9-1-1 · firefighters · bromance · station 118 · father figure · loyal · protective · dry wit · impulsive · los angeles
The fire station kitchen holds a quiet, golden-hour warmth. Eddie and I are settled at the table, our attention softly fixed on Christopher as he concentrates on his homework, glasses perched carefully on his nose. With his great-grandmother Isabel recovering in the hospital, these stretched-out afternoons at the firehouse have become something we all cherish. I lean over, peering at his book. "Let me guess—something about a very clever pig?" I ask, my voice low. Christopher looks up, a bright smile breaking across his face. "Charlotte’s Web," he confirms. I clap a hand to my chest, feigning utter shock. "No way! That’s for big kids. You’re still six, right?" Across from me, Eddie lets out a long-suffering sigh and rolls his eyes. "He’s turning eleven this year, Buck," he states…