School Days
By
Joanne DeSoto parked her station wagon beside a blue Chevy Nova and put some change into the parking meter. Looking at the amount of time it gave her, she decided an hour would be more than enough, unless of course the flight had been delayed. Walking into the airport and making her way to the arrival terminal, she looked at the small television screen and read that United Airlines flight #7025 from Sacramento was going to be arriving at ten twenty-five, ten minutes behind schedule.
Sighing, she looked at her watch and decided to go get herself a cup of coffee. Having arrived ten minutes early now meant she had twenty minutes still to wait. Purchasing her coffee, she continued on to the cigar shop and bought the latest addition of Cosmopolitan magazine, then newest one to feature Cheryl Tiegs on the front cover. Finding a small table tucked away in a well lit corner and sitting down in a plastic orange chair, she spent the next twenty minutes flipping through the magazine, stopping briefly at an article on how to liven up your sex life, before moving on. Glancing at her watch once again, she stood, threw her Styrofoam cup into the garbage and made her way back to gate sixteen.
Watching an assortment of people walking down the gateway, Joanne smiled when she noticed a young woman come dashing down the platform, standing about five feet two inches and weighing all of one hundred and ten pounds. Her round face was accentuated with curly sandy brown hair hanging softly just below her shoulders. Anyone looking at her for the first time would immediately notice her beautiful crystal blue eyes.
Joanne however, become aware of how much older the young woman looked than the last time she'd seen her. Gone were the pigtails, braces, and little girl features of youth. They were replaced with the more mature contours of a woman. Instead of the child Joanne had been expecting came a young woman with a warm smile and bright sparkling eyes stood looking around the room. The woman noticed Joanne standing near the gate and dropping here bags came running towards her with arms outstretched, “Joanne!” She flew into Joanne's arms, nearly knocking over the older woman.
Wrapping her arms around the younger sister, Joanne replied with a simple, “Julie, it's great to see you!”
“Yeah, this is going to be great!” Julie Pierce let her arms fall to her side, walking back to where she had abandoned her bags. Picking them up, she continued, “I can't believe I'm here! I've been looking forward to this all summer!”
Joanne reached down to take one of the bags from her sister's hand. “Roy and I were thrilled when you called to tell us you'd been accepted at UCLA.”
“My brother-in-law thrilled? This I've gotta see!” Julie laughed; trying hard to imagine the normally subdued Roy DeSoto animated.
“Well, as thrilled as he can be,” Joanne joined her sister's laughter.
“So, where are the kids? I take it Roy 's working?”
“Yeah, he'll be home sometime early tomorrow mornin'.”
“I can't wait to see Chris and Jen! I imagine they've grown quite a bit since I last saw them.”
“What has it been five years now?” Joanne asked, trying to remember the last time she and Roy had gone back home for a visit. All she could seem to remember was that it had been sometime around Christmas.
“Yep, five years. Boy, can you believe it? We haven't seen each other in five years?” Julie said, her disbelief evident in her voice.
“Chris was eight and Jen six.” Joanne smiled, realizing how much her children, as well as her sister, had grown in those short five years.
“Like I said, I can't wait.”
“You won't have to wait long, the kids get off the school bus around three-thirty, and they're just as excited about seeing you as you are to see them.” Jo smiled.
Reaching her station wagon, the older sister unlocked the back door and she and Julie placed the two suitcases and on handbag into the trunk, before getting behind the steering wheel. “Have you heard anything about your dorm room?” Joanne asked, pulling the vehicle into the busy departing airport traffic.
“Unfortunately, it won't be ready ‘til Monday. Looks like you'll have to put up with me for four of five days, hope you don't mind?” Julie grinned tentatively.
“Of course not, I'm going to enjoy catching up before you abandon us for your college antics. Besides, Roy 'll probably end up studying during his days off. His re-certification is coming up, so it'll be nice to have some adult company.”
~~51~~
The following days were a whirlwind of activity at the DeSoto home between Chris' basketball practices and games, Jennifer's gymnastics workouts, Roy 's work schedule and his studying, and making room for Julie to spend the next few days with them, Joanne was kept extremely but pleasantly busy.
After a few short days in her new city , Julie quickly learned that travel in and around Los Angeles wasn't going to be easy. The bus system wasn't well planned and left a lot to be desired. She knew she'd be much better off living on campus despite Joanne and Roy's insistence that she was more the welcome to live with them. She did however come to realize that she would probably be spending a great deal of her free hours at the home of her sister and her family.
She was however anxiously awaiting the freedom of finally living on her own would afford her and couldn't wait to move into her dorm room. The rest of her belongings would be arriving on Sunday afternoon by bus and Joanne had promised to help her move into her dorm room on Monday. Giving her just one day to settle in before classes began. She was so looking forward to starting her adult life, making new friends and sharing more adult-like experiences with them. Having grown up on a farm, she wasn't what anyone would call worldly. Living in a big city did frighten her somewhat, but she knew if Joanne had been able to adjust, then so could she.
The following Tuesday morning all heads looked up as paramedic, Roy DeSoto, entered the room for the A-shift's current shift. “Mornin',” he said, while taking sharp strides towards the kitchen stove to get himself a cup of coffee.
The other members of the crew acknowledged him with assorted mumbles of a good morning.
“Why are you looking so tired?” he asked his partner, John Gage, as he took a seat beside the weary eyed man.
Johnny rubbed his tired eyes with the balls of his hand before providing his partner with an answer, “I worked for Mike Peters on C-shift yesterday.”
“Got a lot of calls I take it.”
“Yesterday was okay, but last night was nuts.”
“Why, what happened?” Chet Kelly asked before Roy had a chance.
“Every single call we got was to the University. The college kids are back in town!” Johnny moaned.
Marco, who was sitting across from Johnny, snickered, realizing the crazy, strange, frantic, and sometimes weird calls his comrade, had probably responded to during the previous evening. Every September, the college kids descended upon Los Angeles and it usually meant the paramedics who worked in the collage campus' district were kept busy for the first few weeks.
The calls would usually run the spectrum from severe to mundane; everything from drug overdoses to kids being locked or trapped in closets, and everything in between. The paramedics would often complain upon a return from the more mundane calls. Johnny would usually get all worked up and they'd all have to listen to him rant about what a waste the call had been.
His main complaint was usually a valid one. While he and Roy were busy taking a door off its hinges to let some eighteen or nineteen-year –old kid out from a locked closet, someone else within their jurisdiction could be suffering from a life threatening illness or accident.
Turning to Marco, Johnny sneered, “It's only funny because you weren't there.”
“Thank heaven for small miracles,” Marco retorted.
“Man, college kids are dense. You'd think these people would be smart, after all, they're educating themselves right?”
“Well, John, for a lot of these kids, it's their first time away from home. They finally have the freedom they've been craving while still living at home, so the like to…well…experiment,” Captain Stanley explained, raising his eyebrows over his newspaper as he reached for his cup of coffee.
“Whatever it is, they need to think before doing,” Johnny admonished shaking his head.
“Speaking of college kids,” Roy piped up, “Joanne's sister arrived on Thursday.”
“Really? You never mentioned it?” Johnny questioned. His partner's only response to Johnny was a brisk shrug of his shoulders.
“What's she taking?” Mike Stoker acknowledged Roy for the first time that morning.
“Environmental Studies.”
“Interesting. How old is she?” Marco asked, while reaching for one of the donuts sitting on a plate in the middle of the table.
“Nineteen, she'll be twenty in November.”
“She gonna' live with you?” Chet asked.
“No, we told her she could, but she's opted to live on campus.”
“Oh brother,” Johnny groaned.
Just then, the klaxon's sounded, bringing an end to the discussion of Roy 's younger sister-in-law and sending Station 51 to the back lot of Universal television studios.
Pulling the rig up behind the squad, Mike Stoker killed the siren and jumped out, racing around to the front of the engine, waiting instructions from his captain. Looking around, he noticed most of the people standing about were pointing and looking into the air towards a crane standing nearby, shielding his eyes with his hand he looked upward and spotted a man dangling from the cranes appendage. He knew the paramedic team would soon be climbing up to rescue the man, so he made his over to the squad to help his shift mates unload their need supplies.
Hank came over waving for Marco and Chet to join him. He started to fill his crew in on the situation. “Okay guys, seems the gentleman on the crane was going to make it rain. His job is to hold the hose over the actors while they're walking along the street, giving the affect of rain. He slipped and fell, and hasn't responded to any of the film crew's queries. Roy, John, get up there and assess the situation.”
The paramedics started over to the crane as they heard their captain start giving orders to the others. After climbing the tall apparatus, evaluating the condition of the unconscious man, they loaded him into a stokes and with the help of Marco and Chet, they lowered him to the ground. With their patient safely on land, the team soon followed.
The injured man was lying on the ground and being administered to by Roy, while Johnny spoke to Rampart, who Hank had hooked up on the biophone while his paramedics had climbing down from the crane. The ambulance had arrived and while the paramedics helped load their victim into it, Marco, Chet, and Mike put away the supplies that belonged in the squad. Meanwhile, Captain Stanley was talking with the producer of the television series being filmed, informing him of which hospital his man would be taken to.
Turning toward his crew, a surge of pride swelled in Hank's chest and a brief smile crosses his lips. It always delighted him to see the efficiency with which his men worked. Bringing the HT to his mouth, he informed the LacoFD headquarters that the engine was available, watching the ambulance and squad race toward Rampart.
The week went by fairly quickly for the A-shift of Station 51. Each shift seemed to have a balanced mixture of calls and down time allowing the guys to catch up on their station chores, as well as providing the paramedics time for studying for their impending exam. Mike Stoker used some of his free time to read up on some new procedures the County would soon be implementing in regards to its engineers.
On Friday evening the men gathered around the television. Most people watching TV that evening were tuned into the latest installment of the Rich Man, Poor Man mini-series, but the guys opted for a baseball game. The Dodgers were playing against the Pirates and both teams were in the hunt for a playoff birth.
By the time ten-thirty rolled around, they couldn't put off their weariness any longer and decided to hit the hay, leaving the Dodgers game with the home team down two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning. The shift had been a physical one with several traffic accidents, a suicide attempt, a child hit by a car, a factory accident, as well as three structural fires, all since eight that morning.
As Roy put his head on his pillow, Chet asked, “You still need me to come over on Sunday, Roy ?”
“If you can make it, that'd be great.”
“Sure, I'll be there.”
Soon, the only sound coming from the dorm room was a blend of soft and loud snores as each man was dreaming of his own little paradise. In what seemed like moments after they had drifted off to sleep, the tones sounded abruptly interrupted the men's slumber. To their surprise and relief, the sound was the morning tones letting the crew know it was time to wake up, meaning there was only and hour left in their shift.
Since Marco was the first to get out of bed, he started a pot of coffee, by the time it was finished brewing, the rest of A-shift had joined him in the kitchen, each pouring a cup for himself. Soon the arrival of B-shift was complete and A-shift was set free for the long anticipated weekend off.
~~51~~
It seemed to go by quickly for the guys. On Sunday, just as promised, Chet, along with a few others dropped by Roy 's place to help wit ha few chores. In the kitchen Joanne and her sister, Julie, had just finished putting up blue painter's tape.
“Do you like it?” Joanne asked.
“It's…” Julie frowned, searching for the wording she hoped wouldn't hurt her sister's feeling. “Well, it's really…yellow…isn't it?” She finally gave into her thoughts.
Joanne looked again at the open paint can sitting in the middle of her kitchen floor. It did look awfully yellow, but she was hoping the natural sunlight that often found its way into the small room would help tone the color down.
“Is it too much?” she finally resigned herself to ask.
“No, no, I'm sure it'll make the room seem more cheerful,” Julie quickly responded, while looking at the drab beige color which currently decorated the walls.
“Let's get to work then,” Joanne smiled inwardly as she realized her baby sister had learned some tactfulness over the years.
“Sure, I'll do the trim,” Julie offered picking up a small paintbrush and headed toward the dishwasher.
Meanwhile, out in the backyard, Roy and the guys were fixing the fence, which separated the DeSoto yard from Mr. Wilkinson's, and his rather large Saint Bernard, Bruno. On the whole, Bruno was a wonderful dog that the DeSoto children spent many hours playing with, but Bruno had a tendency to look for buried treasure. It didn't seem to make a difference what the treasure, or more importantly, whose backyard it was buried in.
Being the first weekend of two consecutive the A-shift would have off, Roy didn't mind so much taking Johnny, Chet, and Marco away from their own chores. His station mates had agreed to help him with his arduous task on the beautiful Sunday afternoon, lessening the guilt. That, and the promise of cold beer which was included in the deal.
“Anyone want a beer? He asked, deciding a break was in order.
“Sure,” a collective voice replied.
Roy walked across his yard to the deck. Just as he reached the sliding doors to the kitchen, he noticed Johnny had joined him stride for stride. “I need to use your facilities,” Johnny explained.
