit that consists of dark blue jean shorts and a tight fitting long sleeve athletic shirt that is neon pink.
Since I'm a blonde with blue eyes, I think pink compliments me best.
"Chanel, are you ready?" My dad asks as he knocks on my bedroom door.
I exhale and open the door. "Yeah. I'm ready." I greet him then follow him down the stairs and out of the house.
We walk to the car and my dad opens the door for me. I get in and buckle up. My dad follows my lead then starts the car.
"It's nice having you back here." My dad murmurs and makes eye contact with me. "I've really missed my grandkids and I always thought Rober-"
"Dad!" I interject and hold my hand up. "I don't want to talk about Robert."
"Okay, okay." He drops the subject and starts to drive us to Memorial Park. I can't help the smile that spreads across my face as my dad turns on some old tunes and sings along to Conway Twitty
As we get closer to the park, I turn the radio down some. "I'm glad that we're here too you know?" I inform him as I watch out the window. It's a beautiful, sunny Chicago day. The thermometer on the review mirror says it's 80 degrees (Fahrenheit) out.
"I know." My dad tells me with a sweet smile. "I wish you would've came home sooner."
"Me too." I reciprocate and put my hand on my father's arm. "I love you, Dad."
"I love you too, sweetie." He chokes back the emotion in his voice.
I withdraw my hand and he stops the car, turning it off. We're at Memorial Park. I unbuckle and get out of the car. Taking in the sight, I notice that it's just like I remember.
"It hasn't changed since I was a kid." I comment as I walk to my dad's side.
He nods. "Yeah, just names added." He sighs sadly.
My dad loves it here, but it also upsets him. When I was a kid, my dad lost a close friend. His name was Henry Mills.
Henry was a great guy. I remember him well even though I was about 8 years old when he died. It was sad because he had a great family. I even remember playing with his son when I was a kid. I can't remember his son's name. He was always shy around me.
I don't know how to respond to my dad, so I simply take his arm and walk with him to the spot I know he always goes to first; Henry's badge.
I'm surprised by how my dad limps now. He's doing pretty well as we walk, but I feel like he's over doing it to try to make me think nothing's wrong.
"How are you feeling?" I ask with concern.
He huffs. "I'm fine. Great actually." He puffs as we get to Henry's badge. "I actually have something I want to talk to you about."
"Okay." I nod for him to continue.
He inhales deeply and shoves a hand in his pocket. The other that's farthest from me holds up his cane.
I can tell he's worried about how I'm going to respond. "Go ahead, Dad." I insist.
"I um," He clears his throat. "I talked to my old pal, Wally Boden."
"I remember Walace!" I chime happily. "What'd you talk to him about?"
"He's the Chief over at 51 now." My dad tells me. "And I asked him if there were any spots open during his shift."
"Dad," I sigh. "I don't know if I should go back yet."
"I know that." My dad clears his throat. "But Wally told me that if you apply, he'll hold the position for you."
I look my dad in the eyes. I need to do this. The pain from my burns are manageable and I know my dad would do anything to get back on the job. He was put on disability when he fell through a floor, dropped 3 stories and fractured a couple of vertebrae in his lower back. He can walk with a cane now, but that's it. If he could do anything to be on the job again, he would.
"You know what," I tangle my arm back in my dad's. "Tell Wally I'm in. I'll apply tonight and he can start me next shift."
"Really?" My dad asks with surprise. "This is the first time you've left the house since you got released from the burn unit 3 months ago."
"I know." I sigh and lean my head on my dad's shoulder. "But I've been hiding. Honestly, I'm embarrassed about the scars from my burns."
"You shouldn't be!" My dad objects. He knows why I have them. He's the only one from here that does.
"I know." I grunt. "I shouldn't, but I'm afraid people are going to stare. At least at a firehouse it's normal."
"True enough." Dad chuckles and kisses the top of my head. "I'll call him later." He states and we stand in silence for a few moments before Dad suggests we walk around some.
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I exhale and wipe my palms on my shorts. After Dad and I got home, I changed into black shorts that fall to the middle of my thigh and a tight grey muscle shirt. My bright yellow Nike Trainer shoes match it all. I ran the 3 miles from my Dad's to here. If I'm going back to work, I might as well get in shape.
Finally, I press the doorbell and hear it ring on the inside of the house.
"I got it!" A man yells and I hear him walk to the door. He opens it and I lay my eyes on a tall, tan-skinned man with dark eyes and dark hair. His hair is spiked up in the front and he's wearing a dark blue t-shirt and tan cargo shorts. "Can I help you?" He asks in a polite tone.
I clear my throat nervously. "Is Laura home?" My heart beats in my ears. I'm so nervous, I feel like his eyes are going to focus in on the right side of my body at any moment.
But they don't.
"Yeah, she is." He smiles and turns around to yell into the house, "Laura, baby, there's someone here for you." He turns back to me. "Can I ask who you are?"
"Oh, yeah." I say embarrassed and offer my hand to shake it. "I'm Chanel Westermore. A friend of Laura's."
"You're Chanel!" He exclaims with pleasant surprise and takes my hand. "I'm Antonio, Laura's husband."
"Nice to meet you, Antonio." I smile and we let go of each others hands.
Laura then appears into view and a grin spreads across her face. "Chanel!" She screeches and pushes past her husband to hug me.
I hug her back. "I hope it's okay that I came over."
"Of course it is! Antonio and I were just making some lunch. I hope you're hungry!" She pulls away and her grin is still there. "You look amazing!"
"Thank you." I blush and follow Laura and Antonio into their house. I slip off my shoes at the doorway and follow them into the kitchen.
