Capítulo 3: Chapter3
#Chapter3
Starting over
Presley
After I picked up my schedule and books, I reported to the station. I hoped I got assigned to a different station. One, because Eliza trained here, and two, Chief Hayes hates me.
I made my way to his office and knocked on the door. The chief looked up from his desk.
/"Come in, Gray,/" the chief said.
I walked into the office and sat down in a seat across from his desk.
/"I heard about Eliza,/" the chief mentioned.
/"Yeah,/" I mumbled.
Chief Hayes leaned back in his chair and looked at me.
/"I won’t lie. I was transferring you out of this unit to a different one. Your performance was less than stellar last year. You arrived late, showed a lack of respect, and you’re sloppy. I don’t want that on my team,/" the chief told me.
I sighed.
/"The lieutenant at the firehouse where you did your training said you had potential. You showed exemplary skills during that fire, kept your cool, and did your job. That’s the only reason I agreed to keep you here,/" the chief said.
/"Yes, sir,/" I answered.
/"Gray, you’re a paramedic now. I expect you to do your job, or I will dismiss you,/" the chief informed me.
I looked at the chief.
/"Report for your shift Monday night. You’re working the graveyard shift,/" the chief instructed.
Great, that’s the worst shift to get. I didn’t argue as I got up and left the office. I ran into Lindsey.
/"Sorry to hear about Eliza, Presley. Everyone at the station understands,/" Lindsey said.
/"It’s over, and I’m ready to work,/" I replied, walking away. I didn’t want to discuss Eliza. I wanted to do my job and move on with my life.
Kaylee
I arrived on campus, then got my schedule and books. I walked to the station and knocked on Dad’s door. He glanced up, then smiled at me as I walked into his office and sat down.
/"Are you all set?/" Dad asked me.
/"Yep, I finished top of my class. Now, to add courses to round out my training. What shift am I working?/" I inquired.
/"I’m assigning you the graveyard shift with Gray. I need someone to make sure he doesn’t screw up,/" Dad told me.
/"Isn’t that the probie who you didn’t like?/" I questioned with a look.
/"Unfortunately,/" Dad sighed.
I gave my dad a look.
/"Kaylee, I won’t have a paramedic cost lives because he can’t get his act together,/" Dad reasoned.
/"But you and I both know that sometimes, people die. We can’t save everyone. That’s what you told David,/" I reminded Dad.
/"No, but we can try,/" Dad said.
I shook my head. My dad was difficult with people, but he knows the job and how it affects someone. All we can do is save who we can.
I got up and left the station. I made my way to the dorm and walked in to find a girl there.
/"Are you Nora?/" I asked.
/"Yeah,/" the girl answered.
/"I’m Kaylee. It looks like we’re roommates,/" I introduced myself, shaking hands.
The door opened, and two other girls entered.
/"Kaylee, meet Selena and Josie, our other roommates,/" Nora introduced us.
I shook their hands. They noticed my books and uniform.
/"Are you a paramedic?/" Selena asked.
/"Yeah, I became certified this summer and start working down at the station. I’m taking courses to get my other certifications,/" I answered.
/"Do you like it?/" Josie asked.
/"I come from a lineage of paramedics. My brother was a paramedic, and my dad is one along with my grandfather and uncles,/" I replied.
/"Wait. You said your brother was one. Did he quit?/" Nora questioned.
/"No, my brother died on a call,/" I answered.
The other girls looked at me with surprise.
/"It’s the chance we take on the job,/" I explained.
/"Yeah, we lost a friend recently,/" Selena mentioned.
/"I’m sorry to hear that,/" I said, offering my condolences.
/"Well, we have to go,/" Josie said. Selena and Josie hurried out of the room.
/"Did I say something wrong?/" I asked Nora.
/"No, their boyfriend’s brother lost his girlfriend when they went on a call for a fire. It’s been a rough few weeks for everyone,/" Nora explained.
/"Oh,/" I said.
/"Yeah, the brother planned on proposing the night his girlfriend died. He’s not handling it well,/" Nora told me.
/"Yeah, it’s hard losing someone because of the job. We learned to deal with it and move forward,/" I said.
Nora smiled at me. I had a feeling there was a reason Dad partnered me with his probie.
Presley
I dropped off my stuff at the house and walked around town. The longer I stayed there, the more I felt the need to hit someone who’s Parker. I know he worried, but I’m tired of hearing it. I needed space.
I went to the bakery to grab a coffee and saw Pax and Britt.
/"How did everything go?/" Pax asked, getting me a coffee.
/"I picked up my schedule and books. The chief assigned me to the graveyard shift,/" I answered.
/"Why?/" Pax asked.
/"Because the guy hates me and wants to see me fail,/" I answered, taking the coffee.