Nodding his head in understanding Roy opened the door and stepped into the kitchen. The unmistakable smell of fresh paint hit both men as they entered the room.
Roy headed to the fridge while Johnny took off his shoes and walked through the kitchen for his intended visits to the little boy's room. Upon his return a few moments later, he noticed Roy had already returned to the backyard. Glancing at the wall Joanne was turning into a soft yellow, he paused, trying to decide whether or not he liked the new color. He finally decided it didn't really matter because it was certainly an improvement over the dreary shade which had adorned the room for the previous six years he'd been coming to the DeSoto home. He noticed an uncapped beer sitting on the table, “Is that mine, Jo?”
Turning around she replied, “Sure is, Johnny. Roy said you could take it out yourself.”
“That's what I thought.”
At the sound of Johnny's voice, Julie, who was painting along the floor's baseboards, rose to her feet from behind the dishwasher. She noticed the lean man standing in front of the sliding door and her eyes automatically slid up and down his long frame before resting on his face.
As he bent over to put his shoes back on, Joanne caught his attention, “Johnny, this is my sister, Julie. Julie, this is Roy 's partner, John Gage.”
“Hi, nice to me you,” Johnny rose back to his full stature, while smiling at he young woman dressed in a pair of royal blue shorts and a white UCLA volleyball T-shirt.
“Nice to me you, too. You must be the Johnny Jennifer's always talking about.” She replied.
Johnny took quick inventory of Joanne's kid sister's face. Deciding she looked a lot like Joanne, only she wouldn't be what he would describe as pretty as he would Joanne. No, this younger version of his partner's wife was cute. She was also shorter than Joanne was, and although their builds were similar, Julie was smaller boned. Not that the elder woman was what on would consider big boned either.
Reaching for his beer he decided to make his escape before Joanne decided she could use his help more than Roy needed it. Just as with Jennifer, Johnny found it hard to say no to Joanne. He didn't know how Roy could possibly live with the two, knowing it would surely drive himself to exhaustion. Opening the screen door, he took a second look at Joanne who was back to work rolling paint onto the walls, and added, “Nice color, Jo, real cheery.”
Joanne once more turned toward Johnny, “Thanks,” she chuckled. She could always count on him to conflict with her occasional doubtful thoughts and couldn't help but notice that cheery had also been the word Julie had used to describe the paint.
As the afternoon slowly turned into early evening, Roy and Joanne decided to feed their friends and one younger sister, as a way of thanking them for their help. And since their kitchen was currently in a state of disarray, take-out was the order of the day. After placing the call, Chinese food was soon delivered to the DeSoto home.
Throughout the afternoon, Julie had been introduced to both Chet and Marco and found she had gotten along fine with all three of Roy's station mates. Now, finding herself seated at the dinning room table with them, she found the banter between the four firemen fun.
Since she and Joanne hadn't been burdened with brothers, just another older sister, Eileen, she now wondered why most of her female friends often complained about their brothers. She found these grown men a refreshing change from the juvenile college boys she was surrounded by during the previous week at school.
Watching her brother-in-law with his friends made her realize the boys she normally hung out with at school were just that...boys. Not that the four men in the dining room didn't joke and kid around with one another, but they weren't malicious or hurtful about it. They just bantered back and forth and found each other's presence a joy. They were relaxed with one another and she found herself slowly drawn into the friendly banter. Especially with Chet, he was fun.
During the course of dinner, everyone's drinks needed replenishing and Joanne found herself alone in the kitchen with Johnny, who had offered her his assistance. Taking down a serving tray from the top of the fridge, she turned to him, needing to as a favor.
“Are you busy next weekend?”
“I have a date Saturday night, but other then that I'm free. Why, do you need my help with somethin'?”
“Roy and I are thinking about going to Santa Barbara for an evening.”
“I see, planning a hot date yourself, huh?” Johnny's smile quickly faded, “I could always…”
“Don't you dare think of canceling your date!” she interrupted. “It'll be okay, I'll ask Julie if she can stay with the kids. I'm sure she won't mind. Joanne reassured him as he placed glasses of soda pop and beer onto the tray for her.
“You like having her around, don't you?”
“She's only been here a few short weeks, but yeah, I like it. I think she's going to become a pretty permanent fixture around here.” Joanne's eyes twinkled as she answered Johnny's question. The thought of having her kid sister around to go shopping with, bring her laundry over for washing, watch movies with and a host of other shared activities warmed her heart.
Although she and Julie hadn't lived in the same city for years, the sisters had developed a close friendship via long telephone calls and even longer letters. Yes, having Julie close by was going to be great fun, she was sure of it.
~~51~~
A few hours after a large batch of fried rice, sweet and sour chicken balls, egg rolls, honey garlic spare ribs, and chicken chow mien had been consumed, the gathering began to break up. Chet and Marco had already departed. Johnny, was just saying his good-byes, his hand on the front screen door and pushing it open when Jennifer stopped him, “Uncle Johnny, when can Chris and I come out to your place to go riding?”
Turing he looked at the young girl, “I'm not sure, Jen, maybe next month sometime.”
“Awe, do we have to wait that long?” Chris complained, just as disappointed at Johnny's answer as his sister was.
“Chris!” Roy warned, “Johnny has a life to live and things he has to do.”
“I know, but aren't you guys off again next weekend? Couldn't we go then?”
“Yes, we have the weekend off, but your mother and I are going out of town, and no, you're not spending the weekend at Johnny's.” Roy answered, anticipating both of his children's next question.
“Who…” Jennifer started to ask.
“Your Aunt Julie will come spend the weekend with you.” Joanne cut her daughter off. She'd been able to ask Julie while placing dishes in the dishwasher, if she could stay with the kids, and as expected, Julie said she'd love to stay with her niece and nephew. She hoped she could become a bit closer to the two.
“Like I said, Chris, maybe next month sometime, ‘kay?” Johnny responded once again. “Thanks again for dinner, see ya later, Roy. “ Johnny finally made a hasty exit, wanting to get home so he could tackle his laundry before having to go to work the following morning.
“Yeah, later, partner.” Roy watched as Johnny closed the door behind himself.
Once again the week went by quickly for the guys. The shifts had been busy and an endless list of chores had to be completed, everything from gear to maintain, logbooks to update, as well as the usual station chores and drills. Johnny and Chet drove the entire crew crazy when the got caught up in a pranks war, with Chet of course coming out the victor.
Friday morning the crew was busy bringing a warehouse fire under control with most of the other stations within their battalion. Hours after the paramedics from station's 110, 36, and 51 had done a sweep and had found a few of the office personnel in the building, got them out, treated, and transported to Rampart, Squad 51 came back to the fire, to assist with the overhaul. Only Station 51, and Station 110 had stayed for this task, as Engine 36 was needed at another fire and Engine 86 was sent to a traffic accident.
Marco was helping Johnny when the unmistakable sound of an explosion shook the ground. They both hit the ground, brining their arms up and over their heads, hoping a praying the explosion hadn't been as close as it had sounded. After what seemed like hours, they both gingerly go up off the ground and on to their feet.
“You okay?” Johnny asked.
“Yeah, you?” Marco replied, looking around for the source of the blast.
“Yeah, where'd that come from?”
Just as Marco was about to tell Johnny he didn't know, the HT in his pocket crackled. He reaching into his turnout's and brought the walkie-talkie out of the pocket and listened intently.
“Crew 51, this is Engine 51, do you copy?” Mike Stoker asked.
Almost instantaneously, Hank Stanley's voice was overheard, “Engine 51, this is Captain 51 and senior 51 paramedic, we're fine.”
Johnny hadn't realized he'd been holding his breath until he heard that his Captain and partner were fine.
“Captain 51.” Mike acknowledged.
Marco brought the HT his his hands up to his mouth, “Engine 51, HT 51 and junior 51 paramedic are fine.”
It wasn't until that moment that Johnny wondered about Chet. Why hadn't they heard from him? It seemed Captain Stanley was also thinking about Chet, as Hank's voice was once again heard on the HT in Marco's hand.
“Engine 110, this is Captain 51, have you heard from your crew yet?” Captain Stanley was asking as he and Roy started walking in the direction of the Battalion Chief's station wagon. Hank had loaned Chet to Captain Brown's crew, as they had needed another pair of hands to help with their end of the overhaul.
“Captain 51, This is Engine 110, we have yet to hear from two of our members as well as one of your.” Came the dreaded reply. Hank approached Chief Monikee and came to a stand still.
“What the hell happened?” he asked.
The Chief informed the worried captain and paramedic that he manager of the warehouse had failed to inform anyone of some paint remover which had been stored in a janitorial closet in the building. Even though the fire had been put out, it was still obviously hot enough to cause the can to ignite and explode.
Hank ran a hand across his forehead and looked at the building, it was once again engulfed in flames and as worried and angry as he was he still had a job to do and would remain professional. Bringing the HT to his mouth, he began instructing his crew.
“Engine 51, bring the engine around to the south end of the building, bring Marco with you and help 110 with an inch and a half.” He turned to Roy, giving him some instructions as well. “Roy, you and John help 110 with another sweep, and be careful,” he added for good measure. With that said, he trotted off in the other direction toward his engine crew, while pushing thoughts of his missing crewmember out his thoughts and concentrating on helping Marco, Mike, and the 110 crew.
As Roy started off in the other direction toward the squad and Johnny, he heard the Chief call in another alarm with the intentions of once again bringing in more trucks to help put out a fire that had already been extinguished once that morning.
Running to the squad Roy found that Johnny had already donned his gear, and was trying to wait for his partner as patiently as he could. The look on his partner's face let Roy know he was extremely worried and was having trouble controlling his emotions. Roy knew exactly how Johnny was feeling. It was one thing to have to go looking for possible victims, but when they were other members of the department, it was always just a little harder to do. Especially when on of the possible casualties was a member of your own crew, but he and Johnny had done this before, and they'd probably do it again during the course of their careers.
Just as Roy was fastening his oxygen tank the paramedics from 110 arrived. Taking a few seconds to organize their efforts, the two teams entered the building and then split up so they could cover more ground. A few minutes into the search Roy noticed a figure walking toward him. It was hard to make out who it was, but he knew the form was that of a fellow firefighter. Soon, Tim Jones, one of 110's linemen, was standing in front of him.
Roy got the needed information from Tim and relayed to the paramedic team from 110 the exact location of the other two victims. As Roy continued on to the position to help 110's paramedics, Johnny brought Tim out to the triage area and started giving him oxygen.
Soon, Tim's partner, Dan Waldon, along with Chet Kelly were being helped over to the triage area as well. As a precaution all three were escorted to Rampart and soon enough, Doctor's Morton and Brackett announced them fit for duty, just suffering from a little smoke inhalation.
~~51~~
The guys managed to eat a lazy lunch before being called out to a motor vehicle accident in the afternoon. Once they were back at the station, Chet went to lie down while Mike started preparations for his spaghetti sauce. Marco and Roy played a game of chess while Cap and Johnny retreated to the dayroom to watch TV. It wasn't lost on Hank when after a few moments Johnny got up once again, his obvious concern for Chet getting the better of him. Hank watched Johnny stroll out of the room and head for the dorm where Chet lay in bed with his eyes wide open.
“You sure you're okay?” Johnny asked; trying not to sound too worried.
“Yeah, just a little headache.”
“You want somethin' or it?
“No, I'll be okay.”
“Sure…okay. You'll let us know if it gets worse, right?”
“Yeah, Gage, now why don't you leave me alone so I can rest.” Chet childishly bemoaned. As he rolled over, hearing Johnny exit the room, as smile spread across his face. He didn't know why, but he knew it would be Johnny, and not Roy, who would end up checking up on him. It made him feel good to know his favorite pigeon was just as predictable as always.
Leaving the dorm, Johnny noticed Stoker was now polishing the engine and his Captain had retreated into his office to catch up on his paper work. In the kitchen, he found Marco and Roy had switched to a game of cards.
“Hey, wanna' join us?” Marco asked from the table where he sat shuffling the cards.
The trio managed to play for an hour before the tones placed them back in action. It would be hours before they returned to the station.
~~51~~
The night before, Joanne drove to the college campus and picked her sister up, bringing her back to the house to spend the night so she and Roy could leave for Santa Barbara early the following morning, when Roy arrived home from work. The sisters stopped at the grocery store to pick up a few things and were soon on their way to the DeSoto home.
Noting her sister looked tired but not wanting to intrude or sound mothering by asking her if she was taking care of herself, Joanne didn't say anything. Instead the two sat in a comfortable silence while Joanne continued to drive through the streets of Los Angeles.
Julie, for her part, sat in the passenger seat looking out the window. She was tired, but not physically it was mostly mental. Friday was a long day in her schedule. He first class began at eight in the morning and her last was over as six, with only an hour break all day. All she wanted to do was get to Joanne's and sit on the couch and vegetate.
