Jamie - The Journey Begins Ch. 24 - Disneyland and FireFighters

Even though mom said she'd wake me in a few hours I set an alarm on my cell for three hours' time as I walked into my bedroom. I stripped off and jumped into the shower. Thoughts of Callum and Ben filled my head, was it over between Ben and me?

I mean really over?

Ben said we were done that night, and its been months, seven+ months. When do I let go, when do I start having sex again, Callum was super hot and kinda quiet too, in his note he said he'd never done this before and asked me to please keep it quiet. Man, I could sooo do with some ass right about now, the warm touch of another person, giving into each other's desire's, OMFG. I think I need to ask Gav or Dave for advice, yep.

Not much of a surprise when I turned the shower off, my clothes were gone, and a fresh towel was on the rack, lucky I didn't rub one out over Ben or Callum, but she's busted me before. God that was so embarrassing I was sixteen, mom although was cool about it. Suggesting the shower was the best place for that. My face still goes red think about that, apparently, she'd busted Mason too, gave him the same talk, lol wish I'd been there for that one, would have been hilarious. Just proves Mom's a real ninja, didn't even hear her. I padded back out to my bedroom draws and slipped on a pair of PJ pants then climbed into bed for some well-deserved sleep.

Before I knew it, my cell was firing out the General Lee's car horn, 'o-Susanna?' Lucas had put it on for me in El Paso as a joke and it kinda stuck. As I sat up in bed, swinging my feet to the floor, there was a gentle knock at the door, it was mom.

"Hey mom, come it."

"Here you are honey, some breakfast to wake you up."

There was a plate of cornbread Madeline's and a tall latte, "I worship this woman, OMG mom thanks," Looking to the heavens before I managed to stuff my face with food. Mom sat beside me on the bed and we snacked and chatted for a while, she was just worried about me that's all. I guess I've given them a few scares over the years, I get it, I took the time to allay some of her fears, well try too.

..o0o..

After finishing our food and chat I grabbed my cell and messaged the guys on the group chat. "Hey guess who's' back in town for one night?" Like some crazed musical? Never been a musical guy, well some I liked. I'm more a concert goer.

Anyway, "anyone one was up for a coffee before I go." That just got me booted off the page almost. "Coffee no! Fuck sake" was the common response from everyone.

"Booze yes," from Gav.

"Okay, jeez guys, sorry just it's a school night and all." To calm everyone the hell down I suggested the little county pub that was only forty minutes away, nope they were all concerned that we'd get stuck out there.

"Country hospitality and all, then you'll be too drunk to fly," Gav said.

Dave chimed in too, "wouldn't be funny for Jamie to miss the flight and watch him get my ass roasted by the boss."

I was sinking fast the guys were in fine form, best of friends but sometimes savage AF. Adam and Julies saved me, suggesting our place! They'd do it all including the clean-up, Adam chipped in that any damage could be easily fixed too, plus the could make sure I made my flight too, although seeing me getting ripped a new ass would be fun, jeez thanks, Adam.

Christ what sort of party were we going to have... damage?

My cell started to ring, it was Adam. "Hey buddy, " I said cheerily.

"Fuck off out of the place for two hours Spence." Adam barked in a smart ass but playful way, we need a couple of hours to get stuff setup okayyyy, buddy." The last comment was sickly sweet, I couldn't help but laugh.

"Wow, feeling the love here but okay, I'll go to the gym. Might even get some time in swim some laps of the pool."

"All good, work up an appetite. I'll message you when we're all set, take a change of clothes with you to Jamie, so you can get changed there, save time. Gotta get drinking right!" Adam was giggling like a kid.

I shook my head in surrender, "okay I'm going, I'm going, oh wait, Adam!"

"Yeah Jamie, sup."

Taking a deep breath, "I met a guy while I was away, but I don't know what to do, should I see him or not, I don't know what to do!"

There was a pause for a few seconds, "Jamie you know what to do, you just don't like the answer do you?"

Nodding my head, "Yeah you're right, thanks Ad's." I knew the answer, Ben.

..o0o..

True to his word, by the time I got back it was all set up. Walking in the garage door I exclaimed: "I could smell the BBQ from out front, it smelled delicious." As I walked in, Jules smiled buzzing past with a tray of sweets on it, "how the hell did y'all pull this together so fast?"

