My Favorite Explosion

I pulled into the parking lot of The Saloon pulling into a parking spot. I looked around to see if Jake’s car was here, but realized that if he still lived in the same building he used to he would have walked. I grabbed my phone throwing it into my bag and locking the car as I walked in the back door. I saw Jake sitting at the end of the bar with two drinks in front of him. His clear and bubbly, still drinking his gin and tonic, and a darker iced mix drink for me. If he remembered correctly it would be a captain and coke. I took a seat next to him after giving him a hug and kiss on the cheek, placing my purse on the hook under the bar.
“Still drinking Captain?” He asked.
“Who ever said you were a bad partner is a terrible liar” I laughed holding up the glass to cheers with him.
“To ending a shitty day at work” He laughed.
“I’ll drink to that” I said as our glasses clinked, drinking down the spiced rum.
“So no dinner plans with Vic tonight?” Jake asked leaning against the back of his chair.
“I initially had to raincheck on them because of what happened with Austin” I said taking another sip of my drink. “And then he decided to pick a fight with me. Again.” I sighed.

“What could he possibly have to argue about right now?” he questioned.

“Well, it started with him asking me if I was okay, and I kind of snapped on him”

“Define ‘Kind of’ Scarlett” Jake said giving me his disapproving face.

“I totally did.” I shrugged.

“What did he say?”

“He told me that a ‘simple no would have sufficed’ which is true. But I asked him why he didn’t call me after they called for an ambulance and he told me he didn’t want to bother me while I was at work. I gave him this speech about how I know Austin’s medical history better than my own and then he asked me when I was planning on telling him about my own medical problems” I said taking another drink, much larger than the last.

“Medical problems? Is everything okay Scarlett?”

“Let’s go smoke” I said standing up grabbing my purse and walking out the front door. Jake followed, lighting up a cigarette and staring at me waiting for me to tell him. “So while I was living in South Carolina, I noticed I was having more mood issues than normal for someone my age. I went and spoke to my primary doctor who sent me to a psychiatrist. Which I didn’t go see for about a month after. I was in denial about it. But after speaking to her she diagnosed me with bipolar disorder. I take my meds, I do my workouts to keep me calm but I still feel my mood shift to an extreme. And that’s what happened today. I had an extreme mood shift, typically with something emotionally traumatic like taking my brother to the hospital. It sucks but I live with it. I control it, I don’t allow it to control me or define me. It’s still a learning process, but I’ve got it under control for the most part”
Jake nodded, obviously digesting the information I just shared with him.

“I understand if you’d rather not be my partner anymore” I sighed after a few minutes of silence.

“I think if there’s a time you need me to be your partner, it’s now more than ever” He laughed.

“You don’t think I’m crazy?” I laughed.

“I know you’re crazy Scarlett. You’re a paramedic for god sake. But you’re not that kind of crazy. I think you could use a good steady partner in your life”

“I definitely could” I laughed lighting another cigarette.

“I spoke to our scheduler today” He said with a smile on his face.

“Yea? Where you moving to?”

“Well, there’s been an opening at medic 31 on Tuesday’s so I took that, and the opening at medic 25 on Wednesday’s” He smiled.

“So you’re going to be my partner on those two days?” I asked, grinning with excitement

“That is correct. It actually begins tomorrow” He laughed

“Fuck yes!” I laughed “You just made my day Jake”

“Happy to help, now let’s keep drinking shall we?”

“Sounds like a great idea” I laughed following him inside, taking our seats at the bar again.

We sat in silence for a few minutes, which was fine with me. After the crazy end of my day I had today, I could use a few moments of silence. Until my phone buzzed with a text message. It was from Vic, apologizing and asking if he could come over and talk so we could talk it all out. If he had looked outside he would see I wasn’t home. But I’m sure he didn’t think to do that. I placed my phone back down on the bar, screen down to ignore the message I had just received from him. I picked my drink back up, sipping down more than half of what I had left which earned a look from Jake,

“You okay Scarlett?” Jake asked, concern on his face.

“Eh, I’ve had worse days” I replied with a smile.

“You just seem very blah. Which I can understand considering what happened with Austin, but you’ve been like that all day, even before we did that. You're a ghost of yourself Scarlett.”

