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When Eddie is released from the holding cell, Maddie Buckley is waiting for him— mouth pressed into a thin line and a too-tight grip on her oversized purse.
She doesn’t say a word, just inclines her head towards the door and starts walking. He trails after her quietly. Her shiny hair, the sound of her ankle boots clacking against the ground, the way she fidgets with her car keys— something about this makes him feel like he’s ten years old again, like he’s gotten in trouble at school for standing up to the class bully, and his mother is just waiting until they get in the car to dress him down.
The buzzer sounds as a guard opens the door for them, letting them out into the parking lot. A weight lifts briefly off Eddie’s shoulders, and then sinks back down when Maddie stops walking. She folds her arms across her chest and gives him an unimpressed look— the same one Buck gives him when Eddie says he’s fine after a tough call or insists that he can cook an edible meal.
“I think you called the wrong Buckley,” she says.
Eddie sighs. “Well, I can’t exactly call the other Buckley, on account of the lawsuit, so…”
“I’m the next best thing?”
“That you are,” he confirms. He shoves his hands in his pockets, uncomfortable. “Thank you for coming. There’s no way I was gonna call my abuela or the 118.”
Maddie raises a perfectly-shaped eyebrow. “You do remember I have a direct line to the 118, right?”
“I do,” Eddie answers. He’s gone through the logic of this fifty times over in his head. “Hen would tell Bobby. Lena, my new partner… I don’t know her well enough to know what she’d do. And even if Chimney promised he wouldn’t say anything, you know him. He spoiled Hen’s surprise birthday party an hour after we started planning it.”
“Yeah, secret-keeping isn’t exactly his best quality,” she laughs.
“I’m hoping it’s yours.”
Her laughter dissipates into the air. She’s just like Buck— her emotions read clearly on her face. Pity, surprise, disbelief, contrition. He accepts his fate.
“Eddie…”
“I know, I know,” he huffs, shifting his weight from one foot to another. “It’s a lot to ask. Too much, probably. I just figured maybe I could convince you not to say anything, and if that didn’t work, then at least I could get a ride home without being lectured.”
Maddie sighs. She starts walking towards her car at the mention of a ride home, like she’d forgotten about it until then. Eddie matches her pace.
“Well, you’re right about one thing,” Maddie declares, her car beeping as she unlocks it. “I’m not going to lecture you.”
“Much appreciated,” Eddie mutters, sliding into the passenger seat.
Maddie’s car is miles cleaner than Eddie’s, which makes sense, given that he has an incredibly wonderful but incredibly messy kid. She’s got one of those little tree air fresheners hanging from the rearview mirror and a massive baby blue tumbler resting in the cup holder. When she turns the keys in the ignition, he sees a multitool, lip gloss, and a sparkly silver ‘M’ all hanging from the keychain. He doesn’t know her well, but it all feels very Maddie in a way that’s almost reassuring.
She purses her lips as she backs out of the parking spot, eyes trained on the rearview mirror. Once she’s pulled out of the lot, she says, “I have two questions for you. Number one, can you route us to your house? You can use my phone— the password is 2825.”
“Yeah, of course, sorry,” Eddie responds, entering the passcode and typing the address of Dylan’s birthday party into the Maps app. They’re close, about ten minutes out, and Siri announces the location as she tells Maddie to take a right at the next light.
“You don’t live at Sherman Oaks Castle Park,” Maddie remarks, sounding confused. She merges into the right lane anyways.
“No, but my car’s there,” Eddie admits, resisting the urge to turn his head and check Maddie’s blindspot when she turns. Buck gets mad at him for backseat driving— Maddie seems like she would be the same way.
“That leads me to my second question,” Maddie says, and yeah, he should have seen this coming. “What happened?”
Eddie sighs. It’s still light out outside. The only real proof that anything happened are his bruised knuckles and the fact that he’s in Maddie Buckley’s strawberry-scented car. He’s spent a good few hours in lock-up beating himself up over his impulsiveness and worrying about the consequences of it— what if Christopher called, needing to be picked up, and Eddie didn’t answer because he was in jail? There’s not a single path his mind hasn’t gone down in relation to this incident, and yet for all his thinking about it, he really doesn’t want to voice it. Not to Maddie, who he’s barely spoken to and yet knows so much about. But Maddie picked up his phone call and ditched her workout plans to bail him out of jail— and shit, they definitely need to have a conversation about how much he owes her monetarily and otherwise— so he thinks the least he should do is answer her honestly.
“I started a fistfight over a parking space,” he mumbles.
Maddie’s manicured hands tighten on the steering wheel. “What?”
“I dropped Christopher off for a sleepover earlier today,” Eddie starts, scrubbing a hand over his face. “I was getting back in the car and suddenly this guy started accusing me of stealing a handicapped spot from someone who needed it. I told him Chris has CP and he went off about those assholes who put a dummy in the passenger seat just to use the carpool lane, like he thought I made up my son to get a good parking space or I was using him as a prop and— I guess I just snapped.”
