I had kinda lost my muse on this story and the summer is fading away quickly. I ho pe you like this one. It is kinda a bridge to the end of this story and the next. I have a few more chapters to complete for this one. Since I've last posted I had the honor to meet Randolph Mantooth himself and snag an autograph. He is a very gracious and generous man and admittedly my inner fan girl was pretty thrilled. :)

Chapter 38

Johnny racked his brain. He tried pacing, he tried staying still. He'd tried making a list, but still he was unsure of how to best celebrate their upcoming fourth anniversary. Next year, they'd have infant twins and doing much of anything would be out of the question. He felt a great pressure to do something 'big'. They had a bit of cash, due to the upcoming release of JJ's book. "Maybe I should ask Roy or Elaine for ideas," he mused. Johnny reeled in his line and saw the bait was missing. He smirked and added a fresh worm. After adjusting the bobber, he recast his line and settled into a comfortable position focusing his attention on the birds and the sound of the wind in the trees.

JJ hung up the telephone firmly. After her visit with Elaine, she was more determined than ever to not give into the publishing companies demand to travel to publicize her new book. After the plane disaster while she was pregnant with Nova, JJ had privately decided to completely avoid air travel while she was pregnant, if she was ever so lucky to have another child. Now with the twins and the greater risk that comes with that type of pregnancy, JJ felt a greater resolve. "I won't do it," she whispered softly to herself. "Elaine will have to find another way," she said as she cupped her expanding belly. JJ's attention was drawn to the giggles in the other room and she set off to see what her children found so funny.

JJ then recognized the voice. Eric must have come while she was on the phone. He had a kid in each arm and had managed to flip them each upside down. Jiggling them he was stomping around the room demanding they give up their treasures to him, the giant. He was in the middle of a fee fi foe fum when JJ walked in. Eric flushed a bit and then grinned shyly. "Hey Jay," he said greeting JJ. "I thought I'd drop by for a bit. Hope it is okay."

"Jiggle me again," begged Nova to Eric.

"Of course, Eric. You're welcome anytime," JJ reassured him. A buzzer sounded from the back of the house. "Excuse me, I have a few things in the dryer." JJ hustled to get them out of the dryer before they got too dry and shrunk. As she hung the barely damp items up on hangers, JJ mentally noted Eric had been around a lot more than normal the past couple of weeks. Rachel must be extra busy, JJ thought as she restarted the dryer.

It was getting late and Johnny knew he needed to head home soon. He gathered up his equipment and loaded the Rover. He snagged the keys from his front pocket, unlocked the driver's door, slid in to start the engine and head home.

It was on the way home, Johnny suddenly had an idea. "Yeah, yeah!" he said out loud over the noise from the radio. "That is a far out idea!" He began to make mental plans for their anniversary as he tapped with the beat of the songs on the steering wheel.

The back door squeaked open and clicked shut right before she turned off the laundry room light and walked back to the kitchen. JJ peeked out the kitchen window and saw Eric and the kids outside building roads in the sandbox. JJ rinsed off the thawed chicken, seasoned it and placed it in the roaster and then into the oven. She called out the back door, "Eric you'll stay for dinner, right?" Eric had kinda replaced her brother Max in JJ's heart, except now her 'brother' was younger and not older.

"Absolutely Jay!" he replied as he withdrew his hand from a pile of densely packed wet sand leaving a hand-shaped tunnel for the road. His face split with a grin.

Johnny pulled into his driveway about 30 minutes later. He saw Eric's Grand Prix parked by the curb and heard the kids talking out back with Eric. As Johnny appeared, the kids both squealed, "Daddy!" They ran to Johnny and hugged him with sand encrusted fingers around the legs. "Did you catch anything?" asked Brian.

"A few, but I put 'em back," he answered as he swung Nova up. "We have plenty of fish in the freezer." He lovingly stroked Brian's hair with his free hand before he turned in greeting to his engineer. "Eric, I see you're building quite a transportation system there," Johnny remarked.

"Yeah, I ended up finishing up earlier than I planned so I came by. Kids said you'd gone fishing anyway. Plus, road building is much better than fishing. Everyone knows that," Eric said pulling Brian close and tweaking Nova's foot. The two had planned to fish together, but Eric had begged off the night before citing unforeseen issues he needed to deal with. Johnny wanted to ask what had come up, but Eric was already being tugged back to road construction. Nova squirmed down. Johnny just smiled as he went to stow his fishing pole and equipment in the garage.

After dinner, Eric took the kids for a tricycle/bicycle ride. He loved time with the kids, but also wanted to give the Gages some time alone. The rowdy bunch stuck to neighbor streets that were not heavily traveled. Brian would ride up to the end of the street and back before Nova made one trip up the sidewalk. "Look how fast I am!" cried Brian as he whizzed past.

I am fast too!" interjected Nova not wanting to be out done. Eric praised them both and wondered how in heck adding two more would ever work. I guess love just multiplies he thought as he grinned to himself and gets exhausted he thought.

"So, I told Elaine that I just would not travel by air while I am pregnant," JJ finished. "She understands, but is not sure how the higher ups will react. The doctor would probably write a letter, but well this sort of thing isn't well received in the business world you know." JJ looked worried. She and Johnny had been planning on using the advance on improving the cabin and now…

Johnny's eyebrows were shaped like mountains and his brow knitted. "I agree with you Janey, but does that put you in a bind with the contract if they buck the doctor's letter? Guess I'm glad we just banked that advanced till now since we have it to give back or pay a penalty or well whatever," he mused aloud.

She grimaced. "Yeah, me too. It's not that I won't promote the book, because I will. I just cannot travel by air—well until after the babies are born, of course." JJ looked down at her hands and then at Johnny. "I can still go to bookstores for signings and reading, but just in this area. I could go on California radio shows and the like…"

Johnny had been nodding. "I wonder about interviewing via satellite? I mean you could be on TV in New York and Chicago, well most anywhere, right? 'Course no signing autographs," he concluded a bit glumly.

JJ began to smile. "Yeah, yeah, but we could send autographed books to that affiliate in advance to give away. I wouldn't have that face to face with folks, but I could still meet any obligation to promote in any city." JJ hopped awkwardly onto Johnny's lap and hugged him. "Love, you have come up with a great idea! Thank you!" She kissed him and he smiled goofily. JJ lumbered up and to the phone to call Elaine back and was sent off with a playful slap to her behind.

Johnny and JJ were in the backyard on the swing snuggled up when Eric returned with the kids. Johnny quickly drained his beer, crushed the can and shot it towards the open trash can. "Two points and the crowd roars!" JJ chuckled and took another drink of her tea.

"John, I could use a hoist love," she said holding our her hand. He helped her up and gave her a smooch. It was JJ's turn to do bath duty and she hustled the kids off to clean them up and start the bedtime routine taking her glass back to the kitchen. It was then that Johnny remembered that he had wanted to talk to JJ about their anniversary. He sighed loudly.

"Cap?" Eric questioned sensing his frustration.

Johnny waved away his concern. "Nothin, nothing." He patted his engineer and friend on the shoulder as he shook his head with dismay. Eric laughed and bid him goodnight. He had wondered if his captain had questions for him that he didn't want to answer.