Then I saw Mike from the Café walk from the kitchen heading out back. "That explains it, well some of it anyway," oh yeah guess who didn't go home? Mom! She'd changed her clothes and was busily helping with the food, it was military precision in there.

Swinging past the coffee machine, I quickly made a late, kissed mom on the cheek and was quickly brushed away, " go outback your friends are out there honey."

Under instruction, I headed outside. Mainly to get out of the way. The kitchen was borderline frantic, oh my mom was totally in her element. As I walked out of the door I heard a familiar voice from my right-hand side, "Hey stranger, want some juice?"

I looked over to see my brother in law Todd sitting there with Steph. "Hey guys," I smiled and walked over kissing my sis then hugging Todd, who grabbed my ass. "If it was an attempt to shock me, nope only hope you're hands are clean, I'm wearing new Chinos."

Steph laughed, "Love that, what-the-fuck look on his face."

"Oh, really I'm a plaything for you too now, I'm more worried about getting my new pants dirty?" laughing at them. I turned looking Todd in the face with a smile, "But don't grab the other side, else brother-in-law or not, you'll start something," I wiggled my eyebrows at him, "and then you'll have to finish it." This time I grabbed his butt, he just laughed.

"We'll see, your sister has me all sorted, but thanks sexy, " and then he smiled, enough to make me blush... really blushing now.

"Okay boys, stop or get a room." My sister chipped-in.

I scanned around looking for some garden chair's, Adam had been down to the hardware and bought a few extras. Steph, Todd and I sat down "I was just thinking guys on the way home from the gym just now. Wow, what a year it's been. It doesn't feel like that long ago I was sitting in Aarons office, seemed like only a few months ago."

"Doesn't seem like that long does it," a voice came from behind me. I turned my head a looking over my shoulder, it was Ty with Sam behind him. Standing up I turned around, not even waiting for a moment Ty grabbed me and almost crushed me in the hug that followed.

Sam was smiling at us both, as I looked over Ty's shoulder for a second. Steph and Todd were saying hi, while my old friend and I mended some fences.

Then it was our turn Sam and I, to greet each other. "So, Sam reckon we can do this without fucking it up this time? Might be safer surrounded with friends," I coughed for a second on purpose. "I mean minders?"

Sam laughed, "Okay let's try," and we hugged for a few seconds, enough for it not to be weird but also enough to mean something too.

"Ahh, look at that. See you can train them." Steph commented.

Without even looking at her, "thanks for that Stephanie! Can always count on you."

"Ohhh, Stephanie... he's pissed honey." Todd laughed.

"Okay enough fun, where's the booze let's get day drunk." And with that Ty headed off with Sam in tow to get us all a drink.

..o0o..

Sitting back in on the deck, I was quietly sipping on my beer just taking it all in. That's when I spotted Dave who had just arrived I guess. He saw me, walking over with a huge smile on his face. "Here he is, my crayon eating buddy from preschool." Marching right over and sat on my knee, although there were a few empty chairs around.

"What is it with these straight guys... gay as."

Dave looked at me, "fuck off, you'd love it if I sat on something else I'm sure," kissing me on the cheek, "it's not your birthday so no ideas, lover boy." Turning his head towards the others and laughed. Then he started up a conversation with Gav and Todd like nothing had happened, lover boy my ass, he'd be so lucky. "So, what were we all talking about?"

Todd jumped in, "Jamie was saying something about Aarons office, yeah?"

"Yeah," Dave exclaimed.

"Well today's much like that day right guys in Aarons office the blue sky of summer, only differences are the sound of magpies warbling, the occasional cocky squawking somewhere in the distance, and you idiots."

"Oh but this warm breeze that says summer. Gotta love it." Gav and Mike said in unison.

"Hey Mike, when did you arrive," I stood up, getting Dave off my leg, he just sat in my vacated seat. "Grave-hopper much, mate." smiling at him, they completely ignored the Idiots comment, I was only kidding though and they know me well enough. "How are you, buddy?" We gave yeah other a hug, with a few back slaps for good measure.

"Awesome, Jamie love the party, Adam and Julie have done a fantastic job right?"

"Yep, can't thank them enough really, those two are amazing." I looked across the decked area towards them both, they'd taken a moment and we're having a quiet kiss and hug session, man they are the perfect couple.

Mike and the rest of us talked shit for the next half hour. My mind was drifting between the conversation and my distant memories of looking out of Aarons office windows. It made me think about those days on the farm as a kid laying in the fields with the warm breeze and smell of the wheatgrass around me. It's always been a comforting thought.

