MONTHS had passed. She's enjoying her life as a nurse and fire volunteer at the same time. She was doing what she loves most, helping people.

It was her day off on both jobs. She was sitting lazily from her coach when her door swung open and came in signal number 4, Typhoon Luisa.

"What the hell, Lu!" She blurted out loud with both brows furrowed and eyes glaring.

"Geezz! You act like I had just done something like today." Luisa said casually. She dropped her petite body on the adjacent couch from her.

"Well, at least have freakin' decency to be polite once a while, you know." She annoyingly says. "It wasn't bad to brush up on some of those good manners and right conduct books or maybe get some crash course on etiquettes 101, how to be finesse." She added, rolling her eyes.

"Chos." Luisa rolled her eyes at her, too.

"I don't know what Big Mike saw in you to date you." She flopped back on the couch, hanging her head on edge. Her hair touches the floor.

"Because I'm stunning and breathtaking." Luisa replied. She laughed, mocking her. She lifted her head and squinted her eyes trying to see where the stunning and breathtaking part was. Then she laughed again.

"Stunning? Breathtaking? Okay." She chuckled more and pretended to choke. "Sometimes I wondered how you became a doctor, whom they feared the most." Maine rolled her eyes at Luisa, again. They went back and forth with a snarky remarks and finally Luisa had enough of her attitude, according to her, she sat up straight.

"What is your problem? You seemed so irritable? Are you PM-ising, Maine? Ugh! Gross!" Maine curled her left corner lip up and rolled her eyes again at Luisa and gave her one-finger salute.

"Why are you here? Can't you see I am trying to relax?" She is still pretending to be annoyed by Luisa. But Luisa knew her too well, she just giggled and moved to where she's sitting. Maine unknowingly moved to give Luisa a space to sit.

"Well, today marked your sixth month working in the post. Do you have any plans on quitting anytime soon?" She was quick to turn to a smiling Luisa. She raised her one eyebrow.

"Who gave you such an intelligent idea? The answer is no!" She said abruptly. "Where did you get the conclusion that I only wanted to be there for six months?" She sat straight and faced Luisa. Now she is really annoying her.

"Well, no one. I was just thinking that maybe after six months you already had your itch scratched and now you just want to be a plain nurse." Luisa said calmly but Maine can also tell that she's still worried about her.

"What "itch scratched"? What do you mean by just a plain nurse? What the hell is wrong with you, Lu?" She asked, sitting up straight. "You know I love what I do and there's nothing holding me back to what I want to do, not even your worries." Her mind went blah after she heard what Luisa had said. What itch to scratch? Her mind asked.

"Look. I know you love what you do, but for Pete's sakes, Maine. What you do is very dangerous." Luisa finally blurted out, her eyes are red and misty like she wanted to cry.

"How much of the story Big Mike told you?" Luisa went quiet. The whole living room fell in a complete silence. She smirked. "Look. I am thankful that you are so concerned about me, but I can take care of myself, Lu. I have been for the past 16 years of my life." She calmly expresses. She doesn't want Luisa to stress herself too much about her, but she guess it is not possible.

Before she could express herself more on the matter, her phone rang. She first ignored it but it rang again. She got to pick it up when it stopped. She's about to turn around when it starts to vibrate and ring at the same time. Big Mike is calling.

"I don't know what your boyfriend wants from me and if it is the same thing you are saying right now, I won't be talking to both of you for the rest of my life." She knows that Mike and Luisa mean well, but sometimes it is so suffocating. They are not realizing that they are becoming worse than her parents, if her parents could be like that, she would be the happiest annoyed daughter there is. She answered the phone.

"What's up, Big Mike?" She said flatly. No emotions, whatsoever.

"Chief Marquez is calling an emergency meeting. I know it's your day off but I think you need to come down here. It's an all Engine meeting."  Buig. Mike is sounding serious.

"Be there in twenty." Her quick response. She then hung up.

"Where are you going?" Luisa asked. She didn't turn to look at her. She just got as she was speaking.

"I have a meeting, Mom." She emphasized on the mom. She smiled inwardly at her response. She heard a groan from Luisa and left, slamming the door behind her. Maine shook her head. Big Mike is definitely not going to hear the end of her rant.

She hurriedly went up to her room, washed up and changed into tight jeans and a slim lady's V-neck white shirt. She put on her red lipstick and let her hair loose. She pulled her biker's boots off the shoe rack and put them on. After she's done she looks at herself in the mirror and playfully winked at herself.

She was giggling as she was going down the stairs. She grabbed her jacket and put it on, slid her helmet on her arm and picked up her keys and went out the door. Locked it behind her and she was on the elevator going down.

Everytime she gets to the garage down in the basement, she will always go and see her Lexmoto. All the scratches on its side are still there. She did not replace the broken headlights and sidelights. The dent on the side of the gas tank is visible to her. She didn't ask to fix it, because it is her constant reminder of that handsome beautiful boy, who once in his lifetime made a mistake but  wanted to change right away.

