Treading Water–Part 4
By Nancy F. Thysell (the Nifty Lady)
* * * * * * * * E! * * * * * * * * *
The next few weeks flew by. Annie Martin ferried her daughter Chris back and forth to her physical therapy and other doctor’s appointments. Chris was able to return to work part-time and she was gaining the ability to walk again with the use of her crutch. She and Johnny would occasionally double date with Van Kessler and his girl friend Shelly Porter. Other times would find them at the DeSoto’s. In the meantime, Chris and her mother would plan for the wedding. As Chris’ mother prepared to return to Kansas, they decided it was time to set the date.
"What do you think, Mom?" Chris asked from the dining table where she had mounds of papers spread. Johnny sat beside her feeling a bit overwhelmed.
"I’m sure whatever you and Johnny decide will be fine, honey," she said warmly but expertly stayed out of it.
"Johnny?" Chris asked uncertainly.
"Well, sweetie, I’m sure the day after Thanksgiving would be fine. All your family would be coming into town anyway, right?"
"Yes. But would we be able to make all the connections to get back here?"
Johnny rubbed his chin and looked at all the notes they had made concerning flight schedules, booking the church and all. He sighed. Maybe they should just elope?
"Uh, I think so," he answered distractedly. Chris pushed his arm with her hand.
"Oh you! Come on, I need your help here!" she scolded him.
"Well, let’s see. We can fly to Kansas on Wednesday. Have Thanksgiving with all your family on Thursday. Get married on Friday and after the reception we head for the airport. We should be back here in the wee hours of Saturday morning," Johnny stated matter-of-factly, trying not to grin too broadly.
"Then Saturday, we’ll have the ring ceremony with everyone here," Chris finished.
"Right! Then it’s off to our honeymoon!" Now Johnny was really grinning.
"You’re still not going to tell me where we’re going, are you?"
"Nope! I figure something about this wedding needed to be a secret!" he teased.
"Okay then. That’s it. Mom, if you’ll get me your list so I know how many invitations to order, I think everything is all set!" Chris leaned back in her chair finally relaxing. She looked over at Johnny and sighed. "I’m glad that’s over."
Johnny waggled his eyebrows at her. "Me too! You wanna go for a ride?" he asked suggestively. Chris wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Hmm. What do you have in mind?" she purred.
Johnny glanced at the kitchen and then back into Chris’ eyes. "Oh, I just thought maybe we could...uh...watch the moon rise over the ocean?"
Chris smiled. "Sure. I don’t think Mom will mind."
They got up from the table and went into the kitchen.
"Mom, Johnny and I are going out for a spell. Is that okay with you?"
Annie turned from the dishes she was washing to look at the love struck couple. She had a pretty good idea why they were leaving.
"Now, Chris, you and Johnny can do whatever you want. You don’t need my permission."
Chris hugged her mother. "I know but I guess old habits die hard. We’ll be back in a couple of hours."
‘I’ll be here. You two have fun. But..." as she hesitated for emphasis, "not too much fun."
"Yes ma’am," Johnny promised and they headed out the door.
The beach was only a few blocks from Chris’ bungalow and Johnny steered the Rover into the parking lot. Dusk was settling in and the warmth of the September evening caressed them. There were only a couple of cars left in the lot. He chose a space close to the sandy beach where they could see the surf as it crashed into the shore. He killed the ignition but turned the key to keep the radio playing. Then he pulled Chris into his arms and kissed her. Chris felt herself melt into his arms. Over the months, during these stolen moments the petting had become more intimate. Chris relished in Johnny’s touch and found herself wanting more. But they had both agreed not to go "too far" and wait for the wedding. Johnny was finding it harder to restrain himself and was beginning to wonder if he’d be able to keep that promise. He wanted her so much and cold showers were really losing their charm.
When they sat up, sometime later, they found that all the windows steamed up. Chris giggled.
"What?" Johnny asked.
"I guess we’re hotter than we thought," she responded. Johnny gazed into her eyes. Those blue eyes of hers, he loved looking in them.
"Have I told you lately I love you?" he asked softly.
Chris brushed the hair from his forehead, "Only all the time."
Johnny smiled and pulled her close. He loved how she felt against him. He caressed her with his hands, exploring freely. Chris murmured with delight. "If only she knew what she was missing," Johnny thought. "And I can’t wait to teach her."
The radio announced the time and reluctantly Johnny released her.
"I’ve got to work tomorrow so I guess I’d better you get you home," he conceded.
Chris sighed. "I guess you’d better. Mom leaves in two days. Then I’ll be on my own."
