Page 137 of Never Forget
Sean looked around the station. The trucks. The gear. The life he was leaving behind.
"I keep hearing them," Sean said quietly. "The radios. The Maydays. I hear them when I'm trying to sleep. I hear them when I'm awake." He shook his head. "I can't go into another building. I just can't."
Sam didn't try to fix it. There was nothing to fix.
"What are you going to do?"
Sean shrugged. "My brother's got a shop up in Greenville. Says he could use the help." A ghost of a smile. "Might be nice. Quiet."
Sam nodded. Extended his hand.
Sean took it. Pulled him into a hug. Held on for a moment.
"You're a good man, Reeves. Take care of that family of yours."
"You too."
Sean stepped back. Looked at the station one more time. Then walked out.
The crew gathered that weekend. Not a party—just drinks at the bar.
They raised a glass to Sean. To the years he gave.
To the nine who didn't walk out.
To Jack, who'd walked out of his fire and never made it past the hospital.
To the ones who were still here, still showing up, still running into burning buildings because someone had to.
Sam came home late that night. I was on the couch, reading.
He sat down beside me. Didn't say anything for a long time.
"Sean's gone," he finally said.
"I heard."
"He couldn't take it anymore. The sounds. The memories." Sam shook his head. "I get it. I do."
I put my book down. Turned to face him.
"Do you ever think about leaving?" I asked quietly.
Sam was quiet for a moment. Then he looked at me.
"Sometimes," he said. "When I wake up at 3:00 a.m. I can still hear the PASS alarms. When I see a building that looks like the Carolina Furniture Depot and my chest gets tight." He swallowed. "But then I think about the guys who need me. The calls we run. The people we save."
He took my hand.
"And I think about you. And Rosie. And what Jack would want."
"What would Jack want?"
Sam was quiet for a moment. Thinking. Not performing an answer—reaching for one.
"He'd want me to be the man he believed I could be. The one who doesn't walk away just because it's hard.“
I leaned into him. Put my head on his shoulder.