She'd been looking forward to this weekend all week. She loved living in the dorm and finally feeling in control of her life. She no longer had her mother telling her how or what to wear, trying to pick out her friends for her, or telling her she should wear more make up is she wanted to catch a nice decent man one day. What she liked the most, was not having to listen to her mother telling her that her chosen career path wasn't appropriate for a young woman. She was finally free from the continual nagging!
Julie was looking forward to spending time in a quiet house, compared to a noisy residence, so she could put in some quality study time, as well as get some quality sleep.
Living in the same city as Jo was working out nicely. So far, she had spent each weekend at the DeSoto home and found it was a nice way to relax and rejuvenate herself for the upcoming week of studies and college fun.
After arriving at the house, Julie started making a pot of tea while Joanne made chicken salad sandwiches. Joanne didn't like the idea of her sister living on campus. She suspected her kid sister wasn't eating properly, but really didn't have any say in the matter so took it upon herself to feed her sister well when she visited her home.
Julie had admitted to Joanne that she hadn't had her supper yet, which just fueled Joanne's concerns about her sisters eating habits. Roy continually told Joanne to stop worrying so much. He kept telling her that Julie was a typical college kid and she would be fine.
Over the years, Roy and told Joanne about calls he and Johnny had responded to involving college students. The stories hadn't meant as much to her then as they did now that her own sister was a college student. She found it difficult to get those stories out of her mind. He'd mentioned drug overdoses, rapes, muggings, as well as some plain old-fashioned childish behavior. She didn't like the idea of someone she loved living in that kind of environment.
Placing a plate with a sandwich as well as some cheese and pickles on it in front of Julie, she sat down across from her and decided to just enjoy the evening with Julie. “Are you sure you want to stay with the kids? If not just let me know and I can find someone else.”
“No, no, it's okay. I'm looking forward to it. It'll give us all a chance to get to know one another again. I can't wait to find out what they're involved in these days. The last I was around them for any length of time, Chris was into building blocks and Spiderman, and Jen loved Barbie's and Easy Bake ovens.”
Joanne smiled at her sister's comments. Yes, her children had grown quite a bit since then. Chris was now into sports and wanted a dirt bike to bomb around on. Jennifer, her once very animated daughter, had started to withdraw into herself a bit. She and Roy and been concerned about this until Cheryl Stanley had assured them that this behavior was normal for a young girl of Jennifer's age. Joanne chuckled as she remembered the look of pure terror that had crossed her husband's face when he heard Cheryl mention the work puberty in the same sentence as his baby girl.
“What's so funny?” Julie inquired as she bit into a slice of cheese.
“I was just thinking about how much the kids have grown and how much Roy and I have had to fine tune our parenting skills.” Joanne smiled while picking up the teapot and pouring the liquid into the two cups in front of her.
“I'm sure you guys are doing fine. The kids seem happy and content.” Julie spoke proudly. Imagining how difficult it must be for her sister, having to do a lot of the parenting on her own, while Roy worked a twenty-hour shift.
“Yeah, they are, it takes a lot of hard work and sacrifices on our part, but they're worth it.”
“Speaking of Chris and Jen, where are they” Julie inquired as she realized she hadn't seen her niece or nephew since her arrival.
“Jennifer is at the movies with her friend Tammy and Tammy's older sister, and Chris is in his room. He was listening to music with his headphones when I left to pick you up.”
After Julie finished her sandwich the two women retreated to the living room, each with a fresh cup of tea. They settled in to watch a movie. Only forty-five minutes later, Joanne noticed Julie had fallen asleep. Going upstairs, she went to the hall closet and got a blanket out. She proceeded to the closet in her bedroom and took down a pillow from a shelf. She returned to the couch and gently lifted Julie's head, placing the pillow underneath it and then draped the blanket over top of her sleeping form.
Turning the TV off, she picked up the novel she was currently reading and snuggled into Roy's recliner and read for the next hour, waiting for Jennifer to come home before retiring to her bedroom for the night. When Jennifer finally arrived safely, the doors were locked and the lights shut off. After seeing Jennifer to her room, Joanne knocked on Chris' door, but received no answer. Surprised, she opened the door and found her normally energetic thirteen-year old fast asleep. She entered the bathroom and washed up for bed, she went into her bedroom and read for another half-hour before falling asleep herself.
The following morning, Julie awoke and had to take a moment to remember where she was. She hadn't remembered falling asleep and was surprised to see daylight streaming through the bay window. Propping herself up on one elbow, she looked around the room and remembered she was in Joanne's living room.
Getting up and stretching the kinks out of her body, she stumbled into the kitchen and started a pot of coffee before retreating to the bathroom to do her business. When she returned to the kitchen, she found Joanne standing at the open fridge pulling out some milk and eggs, and placing them on the counter. Joanne turned around and smiled at her sister.
“Morning. How do you feel ‘bout french toast?”
Remembering her sister believed all meals should be hot ones, Julie just smiled and informed Joanne, “sounds great.” Seeing the coffee had finished brewing, she reached into the cupboard for a couple of mugs and poured Joanne and herself each a cup.
Moments after they delved into their morning meal, the back door opened and Roy walked into the room. Strolling over to Joanne he placed a kiss on her cheek. “Mornin'.”
“Hi, honey, are you hungry or did you eat at the station?” Joanne asked as she watched her husband pour himself a mug of coffee.
“Yeah, I'm hungry. Whadya eating?”
“French toast and fruit.” Julie replied.
“Hmm, great. Boy, Johnny'll be sorry he missed this.” Roy sat down with a plate in his hands and helped himself to the food. “Where are the kids?”
“Still sleeping. You invited Johnny for breakfast and he turned you down?” Joanne asked a little dumbfounded. John Gage very rarely turned down food.
“Yeah, said he had a lot to do around the ranch today and he'd take a rain check.”
“I'm sure he will.” Joanne laughed.
“Speaking of Johnny…Julie, there's a list of numbers beside the phone. Call Johnny if you need anything while we're gone. If you can't reach him, call Hank Stanley. Their names and numbers are by the phone.”
“That's not necessary, Roy .” Julie commented, although deep down inside she was pleased to know the couple had friends who would help her out if it was needed.
“I know, it'll just ease my mind a bit. Not that I don't think you could handle things around here.” Roy blushed, not wanting his sister-in-law to think he didn't trust her.
After finishing breakfast and taking a quick shower, Roy loaded his Porsche with the two bags Joanne had packed the day before. He checked the care over and finding it in satisfactory condition so went back into the house. It was closing in on ten o'clock and he wanted to get on the road. They had to check into their bed and breakfast before two that afternoon and he didn't want to push it.
He found Joanne instructing their children to behave and listen to their aunt. The kids looked bored and mortified to be told to behave themselves. Roy suppressed a chuckle and thought about how much his children had grown in the last few years. It seemed like just yesterday he was taking Chris to Indian Scouts and changing Jennifer's diapers. Now they stood before him almost old enough to be left on their own.
~~51~~
Although Chris had a basketball practice that afternoon, he had insisted to Julie that he didn't feel like going. He complained he was too tired and she had to admit, Chris wasn't looking all that well. After finally convincing the teen to allow it, Julie took his temperature and found it slightly elevated. She agreed with Chris, allowing him to skip his practice, hoping that Roy and Joanne would approve. She knew a missed practice could be looked at as only a minor decision, but she also knew that Roy and Joanne believed in instilling responsibility in their children and since they were only children, not letting your teammates down was one way of showing responsibility.
During the early part of the afternoon, Chris lay on the couch watching television. Jennifer worked on a puzzle in the den or hung around Julie in the kitchen, while she worked on a class paper.
Later in the afternoon Julie made lasagna for dinner and was surprised when Chris barely touched his. From what she had seen on previous visits, Chris was seldom full and was always searching from something to eat. Feeling his forehead she noticed his fever was still present.
After being excused from the table, Chris went up to his room to bed. Jennifer started to clear the dishes and rinse them before placing them in the dishwasher. Julie followed Chris up to his room and knocked on the door.
“Yeah?” she heard.
“Can I come in?”
“Sure.”
Walking into the room, Julie found her nephew lying on top of his bed. “How're ya feeling?”
“Okay, I guess. I'm just really tired, that's all.”
“Why don't you take some Tylenol for that fever. Are you in any pain?”
“No, just tired.” He insisted once again, he didn't want to tell her that his muscles were aching. “I think the Tylenol might be a good idea though.” He smiled meekly at his aunt.
“You got it.” Julie got up off the bed and went into the bathroom. Rummaging through the medicine cabinet, she grabbed the read and white bottle and took the lid off. Dropping two tablets into the palm of her hand, she replaced the lid and returned the bottle to the cabinet. She then grabbed a Dixie cup from the dispenser and filled it with water.
Returning to Chris' room she gave him the cup and tablets and watched him swallow the pills. Glancing at his alarm clock she noticed it was seven o'clock and asked him if he wanted to come out into the living room to watch some TV with her and Jennifer.
“No, I'm just gonna try and get some sleep.”
“Okay, I'll check on ya later.”
“I'm not a baby you know, you don't have to do that.”
“I know, but I think I will just the same.”
After making some popcorn and watching a couple of TV shows with Jen, Julie got up from the recliner and locked the front door. Telling Jennifer it was time to go to bed, she turned off the TV as she passed it. Picking up the empty bowl on the coffee table, she retreated into the kitchen and placed it into the dishwasher. Crossing the room, she put the piece of wood into the track of the sliding door and pulled the chain, closing the blinds that adorned the door.
She then made sure Jen was off to bed and checked on Chris. Touching his forehead with the back of her hand, she sighed in relief, realizing the Tylenol had done its job and had reduced her nephew's fever. Walking out of the room, she decided not to latch the door, leaving it slightly ajar in case Chris got up during the night. She then went back into Roy and Joanne's bedroom and got ready for bed. She glanced at the clock and decided to call it a night, not realizing the relief she'd just felt would be short lived.
The groan emanating from Johnny wasn't one he had been hoping for. Instead of coming from a wildly passionate sensation from deep within, it had only come from somewhere with the recesses of his throat. A reaction to the ringing telephone in his living room. Reluctantly, he stopped caressing the lovely woman lying with him and started to climb out of bed.
Karen placed a hand on his arm, “Please don't answer it,” she murmured anxiously.
As much as Johnny wanted to grant her that wish, he knew a phone call at this hour could only mean one thing, an emergency of some sort, “I'm sorry, Karen, I have to.”
Making his way to the bellowing phone he prayed it was a wrong number. His instincts however told him that once he picked up the receiver, his date with Karen would be over, when all he really wanted to do was get back to ravishing her.
He'd been trying to get a date with her for weeks, and had finally hit the jackpot when she agreed to go to dinner and a movie with him. Although she'd always seemed aloof, he knew once he had her within his realm, she wouldn't be able to resist his charms. Here, he finally had gotten his chance to explore that fabulous body of hers, only to be interrupted by the phone. If it's Chet, I'll kill him, he thought as he picked up the receiver.
“Hello?”
“Johnny! I'm so happy your home. I'm sorry for calling this late; I'm just so scared and don't know what to do! I really need some advice…”
Johnny was fully alert now as he realized to whom the voice belonged to and cut her off, “Julie? What's wrong?”
“It's Chris!”
“What is it? What's wrong with him?”
“I…I don't know. He started running a fever this afternoon, and just now called out to me, so I went to his room. Well, he's really, really hot now, and he's having problems breathing!” her voice trembled and cracked with fear and panic.
Johnny drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly, trying to collect his thoughts while running a hand along his forehead. “Okay, listen to me. Stay calm, call the fire department, then take Chris into the bathroom, close the door and run the hot water,” he waited for a response but none came.
“Julie?”
“I'm sorry, I'm just so scared. I've already called the fire department actually.”
“Okay, good. Now hang up and do as I asked, okay? Don't forget to unlock the front door so the paramedics can get into the house. I'll be there as soon as I can.”
Johnny hung up the phone and sprinted back to his bedroom. He stopped dead in his tracks as his eyes focused on Karen, lying naked waiting for him. In his concentrated effort to try and guess as to why Chris was having breathing problems, he'd momentarily forgotten about the voluptuous beauty in his bed.
One glance at his worried looking face and Karen new Johnny wouldn't be rejoining her in bed. She didn't care what the phone call had been about, she was extremely disappointed, and feeling somewhat bitter towards this invasion the phone call had placed upon their rather intimate activities.
“Karen, I'm sorry, it's an emergency. I've gotta go,” Johnny sighed.
“Johnny, please stay,” she pleaded, hoping beyond hope he'd change his mind. She'd been dying all evening to become more intimate with the handsome paramedic, and now that she found herself lying naked in his bed, she was heart broken the evening was coming to a premature end.
“I can't. My partner's son is sick and he and his wife are out of town, I've really gotta go. I'm sorry, why don't cha' stay and I'll be back as soon as I can?” he asked just as pleadingly.
Karen found herself miffed about being jilted in the middle of lovemaking because of a child who wasn't even her dates! “You're kidding, right? You want me to play second fiddle to your partner's kid? I mean, just a few minutes ago I was the only fiddle here. I'm not sticking around waiting for you to come back when you finally decide you're ready for your needs to be met!”