Maddie’s quiet for a moment, eyes on the road but jaw dropped. Finally, slowly, she says, “You punched a handicapped guy.”
“He wasn’t handicapped,” Eddie protests. “He had a bad— he had a bad knee, there’s a difference.”
“Huh,” Maddie says, sounding a little too amused as she takes a left. “I don’t know what I expected, but sure, that fits.”
“That fits?” Eddie echoes, gaping at the assumption. “It was a one-time thing! It’s never going to happen again. How does that fit?”
“Christopher is your soft spot,” Maddie shrugs, her voice steady and understanding. “I don’t agree with the way you reacted, but with everything else that’s happened recently— the lawsuit, the tsunami… of course you’d snap at some point. It makes sense that a situation involving your son would be the last straw.”
Eddie huffs out a breath, sinking down in his seat. She’s right. She doesn’t even know the full extent of his reality right now— Christopher’s nightmares, his own, adjusting to Shannon being gone again in a way he thinks he might never really understand — but she’s right. All he needed was one final shove to let that blind rage consume him.
“You know,” Eddie remarks, “you sound more like a therapist than a dispatcher.”
“I’m sure you mean that as a compliment, but never say that to me again.”
Eddie laughs, half-amused and half-surprised, and Maddie laughs along with him. He’s pleasantly surprised by how much he likes her company. It’s not that he thought they wouldn’t get along— it’s that he never thought about what it would be like if they interacted in the first place.
A few moments later, after their laughter dies down and Eddie’s checked his phone to make sure Chris hasn’t texted, the sound of Maddie’s thumbs drumming on the steering wheel calls his attention. Traffic’s not too bad— well, for L.A., at least— and he’s about to ask if she’s alright when she clears her throat.
“Actually, I’m glad you called me. You kind of stopped me from doing something stupid today.”
“I did?” Eddie asks, confused. “I thought… on the phone, you said you were on your way to the gym.”
“Yeah,” Maddie exhales, “yeah, I was. I was going to make a… bad gym decision. Like lifting with my back, or not stretching, or ingratiating myself with a woman who needs help but doesn’t know that I know she needs help and probably isn’t even ready to ask for it anyways.”
Eddie blinks. “Uh, yeah,” he says, both her words and the pace at which she said them leaving him at a loss. “Any one of those things wouldn’t be smart to do.”
“Exactly,” Maddie affirms, sounding a little more grounded. “And as it turns out, you make enough rash decisions for the both of us. So thank you.”
Eddie frowns. “For getting arrested?”
“For reaching out.” She glances over at him for a quick second, offering a small smile as she meets his eyes, and then turns her attention back to the road.
“Thank you,” Eddie replies after a moment. “For letting me reach out to you and for bailing me out. Even if you decide to tell Chimney, I appreciate it.”
Maddie is silent for a moment. She opens her mouth to speak, and then sharply exhales when a blue sedan merges without a signal. “Asshole,” she mutters.
“No one knows how to drive in this city,” Eddie commiserates. “I hate it.”
“Right?” Maddie exclaims. “Everyone always complains about the traffic, but the real problem is whoever the hell gave these people their licenses.”
“They’re not even courteous drivers either,” Eddie complains. “They cut you off and—"
“They don’t even wave,” Maddie finishes his sentence.
Eddie throws his hands in the air in exasperated agreement. “It’s like they don’t even teach people manners here!”
“You know no one understands this? I try telling Chimney about it and he’s all ‘this is just the way it is, Maddie, it’s not like Pennsylvanians are known for being nice either.’ At least Pennsylvanians know what a turn signal is.”
“Buck got so sick of me complaining that he just takes my keys now,” Eddie shares. “Doesn’t even ask. Just defaults to driving so he doesn’t have to hear me bitching out every car that cuts me off.”
Maddie’s laugh is bright, the sound of it filling the car. “Oh, I bet he does. He’s just as bad a driver as the rest of them.”
“He does wave, though,” Eddie notes in Buck’s favour.
“You can take the boy out of Hershey, but you can’t take the Hershey out of the boy."
Maddie pulls up to a light. She takes a sip of water from her oversized tumbler and turns to Eddie, her face suddenly serious. “I know you’re going through a lot right now. I don’t want to make things worse, so… unless Chimney asks, I won’t tell him. So don’t give him a reason to think I bailed you out of jail and you’re probably in the clear.”
“Thank you,” Eddie replies, trying to convey his sincerity in his tone and his eyes and his body language. “You won’t tell Buck either, right? I know I would have gone to him, but we were called in for kind of a brutal deposition the other day.”
“Chimney mentioned,” Maddie says, frowning. “He said he was surprised at how much information the lawyer had on everyone.”
“Yeah,” Eddie huffs, running a hand through his hair. “I don’t know what the hell Buck is thinking, but he’s been telling that scumbag all of our secrets. If he finds out I was arrested…”
“You don’t need to worry about that.” Maddie shakes her head, looking away. “I can’t exactly talk to Buck either.”