"You’ve been doing so well. You’ll do great," he told her confidently.
"I hope so. It’s going to seem strange living by myself again. There’s one good thing though," she said.
"Oh and what’s that?" Johnny asked as he turned on the ignition and the defroster.
Chris giggled. "We won’t have to come out here to ‘not’ watch the moon rise."
Johnny chuckled in response and leaned over and kissed her lightly on the lips. "You’d better straighten your clothes before we get home," he warned.
Chris glanced down at the disarray Johnny had made of her clothing and began to restore order.
"How’s my hair?" she asked him as she searched in her purse for a brush.
"Definitely needs a brushing," he responded. Chris found her brush and pulled it through her short hair. Soon everything was back in its appropriate place and Johnny drove into her back yard and parked. He escorted her to the door and pulled her into his arms for one last embrace before he left for home.
"Nighty night, sweetie. I love you," he murmured.
"I love you too. Good night honey," Chris whispered, reluctant to see him leave. Finally, Johnny forced himself to pull back. One more quick kiss and a touch of his hand on her cheek and he returned to the Rover and headed for home.
Chris made her way inside and locked the door. The house was dark and she could hear the soft snoring of her mother’s breathing as she slept in the living room. Making her way as quietly as she could, Chris went to her bedroom. She closed the door silently behind her and began to prepare for bed. The warmth of Johnny’s touch stayed with her as she crawled into bed.
For the next few minutes she stared at the shadowy images that played across the ceiling. She hugged herself in an effort to recapture the feel of Johnny’s arms around her. She had to admit to herself that she liked the way he touched her and the way it made her feel. It certainly made her wonder what making love would be like. Am I making a mistake? Maybe I should let Johnny go all the way with me? But, if I did that, I don’t think I could look my parents in the eye. Still, it must be wonderful. I feel like all I want to do is become part of him! Oh, Johnny, do you know what you do to me?
Chris rolled over on her left side and hugged her extra pillow. It was a poor substitute. She closed her eyes hoping sleep would come. She pictured Johnny’s face and could see that lopsided grin of his. She smiled as she cuddled against the pillow. She sighed. Sleep came slowly but she had sweet dreams.
* * * * * * * * E! * * * * * * * * *
It was a beautiful morning one-week later. A lot had happened in the preceding week. Before her mother left for home, they had the wedding dress that Chris was going to wear altered. Her mother took the dress home to Kansas. Plus they decided that Chris really needed more time at home before the wedding so they rearranged the plans so that she would fly out on Saturday and Johnny would still come on Wednesday. Now, Chris slowly opened her eyes and stretched. She threw back the covers and swung her legs over the side of the bed and hobbled to the bathroom. She’d been trying to get by without her crutch for the past few days and felt she was making some progress. Her small bungalow seemed lonely since her mother had returned to Kansas. She checked her watch. It was almost seven. She was going to have to hurry if she was going to make it to work on time.
She had just finished showering and dressing when the phone rang.
"Hello?"
"Hi sweetie," John Gage’s voice caressed her ear.
"Hi honey. What’s up?"
"I just wanted you to know I’ve taken on an overtime shift today. One of the guys on B-Shift called in sick so I’m going to cover for him," Johnny explained.
"Oh. I hope it’s nothing serious."
"I don’t know actually. But, I figure the extra money will come in handy for our honeymoon. I just didn’t want you to worry if you called the house," Johnny told her.
"Well, I’m glad you did. Who’s going to take care of the horses then?"
"My neighbor. I’ve already called him. I really lucked out with him as a neighbor."
"You certainly did. So, will I hear from you later?" Chris asked hopefully.
"You better believe it! What’s on your agenda for today?"
"I’ve got an appointment with Dr. Harris this afternoon at three, so I should be home early. The appointment is late enough that I won’t have to go back to work," she explained.
"Well, if you don’t hear from me before your appointment, I’ll call you at home," Johnny assured her.
"Okay. I’ll look forward to it. You be careful now. Stay safe," she admonished him.
"Don’t worry. I’ll be extra careful. Especially since I’ll be riding the engine instead of the squad," he added.
"The engine? You mean you won’t be a paramedic today?" Chris suddenly felt concerned.
"No, not unless they need me there. But it’ll be fine. Maybe I’ll get to improve my firefighting skills," he laughed lightly.
"Please, be careful," Chris pleaded. "I love you."
"I love you too, sweetie. Look I’ve got to go and I’ve probably made you late. Listen, I want you to take it easy and be careful, too. Okay? Bye-bye."
