Presley
While everyone enjoyed homecoming weekend, the Chief scheduled me to work alone. I restocked my rig and made sure I had enough first aid items. I counted inventory and cleaned up the station.
"Gray," the Chief said, getting my attention.
I stopped sweeping and looked at the Chief.
"Make sure you clean the bathrooms along with the kitchen," the Chief ordered.
I sighed as I finished sweeping, then cleaned the bathrooms and kitchen. Martinez came out of the bedroom and found me finishing my cleaning detail. He leaned on the counter with his palms.
"You know the chief is giving you the shit jobs to make you quit," Martinez told me.
"That's your opinion," I mumbled as I folded a towel.
"No, that's the truth. The Chief only kept you because of your uncle Cayson. I guess your family is afraid you will crack up," Martinez mentioned smugly.
"I'm seeing a doctor, and another doctor cleared me. Thanks for your concern," I retorted.
Martinez walked towards me, coming face-to-face with me.
"You got an attitude about you. One day, it will get you killed with your cowboy ways," Martinez goaded me.
"The only cowboy I see here is you. You had more write-ups than most of the crew here. I would watch yourself," I warned.
"What will you do about it, pretty boy?" Martinez questioned, pushing me.
I maintained my cool, but Martinez kept goading me until I snapped and hit him.
"Gray!" The Chief yelled as I looked at him.
Martinez wiped the corner of his mouth with his thumb. The Chief walked towards me.
"I will not tolerate fighting in my house. Your temper will get others killed," the Chief told me.
"Martinez started it," I replied.
"But you were the one that hit Martinez," the Chief responded.
"Wait. Are you taking Martinez's side?" I questioned, pointing at Martinez.
"What do you think?" The Chief asked me.
I looked at the chief incredulously.
"Punch out and go home. I'm suspending you for three days. One more outburst, and you can turn in your uniform," the Chief scolded me.
I shook my head and left the kitchen, clocking out, and went home. The Chief has always hated me and wanted to find a reason to kick me out of his station. Martinez gave him a motive and opportunity.
I walked up to the house to see everyone hanging outside.
"I thought you were working?" Payton asked.
"I was, but the chief suspended me for three days," I answered, surprising my brothers and the others.
"For what?" Parker asked incredulously.
"For hitting a co-worker," I answered.
Everyone looked at me with confusion.
"Something isn't right. You don't hit someone for the hell of it. That's our job," Patton mentioned. Pax nodded in agreement.
"I finished cleaning the kitchen, and Martinez came in, claiming the Chief kept me because of Uncle Cayson. He said Uncle Cayson didn't want me to crack up along with my family," I said, shrugging.
"That makes little sense," Payton said, shaking his head.
"Yeah, well, my life makes little sense lately. If you talk to the family, let them know I'm sane," I remarked, going inside the house.
"You know that's bullshit, right?" Parker told the others.
"Yeah, it's bullshit. Uncle Cayson wouldn't force people to keep Presley. Chief Hayes is looking to fire Presley forever," Payton said.
"Why work for someone who can't stand you? It's not like Presley can't get another job," Pax mentioned.
"Maybe that's what Presley needs," Parker suggested.
While my brothers conspired with another one of their schemes, I changed out of my uniform. The one thing I had in the life that I love, someone wanted to take from me. I sat on my bed and rubbed my head.
"Don't tell me that you're lying down on a fight," someone said.
Great, now my imagination was having fun at my expense. I looked at Grammy, who was sitting on the bed next to me.
"Why are you here?" I asked.
"Well, someone needs to kick you in the ass. Since I'm dead, that won't work. It looks like I will annoy you," Grammy told me.
"Isn't it bad enough that I got suspended? Now I get to talk to my dead grandmother," I replied with a look.
"If I were alive, I would smack you upside the head. Quit your bitchin, Bucky. I'm delightful, and people love me," Grammy declared.
"People enjoy your special kind of crazy?" I questioned.
"Oh, child, I'm not crazy, but it kept the twits away," Grammy answered, smirking. She stood up.
"Come on; we have places and people to see," Grammy announced.
I stood up, then I tripped, falling onto the floor. Grammy looked at me lying on the floor and put her hands on her hips.
"What are you doing on the floor?" Grammy questioned. "It's no time to lie around when we have work to do."
I rolled my eyes and stood up, looking around the room. "Where are we?" I asked, confused.
"Watch," Grammy instructed.
We stood in a living room of a house. I watched people come downstairs, which were Grandpa and my uncle, with other people. Then I saw Nana come downstairs. Grammy walked over and leaned on the counter. I followed suit, watching the exchange between everyone, but didn't find it helpful.
Then I watched Nana leave the kitchen after throwing a cup in the trash. Damn, Nana had a temper. She left the kitchen, then the house.
"Where is Nana going?" I asked Grammy.
"It seems Margaret is leaving to stay in another place because my idiot grandsons felt the need to mistreat her," Grammy mentioned.
"I think I remember Pops mentioning that to us," I said.
"Well, most people assume that Margaret was wrong for her actions, but she wasn't," Grammy reasoned.
"Yeah, but you can't leave every time you have a rough patch," I mentioned.
"Why not? Why stay in a place with people that treat you like shit? The same people who claim to love you and dump on you every chance they get. I wouldn't stay if it were me," Grammy answered, shrugging.
"Running away solves nothing and makes things worse," I reasoned.
"Isn't that what you did after your girl died? You ran away from people because you thought it was better," Grammy mentioned.