“A lot changed in seven years Jake. Unfortunately I’m not the same ‘happy go lucky, friends with everyone’ Scarlett anymore. A lot happened out there.” I sighed drinking my drink.

“Want to talk about it?”

“Not right now. Maybe another day. But I need another drink” I laughed as I put my empty glass down on the bar. The bartender walked over, grabbed my glass and refilled it without me having to say a word. I watched him as he made the drink, trying to figure out if he was the same bartender from when Jake and I used to come here after shift.

“It is” Jake said answering my internal question. I turned my head as I laughed lightly realizing
he knew what I was trying to figure out.

“Damn. Can’t believe he’s still here” I said leaning back,

“He owns the place now actually”

“Seriously? What happened to old Keith?” I asked afraid to hear the answer.

“Unfortunately he kicked the bucket about two years ago. Left the place to Craig in the will. He’s kept it the same, just the necessary changes like new floors and a new bar top but otherwise it’s still the same old Saloon”

I nodded as Craig walked back over with my drink, placing it on the coaster in front of me, smiling and turning to walk away.

“You don’t remember me do you?” I laughed as he walked away.

“Excuse me?” HE answered turning around.

“Hi Craigaferr” I laughed.

“Woah, Scarlett?” He asked in shock

“Hey stranger” I smiled sipping on my drink.

“Look who decided to come back to town. What you up and leave outta wherever you went too?” He asked sarcastically.

“Eh ya know, gotta keep people on their toes.” I laughed “Nah, decided it was time to come home. Couldn’t stay away from dad any longer”

“I always knew you were a total daddy’s girl”

“Nah, just missed everyone. Needed to come home. South Carolina wasn’t what I was expecting it to be. Bit of a disappointment to be honest”

“I gotcha” He nodded. “How bout a shot? To properly welcome you home. What about you
Jake?” Craig asked.

“Eh fuck it why not” Jake shrugged.

“I guess I don’t really have a choice” I laughed “Jameson” I said leaning my elbows on the bar.

“God damn girl what happened to you out there?” Craig laughed as he poured the shots, “I remember when you would want to throw up at the smell alone of Jameson” He said as he slid our shots to us.

“I had some growing up to do. I also made some good friends with Jack Daniels and John Jameson along the way.” I shrugged trying to not let it affect me.

“Well it’s good to see you back. Things weren’t as fun with you gone” Craig said raising his shot up, Jake and I followed.

“To Scarlett making her return home” Jake said.

“It’s good to be home” I laughed clinking my glass against theirs.

After downing the first shot, the rest of the drinks just went down with ease. I had gotten another text from Vic, asking if I was okay and wondering where I was. I turned my phone over again not wanting to talk to him right now.

“Why don’t you just turn it off?” Craig suggested seeing I had turned it over for the fourth time tonight.

“I would have but I can’t. Austin’s in the hospital. He kicked me out, told me to go home and get some rest. This counts right?” I laughed.

“Considering it used to be your second home?” Jake laughed, “Yea, I’d say you’re safe.”
My phone started to buzz again but when it didn’t stop after two, I knew it was a phone call. I turned it over to see it was Vic, unsure if I wanted to answer it. I sighed, silencing the call and turning it back over.

“Trouble in paradise?” Craig asked walking over as he dried a glass.

“Yea, something like that” I sighed “He’ll get over it. He knows I’m pissed. I need a god damn fucking cigarette” I said realizing it had been about two hours since my last cigarette. “Jake! Bogie time. Let’s go” I said standing up and walking outside lighting one as soon as I walked out.

“Woah killer, you alright?” Jake asked standing as if getting ready to catch me.

“I’m fine. Just angry at him. Like, I understand he’s upset I didn’t tell him right away but it’s not easy to talk about. It took me six months to tell my father for fuck sake. And his ongoing issue with you also. It’s way out of hand, you’ve been nothing but nice to him every time you’ve seen him. There’s no need for it”

“well actually, there was one time I wasn’t so nice. I saw him about two years ago”

My head shot up realizing he was about to say, and I was sure I wasn’t going to like it. “What happened Jake?” I questioned.

“Well, one night while I was here, him and Mike both came by on their own, which was weird to me since I remembered you saying that he wasn’t a huge fan of this place.”

