First Class Rescue (First Class Novels) (8 page)

The crowd clapped politely as he left the stage and a montage
of celebrities with their cats and dogs was shown on the screen as a Harry
Connick, Jr. wannabe sang a song he’d written entitled
Furry Kisses
. If
you could overlook the title, it was a pleasant tune and his voice was pretty
good. However without the cute photos, it would have bombed.

Beth looked over at Emma. She was playing with Evan’s tie
with one hand and rubbing his thigh with the other. She shook her head and
glanced at Gerald. His eyes were closed. She waited for him to snore but at
least he had the good sense not to.

Tim stood off to the side of the stage behind a large spray
of flowers with Rob Wheeler.

“I don’t think I can do this,’ Rob stuttered out.

“Of course you can,” Tim encouraged. “You’re going to be the
highlight of the night. You’ve got your speech right?”

Rob nodded and pulled the papers from his pocket. Unfolding
them, he scanned the words and sighed.

Tim patted his upper arm. “Just read what you wrote and it
will all be great.”

The Executive Director was back at the podium announcing the
next speaker…Rob. The room clapped and Rob hesitantly placed his foot on the
first step and looked back at Tim.

“You’ll do great,” Tim smiled.

Rob nodded and took the three steps up to the stage and
slowly walked to the podium. Laying his papers in front of him, he took a deep
breath.

“In October of last year, I responded with my unit to a fire
in Greenwich Village. By the time we got there, the blaze was clearly out of
control and I knew in my gut we would lose the building. But doing what any
firefighters would do, Daniel Welch and I entered the structure to make sure
that all civilians had made it out. The smoke was so thick and so black that
our flashlights only illuminated about eighteen inches in front of us, and even
with radio communication, we quickly became disoriented. As we tried to find
our way back out, a large beam overhead fell and knocked us to the ground,
leaving us both unconscious. I don’t know how long I was out for, but when I
came to, the fire was all around us and I knew if we didn’t move we would die
then and there.”

The room was still…silent. You could have heard a pin drop.
Rob took another deep breath and continued.

“I dragged Daniel in the direction I thought was an exit,
only to find the way out engulfed in flames, so I felt my way along the wall
until we came to another door and was able to break it down and escape the
flames. But Daniel wasn’t as lucky as me.” Rob gulped and wiped his eye. “I got
him out but not soon enough. Daniel didn’t make it.”

Audible gasps were heard all around the ballroom. Tim, still
off to the side of the stage, closed his eyes and lowered his head.

“Physically, the doctors said I was fine, so I couldn’t
understand why I couldn’t get out of bed in the morning and the thought of
going back to work made me physically sick. There was other stuff too but I
won’t bore you with it all. My Captain said I needed to meet with a therapist
and that’s when I met Dr. Jenna Francis. She diagnosed me with PTSD, Post Traumatic
Stress Disorder, right away and I began therapy sessions with her regularly. I
don’t want to say that they
weren’t
helping, but I wasn’t feeling any
better. She kept telling me that it would take time and I knew that my marriage
wouldn’t survive if it took too long.”

Tim looked up to see his mother and his sisters-in-law
wiping at that eyes. They weren’t the only ones deeply touched by Rob’s story. Rob’s
wife sat at a nearby table and Tim could see how difficult it was for her to
keep her emotions in control. It must have been a terrible few months for her
too. He looked back up at the stage. He couldn’t have been any prouder of Rob.
He was doing a fantastic job.

“And then one day I met a friend in the park and after that
day my life changed. This is Izzy,” Rob said looking behind him at the large
screen and a photo of him and Izzy sitting on the same park bench where Tim had
met him several months ago. The crowd sighed collectively and Rob smiled.

“Izzy has saved my life, saved my job, and saved my
marriage,” Rob continued. “Through the efforts of my doctor, this organization,
and my friend,” Rob turned and smiled at Tim, “I have my life back. Now, I’m
not saying I’m all better, but I’m well on my way and I will be forever
grateful. Thank you.”

