Chapter 21
Dixie McCall strolled down the hallway towards her apartment, keys and Marco's umbrella clutched in her left hand while her free hand unbuttoned her raincoat. When she spied a figure hunkered down next to her door, she slowed her pace and brought the pointed end of the umbrella up. As she moved closer, however, she smiled and tipped the weapon back down.
"Kel! For heaven's sake, what are you doing here?"
The weary doctor pushed up from the wall and smiled back. "I wanted to surprise you with dinner and wine. Unfortunately, I think the food has gotten cold and the vine of the grape has become room temperature…." He gestured towards the bags at his feet.
Dixie shook her head as she unlocked the door and pushed it open. "You silly, thoughtful man. Well, come on in and let's see if we can warm up the meal and chill the wine, although I like it any old way. Did you forget I was stopping by John Gage's place to drop off his meds?"
Brackett set his offerings down on the counter and shrugged. "Guess so, but I should have called before I came over."
"Then it wouldn't have been such a lovely surprise," she chided, stopping in front of him. She pulled him towards her by the lapels of his coat and kissed him gently. "Take your coat off, kick your shoes off, and go relax on the couch while I see what you've brought, Doctor."
"Yes, nurse," the doctor agreed with a wicked gleam in his eye, kissing her back and then allowing her to help him off with the knee length overcoat. He followed her orders and toed off his dress shoes, lining them up by the door; he crossed the expanse of green carpet and settled comfortably onto the couch with a sigh of relief. Crossing his legs at the ankle, he wiggled his shoulders into a more comfortable position and watched her debag the food.
"It's still warm, Kel, at least the lasagna is. The garlic bread just needs a few minutes under the broiler," she stated, quickly tossing the circles of bread on a baking sheet and sliding it into the oven. While the bread warmed up, she decorked the wine and poured two glasses. Brackett lifted an eyebrow as she drained the contents of one, and then filled it back up. She carried the untouched glass over to him.
"Long day?" He queried, eyeing her graceful form as she moved back into the kitchen.
She pulled two plates from an upper cupboard before answering him. "No, well, yes I suppose it has been, but that isn't it."
"What's troubling you Dixie?" He asked gently, swirling the contents of his glass and taking a sip as she continued her preparations. She remained silent as she plated the food and arranged two pieces of bread on each plate. Gathering up silverware and linen napkins, she placed them on TV trays.
Setting his glass down on a coaster, Kelly jumped to his feet and carried one tray over to the couch, keeping the tray leveled and snapping the legs in place as he walked. He set the second one up and Dixie followed him with the loaded plates. She sat down, arranged the napkin in her lap, and now watched him as he returned to the kitchen for her wine glass.
"Thank you," she murmured, accepting the beverage. "Seeing Johnny this evening in his apartment, not feeling so good, brought out some old feelings, maternal feelings I'm afraid."
Kel snorted in disbelief as he settled behind his tray and picked up his fork. He was shocked when he glanced over at her and saw the tears glistening on her lashes. "Oh God, Dix, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to mock you or your feelings, but somehow Gage..."
He stopped abruptly as her lips trembled and she covered her face with both hands. Feeling like a total heel, he caught her in his arms and pulled her close, stroking a comforting hand through her unbound hair.
"Tell me what it is," he whispered in her ear and felt a tremor course through her body. His concern shot skywards and he pressed his lips against her hair.
She took a deep breath and pulled away a bit so that she could look at him. Tears were sliding down her cheeks and she brushed impatiently at them; Kel caught her hand and using his thumb, gently wiped away the telltale moisture.
"What a sentimental old war horse I am," she sniffed. She picked up her napkin and touched it to her nose, pulling away from him as she did so. "I told you once that I was a bit wild in my younger days?"
The doctor grinned, eyes twinkling as he recalled the tale. "More than a bit, from the story you told me."
She nodded, picking up her glass and taking a small sip. "Yes, I was. Kel, I had a son."
"A son," he repeated slowly, working the words through his mind. "You had a son?"
"Ryan…I lost him to Vietnam."
He grimaced, watching her closely and wondering how old she had been when she birthed this son, who was old enough to be called to war. "I'm sorry, so sorry; I can't even imagine what it must feel like to lose a child."
