Fire of Your Soul Teaser

“You’re obsessed, Dad,” Bella snickered, rolling her eyes.

“I have to be, sweet girl,” Charlie murmured. “I’ve lost one daughter. I’ll be goddamned if I lose another. Let me be all protective. It’s a father’s prerogative. Do you have those batteries?”

“In the linen closet,” Bella replied.

“Can you go get them?” Charlie asked, smiling at his daughter. She nodded, disappearing down the hall. He stood on a ladder, checking on the first smoke detector in the main living area. They worked together, changing the batteries in the smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detector in the kitchen. After speaking with the head of security, they verified that they were all connected to the main security office.

“Dad, this is overkill,” Bella snickered.

“It might be overkill, but necessary, sweet girl. We’re good, though,” Charlie chuckled. “I think it’s time for a beer. You have beer or do you drink that fancy frog water?”

“Frog water?” Bella laughed. “Dad, no one says that anymore.”

“Do you have a beer or not, Isabella Marie?” Charlie snorted.

“Nothing but the best for my old man,” Bella said, opening up her fridge and grabbing a can of Vitamin R, putting it onto the quartz countertop. She pulled out her own can, popping the tab. “Let’s go outside, Dad. It’s not raining and I’d like to use the fire pit. I know that with a firefighter, I’ll be safe.”

They went outside and Charlie showed Bella how to start the fire pit. They settled down onto the chairs, watching as the flames danced over the wood. “I was always fascinated by fire,” Charlie murmured.

“That would be fitting since you’re a firefighter,” Bella said, sipping her beer.

“A fire investigator, smart ass,” Charlie sighed.

“Why are you fascinated with fire, Dad?” Bella asked.

“It’s beautiful. Destructive, but beautiful,” Charlie said quietly. “You have to respect that beauty and its ability to destroy.”

“I do, Dad. You taught me that,” Bella said, her voice quiet and contemplative. “What’s going on?”

“I can’t believe that you drink Vitamin R,” Charlie said.

“Do you know how hard it was to find it in New York?” Bella asked, taking another slug of beer. “I had to order it online. I like it better fresh. It reminded me of home. Angela and I got drunk in the treehouse on this stuff. She hated it. I loved it. Angela preferred the ‘frog water.’”

“I thought you said that no one said ‘frog water’ anymore,” Charlie quipped. Bella just snorted, taking another pull from her beer. “Bells, I know that things between us have been distant since Angela died.”

“We’ve been distant because I lived three thousand miles away, Dad,” Bella quipped.

Charlie didn’t smile because the distance was more than the physical issue. “Bella, you’re a lot like me when it comes to emotions. You compartmentalize. It’s how you’re a great doctor. You’re able to shut off those emotions to help your patients,” Charlie whispered. “I’m so proud of you, Bells.”

“Dad …” Bella breathed.

“No, I need to say this. I’m proud of you and proud of the person you’ve become. I’ve always been proud of you. I’m so sorry that I pushed you away after the fire. I blamed a lot of people for that damned fire, including myself. Your mom, however, made me see that the only one who’s to blame is the asshole who started it,” Charlie growled. “And I still haven’t found him, either. Not that I’ve stopped looking, damn it.”

“Dad …” Bella whispered.

He continued, “We’ll never forget Angela, but it’s time we started living without her and embracing life, along with those we love. I love you both so much and I always have.”

“Dad, you’re not the only one who pushed away,” Bella said. “I left after Angela’s funeral because being here without her was too much. So, I went back to New York. I threw myself into work, trying to forget the pain.”

“What made you come back?” Charlie asked.

“I needed my family. I missed you. I missed Mom and I missed Angela. Even if she’s gone, I needed to be closer to her,” Bella whispered, idly playing with the tab of her beer.

Bella and Charlie were sitting in the silence of the evening, watching the flickering of the flames, while taking an occasional drink of their beer. “So, I guess since you love Vitamin R, the next thing will be you wanting to go fishing,” Charlie joked. “You want to go to the lake house?”

Bella just shivered at the thought of picking up a slimy, wiggly, worm and placing it on the hook. She liked catching fish, the serenity of the water, but not baiting the hook.

“You tell me that you’re a doctor, but afraid of a little worm,” Charlie laughed.

“They are so icky,” Bella grimaced at the thought of them. “Slimy and gross, Dad.”

Charlie wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close. “Daddy will bait the hook for you, sweet girl.”

Bella laid her head on his shoulder, soaking in the warmth and smell that only came from her daddy, her hero, her protector.

Charlie