Saved By The Firefighter
Chapter 130

Kelvin's point of view.

Letting out a long breath, I stood at the door of my house, as my darling Joanne ran the lint remover over my uniform one more time. I think she is more nervous about my new job than I am. It had been six weeks since Wayne's funeral, and Twinkles 'Mrs' was arrested, and charged, then subsequently remanded in custody for conspiracy to murder, along with a whole lot of other charges. Anders father, the same, including arson, money laundering, drug trafficking, extortion and a load of other stuff. The trial date is set to start in a few weeks. I know that my former team will be there in the public gallery watching, and waiting for them both to be sent down, never to see the light of day again. I will be right there beside them, of that you can bet your last penny on. My doctor gave me a clean bill of health two weeks ago, and today I take over as the Group Manager.

"I will hand my notice in to Davey today." Joanne tells me.

I smiled and nodded, then took the lint roller from her hands, placing it on the windowsill before wrapping my arms around her.

"I love you." I whispered down at her.

"I love you more." She grins back up at me.

That is a statement that I highly doubt. Because my heart only beats for this woman, literally she is my life. After my heart attack, she stayed, and well, she never left. We officially moved in together with Joanne giving up her rented house three weeks ago, and I could not have been happier. I have a second chance at life, and I am determined to grab it with both hands. Life is too short to mess around. My ex-wife was annoyed, complaining it was too soon, to anyone who would listen. I do not care. I love Joanne, she is the best thing to happen to me, other than the birth of my daughter and grandson.

"Are you sure you want to leave the station?" I asked her again, just to make sure she is confident in what she is doing.

"Yes, Cal wants to go full time, and the new station officer, whoever it turns out to be, needs him full time. This way, I get to spend time with the kids, and I can look after my grandchild for Lucy and Ben, so Lucy can go back to work whenever she feels comfortable, once the baby is born."

"It is a big day for them next week, her 20-week scan, and gender reveal." I smile down at the love of my life, as she nods, her eyes twinkling with excitement.

"But before that, we have a hen party and stag party to attend," Joanne grins.

I throw my head back and laugh, we certainly do. In just three days, Josie and Anders are heading off to Vegas, to tie the knot. They had wanted to do it weeks ago, but with everything going on, they had put it off. So, after my first full day at work, I will be heading straight to Durham, as we attend their joint hen and stag night.

"Are you sure you don't want me to come and pick you up?" I asked this glorious woman.

"Certain. Lucy, Kathline and I have planned some good stuff for Josie, so we will see you there." Joanne grins at me and winks.

Heaven knows what they have planned, probably highly inappropriate, but guaranteed to be so much fun.

I place a soft kiss on Joanne's lips, and head out to the car, ready to drive to Newcastle, and take up my new post.

A smile creeps onto my lips. My first thing to do in my new post, is to give the news to the two new station officers, and I know that both of them will already be waiting at HQ to find out their fate.

I pull up into the carpark of the four-story building, and step out, smoothing my black uniform jacket, and making sure my tie is straight, then make my way into the building, my cap under my arm. I headed straight to my new office, passed Kerry who is my new assistant; she has worked for years in HQ. I just hope she is as good as my Joanne was, although she will not be dropping her pen under my desk like my girl often did. How clumsy of her!

In the waiting room, I could see the four candidates for the Station officer position at both Farringdon and Marley Pots stations. I get to give the good news, but the decision was not mine, it was made by the Chief firefighter himself, after witnessing both men's work on the fire in the factory.

"f**k, Andy thinks I om firemon Som, now he will think I om thot i***t Stotion Officer Steel!" Dovey quips.

"You need to grow o lorge wolrus moustoche to go with your grey hoir, just for the job." I loughed with him.

"Actuolly, I hove o letter here for you, from Josie." Dovey tells me, honding me o letter, olong with on opplicotion form.

I look ot it frowning.

"Whot is this?" I osked him.

"She wonts off the wotch, she would like to commence fire investigotion troining." Dovey shrugs sodly. Guess his whole 'red wotch' is chonging.

"Thot is o shome, but good os well," I told him.

"Yeoh, the shome of it is, I om going to hove to promote Heodoche ond his box of porocetomol to leod fire fighter. I wos going to give it to Josie," Dovey chuckles.

A small shudder washes over me, as my mind wanders to that day. I push my dark thoughts to the back of my mind. Today is a day of celebration, not one to mourn the past.

I settled myself behind the light oak desk, looking at the four candidate files placed on my desk. I know two will be leaving disappointed. It is just the nature of things.

"Kerry, send the first one in." I say, into the intercom.

Lead firefighter Jones, walked into my office.

"Take a seat please." I smiled up at him.

"Sir." His polite response as he nervously sat down in the receiving chair.

I open his file, then took a breath. This is the least favourite thing for me to do.

"There is no easy way to say this, Alix, but unfortunately you have not been successful at this time. After careful consideration, the board believes you need some training in leadership, and another year in your Lead firefighter role in Farringdon on 'Yellow Watch'. However, I have enrolled you to the relevant leadership training courses, and I am confident that once you have completed these, and have another year under your belt, you will get the promotion." I told him.

"Thank you." Jones tells me, staring forwards. I could see the annoyance in his face. I am about to hand him over the paperwork for the courses I have placed him on when he stands to his feet, turns around without so much as a goodbye and walks out of the office. His reaction kind of proved the point on his file that he lacks in maturity to handle the job. I cannot confirm or deny I had made that note before I went off sick.