"Bye honey," Chris whispered as the line went dead. She hung up the phone and checked her watch again. Yes, if she didn’t hurry, she’d be late for work. She grabbed an apple from the refrigerator and headed out the door and into the morning sunlight.
* * * * * * * * E! * * * * * * * * *
For the most part, B-shift had responded to minor emergencies–a dumpster fire, a fender bender, and a kitchen fire. Johnny was relaxing in the day room, waiting for lunch to be served. He was tired from serving over 30 hours. He wondered how Chris was doing with her sessions with Dr. Harris because she rarely talked about them. That bothered him, but he hoped the doctor was helping her. He checked his watch and figured that Chris was probably already on her way to her appointment so he’d have to wait to call her.
A few minutes later found Chris headed down the 405 toward Rampart. She was enjoying the freedom of being able to drive again. She had rolled the windows down in her little red pickup and let the air whip through the cab. She was looking forward to being done with her sessions with Dr. Harris. With everything that had been happening to her in the past couple of years it still felt like she was treading water. Just barely keeping her head above water. And some days it was just too hard to keep going. If it weren’t for Johnny she wondered if she’d manage.
She arrived at the hospital and parked in the visitor’s parking lot. It was only 2:30. She’d have time to slip through the ER and say hi to Dixie, she decided and headed for the ER entrance.
"Hi Dixie!" she called as she approached the base station. Dixie looked up and smiled.
"Well, hi yourself Chris! What brings you to the ER? You’re not hurt are you? Wait a minute! Where’s your crutch?" Dixie asked in surprise. Chris spread her arms and made a slow 360-degree turn.
"Ta da!" Chris declared gleefully. "I wanted you to be one of the first to know!"
"Well, that’s wonderful Chris. You look terrific!" Dixie commented. Just then Dr. Kel Brackett approached them.
"Good afternoon ladies," he greeted. Both of them flashed Kel a brilliant smile.
"Notice anything new?" Chris asked the doctor. Kel stood back and rubbed his chin with one hand as he held his elbow with the other. He looked Chris up and down and shook his head.
"No. Except for looking exceptionally pretty, I don’t have a clue," he admitted. Chris held up both hands.
"Look doc, no hands!" Chris hinted. Brackett stared at her for a moment. Then it dawned on him.
"Chris! You’re not using a crutch!" he finally exclaimed.
Chris smiled ecstatically. "Ain’t it wonderful!"
Kel crossed his arms over his chest and his face twitched slightly as he smiled in agreement, "It certainly is. Congratulations. Dr. Goldberg must be pleased."
"Oh, he is. After all that surgery I was beginning to wonder if I’d ever walk again much less not even use a crutch," Chris responded. She looked at the clock on the wall. "Well, if you two will excuse me, I have a three o’clock appointment upstairs. It was great to see both of you."
"You too, Chris, take care," Dixie called as Chris made her way slowly to the elevator. Once she boarded the car, Dixie turned to Kel.
"That’s quite an improvement, don’t you think?" she asked the doctor. Brackett nodded in agreement.
"Well, I know she’s been working awfully hard in her physical therapy sessions. It’s really good to see her recovering the full use of that leg," he said thoughtfully.
"It really is," Dixie agreed. Just then the alarm sounded from the base station and both nurse and doctor went into the booth to answer the emergency call.
* * * * * * * * E! * * * * * * * * *
Chris tried to make herself comfortable in the overstuffed chair across from Dr. Barbara Harris. She really dreaded these sessions. She knew they were supposed to help her but she never felt at ease discussing her inner most thoughts.
"So, how is everything going?" Dr. Harris inquired.
"It’s okay. My mother left last week. Sometimes I get scared alone in the house. Hearing noises, you know? I’ve called Johnny a few times but I hate to wake him up. He says he doesn’t mind but, well, I feel like I’m imposing on him. I guess it’s a good thing that he loves me." She laughed lightly and looked over at the doctor.
"Go on," the doctor encouraged.
"Sometimes I still see him...Chandler I mean. I see those small beady eyes of his. I feel his hand touching my arm and I feel my flesh crawl." Chris shuddered. "Why can’t I stop him from invading my mind?"
"Some things take time Chris. Perhaps there’s something that you haven’t resolved in your own mind about what happened."
"Like what?" Chris wondered.
"I don’t know Chris. You own that. How’s the journal coming?"
Chris shrugged her shoulders. "I write when I can. Some days I feel like I’m making some progress. Other days it’s just a chore. You know, Dr. Harris, there are times I feel like I’m drowning. Everything is just too much. But I’m out there. I’m treading water but I’m not getting anywhere."
