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people, all tatted up like you’re making some ridiculous statement.” She pointed at my neck and arms. “Disgusting!”
    “Seriously? You’re going to go there?”
    “Sir,” the man behind me said.
    “What?”
    “I think she’s just getting some napkins,” the man remarked.
    The woman stood in front of me with a hand on her hip, holding a bunch of napkins in the other. “If only you had been patient.”
    “And if you had better manners and spoke to me like I’m human,” I said, and turned away from her. Grabbing Jake’s hand, I glanced back at her and saw her facial expressions as she discussed me as I walked away.
    “But I want ice cream,” Jake cried.
    I gazed down at him and felt bad. “Let’s go to Dairy Queen instead.”
    “Okay.” He sniffled and wiped his face.
    As days go, it was horrible. All the negativity was certainly trying its best to smother me, but I refused to allow it. Jake wanted to devour some ice cream, and I wasn’t going to let him down. That bitch at the zoo had gotten under my skin. She was the kind of person to give the French a bad name.
    Thank God for the windy city and never having to see her face again.
     

 
“Boys, boys, there’s no need to act like a pack of premenstrual bitches,” Danny shouted. “Just accept it. I won this month, and not one of you has a leg to stand on.”
    “And neither will you, McGregor, because that dick of yours will fall off before you get the chance to stand on any kind of leg,” Chuck mocked, and the room erupted into laughter.
    I sat back, drank my coffee, and said nothing. I enjoyed watching the guys rip each other apart. It always cheered me up, especially after a bad night.
    Danny, regardless of his cocky confidence, wasn’t the ladies man he tried to let on. He was a loveable rogue who wanted nothing more than his forever. It was just taking him a while to figure out who she was and where she was. He looked at me and shook his head. The insults rolled off him like water off a duck.
    He strolled over to where I sat and took the seat next to me. “Are you and Jake still coming to the game on Thursday night?” He changed the subject as if the piss had never been taken out of him.
    “I’m team captain. It would be rude of me not to show up,” I replied.
    “Are you okay, man?” he asked, keeping his voice low.
    I looked at him and raised an eyebrow. “Yeah, why?”
    “You seem off.”
    “I’m good, Scout’s honor,” I lied.
    “Don’t lie to me.”
    Danny stared at me in contemplation. He wasn’t going to let it go.
    “Listen, I don’t want to talk about it here. You know I don’t bring my personal shit into work.” I set my coffee cup down and stood. “Stop by for some pizza tonight. Jake’s been asking about his Uncle Danny.”
    Danny nodded. When I invited him over for pizza, there was something deeper in need of discussing and a chance of beer.

    I sat finishing my incident report when Joe’s voice boomed up the stairs. “We are a close-knit team here. We work alongside each other, and support each other at every incident. There is no room for tardiness or lack of motivation. Here, we are proactive and use our own initiative when not out saving lives.”
    I looked up from the paperwork and saw his brawny frame overshadowing the new recruit. Shaking my head, I smirked. I remember getting the same spiel when I first came here to work. Underneath all the harsh words, Joe was a decent chief. He just liked to show off his rank every now and then.
    I shook my head and signed my name.
    “Benton!” Joe cried.
    “Yes, sir?” I glanced up and saw him walk toward me, the shadow of the new recruit a few feet behind.
    I pushed myself to my feet and stood to attention. It was a bit of a habit, one I couldn’t kick. I was sure Joe appreciated it.
    “We’ve a new addition to the family,” he announced. “Sophia Dubois, meet Lieutenant Benton. He’ll fill you in on all the jargon and the goings-on in this place.”