Chapter 2: The Fire That Ignite Hearts

Fire!!!! Fire!!! Fire!!!! The gut wrenching shouts and screams that came from neighbors, passers-by and on-lookers! As they saw the thick, black, outrageous smokes ascending into the air, as if it was out for vengeance! Everyone was wondering what it was and what had caused such a dreadful fire! The blazed were so humongous! As they sway left and right from the winds that were blowing in the cool of the morning air!

"I wonder if anyone else is inside the fiery apartment building!" Asked an on-looker to another on-looker!

"I just can't see how anyone can even survive this tumultuous blaze!" Interjected another on-looker!

"The fire fighters cannot go in there now! There is nothing to save now! This fire is too heavy! It's too big!" Commented one passer-by!

As he pulled his dog along the street where the fire was ignited, but he had just stopped like everyone else to see what was going on and if any life was being saved!

The fire trucks were there! Also were tons of police vehicles and ambulances! Just in case anyone needed to be whisked away to the emergency room! The fire men got out of their trucks and pulled hoses from it sides! They encircled the huge apartment building! Trying to find a way to enter the building safely! While another fire fighter and police officers used a blow-horn on opposite sides of the building; calling out to see if any residence were still in the building they could try and save! There was no sign of life anywhere!

A big, black, Mercedes Benz, SUV truck pulled up behind the crowd that had gathered in front of the building observing the whole dilemma. And a short curly hair blond, skipped out of the vehicle calling out Betsy! Betsy! Betsy! My Betsy must be dead! Someone please let me in! I have to go and save my Betsey!

It was one of the fire fighters who had to hold her back! Telling her it was too dangerous for them to go inside, much-less her with no protective gear! But she insisted on going into the burning building! Some drastic actions had to be taken! And right away! So the fire fighter had to hold her down tightly and forcefully until the both of them went tumbling down on the ground! She was historic! Whaling! Weeping! And calling out Betsy! Betsy! Betsy! Please come back to me Betsy! As she wept bitterly! Causing her mascara, foundation, and lip-stick to intertwine and dribble down her face leaving a black tie and dye- look printed on her face! And she laid on the bare ground and halla and bawl, herself to silence! With the fire fighter still holding onto her as tightly as he could! Fearing she might rail-up again!

Everyone who knew her and saw her in this state felt very sorry for her! They all knew she was close to her dog and would often see the both of them taking walks each morning and sometimes afternoons too!

Betsy was her pet! Her companion! And also her friend! No one knew how she was going to get along without her dearly beloved pet! Still in the fire fighter arms she leaned her back against a park vehicle on the side of the road and silenced herself into sorrow!

Although some of the crowd had dispersed there was still a large amount of people still lingering in front of the building! Watching every move of the fire men and waiting to see if any bodies were going to be taken from the building after the fire had subsided!

Someone from the crowd yelled!

"There is someone at the window! There is someone at the window! Come and look! There is someone at the window! They have something in their hand; a piece of white sheet or something! They are trying to wave it! Come and see!"

The crowed shuffled and moved to where the man was pointing to see if there was any evidence of life for true!

Someone was actually standing at the window waving a white piece of cloth back and forth! The crowd yelled out to the fire men that there was someone on the fifth or six floor of the building! So one of the fire fighter called in on his walky-talky to inform those who were inside the building fighting the fire; that there was signs of life on the fifth or six floor! But there was no way they could rescue them from inside the building! They had to get a crane and elevated it to where the person or persons were! So they could make the rescue!

The fire chief had called for a crane to come quickly! Because the fire was still ferocious and they needed to save whomever it was on the fifth or six floor of the building!

By now some persons were burning candles! While some were clasping their hands in prayers, while others were counting the prayer beads and making the signs of the cross! While some of the fire men were making turns in and out of the building! Probable to release some of the smoke from their lungs! And another set were on radios talking; they were shouting and calling out names! To see if they could correspond with them! The whole atmosphere was a very sad one to behold!

The crane showed up at last! Everyone was clearing the way so it could get through and find a spot closest to the window where the person was flagging for help! Once the crane was positioned! Two fire fighters hopped onto it! And then it went straight up into the air! With necks straining backwards to touch their shoulders and eyes squinting as they followed the movement of the crane as it elevated into the air to make its' rescue! And up! Up! Up! Up! Up! It went! Until it was close to the window sill!