I let out another breath, then buzzed Kerry.

"Send in acting Station Officer Brennan." I tell her.

I watch the door, as Davey walks into my office, all suited and booted in his formal uniform. I keep my face a stoic mask, as he waits for me to ask him to sit down. I must say, it feels unusual, normally he would walk into my office back at the station with his 'don't give a s**t' attitude and just plonk his backside down.

"Sit down please Davey." I motioned to the chair, not letting anything show in my expressions.

"Davey, after much consideration of your application, I am sorry to say that you have big boots to fill in your new role as Station Officer of Farringdon Station. The outgoing station officer was a fantastic man, so here's hoping you are up to the task." I grinned at him, showing all of my pearly whites.

"f**k sake boss, thought you were going to say I was out on my arse there." Davey said, placing his hand on his chest, letting out a sigh of relief.

"And... he is back." I laughed, this is the Davey who we all know and love.

"Sorry, sir." Davey grins sheepishly.

"Well done, Davey. The chief fire officer was impressed by your work at the factory, and the role you played in keeping the station going when I was off sick. You deserve it." I grinned once more with pride at him.

"f**k, Andy thinks I am fireman Sam, now he will think I am that i***t Station Officer Steel!" Davey quips.

"You need to grow a large walrus moustache to go with your grey hair, just for the job." I laughed with him.

"Actually, I have a letter here for you, from Josie." Davey tells me, handing me a letter, along with an application form.

I look at it frowning.

"What is this?" I asked him.

"She wants off the watch, she would like to commence fire investigation training." Davey shrugs sadly. Guess his whole 'red watch' is changing.

"That is a shame, but good as well," I told him.

"Yeah, the shame of it is, I am going to have to promote Headache and his box of paracetamol to lead fire fighter. I was going to give it to Josie," Davey chuckles.

"Good luck with that." I grinned at him.

"Okay, well, you will get all the official stuff in your email by end of today's shift. I will see you tonight." I smiled standing up and shaking Davey's hand.

"Yeah, it should be a good night. I have a house full of giant pink c**k balloons!" Davey laughs.

"Well, I do nine to five every day now, unless there is a full emergency, Monday to Friday. You lot begin your off shift's tomorrow. I am back here in the morning." I groan, as Davey chuckles. "Tough at the top, sir. See you tonight." He turns and walks out of the office, for once, with a broad smile.

I sat back in my chair, then buzzed Kerry again.

"Send in firefighter Bishop please Kerry." I told her.

Ben walks in, filling the room with his sheer size.

"Take a seat Ben." I tell him as he squeezes himself into the receiving chair which creaks in protest.

I sit looking into his grey stoic eyes, my step-son, or soon will be, not that he knows this yet, but he will, when I ask his permission to marry his mother. But that is not a conversation for today. "Firefighter Bishop, I have some bad news, I am afraid," I said.

Ben nods his head, as if he is expecting it.

"You are going to have to move to the Enemy station. Congratulations you are the new Station Officer of Marley Pots. We gave you that one, as it is closer to your home, plus it is time the inter-station rivalry officially comes to an end...or... cranks up a notch." I grinned at him. "Wow, thanks whip....sorry..bos...sorry Sir." Ben says in total shock, unusually for him stumbling over his words.

"The Chief Firefighter was impressed by your quick decision-making. I know we always focus on the firefighter we have lost, but if you had not opened that door when you did, then we would have lost all six of you. You are not afraid to make the tough call when needed, and your leadership qualities are off the chart. Everyone we have spoken with had nothing but respect and praise for you. Well done Ben." I grinned at him.

"Does the Mother know?" Ben asks, as he stares at me, in what looks like disbelief.

"Nope. It is your job to tell her, not mine." I smirked at him.

"Yeah, but you know you will be the one getting the rewards tonight". Ben laughs.

I chuckle slightly, the man is not wrong, my Joanne is going to be very happy, and given I am all clear for exercise, I will reap the benefits of that happiness, and enjoy every last moment of it.

"Talking of rewards, whilst you are here. It is probably not the time or place, but. I want to ask your mother to marry me. I would love your blessing." I tell him.

"Do you need it?" Ben asks with half a smirk on his face.

"No, I will ask her anyway, but would like it all the same." I grinned at him.

"Well, I guess, I had best pull my finger out and convince Lucy to say yes...she is determined to wait until after the baby is born. I reckon Davey will get there before me as well at this rate." Ben laughed. "So that is a yes then?" I hesitantly asked him.

"It is a, hell, yes." He grins at me.

"Thank you, Son." I smiled warmly at the man who is my soon-to-be step-son who I am really proud of, even before I started seeing Joanne.

"Well, I suppose I will see you tonight." I tell him, standing to my feet and stretching out my arm to shake his hand.

"Yeah, it will be good to have my wardrobe back. Lucy has two naked blow-up dolls in there, one male and one female." Ben shrugs, and I laugh, because I know as well as he does, that will be Joanne's doing.

I sit back in my seat, letting out a breath, just the final candidate to see, and disappoint them. But, once that is over, I will read through Josie's application, and without a shadow of doubt in my mind, I will happily rubberstamp her application, not because I know her, but because she will be excellent in that role.