Finding Her Past

Bree stared at the firehouse and its double bay doors for the longest time. She was nervous, but she needed to talk to the Captain about something important. This wasn’t the first time she had been here. She liked it here although most people found it hectic or chaotic she found a weird sense of peace. Taking a deep breath she walked inside only to find one of the trucks missing. That meant they had received a called. Bree didn’t know how long they would be gone so she decided to wait. There was a staircase that led up to the second level which held the captain’s office and the kitchen. She climbed the stairs and was heading to the office when she realized the time. Sometimes calls didn’t take too long but then again sometimes they took a few hours. Bree bet the team would be hungry and she wasn’t use to just sitting around waiting. So she chose to make some breakfast and lunch or brunch.

Bree whipped up some muffins and was starting to prepare lunch when she heard the fire truck pull in. She started chopping up stuff for the salad, trying to keep busy while the stairs filled with firefighters. Everyone stopped to stare at her when they reached the top wondering who she was.

“Hi,” Bree said with a smile, “I didn’t know if you would be back in time for breakfast or lunch so I made a little of both.”

One of the firefighters, the captain, stepped forward from the group and gruffly asked, “What are you doing here?”

“A girl can’t visit her big brother at work,” she replied with a grin.

The captain smiled and ran to hug her. They embraced and started laughing. Everyone else was confused.

“Bobby, who is this?” one of the other firefighters, Ethan, asked.

“Oh sorry. This is my little sister Bree.” Bobby said with his arm still around Bree.

“Hi everyone please help yourselves to the food.”

“So this is the sister you like to talk about. And she cooks. Don’t mind if I do.” The paramedic, Rita, said as she grabbed a plate.

While everyone else ate Bobby took Bree to the side to talk to her.

“Not that I’m not thrilled to see you, but what brings you here?” He asked.

“I was wondering if you would watch Lil for a day or two.”

“Of course, but why. Is everything alright?”

“Yeah. I just…. I found…. Him.” Bree said quietly.

“Him? As in…” Bobby crossed his arms.

“Yes. He lives a few hours away. So I was going to go check him out and stuff.”

“Stuff? Bree…” He started.

“What? I can handle it.”

“I would feel better if I went with you. We can get someone else to watch Lil.”

“I appreciate the big brother protective mode but I need to do this. And the only way I can is by knowing my kiddo is taken care of by her favorite Uncle.”

Bobby hugged her again and said, “Well you should have someone go with you.”

“Go with her where?” Ethan butted in.

“Just on a little trip.” Bree said, “Do you always ease drop on conversations?”

“Uh… no. I came over to say thank you for the food and heard the end of it. But if you need a trip buddy, I can go.”

“Bobby, what do you think?”

“Ethan is a good ride along friend, keyword is friend. And he has some time off. It’s up to you. Although like I said I would prefer you not go alone.” Bobby said finally grabbing a plate.

“Okay okay. Ethan, is it? You can come along. Should be fun.” Bree grinned.

“Cool. Where are we going anyway?”

“To meet my biological Father.”

The next day Bree and Ethan headed towards Greenvalley. It was a quiet ride for the most part until Ethan started asking questions.

“So your bio dad is he Bobby’s bio dad too or…”

“No. I was adopted by Bobby’s parents when I was a baby. But they are my parents just like Bobby is my brother.”

“Oh okay. So why are you going to visit him”

“You know when I agreed to let you come I didn’t expect so many questions. I thought we would just take turns driving and passing out snacks.”

“Uh… sorry. I was trying to find out more about you. You know get to know each other.”

“Yeah I understand that. But let’s start small, haha”

A few hours later they arrived at the Greenvalley Firehouse. Bree thought it was ironic that her biological father happened to be a firefighter too. Usually at peace and calm in a firehouse this time Bree felt nervous and anxious. She sat in the car for a little while trying to get up her nerve.

“Do you want to go in by yourself or do you want me to come with you?” Ethan eventually asked.

“I need to go by myself. No offense but you would probably raise a lot of questions and I need to focus on me. I just can’t seem to get out of the car.”

“Well he is here now but who knows when they will get a call so you should go in and get it over with.”

“You’re right. I’m going.” Bree said getting out the car and walking towards the big bay doors. Every firehouse seems to have them, but then again they do park the fire trucks in there. Taking one last deep breath for courage Bree walked in.

The firehouse was different but had some similarities for instance a giant staircase leading to offices she assumed and a kitchen. There were a couple firefighters hanging around so she walked over to one of them.

“Hello I was wondering if you could direct me to Owen?”

“Sure, he is right up them stairs. First office on the right.” The firefighter with a southern drawl said. Bree nodded her thanks and headed up the stairs. She thought it was odd that her father had his own office. Maybe he wasn’t just a firefighter. Well she was about to find out. She stood outside his door which was really an opening surrounded by glass walls. Bree looked in trying to get the courage to knock or walk in when she noticed the plaque on his desk. It said Captain. Bree laughed a little at the coincidence which made Captain Owen look up from what he was doing.