One of the fire fighters on the crane signaled to one of the occupants of the building to stand back! As he took up a big axe and plunged it at the widows! Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam!!!!! Making several attempts before breaking it! SSPASH!!!! Splinters were everywhere! And finally when the window was broken! A gush of: "Oooops!!! Wow!!! haaas!!!!! Jesus! Please have mercy on them!" Expelled from the spectators as they watched in harrow!

As some held onto their chest as if they were going to have a heart attack! Others held onto their necks! And some the gruesome effect of what was taking place was in their bellies! And so they held onto their bellies as if they were pondering labor pain!

It was obvious no fire had reached that room as yet! Because when the fire fighter had broken the window no tremendous amount of smoke gushed through the air from that window! And so one by one they climbed through the broken window with the aid of the fire fighters and then onto the crane which lower them to the ground! The crane had to make a total of four trips before it had rescued everybody! And in the last and final trip Betsy came down in the crane! She was black from the smoke! But showed every signs of gratification! By wagging her tale! Licking on everyone whom she came into contact with! And shaking the dust from her fur!

Everyone knew Betsy's owner from the scent she carries and even Betsy knew it too! If Mrs. Zody Bernstein was a mile away! One could know she was coming! Because of the scent of White Diamond permeated the atmosphere! No one had to direct Betsy to where her mistress laid restless from a broken heart! She only needed to follow the scent trial and she would find her! And as Betsy pulled and pulled and licked and like some more! And did the hula-hoop to get her owners' attention; Mrs. Bernstein would never move an inch!

Some had called for the Paramedics to come and assist her! Some had thought she was dead already! However when the Medic team came by, they found a pulse! She was still alive! They revived her! And as soon as Mrs. Bernstein left from sub-consciousness to consciousness and saw Betsy sitting beside her so obediently! Watching every move the paramedics took in resuscitating her! She immediately leaped from the ground and grabbed onto her dog! As she shouted! Ho Betsy! You are alive! You are alive! You are alive! I thought you were cooked and gone to pet haven! While holding onto Betsy ever so tightly!

"You guys please stop hovering over me! You are getting me dizzy and nauseated! Go and assist some other poor old lady or gentleman who needs your assistance! I'm just fine! Leave me alone!" Mrs. Bernstein demanded.

While scrambling to her feet and at the same time, she was holding onto Betsy! The Medics team tried to convince her that she still needed their assistance! But she flatly refused their request! Stating; it was her body and if something was wrong with it! She would be the first to know!

And with her dog and pocket book in hand, Mrs. Bernstein wiggle herself through the crowd that was still standing and guessing if any other persons were still in the building! And so she walked onto one of the streets that were operating with some form of normalcy and flagged a cab! As the taxi pulled up beside her feet, she blurted out! "To the Ritz hotel please! And I'll pay extra for the dog! I'm burned out of my building and that's where we will have to sleep tonight!"

"How much more is extra?"Ask the driver.

"How much more do you want for him?" Mrs. Bernstein flashed back!

"I don't carry dogs in my car unless they are in a tote bag! You know that right! You have to pay me one hundred dollars for him!"

"Well that's what I'll pay; anything for my Betsy!" Mrs. Bernstein exclaimed.

The driver then put his foot to the pedal and he was on his way! While Mrs. Bernstein clutched onto her pocket book and her dog while in the backseat of the cab gazing out the windows!

When taxi pulled up at the Ritz hotel! Mrs. Bernstein got out of the cab! Slam the car door shut! And then attempted to walk towards the entrance of the hotel door! Not paying the driver a single cent! He had to call out for her, to come back and pay him his fare!

"Lady, Lady! Lady! Where is my fare? You just walk away and haven't said a word to me! What you think? This is a free for all car-ride!" The driver blurted out in his Indian accent!

She had forgotten all about paying the driver his fare! She was so shocked when he had called out to her! Still holding onto Betsy and her purse in one arm! She held her chest while asking, "What do you need? Have I forgotten something?"

"Yes Madam, I need my fare!"The driver shouted.

"Pardon me Mister! Pardon me please! I didn't realize I haven't paid you!"

Ms. Bernstein went into her purse and took out an hundred dollar bill and gave it to the driver and told him to keep the change! As she walked to the entrance of the hotel door!

All the tellers at the desk stood on their feet to greet her when they saw her coming through the door. Good evening they all said to her and she responded with the same courtesy to them, as she had gotten closer to the front desk of the hotel lobby. They all knew who she was and had great respect and admiration for her

"May I please have the key to my room, if it is still available and if it is not; let me have a reserved room, so I can rest my head tonight!"