“Wait, you’re not…?”
“I’m dating a member of the 118,” she says with a sad smile. “Apparently that means my own brother won’t respond to my texts.”
“So he doesn’t have anyone right now,” Eddie realizes, blood running cold.
“No. He doesn’t.” The light reflecting on Maddie’s face switches from harsh red to cool green, and she turns back towards the road. Even with a profile view, he can still see the furrow in her brow; the worrying of her teeth against her lip.
“Honestly, Eddie… he didn’t have anyone for a really long time. I left, and our parents weren’t really… it was complicated. Point is, I don’t think there was anyone in his corner until he joined the 118. I know firefighting gave him a purpose, but it also gave him a family.”
“Where I come from, people don’t tend to sue their family,” Eddie retorts, a weird mix of sympathy and anger rattling around inside his chest.
Maddie lets out a breath; the ghost of a laugh. “I know my brother. I don’t know what he’s thinking right now, but I know him. There’s no malice behind his actions. You guys are everything to him. You were there when… when I couldn’t be. I know you’re angry— hell, I’m angry — but please don’t direct that at Buck. I don’t want to drive him further away.” She raises her hand to her face, delicately wiping away a stray tear, and turns onto a familiar street.
“Don’t direct it at random strangers in parking lots, either,” she adds after a moment, her tone a little lighter. “Even if they’re being an asshole.”
Eddie exhales, not knowing whether or not he should laugh or sigh. “So what do I do with it?”
The question is earnest, even if he feels a little bad about asking it— Maddie’s already solved one major problem for him, she doesn’t need to do any more.
“Find an outlet,” Maddie advises. “A punching bag instead of a person. I could use a gym buddy, if you want. I started with this personal trainer, but I don’t… I don’t think it’s a good idea for me to keep seeing her. Or, you know, you could do something that isn’t physical. Like talking to someone.”
Eddie gives her a look, even though she can’t see it. “Like a shrink?”
“Maybe,” Maddie says, shooting him a smile. “Or a friend.”
She pulls into the parking lot of the amusement center. Tasha’s car is gone— the party must be over by now. Chris is probably playing video games with his friends and stuffing his face with pizza and having the time of his life. Eddie checks his phone again for a brief second: no calls.
Maddie parks a few spots down from his truck, deserted in the disabled parking space. He scans the windshield for a ticket, and thanks God for small mercies when he doesn’t see one.
“Back to the scene of the crime, huh,” Maddie teases.
“Yeah, yeah,” Eddie waves her off with a laugh, unbuckling his seatbelt. “I have to say, I’m really glad you’re not telling anyone. I would never live this down.”
“Oh, and you’re not going to,” Maddie says brightly. “You got in a fistfight over a parking spot at a family fun center. I’m going to find a way to subtly bring this up every time I see you.” She pauses, thoughtful. “Hey, is Chris thinking about his birthday yet? This would be a great spot to make some memories. And relive some old ones.”
Eddie groans. “I thought you were supposed to be the nice one.”
“I am the nice one!” Maddie exclaims, faux-affronted. “I’m also an older sister. This is what we do.”
“See, I’m an older brother, so I understand the energy— I just don’t like being on the receiving end of it,” Eddie shoots back.
Maddie shrugs, smiling. “This is the price you have to pay for me bailing you out of jail. Speaking of price—”
“Text me the amount and I’ll transfer you as soon as I get home,” Eddie promises.
“Thanks,” Maddie says.
“No,” Eddie says, “thank you. I really—” he pauses, not having the words to express his appreciation for bailing him out and keeping his secret and levelling with him in a way he never expected. “Thank you, Maddie,” he repeats, and hopes she can hear the gravity in his words.
“Of course,” Maddie responds. “Enjoy life as a free man.”
“I will,” Eddie chuckles, opening the car door and stepping out. “Have a good rest of your day. And uh… I’ll text you, sometime. See about hitting the gym.”
“Sounds good,” she smiles. “See you around, Eddie. Stay out of trouble.”
He rolls his eyes. “Uh-huh, you too,” he says, shutting the car door and barely repressing a grin.
Maddie doesn’t leave until Eddie’s successfully unlocked his truck. He glances in the rearview mirror as she pulls out of the parking lot, giving her a wave goodbye, and then rests his head carefully on his steering wheel. It’s been a long day. Kind of a shitty one, too. Somehow, strangely, he feels a little bit more at peace than he did earlier.
Eventually, he lifts his head, turns his keys in the ignition, and starts the drive home. As he complains to himself about the terrible drivers on the road with him, he imagines Maddie doing the same thing and smiles at the thought of their solidarity. He can’t exactly text Buck to say ‘hey, your sister’s kind of awesome,’ but he hopes that once Buck pulls his head out of his ass and drops the lawsuit, he’ll be spending a lot more time with both Buckley siblings.