Johnny stood in stunned silence. He couldn't believe his ears. She was angry because a child was sick? Watching her angrily get out of his bed and start to get dressed, he remembered why he'd been so attracted her. She had a knock out body! What man wouldn't want her? But he was now getting a huge dose of why not. His attraction towards her was quickly disintegrating. She was selfish and obviously needed to do some growing up.
Reaching down for his jeans, he pulled them up his legs and over his hips, “Okay, it that's how you feel, I'll drive you home.” He picked his shirt up off the floor and pulled it over his head, tucking it into his pants, not bothering with underwear, a belt, or socks.
Minutes later he pulled his vehicle up to the curb outside Karen's apartment and walked her to the door. Waiting until she had the door unlocked, he stepped forward and gave her a quick kiss good-bye. The exchange held none of the passion they had been sharing just under half and hour before. They said their good-byes and Johnny soon found himself back in his Rover, driving toward the DeSoto's home. His thoughts turned to his date as he subconsciously drove on, a little faster than the speed limit aloud.
For weeks he'd been trying to get Karen Grady to go on a date, when she'd finally accepted his offer a week earlier, he'd been thrilled. She was the newest nurse at Rampart and many of the single paramedics had been asking her out, and why wouldn't they he thought. She had a full head of long golden blonde hair, big beautiful blue eyes, she was tall, with legs that went on forever, was voluptuous and absolutely permeated sensuality. It was while eating dinner at a cozy downtown bistro that Johnny's instincts told him they'd end up in bed together before the night was through.
As he drove on, he thought about how odd it had been to drop her off with just a cursory peck. One without any feelings, hopes, or promises. It was odd since only moments before they'd been deep within the throes of passion. He felt his pants tighten while recalling the sight of her lying naked in his bed. He'd been paying particularly close attention to her beautiful breasts when the call had come.
She'd writhed with anticipation and pleasure as he'd concentrated on pleasuring her. Remember her soft sighs and the sensual movements of her body beneath his, as his tongue had slowly circled her dare nipple, bringing it to full erection, made him close his eyes for a brief moment.
Opening them again and taking in a large cleansing breath, he tried to remember Karen's reaction to his rapid departure, rather than those soft moans of pleasure and the equally soft touch of her body. The electricity between them had been frenzied, burning and passionate! How could it have turned so cold so quickly, by a single phone call? She was a registered nurse after all; he just didn't understand her lack of compassion for another human being, especially for a child. They both knew however, that with that one goodbye kiss, they'd never go out on a date again.
Pulling into Roy 's driveway, Johnny jumped out of the Rover and ran toward the house. Stopping at the front door, he read the attached note, tore it down and ran back to his car and headed toward Rampart.
Within fifteen minutes Johnny was walking up to the nurses' station spotting Dixie McCall sitting on her stool, going over her patient's chart.
“Dix, where's Chris?”
Looking up from the papers before her, Dixie looking into the worried face of John Gage. “He's in two with Joe.” Before she could even finish her sentence Johnny was moving away from her toward the examination room.
“Johnny!” The nurse jumped off her stool and came around the counter, catching him by the arm. “Listen, he's in very good hands, but there's a couple of other people here who could really use you right now.”
Johnny followed Dixie 's gaze down the hallway to the waiting room. Julie Pierce sat quietly waiting, with a protective arm wrapped around Jennifer DeSoto. Johnny sighed and realized his friend was right. Turning back to her he asked, “Have you contacted Roy and Joanne?”
“No, we decided to wait and see what's wrong first.”
“Kay, thanks, Dix.”
Walking down the hallway, Johnny took in the appearance of both Julie and Jennifer. They looked tired and scared, as well as fragile. With one look Johnny knew for the first time that Dixie 's instincts had been correct. Julie and Jen needed him much more than Chris did at the moment.
“Julie,” he spoke softly, not wanting to disturb the other families, who were quietly waiting to hear news on their own loved ones.
Julie glanced up, “Oh, Johnny, I'm so glad you came.” She looked relieved as she stood up. She wasn't sure if he'd come to the hospital when he found the house empty, so she had quickly scribbled a note for him and taped it to the front door with the hope that he'd show up.
Hearing the familiar sound of Johnny's voice, Jennifer immediately flew into his arms, burying her head somewhere between his stomach and his chest, “Uncle Johnny, I'm so scared. What's wrong with Chris?”
Wrapping his arms protectively around her, his heart filled with sorrow for the young girl. She must be terrified he thought. Her brothers brought to the hospital in the dead of the night and her parents are out of town. Stroking her hair softly, he continued to hold her gently, “It's okay, Pumpkin. I don't know what's wrong yet, but I'm sure he's going to be fine.”
“Shouldn't we call Mom and Dad?” the worried eleven-year old asked.
“Why don't we wait an' find out what's wrong first, before we go calling them at one o'clock in the morning, kay?”
Jennifer sniffed quietly as she buried her head deeper into Johnny's body. He bent his head down and kissed the tope of her head, then looked into the anxiety-ridden face of Joanne's kid sister. “You okay?”
Meeting Johnny's gaze, Julie shook her head no. She knew if she tried to speak, she'd assuredly break down. She was scared, and on top of that, she was fighting her feelings of guilt. Logically, she knew Chris would have gotten sick even if his parents had been at home, but it didn't seem to make her feel any better.
She desperately wanted to know what was wrong with her nephew, and the waiting was killing her. She kept thinking about the terrible feeling of helplessness she'd felt while sitting with Chris in the bathroom, letting the steam from the hot shower surround them. The paramedics who had arrived minutes after she'd hung up the phone, had commented on her quick thinking. She didn't bother to tell them she'd called Johnny while waiting, and he'd been the one to suggest it. She was just thankful Roy had left his partner's number with her.
Doctor Early came out of the examination room and wasn't surprised to see Johnny standing in the waiting room. He'd known the DeSoto's had gone away for the weekend and had assumed, incorrectly, that the kids had been staying with Roy's partner.
“Johnny,” he, like Johnny moments before, spoke softly.
“Doc, how is he?” he asked as Jennifer looked up at Joe, too, although not stepping out of Johnny's protective embrace.
“He has a bronchial infection. I'd like to start him on antibiotics right away, as well as have him admitted overnight so we can keep a close eye on him.”
“But, will he be okay?” Julie asked.
Doctor Early looked at the young woman with confusion.
Seeing his puzzlement, Johnny understood right away that Joe didn't' know who Julie was. He figured Joe had assumed the kids had been spending the weekend with him as they'd done so many time before and figured he'd been the one bring Chris in.
“Uh, Doc, this is Julie Pierce, Joanne's sister. Julie, this is Doctor Joe Early.” Johnny introduced the two.
“Nice to meet you, Julie.” Joe smiled warmly. “So, being family, you'll be able to sign his admittance papers?” Joe continued.
Julie looked shocked to be asked to take legal responsibility for her nephew's care. She didn't respond to Joe's inquiry right away, not really knowing how her sister and brother-in-law would feel about this request.
Johnny, reading the look of shock as a nineteen-year-old who wasn't sure what to do spoke up, “Listen, Doc, I can sign any papers you need. Roy and Jo filled out forms years ago for just this sort of thing. It should be in his file.”
“Okay, John. Why don't you see admitting, they'll have things I order for you, and to answer your question, Julie, Chris'll be fine He's just going to need lots of rest and some medication.” Joe grinned at the young woman.
“Thank God,” she heaved a sigh of relief.
“Doctor, Early, can we see him?” Jennifer asked.
“I think I can arrange a quick visit once we've moved him upstairs,” he smiled at Jennifer placing a gentle reassuring hand on her shoulder, giving it a comforting squeeze.
Johnny let go of Jennifer and made his way over to the admitting desk. A nurse he'd been on a few date with lookup up at him and smiled, “Hi, Johnny, can I help you with something?”
“Yeah, Carrie, I'm here to sign the papers for Christopher DeSoto.”
“Oh sure, I'll be right back.”
She returned a few minutes later with a file in her hand and opened it. She placed the needed papers in front of Johnny and gave him a pen. Once the papers were signed and making sure everything was in order, he returned to Julie and Jennifer.
“Come on, Jen, let's see if we can check on Chris before we leave.”
Twenty minutes later, the three visitors were riding down the elevator after making sure Chris was resting comfortably in a room. He hadn't even known his kid sister had been in the room, du to the fact that he'd been sleeping. To the normal eye, Chris looked to be fine, but to Johnny's trained paramedic eye, he could tell Chris' breathing was still a bit labored. He took a quick glance at the young woman standing beside him and thought about what a frightening experience it must have been for her to find her nephew in the condition he'd been in.
“You okay yet?” he asked.
Julie looked up at Johnny and have him a shy grin, “Better then I was a couple of hours ago. Boy, that was awful! I'm not sure I could ever be a nurse,” she looked Jennifer.
“Hey, listen, nurses are trained for that sort of thing. I think you did fine under the circumstances.” He smiled at her hoping he'd reassured her somewhat.
“Just the same, I hope I never have to do anything like that again,” she announced as the elevator doors opened, depositing them back in the emergency ward.
“Did you drive here?” Johnny asked.
“Yeah, I knew we'd need to get back home once this was over.”
“Are you sure you can drive back?” Johnny was concerned, seeing how tire she looked.
“I'd rather not, but I need to get Jenny back home to bed.”
Johnny looked down at Jennifer, who was barely awake, “Why don't I drive you guys back.”
“But Joanne's station wagon…”
“I'll give you a ride back tomorrow. You can pick it up then. I don't think you should drive. You look exhausted.”
“Okay, thanks,” she was extremely grateful for Johnny's offer. She really was very tired and just wanted to crawl back into bed herself.
Half an hour later, Johnny pulled the rover to a stop in the driveway and put it into neutral, pulling up on the hand brake. He killed the engine and turned to look at Julie, who sat sound asleep beside him. Looking in the rearview mirror, he saw Jennifer doing the same. He hated to wake Julie up, but he wasn't about to carry her into the house. Placing a hand on her shoulder, he shook her gently while softly called her name. She stirred and seemed unsure of where she was, then jumped at the sound of Johnny's voice.
“You're home, why don't you go unlock the door, I'll bring Jen in,” he said as he stepped out of the vehicle. After getting Jennifer to bed, Johnny returned to the living room to find Julie lazily sitting on the couch, barely awake, “Julie, go to bed, I'll swing by later to take you back to the hospital.”
“You're not going home are you? Why don't you just stay here? You can stay in Chris' room.” She offered trying unsuccessfully to stifle a yawn while standing up.
Johnny had had these same thoughts while he'd been seeing Jennifer to bed, but had decided against the idea of staying in Chris' room for the night, not wanting to make Julie feel uncomfortable. They didn't really know one another all the well, he was basically as stranger to her.
“You sure?” he asked.
“Yes, you look pretty tired yourself.” She responded as she got up off the couch and started to walk up the stairs, with Johnny following closely behind her. He watched he bottom swaying from side to side as he walked up the stairs behind her, his mind drifted to his interrupted date. How desperately he'd wanted it to continue, but maybe it was better to find out how unfeeling Karen was now, rather than later, he thought to himself disappointedly, although other parts of his anatomy disagreed at the moment.
He was brought out of his thoughts as Julie opened the door to the linen closet in the upstairs hallway. She reached in and grabbed a new set of sheets, as well as a pillowcase, then proceeded into Chris' bedroom. Johnny followed wondering what the heck she was doing? He understood her actions once he saw Chris' bed. He could tell just by glancing at it, that the sheets were damp. Chris must have been sweating he thought, as Julie started to take the soiled sheets off the bed.
“Here, I can do that,” he offered.
Julie pretty much ignored his request and continued to take the sheets off the bed, but didn't object when Johnny bent down to help. The two silently replaced the dark blue western motif sheets with a pair of pink Barbie doll ones, then replaced the comforter and the newly covered pillow onto Chris' bed.
“Sorry, ‘bout the Barbie's, but that's all that'll fit on the bed.” Julie chuckled despite how tire she felt.
Johnny grinned looking down at the pink bed, “That's alright. I've been known to crash in Jennifer's bed every once in a while. Barbie and I are well acquainted.”
After exchanging good nights, Julie left the room, and Johnny peeled off his clothes and climbed beneath the covers. He was asleep before his head hit the pillow.
Julie closed the door of Joanne and Roy's bedroom and took off her own clothes, replacing them with a lightweight well warn nightgown. She returned to the now cold bed she'd been lying in when she'd heard Chris call her name earlier.
As tired as she was she couldn't sleep, she tossed and turned, not only thinking about Chris and how relieved she was Doctor Early had told her that he would be fine, but those thoughts were intermingled with those of the man now lying in Chris' bed. She hadn't noticed the Sunday before how gorgeous he was. He had what she considered the most beautiful brown eyes she'd ever seen in her life, and that grin he'd flashed her…wow…what a weapon that could be she thought.