"Mrs. Bernstein you will have to take one of the reserve rooms; because someone had rented your room this afternoon." Explain one of the tellers to her.

"Ok then let me have the keys please! I'm dead tired and hungry!"

The teller went to the key rock where the share holders had their keys and handed her the key for one of the reserved rooms. Mrs. Bernstein took the keys, got on the elevator and went up to her room! As she stepped inside the room! She ran the bath and order room service for herself and Betsy! She then put some of the hotel shampoo into the tub; causing it to foam all sorts of bubbles! She then lift up Betsy and placed her into the tub full of bubbles! Immediately the water became jet black! From all the smoke and dusk Betsy had encountered from the sight of the fire in the apartment building! Mrs. Bernstein had to run two other sets of bath water in the tub and rinse off Betsy until her coat came back to its full luster, color and fluffiness!

After Mrs. Bernstein had completed giving Betsy her bath! She folded her into a towel and placed her on the bed! She then crawled into the bed beside Betsy and they both fell asleep on the massive luxurious mattress! With its three - thousand thread sheets! It wasn't until there was a knock on the door and Betsy alerted her owner that someone was at the door that Mrs. Bernstein got up and went to the door to open it!

The waiter pushed the trolley food cart into the room! With all the food on it and under it! He then told Mrs. Bernstein goodnight! He then left the room, wishing her a pleasant nights rest! She still had sleep in her eyes! But no matter how tired she was, she had to feed her pet! Mrs. Bernstein pulled the food off the bottom of the cart onto the floor and said to Betsy who was anxiously wagging her tail,

"This is yours doll!"

Betsy chow down her food in seconds! She then went to the water bowl and took several slaps! And then hopped into bed and curled-up beside her owner! The both of them fell asleep until it was broad daylight and the warm sun had begun peeping through the window-drapes!

There were a lot of calls to be made! But Mrs. Bernstein didn't have to make much! Because it was all over the news about the ferocious fire that had gutted and consumed an apartment building and how very little had been saved! So when Mrs. Bernstein attorney had learnt it was her building! He called the hotel right away! To see if she was there and to enquired if he needed to get another permanent place for her to stay immediately!

Mrs. Bernstein told him, he should find some place for her to live! But she wasn't in any rush to do so right away! However, what he needed to do for her right away! Was to call her insurance company and report to them that her apartment building was on fire! And ask them, when will they; be sending a claimer to make an assessment of the damages and losses? So she could be reimbursed for the assets she had lost during the fire! After all! She had the most shares in the Ritz hotel! Therefore she was the boss! She was the one calling the shots!

It was late in the afternoon before Mrs. Bernstein got out of bed and showered! Because she was still feeling a bit depressed! But she was extremely glad when Betsy had found her! Laid up beside some car unconscious and broken hearted! She had whatever food was on the hotel tray from the following night before and then headed for the shower! When she was done showering she robe herself into one of the hotels half-white, fluffy robes until her friends had arrive to see her!

All Mrs. Bernstein friends knew where to find her if something like this should have ever happened to her! They had discussed it several times before and now it had become a reality! Some brought something sweet to eat! So as to cheer her up! And some brought clothes and make-up! And others brought her shoes and her signature scent! White diamond perfume! They all pitched in with what they thought she needed! Making it much more, easier for her to cope with what had taken place! Some of her fine designer clothes, hand-bags, shoes, purse, jewelry and even wigs! Could have been destroyed in the fire! And if they weren't totally destroyed! They could be damaged badly and were unable to use again! Some of her very expensive jewelry were kept same place in the hotel safe!

The clique of seniors went out shopping! Window shopping and eating! So as to get their friend mind off what had happened! The freight in her eyes was still obvious! Although she was a 'though cookie'! She questioned what if she was in the building? Could she have gotten burned or killed? Would she be one of the persons saved? Could she have put herself to gather, make the right decision and climb up to the fifth or sixth floor to be in the number of those who were rescued? And her assumption was a negative one! One of her friend joked!

"Betsy did so could you!"

"Betsy has four legs and I only have two!" Mrs. Bernstein fired back!

The small circle burst out in laughter! As Mrs. Bernstein held onto Betsy and exclaimed!

"You guys are great! But Betsy is the greatest! Because in the nights when you are all gone home, this little lady keeps me insane! She alerts whenever the phone rings! She watches the news with me! She barks when someone is at the door! She gets the news paper for me in the mornings! She even knows how to clean up a spill and take the dirty laundry to the wash room! How can I ever do without her?"

