First Shift

“This is a nice, simple Cardiac event. Easy first call, new guy,” Ethan’s lieutenant said as they turned off the sirens outside a dusty apartment block.

“Your first call will fuck you. You either carry on like a man or turn in your badge.”

Ethan’s father always left the same message with his voice raspy from hard smoking and harder living. Thirty-seven years of fire prevention service earned his father enough chest hair to rival a gorilla.

When Ethan received his acceptance to the Fire Academy? Same message.

When Ethan stood on the graduation dais in his dress blues? Same message.

Ethan never answered. His father was also a prick who beat Ethan’s mom and knew how to hide the bruises.

The chair in the apartment corner rocked back and forth, back and forth.

Ethan’s breath caught in his chest. There was no fooling himself that their patient was sleeping—the gently bubbling foam dotting the once proud, now gray, mustache dissuaded such notions. How long his father lived in this dingy apartment, Ethan didn’t know.

”Shit. Load him up, and…sorry kid.”

His father almost looked happy rocking there. The asshole didn’t deserve a last laugh.

***

Seven years later, Ethan swiped into Heller & Associates.

“Ah, Ethan,” Mr. Heller said, warmly, attentively. “There’s a tough custody battle on your desk. I want you to lead it. The first one can be tough, but I’ll help you through it.”

His dad had been right, in a way—some things Ethan wasn’t man enough for.

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A/N:

My summer WB entry. Didn't place as I wanted but am still proud of it.

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