Younger | Station 19

thirty five

*Aria's p.o.v*

I'm walking into Andy's childhood home to help her talk to her dad. We walk in through the front door and see nobody in the living room. I walk beside Andy as we're walking through the rest of the house to find Pruitt. 

Andy: Hey, dad? You got a minute? I was just-

We were about to pass a room until we saw him standing inside with a woman sitting on top of a counter wearing one of his Station 19 crew shirts.

Pruitt: Mija.

Me: Oh.

Andy: Hi. Hello.

Woman: Hi.

Pruitt: Uh, uh, this is Reggie

Andy: Real estate agent Reggie? *chuckles nervously*

Reggie: You must be Andy. Pleasure. And you are *looks at me*

Me: Aria *I smile awkwardly* 

Andy: We were just swinging by to see the old place one last time. We didn't realize you were...busy

I burst out laughing at the last part until she gave me a glare.

Me: Sorry. Sorry. I'm sorry.

Pruitt: You guys want to stay for coffee? Reggie brought her milk frother.

Andy: No, no time for frothing. Work time. Shift time. Don't wanna be late. *pulls me out of the room* Okay, bye!

We walk out of her house and I immediately burst out laughing. We walked over to her car and she drove us to the station while I was still laughing. When we got to the station, we got out and went into the beanery where Maya, Dean, and Jack were eating. Andy starts to tell them what we saw when we got to her house while I made some breakfast.

Andy: They were cuddly, he was in his bathrobe, there was chest hair, and a milk frother. 

Dean: Nice!

Maya: Go, Captain!

Jack: I mean, if it makes him happy.

Andy: No. No, no, no, no, no, not-not nice. Not sweet. Frothing. There was naked milk frothing! 

Me: Ehhh they weren't technically naked.

Andy: Aria, you're supposed to be on my side!

Maya: You guys actually walked in on them frothing away?

Andy: Well, it was after, but...

Dean: I think it's great that he has a sunset companion at his age.

Andy: Did I mention she was wearing his Station 19 crew shirt?

Maya: Ooh, that's not cool

Dean: Crew shirts are sacred.

Jack: That changes everything.

Dean: I should get my mom to set him up. None of her picks would put on a firefighting shirt, because they're definitely not into firefighting.

Jack: How many you up to now?

Dean: I'm three for three. I got another one tomorrow. And the sooner I get through her setups, the sooner I'll hold up my end of the bargain, then she'll have to hold up hers.

Yemi: *laughs* That'll happen.

Me: Yemi *I smile*

Yemi: Hey, Aria!

Jack: Yemi!

Yemi: Hey, Gibson!

Dean: What is my little sister doing here?

Yemi: Oh, you know. Thought I'd just come by, see the place, laugh at you. *laughs* Yeah. Definitely gonna do some of that.

I chuckle a bit and finished the sandwich I had made. After I finished eating, I worked on some chores that I got assigned to do. Once I finished doing the chores, I moved on to the new stack of paperwork I had to get assorted. After I did some paperwork, I walked towards the turnout room after Sullivan told me to call Maya to do some maintenance.

Me: Maya, Sullivan wants us on maintenance. Cool?

I look up and I see Jack in there with Maya. I could feel the tension between them from where I was standing and I looked confused. I started to put two and two together and realize that there's something going on between them. I took a deep breath, but pushed it aside.

Me: Not cool?

Maya: All good. Let's go maintain.

We walk out of the turnout room and I walked behind Maya, turning my head back to look at the turnout room door. We walk towards the engine and we start working on it.

Maya: Can I ask you a question?

I look over at her while I'm still working on the truck trying to not make it look like I know something's up with her and Jack.

Me: Yeah

Maya: It's more of a hypothetical.

Me: Isn't Andy the one you go to with these kinds of questions?

Maya: Stay with me, Aria. Say you have this friend who is struggling with something and you can tell that it's really upsetting him. You even have really great ideas about ways to help, but they just seem to not want to hear them. I mean, do you push? Should you push?

Me: Okay, so, you know how this bolt that you're tightening has a breaking point? So do people. You know, if someone doesn't want your help, you trying to force it on them is actually the opposite of being helpful. It'll annoy them, and then they'll...work out to get the idea that they're okay out of their head.

Maya: I thought we were talking about my friend. Why are we talking about your friend?

Me: Stay with me, Maya.

Maya: Okay, but I really just need to know-

Me: I know. I think the real question that you need to ask yourself is, why do you care so much?

She looks at me with a confused face and I have a feeling this is the right time to tell her that I know about her and Jack.

Me: I know about you and Jack, Maya.

Maya: What are you talking about Aria?

Me: Please don't play dumb right now. It's okay.

I walked away from her and went back to the front desk and did the rest of the paperwork I was working on. I'm working on some paperwork when the alarms go off. I overheard Sullivan saying that it was Vic on the field. I ran out of the lobby and went into the barn trying to see if I could go with them. Sullivan turned me down and said I needed to keep working on desk duty. I ran back into the front desk and dialed Vic's number. I got sent straight to voicemail and I slammed my phone onto the desk out of frustration. 

I'm pacing around the lobby, until I hear the alarms of the trucks coming back inside the barn. I quickly rush to Travis's side and I looked at him, trying to read his face.

Me: So? Is Vic okay?

Travis: Yeah, she saw a car wreck. Helped and delivered a baby.

I let out a breath that I didn't know I was holding and I just hugged Travis. He hesitated a bit, but he wrapped his arms around me.

Me: Thank you

I get out of his arms and I gave him a smile and I walked away. I picked up my phone and left a message for Vic. After I sent the message, I went into the locker room and changed into some clothes. Once I finished changing, I left the station and headed home.