Page 16 of Sparks Fly
But today I’m promising myself I’m going to reward myself.
I have an hour before shift change, so I’m going to make good use of it by taking a shower, and getting ready. Pushing the covers off, I get up, and head toward the bathrooms of the fire station. When I get there, I see just the man I wanna see.
“You look like you slept hard,” Gunner laughs. “You’ve got a crease on your cheek from the blanket.”
“I did, I feel hungover.”
“Yeah, it does that to me sometimes too.”
I head to one of the stalls and take care of business before coming out and washing my hands. I reach into my toiletry bag and grab out my toothbrush and toothpaste, eyeing him as I begin the process.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
Moving my neck back and forth to work out the kinks, I plunge into what’s on my mind. “If I want Cora to like me, what do I need to do? She’s asked Trish to meet me.”
His eyes widen, and he turns to face me. “This is one of the most important things you’re going to do in your life, man. Corabelle has been through a lot, and she doesn’t trust easily.”
“I know, which is why I want to make a good impression. I really like Trish, and if I don’t win over Cora, I can kiss that goodbye.”
He looks like he doesn’t want to give me too much information, and that’s fair. He probably wishes I’d figure this out for myself, but I’m not great with kids, have never been around them much, and have no idea how to even approach this conversation.
Gunner sets his toothbrush down on the edge of the sink and turns to face me fully, like this conversation just got serious. Which, I suppose it has.
"Okay," he says slowly. "But if you tell Trish I told you any of this, I will deny it until my dying breath."
"Understood." I spit into the sink and rinse my mouth. "Now talk, and don’t leave anything out."
He leans back against the counter and crosses his arms over his chest. "Cora is... she's one of a kind, man. She's not a typical kid. She's bold and she's bright, and she doesn't have a lot of patience for people who aren't real with her. She’ll be able to tell if you’re just in it for her Mom."
"What does she like?"
He holds up one finger, as he begins counting down all the wisdom he’s about to give me. "She loves color. Like I’m talking bright, loud, ridiculous amounts of color. That kid will walk into a room wearing neon yellow and a tutu and she doesn't give a single damn what anyone thinks about it. She gravitates toward things that are vibrant."
I can work with that. "Okay. What else?"
A second finger goes up. "She loves to dance and sing. I'm talking full production numbers, my man. She will perform for you whether you ask for it or not, and the correct response is to be her audience and tell her she's incredible. Because she is." He says it with such conviction that I know she’s amazing before I even see it. "Don't half ass it either. She'll know."
"She sounds like she keeps you on your toes."
"She keeps everyone on their toes." He says those words with warm affection. He loves her, and there’s no denying it. Sometimes I kind of wondered if he does everything he does for Trish because he feels like he has to since he’s her brother. But this? It’s making me see there’s a lot of affection there, and it goes both ways. “I adore that little girl. She's been through a lot, and she's still the most unguarded kid I've ever met. That took a lot of hard work that most adults won’t even do. That took Trish working her ass off to make sure she stayed that way."
These two girls are some of the most special people I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting, and I’m going to make sure they know it. I’ve been approaching Trish with just winning her over, but after hearing all of this, I’m realizing they are a packaged deal, and I can’t win one over without the other.
"Is there a third thing?" I ask, nodding toward his still raised hand.
He grins. "Ohh yeah. Chocolate cake. That's her kryptonite. You want to win over Corabelle? You walk in that door with chocolate cake from that little bakery near the clerks office, and she will love you for the rest of her natural life."
I throw my head back laughing. "That's it? Flowers, dancing, and cake?"
"Don't underestimate those three things. They aren't small to her. You walk in with those, give her your full attention, and don't treat her like a kid you're trying to tolerate? She'll decide you're worthy, and she won’t ever let that go. Once you’re hers? You’re hers."
I think about what that means for a second. I’m doing all of this because I want both of them in my life, but more than anything, I want her mom. "And Trish? Will Trish think so too?"
Gunner gives me a look that sort of strikes fear in my heart, even though we’re friends. It says that whatever happens will set the tone for the rest of whatever Trish and I have together. "Let me put it this way. Trish has kept every person in her life at arm's length for two years now. She doesn't let people in. The fact that she's letting you anywhere near Cora is already the answer to that question, if you're paying attention."
I am paying attention. I've been paying attention since the moment I saw her walk into this fire station to talk to her brother. I’m done wasting time with this too. I’ve watched Ash and Gunner couple up, and I know without a shadow of a doubt that I want it too.
We both hear the shift change starting, the sound of the relief crew coming in. They’re loud as they stomp into the fire station and get themselves situated. Gunner pushes off the counter and claps me on the shoulder as he heads out.
