Epilogue
Charlie
More than a year later
The wind gusted across the parking lot behind Willow Brook Fire & Rescue. It was a rainy, windy day, and I was relieved to know Jesse’s crew was still coming home today. I’d been worried the weather would delay him another day or two.
I knew he loved his job. Because it was such a part of him and who he was, I loved it too. But that didn’t mean I didn’t miss him like crazy. He’d been gone for three weeks now. Fire season this year in Alaska was busy. His crew had flown out to deal with a massive fire in the Alaskan Interior. The fire was moving toward Fairbanks and threatening a number of smaller communities along the way.
Whenever he was out at fires, he texted and called when he could, but that was maybe once a week at best. He was of
