Jimmy made his way to the cafeteria. Dana spotted him from the table where Mama sat quietly sipping Chinese tea she brought from home. Dana stood and waved to Jimmy catching his eye.

He hesitantly waved back.

"How are you?" Dana asked in a surprisingly caring tone as Jimmy approached.

This seemed to confuse Mama as she looked in awe at her daughter.

"Fine, I am fine." Jimmy shrugged as he leaned down to hug Mama. "Jordan is looking good. Sorry I wasn't here earlier."

"Dr. Liu thinks Friday is a real possibility." Dana looked for Jimmy's reaction.

"The sooner the better, he says." Jimmy echoed the doctor's advice.

"Are you okay with Friday?" With years of worry written on her face,
Dana looked at Jordan's biological father. "I really need to hear it from you, Jimmy."

"I am. Jordan has waited on me far too long." The father's guilt weighed on him.

Mama got up and pulled a chair out for Jimmy. "You need to sit. This is not of your making. I see the burden you carry."

"Mama, I am fine."

"If you were fine, your face would not look like you are being chased by a lion." Mama pulled on him to sit.

Jimmy sat. "Okay Mama, I am sitting."

Just as he sat Frank Jacobs walked into the cafeteria. The man spoke loudly, as if he wanted to command respect through intimidation. "Give me an extra large black coffee. It's gonna be a long night."

Jimmy did not want Frank to know he was in the same hospital as the Fortune brothers. The officer would inform Robert Fortune and instead of Jordan having the life saving surgery she would need to search for another donor.

Jimmy watched as Windy stood in line behind the officer. "Win, what are you up to? Let him be an ass."

Frank leaned over the counter. "What the hell is taking so long? It's just black coffee ~ in a cup!"

The barista looked back at the intimidating officer. "I am sorry Officer Jacobs. I am waiting on the fresh coffee."

Windy looked to Jimmy, pointed at officer and mouthed Frank Jacobs? Jimmy nodded.

"Relax officer, it's only coffee." Windy got the officer's attention.

Frank turned to see who was giving him the business. "This doesn't concern you, ma'am."

With only the attitude Windy had, she continued. "I thought your job was to serve and protect, not to intimidate, and instill fear, Sir."

"Who do you think you are?" Frank confronted Windy. "Maybe you need a visit to the city cells?"

"For what, exactly?" Windy rebuffed the officer.

"For assaulting an officer."

Windy stood her ground. "And your witness?"

"My body camera." Frank pointed to his chest.

"The same camera that shows you leaning over the counter intimidating the young woman behind the counter?" Windy tilted her head to her right. "Or the woman with her cell phone recording you as we speak?"

Frank looked at the woman with the cell phone then back to Windy. "You better hope you never see me again."

"This I have to hear." Windy spoke with defiance in her voice, rubbing Frank the wrong way. "Or what?"

He covered his body camera, leaned in close to Windy and whispered. "Or you will be swimming with the fishies."

Before he moved away Windy whispered back. "Like your friends, the Fortune brothers?"

Frank slowly backed away, the look of intimidation had vanished.

The young woman behind the counter called out to Frank. "Your coffee is ready, Officer Jacobs." He turned back to her. "I am sorry it took so long."

Frank stared at the barista, grabbed the coffee, and rushed past Windy without a word. When the door closed behind the officer Windy looked over at Jimmy taking a deep breath.

"Dani, I'm gonna get out of here." Jimmy kissed Mama and got up. "I lost my cellphone so if anything comes up just call or text Win."

Dana pointed to Windy then back to Jimmy. "Soooo, you two back together?"

Jimmy watched Windy rolled her eyes. "I think that's a hard no." He smiled. "Why ruin a good thing?"

"What do you say, Windy?" Dana raised an eyebrow to her friend.

"Have you heard of the saying, not in this lifetime?" Windy raised a hand to motion goodbye. "See you tomorrow."

"See you guys!" Dana laughed and watched them leave the cafeteria.

Jimmy left his car in the hospital parking lot. Windy still did not want his car sitting outside her apartment.

"You know Win? Drop me off at my apartment."

"There's no way you are going back there before the operation." Windy elbowed Jimmy. "Think of Jordan!"

"Well, I am not sleeping on your sofa again tonight!"

Windy rubbed her forehead before she gave in. "You can sleep in my bed."

"Thanks, Win." Jimmy yawned.

"I'll take the sofa."

"Wait, what?" Jimmy frowned.

"Wait, nothing! We are not sleeping in the same bed." Windy held her hand up suggesting there was nothing left to discuss.

"Fine, I'll sleep on your sofa." Jimmy looked out his window.

"Fine." Windy smiled then turned the radio up for the drive back to her apartment.

The Fire

When they arrived at Windy's apartment Jimmy flopped down on her sofa exhausted. When she checked on him a few minutes later she found him sound asleep sitting up.

Windy gently laid Jimmy down placed a pillow under his head, a comforter over his body, and pulled off his well worn shoes. "Whoa Jimmy, you need some new shoes, my man!"

Jimmy mumble something Windy couldn't discern. She shrugged it off, took a shower, then settled into her bed to read.

