When Sparks Fly (First-Responders Book 1) (12 page)

I’m really enjoying the kids in the classroom. We’re growing micro-organisms right now in giant pickle jars, filled with pond water and hay. Needless to say, the third-grade hallway stinks, but the kids think it’s funny. Each Friday we put a drop of water from their jars onto slides, and then they get to look through the microscope at all the little creatures swimming in the tiny puddles.

Even I have to admit it’s pretty neat to imagine so many things living in, what seems to us, a small world. It really puts things into perspective.

It’s eleven thirty in the morning and I’m on lunch break when my phone chimes with a notification. I pull it out of my satchel and my heart drops.

Seth: Robbie’s gone.

I stuff the rest of my packed lunch back into the Tupperware container, scoop it into my satchel, and make my way back to the classroom. I’ll have at least fifteen minutes before the kids come back. As soon as I’m inside, I close the door, take a seat at my desk and dial Seth.

“Hey, Macy.” I can hear the depression in his voice.

“What do you mean he’s gone? What’s happened?”

“I mean the closet’s bare, the drawers were all pulled out and emptied, even his chair from the bedroom is gone. He’s. Gone.”

“Why would he just up and leave with no word?” I’m upset, but there’s confussion in my voice which angers me.

“I caught him with another couple in the apartment. We’ve had a long-standing agreement that having a girlfriend outside of our trios is fine, but having another guy is out of the question. Well, he broke that rule, and I think he did it purposefully. I think that not having you available every time that he wanted our
play time
was wearing on him.”

“So it’s my fault?” I know I’m coming across as defensive, even though I don’t mean to.

“No, Macy. It’s his fault for not being understanding. He’s got a very lax job and even he and I often fight, well, fought now I suppose is the proper tense, about my job and being at the firehouse for days at a time. I always hoped that he’d calm down, and I thought he had. Guess I was wrong.”

“I’m so sorry, Seth. I know how much he meant to you. I have staff meetings this afternoon once school lets out, but I can come by tomorrow first thing since it’s the weekend.”

“I go back on duty tonight at six. I won’t be there. I’m covering for one of the new guys. He’s getting married this weekend, and I offered to take his shift tonight to give him four days in a row off.”

I don’t know what to say to him. If I’m honest with myself, I’ve always had a stronger bond with Seth even before the school year started. He just gets me, whereas I always felt that Robbie was just using me as a means to an end. Now, seeing as he can just leave someone he’s been with for years, I feel it more than ever.

“Be strong Seth and call me if you want me to come by the station this weekend. I love you.”
What the hell? Did I really just say that?

“Wait, what?” Seth stammers into the phone.

I hang up the line, unable to believe what just came out of my mouth. Do I really feel that way, or was it just ‘the thing to say in the moment’?

I don’t have much time to contemplate it as the classroom door opens and fills with loud, happy third graders fresh from recess. Time to get back to molding the minds of the future, one workbook at a time.

*****

The doorbell rings and I jog to the front door.

“Rachel!” I’m so happy to see her up and about finally. She’s still on crutches, but finally able to start driving herself again. No more sports cars for her. Mr. Upton bought her a brand new Audi Q7. He insisted that she be up off the road and more protected. She didn’t fight him one bit.

“Damn, girl. You act like you haven’t seen me in a year.” She returns my embrace. “It’s been like, what, a week?”

“Yeah, but I’m just so excited that you’re driving on your own again.” She hobbles in on the crutches and heads straight for my chair. “Hey, um…” she turns her head and gives me a look like,
really, you’re going to deny the cripple?
“Fine, whatever,” I concede.

It’s Friday night, so it’s time for our usual pizza, wine, and movie. I put The Wedding Date in and just barely get it started when the pizza delivery driver rings the bell. I can’t believe they now charge four bucks for delivery and still expect you to tip. It’s ridiculous, but I was in his position at one point in time when I was waitressing, so I realize it’s not his fault.

Twenty-two dollars later for a large pepperoni and beef pizza and an order of cheese-stix, I pull up the TV tables and sit down on the couch, giving Rachel the stink eye for being in
my
chair.

“Sure is comfortable over here. I might just have to take over this spot permanently.”

“Dream on, hooker. Dream the fuck on.” We both laugh at my Rodney Carrington impersonation.

Once dinner is over, and she
still
hasn’t brought the subject up, I finally do. “So what’s going on with you and Zander?”

She chokes on her swig of wine. “What’s to tell? We’ve been out a handful of times.”

“And…?”

“And what?”

I’m getting frustrated by now, especially since I know she’s doing it on purpose. “Do I really have to say it?” She smirks at me. “Fine. So does he fuck like the bad-boy vibe he gives off?”

“Girrrrrrrl. Let’s just say handcuffs and batons aren’t
just
for taking down the bad guys.”

“Holy shit, Rachel. Good for you. But the baton?” I crank my head sideways.

“He’s made me come more than once on it. Tied down, blindfolded, and well… Whew!”

“Looks like I’m not the only one with a little kink in my life right now.” My mood sours a little as I think about mine and Seth’s conversation earlier today.

“What’s wrong with you?” Rachel asks, noticing the furl in my brow.

“Seth called this morning, and Robbie is gone. Just packed all his stuff and left. There was a falling out between the two of them, and when Seth came home from his shift this morning, the apartment was empty.”

“Sorry, Macy. I know how much fun you were having with them, and how close you were getting.”

“See that’s the funny part. I’m really not upset. I’m just sad for Seth. The two of them had been together for years.” I put my hand up to my mouth and slide it back and forth slowly, contemplating how to tell her the next part. “What has me more concerned is the way I ended our phone call.”

“What do you mean?”