"The hurt is still there, a sharp, piercing pain that will always be there. I just hope that it will soften in time," she admitted quietly. "I was so young, he was so young…"
"How old was Ryan?"
"Just turned twenty; I was seventeen when I had him," Dixie said, flicking her napkin on the floor. "Someday I'll tell you the whole story, just not tonight."
"Of course, you can tell me whenever you want to, or not at all, whatever feels right to you."
He clinked his glass to hers, questions flying about in his head; he knew, however, that he would never push her to tell the rest of the story. Dixie McCall was a strong woman, and he was frankly surprised that she had broken down. Something or someone had triggered her emotional collapse, and he had a strong feeling that the young hose jockey was somehow involved in this. With an effort, he bit back the angry accusations he wanted to spit out about Gage, and instead focused on the beautiful woman now gathered again in his arms.
He'd had strong hopes of a romantic interlude when he had impulsively planned this evening; even finding her apartment empty hadn't completely doused his pleasant dream of spending quality time with a woman he admired and, if he was being totally honest with himself, loved. Camping out in the hallway outside of her door, he'd had plenty of time to contemplate their relationship and had even begun the disturbing process of trying to figure out why he was shying away from commitment. That had challenged him so much that he had been surprised when she had finally appeared; he had truly lost track of time. Unfortunately, he hadn't come to any startling conclusions regarding his marriage phobia during his solitude.
And now, holding this wonderful woman that for once needed his understanding and support, he realized it didn't matter in the least that his plans had been thwarted. He was content with just being in her company….
She moved away, interrupting his thoughts, and picked up her fork while brushing the other hand across her face.
"You must think me a fool, Kel," she said softly, forking off a piece of lasagna, her eyes focused steadfastly on her food.
He shook his head vehemently, almost spilling the glass of wine still curled within his fingers. "On the contrary, I think you're the strongest, smartest, and the most compassionate woman I have ever known."
A smile flitted across her face and the utensil finally finished its journey and made it to her mouth. She chewed thoughtfully for a moment then looked at him. "And the most stubborn."
"That I concur with," Brackett agreed amiably, crunching on a piece of the garlic bread and grinning behind its concealing width. "And just what were you up to last night, if I may ask?"
"Mmmm, this is very good, Doctor." She sipped from her glass before turning her now tear free eyes towards him, although the lines of grief and tension were still evident around her mouth. "Let's just say I am investigating the possibilities of a career change."
Brackett's brows shot skyward in surprise and he hastily swallowed the chunk of bread before he choked on it. "You're thinking of leaving Rampart?"
She patted his leg. "No, of course not…well, maybe not for a few years until I see if this works out…now, do you have some time to hear about last night's adventure?"
"For you, Dixie McCall, I have all the time in the world."
~eeeEEEeee~
Mike Stoker entered his rental house whistling, shedding shoes, coats and wet pants at the front door. He locked the door and turned off lights as he made his way towards the bedroom. There was a faint light emitting from under the almost closed door and what sounded like the jarring soundtrack of a movie coming to an end on the television; he made a detour to the bathroom and took care of business before joining Connie.
His wife was under the covers, propped up on several pillows and watching the small black and white television on the dresser. She smiled at him as he did an awkward little dance while pulling off his socks.
"Hi Sweetheart, turn off the TV please? It's about done."
He did so and went around to his side of the king size bed, expertly navigating the narrow space between mattress and wall. They were both tall so they had agreed to give up square footage in return for the bigger bed. Peeling off his t-shirt, he dropped it on the floor to keep his socks company and slid under the covers.
"New shirt?" She asked, giggling as he kissed her and yanked her warm body against his cold one.
"Nah, one of Gage's, I got pretty wet."
The short reply was met with more questions and he quickly explained the rescue and the resulting soaking both men had received. She listened in silence and when he had finished nuzzled his ear.
"My hero," she whispered, brushing her fingers through his damp hair. "I didn't know that you could do, what did you call it?"
"CPR, yeah, I know some basic stuff and want to learn more. I think eventually all firemen will be required to take some medical training and be certified at least at the lowest level. Sometimes the engines and trucks are first on the scene and we should be able to render lifesaving aid; we have to be able to do more than just stick an oxygen mask over someone's face."