"Are you keeping your head above water?" the doctor asked her patient.
"Yeah. I guess."
"You haven’t drowned have you?"
Chris smiled a little. "No, I guess I haven’t." She paused and looked out the window and sighed. "I guess I have to just keep treading, huh?"
Dr. Harris smiled. "You’ll know when to stop."
* * * * * * * * E! * * * * * * * * *
At Station 51 the klaxons sounded at 1604.
"Station 51. Structure fire. 1474 Lincoln Avenue. One four seven four Lincoln Avenue. Cross street Carson Drive. Time out 1604," Sam Lanier’s voice called over the intercom.
The engine crew and paramedics hurried to the rigs. Johnny had to resist the urge to jump into the squad as he made his way to the engine. He climbed into the jump seat and donned his turnout and helmet, sitting back as the engine pulled out behind the squad. Even after all these years, he still loved the adrenaline rush of responding to the call–the scream of the sirens and the dash through the traffic. Then of course there was the fire. It was hard to describe how he felt when he faced the beast. The work would be hot and dirty but when they gained the upper hand, man, the control, the power, it felt so good. So satisfying. He grinned in spite of himself.
The two emergency vehicles pulled up in front of the three-story building. Thick smoke seeped through the upper windows. Captain Bob Landry stepped down from the rig and began his assessment. The building’s manager hurried up to his side and tugged at the captain’s turnout. He looked down at the man who seemed smaller than his 5-foot 8-inch height.
"Please, sir, I don’t think all of the people got out," he said in a whiny voice.
"What do we have here? How many people?" the captain demanded.
"It’s all office space. Different companies maybe twenty different kinds. I don’t know if all the offices were occupied today or not. I have accounted for everyone on the first floor," he informed the captain.
"What’s your name sir?" Landry inquired.
"Harold Simmons," the man replied. He turned and pointed to the parking lot across the street. "I’ve been trying to round up all the tenants over there."
"Is anyone injured?"
"No sir. Not anyone over there. A few of the ladies are pretty upset though."
"Thank you. Would you mind waiting over there with them in case I need to find you in a hurry?" the captain requested. Mr. Simmons nodded.
"Good. Thank you. He called over his two paramedics. "Rob, you and Dan are going to have to make a sweep of the upper floors. Mr. Simmons says the first floor is clear. He’s not sure if there is anyone in there or not. Gage you back up Davis. Take an inch and half and cover the paramedics. Make it quick and be careful."
As his men headed off to their assignments, the captain placed his handi-talkie to his lips. "LA. This is Engine 51. Respond a second alarm to this incident."
Johnny and Jim Davis hauled the inch and half into the building and once the line was charged, began working the spray against the fire. Rob Joyner and Dan Evans made their way around the firefighters and proceeded up the stairs under the protective stream of water. Johnny steadied Jim Davis has they advanced against the fire. The water pressure in the hose fought against their grips but they maintained the control and worked at putting out the flame. The firefighters from Station 36 soon joined the battle. Johnny watched as one of the paramedics made his way down the stairs with a victim. He didn’t see anyone behind him. He motioned to Davis and yelled over his mask.
"Jim, I’m going to see where the other paramedic is. Can you handle this?" he asked. Jim nodded and Johnny headed up the stairs. The heat was oppressive and from what he could see the roof and the floor were becoming unstable. He moved cautiously down the hall and thought he saw movement. He strained to see and saw the Paramedics decal on a helmet move before him. He moved forward. It was Rob and he was struggling with a victim that must have weighed over 300 pounds.
"Rob!" he yelled through his mask as he reached out to grab Rob’s shoulder. Rob looked up, grateful for the help. "We need to get out of here. It’s getting unstable!"
"I know," Rob yelled back. "This guy is all dead weight. Can you grab his other arm?"
"You got it," Johnny assured him as he took his position on the opposite side of the unconscious victim. "Let’s get out of here."
"Let’s go," Rob agreed. They started back down the hall toward the stairs. But the beast had other plans as it groaned and pulled the structure apart. Suddenly both paramedics felt the floor buckle, then part beneath their feet, plunging the three men into the darkness below as the roof fell from above.