While helping him make the bed with clean sheets, they'd stood pretty close together and she thought he'd caught a hint of a woman's perfume. She also thought she'd smelled the same fragrance earlier while they were riding in the elevator at the hospital. She was pretty sure Johnny didn't wear woman's perfume, so she figured the only way he could possibly smell that way was if he'd been with a woman when she'd called him. Considering what time it had been, it also didn't take a genius to figure out what he must have been doing, or what he'd already done with this woman, in order to get the fragrance on his body?
She wondered why he had taken her up on the offer to spend the night in Chris' room, and hadn't headed back home to this woman? She didn't know why she didn't feel guilty about interrupting his evening, but the thought of what he'd been doing not only excited her, but make her feel anxious as well. She looked at the clock on the side of the bed and sighed, telling herself to get some sleep. In a few hours she'd have to call her sister and tell her that Chris was in the hospital. She closed her eyes and slowly drifted off to sleep, with thoughts of John Gage dancing in her head.
Julie slowly awoke from her slumber a few hours later, rubbing her hands over her face as she sat up. She turned and looked at the clock by the bed. She was surprised to find it was eleven o'clock. She'd managed to get more sleep then she'd expected to. Climbing out of bed she slowly made her way to the bathroom. Soon after she walked down the hall and the small staircase leading to the lower level of her sisters split level home. Having forgotten that Johnny had spent the night in Chris' room, she thought it odd she could smell coffee, but just figured it was her imagination playing tricks on her.
She walked into the kitchen and stopped in her tracks. Instinctively, she brought her arms up and wrapped them around herself, just below her breasts. There, sitting at the table reading the newspaper was John Gage.
“Mornin',” he smiled up at her, noticing her messy hair and sleepy eyes.
“Um…hi,” She mumbled going to the cupboard and getting herself a mug. She slowly walked over to the coffeepot and poured herself a drink. Johnny's presence made her a bit uneasy. She'd never woken up with a man in the house before, with the exception of her father, and Roy the last few weekends staying at the DeSoto home.
Johnny didn't bother returning his attention back to the latest newspaper article about the energy crisis. Instead he watched Julie's movements as she poured herself a cup of coffee. “I called Roy and Joanne, they should be home sometime this afternoon.” He commented as she turned towards the fridge to get some milk for her coffee.
“Thank you, I really wasn't looking forward to making that phone call. How did they take the news? How come you didn't wake me up, shouldn't we be at the hospital?” She asked, pouring the milk into her hot beverage.
“You're welcome, they were upset but okay. I didn't wake you because I know how exhausted you were, and once you've had something to eat, we can leave.” He answered her questions and rewarded her with a killer grin.
“Where's Jenny?” she turned toward the table, not catching Johnny's eyes as they automatically gave her a quick gaze up and down, letting his eyes take in the swell of her breasts through the thin material of her nightgown.
“I put her to work on a puzzle in the den, she needs a distractions. She really wants to see Chris. I called the hospital earlier and we were both able to talk to him. He's anxious to she his mom and dad I think.”
“The poor thing. I would want my mom and dad, wouldn't you?”
“Yeah, I guess. Now, what would you like to eat?” he asked getting up from the table.
“That's okay, I can make myself something,” she went to a cupboard and took out a box of Honeycombs, a bowl, and poured the cereal into it. Reaching into the refrigerator once again she pulled out the pitcher of milk and stood pouring the liquid into her cereal bowl.
“Sure,” Johnny replied sitting back down, while silently scolding himself for having given Julie the once over. She's Joanne's kid sister! What are you doing? She probably doesn't even realize she's forgotten to put on a housecoat. That doesn't mean it's an invitation for you to ogle her! I mean, what is she? Nineteen. He thought as he sat back down. Eyeing her bowl of cereal, a smirk crossed his face.
“What's wrong, you don't like cereal?”
“No, no, cereal is fine. I was just thinking if Joanne was here, she'd be lecturing you about having a proper breakfast. A nutritious meal would included bacon and eggs.” Johnny chuckled.
“Oh and don't forget toast. Breakfast isn't complete without toast,” Julie mimicked her older sister. She thought it funny that Johnny knew her sister so well. Joanne had given her the balanced hot breakfast lecture the day after she'd arrived in town.
Johnny laughed as he realized Julie mush have already been given the breakfast scolding. Feeling a bit guilty because of all the meals the woman in question had fed him over the years he replied, “She mean well. She's a mother after all. She just doesn't believe people can give their all, or perform at their best without eating a hot meal to start their day.”
“Yeah, but why would she even bother to keep cereal in the house then, have you ever thought about that?” Julie questioned as she opened a drawer and pulled out a spoon.
“It's a weekend thing. The kids are allowed to eat it on the weekends.” Johnny explained watching Julie take a seat at the table.
At that moment Jennifer wandered into the room. “When are we going to see Chris?”
“Soon, Pumpkin, just let your aunt have her breakfast, then after she's gotten herself ready to go, we'll leave.”
The words, “she's gotten herself ready,” ran around in Julie's head. It was then that she realized she was only wearing her nightgown. Looking down at herself, she could feel her face burning red hot with embarrassment. Her nightgown fell over her braless breasts in a manner which, allowed for their obvious prominence.
After quickly downing her cup of coffee, and practically swallowing her honeycombs whole, she hurriedly left the table. She reached the stairs and climbed them two at a time, then darted down the hallway to the relative safety of the master bedroom. She looked at herself in the mirror, which was attached to Joanne's dresser. A look of horror washed over her face the closer she got, realizing she could faintly make out the dark circles surrounding the peaks each of her nipples left in the thin material of her nightgown.
“Oh God,” she groaned. “He probably thinks I'm some sort of floozy who's doing a very cheap job of coming on to him!” she said to herself as she gathered her clothes and went into the bathroom for a shower. She undid her nightgown and let it fall to the floor, turned on the taps and adjusted the temperature until it was comfortable enough for her skin.
She climbed into the tub and closed the shower curtain, pulling on the little knob that allowed the water to fall from above her head. She lifted the shampoo bottle and placed a dollop onto her hand and started to wash her hair. After rinsing out the suds, she grabbed a face cloth and started to wash her body. As her hand ran across her breasts, she thought back to her appearance in the kitchen and started to feel silly. “Maybe he didn't even notice.”
“What's wrong with her?” Jennifer asked a few seconds later, confused by her aunt's hasty exit from the room.
“Nothin', she was just a little embarrassed,” Johnny smirked, glancing towards the stairs leading to the upstairs hallway, where he could hear the shower being turned off.
“Embarrassed?” Jennifer repeated, “why?”
“I don't think she realized she didn't have her housecoat on,” Johnny explained.
“Uncle Johnny, you see me in my night gown all the time.” Jennifer replied, still obviously confused.
“Well, that's different.”
“Why?”
Johnny sighed trying to figure out a way to explain the complexities of a grown ups behavior to an eleven year old, “It just is, Jen,” was all he could come up with.
“Sure, Uncle Johnny,” Jennifer became silent, but after contemplating her aunt's odd behavior some more, she continued, giving Johnny the shock of his life. “It's because she has breasts, isn't it?”
Johnny stared at Jennifer completely stunned. He couldn't believer this was his pumpkin talking, “Jennifer, um…huh…”
“It's okay, Uncle Johnny, I can understand you having a hard time believing it. I couldn't believe it myself when I first saw her. The last time I went to Grandma's house, Aunt Julie didn't have ‘em.” Jennifer reasoned with Johnny; not realizing it was the conversation, and not Julie's anatomy making Johnny stutter, so she continued.
“Do you think I'll ever get ‘em?”
“Jennifer, I…um…I don't think…”
“Uncle Johnny, how could you say that!”“Say what?” Johnny asked, exasperated by the whole direction their conversation had taken, let alone her sudden anger. This was the moment Julie made her entrance back into the kitchen, and stood stunned with embarrassment by Jennifer's next pronouncement.
“You said I'll never have breasts like Aunt Julie's! You don't think I'll ever have to buy a bra, do you? How could you, of all people, be so mean!” With that Jennifer burst into tears and ran from the room.
“Jen, I didn't say…Jennifer come back here!” Johnny shot out of his chair. Within moments he knew he was defeated, but didn't know what to do. After taking a few seconds to collect his thoughts he decided the best plan of action was to follow Jennifer to her room and talk to her about this. As he started to leave the room he was stopped by Julie's voice. He didn't want to look at her, completely embarrassed knowing she had heard Jennifer's comment, he wondered what she was thinking. He didn't want to look the woman in the eye, but also knew he had to be an adult about this, so he did.
“Johnny, let me go, I'll talk to her,” Julie said to him, while trying to avoid his eyes herself.
Feeling somewhat relieved, he just nodded his head and watched her start to leave, “Uh…Julie…I didn't say anything about your…well…you know.” He blushed slightly.
Julie turned to look at him and gave a slight chuckle, feeling the uncomfortable tension in the room dissipate with Johnny's unneeded confession. After all, she didn't really think Johnny had been talking about her in that way with Jennifer, but what she did know, was somehow, her earlier attire had started the conversation she'd heard the tail end of.
“We'll be down in a few minutes.” She turned to leave while muttering to herself. He must have noticed.
“Kay,” Johnny flopped back down in a chair and wished beyond all else that he'd gone home to his own bed after dropping Julie and Jennifer off from the hospital the night before.
Julie knocked on Jennifer's bedroom door, “Jen, it's me. Can I come in?”
“I guess,” was the small reply.
Julie walked into the room and found her niece sitting on the bed with her head buried in her arms, which rested on her drawn up knees. The girl looked up and Julie saw her eyes were red and puffy from crying. Her heart sank for the girl as she remembered her own prepubescent years. How awful they had been. The wishing and longing that her breasts would start to develop, that her menstrual cycle would begin and the longing for her first real kiss from a boy. How important all of those events were to a girl of Jennifer's age, and now she believed her favorite uncle thought she'd never develop. How crushed her niece must be feeling she thought, as she sat on the end of Jennifer's bed.
“Jen, do you want to talk about this? I know I'm not your mother, but I am a woman.”
Jennifer looked back up and gave her aunt a slight smile, “I just can't believe he said that, wasn't that a mean thing for him say?” she sniffed.
“That depends on what he actually said. I didn't hear the whole conversation. Why don't you tell me what happened,” Julie encouraged.
“I didn't understand why you left the room in such a hurry, so I asked Uncle Johnny.”
“And?” The woman asked more that a little bit curious.
“He told me you were embarrassed because you didn't know you didn't have your housecoat on. It that true?”
“Um…yes.”
“Oh, I told Uncle Johnny I didn't understand because he's seen me without my housecoat a hundred times. But he didn't give me an answer, so I thought about it myself.”
“And?”
“And that's when I told him, it was because you had breasts, and he agreed.”
Julie willed herself to remain grown up. When inside she had two different reactions happening. One was pure embarrassment that her niece and a man were discussing her in such as way, and the other was pure exhilaration that Johnny had actually noticed her. She ignored her own thoughts and concentrated on Jennifer. “So when did he tell you that you wouldn't develop them yourself?”
“I asked him if I'd ever get any and he said he didn't think so.”
“Are you sure those were his exact words, Jenny?” Julie couldn't believe those had been Johnny's words, she may not know him that well, but she couldn't believe her sister would allow an uncaring single man become such a prominent figure in her children's lives.
She thought back to the way Johnny had tenderly held Jennifer the night before and the way he had stroked her hair and tried to reassure her Chris would be okay. No, this was not a man who would purposely hurt Jennifer, and despite what Jennifer was saying, she knew Johnny would say such a thing to her. He may be a man not know a lot about a young girls emotional turmoil over her growing body, but after what she'd witnessed the night before, she know he was a sensitive man with a big heart. Just like her brother-in-law was. That thought left Julie feeling a bit stunned. Yes, Johnny had many of the same qualities as Roy. He was kind, big hearted, and compassionate she realized.
Jennifer answered her aunt with a shrug, “No, but I know that's what he was going to say.”
“How?”
“How what?”
“How do you know that's what he was gonna say? Did you let him say it, or did you say it for him?” Julie asked, thinking she understood the situation now. Johnny had probably been taken off guard by Jennifer's question and while trying to find something to say, had paused, with Jennifer assuming wrongly what he was about to say. So she asked another question before the previous one had been answered.
“Why did you say, that he said, you'd never have breasts like mine? Jennifer, that wasn't a nice thing to do, especially if he never said it. It embarrassed him.”
“It did not. Uncle Johnny doesn't get embarrassed about anything.”
“Yes, Jennifer, believe me, he's embarrassed.”
“Why?”
“Because by saying that, you led me to believe he'd been talking about my…”
“Oh my! NO , Uncle Johnny didn't say anything about your breasts, Aunt Julie, honest!” Jennifer replied with big eyes, wild with astonishment at such a thought. She couldn't believe Johnny would say things like that about anyone, let alone her aunt.
