No giant party. No reservations that might get ruined by an emergency call. No pressure.
Just me showing up.
I’d done this once before, years ago, and the guys had practically thrown a parade.
Tyler had been so embarrassed and so happy at the same time.
Back then, he had only been at the station for a few years.
I still remembered walking in with cupcakes and watching several firefighters immediately start yelling that someone’s “girlfriend” had arrived, even though Tyler and I were already married.
Tyler had turned bright red.
One of the guys had put a paper birthday crown on his head.
Another had taken a picture before Tyler could stop him.
Tyler complained about that picture for months.
He also kept it.
That memory was part of why I felt so good about going this time.
The station had always seemed like Tyler’s second home.
I knew some of the firefighters well enough to recognize their cars.
