For a Hero Read online

  He leapt from the couch, got dressed and ran to Jenna’s room.

  “Honey. Honey. Wake up.”

  She groggily opened her eyes and smiled to see David standing over her. “Hey Baby. Come back to bed.”

  “I can’t, Jenna. I have to go.”

  “What’s wrong? Is there a fire?”

  “I’m sorry, Jenna. I just have to go.” And he kissed her cheek and ran out the door.

  She slumped back down into bed and pouted. “Well, foot a duck.”

  *****

  David drove hurriedly south on Lamar. His mind raced faster than his Silverado. How many people knew about his real parents? Not many, he determined as he did a mental inventory. The people at the adoption agency, but surely none of them would care enough or have enough of a grudge to pull such a radical, dangerous stunt. Blaine knew. He liked to play with David, but there was no way he could do something that might hurt people or disrupt order. The only person that came to mind was his adopted father. It still didn’t feel right, however. Sure his dad had been mean, but he was never malicious. David always chalked his behavior up to stupidity. This was a whole new level though. This took planning, resourcefulness, and patience, not to mention willingness to steal multiple cars, and put thousands of lives in danger. Thank god nothing horrible had happened.

  He needed to see his mom. Jr. made his way across downtown. It was still too early for traffic or the cumbersome one-way streets to pose a problem hindering his speed, so he was able to cross the town quickly. If his father were involved, he needed to make sure that his mother was safe.

  He started veering west once he crossed the river. Most of the time, his visits to Driftwood were pleasant and nostalgic. His mother was always so happy to see him. She unfailingly had treats prepared for him and they would have a wonderful home-cooked meal or cruise down the road to the Salt Lick for the best barbecue you could get outside of their own house. But today, David was worried, concerned for her safety. He had lost enough family members in his life.

  He couldn’t get there fast enough; stop signs and hazard lights were optional. He thought about putting the siren on his truck, but David would never behave so unprofessionally.

  He skidded into his mother’s driveway and leaped out of the truck. He ran across the yard, up the porch and blew open the screen door.

  “Mom! Mom, are you here?”

  David couldn’t hear anything. He started to worry. He ran back to her bedroom, through the kitchen and peered into the backyard. She was nowhere to be found. He went to pull out his phone to call 9-1-1 but then remembered that she had not been missing for forty-eight hours. Dammit.

  He looked for her car. There it was, right where it was supposed to be, parked under the port to the west of the house. As he examined it, the pitter-patter of tiny feet caught his ear.

  David looked to where the sound was coming from and saw a miniature dachshund waddling around the back of the house. He cocked his head when he saw David, and when he finally recognized him, tore into the earth to sprint his tiny, squatty body in that direction, ears flopping a hundred times a second.

  “Hey, Poncho!” David leaned over and rubbed his hand across the head of the gentle creature. He plopped over onto his side, hoping for belly-rubbings. “You missed your brother, didn’t you, pal? Have you seen Mommy? Do you know where she is?” David asked the animal as he stroked the underside of his family’s favorite son. “Take me to Mommy.”

  Poncho got up on his legs and slapped them across the ground in a happy gait to lead David into the house. The puppy walked up to the bathroom door and started to paw at the wood. The light was off in the bathroom; David didn’t check previously. “Mom, are you in there?”

  “David? Is that you?”

  “Oh my god, Mom. Are you ok?”

  “Yeah, I’m fine. I had some lasagna last night and it’s not sitting well with me. I’m having a bit of a problem.”

  David buried his head in his forearm; he didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “Wow, Mom. I don’t know what to say. Thanks for the update. I was worried. I thought you died or something.”

  “Oh heavens no, or at least not yet. Behold the power of cheese. Parmesan is a real killer. Give me a few minutes and I’ll be out. I’m glad you’re home, Baby. Now give Mommy a few minutes to talk to a man about a dog and I’ll fix you some lunch.”

  David thanked the lord for family, dairy and dogs.