“Hello,” he said, “Can I help you with something?”

“Uh… Yes you can. My name is Breeanna and I uh…Here,” she said handling him an envelope with the information she gathered proving he was her father.

“Am I being served?” He asked opening it.

“What? No. I’m just nervous and don’t know if I can say what I need to so figured that would be easier.” She rambled when someone else walked in.

“Oh hey dad, sorry I didn’t know you had company.” A paramedic named Ty said.

“Dad? Did you just call him dad?” Bree asked breathing hard. “I’m sorry. I gotta go” she said rushing towards the door.

“What was that all about?” Ty asked as Owen read what was in the envelope.

“Stop her!” Owen shouted as he ran out the door after her. He leaned over the balcony at the top of the stairs and shouted again, “Someone stop her.”

The firefighter with the southern drawl cornered Bree at the bottom of the stairs. “Hold up ma’am the Cap needs to have a talk with you.”

Seeing the commotion that was going on Ethan ran inside to help Bree when all of a sudden a car honking pulled right up to the firehouse doors.

“Help!! Please! Someone!” a woman yelled. The firefighters and paramedics went running to the car. Bree thought it was her chance to escape when she noticed something. The passenger was using sign language and no one seemed to understand what he was saying, not even the driver. Always looking to help Bree joined them to see what the man was saying.

“Stop,” Bree said, “He isn’t trying to fight you he is trying to communicate. He is deaf.”

Bree signed ‘how can I help you’ to the man who smiled realizing someone could understand. He signed ‘trouble breathing’. Bree relayed the message to the paramedics who then asked, “Does he have pain anywhere else?”

Bree signed the message to which the man signed back ‘no. allergic’.

“I think he is having an allergic reaction,” Bree passed along. The paramedics administered some epinephrine and transported him to the hospital.

Bree was about to sneak out when the Captain stopped her.

“We need to talk.” He said. Before Bree could respond the call alarm went off. Bree hurried off before she could be stopped again no realizing she left her bag on the counter.

Bree made it all the way back home before noticing her bag was missing. Just great, she thought, now she would have to go back and face him.

“How did it go?” Bobby asked when she reached the top of the stairs, “I thought you would be gone longer than that.”

“Well it didn’t. He always has a kid, so he doesn’t need me. I kind of just bailed after handing him the paperwork.”

“Breeanna Beth! Why would you do that?” Bobby asked leaning against the kitchen island.

“I was scared. I don’t know.” She said getting up to get a hug.

Then there were footsteps and they looked towards the stairwell only to see Captain Owen and his son Ty.

“What are you doing here?” Bree asked shocked to see them.

“Well you left in such a hurry you forgot this.” Owen said holding up the bag. “And we never got a chance to talk.”

Bobby stood in between them waiting for Bree to respond. “Can we use your office?” She asked.

“Of course. I’m here if you need me.”

Bree walked over and grabbed her bag then ushered for them to follow her to the office.

“So you left one firehouse for another.” Owen said trying to make small talk.

“No. This is my brother’s house. I just like to visit. Thanks for bringing me my bag.”

“Oh so that man out there was you brother?”

“Yes. His parents took me in when I was a baby.”

“Okay well let’s get to it then. You’re my daughter according to the papers you showed me.” Owen said gruffly.

“Yes,” Bree said then noticed the expression on his face, “oh so you want the whole story.”

“Uh… yeah that would be nice.”

“Well I don’t really know it. I just know you and my birth mother had relations. Then she had me without telling you and gave me up. I found her years later and she didn’t remember me or who you were. So I started the long process of DNA matching and then here we are.”

“Okay but why get in touch with him now?” Ty spoke up. “What do you need? Money?”

“Trust me. I don’t need any money.” Bree said crossing her arms.

“Then why? Did it take you this long to find him or did you know this whole time?”

“Ty that’s enough.” Owen cut in.

“The truth is I do need something from you.” She began but Ty cut her off again.

“I knew it!”

“You know what. I’m not sure this is worth it. Such hostility.” Bree said.

Before Ty or Owen could comment the door bust open and a little girl ran in.

“Mama! You’re back! Uncle Bobby said you were but I didn’t… Oh were you talking. I’m sorry.” Lil said going to Bree’s arms.

“Oh its okay sweetpea! I missed you so much.” Bree said hugging her daughter. “I will be right out okay. Go have Uncle Bobby make some muffins.”

“Okay Mama.” Lil said skipping out.

“You have a daughter?” Owen said after a few minutes of being in shock.

“Yes. Her name is Lily but I call her Lil or sweetpea. But that’s not why I went looking for you either in case you were wondering. She is perfectly fine and healthy.”

“Then why?” Owen finally asked, “I mean I’m a little lost here too. I want answers and I know you want them too. So how can we help each other?”

“It’s complicated.”

“Well uncomplicated it” Ty said getting angry.

Bree started getting tears in her eyes that she tried to blink back, “I want to live.”