Round and Round Read Free Page A

guest.
    “Was it as bad as they said on the television?” she asked. Kevin placed milk and sugar on the table, and she began adding what she wanted. Lord, the amount of sugar she added was enough to turn him diabetic.
    “I don’t know. I haven’t watched. The fire itself wasn’t a big deal. I put it out with the hose at the club. But someone was trampled in the panic, sort of a friend of a friend.”
    “I suppose you would know him.” Kevin didn’t correct her. She didn’t need to know that there wasn’t a secret gayboy handshake or that every gay man didn’t know every other one. It wasn’t worth the explaining, and she hadn’t meant anything by it.
    “It was really sad. His boyfriend was there and lost track of him during the crush.” He sipped from his mug and closed his eyes briefly, letting the caffeine start to work its magic.
    “I’m sorry, dear.” She sipped loudly and added some more milk before tasting again. Apparently it was to her liking now. “Did you say you put the fire out? Then you’re a hero.”
    He shook his head. “I did what anyone would have done. The fireman said I did a good job, though.” Kevin didn’t mean to sigh, but he did. He leaned closer. “He was really cute and Scottish, I’d guess. His accent….” He rolled his eyes and held his breath, then blew it out. “Like buttah….”
    “What’s his name?”
    “I don’t know. In my mind I’m calling him MacDreamy Hotness, and let me tell you I’d love to see what he has under his kilt.” He cackled and Mrs. Vertebedian did the same. From her stories, she’d been a high-stepper in her youth. “But I got to see him in his fireman’s pants and a T- shirt. That was enough to start a fire.” He reached for one of the pieces of baklava and bit into it, humming at the numminess. “No one can make these like you.”
    “Thank you, dear,” she said, beaming, and then she ate one herself. “I used to have lots of people to bake for, but now they’re gone.”
    He knew. In the time he’d lived here, he’d only seen her have visitors a few times.
    “Have you been to the senior center lately?” Kevin knew she went like clockwork, but it gave her something to talk about. He reached for another pastry, then curled his nose. He sniffed and followed the smell to the door of his apartment. When he opened it, smoke wafted in. “Call 911,” he told his guest and raced down the stairs. He found Mrs. V’s door open with smoke billowing out. It was white, and he didn’t see any flames or black smoke. He thought about going in but pulled the fire alarm in the hall instead and raced back upstairs.
    “We need to get out.”
    “They’re coming,” she said. “Where is the fire?”
    Kevin didn’t answer. He hustled her out of the door and down the stairs. She didn’t move quickly, stopping to gasp when she realized the smoke was coming from her apartment. Others hurried past them, carrying bags and other small things in their hands.
    Sirens rang out as he stepped from the building. Mrs. V coughed and Kevin gasped for air. Being in a fire twice in less than a day was apparently more than his lungs could take. He managed to make it to the grass before his legs collapsed and he gasped for breath.
    The sirens screamed and people rushed around him. A mask was placed over his mouth, and he looked up into a familiar face.
    “You again?” MacDreamy Hotness said with a smile. “Just keep that in place. It’ll help you breathe.”
    Kevin nodded. “What happened?”
    “An oven fire. It’s all right, just smoke. The fire was only in the oven.”
    Kevin pointed to Mrs. V, who wandered around a little helplessly. MacDreamy got someone to help her, and that was a relief. “She must have forgotten. She came up to see me and must have forgotten she had something in the oven.” He felt bad.
    MacDreamy put the mask over his mouth again. “Just breathe and get the smoke out of your lungs.”
    “All right.” If MacDreamy kept