D is for Daughter
Mike Stoker was pacing in the waiting room when they came in.
"Well, Captain Desoto and Captain Gage. Glad you could come. No word yet on Kelly."
The three long time friends greeted one another quietly, respectful of the other waiting families. Johnny looked around.
"Where's Marco? I was sure he'd be here."
"He'll be here any time now. His station got a call near the end of the shift and he said he was going to grab a shower before coming. Speaking of people showing up, I see Chief Stanley coming down the hall."
The group of four men quickly became a group of five as Marco arrived shortly after Stanley did. It seemed like the two of them arrived just in time as Dixie came out into the waiting area.
"Chet's put in a request for, as he put it, his 51 family to come on back."
As they followed Dixie, they soon caught sight of Chet leaning and staring through a nursery glass window. It took a moment for their approach to catch his attention, but once he noticed them, he beamed.
"Come over and take a look, guys. She's beautiful."
His old crewmates surrounded him to get a look at the newest Kelly. Marco clapped a hand onto Chet's shoulder.
"You're right. She's a little doll, but I see reddish hair. She'll be a firecracker like her mama."
"You may be right, Marco. I probably need to stock up on bear traps now to keep the boys at bay. Chief, you have any leftovers now that both your girls are married?"
"If he doesn't, I'll help you dig a moat."
"Thanks, Mike. I may take you up on that in twelve years."
Johnny peered in over Mike's shoulder and commented as well.
"Good work, Chester. She doesn't look a thing like you."
"Watch what you say about her, Gage, or I'll pick someone else to ask to be her godfather."
That stopped Johnny dead in his tracks.
"Me? You want me to be her godfather?"
"Yeah. Well, Claire and I talked it over and yes, we do. So I guess the question is, will you accept?"
"I'd be honored, Chet."
"Good. Now I don't feel stupid for sort of naming her after you."
Roy chuckled.
"No offense against Junior, but how did you get a feminine sounding name out of John Roderick?"
"That's why I said sort of. I went with the initials. Guys, meet Janette Regan Kelly."
Chief Stanley nodded with approval.
"Lovely name. Do Mark and Michael know they have a sister yet?"
"The boys are with my mom and she's told them. They'll all be by later to see her for themselves."
As Johnny moved to drape an arm over Chet's shoulder, he thought about how hard it was to remember the Phantom and his water bombs now when he looked at his old friend - now a father of three.
Glancing at the reflection of the six of them in the nursery windows, a smile formed on Johnny's face. Even with none of them getting to see one another as often as they would like, when they did get together, it felt like they'd never been apart. Some things and, most importantly, these friends stood the test of time.