/"Or your superior expects more from you,/" Britt suggested.
/"Nope, he hates me,/" I said, sipping my coffee, then leaving.
/"Can you hate a ghost?/" Pax asked Britt.
/"I’m not sure, but it’s a possibility,/" Britt answered.
Pat walked in with Kaxon.
/"You missed, little brother,/" Pax mentioned to Pat.
/"How was Presley?/" Pat asked.
/"Not Presley, if that’s what you’re asking,/" Pax said.
/"Give Presley time. He lost someone,/" Kaxon reminded my brothers.
/"We get that, but we know our brother,/" Pax told Kaxon.
/"Yeah, but you don’t know what Presley is going through now. Death changes people,/" Kaxon reasoned.
My brothers expected me to act like who I was. Why? Why can’t my family understand that I’m not that person anymore? That person died with Eliza.
I came home and saw Parker. I said nothing and walked past him.
/"Presley,/" Parker said.
I stopped, not turning to look at Parker.
/"Talk to me. We were close,/" Parker mentioned.
/"Operative word were,/" I mumbled.
/"Look, I’m sorry. I worry about you. I don’t want to lose you,/" Parker pleaded.
I turned and faced Parker. I walked towards him.
/"Then stop worrying. Problem solved,/" I said, then turned and walked away.
Payton entered the house.
/"What?/" Payton asked.
Parker looked at Payton. /"Presley told me to stop worrying about him,/" Parker answered.
Payton looked at Parker with concern.
/"Our brother jumped in that grave with Eliza and isn’t coming back,/" Parker said, leaving the house.
You can’t force a person to bounce back from a tragedy like this. No matter what you say or do, you let the person deal with the grief. Grief has no time limit, and it changes people. It changed me.
Later that night, I went to bed and laid there. The silence was deafening. I closed my eyes and felt a wave crash over me. I struggled as I tried to keep my head above water, getting dragged down. Then I saw Eliza.
Stay with me.
/"No, let me go,/" I yelled.
Please, I need you.
/"Stop!/" I screamed.
You promise me forever.
/"Please, don’t do this,/" I cried.
Then Eliza disappeared, and I stood in a dark room as a light turned on. I put my hand up to shield the view from my eyes.
/"Hello?/" I yelled. /"Is anyone there?/"
I saw someone walking towards me. I lowered my hand as the woman looked at me and smiled.
/"Where am I?/" I asked.
/"Nowhere and everywhere,/" the woman said.
I watched as a man walked towards us, along with others. Everyone stood around me.
/"Who are you, people?/" I yelled.
/"You know us,/" the woman said, smiling.
I looked around at everyone and shook my head.
/"I don’t,/" I said, feeling confused.
/"Sometimes we need family,/" the woman reasoned.
I stood there as the woman wrapped her arms around me. Other people put their hands on me as I sobbed, feeling comfort.
/"You can’t let death keep you from living. People need you,/" the woman told me.
I lifted my head and looked at the woman. She wiped my tears as I looked at her. The woman smiled.
/"Death is not the end but part of life. You live life, not mourn it,/" the woman explained.
/"I can’t do this,/" I said, crying.
/"Yes, you can. You’re a Gray. Grays are tough. I know, I married one,/" the woman said, smiling.
/"Who are you?/" I asked.
/"Lucille,/" the woman said.
/"Grammy Gray,/" I whispered.
Grammy nodded as I looked at the man who had steel-grey eyes. I saw a woman on each side of them, along with others.
/"The Gray family has a legacy that travels for miles. While we rely on family to help and love us, you grieve, but don’t let it rule your life. This family needs you,/" Grammy Gray told me.
I nodded.
/"Now wake up,/" Grammy Gray said.
/"What?/" I asked.
/"Presley, wake up,/" someone said, shaking me.
I woke up startled, sitting up, and looked at my brothers. Payton knelt next to my bed. I looked at my brothers and started crying.
/"I’m sorry,/" I sobbed.
My brothers comforted me as I cried. They said nothing as I buried my head and sobbed.
/"We got you,/" Parker assured me.
I nodded as I cried. I didn’t know how things would be now. The only thing I knew was that I needed my brothers.
After calming down, Parker returned with a glass of water, then handed me to me, and I took it.
/"Thanks,/" I said, sipping the water.
/"What happened?/" Payton asked.
/"I saw Eliza,/" I answered.
My brothers looked at me with concern.
/"She begged me to stay. I felt like I was drowning. Then I stood in a dark room with a single light. I saw people appear. They offered me comfort,/" I explained.
/"Who were the people?/" Patton asked.
/"Our family,/" I answered, looking at Patton.
That surprised my brothers as I drank my water. I didn’t understand what the dream meant, but I knew one thing, family matters.
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