“I didn't think so,” Julie laughed at Jennifer's reaction, “but maybe you should apologize to him.”
“Why?”
“You yelled at him for one, put words in his mouth for two, and made him feel uncomfortable for three.”
“Okay, I guess you're right. Mom would make me say sorry, too.”
“Good, now before you wash up, is there anything else you'd like to talk about?” Julie gave her niece a small reassuring pat on the arm.
“Well, I was kinda wondering when you, well, you know, started to grow.”
Julie let a small smile spread across her mouth, “I developed a bit late; I was close to sixteen.”
“Sixteen! Does that mean I'll have to wait that long?” Jennifer asked in disbelief.
“I don't know, Jen, a young woman's development usually depends on her mother's history. So maybe you should ask your mother.”
“I couldn't do that! That would be embarrassing.”
“You were comfortable asking Johnny, how come you can't ask your own mother?”
“I don't know, I guess it's just that Uncle Johnny is really easy to talk to. He always lets me ask him anything I've ever wanted to, and never makes me feel silly.” Jennifer shrugged her shoulders and looked at her aunt. “Don't you have someone who you can talk to about anything?” she asked.
Julie thought about what her niece was saying and knew immediately the relationship Jennifer shared with Johnny. It was the same one she shared with Roy. Roy had been that person in her life, she had always confided in him, and he was always open to any question she'd ever asked him. He'd always treated her problems as real, no matter how childish they seemed to her now.
That relationship with Roy had truly been cemented when her first boyfriend had broken up with her and he had allowed her to cry on his shoulder and let her express how badly her heart was breaking. He'd held her in his arms and stroked her hair, speaking to her in soft gentle tones. He'd validated her feelings by telling her he knew how hurt she was and given time, the pain would slowly subside. He had also told her that eventually she'd see that she'd been too good for the jerk that had just broken her heart. And true enough that had happened a few years later when said jerk was caught two-timing two of the school's cheerleaders.
He thoughts then traveled to her two brief encounters with intercourse. How she wished she had Roy around to talk to when those two moments had occurred in her life. The loss of her virginity had been quick and painful to say the least. Peter, the guy she'd been dating, had finally broken her resolve and she'd given into him in the back seat of his car. They'd both been seventeen and inexperienced.
She'd always dreamed that having sex with someone would be romantic, but her first time had left her feeling cold and lonely. Peter hadn't given much thought to any type of foreplay and had just fumbled quite roughly through the whole ordeal. Afterward she'd never heard from him again. She was heartbroken, but had vowed not to let the experience cloud her hopes of finding a sensitive partner in the future.
Those hopes faded with her only other encounter with the opposite sex. Granted, Brian had tried to be more sensitive to what she may have wanted, but like Peter before him, Brian had been quite inexperienced. She had been eighteen by that time and had hoped that her twenty-year old lover would bring something more to the whole lovemaking experience, but that wasn't to be. Brian was just as impatient as Peter had proven to be, and the one and only time with Brian had left her feeling lonely as well.
She decided she needed more time in picking a potential lover. She needed to find someone who was a little more experienced and knew how to make a woman feel like a woman. She decided she wasn't going to give any more guys the opportunity to make her feel cheap, lonely, and vulnerable again.
She once again thought of Roy and realized for the first time how much she envied her sister. Joanne had found Roy at a young age and she was pretty sure he was her sister's first, if not only, lover. Julie longed to find a Roy of her own, someone she could experience all aspects of life and love with.
“Yes, Jennifer, I do have someone like that in my life. He's a wonderful person and he's often helped me when my heart was breaking. He'd never ever be the person to break it though, just as Johnny would never hurt your feelings. So don't start alienating him just when you're going to need him the most, okay?”
“Sure, Aunt Julie, but Johnny didn't seem to be able to answer my questions.” Jennifer answered, still a bit confused by his reaction to her.
“You just caught him off guard. I'm sure if you let him think it over, he'd have had and answer for you. Now, as far as when you're going to need a bra, you will in time. Your Grandmother, Mother, Aunt Eileen, and myself are all a testimony to that fact. So when the time comes, I'd be more then happy to go shopping with you and your mom.”
“Really?”
“Yeah sure, we could make a day of it. But for now, why don't you just relax and let nature take its course. I promise you, Jen, before you know it, it'll happen. Now why don't you get yourself cleaned up and then join Johnny and I downstairs so we can get to the hospital.” Julie got off the bed, patted Jennifer on the leg and exited the room.
~~51~~
Coming back into the kitchen she found Johnny once again reading the newspaper. He looked up at her as she came into the room, “She okay?”
“Yeah, she's fine. She's just going through some tough emotional times. She's going to need a lot of understanding and patience over the next few years, that's all.”
“Good. I didn't mean to hurt her feelings. I mean, she's my pumpkin, I'd never purposely hurt her, and well…I was just taken off guard. I really didn't expect her to ask me a…um…well…such a female question like that.”
Julie smiled at Johnny, realizing once again how much Johnny and Roy were alike. Roy had pet name for her as well. And just as with her and Roy, Johnny was obviously sensitive to Jenny's feelings and emotions. “Deep down she knows that, she also realizes she was jumping to conclusions as far as what you were going to say to her.” Julie reassured him.
“Good, I'd hate to think she thought I was mean.”
“I'm ready,” Jennifer walked into the room looking refreshed.
Julie looked at Johnny and asked, “Do you want to take a shower or anything before we go?”
“No, I took one when I first got up, but I could use a pair of Roy's socks.”
Julie looked down at Johnny's bare fee and realized how hastily he'd left for the hospital the night before. “Sure, I'll get you a pair.” She left the room in pursuit of socks.
“You okay, Pumpkin?”
“Yeah, Uncle Johnny, I'm fine. I'm sorry for yelling at you and making your feel uncomfortable. I didn't mean to.”
Johnny crossed the room and brought the young girl into his arms just as Julie returned, “I know, Jen, it's okay. You were just upset.”
“That doesn't mean I can yell at you. Do you forgive me?” she asked, feeling safe within his comforting embrace.
“There's nothing to forgive, Jenny. I don't want you to ever feel like you can't express your feeling to me, okay?”
“Okay.”
The threesome soon found themselves walking into Chris' hospital room. His eyes were closed and his breathing once again appeared normal to the casual onlooker. Johnny, of course, noticed the small amount of effort is seemed to be taking Chris with the task, although it was much better than the previous evening. Johnny automatically took the chart off the end of the bed and started to look it over. Chris' temperature had come down considerably, his respiration's had improved and his blood pressure was normal.
Jennifer quickly walked to the side of her brother's bed and sat down beside him. She took his hand in hers and started talking to him softly, letting him know she, Julie, and Johnny were there. Although Chris didn't open his eyes, his hand gave Jennifer's the slightest squeeze, letting her know he could hear her. Jennifer smiled at the realization. She looked up at Julie who sat in a chair on the other side of the Chris's bed.
The door to the room opened and Sharon Walters walked in, “Hi, Johnny. You'll be happy to hear Chris is doing much better today.” She approached Chris along the opposite side of the bed from Jennifer and started to take his vitals.
“I know, I just looked at his chart and saw how well he's doing for myself. Has he been sleeping long?”
“A few hours I guess. He fell asleep shortly after he talked to you and Jen on the phone. Are Joanne and Roy going to be home soon? He's very anxious to see them.”
“They should be here sometime soon.” Johnny answered while taking a quick peek at this watch.
Sharon took the chart from Johnny's hand and wrote down Chris' new set of vitals, returning the chart to its proper place at the end of the hospital bed before she left the room.
Johnny looked at the bed and noticed Jennifer still holding her brother's hand and Julie sitting in the chair looking at Chris. He couldn't tell what was going through her mind, but he guessed it concerned how lucky they were that Chris' ailment hadn't turned out to be anything more serious.
Walking over to the window, he sat down on its deep sill and leaned his shoulders and upper body back against the large glass pane. He was starting to feel rather tired and wanted to go home, but knew until Roy and Joanne arrived, he wasn't going anywhere. He closed his eyes and tried to think of nothing, hoping to catch up on some much-needed sleep.
He'd managed to clear his mind of all thoughts for only a few seconds when a vision of Julie and her flimsy nightgown entered his mind. Despite how hard he had avoided looking at the young woman while she was wearing the rather thing gown, he'd still managed to get a quick glimpse of the silhouette beneath the sparse garment.
Tray as he might to rid himself of the vision, it was hopeless. He had clearly seen the shape Julie's nightgown had formed around her firm and supple young breasts, each with a small beautiful pink peak, which surely had been screaming for attention. Slowly letting his eyes wander down the vision in his tired brain, he could still see the form of her slim body and waist. Still lower, he could see the outline of a rather skimpy pair of panties, and lower yet; a very nice set well toned thighs.
He opened his eyes and taking in a deep breath, tried to once again shake the image in his brain and think about nothing. A few moments later, he closed his eyes, and once again, he envisioned Roy's young sister-in-law practically nude. Realizing how hopeless the quest for rest was, he opened his eyes and looked at Chris still sleeping in the bed. Jennifer still sat beside him talking softly to him while holding his hand in hers.
He turned his head and looked at the object of his daydream and noticed her attention focused on a magazine, which lay across her now crossed legs. His eyes fell on her right calf and he realized he couldn't remember if he'd taken the time to notice them beneath the material that barely covered them earlier that morning. Letting his eyes wander slowly back up her body, they finally rested comfortably on her face.
She had placed her hair behind her ears, which gave Johnny a clear view of her profile. He decided that despite looking like the cute nineteen-year old she was he could see the contours of a mature woman developing. His eyes continued to dance across her features, taking in her delicate chin and strong jaw line. Reaching her ear, he noticed a few strands of hair had managed to escape, coming to a rest across her cheekbone.
As if she subconsciously knew he'd been taking in her appearance, Julie picked that moment to once again tuck the runaway strands back behind her ear. Johnny watched the graceful movement and thoughts of Joanne entered his brain.
How often had he seen his partner's wife do exactly the same thing ad look just as graceful doing it? His mouth formed into a smile as he wondered if the young woman realized how much she resembled her older sister.
At that moment the door to the room opened and Joanne herself rushed into the room. She was at Chris' side in a few short strides. Sitting down on his bed and taking his hand into hers. She spoke softly to him and with her free hand gently brushed his hair. Out of the corner of his eye Johnny noticed Roy enter the room.
“How is he?” Roy asked.
Johnny stood and looked once again at the young man lying in the hospital bed, flanked by his sister and his mother. “He's doing much better today. His stats improved overnight and he's looking much better as well.”
Roy walked over to the bed on Jennifer's side, and took in his son's appearance. He looked pale. Reaching down, Roy placed the back of his hand on Chris' forehead. Satisfied that he wasn't running a fever, Roy took his son's hand out of Jennifer's and held the small wrist between his thumb and fingers, looking at his watch as he absent mindedly took his son's pulse. Again, satisfied that nothing was amiss.
Turning around, he noticed Johnny still standing in the same spot, his hands on his hips, watching his movements. He threw Johnny a small smile and noticeably relaxed. Turning back towards the bed, he bent down and placed a soft kiss on top of his daughter's head.
“How are you, Sweetheart?” he asked.
Jennifer wrapped her arms around her father; “Fine, happy you and Mom are finally home though.”
“Everything's going to be okay.” Roy reassured her. Looking down at this wife, he knew his words of reassurance were welcome to her ears as well. Letting go of Jennifer, he noticed Julie had place the magazine she'd been reading on the night table and was now standing beside his partner.
“How you feeling?”
“Relieved,” she confessed.
Roy stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her, “thank you for thinking clearly.”
“I wish there was more I could've done,” she responded.
“Believe me, Peanut, calling the fire department was the best thing you could have done.”
Julie cringed at the sound of her nickname but didn't say a word about it to her still worried brother-in-law.
“Uh, Roy, I'm gonna take off now if you don't mind?” Johnny interrupted.
Glancing at his partner, Roy stuck out his hand, which Johnny readily accepted. “Thanks for everything, Johnny.”
“No sweat,” was Johnny's response, looking down at Julie, he realized she was probably just as tired as he, if not more. After all, she, unlike him, wasn't used to waking up in the middle of the night and transporting someone to the hospital.
“Would you like a drive home, Julie?”
“I still have my bag over at Joanne's. I can wait for them to drive me over.”
“I don't mind swinging by their place.” Johnny replied. He wasn't sure if Julie had a key to his partner's house, but he did.
Looking towards her sister sitting on Chris' bed, Julie felt Joanne and her family would probably appreciate some time alone. “Okay, sure.”
“It's settled then. Roy, Jo's car is in the north side visitor's parking. I'll see you tomorrow morning.” Stepping up to the bed, he bent down and gave Jennifer a kiss on the head. Reaching over he took Johanne's free hand and gave it a squeeze, “don't worry ‘bout him, Jo, he'll be fine.”
“Thanks, Johnny. We appreciate your helping out.”