Every person in the room stood and clapped loudly.

*****

Every person in the room stood and clapped loudly. Every
person except Gerald.

“This is boring,” he muttered.

As Beth sat down tears were streaming down her face, the
result of the poignant story and heartfelt words of the fireman.

“May I have your handkerchief?” Beth sniffed, reaching for
Gerald’s breast pocket.

“NO!” he snapped. “You’ll ruin the ensemble.”

“You are a bloody wanker, you know that?” Beth shoved her
chair back and stomped towards the back of the ballroom and out to the ladies
room.

Gerald shook his head and turned back to the table. Evan and
Emma looked as though they were about to make-out at any moment, so he looked
at the stage to the Executive Director who was announcing the next speaker. “This
is really going to go on forever,” he muttered.

Beth snuck back in as the crowd was clapping. She slipped
back into her seat, a wad of toilet paper in her hand.

“Classy,” he frowned.

“Sod off!” She blew her nose again and froze.
His voice!

Beth lifted her eyes and peered over the heads in front of
her to see the tall, dark-haired fireman dressed in a tux standing at the
podium. His voice was like hot chocolate warming her from the inside out.
After
all these months to see him now!
She tried to concentrate on what he was
saying.

“The FDNY is grateful to be working with the humane society
to provide companions to those in our department who are suffering from PTSD.
Here is just a sample of what we are doing.”

Tim stepped back from the microphone as a video started to
play.

“This is my daddy and this is Aggie,” a young blue-eyed girl
said into the camera. “Daddy was sad before Aggie came to live with us, but now
he’s not sad anymore and he loves us again.”

The crowd sighed once more.

“Hi, my name is Lieutenant Grayson and I was diagnosed with
PTSD a couple of years ago. My family and I have had a rough go of it, but with
the addition of Clay, here,” he patted the Rottweiler beside him, “well, things
are getting better. And I only see it continuing to get better.”

More sighs and people blowing their noses, Beth included.
The video had a couple more short stories of the amazing results seen by
firemen using therapy dogs. As the screen went black, Tim returned to the
podium.

“Over the past few months, I’ve had the opportunity of
working with many of these fine men and these incredible animals. It has truly
been a privilege to be a part of this…this effort. On a personal level, I want
to give my mom a shout out for encouraging me to get out and do something for
someone else and for my sister-in-law Janie for dragging me to the shelter the
first time I volunteered. It was exactly what I needed to pull myself out of
the depression I was in after I was dumped by a girl.” He smiled and chuckles
could be heard throughout the ballroom.

Beth gasped.

“So I guess you don’t have to have PTSD to reap the benefits
of a shelter dog,” he grinned. “A broken heart will also qualify you.”

More chuckles. Beth gulped, fighting back the tears that
were quickly filling her eyes.

“But back to the business at hand,” Tim continued.

Beth couldn’t control it. The tears spilled quickly and she
tried to swallow the sob that bubbled up. She attempted to stand but the chair
leg was snagging on the carpet and wouldn’t push back.

“Bloody hell!” she muttered as she shoved the chair a little
harder than necessary and it tipped over backwards, hitting the chair behind
hers. All eyes swung towards her and the tears continued to fall. She turned
and ran.

Tim looked up to see the woman on his left. “Beth?” he
whispered.

*****

After the woman had run from the ballroom, all eyes were
back on Tim. Tim, however, was unable to focus on anything but the sight of
Beth zigzagging through the tables, running through the rear doors and out of
sight. He didn’t know how many seconds or minutes had passed before he felt a
warm hand cover his.

“Let’s finish this shall we?” Janie whispered in his ear.

Tim turned to look at his sister-in-law. “It was Beth,” he
whispered.

Janie nodded and pulled the plaque from the shelf under the
podium and handed it to Tim.

“The FDNY… would like…to present this…plaque…to the humane
society for…for their donations and…and cooperation in the pilot program, Doctor
Dogs.”

The Director accepted the award. They shook hands and Tim
and Janie exited the stage.