  *****

  Jenna rolled back over in bed, pouting. Why did he leave so quickly this morning? She hoped everything was ok. She had just given herself to a man, and the first thing he did the morning after was run right out of her door and out of her life. Her mind went back to all of the men she had known before. She imagined this is what would have happened if she had slept with them. There was no way that David was the same as them, was there?

  She got up and wrapped her robe around her body. Padding through the house to her Keurig coffee pot and popped the “Intense French Roast” cup into the slot. The oxymoron made her giggle.

  She glanced back at the couch and her mind retreated to her memory of last night.

  She held him so tight, comforting him. Her promise to set him free made her realize how important he was to her. His worry must have worn him out because his head had slowly tilted and fell to her shoulder. She had cradled his neck and let him take refuge in her embrace. He had been so loving. David had given her such pleasure, and at the thought of hurting her, he had worried himself to sleep over it. Her gentle giant had exhausted himself in concern. She had shook his shoulders just enough to wake him from his slumber and pulled him to a standing position. She took from him all of his clothes and made him comfortable. She had walked him to her bed and laid him down. It was so wonderful to see this angel, this god-like man, in her room, in her bed, under her pink flowery sheets. She crawled in next to him and pondered how lucky and fortunate she was. She was thankful for the move to Austin, she was thankful for Miranda and the auction. She was even thankful for Mr. McBride who made her leave Dallas. She smiled to herself. How nice it was for someone to be so concerned about you that hurting you breaks their heart. His heart must be involved, she thought with a little smirk. And then, she realized. Jenna almost dropped her coffee cup reminiscing against the counter. David hadn’t abandoned her this morning like some misogynist pig; he was embarrassed! He thought he had hurt her so he had left.

  The relief poured over her body. It was frustrating that he was gone, but it was sweet that he felt so strongly about her. Now all she needed to do was get him back. She looked around the room. Hmmmm. There, against the table leg on the living room carpet, sat keys. She picked them up.

  “Heehee.” Jenna giggled. “You left your house keys here.” Jenna muttered as she sauntered back to her bedroom to scheme. “You’ll have to come back. I’m going to cook you dinner, give you a man’s dream night, and then seduce you, Mr. Conlon.”

  She fell happily into her own sheets, clutching his keys in her hand.

  *****

  “How have you been, Mom?”

  She had sat David down on the couch and picked up right where she left off when he left home back at 18. She was making him food and baking brownies and giving him motherly advice as if he had never left.

  “I’m doing fine, Sweetie. But I’m worried to death for you. You look so thin. Are you eating at all? I feel like the wind is going to blow a bit too hard and you’ll just be carried right out the window. Is that the same shirt you wore last time you visited? Is that your only shirt? You really need to think about letting me take you shopping. My growing boy needs some new clothes. Don’t you know I just torture myself at night thinking about you being cold and hungry?”

  David smiled. Good ole’ Mom. “Yes, Mom. I’m eating enough.”

  “When are you going to get a safer job than fighting fires? You’re going to get yourself hurt. And when are you going to find a nice girl and settle down? I bet you are gallivanting across the city
at all hours of the night.”

  “No, Mom. I don’t gallivant. It’s bad for the knees.”

  “You know what I mean, David.” She handed him a second plate of food “You didn’t come here just for food. What is it, Sweetie? Is everything ok?”

  “Mom, I actually came to check on you. I was worried about you.”

  “Why on Earth would you worry about me? I don’t bother anybody. Me and Poncho just cook and watch TV most days when we’re not down at the Baptist Church scoping out the eligible bachelors.”

  “That’s nice, Mom, but something happened yesterday and it got me thinking.” He spoke between bites. A few minutes with his mom and he was close to being spoiled all over again.

  “What is it? Tell me all about it.”