They all chuckle another outburst of laughter! But Mrs. Bernstein was dead serious! When such was realized all smiles had disappeared from their faces! Only leaving a poise look on their faces! Free from any emotions or embarrassment! And as they sat at the corner table in one of the finest restaurants in town! They finished their meals in complete silence! The only being who seem to be having some fun was Betsy! As her owner stroked her while putting nits and bits of food in her mouth!

Mrs. Bernstein didn't mean to be a spoil sport! But she was very fearful about her future! She was fearful of losing Betsy! Fearful of being alone and most of all fearful to be put away! Put away in a home that states that your life is over! And she still felt she had a good amount of energy in her to live her life freely! The fire and the temporary absent of Betsy had caused her to start rethinking about her life situation again! The permanent absent of her husband had caused her to buy Betsy and had her trained to her liking! And she had been an excellent companion to her ever since! But now this outrageous fire had caused her to start wondering! What if something should happen to her and Betsy! And Betsy more so than her! What would she do! And after they all left the restaurant, they returned to the Ritz hotel and gathered inside Mrs. Bernstein room and kept her company for the rest of the evening until they were exhausted and ready to return to their own homes.

The television in Mrs. Bernstein's room was left on during the night and an important broad cast came over about one Mr. Edgewater wife who was battling cancer for a few years now had died! The Edgewater was very close friends to the Bernstein's! A matter of face Mr. Edgewater was Zody's deceased husband best friend! A relationship they had cherished over the years! He was the owner of a very large chemical company and sometimes did business with Mr. Bernstein who had operated a forensic laboratory for the state!

The following morning after breakfast Mrs. Bernstein decide to go out and get a condolences card for Mr. Edgewater with a message! Expressing to him how sorry she was about his lost! And if he ever needed anything, he could rely on her for such! After writing the note Mrs. Bernstein ordered a courier service to rush it right away for her to the Edgewater's house! She wouldn't be at any of the wake gatherings! But she surely wanted to be at the funeral which would be in three days!

The Friday morning Mrs. Bernstein got out of bed and went to the beauty salon to have her hair and her nails done! She then went shopping for a sexy black dress! Return to the hotel and then gotten herself dress! Called her car service to come and pick her up and take her to the temple where the funeral service would be held! She sat up close to where the family was seated, because she was a very close friend- almost like family! When the service was over Mrs. Bernstein car took her to the burial ground and saw to it that her husbands' best friend wife was laid to rest! When everyone was leaving the funeral ground Mrs. Bernstein walked over to where Mr. Edgewater was standing and invited him over to the Ritz hotel and handed him a card with her private line. At the same time hugging him ever so warmly and patting his face ever so gentle with her perfect manicure hands! Letting him know how sorry she really was about his lost!

Three months had gone by and Mrs. Bernstein hadn't heard a word from Mr. Edgewater, her husband best friend! So she decided to visit his residence after calling him several times and had gotten no response! When the taxi pulled up at the Edgewater residence; all the doors and windows were locked! There were no signs of live anywhere around the house! Mrs. Bernstein peeped through the windows and noticed the furniture were still in place and uncovered. She then returned to the front of the house and with a double take, she notice there was a note hanging on the door lap-sided! As if the paste had some-how deteriorated from the paper! She was unable to read fully what was written on the note, but she could only recognize the word vacation and Sunday! Anyway she had brought some flowers, a bottle of expensive wine and a pack of Delafee chocolate, as a gift for Mr. Edgewater! Something to cheer him up if he ever needed it! So she carefully placed flowers and the chocolate in a plastic bag and stuck them between the rails of the storm door and placed the bottle of wine on the floor near the shrubs, so as not to make it too visible for anyone passing by.

The driver of her car service was still parked at the gate waiting for her! With signs of live absent! She hopped back into the car and asked him to take her back home! And so he complied with her request.

It was Sunday morning and Mrs. Bernstein and Betsy were relaxing in her hotel room nibbling on appetizers and listening to some soft classical music! As the wonderful memories she shared with her late husband replayed through her mind over and over again! Some causing her to smile while others caused her to shed a little tear! And just as she was about to burst out into a states of emotional lamentation! As thou she was eating raw onions! Her private telephone rang!

Mrs. Bernstein hurriedly dried the tears from her eyes, cleared her throat, regained her composure and went to answer the telephone.