“Who’s Beth?” Janie asked as the music began.

“I’ve gotta go,” Tim said and ran from her. He stopped for a
brief moment and hugged Rob and then disappeared through the double doors.

Out on the sidewalk he searched left and right. He asked the
doorman if he’d seen Beth and he crossed the street and continued to look. She
was nowhere to be seen.

“Shit!” he yelled and got an odd look from the couple
walking past him at that exact moment.

“Sorry,” he frowned and dodged the cars as he crossed the
street again. He stood at the front door of the hotel and looked inside. He
couldn’t go back in.

“What is wrong with you?” Emma banged on Beth’s bedroom
door. “Let me in.”

Beth pulled the blanket over her head and tried to hide.
Eventually she’d have to get up and face the world. Emma was going home today
and she
should
say goodbye.

When Beth had run from the ballroom the night before, she’d
run to the ladies room and stayed there ‘til it was time to leave. Emma had
texted her and told her they were in the lobby waiting to go so Beth had crept
out of the bathroom, all but sprinted to the sidewalk and slid into the limo.
She was a sight - her makeup was ruined from crying. Mascara streaks stained
her cheeks, her eyes were puffy and her nose was red. Gerald didn’t say much on
the ride back to their apartment, but she assumed that he figured there was no
chance of a relationship between them. For that small mercy she was grateful.

She’d collected Cleo from across the hall and then hidden in
her bedroom all night. Emma pounded again.

“Fine!” Beth grumbled and climbed from her bed, unlocked her
door and then crawled back under the covers.

“So that was Tim last night? The guy we went to dinner with
last year?”

Beth grunted in the affirmative.

Emma sighed. “So you aren’t in love with Gerald?”

“Heavens no!”

“You’re in love with Tim?”

It was Beth’s turn to sigh. “Maybe.”

“I need to leave in an hour. Gerald is going to pick me up
on his way to the airport.”

“Oh Em…I’m sorry…”

“No! No, it’s fine. I don’t mind. In fact, I rather enjoy
spending time with him.”

Beth threw the blanket off her head. “Really?”

“Yeah, I mean, he’s got gobs of money, Mum likes him, he’s
not that bad to look at…”

“He’s yours,” Beth offered.

“I don’t know if he’s interested, but…”

“Huh…you and Gerald? Really?”

Emma shrugged. “He’s as good as anyone else.” She slid off
the bed to go and finish packing.

I don’t want ‘as good as anyone else’
, she thought.
That’s
a terrible way to pick a husband! But if it makes Emma happy…oh well.

*****

Tim didn’t attend church with his family on Sunday morning.
He’d gone home to his apartment after the benefit and had stayed there,
ignoring the phone as each member of his family called to check on him.

Janie had called again first thing that morning and she’d
left a message when he didn’t answer.

“I’d better see you at dinner,” she’d said. “And if you
don’t show, I can guarantee that we’ll be coming over to your place…ALL of us.”

He’d decided he’d better just go and get it over with.

Walking through the door on the lower level of the Lathem
family brownstone, he was immediately bombarded with questions from Andrew and
Rory, who were the first to see him.

“I’m fine,” he replied as he walked through the maze of toys
on the floor. Isabelle demanded that he pick her up, to which he obliged. He
kissed her cheek and she kissed him back. As he put her down he felt a hand
around his arm.

“Come with me,” she said.

He followed Janie into the kitchen and she nodded at the bar
stool. “Sit,” she commanded.

He did what he was told and waited.

“Are you okay?” she asked. Concern filled her voice.

Tim nodded. “Yeah, I guess.”

“Who’s Beth?”

“Yeah. Who’s Beth?” said a voice in the doorway.

“Kitchen’s closed!” she said to Ben. “Go. Away.”

Ben did as he was told.

“Who’s Beth?” she asked again.

Tim sighed.

“You’re not leaving this room until we’ve talked so you will
not gain anything by stalling.” She placed her hands on her hips.