She saw right through that kid how wonderful his heart is. He was just being misled. She wiped the tears off her eyes and smiled. Rest in peace, my brother. That is the same phrase she says everytime she comes down and touch it. As if Alvin is in it.

She turned to her Harley and mounted it. With just a matter of 20 or 25 minutes, she's at the firehouse. All the guys gave her a high five as she passed them by except for the guy at the end close by Big Mike. He's new and he stares at her like he wants to pounce. What the heck?!

"Hey!" Big Mike greeted her. Here in the firehouse, everyone is so casual no special treatment and she likes it that way.

"Mendoza, here." Allan pointed out an empty chair next to him. She went there and sat down.

"How's Tracy?" She asked, whispering. Allan gave her a sad look.

"Let's talk later." She said and he nodded. In Maine's mind, it must be serious. She knows that Allan loves Tracy with all his heart and so does she. Tracy and Allan fought the world for each other since Allan's Mom doesn't like Tracy for him and Tracy's father hated his guts for being a firefighter and small time businessman. Weird people, but not as weird as her parents.

"Men, thank you for coming in such short notice." Chief Marquez started off. "As you all know, after I went out for a three long month vacation, I came to a conclusion that my service has come to an end." He added. Everyone was so quiet including her. But there's that sadness in the air.

She became close to this man, too and to his wife. They are both sweet people but she still wonders how he is related to Big Mike since they carried the same last name. There was never a talk in the post about everyone's relationship to anybody, she didn't ask either. The six months that she was with these burly guys, they never asked her about her family either, which suited her just fine. She likes it that way.

"But before that, I'd like to say that the fire bureau has chosen someone to replace me with the same enthusiasm and dedication, maybe this person also shows leadership at a time of heavy situations while I was away. Without further ado, let me introduce to you Capt. Michael "Big Mike" Marquez as your new fire chief." Everyone applauded.

Even though Big Mike had a hunch that he might be since he showed some interest in the position, he was still surprised. They had been telling him that he'll get the position but modesty always played in. She smiled widely. She knew Big Mike had it in him.

"Thank you." He' s said quickly, so choked up to speak.

"Another thing." Chief Marquez uttered. "Since Big Mike was promoted, we are pulling in another fireman from another firehouse. Let me introduce Fire Probationary Alden Richards. He's from the Blue Dragon Fire Brigade." The man stood in front of them and partially bowed to show acknowledgement. Yabang!

"Thank you." It was a very short thank you, too but the weird part was he stared at her and gave her a chilling smirk. She felt the goosebump down her spine. Creepy!

"One other thing that I need to express to you before I officially leave everything in the hands of Fire Chief Marquez..." Maine's brows furrowed. She can't stop thinking about the similarity that Big Mike and Chief Marquez' have, the same last names. She knew inside that they are related but how?

"Before we go further on this discussion and turn over the house, I would like to personally introduce our new probationary fireman or I may say, Firewoman." Chief Marquez paused a little bit to look at all the firemen that he's leaving behind. "Gentlemen, Fire Probationary Maine Mendoza." Maine looked up as she heard her name mentioned. She looked around and saw all her fellow firefighters with a huge smile on their faces as they applauded.

She stood up and partially bowed down. She caught a glaring eye from a certain someone. A someone that doesn't mean anything to her, Alden Richards. It's the first she saw him but for some reason he's familiar and he is angry at her. Why? I know for sure I never met him before.

"Since Marquez was our assistant chief before the promotion, Fuego is now our new assistant chief in replacement of him. Men, I thank you very much for serving this post with me and I hope you serve with excellence under Big Mike's leadership. Thank you for coming and good after noon." He sounded like he wanted to cry, his voice cracked. Maine felt a twinge in her heart, but she's happy he's retiring.

"Men, I will be posting the reorganization in a couple weeks. We have prepared a little refreshment for all of us as we formally say our goodbyes to our Chief." Even Big Mike's voice cracked a bit. Maine felt a tightening in her chest, too. She felt a lump in her throat that she's trying to clear for a while now. She's trying to hold back her tears. Even here in the firehouse loaded with burly, husky men, emotions are flooding.

Big Mike has been a big part of her firefighting career but it was Chief Marcus Marquez who made sure she gets the right training without prejudice. The chief was the one that made sure she'll be treated equally by everyone.

With a heavy heart and full of emotion, she went and hugged the man tight. It caught him by surprise but was quickly recovered and gave her a big bear hug back.

"Thank you." She said between tears.

"You're welcome, sweetie." As big and bulky as he is, Chief Marquez is also a big mush inside.

__________
End of TPA 7: Thank You

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03.07.20

The Periwinkle Affair
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August 26, 2019