"Do you want a drink or something?" Laura questions as she pulls out a bottle of wine.
Antonio stirs the food on the stove and chuckles. "Babe, don't you think it's a little early to be drinking?"
"Maybe." Laura winks at me. "But when one of your best friends finally shows up at your door, that calls for a drink."
I giggle and shake my head. "I really shouldn't have any wine. I ran here so that means I have to run back too."
"You ran here?" Laura gasps.
Antonio laughs and puts food on the kitchen island which We sit down at to eat.
"Yeah." I blush when I see Antonio take a glance at my scars.
My scars stretch from halfway up the right side of my neck down my arm and to my right hip.
Laura must notice my discomfort. "Antonio," she says. "Chanel was a firefighter in Missouri."
"Are you working here yet?" He asks me as he takes his seat beside Laura and keeps his eyes from my right side.
I shake my head and take a stab of the dish that they prepared for me. It's some kind of pasta. I don't exactly know, but it's amazing. "I've gotten an offer though to work at my dad's old house."
"That's fantastic!" Laura exclaims. "Which firehouse?"
I look between them. If only I could've had a marriage like theirs. They seem so content and peaceful with each other. I even notice how Antonio keeps making glances at Laura and smiling.
"51." I tell them and take a drink of water from the glass Antonio got me.
Antonio looks up at me, then to Laura. "My sister is a paramedic at that house." He smirks after he swallows his food.
"Really?" I ask and take another forkful of food. "It's a small world."
"Yeah it is." Antonio smiles and wipes off his mouth. "Do you know when you're going to start?"
"I'm aiming for next shift or the one after that. I'm really sick of doing nothing."
"Well anytime you need someone to watch your kids, I will." Laura tells me with a huge smile and takes a drink from her glass of white wine.
I reciprocate her smile. "Thanks, Lor." I say sweetly, greatly appreciative of her offer. "I'm sure my dad will love to have a day off."
"And besides, Scott and Diego get along so well. You know they're in the same class?" Laura questions.
I nod my head up and down quickly. "Yeah, Scotty has asked a couple of times if Diego could come to our place to spend the night."
"Oh," Laura looks confused. "Diego never asked us."
I look down shamefully. "I told Scott no. I didn't want any kids at my dads. I was afraid they'd be afraid of-"
"Chanel!" Laura interjects. "You were burned in a fire. I would've talked to Diego about it before I sent him over to your house. He's a sweet boy who wouldn't think anything of it."
"I know." I sigh, feeling childish for being so self conscious. "You do realize that this is the first day I've left my father's house since I got out of the burn unit?"
"Really?" Antoino asks, surprised. "How long has it been since you were in the hospital?"
I bite my lip nervously. Laura's husband sure asks some awkward questions.
"You don't have to answer him, Chanel." Laura interjects. "It's the cop thing, he's super nosey." She insists and I see her smack his arm under the counter.
"It's okay." I giggle, feeling a little more relaxed. "I was released from the hospital 3 months ago."
Antonio nods. "Did the doctor clear you for duty yet?"
"Yeah." I say and take a sip of water. "I was still having some pain from my wounds healing, but it's been a lot better."
"That's good." He shoots me a small nod of his head then turns to Laura. "I think Gabby has today off. Think we should invite her over?"
"That's a great idea, babe!" She agrees with excitement. She kisses him on the cheek then gets up and pulls out her phone. I watch her dial a number then walk into the next room to talk.
"Can I ask how it happened?" Antonio asks when Laura leaves the room.
I bite my lip but tell him anyways. "I was at home and my ex-husband caught some grease on fire. I was upstairs with our kids so I didn't know and he tried to put it out with water." I snort at my made up story, making my ex sound like a total dumbass; which he is. "Anyways, the entire house was engulfed and I got my kids out, but when I went back for Robert, the floor collapsed and I was stuck. I broke my leg and couldn't move."
"Wow." Antonio snorts, sounding off.
"What?" I ask, feeling defensive.
He inhales deeply and sets his silverware down. "I just want to know that if my kids go over to your father's they aren't going to be in any danger."
"Of course not! Why would you think that?"
"Because unlike Laura, I have access to records. After Laura got back from driving your Dad out to be with you, and told me about it. I looked up the incident report. Everything you just said was a lie."
I feel my stomach drop. "You didn't say anything to her did you?" I ask, my eyes darting to the direction Laura disappeared from.
He shakes his head. "But the report said they never found your husband."
"Ex." I say in a flat tone. "And no, he's still out there somewhere."
Antonio swallows down his bite of food. "So, this means that if anything happens. Anything at all, you come straight to me. You hear?"
"Why should I?" I snort, a little annoyed by him ordering my around like a child.
"Because," he takes a drink. "I'm part of the Intelligence Unit. I'm the senior detective and I can protect you and your family if need be."
I tilt my head to the side with confusion. "Thank you." I finally manage to say.
"No problem. Anyone that would try to burn his wife and kids is someone that I'd love to throw away for good." He tells me as he grabs our plates and puts them in the sink.
As he gets up and turns around, Laura reappears. "Gabby can't make it." She says sadly. "But she said that once you get in the firehouse, if you need anything to come to her."
"Thanks, Laura. I really appreciate that." I tell her and stand up.
She walks over to me and pulls me into a friendly hug. "No problem. I've always got your back." She says in a sugar coated voice.
I look over her shoulder to see Antonio watching us.
'Me too.' He mouths and offers up a small smile.
I exchange a smile with him and realize that coming to Chicago was the perfect thing for me.
And I don't have to be afraid anymore.
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