She made a noncommittal noise, and Mike wondered where her mind had suddenly wandered. He had learned that she did this when there was something bothering her or she was under a great deal of stress. Their romance had been a fierce whirlwind, culminating in marriage within two months of meeting each other. They were still getting to know each other and there were times like this when he wished they had slowed down during their courtship and explored their relationship a bit more. He shifted so that he could see her face and ran a light finger along her jaw to catch her full attention.
"What are you thinking?"
"You mean besides your brave exploits?" Connie giggled but it only lasted for a second as the smile fled from her lips and she became serious. "Mike, John Bentley called me today."
Stoker drew back a bit further so he could see her better by the faint glow of the bedside lamp. "And what did he say?"
"Pierre's has approached him and want to sign me to a contract!" The words flew out in an excited rush and she sat up straight, her hands waving. "Sign me, Mike, me, to one of the top modeling agencies in the United States!"
"That's great honey!" Mike exclaimed, enveloping her in a hug, pleased for her. A sudden thought occurred to him and when she started to pull away, he let her go with a frown.
"Hey, but aren't most of those modeling agencies in New York City?" He asked carefully, not wanting to dampen her enthusiasm but getting a bad feeling about what the answer was going to be.
Connie, who had giddily bounced off the bed and was heading for the door, turned around and regarded him with a sad smile. "Unfortunately, yes, but why don't we talk about how we're going to deal with that later? Right now, I want you to relax while I get my surprise; we're going to celebrate!"
Mike nodded as she skipped out of the room, a sick feeling settling in the pit of his stomach. He sat up, turned, and fixed the pillows behind him, punching the softness to vent his growing frustration. He was happy that she had achieved the goal she had been reaching for since she was a teenager, and he had known since the day he had met her that something like this might happen. In fact, he was surprised that it hadn't happened sooner. A lot of models peaked in their mid to late 20's, but Connie seemed to grow even more beautiful as she matured. Apparently, someone had finally realized that. But that didn't change the fact that things were about to change, and for him it would not be for the better.
She returned several minutes later carrying a tray laden with imported cheese, chocolate covered strawberries, plump red grapes, crackers, and several other delectable snacks. A champagne bottle was sitting in the middle, with two crystal glasses flanking it. Mike eyed the celebratory offering warily but flashed her a big smile and carefully accepted the loaded tray. She had probably got the call while he was sleeping earlier, and had either ordered or had shopped for the gourmet food while he was at Johnny's apartment. That meant she had waited all day to share her news; he was frankly surprised that she had been able to contain her excitement.
Connie popped the cork and they both laughed as the bubbly liquid foamed over; she snatched up one of his wet, discarded socks and swiped at the liquid running down her hand. As he caught the sock she flung at him, a disgusted scowl on her face, he decided to let his misgivings go, at least for tonight, and enjoy her news. The morning would be here soon enough, and with it the harsh light of reality.
~eeeEEEeee~
Dick Hammer gathered up his papers and shuffled them into a neat pile. Clipping them together, he slid them into the leather binder with a noise of satisfaction, pleased that his work wouldn't flow into his day off tomorrow. Scratching his head and yawning, he ambled into the kitchen of his ranch style home and peered into the cookie jar, wondering if his wife had made his favorite treat.
"They're in there," Linda's amused voice said from the doorway. "I made a double batch today."
His questing fingers drew out two cookies, oatmeal chocolate chip. He bit one in half and turned to give his wife a crumbly grin.
"Thanks," he mumbled around the cookie. She rolled her eyes but she was smiling as she stepped back to let him pass. He dropped into his recliner, a sigh of relief escaping him as he elevated his legs and then leaned back.
Throwing her coat and purse down across the entry table, his wife settled into the matching La-Z-Boy and copied his movements. Turning on the lamp, she pulled the shirt draped over the recliner's arm into her lap and picked up a threaded needle and button from the end table.
He watched her quick movements as she sewed on the button, marveling at her always busy hands. "I saw Rob when I got home; he said he was heading to bed early. How about the other kids?" He asked after a long moment of comfortable silence between them.
Linda looked up and over as she clipped the thread and gave him a smirk. "Jackie is out running around with her friends, and Bill, well, hopefully Bill is at home with his wife getting some sleep because he's going to need his energy."