Tim recognized the stance. She’d been married to his oldest
brother for a few years now and while she was the sweetest and kindest woman
Tim had ever met, Janie was a force to be reckoned with when she wanted to be.
She rivaled his mother.

“I dated her last year a few times. I actually rescued her
dog from a fire and…well, after that our paths crossed again and…but it’s
nothing now.”

“You want more?” her voice had softened.

Tim shrugged. “She stopped returning my calls. Not much more
I can do?”

“Did you get the feeling that she liked you too?”

“See that’s the thing.” His back straightened. “She did! I’m
sure of it! And then I took her and her sister out for dinner, she was visiting
from England, and then… nothing!”

“But you wanted more? Want more?”

“What’s the point of going over this Janie?”

“Going over what?” Mark said from the doorway.

“Kitchen’s closed!” Janie firmly stated.

Mark cowered and hastily retreated.

“She’s not interested,” Tim said.

“Oh I’ve heard this story before,” she said. “Don’t move.”
She swung around and walked out of the room.

“Matt?” she yelled, surprising everyone in the house.
“MATT!!”

He appeared at the bottom of the stairs. “What’s wrong?” He
ran to her, eyes open wide. “You okay?”

“Get in there and talk to your idiot brother.”

“What?” Matt was totally confused.

Janie shoved him into the kitchen.

“Everything okay?” Rory asked as he peeked his head around
the corner.

“Kitchen’s closed,” Tim sighed, accepting his confinement.

Rory shrugged and disappeared.

Janie looked at Matt. “The mysterious Beth is a woman Tim is
in love with and…”

“I didn’t say I was in love with her!” Tim exclaimed.

“Of course you did!” Janie frowned. “Tell him what you
almost lost forever,” she said to Matt.

He chuckled at his wife and nodded then sat on the stool
next to his brother.

As Janie left the kitchen she heard him say, “Tim? I’ve got
a story to tell you.”

*****

By the time the family all sat down to dinner, they all knew
the basics as to who Beth was and how Tim felt about her and every one of them
encouraged him to fight for her, well, except for Ben who said he could find
another woman in a heartbeat. Janie had smacked him across the back of the
head.

“You know,” Mark said as he dished up the roasted potatoes,
“I wouldn’t be married to my best friend if I hadn’t been persistent.” He
smiled at Katy.

“True,” she agreed.

 “And I wouldn’t be married to my best friend if I hadn’t
been persistent,” Paul added, and hugged Nic who was seated next to him.

“Oh enough!” Ben pretended to stick his finger down his
throat.

“How old are you?” Maureen chastised her son. “One day Ben,
you’re going to meet a woman and you’re going to understand exactly what your
brothers are talking about.”

“In your dreams,” he muttered under his breath.

Peter put his knife and fork down on his plate and tented
his hands in front of his face. “You know,” he began, “When I was a young man…”

“You’re not young Grandpa!” Ella laughed. “You’re old!”

Peter chuckled. “Yes sweetheart. I’m old now. But a long,
long,
long
time ago I wasn’t old. And I didn’t want to get married. But
then I saw Grandma across the diner sitting at a table with her friend…her
friend?”

“Rosalie,” Maureen added.

“Yes! Rosalie! And my heart literally skipped a beat. My
palms got all sweaty and I couldn’t take my eyes off her. She had the most
beautiful eyes I’d ever seen.”

Maureen actually blushed a little.

“Finally, Rosalie got up and went to the ladies room and I
swooped in and took the chance of a lifetime and here we are fifty…fifty
something years later and seven sons and four daughters-in-law and one
son-in-law and six grandchildren later. My life would have been nothing…nothing
without your mother.”

Everyone sighed. It was so sweet.

“So you remember that young man. Until you meet that woman
who actually makes your heart stop, you shouldn’t get married. Wait for her.
You deserve that and she deserves that.”

“That was beautiful,” Lindsey said, her eyes full of tears.

Ben shook his head and took a mouthful of broccoli, but Tim
knew exactly what his dad was talking about. He was talking about Beth!