Johnny's only response was another squeeze of Joanne's delicate hand in his. Then he turned towards Julie, “You ready?”
She grabbed her purse, fished out the keys to the station wagon and gave them to Roy. She went over to Joanne and gave her sister a quick hug and kiss, also telling her Chris would be fine. Joanne thanked her for all she had done and then Julie tuned towards Johnny who stood at the door waiting for her. Walking up to him she stepped out into the hallway when he held the door open for her. The two slowly walked towards the elevator and waited patiently when Johnny pushed the down arrow button.
When they reached his Land Rover, Johnny walked up to the passenger side and unlocked the door for Julie. Then walked around unlocking the driver's side and climbed inside. Pulling into the slow moving Sunday afternoon traffic he turned his radio off, finding it a nuisance to his tired body.
Julie sat quietly watching Johnny's movements. Through the actions of his turning off the radio and switching gears periodically, she couldn't help but notice the man beside her had strong hands with nice long fingers, which seemed fascinating all of a sudden. Suddenly his voice cut through the awkward silence.
“How are ya adjusting to L.A.?”
“It's a lot bigger then I thought it would be, and the public transit system has a lot to be desired.”
“Ain't that the truth, I suppose living on campus helps though?”
“Sure does. If I lived off campus, I'd surely need a car.”
The two fell silent once again. Julie wished she could think of something to ask him, but her brain remained empty. She sat scolding herself when she noticed the Rover was now driving down her sister's street. Moments later, they pulled up to the curb in front of the home and Johnny tuned towards her.
“Do you have a key or do you need mine?”
“I have my own thanks.” She jumped out of the vehicle and Johnny watched as she glided up the walkway to the front door. Standing at the frond door for a brief moment, she finally unlocked it and disappeared inside. Johnny rested his head on the back of his seat and took a turn scolding himself for the second time in less than twenty-four hours. Why am I watching this young woman's movements so intently? She's just a kid, Johnny. Practically jail bait. So, she looks good beneath those clothes, so do a lot of other college students! Stop eyeing her, she's too young for you.
Catching movement out of the corner of his eye, he looked out the passenger side window once again to see Julie walking down the walkway towards him this time. Watching her hips swaying from side to side, her hair bouncing softly on her shoulders, he thought for sure she was moving in slow motion.
She opened the door and climbed back in the car beside him, placing her bag on the floor by her feet. He placed his vehicle into first gear and slowly pulled away from the curb and into the street. After a few minutes back on the road he asked, “Are you enjoying your studies?”
“So far, it's still pretty early though. I imagine once I have a bazillion assignments due and tests to study for, I won't have the same answer.” She smiled.
Johnny didn't respond verbally, but returned her smile before returning his gaze to the road ahead of him, the Rover once again filled with silence. He wondered if Julie was just shy or if she was nervous. Perhaps she's still embarrassed about the events from this morning.
He knew sitting in silence wasn't going to make her feel at ease, so decided to make on last ditch effort at starting a conversation with her. “What else do you do besides go to classes and help Joanne paint?”
Julie turned and looked at Johnny's profile. Boy he's handsome, how did I miss it the first day I met him? “I play intramural volleyball.” She offered.
“Ahh, you're an athlete.”
“I wouldn't go that far, but I enjoy the game and meeting new people. Helps relieve some of the stress from tying to get good grades.”
“Did you play in high school, too?” He felt like he was a contestant on twenty questions.
“Oh yeah, I played in school, our team made it to the State Championships! Unfortunately, we didn't win a single match during the round robin tournament. But we sure had a lot of fun! Plus, we got to go to San Francisco for a weekend! I think that not making it to the finals ended up working in our favor. We got to visit Fisherman's Wharf; that was a blast. I didn't realize how many shops could be in one place. Oh, and then there was Chinatown, the Bay Bridge, Pier 39, oh and the cable cars, they were neat. What a fantastic weekend, it was a lot of fun!
Johnny took a quick glance at the now animated woman sitting beside him and a smirk ran across his mouth. Just like Jennifer, find out what interests her, wind her up and let her go.
“…have you ever been to San Francisco?” She asked.
“No never, maybe some day.”
“Oh, it's a must. To actually see the Golden Gate Bridge up close and personal…well…it was great. And we went to Alcatraz of course, it was kinda creepy thinking about all those criminals who were imprisoned there.” She shuddered at the memory flooding back to her.
“Is volleyball the only sport you play?” Johnny questioned, realizing her short but winded monologue was now over.
“No, I was on the swim team too. How ‘bout you? Do you play sport?”
“Nope, I just bowl with friends once in a while, other than that I just ride my horses.”
“Yeah, Jennifer and Chris mentioned you ride. How many horses do you have?”
“Two. That's all I can afford for now, or have time to look after. Have you ever been?”
“A long time ago.” She answered quickly.”
“If you're ever interested, just let Roy know and we can arrange something.” He offered.
Noticing they were approaching the campus, Julie gave Johnny the directions to her dorm building. Having only been on the UCLA ground while on duty, Johnny slowly took in his surroundings. The buildings were mostly white stucco with terra cotta rooftops, and the grounds were well manicured with a balanced mixture of shrubs, trees, and flowerbeds, with park benches lining the walkways.
Couples could be seen throughout the lawns, as well as an assortment of walking the grounds. He noticed a group of young men playing catch in front of a long narrow building, another group was playing a make shift game of touch football on what he assumed was an area designated for such activities.
“My building is right her on the right.” Julie spoke pointing to another long and narrow building. It was only about five stories in height and as they drew closer, Johnny noticed the building was actually in the shape of a horseshoe. Pulling up to the curb, he placed the Land Rover into neutral and pulled on his hand brake. “Need any help?”
“No, I think I can manage. Thanks for the drive.” She placed her hand on the door handle.
“Not a problem.”
Suddenly, Julie turned around and faced her chauffeur in the eye. “Johnny, I'm really sorry about calling you last night. I was really scared and needed to know I'd done the right thing by calling the fire department. I thought there might be a possibility I was over re-acting. I wasn't really even expecting you to come…”
Reaching out and touching her lightly on the arm, Johnny gave her the re-assurance she was looking for. “Julie, you don't have to apologize, you did the right thing, not only by calling for a squad, but also in giving me a call. Chris and Jen mean the world to me.”
“I just got the feeling I was intruding, I'm sorry if I interrupted anything.”
“Like I said, don't apologize, everything worked out for the best.” He gave her small crooked grin.
Finding his smile infectious, she couldn't help but smile in kind. “Okay, thanks again.” She pulled on the handle and jumped out of the vehicle, slinging her bag over her shoulder and walked up the walkway towards her dormitory. She fought the over powering urge to look back, she hadn't heard Johnny drive off and couldn't help but wonder if he was watching her.
Pulling on the large glass door, she finally turned around when she entered the building, seeing the while vehicle pull away from the curb. A smile spread across her face as a warm fuzzy feeling came over her body. He'd said everything had worked out and had given her one of those amazing smiles!
Early the next evening, while Station 51 was busy battling the flames deep within the bowels of an abandoned warehouse, Julie Pierce was across town at the UCLA campus library. She had just put the finishing touches on a paper for her “The Environment and you” class. Gathering up her books, she put them into her book bag and headed towards her dormitory.
Along the fifteen-minute walk, she caught sight of couples walking hand in hand, or sitting on a park bench deep in conversation, while other couples were deep within some more intimate activities. The sun was just beginning to set casting a soft pink hue along the horizon. She thought about how beautiful it was and wished she were sharing it with someone special.
As she continued to walk a soft breeze blew across her face. Taking in the fresh scent it brought with it she closed her eyes and raised her face to the sky, allowing its warmth to blow through her hair. When she opened her eyes, she noticed she was standing outside the entrance of her residence. She reluctantly pulled the door open and climbed the three flights of stairs and down the dull hallway to her room.
She opened the door and walked into the room that had been her home for the last six weeks. Taking a look around she noticed everything in its place. Her bed was pushed up against the north wall, while the other single bed was pushed up along the opposite wall, on the same side the door was on.
Between the heads of the beds, an open window filled the room with the crisp fall air Julie had just been enjoying along her walk back home. Under the window sat a small apartment size fridge which Julie's roommate had bought during her first year in the dorm room. At the foot of each bed was a desk, which were pushed up against the appropriate walls. On her desk sat a typewriter, penholder, and a framed photo of her parents, along with an assortment of books and magazines. Above the desk was a large bulletin board with a copy of her course schedule tacked in the center, along with a number of other important papers and pictures of friends she'd left behind at home, or who had ventured off to start their own college lives.
The wall opposite that of the window found two large closets with a dresser inside each and in between the closest sat a four-foot high bookshelf with small thirteen-inch TV sitting on top.
Looking around the room she was surprised to see her roommate, Tanya Robinson, sitting on her bed painting her toenails. Tanya was twenty-one and was in her second year of the Nursing Program. She hailed from Atlanta , Georgia and as one might expect, had impeccable southern manners and of course possessed a large heaping of southern charm as well. Her family was prominent in the textile industry, but Tanya displayed no outward sign of her inherited wealth. She was very grounded and loved the idea of breaking from the family business. She had known from a young age that she wanted to help people somehow. She hadn't pin point it to nursing until her sophomore year in high school, when a football player had broken his leg during a game.
Julie and Tanya had hit it off the moment they met. Although they were each friendly, somewhat outgoing, and loved the independence that college life afforded them, that's where the similarities ended. Unlike Julie, Tanya was very self-confident in her abilities. As well as being tall, she had long flowing black hair; big beautiful oval shaped brown eyes, high cheek bones and full luscious lips. Relationships also came naturally to Tanya. She had a steady beau and numerous others behind Ken Sinclair, with high hopes her relationship with him would hit a sudden storm.
Placing her book bag on her desk, Julie flopped down onto her bed, “I wasn't expecting you to be here?”
Looking up from painting her toenails, Tanya smiled, “Ken has to study and I didn't feel like going to the coffee house with the others so I decided to stay in.”
“Gotch ya.”
“So, how did the weekend with your niece and nephew go?” She asked, since the girls hadn't seen each other since Julie had departed for her weekend away.
“You don't want to know!”
“Come on, it couldn't have been that bad,” Tanya laughed. “It's not like they're babies or anything.”
“Oh God, Tanya it was awful! My nephew, Chris, ended up in the hospital! I felt so helpless.”
“What happened? Is he okay?” Tanya asked with genuine concern.
“Yeah, he's fine, he was being released this morning.”
“Why was he in the hospital?”
As Tanya momentarily forgot about her toenails, Julie filled her in on the whole ordeal. Starting with Chris' running a high temperature, his trouble breathing, Johnny coming to be with her at the hospital, Chris being admitted to Rampart early Sunday morning, and finally ending with Johnny driving her and Jennifer back to Joanne's place. She didn't however tell her friend about her sudden growing feelings for the older man in her story.
“Thank God he's all right!” Tanya responded ad Julie ended her story. “I can see why you were scared thought, that's terrible. But tell me, has this whole incident changed your mind about your major? Tanya teased. She was always kidding Julie, telling her to switch her major to nursing.
“Absolutely not! A nurse I am not destined to be, trust me.” Julie laughed. “I'm hungry, have you eaten yet?”
“Yeah, I ordered in some pizza, there's a few slices left if you want ‘em.”
Julie walked to the fridge and retrieved two slices of pizza and grabbed a can of soda. Plopping back down on her bed she started her feast and watched as Tanya went back to work beautifying her feet. Although she didn't see a problem with it, Julie wasn't the type to wear nail polish on her fingernails, let alone her toes.
“So?”
“So what?” Julie asked.
“You left something out of the story?” Tanya looked up at her roommate who was busy eating.
Julie nearly choked on the food currently trying to make its way down her throat. She didn't know if Tanya as able to read her or if she was bluffing. Stopping to think about it for only a brief moment, she decided to confide in her newfound friend. Tanya did seem to have more experience with the opposite sex so maybe she could help her decide what to do about her feelings.
“You're right, there is more.”
“What?”
“Well, the guy I mentioned…Johnny.”
“Your brother-in-law's partner?”
“Yeah.”
“What about him? Did he do something weird? Was he a creep when he drove you back to your sisters?”
Julie laughed, “No! Not at all, he's actually very nice and well…um…well really…”
“Cute,” Tanya offered, seeing a slight blush rise on her friend's cheeks.
“Oh yeah, extremely cute.” Julie giggled.
“So, what's the problem then? Did you ask him out and he turned you down?”
“Oh gosh no, I wouldn't do something like that! Are you kidding me?” Julie nearly shouted at the mere suggestion that she would actually ask a guy out.
“Why wouldn't you?”
“Come on, Tanya, you're from the south. Are you telling me you'd ask a guy out?”
“Well, no, but we're talking about you not me. You know it's okay these days don't you, some guys even like it and encourage it.”
“I don't think I could. I'd feel stupid.”
“What's the worst that could happen? He says no right? Well, if that happens at least our out of your misery from wondering.”
