Love From the Flames

What is that smell? Alexis Davis was awakened up from her sleep by a terrible smell. Then there was a crackling sound, then a popping sound. What is going on? Is that smoke I smell? It can’t be? I must be dreaming. She tried to go back to sleep, but the smell was getting stronger, then she heard it, the fire detector going off. Then the phone starting ringing. She answered, “Hello”.

           “Ms. Davis, this is HGT Security Alarms. Is everything okay? We have your fire alarm going off,” the person on the other end of the line asked.

           “I am not sure. Up until the phone rang and I heard the alarm, I thought I was dreaming,” Alexis said.

           “Okay, Ms. Davis. Can you smell smoke?” the alarm company representative asked.

           “Yes, I can,” Alexis started to panic now.

           “Okay, stay calm. I have dispatched the fire department. They are on their way. Can you get out of the house?” the representative asked.

           “I have no idea. My room is on the second floor and I have no idea where the fire is,” Alexis replied.

           “I need you to go to your bedroom door. First, barely touch it. Is it hot?” the representative asked.

           “No, it’s not,” Alexis said.

“Great. Now open the door and look out and can you see the fire?” the representative asked.

“No, I can’t see it,” Alexis replied.

“Okay, walk towards the door. Let me know if you see the fire and where. And if you do, will it block you from going out the front door,” the representative said.

 “Okay,” Alexis said with a shaky voice. “I see the fire. It’s on the kitchen and den side of the house, but I can make it out the front door.”

“Okay, good. Keep moving. Don’t stop. Don’t try to grab anything,” the representative said.

I can’t believe this. How did this even happen?

           Alexis stood outside in her driveway, which was about fifty feet off the main road, staring at her house as orange and yellow flames were coming out of the roof. The only sounds she heard were the sounds of the cracking of the burning wood and the fire trucks in the distance. She tried to reply in her head the entire night from the time she had gotten home until the time she had gone to bed. She couldn’t remember leaving the stove on, or even lighting a candle.

           What could have caused my house to catch on fire? Will the fire department get her in time to save it? Will they get here in time so that I don’t lose everything?

           What felt like forever, she guessed in reality was only a matter of minutes from the time she got out of the house until the fire department arrived.

           She watched as they suited up to put the fire out. One fireman walked over to ask her if anyone else was in the house. She had shaken her head no. The paramedics had come over and walked her to their truck to make sure she was okay. She heard one tell the fireman that she was in shock, but she was able to give her name.

           It had been two weeks since her house had caught on fire. Alexis had been staying at a hotel in town while the fire inspectors had done their investigation and the insurance company had sent an adjuster out.

The fireman that she vaguely remembered from that night, came to the hotel with a police officer to tell her that the fire inspector had determined it was arson. Someone had thrown a lit bottle with kerosine through her dining room window and that the police were now involved. They also told her that the damage was minimal. But since it was arson, the police didn’t want her to go back into the house until it was completely repaired at least. But they would prefer to have the person caught before she went home.

“Normally Ms. Davis, this is where we would ask questions like; if you have any enemies or knew anyone that wanted to harm you or what you did for a living. But considering once we started investigating, we found out that you are the Senators daughter, we know we don’t have to ask those questions. I am sure your father has contacted you?” the officer asked.

“No, he hasn’t yet. But I am sure he will now. I guess you have spoken with him?” she asked.

“Yes, ma’am. Not me directly, but the chief did this morning. He said that he wanted a bodyguard on you at all times,” the officer stated.

“Am I to assume that is you then?” she asked.

“Actually, no ma’am. It is Tyrone,” the officer said pointing to the firefighter.

“I’m sorry. I thought you were the firefighter that spoke to me the night of the fire,” she said looking at Tyrone.

“I am. I volunteer for the fire department, but I own a bodyguard service now. I used to work for your father,” Tyrone said.

           “Wow isn’t this a small world? I am sure you come highly recommended by him,” she replied sarcastically.

           “Look Ms. Davis, I am not here to do anything but make sure you are safe,” Tyrone said.

           “Well, I am sure if you look into my father’s enemies, you will find the person who tried to burn down my house,” she said.

           “We are sure you are right and that is where we have started our investigation,” the officer said. “Here’s my card. I am not even sure if I introduced myself. My apologies. I am Officer Scott McBride. If you have any questions, please call me.” He looked at Tyrone and then he walked out of the hotel room.

           “So, Tyrone, are you supposed to be staying in my room with me?” she asked.

           “Actually, yes ma’am. My bag is in the car and Officer McBride is bringing it up for me now,” Tyrone said.

           Three weeks later she and Tyrone were moving out of the hotel and into her house. She had actually thought that was a good thing. She was ready to go home, and she and Tyrone had gotten flirty. She thought several times that their relationship had moved in a different direction, one that was past the damsel in distress and bodyguard. But he never made a pass and every time she tried, he would back away. One thing she knew for sure was that she liked him. She really liked him. She couldn’t decide if she wanted them to catch the guy who tried to burn down her house and possibly kill her or not. On the one hand, if he didn’t want to be with her because she was his job, then it would free him up. On the other hand, if that wasn’t the case, then she would lose the opportunity to get him to see what she saw, that they were good together because he would be gone.

           Two days after they were back at her house, the doorbell rings. Tyrone opens the door and in walks Officer McBride, her father, and two secret service officers. They all sit down at the table. They had finally caught the guy. It was a man who had a grudge against her father from when he was a prosecutor and had put him in jail for 17 years. It was a violent scene and the man was shot and killed while trying to apprehend him. The man said that he would not go back to jail.

           After everyone had left and it was just her and Tyrone, she decided it was time to stop playing these games.

           “I guess you are leaving now too. But before you go, there is something that I need to say,” she said.

           “Well, I hadn’t really decided. It is late. I thought if it was okay, I would just pack and leave in the morning if that’s okay with you,” he replied and walked about halfway towards here.

           “Good. I think that is a great idea,” she said as she closed the gap between them. When she was standing right in front of him, she said, “I have wanted to do this for weeks.” And she leaned up and wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him.

           He grabbed her around the waist and kissed her back, before picking her up and carrying her over to the couch, and sitting her down on his lap. When they broke apart, he said, “I have wanted to do that for weeks too.”

           “I would have never guessed. You also ran the other way when I tried to come close when I thought we were having a moment,” she said.

           “I couldn’t cross the line. It would have been unprofessional,” he said.

           “You could have said that” she replied with a giggle.

           “Yea, I could have, but it would have taken all of the fun out of watching you sweat!” he laughed.

           She elbowed him lightly in the ribs and kissed him again. When she pulled back, she looked in his eyes and said, “Tyrone, I love you.” As she said it her head dropped, almost scared of his reply.

           He put his hand under her chin and tilted her head back up so her eyes met his again and said, “Alexis Davis, I love you too.” Then he picked her up again and carried her into her bedroom.