Later that night Windy went to her kitchen, grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge but before she took a drink her nose caught a whiff of something burning. She quickly made her way to her apartment door. Opened it cautiously. She yelled as smoke billowed into the apartment. "Jimmy! Wake up!"

When Windy yelled, it was reflex for Jimmy to jump. He look at his friend to see smoke swirling. The old wood framed apartment building was ablaze. "Let's get the hell out of here!"

"Right! I'll grab Gib." Windy call for her big white cat. "Gib Gib Gib. Here Kitty Kitty Kitty."

"Kitty Kitty Kitty?" Jimmy sarcastically responded. "He's the size of a freaking cougar!"

Gib ran out of her bedroom and lept into her arms. "You're a beautiful kitty. Aren't you?!" She leaned forward and Gib pressed his forehead to hers.

"Are you two finished?" Jimmy patted his jacket but his harmonica wasn't there. "Crap!"

"Here, take Gib." She thrusted her cat into Jimmy's chest. "I'll grab my laptops!"

"Don't forget your cellphone." Gib's claws pierced through Jimmy's leather jacket. "Argh ~ Gib! Win, where are my shoes?"

"What?!" Windy exited her bedroom with three laptops slung over her right shoulder. "Why isn't Gib in his backpack?"

"Backpack?" Jimmy frowned.

"Here, take my laptops!" Windy dangled the laptops off Jimmy's shoulder.

"Come Gib!" He quickly jumped to Windy as the lights went out. Luckily she knew exactly where the pet travel backpack was.

"That can't be good." The only light source came from the window and it did not illuminate any of the apartment. "Win?!"

Windy's face lit up as she opened the flashlight app on her cellphone. "I've got you, Jimmy. Let's get out of here!" She quickly closed her door before changing directions.

"Where are you going, Win?" He yelled as the light from her phone shot around like a disco ball.

"Saving our lives!" Windy ran into her kitchen pulled two towels from the drawer and ran water over them. "Here, tie this over your nose and mouth!"

"Always thinking, Win!" Jimmy wrapped the towel around his face and tied it behind his head. "Ready, Win!"

They headed to the door again but the heat was far too intense. "We can not leave Jimmy, the fire has reached us!"

"The window, Win!"

"Yeah, yeah!"

Just as they headed for the window it burst, sending shards of glass through the air. Windy shielded her face but continued to the window.

Jimmy crumbled to the floor. "Arghhhh! Damn it!" Several pieces pierced his socks lodging into the soul of his right foot.

"Jimmy!" Windy quickly collected his shoes. "Here here!"

"Just the left shoe, Win" Jimmy breathed heavily. "I will hop."

Windy supported most of his weight as he hopped towards the window. Smoke crept up the outside of the building and was being sucked into the apartment.

She sat Jimmy beside the window as she leaned out and yelled straining her voice to be heard. "Helllllllp! Up here! The fourth floor!" She continued to yell for attention.

A group of tenants found where the cries of help originated and rushed to find a fire fighter. Windy stayed at the window watching the fire truck maneuver into position to rescue them.

Smoke would briefly clear, now and then, allowing Windy to take a deep breath before checking on Jimmy. "How are you? Jimmy!"

"What? Win, is that you?"

"Jimmy!" Windy frantically leaned out the window. "Hurry ~ pleeeease!" The sound of the fire truck extending its ladder to the window drowned out her cries for help.

She turned to Jimmy. "They are almost here, Jimmy. Can you stand?"

Jimmy did not respond.

Windy yelled at her friend. "Jimmy!" She pulled on his leather jacket as she called out again. "Jimmy!"

"Ahhhhh." Jimmy sleepily replied.

"Good good good. You're alive." She pulled him beneath the window.

"The ladder extended to window and two fire fighters called out. "You've gotta go now!"

Windy leaned out the window. "There are two of us!"

"Okay! You come now!"

"No, my friend first!" Windy yelled back.

"No! You now!" The first responder pulled her out of the window.

"Noooooooo! Jimmy!" Windy cried out.

"We'll get him!" The lead fire fighter pulled her down the ladder to the next rescuer. "Just go ~ Now!"

Windy cooperated. She looked back with each step down and cried his name. "Jimmy!"

The fireman crouched down next to Jimmy. "Sir, can you stand? Sir?!"

Jimmy's head bobbed from side to side but weakly raised a hand. The firefighter took his hand and he found the strength to pull himself up.

"That's good. You're doing really good, Sir!" He pulled Jimmy closer and took more weight off his feet. "We'll get you patched up in no time!"

Don't look down. Don't look down. Jimmy gripped the ladder like he was falling into an abyss. He concentrated on each hop on his left foot.

Jimmy couldn't remember how he got off the ladder and into the back of the ambulance but when he opened his eyes Windy was there.

"Hey." Windy smiled as she wipe away tears from both cheeks.

"Hey." Jimmy noticed the tears buy asked abouther beloved cat. "How's Gib?"

Windy playfully slapped Jimmy's shoulder before leaning down lifting the his oxygen mask to kiss him. "You're unbelievable." She shook her head. "See you at the hospital."