And how my life has turned out... hmm who would have guessed, not me in the slightest.

"Jamie, what y'a thinking about mate?" Ty asked as he sat down next to me and handed me a beer.

"Just what a year it's been really." My eyebrows furrowed for a moment, "I'm divorced, but I'd made peace with the ex. Traveled across and up a huge part of the lower forty-eight. Been promoted and almost suspended."

"Oh god wasn't that a bar fight." Ty grimaced.

"Yeah then right, plus I'd almost been killed. Wiped out a truck in the process, and now bought a new home, but hadn't really lived in it. But wow what a year hey."

"That's the work and material stuff, but what about you Jamie?" a sincere-looking Dave asked.

"True," I took a swig of beer, noticing that our little circle had now tuned into our conversation. "I guess my heart had taken a ride too. I've met Ben by accident, haha." There were a few giggles from that one. "Travelled through Europe and ... Paris. My god Paris, where I finally realized that I'd fallen in love, but true to form fucked it up," my voice faded a little at the end.

"Jamie, we all make mistakes along the way. Okay, you seemed to have made a few but there's a good reason for that mate." Ty gripped my knee for a moment, "now today... you seem so much more like that pre-school friend that I made all those years ago."

Dave and Gav chimed in from somewhere, "yeah you're more like that chilled funny guy we all learned to love while eating craft glue and crayon's." Dave was smiling away, guess he always tells it like it is.

"Yep Dave spot on. Come on Jamie what's the rest of the year been mate." Gav handed around more beers to us all.

I opened my twist top, and drank almost half of it in one go, courage I guess. "Well... I met some amazing people, like the guys at lake Castaic with Tom, okay and Josh... wow what a guy. There'd been our time together, Sam and me too, and the aftermath."

Ty spoke up, "but we're all here and friends, and that's the strength of our friendships. There's gonna be times when you question it but it blows past soon enough."

Mike chimed in "Cheers to that, Friends!" Lifting his beer, we all clinked our drink s together and drank to the toast.

"Come on brother in law I know there's more in there yet."

"Okay Todd, I guess. Well, I'd faced my demons about Sean, that was a biggie. Now I've been offered two exchange and improvement deployments as we were calling it now... new buzz phrase really?- using air quotation marks on that one- It's been a busy time, but..."

"Jamie, say it mate. You're with friends," Mike offered.

"I still love Ben." I looked blankly at the fantastic group of friends surrounding me, their faces said it all. They had my back, all of them. "I'd like to think I'd grown up a bit too, well maybe a little, but there it is again, yep Ben."

"Well you my friend," Todd stood in front of me and signaled for me to stand up, which I did. Placing his hands on my shoulders and gave them a gentle squeeze. "You need to tell him that... face to face."

..o0o..

The following day the family came to see us off at the airport. My sister Kate with my cute little niece and nephew, Daisy and Jet were coming with me for the first two weeks. I'd decided that Uncle Jamie could pay for his favorite niece and nephew to see Disneyland, so Anaheim here we come.

Kate was going to stay for two weeks, the local Spence family outpost was sending reinforcements to Cali, there was a literal tribe going now to Disneyland, "and no Kate, I'm not wearing those 'Spence Family Vacation to Disneyland' Tee's no matter what."

I'm sure most of the US-based Spence children under five were either in LA now our flying in like us, at last count the number of cousins including Jet and Daisy was twenty-two. My little munchkins Jet and Daisy were super excited, okay so was I, love Disneyland, just love it.

We got all seated and the kids were great, the 'QANTAS' staff were amazing, they kept the kids entertained and fed. I slept for a fair bit till Jet decided that he wanted to sleep on me, my little buddy had missed me big time. I'd missed them too and was going to once I started work. I'd been away in some form or another for a year now and was going to be in here in the states for the same, it's a long time in a kid's life, and mine too, anyone's I guess.

" So guys where are we going first? Disneyland, California Adventure, Universal Studios, Six Flags, Lego Land." Yeah well, that just amped them up for a few hours on the flight, my sister was a little pissed that I'd excited them, "Chill Kate, I'll take care of them."

"Okay, Jamie their all yours for the flight." And she pulled her headphones on and started to flick through the movie selection. I was totally cool with it, no sooner had they finished their meals, they slept till we were two hours out of LA.