“I’m pretty sure it’s just because it’s where I would hang out with you” I sighed.

“That’s a good point” He laughed taking a sip of his drink. “So, after about an hour and a few too many shots of Jameson, I decided to go talk to him”

“How did I know you were going to say that” I sighed taking my drink into my hand to be able to drink it faster.

“Well, he recognized me. Said hi, the usual bullshit small talk. Once the small talk died, I asked him if he had heard anything from you recently. He told me no, that he hadn’t heard from you since you left. He asked me if I had and obviously I hadn’t which he seemed to like. But then I asked him if he knew why you left since you didn’t tell anyone at work except the higher ups. He said he didn’t know which I now know is true. But at that time I didn’t, I thought he was lying and called him every name in the book, telling him he was a piece of shit for letting you walk away so easily and for pretty much pushing you away. I pretty much told him it was his fault that you left.” Jake said taking a sip of his drink. “He asked me what concern it was of mine, I told him you were one of my best friends and you just left without a good bye when we were partners twice a week. I felt betrayed, hurt, and thrown away essentially. It was unfair to me as your partner, someone that I had gotten so used to working with and worked so well with. I thought it was all his fault. I figured you didn’t want to be around him anymore. Which I understand but I didn’t hold back against him. He wasn’t too happy about it. Told me I was an asshole who needed to mind my own business and not worry about what was going on between you two. Which is more than likely why he can’t stand me now”

“Well, that explains a lot” I chuckled as I looked at the time. 1:30 in the morning. “Oh my, I need to go home” I laughed finishing my drink and putting my card on the bar.

“It’s on me Scarlett” Craig said sliding my card back to me with a smile. I knew better than to argue with him, I never won.

“Thanks Craig” I said leaving two twenties on the bar for his tip knowing my tab was close to that. “I’ll see you tomorrow Jake” I said standing up, grabbing my keys out of my purse.

“Why don’t you crash at my place? The station’s only five minutes from my house and it’s already late. I know you have a spare uniform in your car along with emergency shower supplies”

I laughed at how right he was, knowing I had all of that in my trunk. “Alright. Probably a better idea.” I laughed. “Let’s go. I need some sleep. Here” I said handing him my keys knowing that was the real reason he didn’t want me going all the way home. “I know you better than myself sometimes Jake” I smiled.

“Come on. Let’s get you to bed. And a line in you” He laughed as we walked out.

“Bye Craig” We both yelled as we walked out to my car. I got in the passenger seat as he roared my car to life. He drove the five minutes down the road to his apartment complex, pulling in next to his car and handing me back my keys after turning it off. I grabbed my duffel bag out of the trunk, intending to carry it but Jake took it from me before I could argue. I followed behind him inside, putting my purse on the couch and taking my shoes off as I sat down.

“You can have my bed, I’ll sleep on the couch.” He said helping me up. I was too tired to fight him, so I just nodded. He gave me a pair of sweat pants and a baggy t-shirt to wear to sleep. Once I was changed I walked out to the bathroom after reassuring him I was fine, that I just needed to pee. I walked out and saw Jake had a start pack in his hand and a thousand bag of fluids.

“You weren’t kidding” I laughed sitting down on the bed.

“Nope. Gimmie your arm” he said holding his hand out. I obliged, not even feeling the pinch of the IV going in as he set up the bag of fluids to hang them from a hook he had put on the wall next to his bed. “This is also why I suggested you take my bed” he laughed hanging the bag from the hook.

“Thanks Jake” I laughed. “Good night” I said laying down pulling the blanket over me.

“I’ll wake you up at six” He laughed. “Good night Scar” He said walking out turning the light off, leaving the door open.

I rolled over to check my phone to see if I had any more missed calls from Vic. No calls, but a few text messages. The last one stuck with me until I passed out, “Please don’t tell me you’re with Jake. But don’t lie to me either. Just talk to me. I’m sorry about earlier, I over reacted. I love you Letty, but I don’t know if I can handle you being with him right now. Just call me”. I scoffed, annoyed with his hatred of Jake and simply texted back, “We’ll talk tomorrow. Good night” I locked my phone turning it over face down and rolled over in bed asleep as soon as my text tone went off.

Notes