* * * * * * * * E! * * * * * * * * *
Chris slowly made her way back downstairs after her appointment with Dr. Harris. She was beginning to regret that she'd made this trek without the help of her crutch. Her leg ached from the strain and the extra support would have been nice. She got off the elevator on the Emergency Room floor. Chris spotted an empty chair sitting off to the side as she emerged. She made her way to the chair and eased herself onto it. It was good to be off her leg for a moment. She leaned back and closed her eyes to rest a moment. Once she was refreshed, she opened her eyes and took in the activity of the ER. She noted that there seemed to be an unusual amount of activity in the base station booth. Both Brackett and Dixie were in there obviously dealing with an incoming victim. Chris thought their faces were unusually apprehensive.
Chris decided that maybe she'd just wait to see what was going on. Her leg was tired anyway. Dixie hurried out of the booth and headed for one of the treatment rooms. She spied Chris sitting down the hall and wondered for a split second if she knew what was going on but she dismissed that thought. If Chris knew what was happening, Dixie was certain she'd be trying to find out more details. She gave Chris a weak smile as they made eye contact but she didn't have time to talk. She had to ready the treatment room for the incoming patient. The head nurse vanished into the treatment room.
After watching Dixie hurry down the hall, Chris had a gnawing feeling that something wasn't right. She gripped the edges of the plastic chair with her hands as a wave of anxiety washed over her. Fear made her numb, afraid to know the truth.
* * * * * * * * E! * * * * * * * * *
Back at the fire scene, the crews of firemen stood back stunned as the building imploded on itself. It had only taken a few moments. The roar was almost deafening. As soon as it was evident that it was over, the firefighters resumed their attack. Word had spread quickly that possibly four to six men were trapped in the rubble.
Captain Landry steeled himself for the task at hand. Half of the men missing were from his crew. The rest were from Engine 36. And who knew how many victims there might be. Dan Evans had pulled one man out and thought his partner had found another. The first victim was not breathing by the time they reached the outside but quick application of CPR and rescue breathing brought him back. Feeling somewhat helpless about his partner, Dan contacted Rampart with the victim's vitals and EKG. He overheard the captain request an additional squad and ambulance. For that he was grateful, he just hoped it wouldn't be for his partner. He looked over at the nearly collapsed building and wondered if any of the men inside could have survived. The first ambulance arrived and the captain ordered him to go in with the victim. He left reluctantly praying that no one else would need emergency care.
Deep within the bowels of the building, Gage, Joyner and their victim lay in a heap beneath a mountain of debris. Johnny could hear the ringing of the warning bell on Rob's SCBA. He knew his would sound shortly. He found he was lying face down. Miraculously his helmet was still on his head. He tried to assess himself to determine what if any injuries he had sustained. He could move his right foot and leg but there was a numbing pressure on his left thigh making any other movement impossible. He could move his arms and hands. He felt something soft beneath his chest and realized it was their victim's arm. He shifted until he found the man's wrist and felt for a pulse. He couldn't find one. Johnny sighed in frustration. They had been so close to getting him out of the building. He figured that Rob had to be just on the other side of the victim but that in darkness, but Johnny couldn't see him.
"Rob!" he hollered. "Can you hear me?"
Silence was his only response. Water dripped from above. Johnny didn't even know if the fire was out but he knew the crews would be searching for them as soon as they could. He hoped it would be soon as the alarm bell sounded in his tank.
* * * * * * * * E! * * * * * * * * *
Curiosity was getting the better of her, so Chris made her way to the base station using the wall for support. Dr. Brackett seemed almost glued to the floor in the booth. Chris thought the level of activity in the ER had increased. Something big must have happened. She tried to press herself against the wall to stay out of the way so that she might learn more. A nurse she didn’t know opened the door to the booth for instructions.
"Carol. The fire department just informed me we may have four to six victims still buried in the collapse of a structure. I’m sending Dr. Morton and a nurse to the scene to triage. I want you to call in the reinforcements and get the extra personnel we need STAT. Until they start recovery, we don’t know what we have. Dixie’s preparing treatment four for the one victim they pulled out before the collapse. He was in cardiac arrest. He should be here any time now," Brackett rapidly informed her. Carol made a few notes on the clipboard she held.
"I"ll take care of that right away doctor," she acknowledged and left the booth. Chris saw Dr. Brackett pound his fist against the counter in apparent frustration. It tugged at her heart and made her wonder even more what had happened. At that moment, Dr. Brackett turned and made eye contact with Chris. He wondered if she had overheard. But then, she didn’t have to worry. B-shift was on today. And Dr. Brackett had already been in contact with all the paramedics on duty and Johnny wasn’t among them. He gave Chris a tight smile before turning away.
* * * * * * * * E! * * * * * * * * *
END OF PART 4--CONTINUED IN PART 5
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