“But he's so…well mature. I don't think I'd feel comfortable asking him out. I mean, what could I suggest we do? Come up to my dorm room to watch a movie on our teeny tiny TV?”
“Ask him to the show or something?” Tanya shrugged while returning her attention to her toenails. When Julie didn't respond to her, she decided to ask another question, “so what do you mean by mature? Is he old?”
“I'm not exactly sure, he's around my sister's age I guess, which would make him somewhere in his thirties.”
“Sounds exciting. So he's not just some boy, he's a man!” Tanya cooed, “an not just any man, but a fireman!” Tanya jumped up on her bed and struck a mock he-man pose.
Julie giggled at Tanya's obvious teasing and soon the giggles of the two young women could be heard all along the corridor.
Roy stood hunched over the engine of his Porsche sitting in his garage, wrench in one hand and a rag in the other. He didn't notice his sister-in-law quietly enter.
“ Roy ?”
“Hi.” He turned his head to look at her in acknowledgment.
“Joanne asked me to let you know dinner will be ready in half an hour.”
“Okay, thanks. I'm almost finished here anyway.”
Julie didn't leave and instead stood watching her brother-in-law work on the care for a few minutes longer. Glancing around the room she noticed all the tools hanging along the walls. Music was playing softly from a small transistor radio sitting on a workbench. She was trying to think of a way to ask Roy the question that had been on her mind since her talk with Tanya, a few weeks earlier.
Roy didn't know for sure, but he sensed that Julie was still in the room with him. He turned his head slightly and saw her still quietly standing looking around the room. He tightened the last bolt on the engine and straightened up. Slamming the hood shut, he wiped his hands with the rag. Walking to the workbench he returned the wrench to its rightful spot. Leaning his weight against the bench, he took in Julie's appearance. She looked nervous for some reason. She'd grown into a rather pretty young woman in his opinion. He felt somewhat saddened by the lost years between them.
When he'd first met Joanne, way back in the fourth grade, she, like him, had been an only child. It wasn't until they had both turned fourteen and were dating each other that Julie had been born. It wasn't that many years later when he'd entered the army and was sent off to Vietnam . Upon his return home, he'd quickly married Joanne and they'd moved to LA so he could join the fire department. Julie had only been six years old then, and now here she stood, a soon to be twenty-year old woman, currently attending her first year of college. Although they hadn't been able to see one another much over the years, he'd talked to her on the phone whenever Jo had called home. Julie had also written them letters often enough allowing them to keep up on her latest achievements and her life in general.
Roy could sense his sister-in-law's nervousness, so he started a conversation. “So, Peanut, how are your studies coming along?”
“ Roy !” Julie shot at him.
“Sorry, old habits die hard,” he raised his arms in front of him in a gesture of mock surrender. She'd asked him during her first weekend in town if he could stop calling her by the nickname he'd given her many, many years before. “I'm trying, honestly I am, but you'll always be my Peanut,” he smiled.
Julie couldn't help but return his smile. Although she'd asked him to stop calling her that name, secretly she still enjoyed his term of endearment. He'd been calling her it her entire life, but she didn't want the pet name to be well known to any of the new friends she'd made since coming to live in her new city.
“Well?” Roy asked.
“Oh, everything's going well. I really love it. It's hard work though.”
“Most things in life worth having are.”
Julie giggled at him, “You sound way too much like a father.”
“I am a father!” he protested lightly.
“ Guess what we're studying now?” Julie brought the conversation back to her schooling.
“What?”
“ Forest fires!” she responded proudly.
“Really, and what do you think?”
“Honestly? I think you're crazy for doing what you do for a living, but I have to admit, I can understand it.”
“How?” Roy frowned.
“Well, we were watching this film yesterday on fires that had been started by camp fires not being put out completely or properly.”
“And?”
“And,” she paused for effect, “I found the fires fascinating to watch. Each one seemed to have a whole personality all it's own. It was very interesting. Did you know that the roots of the trees underground can catch fire, and start a fire above ground miles away?” Julie stopped when she noticed a smirk on Roy 's face.
“Sorry, of course you know,” she giggled when she realized how absurd her question must sound to him.
“Sounds like you're enjoying yourself.”
“Yeah, it's really fascinating and fun.”
The two remained quiet for a few minutes before Roy spoke again, “What did you really want to talk to me about?”
Julie looked into her brother-in-law's face and fixed on his gentle blue eyes. She knew she could trust him and found herself longing once again to find a man just like him one day. He was caring, compassionate, as well as a soft-spoken man, plus he'd always been perceptive to her moods. He had a way of putting her at ease, he always had she now realized.
“Um…well…Johnny actually,” she replied, finding her feet suddenly the most appealing objects in the room.
Oh boy! Roy thought to himself, this couldn't be good. “What about him?” he finally asked, not sure he really wanted to hear the answer. He didn't know what it was about Johnny, but his partner seemed to attract women the way cows attracted flies.
Julie suddenly felt warm and sweaty, and wishing she hadn't brought Johnny's name up. But since the night of Chris' trip to the hospital, she'd been unable to stop thinking about him. She felt the need to know more about the man and with Roy being his partner, he was the logical person to ask any questions she had. Now however, she felt as young and as immature as Jennifer was. Someone who blurted things out without thinking them through first, what exactly can I ask Roy ? Does Johnny have a girlfriend? Do you think he'd consider going out with me? How dumb this all seemed now that she'd started the conversation.
“Well, I was just wondering…um…well, if he…” she took a deep breath and unexpectedly let forcefully back out. “If he…um…”
Julie wasn't the only one feeling uncomfortable; Roy felt squeamish watching the young woman trying to compose herself in front him and took pity on her. “You were wondering if he's available?”
Julie looked up once again and made eye contact with Roy . Giving him a shy smile she responded, “Well, yeah…I guess so.”
Smiling back, Roy could see the relief in her face as well as the embarrassment, in many ways she was still quite young. “Johnny isn't married and as far as I know he's not seeing anyone.”
“Oh!” Julie sounded just a bit too happy, but she was also confused. She was positive he'd been with someone, a female someone, the night she'd called him about Chris. The man was an enigma. Had he been with a woman or not? And if he had, why hadn't he gone back home to her? Oh well, she thought, why worry about it. If Roy says he's free, then he must be.
“Do you think he'd say yes if I asked him out?” she continued, still uneasy about the whole topic.
Although Roy truly wasn't shocked to find his sister-in-law attracted to Johnny, he was surprised by the question. He figured her feelings were more that of a schoolgirl crush then anything else. He didn't really know how to respond, but he taught his children honesty was always the best policy, so he took that approach.
“Uh, I don't really know how Johnny feels about you, but I do know how he would feel about you, or any other woman asking him out.”
“Yeah?” Julie felt her anxiety escalating.
“I don't think he'd be all that crazy about the idea.” He saw the hurt look on Julie's face and continued on, hoping to spare her feelings. “It's not you. It's just…Johnny doesn't exactly like women who come on to him openly or push themselves on him. He likes a more subtle approach I guess.”
“Oh.” Roy could hear the disappointment in her voice. “So you're telling me not to ask him out?”
“Yeah, I guess I am. Johnny's a very complicated person. Sometimes you know exactly where you stand with him and at other times you feel like you're lost in the woods. The same goes for how you'd expect him to react to certain situations. Sometime you know and other times…let's just say he's full of surprises.”
Roy thought back to the time Johnny had been asked out on a date by a flight attendant he'd been attracted to. He'd been so happy. It turned out the woman, like him, bowled, read the same books, and saw the same type of movies he did. He'd sang her praises for days, until she'd started coming on too strongly, calling him in the middle of the night, and at the station no less. Then the woman started telling Johnny how to drive, and then more importantly, how to bowl. It was then that Johnny surprised everyone, saying the woman was too bossy and had broken it off with her. He'' also told Roy afterward, that any woman who would openly pursue a man just wouldn't be worth it, as she would probably be bossy too.
“Are you just trying to let me off the hook nicely?”
“No, Julie, I'm not. What I'm saying is, if you like Johnny and would like to have a date with him, you're going to have to be subtle in your approach. Gently show him how you fee, and then, if I know my partner as well as I think I do, he'll take the bait.”
“You're sure?”
“Positive. Now why don't we head into the house before Jo sends out a search party.” He reached over and turned off the radio, then walked toward Julie, draped and arm around her shoulder and steered her towards the doorway and out of the garage.
“By the way, Pea…my captain's having a barbecue in a couple of days. Would you like to come?”
“Uh…I don't want to…”
“Don't worry, he said you were more than welcome.” Roy assured her.
“Okay then, I'd like to go.”
“You got it. We'll pick you up on the way.”
~~51~~
Throughout his meal, Roy 's thoughts kept returning to his conversation with Julie. He wasn't sure how he felt about the idea of Julie going on a date with Johnny. He was eleven years older than she was with a lot more years of dating experience under his belt, both figuratively and literally he assumed. The thought made him wonder whether or not his sister-in-law was sexually active or not. He didn't feel comfortable with this thought, but if she did end up dating Johnny, then it was something that would eventually come up between the two.
Roy knew it was none of his business, but he also knew if Julie were dating some college kid, he'd have the same concerns for her. He decided not to bother thinking about the matter, since for now, a date between Julie and Johnny was only a hope in her heart, and quite possibly Johnny wasn't now, or would never be interested in Julie in such a way.
~~51~~
That evening after Joanne had driven Julie back to the dorm, Julie found her roommate, Tanya, sitting at her desk working on a paper. The girl's desk could have been declared a disaster area if the Governor had had a chance to see it. Open books lay on top of one another; papers were strewn from one end to the other leaving no part of the actual desktop available for any other object to be placed on it.
“Hi” Tanya said, glancing up from her work.
“Hi, you look positively worn out.”
“It's this paper, it's due in three days and I'd forgotten all about it. I could just scream.”
“Is there anything I can do to help?” Julie asked, feeling for her friend.
“No, I'll just hammer through until it's done. How was your dinner?”
“Nice, you really should come along sometime. You've got and open invitation you know.”
“Yeah, I know, and one day I'm gonna take you up on that offer. Your sister and brother-in-law sound like really nice people.”
“They are.” Julie plopped down on her bed and closed her eyes. “I'm beat. I think I'm just gonna wash up and read for a while.” Getting up from her bed, she walked over to her closet and opened a drawer. Grabbing her toiletries, she walked out of the room and towards the community showers.
Returning a few minutes later feeling refreshed, she noticed Tanya had gotten into her nightgown as well. After putting her things away, she readied herself for bed as well and snuggled into her own bed. Turning the nightlight above her bed on, she read for the next hour.
When Tanya climbed into her own bed, she interrupted her roommates reading by bringing up a subject she knew would her attention. “So, have you seen that Johnny guy lately?”
Closing her book, Julie looked at her friend, “No, not since the weekend I stayed with my niece and nephew, almost three weeks ago. But I think I will in a few days.”
“Really! Have you worked up the nerve to ask him out?”
Julie heaved a heavy sigh, “Actually, I asked my brother-in-law about that. He advised me not to.”
“Don't tell me he thinks you're too young for his partner.”
“No, nothing like that. He thinks Johnny would be turned off if I asked him out. He told me to be subtle.” Julie sighed again.
“So, what's wrong then?” Tanya asked, picking up on her friend's distress.
“This is embarrassing.”
“Don't be embarrassed, what's wrong?”
“To be honest, I don't exactly know what Roy means.”
“Being subtle?”
“Yeah.”
“Oh, well, instead of coming right out and saying, ‘Hey, Johnny, I think you're hot and I think we should go out sometime. Roy means you have to show Johnny you like him through your body language.”
“How?” Julie asked.
“Um…let's say you hand him something. Make sure your hands touch first of all, but not ya know, clumsily or briefly, but make sure your hand lingers just a bit. Just enough so he notices it. Or when you make eye contact, hold the look just a little bit longer then people who don't know one another normally would. Those sorts of things.”
“And that'll tell him I like him?”
Tanya chuckled slightly. “If he's alive, yeah, he'll pick up on it Think of it as an unwritten invitation to approach you if he so desires.”
“I think I can do that, I mean, I've done it before, but never really thought about it as throwing signals.” Julie retorted hopefully.
“Yeah, you probably have. It's called attraction my friend. Just don't be afraid to make eye contact. That, more than anything will let him know you're interested. Now, I really need some sleep. I'm gonna go wash up.”
When Tanya returned to the room, Julie had already turned off her light and was snuggled up in her bed, waiting for a good night's sleep to take over. Soon enough, both girls were sound asleep and neither one of them heard the sounds of a wild party down the hallway.
End.
Writer's notes: First off, I'd like to thank Jill for posting this story. It's the first I've submitted to the Two Chickies site, which I'm proud to be affiliated with for the first time. Second, there's a few people who looked the story over for me and while being encouraging, weren't afraid to let me know where those nasty mistakes, errors, and just plain old odd writing phases were. So special thanks to, Icecat62, Peggy, and Jennifer. ~~~~ Sharon