Love, Dad | Joe Cruz

Prologue

2018

Otis has been recovering from getting shot. It's given him time to think. he knew the job was dangerous and he knew the risks but he really wasn't prepared for it he did die. He had no plans for where his daughter, Tatiana would go. He didn't even have a will to divide what he has. If he had died who knows what would've happened to Tatiana? So when he wasn't doing at doing physical therapy or the extra stretches to get back on the job as fast as possible, he was making a will. He was assigning a guardian for Tati. He looked at his family, his mom getting old and probably wouldn't be able to raise another kid alone, and his brothers have their own kids to worry about. He thought about Lily but figured it may be a bit soon to announce that he wanted her to raise his daughter if he dies. So he looked at his firehouse family, they are Tati's aunts and uncles anyway. His top 3 options were Cruz, Mouch, and Brett. He tossed mouch out after realizing that despite Mouch's bond with Tatia, he doubted Trudy would want to raise her. Though she has a soft spot for her as well. So he watched Brett and Cruz with Tati before finally deciding.

"Hey uh I have to ask you something," Otis says leaning on the counter in their apartment.

"What's up?" Cruz asks.

"I would like you to take Tati if I die. You can say no though."

"What?" Cruz looks up from his lunch looking at him. "What brought this up?"

"I almost died...  I had no plans for what would happen if I died.. no for sure place for Tatia nothing. I need to know that if something happens she'll be safe." Otis explains. Tatiana was at school so he didn't have to worry about her hearing this conversation. "I'll find someone else if you can't."

"No, I can do it I was just surprised. I figured your mom or brothers were put as her guardian."

"My mom can't raise another kid on her own. And I don't want my mom trying to push her to be a doctor like she did with me. My brother's well Tati knows you better than them, and she's lived with you most of her life so it wouldn't change much."

"Okay. I agree to take her in if anything happens to you but you got to promise you won't go dying on us."

"Promise." Otis smiles at him. "Thanks, Joe."

Lastly, he started writing letters. One for every milestone, graduation (both college and high school) wedding, first kid, first break up, etc, one for every birthday up until 21, and some just pick me up letters for when she's feeling down. He felt kind of crazy for doing this. He knows he'll be there for every moment but he feels better knowing if he won't be she'll have his words of advice when necessary. He had a lot of time on his hands after being told to cool it down from overtraining. So maybe this was a bit much but it made him feel better. He puts them into a shoe box, that he labeled before tucking it into his closet beside the random boxes of junk he has in there. He also used his podcast equipment to record himself saying I love you in both Russian and English. Since he heard that the first thing you forget is their voice. From then on he makes sure to take plenty of photos with her.

–––2019–––

"I love you, brother. And I'm going to miss you. And I'll do my best for Tati." Cruz says kneeling beside the hospital bed. Otis' head rolls over looking at the crying man.

"Брат я всегда буду с тобой." Cruz broke down crying on the side of the bed as the machine beeped. After a while, Lily busts into the room and falls to the other side of the bed. Cruz rounds the bed hugging her. He soon leaves her alone in the room and goes to the lobby. The crowd had dispersed by then but all of 51 were near the kid area. It was no secret who they were surrounding. All of them trying to keep brave faces on for the young girl. Cruz slowly walks over and the circle opens.

"Uncle Joey? Is dad okay?" She asks, everyone's eyes were on her.

"Let's walk Mija." Cruz musters a smile a puts a hand out to her. He leads her to the little church they have in the hospital before they sit down on a bench. "You know heaven?"

"Yeah, you and dad taught me about it." She says looking at him confused.

"Yeah? Uhm your- uh." He takes a deep breath unsure of how to say this. "Your dad got really hurt on a call. He um... He didn't make it your dad passed away." Cruz says as tears begin spilling again.

"Dad's dead? No, you're lying! He can't be dead!" Tatiana shouts as Cruz brings her into a hug. "He can't be! Uncle Joey he can't." She insists crying into his chest.

"Let it out I got you."