Fireproof by Alex Kendrick

Those were her very own words.
    AT 7:42 A.M. Caleb was heading out for another shift at the fire station. From the hallway, he heard Catherine pour herself a mug of coffee over the sink, then turn away as he entered. She was in a bathrobe, hair already done and makeup on. She’d be going to the hospital soon, and maybe she could do him a favor on the way.
    He dropped his gym bag and a dirty uniform shirt on the bar. He pulled on his captain’s jacket, hurrying, trying not to give her time to think before he presented his request—just two people, nothing more than roommates, taking care of business.
    â€œDo you have time to take this to the dry cleaner’s today?” he said.
    Catherine’s reply was sharp and immediate. “You’d think, after two days off, you would’ve already taken care of that.” She didn’t even turn to look at him.
    Caleb propped both hands on the counter, ready to go at it. Ready to tell her exactly what he thought of her attitude.
    â€œSay nothing negative . . .”
    In bed this morning, he’d decided this would be Day One, yet here he was, wanting to take that back already. Maybe he could start tomorrow, after giving her a piece of his mind.
    â€œSay nothing . . .”
    Okay, he could do this.
    Caleb gripped the counter, rolled his neck, and held back the torrent of words that flooded his mind. At last, he shot an exasperated look at his wife’s back, stuffed his shirt back into his bag, and stormed out the front door as she stirred sweetener into her drink.
    Off to a great start.

CHAPTER 15
    I n the station, Caleb found five guys gathered at the meeting room table. They had open books, sheets of paper, and sharpened pencils. It was like elementary school all over again, except this was life-and-death knowledge at their fingertips.
    Eric was saying, “If nobody’s in the house, you pull cover lines to protect the houses on either side, then attack the fire through the front door.”
    â€œNot bad.” Caleb moved to a covered cake dish on the counter. He took off the lid and started cutting himself a slice. “Just be sure to remember that when you’re at a fire.”
    â€œHey, Cap’n,” Terrell said. “What’s the story on that cake?”
    â€œIf you’re not an officer, it’s a dollar a slice.”
    â€œFor real?” Eric said.
    Wayne rolled his eyes. “C’mon, rookie. You can’t fall for everything.”
    Caleb held up a coin. “Terrell, you tell me which hand the coin is in, and you can have as much cake as you want.”
    Terrell stood and studied his captain. Caleb feigned to move the object from his left hand to the right, while both remained closed. He shrugged, waiting for a decision.
    â€œIt’s in the other hand,” Terrell said.
    â€œWhich one is that? Left or right?”
    â€œLeft, okay. You never pick the obvious choice.”
    Caleb opened his left hand and showed that it was empty.
    â€œIt was in the right hand?” Terrell whined. “Aww, man, I knew that.”
    Caleb revealed that his other hand was empty as well.
    â€œHe gotcha.”Wayne pointed a finger. “Terrell, you think you’re so slick.”
    The others joined in the laughter.
    Caleb walked over to Terrell, dropped the coin in his lap, and said, “Well, you can’t figure out everything. But the cake’s on me.”
    Terrell’s frown didn’t keep him from going to collect his consolation prize. “You know,” he said, “everything can be explained. Gimme time, and I’ll figure out how you did it.”
    Wayne reached into his own pocket for a coin. “I got a magic trick.”
    â€œMan,”Terrell said, “any trick you do can be figured out in five seconds.”
    â€œYou don’t think I can stump you?”
    â€œAin’t nothing you can do,Wayne, that would impress me.”
    â€œNothing?”
    The black