"Hello, good-morning, this is Mrs. Bernstein speaking! How may I help you?"

"Good morning Zody! It's Matthew! Matthew Edgewater speaking! Thank you for the flowers and the chocolates! That was very sweet of you to have come by! I noticed you had called several times also! But I was away in Israel! I have just gotten back! I needed to get away for a while to ease some of the pain! And also visit my wife's relative! I brought them back some pictures so they could have something to remember her by! She is such a great lost to the family!" Mr. Edgewater explained.

"So how are you doing? I heard about your building been burnt almost to the ground!" Mr. Edgewater continued.

"Yes Matthew I did call! I'm doing fine except for the lonely moments like now! I have no one to share anything with anymore! Anyway I was wondering what was wrong when I didn't hear you return any of my calls! Well now that you are back in town, when can we meet for lunch or dinner?" Zody responded!

Not leaving any room or time for procrastination! She knew there would be other lonely women who would be after him very soon!

"Zody, how about Wednesday! Wednesday in the afternoon! Matthew tried to confirm!

Zody! It would be my pleasure to have lunch or dinner with you!" Matthew Edgewater replied.

"Ok we will meet at noon in the hotel lobby! Alright I'll see you then Matthew! Bye!" Zody stated.

"Bye Zody! See you then, take care!"Mr. Edgewater replied.

The both of them were in the same boat and Mrs. Bernstein had something up her sleeves! She wanted to encourage a relationship with Matthew! Although she wasn't sure if this would be the ideal time for this proposal! However she needed to try! Matthew was still fairly an attractive man and so was she! But she refused to go out with anyone who she had considered beneath her husband! And now that Matthew's darling was dead and in the ground! He would be the perfect one for her to make her proposition to! The only dilemma was! Would he accept her the way she wanted him to!

They both didn't have children! But they both had a lot of money! And now the both of their partners were dead and six foot under! So Mrs. Bernstein prim and pamper herself for Wednesday afternoon! She was feeling great and she looked just as good! And although she was a bit older than Matthew, her husband's best friend; she sincerely believed she would be the ideal one for him now! After all she knew him well enough to bed him! Plus there was not much secret between them either!

And when Wednesday afternoon came around! Zody was ready and waiting in the Ritz hotel lobby room for her date!

Matthew Edgewater opened the lobby door and walked over to where Zody was sitting! She was looking through a magazine, so she hadn't seen him coming through the door. But he knew it was her from her shoes and her white diamond perfume! One could smell the aroma of her perfume as one opened the hotel lobby entrance door! And so he gentle bent over her and pecked her on the cheeks!

When Mrs. Bernstein saw that it was Matthew; she smiled at him and put her hands over his! As he assisted her from her chair and they both walked to the door and eventually to the car that was waiting for them both on the streets!

They were out for the rest of the afternoon eating! Visiting museums! Window shopping! Wine tasting! Looking at and trying all sorts of stuff! They both had felt young again! And they enjoyed each others' company immensely! And although Zody was a bit older than Matthew she was looking much, much younger than he was! It was in her genes furthermore she took real good care of herself! She was one to use the best moisturizers for her skin which she used generously both day and nights!

And as time went by! Days like this had become constant for Zody and Matthew! They were inseparable! The both of them were everywhere almost every single day! They had now become each others' confidant! Friends! And lovers for the past three months!

It was beautiful spring Saturday morning! When the air was crispy fresh! And birds were twitting and chirping all over the atmosphere! There were butterflies in an array of colors, loosely flapping their tiny wings all around the surrounding areas! As if the gods had given them a message to deliver to earth! And so Zody Bernstein and Matthew Edgewater tied the knot that beautiful spring day and became one! In a beautiful church ceremony! With all the bells and the whistles anyone could think off! And all the decorative wedding motifs money could buy! And so were all their friends and whatever relatives they still had existing! They had now officially become husband and wife! And so Mrs. Zody Bernstein's dreams had come through for her! She wasn't alone any longer! Wishing and hoping that her husband was still here!

It took couple of months before Matthew Edgewater sold his previous house that he had shared with his deceased wife! However, they both bought themselves a luxurious condominium with a limited amount of maintenance, with the aid of Zody's attorney, Christopher Ludlow.

Now they often joked about their decease spouses tying the knot in heaven and will be watching over them! And so Mrs. Zody Edgewater and Matthew Edgewater lived blissfully ever after with their companion Betsy!