Page 55 of From the Ashes

Hey, Alexis. I think I’m ready to set a time/place to meet up with you guys if you’re still comfortable with it?

Alexis:

Walker, hi! Yes, of course. We’re short staffed at the vet clinic where I work, and I have a group project due soon. My group is meeting this weekend to try and wrap things up.

I know two weeks feels like a long time, but is there any chance you’ll still be here then?

Walker:

Yeah, I’m actually staying through September, so it’s whatever works best for you.

Alexis:

Okay, great! I’ll call you when we get a little closer to come up with the plan, okay? Gotta run.

I know it’s only a text message, but still, Alexis seems so calm. Maybe it’s because she already has her place solidified in Colton’s life, but I’m glad she’s not freaking out like me.

Does he think I left him on purpose?

Does he think I don’t love him?

DoI love him?

Fuck. I need to process this shit, and I need to do itbeforeImeet him. He’s a child. The weight of this meeting shouldn’t be on his shoulders.

I’m not exactlysure what Phoenix does when he gets home from a shift, but I take a chance on him being like me and wanting food and some time to decompress before being able to sleep. I find my way around his kitchen the following morning and painstakingly make scrambled eggs, toast, and bacon before realizing that maybe he isn’t even coming straight home.

Oh well, at least I’ll eat well. I’m snapping a picture on my phone to send him and show him what he’s missing right as I hear his truck pulling up outside.

My heart flutters in my chest at his return and I berate myself for being such a teenage girl.

At the sound of the back door opening, I suddenly feel foolish.What am I, a fifties housewife?

But it’s too late to make it look like anything other than what it is.

At the sight of Phoenix, I lose all thoughts other than him. He has purple circles under his eyes and a bruise on his cheekbone. His hat is on backwards, like always, and he has what looks like a gym bag slung over his shoulder.

“Oh, shit, Phoe. Are you okay?” I rush to his side, not sure what I can do to help.

He looks at the table set with food.

“Is this for me?”

“Well, uh, yeah, but like, if you normally come home and go straight to bed, there’s no pressure to eat it.” I rub the back ofmy neck left-handed.

“I’m fucking starving. Thank you.” He drops his bag in the middle of the floor and takes a seat at the table, immediately spooning eggs onto his plate and reaching for the bacon.

I up-nod my chin toward him. “What happened to your face?”

“Some new guy let go of the fucking fire hose,” he explains with a mouthful. “Fuck, this is good.”

“Don’t you guys wear helmets and shit?” I ask, angry that some amateur is making Phoenix’s already dangerous job even more so.

“Yeah, the hose knocked mine off on the first pass and connected the second time before we could get it under control.” He seems so unbothered by this…but not me. I’mextremelybothered.

“So, you had to go to a fire last night?”

“Mmmhmm,” he mumbles around his bite of food.