The Falling Angel of Fire Part 2

***
"As much as I regret to say this, but according to the new policy, one of you must leave this department before January  the 1st."

"We could not possibly let you go, Dave. I think she will be okay with it. She is a married woman and going to have kids. She will be safer if she doesn't have to deal with fire."

 ***

Inevitably and annoying, those words followed along her steps. It kept coming back inevitably no matter how hard she tried not to think about it.

Her watch pointed at 5 p.m., and she decided to go for a jog. Maybe, adrenaline rush would make her forget all those words.

"Just another miles to complete." She said to herself. The brisk five-minute walk was enough for a warm up. By then, her heart rate had already increased and oxygen in her blood had been traveling with greater speed. It was enough to prepare her muscles for the long running.

"I can do this." She speed up after a quarter of miles.

Instead of running three miles in thirty minutes, she wanted to make it faster than quarter hours. She believed she could do it without getting injured like she often did on the scene. Professionally and not minding her own nature as a woman, she had run into the blazing fire like those men did. Each day, she had prepared for the worst and trained herself to be able to pull the heaviest hose. If she were asked, she would be willing to lift 180 pounds of a ladder by herself.

She had driven the truck, pulled the hose, run into the burning house and assisted people out of there. She was trained and skillful. Her exam result  reached the highest score among all the firefighter candidates. She tried harder and twice than others. But apparently, no matter how hard she tried, it would not be enough,  simply because of the fact that she's a woman.

She wondered whether they knew that in spite all her efforts, she did not intend to compete with those men she worked with. She was only trying to do her job as a firefighter would. She never thought of competing with them and of course not with her own husband, but it seemed the duty she loved refused to take a side on her and was drifting away.

***

"Tim, Lila and I are outside the policy boundaries. The policy was published last week. We were married three weeks earlier and what about you guys?"

 

"Dave, the policy was made retroactively for the married couple this year. Manne and I are outside the policy boundaries, and we are trainers. We are not getting involved on the scene, unless needed."

"I could not believe it. After what she's been giving to the department and  the community, they are just going to dump her?" 

"The department will not dump her. The City Council will give her opportunities to work in city jobs, and she will still be able to keep her retirement benefits. If she insist on being a firefighter, she must get the employment outside the city."

"That means she had to start it all over."

"Yes... unfortunately." Tim expressed his sympathy.

"Wait a minute. How if  they are assigned in different shifts or at different stations?" asked Manne.

"It won't work. The new policy stated that two members of an immediate family should not be employed within the same department at the same time unless one does not directly or indirectly supervise, assign work or lead the other. Dave is a Captain now, even though they work in different shifts or stations there will be suspicion about nepotism. I'm not saying that I agree on these opinions, Dave. I also don't  want one of you to leave this department, but this is beyond our control." said Tim.

"If that's so, instead of her, I will be the one who will leave this department. Why it has to be her? She has an excellent job records. She only got her promotion longer because of  lesser opportunities."

"I understand, Dave, but, the department considered it differently. She probably wants to raise her children, and sooner or later her attentions will be divided between her duties at home and work. While you, Dave, you are the head of the family, and they know that you will keep your focus on your job."

" Hey, Tim, don't forget that I'm a woman, and I stay focused on my job." said Manne.

"I know, dear. I'm just saying what the department might be thinking."

"Well, instead of talking about it. Let's think about what we can do for them. Dave, don't worry, it will be one more month until one of you must  leave this department. Since it's a new policy, we will try everything we can do to talk to the City Council."

"Thanks, Manne, I really appreciate it. We are going to attend the meeting if held. I'm just so disappointed at the department. At least they could give us  the same opportunity and choices instead of thinking how she will be able to perform her duties."

***

She knew everything they had talked behind her. They had not known it yet, but, she had heard it all.

By that time, she had run for two miles,  but she hadn't felt tired, not when her mind filled with those thoughts about her future.

When she came to the fire station, she didn't ask for luxury and to be treated differently. She wanted nothing more than to make herself  feel useful for the community. Before all these, in spite of the luxury she had, she was lonely. All that she ever did was for herself. The sound of sirens and men in uniform assisting a grandmother and a child to leave a burning house was a wake up call for her. She wanted to do something for others, and after she had joined the department, she became more and more in love with her job.

 

She lifted her body higher as her feet jump. Unaware, she had already run for more than three miles. If everything were simple, she could reach her dreams in second, but things were  complicated.

After this, would everything she had done became useless? Of course, not -- not after she remembered those smiling  faces she saw after she assisted them outside the burning houses, and not after she pictured  the image of a father, mother, and a child, hugging each other in front of her.

But, should she just gave up? The world she loved denied her existence.  

Still,  no matter what, her heart had already resided within the career she had loved. She was not going to give up without a fight. 

That day was her day off, but she would take a chance to go inside. If running could not stop herself from thinking those, maybe flying in the sky would.

She opened her arms as she landed on the trampoline. She didn't care for anything else. Everything was in her reach. She was free and enjoying her freedom. She could do anything beyond her imaginations, and the world she loved was ready to embrace her.

Feeling so light, she was on the top of her dreams, and she believed she could achieve more. Still, no matter how hard she tried to think positively, those facts were stalking on her.