  “The department was watching the concert last night, just making sure it was safe. Three cars blew up. They were all the same car, Mom, a Monte Carlo, just like my real father’s car, the one that blew up. There was nobody hurt, thank goodness. But it was too crazy to be a coincidence. I think somebody was trying to send me a message. I don’t know who else it might be besides Dad.”

  She sat back in the chair, looking thoughtful and pensive.

  He continued “But how would he know I would be there? How did he even know I was a firefighter?”

  “David, they did a story on you in the news a week or so ago. It was that Congressman fellow, what’s his name? Waldorf. Yeah, you pulled his daughter out of the fire in front of all those cameras. I just about died when I saw you do that. You should think about a safer line of work. You are going to hurt your pretty face. They did a story and they wanted to interview you but you walked off after you handed the girl to her mother. It’s been in the news intermittently the past week. There’s talk of a medal. Don’t you watch the news?”

  “Not really, Mom.”

  “Well you should, you’re a hero. Anyway, they mentioned your name and talked about your career a little bit. Everyone in the city knows who you are now, Honey.”

  “Momma, I’m worried. What if he comes after you?”

  “Why on Earth would he do that? He already got his licks in on me. Besides, the court said he can’t come within fifty yards of me. He doesn’t even know where I live now. Besides, his limp has gotten so bad, I could outrun the old bastard!” She was cheerful throughout.

  “Ok.” David relaxed a little bit. “I feel a little better. If it was him, why do you think he did it?”

  “Your dad was scared, David. He was scared of you and he was a little scared of the way you talked about your real father. He knew you thought your Dad hung the moon and stars. I guess it got to him. He felt insecure. It was bad enough that you were twice his size at twelve years old anyway. I don’t think he’s bad. He just didn’t feel like a man around you. Men need to feel like a man, you know.”

  “I know, Mom. Thank you. You really know how to make me feel better.”

  “Of course I do. They give us that power when we become Moms. It comes with the cooking and the story-telling and healing abilities.”

  “You’re the best. You know, I would have loved Dad just like I love you, if he hadn’t hurt you so bad.”

  “I know, and that’s just another thing that makes you a real man.”

  David beamed. It was weird how mothers could do some of the most miraculous things.

  “On to brighter topics, David. Are you seeing anyone?”

  David blushed a little.

  “Oh you are! How wonderful! What’s her name? What does she do? Is she healthy? Is she treating you well? Does she feed you?”

  “Wow, Mom. Yeah she is great to me, better than any girl ever, except for you.”

  “That goes without saying. When am I going to meet her?”

  “I hadn’t thought about it, Mom. I don’t know”

  “Well, is it serious?”

  David paused for a moment. He took another bite.

  He grinned to himself and then answered. “Yes. Yes, it is serious. Her name is Jenna and I’ll ask her if she wants to come by sometime.”

  “That’s my good boy, David. Here, finish your spinach. You’re wasting away.”

  *****

  David climbed the stairs to his loft. The tension had built itself up in his shoulders so that he held them up high near his ears. He noticed and tried to relax them, to release them. They fell, but the stress remained. He needed a hot shower.

  Being at home again reminded David what it was like to be surrounded by family. It was wonderful for him to see his mother again, but he needed to be here. He needed this work to occupy his mind and he needed to be near the city. He needed to help as many people as he could. Fire never gives up, and neither could David.

  He twisted the knob. Nothing. His suitemates must be out, or studying. David peered over the railing and looked at the window. Dexter was home. He reached into his pocket and found emptiness. David’s eyes shot open widely. “Oh hell.”

  He frantically checked the other pocket. There was nothing but his phone, a few coins and some lint. “How could I not have noticed my house keys being gone?”

  He unclipped his work lanyard from his belt, just for clarification. His truck key was where it was supposed to be, the fire hall key, the key to the station’s safe, lock-box and key-box. “Why didn’t I just put them on the same ring?”

  David started to knock. Once, twice, three times. Nobody answered. David tried to open the door again. Then he wondered why human beings become idiots when facing a simple problem. He immediately stopped his futile attempt at opening the door and knocked again. Then it hit him.

