Chapter 5: The Choice She Had to Make
Meredith could still leave.
Nothing forced her to remain there.
She could tell herself she had apologized and that the firefighters had repaired the hose.
But leaving would not undo the decision that had caused the problem.
She looked at the emergency area again.
The firefighter was preparing to move with his crew.
Meredith called to him.
He turned.
“I damaged your equipment,” she said.
“Yes.”
“I shouldn’t have.”
“No.”
She nodded.
There was no accusation in his voice now.
That made it easier to hear.
“I don’t expect you to tell me it’s okay.”
“I wasn’t going to.”
A faint, embarrassed smile crossed Meredith’s face.
“I appreciate that.”
He adjusted his gloves.
“What matters now is that you stay clear and let us work.”
Meredith stepped back.
“I will.”
This time, she meant it.
She watched the firefighters disappear toward the hospital.
The replacement hose remained stretched across the pavement.
It was still in her way.
That had not changed.
What changed was her choice.
Meredith walked around the marked emergency boundary instead of through it.
She took the longer route.
It added only a few minutes to her trip.
She stopped halfway across the pavement and looked back.
The hose was still where it needed to be.
She had wanted the world to move it for her.
Instead, she had finally moved herself.