I glance at the movie, and it’s right at that point where they are outside the pub, and Kat is about to go in and change. Nick tells her how strong and beautiful she is and damn near makes her come without laying a finger on her. I smile, then return my attention to Rachel. “I told him I love him.”

“Seriously?”

“Yep. Seriously.”

“So, did you mean it?”

“I don’t know,” I answer honestly. “I know that I care for him. I definitely hated hearing the sadness in his voice.”

“You want my opinion? Just go with it. See where it takes you. Maybe Robbie leaving will let you explore things on a deeper level.” She looks around like she just heard something. “What the hell? Now I sound like my mother.”

I smile at her for her two cents worth. “Maybe I will.”

“I can’t believe this. Six years. Six. Fucking. Years. Just thrown out the window.” I’m on my third glass of whiskey already as I’m pacing through the apartment. I know I’ve got to be at the firehouse in four hours, but, shit. My life just got turned on its head.

I knew something was off two weeks ago when Robbie was gone on all my days off. One of the days, sure, no problem; but, all of them? He never does that.

Flopping down onto the couch, I begin to replay the last couple of months in my mind, and try to figure out where things started to slide. Was it even further back?

Upending the glass of amber liquid, I stare at the ceiling and watch the blades of the fan swirl on low.
Whirl, whirl, whirl.

Whirl
, I close my eyes and let my mind wander through the ether.
Whirl,
the scene of Robbie and the other couple flashes.
Whirl,
scenes of Robbie, Macy, and I.
Whirl,
a scene of me, Robbie, and Abigail, the last girlfriend he brought into our arrangement.

ABIGAIL!

That’s it. That’s where it all started. That’s when our fighting started to get more intense. Robbie accused me of taking Abigail from him, which was absolutely absurd. The two of us NEVER did anything alone. It was always our threesomes. There’s no way I’d step across that boundary line. Especially with someone I’ve spent five plus years with.

We went months without a third after that. It wasn’t until I brought Macy into the fold that our civility leveled back out again. I guess I never stepped back far enough to see it; to see how much we were falling apart. I just passed it off as Robbie being Robbie. We’ve had plenty of ups and downs over the years; it just comes with the territory.

Or so I thought.

And now here I sit, just this side of drunk, less than three hours from having to go spend ninety-six hours at the firehouse with nothing but my thoughts and one immature, no life-experience
kid.
I contemplate another glass, but I know in the end, I’ll wind up regretting it in more way than one.

Abigail.

My mind wanders back to her, and I try to pick out what would’ve made Robbie think that I was pulling her away from him. The only time I saw her was when he brought her over to play. It’s hard to even remember our time with her. Macy has been such a breath of fresh air. I thought the three of us would honestly spend years together.

Abigail.

I just can’t shake it. “Fuck.” I sit upright and dig the cellphone out of my pocket. The
only
reason I have her in my cell in the first place is because Robbie’s phone crapped out on him, and it was the only way to get ahold of him for almost a week.

I press send and wait, hoping that she will pick up, hoping that she hasn’t changed her number for some reason. It takes three rings.

“Seth?”

“Hey Abigail. How are you?”

“Fine?” It’s more of a question than a statement.

“Listen, I know this is strange, calling out of the blue like this, but there’s something I needed to ask.”

“Is everything okay? Is it Robbie? If so, he can go jump off of a bridge for all I care. I can’t believe that son-of-a-bitch put you up to calling me.” She’s starting to get belligerent.

“No, no. Nothing like that. Quite the opposite actually.” I pause and let out a long, slow breath. “He left me, Abigail. Just out of the blue, up and left. I’ve been replaying the last year in my head, trying to see where things went wrong. Towards the end of our trio’s time together, he accused me of trying to steal you away from him. Can you think of any reason why he would accuse me of such a thing?”

The other end of the line is deathly silent.
What the hell did she tell him.

“I don’t think steal was the right word. It wasn’t like that.” She pauses again, and I can hear the blades of the fan whirring though the air. “
You
weren’t doing anything, per se. It was me. I felt more of a connection with you when we were together. I enjoyed my time with Robbie in the beginning, but when the three of us were together, it was you I was focused on.”

Oh shit.

“You always made sure I was taken care of; always made sure I came first. Made sure I was satisfied. With Robbie, it was all about him and
his
satisfaction. I know we never really talked outside of the relationship, but when it was just me and him, he was very, um, selfish. I felt just used. So when the three of us screwed around, my attention was
always
on you and making sure you felt fulfilled and satisfied.”

“Shit, Abigail. I had no idea.” I lean back into the couch and run my fingers through my hair. How did I not see it? Was I that caught up in myself?

“It’s not your fault, Seth. It’s mine. I shouldn’t have felt that way, but I couldn’t help it. It was just natural instinct to me.” I can hear her voice catch and know she’s trying to compose herself. “I’m so sorry, Seth. I know how close the two of you were. I hate that I caused this.”

“Don’t even think that, Abigail. This is on Robbie.” I hate to even say it, but this opens my eyes up a lot more. Robbie and I didn’t talk much about our relationships
outside
of the walls of the apartment. Maybe we should have.

“So, what happened? Was there a huge falling out or what?”

“Actually,” I reach down and take the short note he left on the breakfast bar and look at it again, “he just up and left. There is a short note and a lot of empty drawers.” I leave out the details of our time with Macy and how the past month of school taking her away from us brought us here to the breaking point.

“Well, if you need someone to talk to, I’m here, but I just want to put it out there first that I
am
in a relationship, so talking is as far as I can help you with this.”

“Thanks for the offer, but I actually have someone as well. She’s what’s left of the most recent trio, and she’s really great.”
Really, really great.