  “My suitemates are deaf.”

  He threw his palm to his face. “How did this happen?”

  He knocked harder. Maybe they could feel the vibration of his knocks like they could their precious rap music. His knocks became punches, and his punches became pushes, and his pushes became tackles and kicks. Soon, the building shook with the rhythm of his beating.

  A young man ran down the stairs to David’s right, dressed in pajama pants. “What the hell is going on down here? Are they having another damn party?”

  “No. My suitemates locked me out. I live here.”

  “Well you’re knocking loud enough. They haven’t heard you yet?”

  “No. They can’t hear.”

  The man collapsed laughing on the stair case.

  “Yes, I know. My hearing impaired suitemates can’t hear me knocking. Go figure. Don’t worry; I’ll stop banging on the door. I don’t know what I was thinking. Sorry for disturbing you.”

  “Oh no, you gave me quite a laugh. I forgive you. I’m going back to my room, if you need help, call the super, he should have a spare key.” The young man aided as he left David alone, outside his room, just as the world began to darken around them.

  “I wish I had thought of that.” David pulled his phone from his pocket, and when he turned it on, he found a surprising, comforting, and exciting text message.

  “David, I have what you’re missing. Come over and persuade me to give it back to you. Love, Jenna.”

  He chuckled to himself. “With a woman like this in my life, why would I worry about anything?”

  *****

  Jenna spun in crazy circles around the room, making sure everything was in order. There were bowls of snacks on the table. Earlier in the day, she had searched all the sports channels for a football game. She didn’t know what days were football days, but she prayed to God that tonight would be one of them. After pouring through her entire subscription list, she found a channel called “ESPNC” and a game coming on at 7. “Dallas Cowboys vs. Houston Oilers” She had been so excited at how perfect it was. She was sure he was a Texas football fan, aren’t all men in Texas football fans? And to her luck, this night of all nights, two Texas teams were playing each other!

  Jenna wore an oversized blue jersey that used to belong to her father an eternity ago. It wasn’t a Cowboy or Oiler jersey, although both teams wore blue, and she hoped that
the fact she was pant-less would distract David from her mismatched hue.

  She kept checking her phone. He still hadn’t answered. Her text was so aggressive. She hoped he would find it suggestive and tempting, but the nagging sensation left over from years of disappointment and poor male role models told her that he would find it slutty and unappealing. He may tear into the house and demand his keys back before storming out of her apartment and out of her life forever. And then where would she be? Pant-less, watching football.

  Surely not, this was David. There was no way he would treat her so brusquely. Well, he did leave this morning, didn’t he? No explanation or concern. Jenna sat down on the couch as the pre-game talk was beginning. Had she made a mistake?

  She didn’t have time to ponder it. There was a knocking on the door. It was very hard and sudden. Oh no. He sounded angry.

  Jenna shyly pulled down on her jersey, attempting to give it the appearance of a dress. She moved toward the door and opened it slowly, terrified of what state the man standing in her doorway would be in.

  David stepped in quickly, so quickly that Jenna wasn’t even 100% sure it was him until he was upon her. Her heart jumped and froze. But before she could get a look at his face to judge his disposition, he hugged her. David gave her the biggest hug she had ever gotten. His big arms wound around her little body and made her feel small and important at the same time. She shook a little bit, as the stress left her and she melted into him.

  “You’re not mad?”

  David roared with laughter. “Haha no. What? You change gears so quickly. You were teasing me over text ten minutes ago, and now, you are unsure what mood I’d be in? You are so cute.” He then stepped back and looked at her. His eyes moved down, seeing the lack of slacks and choice of dress. “I like the way you’re dressed. It’s very. . . progressive.”

  Jenna remembered what clothes she was wearing, and felt shy. “I thought it was appropriate, and to be honest, I hoped you would think I was cute.” Her blush painted her cheeks a pretty pink, but her smile was a bit mischievous.