I looked at Grammy and realized what she did.
"And the light bulb turned on. Imagine that," Grammy smirked.
"Okay, fine, you win," I conceded.
"It's not about winning. It's about remembering that death isn't the end. It leads to a beginning," Grammy mentioned, then snapped her fingers.
I stood there as I watched my grandparent's relationship unfold around me. I watched them argue and fight with each other, making up, then breaking up. I noticed the struggles and heartbreaks. Then it all stopped when Nana got sick.
I watched Grandpa carry her out of the house, covered in a blanket, and Uncle Nixon following them.
"What happened?" I asked, confused.
"You'll see," Grammy answered, snapping her fingers.
We stood in a hospital room as Nana laid in bed, and Grandpa stayed with her.
"Nashville needed a wake-up call. He thought Margaret needed him. He needed her," Grammy explained.
I watch Grandpa talk to Nana. He sounded heartbroken. I listened to him beg Nana to wake up.
"When someone you love dies, you grieve. When the person is sick, you move heaven and earth to make them better. The heart wants what the heart wants," Grammy said.
I looked at her, surprised.
"Don't look so surprised. I saw a lot in my ripe old age as relationships struggle and flourish. I saw the sheer stupidity of my grandsons with their girls, and they needed their heads examined. Hell, I electrocuted Nathaniel. That boy was a dumbass," Grammy told me.
"Wait. You electrocuted Grampa. Why? Are you insane?" I questioned.
"Nope, I'm bat shit crazy, and he needed help. I figure a little jolt would help him get his head out of his ass with Patty. You need to do the same," Grammy told me.
I looked at her strangely. She rolled her eyes.
"Get your head out of Eliza's ass. She isn't here, and she's not coming back. What do I need to do? Electrocute your stupid ass," Grammy huffed, walking away and throwing her hands in the air.
Okay, Grammy Gray was nuts. I woke up in my bedroom and sat up in bed. How long was I asleep?
Kaylee
I stopped by the station to see Dad and noticed Martinez was working.
"I thought Gray was working?" I asked, walking towards Martinez.
He looked at me and noticed the fat lip. "Yeah, well, Gray earned a three-day suspension for hitting me," Martinez smirked.
I looked at Martinez, knowing he did that on purpose. He dislikes Presley for some weird reason.
"Maybe if Gray kept his attitude in check, his girlfriend would still be alive," Martinez commented.
"What do you mean?" I asked, confused.
"I mean, there are things that Gray doesn't know about his girl. It must be nice to act like a doting girlfriend, rushing to save her boyfriend while keeping a secret," Martinez mentioned.
I watched Martinez look me up and down while licking his lips.
"Watch yourself. I would hate to see you lose your job," I warned. Martinez's smirk left his face, and I went to see Dad. Guys like him disgust me. They have no loyalty.
I knocked on Dad's office door. He looked up from his desk.
"Hey, sweetheart. What are you doing here? I thought you had the weekend off," Dad mentioned.
I entered the office and sat down in a chair across from Dad's desk. "Why did you suspend Gray?" I asked.
"He hit Martinez," Dad told me.
"Dad, you and I both know that Martinez incites issues. Gray does everything you ask, and you still have a beef with him," I told my dad.
"I need professional paramedics. I can't have fights happening at my station. People's lives depend on us," Dad reasoned, trying to excuse Martinez's behavior.
"Then re-evaluate who belongs here. If you fire Gray, I'm leaving," I threatened.
Dad looked at me with seriousness.
"I won't work with people that I can't trust. I trust Gray. I don't trust Martinez," I informed my dad.
Dad furrowed his brows as I got up and left his office. I needed to find out what Martinez meant about Eliza. I made my way to the pub and went inside to find some crew hanging out.
I walked over and sat down at the table.
"Why do you look pissed?" Lindsey asked.
"My dad suspended Gray for three days," I answered, feeling annoyed.
"What? Why?" Case questioned.
"Because Gray hit Martinez," I replied.
From the looks on everyone's faces, I knew this wasn't the first time.
"Martinez is a douche. He's had it in for Gray since Gray came to the station," Miller mentioned.
"Martinez mentioned something about Eliza hiding a secret," I mentioned.
The others looked at each other and became tight-lipped.
"Look, I hate secrets, and I need to trust people, especially on the job," I reasoned.
"Martinez slept with Eliza one night," Hathaway told me.
I looked at her, shocked.
"Gray was off, and the Chief partnered Eliza and Martinez together. It was a big mess, especially when Lindsey caught them," Hathaway explained.
I looked at Lindsey, who looked at me, nodding.
"That makes little sense from what everyone told me," I reasoned.
"It might make little sense, but it's the truth," Lindsey confirmed.
"Eliza was insecure about Gray. Martinez preyed on it and caused a wedge between a lot of us. We took Gray's side," Cass said.
"Why didn't anyone tell Gray?" I questioned.
"Why hurt someone unnecessarily? Gray had this perception of Eliza. He covered for her a lot. That's why the Chief hates him," Cass informed me.
Everything made sense now.
"Don't dig up old bones, Kaylee. If you tell Gray the truth about Eliza, it will rip open old wounds. Sometimes it's best to let the dead Rest In Peace," Miller advised.
"It's not my place to say anything to Gray. It is my place to set my dad straight," I reasoned, earning a look from everyone.
I got up and left. Yeah, things were about to get ugly because you know it's a college thing.