Amongst The Flames: A Contemporary Christian Romance (Embers and Ashes Book 1) by T.K. Chapin Page A

took a seat on the couch in the living room.
    “Err…” Bradley grumbled, followed by muffled movements and a loud thump.
    Megan came over the phone, “Sorry. They are anxious to get back outside. Amanda just bought a swing set today and they want to go back outside with the other kids.”
    “That’s okay, let them go have fun,” I said. “I’ll see them in a few days.”
    “Go ahead outside, boys,” Megan said. I could hear them shout in excitement as they got further away. Turning her attention back to our conversation she asked, “How are you, Cole?”
    “I’m okay. I just got back from a walk. It was nice to get out.”
    “That’s good…” Her words trailed off.
    “How’s your sister seem to be managing without Mike there? I wanted to ask other times we talked, but spaced it.”
    “Uh-huh… Or you don’t care. You don’t need to act like you do when you don’t.”
    I squeezed at the edge of the arm rest on the couch. “I do care.”
    “Well, she’s struggling. Mike’s being a jerk. She’s really stressed out.”
    “That’s too bad.”
    “Yeah,” Megan replied. “Did you go golfing today?”
    “It’s pretty early for golf… but no golf today for me. That walk was probably the highlight of my day.”
    “Bradley!” Megan shouted away from the phone. “Don’t touch that!” she scolded him.
    “House isn’t the same without you and the boys…” I said as my eyes fell on the high chair in the dining room.
    “I’m sure the quietness is nice,” she replied with a longing sigh.
    I shrugged. “It was for a minute, but I miss you all a ton. I can’t wait to see you all soon.”
    “We miss you.” She paused for a moment before she continued. “Someone’s on the other line. We’ll try again tomorrow with the boys.”
    Hanging up with Megan, I sat for a moment on the couch. Looking up at the pictures on the wall, I saw the picture of Megan and me when we were down in Cancun for our honeymoon so many years ago. I could still envision that sunset across the ocean that first evening we arrived and feel the warmth of the air. It was a magical night that we never wanted to end. We were so happy, so young.
     

     
    As I sat at the table that evening, my dinner for one was interrupted by an unexpected knock at the door. Setting my napkin down next to my plate, I felt a little giddy at the thought of someone coming to visit. That was until I opened the door and found it was the Captain.
    “What do you want?” I asked, keeping the door partially closed.
    He glanced over my shoulder. “Just seeing how things are going…” Tom said with a suspicious tone as he glared inside.
    My eyebrows furrowed as I scoffed. “Just checking up on me?”
    He narrowed his look. “Cindy wanted me to see if you’d like to join us for dinner tomorrow night.”
    “You could have called for that,” I replied.
    “Yeah, I could have,” he said sharply. “But like I said… I wanted to see how things were.”
    “Well, thanks. I’m fine.” I knew what he was doing. He was seeing if I was stepping out on Megan. He held my past against me more than anyone I knew. He knew me before I met Megan. He watched me for years at the firehouse and heard all the stories of my one-night stands. That was all in the past and before I recommitted myself to Christ and met Megan for the first time. He did his best to keep her away from the fire station, but it was inevitable that we would meet.
    Shutting my front door, I glanced out the living room window as I watched him peek around the corner of the house from the driveway. Even after all these years and the commitment I made to Megan on our wedding day. The two grandsons I gave him. It was all still not good enough for his impossible standards. I shook my head as I returned to my meal at the table.
    Dinner at the Sherwoods sounded like a bad idea. His wife Cindy wasn’t much better than he was. She did however thank me once for being a good dad when she was over at