The next two weeks were a total blur, for me and the kids too the only sad part of was seeing the guys off home at the airport, I don't know how I didn't totally lose it when all my little nieces and nephews were surrounding me and crying saying they didn't want to go, man that was tough...

..o0o..

The all of that behind me, and feeling a little low generally. The plan was after the family went back home to stay at Tom's place for a few weeks. I WAS going to rent a small place for the stay, although he had told me not too many times. "Hey Tom I really appreciate the offer and all but I don't want to overstay my welcome."

"You're not overstaying, god you put me up how many times over the years back in Aus? Not going to hear the argument Jamie, that's all."

With that my plans of renting came to an end, Tom won-out and I moved into his place. I've gotta say, it was awesome filling first few weeks between working and water skiing... for the first month or so.

Still, the first day walking into Tom's station house this time as a firefighter and not a tourist visiting was surreal. The guys were all excited and very welcoming, most remembered me from the water-skiing, and yeah the party out front of Tom's place that night, jeez that night will haunt me for my life I'm sure.

"Hey Jamie," -Ryan greeted me with a big grin, pulling me into a hug.- "Let's get you all set up. Tom has asked me to get you settled, come on."

With that we headed to the turnout room, the first half of the shift was about orientating myself with the gear on the trucks and setting my turnouts up on my own peg and locker.

After some lunch, I sat down in the muster room, about to get into some light reading, haha operational notes. "Hey Jamie, heading out to grab a coffee can I get you anything?"

"Hey thanks, Ryan, I'll take a Grande Latte, please." I stood up and pulled out twenty bucks, "please Ryan let me get this round," trying to get him to take my money, but he kept brushing my hands away. In the end, I stuffed it down the top of his tee, "there you go, thanks." As I smiled over my small victory walking back to my pile of folders spread over the table.

That's pretty much how the rest of the shift rolled on, it didn't take me too long to get my head around some of the fire ground practices. I had done some prep work beforehand, so it was more revision than flat out study.

..o0o..

"Hey Jamie, breakfast is up."

"Thanks, Tom," I called out heading down to the kitchen all prepped for my third shift in this rotation. The sweet smell of espresso was getting stronger, mixed with ... hmm bacon and eggs, wow another fantastic breakfast prepared by Tom. My eyes went al wide when I saw what awaited me as I sat down at the counter, "aww thanks man, this is amazing."

"All good mate, it's nice to cook for someone. I normally just grab something on my way into the station house." Tom laughed, "but your turn tomorrow, I know you can cook Jamie, I remember the meals you made when I was staying with you in Oz."

"Hmm, love to help out Tom, only fair," I answered with my mouth stuffed with sweet goodness Tommy had made. "I'll cook for the next week if that's okay?" Tom smiled, stepping back a little making a sweeping bow towards me.

"All yours Jamie. So anyway how are you settling in? You looked the goods at the past few jobs."

"Thanks, mate, to be honest, it's all been a bit of a blur over the past few days, but I'm getting it." I smiled at him, stuffing the last of breakfast into my mouth. Little did I know that the following shift I'd finally get into it, the fourth job is where I found my feet, a small brush fire spreading, what we would call a 'grass and scrub fire' and we chased it down, it was fantastic.

..o0o..

After we returned, Tom conducted an AAR - After Action Review and decided to throw me under the bus to a degree. "Hey Jamie, can you tell the guys your take on that job, your insight would be great."

"Sure Tom, thanks. First, for the opportunity to turn out with you guys, it's been fantastic. I think I'll always remember this job, as it really was the first going job here in the U. So I guess it was a chance to put some wet stuff on the red stuff, it was great, thanks again, guys." The guys all laughed along with my one-liner.

The thrill and rush of adrenaline kicked in so it was more about cutting through the emotions to the facts, which is hard to do on your feet at times, but I was fairly well accustomed to doing it thankfully. "I was surprised that our two fire services have adapted some similar techniques around what we do back home in Australia in this type of situation. From the outside looking in, I could see the similarities and the improvements from the LA Co-Fire way go about suppression. I guess that's the whole idea, share and improve."

I continued to go through the movement of assets and the fire line on the Whyte board, thankfully they were starting to understand my Australian accent, so there were less 'what did he say' or 'I didn't get that' going on. Guess I remembered to slow down when I talked, we have a habit of talking too fast I've learned.