Author's Note: All characters are over the age of 18. This story is a work of fiction. please do not republish on other platforms without my express permission. Constructive criticism welcomed.
Sorry, I have a bad habit of starting too many things at once and I wanted to try different genres. I'll start writing the next chapters for the other stories! Thanks for all the comments and feedback so far!
With that out of the way, I hope you enjoy!
*******************************
"Alright, kid. Here we are," said Jae as he pats the back of the vehicle. He gets out and looks at the young boy under the blanket. "You alright, Kurt?"
The youth sniffles and nods. "Y-yes, sir. I'm j-just...so...so cold!"
"Sit tight, bud. We've got a fire for you right inside. I'm sure your parents will be dying to see you."
As Jae picks him up, the boy says lowly, "S-sorry about...a-about..."
Jae shakes his head. "Save your energy, Kurt. There will be plenty of time for apologies once you get better."
He stood there with his arms crossed while Kurt's parents scolded him in front of the fireplace. It was all performance since it was clear they were relieved he was found.
"Heh, good job, rookie," chimed in a dark-haired woman as she sidled next to him. "You found him before he got hypothermia."
Jae looks over and grins at his supervisor, Hannah Alexander who had her hair in her trademark ponytail.
"Hehe, yeah. Like I told you during the interview, I'm just good at this kinda stuff."
"You sure you don't want to be a cop? It seems like something that'd be up your alley," teased the woman as she elbows him in the rib..
A grimace passes his face, but Jae quickly recovers. "Nah, I'm good here. Sitting in a car at speed traps sounds like hell. But I never thought you'd be the one to try and tempt me to join the PD. Didn't you hate it there?"
"Ugh, of course I do, but it doesn't mean I wouldn't make the rec if you have the talent."
The parents were holding Kurt's hands as they approached the pair.
"Oh, thank you for finding our boy! One moment he was with is and then we turn around and...and," stutters the mother as her lips quiver.
Jae chuckles. "Haha, no problem, mam. Just doing our job. We hope it didn't spoil your experience too much."
The father shakes his head. "Of course not! Your park is very beautiful and we definitely plan on coming back in the future! Er, well, maybe not too soon."
The mother hums in agreement. "Yes, we appreciate it more than words can express. Thank...thank you!"
The family waves as they walk to their car and Jae tips his cap when Kurt looks at him. Luckily, the rest of the evening was pretty mellow.
As Hannah finished closing up the park, she said, "That was a good job out there. I'll be sure to note this to Seymour tomorrow. Keep it up and you'll earn your stripes in no time!"
Jae gives her a mock salute. "Thanks, boss. Is it always this exciting here?"
"Nah. Maybe because it's just an off day, but it's usually pretty calm around here. You going home?"
"Yeah, I need to shower and rest after all that. I didn't expect the river to be so dirty. Er, I cleaned up the seat, by the way."
"Haha, good because you smell. But seriously, you've earned the rest. Good night."
"Night, boss!"
Jae yawned for the tenth time as he exits his car to walk into his house. He was fumbling for his keys when he hears the loud music from his next door neighbor. The young man sighs and shakes his head. What the hell were they doing over there? The neighbor was nice enough, but it was her damn boyfriend and all his little friends. He had half a mind to go over there and tell them to keep it down. Yet, he was too tired and just went in the house.
Jae was enjoying a nice soak in the bathtub listening to soothing classical music when his doorbell rings.
"No fucking way."
He closes his eyes hoping his visitor will go away, but the bell rings again.
"You've gotta be-. Alright, alright! I hear you! Geez!"
Jae reluctantly jumps out of the tub and he nearly goes downstairs naked, but he grabs a towel to put around his waist. He opens the door ajar just a bit so he can poke his head out. In front of his door was a lithe blonde young woman in a tank top and shorts.
"Hey! What took you so long?"
Jae had to bite back a snotty retort. "Alex, what do you want? I was taking a bath."
"Oh, really? Sorry! We were just wondering if you have any lemons?"
"What-? Lemons? What for?"
"For margaritas, duh! Perry and the boys were-"
"YOU STUPID FUCKING BITCH!"
They both look over to see a brown-haired woman stomping angrily towards them, yet the subject of her ire was Alex.
"Oh, hi, Erin! How are you-?"
"HOW AM I??? HOW AM I??? PISSED, THAT'S HOW I AM!"
Jae could see danger coming so he opens the door and gets in between the two women.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Calm down, Erin!"
The woman tries to go around him. "Get out of my way, kid! I'm gonna kill that stupid bitch!"
"No, chill! We can call the cops and-"
"Call the cops for what? I didn't do anything wrong," complains Alex behind him.
"Did she just fucking say that??? Did she just fucking-!"
Jae had to grab her around her waist as she charges at the blonde young woman.
"You slut! When I get my hands on you, you're fucking dead! Dead, do you hear me?!?"
"Wow, you sound really stressed, Erin. We've got some weed at the house if you want?"
"No, no she doesn't. Can you get out of here already? I can't hold her any longer," growls Jae as Erin accidentally elbows him in the stomach during the struggle.
"Sheesh, alright then. You guys are such party poopers."
Alex took her sweet time leaving his property, but the second she went back to her house, he let Erin go. The woman huffed with annoyance as she pushed her hair out of her face. She turns sharply directing her anger at him.
"What the hell did you do that for??? Are you going to just let her get away with this shit?"
"Hey, I just saved you from an assault charge so take it easy."
"Wrong, it's gonna be first degree murder once I'm done with-," Erin pauses and pools away.
Jae gives her a look. "Huh? What's wrong?"
"You...you're flashing the whole neighborhood, genius."
He looks down and realizes his towel had slipped during the scuffle. "Shit! Why didn't you tell me sooner!"
"I was angry, dammit! And where are your clothes anyways?!?"
Jae puts the towel around his waist as he responds, "Well, I was enjoying a nice, warm bath when Alex showed up asking for lemons."
"You did not give them to her."
"Yeah, I didn't get to say no because you came charging like a raging banshee!"
Erin sighed. "Sorry, I'm just at my wits end right now."
"The hospital making you work long hours?"