Leaving Normal, Stef Holm [ebook reader screen .TXT] 📗

then it came to him. "Top Gun."

"Yeah, it was Tom Cruise." Walcroft folded his arms over his chest.

Tony shook his head. "It was Anthony Edwards."

"Who's that?"

"The guy on ER."

"The bald one?"

"Yeah."

"No, shit. I thought it was Tom Cruise."

"Nope."

"Shows you what I know." Walcroft tapped his ash. "Are there any peanut M&M's left?" He was a little on the stocky side, solid and strong. Definitely the kind of guy who would watch your back in a bad situation.

Tony lowered his chair, reached forward and tapped his cigar over the ashtray. "You're going to eat candy with a cigar?"

"No. For later, smart-ass."

"There's a couple of bags left. I ate one."

"What's on television tonight? Anyone look up HBO?" Wally had a penchant for all the HBO channels. He could find anything to watch, even if it wasn't worthwhile.

"Nope." The captain studied his cigar. "This is a good cigar."

"Yeah, you can't beat the gas-station special," Walcroft laughed, a pair of dimples creasing his cheeks. "Hey, did you guys see Plummer at the Hazmat training? I swear to God, he's on 'roids. His arms are like fucking coconuts."

Captain Palladino's expression grew thoughtful. "I noticed that."

"Because you have gay tendencies," Walcroft teased.

Rob shot him a glare. "Shut up, Shorty."

"Hey, I'm five foot ten in my bare feet."

"I'm six feet five inches. I've got you by seven."

Tony chuckled as dispatch alerted Station 3 of a medic call. He had a moment when he'd been on alert, then his teeth clamped around the cigar as he relaxed once more since their engine wasn't being called into service.

The station phone rang and the captain got up to answer it in the garage by the service bay. His voice was muffled, then he scratched the back of his neck while nodding. When he hung up, he gazed at Wally.

"Hag call."

Walcroft's face soured. "It ain't dark yet."

"Close enough. Bring it down."

The station got calls from time to time from citizens who either lived in the neighborhood or would be driving by and see the flag still flying near dusk and tell them to take it down. Some people needed to get a life.

Tony set his cigar in the ashtray and went to help Walcroft lower the flag. He folded it, then passed the flag off to Wally.

Resuming his seat, Tony asked, "We washing the engine?"

"In a little while," the captain responded, his blue eyes glancing over the back of the red engine. "We could make a run in it like it is."

Walcroft came back. "My wife's been after me to get our daughter a puppy. She says Molly's old enough to take care of a pet. I know what'll happen. I'll end up cleaning the dog crap or mowing over it."

Tony's mind drifted to Parker and the kitten he'd given her in what seemed like years ago. He'd only taken her out once in the past six weeks. Things at Parker's house were changing, keeping her busy with a wedding taking place this Saturday.

Kim was pregnant.

When Tony found out, he'd felt a slight stab in the gut. He couldn't fathom why. Kim and Brian were expecting in six months. A part of him was unhappy that she was having a baby with someone other than him. Which was ignorant on his part since he'd had the chance and he'd said no.

His feelings had more to do with himself. The lack of fulfillment he felt in his own life.

He'd forced himself to take out a woman Rocky had set him up with, but he knew before he'd even picked her up it wouldn't go anywhere. They'd played pool, had some beer—just a fun night. But Tony wasn't interested in her the way he was interested in another woman.

He saw Natalie in the neighborhood from time to time. They'd never spoken again since that day at Albertson's grocery store.

He'd begun to let her go. In small ways, he'd stopped thinking about her at certain times of the day.

"I think you ought to get the puppy," Tony said. "A child needs to be taught what it's like to take care of a pet. Just make sure she cleans up the crap."

"Easy for you to say, you don't have kids."

Tony let the comment go; he didn't show Walcroft how much it got under his skin being reminded of the fact he wasn't a parent. Wally didn't say it in a demeaning way. People with children often took their status for granted.

"Not yet," was all Tony commented. "But I will. One day."

"Better get married first," the captain said, brushing ashes off the dark blue cloth of his pants.

Not readily responding, Tony took a puff of his cigar. He opted to change the subject. He didn't feel like talking about kids and getting married. Not tonight.

"I know how I'm going to get Gable back." Tony's eyes narrowed in anticipation. The pranks between Gable and him had been really heating up lately. They'd been ping-ponging each other for months.

"What?" Walcroft took a sip of cola from the can resting between his legs.

"Remember that woman who won me in the Valentine auction?"

"Never saw her, but Rocky did. Said she was a looker."

"She owns a dress store. She'll call me every now and then."

"Wants you to put out her fire?" Walcroft ribbed.

Tony made no remark; the fact was, Sophia would rather start a fire with him, but he'd told her he wasn't looking for an affair. "She offered to let me borrow one of her mannequins."

"What are you going to do with it?"

"Lippert and Anderson said they'd help me out. We're going to put the female dummy on the John and when Gable goes to use the bathroom, he's going to think he walked in on one of the female paramedics."

The captain and Walcroft burst into laughter.

"Good one," Wally said. 'Too bad we can't see his face when he gets a look at that."

"I know." Tony mulled that one over. "I wonder if I can get them to mount a camera in the John."

Captain Palladino chimed in, "They're talking about