"I know I would find you here." said Dave, after she came down from the trampoline. "You were so quiet at lunch. Is there anything  bothering you?." 

She smiled. "Dave, can we go to the cemetery now? Today is my grandmother's death anniversary."

.

"Dave." Lila said after they arrived at the cemetery. "I lied. This is not my grandmother's death anniversary. Right now, you must be thinking that I'm a woman who cries easily, but that's who I am, a sentimental woman."

"I know... and I fell in love with it. I fell in love with a sentimental  woman."

***

 

"If there's anything bothering you, you can always talk to me." Dave said after they sat on the ground. He stared at her cautiously, worrying whether she had  heard the news about the policy.
 

"They are going to fire me, right?" Lila's statement shocked him,  but he tried to remain calm.

"They are going to let or will make you go, but it hasn't been firmed yet. Tim and Manne are going to back us up and talk to the City Council about the possibility to consider another treatment of  the new policy. We didn't know about this new rule before our marriage, and it should not have been applied retroactively."

"Dave, do you possibly believe they are going to swallow their own words? Few against the city? They must have thought carefully about the consequences if people like us would appeal against them. Maybe it's time for me to stop." said Lila with a low voice.

"Lila, this is your dream. This is what it's all about. Your life. You've taken a long  way to reach here. You cannot just give up like that, especially not because of those people."

"Don't worry, Dave. I'm not giving up on my dreams. This is not my only dream."

"What I really want is to be useful for others. I'm not going to give up so easily on this, so you don't have to be worried about that, Dave. Whatever my decision will be, it's going to be my fully consideration without anyone forcing me into it. I'm not going to blame anyone for my own decision."

"I'm glad to hear that,  but if they  insist to let you go with force, I will..."

"What? What will you do, Dave?"

"I will make them taste their own medicine. I will leave the department." Dave's voice filled with anger over the discrimination and injustice.

"Dave... I've just realized how handsome you are when you're feeling angry. Thanks for being so thoughtful."

"You know.." Lila said again. "You're right. They have to taste their own medicine someday. I believe some of them have been rescued at least once by a woman, and their mothers are also women."

"But, if you do that. You are giving up on your dream. I certainly don't want to be the one who cause it. Just believe me, Dave. Whatever happens, I'm sure I can handle it. I don't want to drag you along." Dave observed her closely,  to the woman he loved so deeply. There was always something about her that made him fall deeper and deeper.

"Lila, there's one more thing that made me in love with you more. It's your optimism."

"Really? Thank you, Dave, but, people will change. If I lose it, will you still love me?"

"Of course, Lila. As I've promised for better or worse, I'm going to be beside you until death come between us. Even if I die, remember that I will still be here... in your heart." He touched her chest where her heart resided.

And then he kissed her cheek gently.

***

"Eh, what- what are you going to do, Dave?" Lila was almost out of breaths as he pinned her on the ground. Her face blushed, but she felt so happy inside.

"Angel, there's no one else around."

"But, what if someone comes or the guard finds us here?"

"They won't. This place is too quiet for someone to come here. Probably the guard is sleeping in his own house with his wife right now."

"But, Dave...."."

"I love you, Lila."

***

"Sssh, did you hear that?"Lila whispered.

"Heard what? I didn't hear a thing. It's probably squirrels, come my love." Dave continued to kiss her again.

"Wait!" She got up. This time, her face burned hot.
"I swear it must be someone or something! Hurry up and pretend there's nothing happened!"

They quickly got up, cleaned their shirts and took off the leaves from their hair.

"Am I missing something here?"

It wasn't the guard, or a ghost, or a ghost that looked like someone. Wasn't he the DeAndre, the famous rock star? What was a man like him doing there?

"De- De Andre! Can I have your autograph?" Dave asked him in thrill.

"Certainly. Oh, well - well -well, who is this lovely Lady? Her eyes are so beautiful, even the moonlight fall into the lake could not defeat her beauty. Can I have your number, Miss?"

"I'm married, old guy!" Lila said, completely ignored the fact that he was a famous rock star, a guy who women adored so much.

"Eh... DeAndre. Let me introduce her. She's my wife, Lila."

"Lila?Well, you have one hell of a Lady there." DeAndre stared at Lila with flirtatious eyes.

"Geez.. I-I don't know what to say. Thanks, DeAndre."

"Let's go, Dave!" asked Lila. " I'm not feeling so comfortable around here.

***

Several days later, Lila came to the fire station to talk to Tim.

"I have sent them email. I also have forwarded it to you, all the head office, and all the firefighters here. Manne and most of the women working in fire stations also have signed the petition. Maybe, The City Council will hold a meeting after they read it."

"Wow, you surely have been busy for these last few days, Lila,"

"Yes, I did. This not to make them keep hiring me here. I did this because women, the generations before and after me deserved to be treated equally and to be given the same opportunities."

Tim closed his laptop and observed her closely. "Lila, I admired your courage. I wish you luck for this."

"Thanks, Tim. I need more than luck, but whatever the outcome will be, at least our voice had been heard, and I'm sure that others will fight for it too."

To be Continued