"Oh, brother, grandparents…are we really that old?" Hammer groaned, ignoring the fact that he had forgotten again that their oldest son Bill had been married and out of the house for at least two years. He and his wife were expecting their first child, due within weeks. While Linda was eagerly awaiting the arrival of their first grandchild, Dick wasn't quite so sure he was ready.
"Of course we're not," she chided him, still with the mischievous smile playing about her lips. "Or at least I'm not, you on the other hand I'm not so sure."
The captain snorted and rubbed his temple, hoping the headache tickling the nerve behind his eyes was just a sinus headache, and not that flu bug Gage was trying to overcome. Probably not the best idea, their entire shift visiting their crewmate who was probably still infectious, but he had to give his men credit for coming up with the idea and carrying through with it.
As if reading his mind, Linda laid her sewing supplies down, climbed out of the chair, and sat down on the arm of his recliner. She caught his hand and rubbed her cool fingers across his brow. "Headache bothering you?"
At his nod she continued. "I'm sure it's just the barometric pressure, Dick. How's that young man doing anyways?"
Leaning into the soothing pressure of her fingers, he thought a moment before he answered her. Throwing up in the bushes wasn't exactly an indication that John was feeling better, but then again, pulling a drowning victim out of water and performing CPR during a freezing rain wasn't exactly what rest and drink plenty of fluids meant. It was probably not a good thing to be telling his very sympathetic wife, however. "He should be back at work next shift, if he doesn't suffer any ill effects from tonight's near disaster."
That simple sentence of course required an explanation, although he did leave out the part about the bushes. Even so, when she found out the young paramedic lived alone, she was all for heading out into the damp, chilly night and bringing him home. Dick gently dissuaded her from that course of action by reminding her that all of his men were adults and they had already plied the sick man with food, drink, and attention.
"I think he just wants to be alone now to get some rest," he added quickly when at his words she adopted a hurt expression.
She finally nodded and smiled. "Of course, I'm sorry, I think I need someone to look after. Our kids are so independent, as they should be, but it's nice to feel needed once in a while."
Dick pulled her into his side and wrapped an arm around her, understanding exactly what she was talking about. While their daughter Jackie still lived with them, she was finishing up her schooling while also working a full-time job. The few free hours she had were usually spent gallivanting out with friends, both male and female. Dick was pretty sure there were nights when she didn't make it home, but as she was twenty-five and paying rent, he kept his mouth closed.
Rob, their youngest at eighteen, was a senior in high school and was heavily involved in school activities; right now it was football as well as the debate team, drama club, and a tenor in the choir. He worked on the weekends, squirreling away money for college and spending the rest on the truck he had purchased the summer before.
Absolutely all good kids, he mused silently, absently patting Linda's shoulder. Surprisingly, it was their daughter that had given them the most trouble, of all the kids, growing up. She was still headstrong and a bit on the wild side, although she had settled down enough to return to college and finish her degree.
"Rob coming with us to the barbecue at DeSoto's house this Saturday?"
She pulled back a bit to look at him. "Actually, he's not the one I meant when I said one of the kids was coming with us..."
"Jackie is? I'm surprised, but pleased."
"And how many of your crew did you say was single?" Linda asked, waggling her eyebrows and giggling.
Hammer snorted. "Just for a moment there I thought our daughter wanted to spend quality time with her parents; I should have known better."
"I could be wrong, but based on past experience and intuition, I would say that meeting the available men is most of the reason."
"What available men?" A dark haired young woman asked, approaching them from the back of the house. She leaned against the other side of the chair and patted her dad affectionately on his head.
"Hullo Jackie, I was telling your father that I'm pretty sure the reason you're going to the barbecue is to meet the single fellows from the shift." Linda said matter-of-factly. "Did you just get in?
Nodding yes to the question, having entered the house through her private entrance, Jackie shrugged indifferently at the comment. "Partly I suppose, but I've dated guys before from daddy's stations, so it's no big deal. They're not any different from anyone else except maybe for their macho attitude. I know it's not very cool, but I kinda wanted to spend some time with you guys."
"That's my girl," Hammer said softly, wrapping an arm around her so that both women were now pulled against him. He knew his daughter was being truthful; she was so much like her mother in many ways. He smiled to himself at her admission to dating firemen and the typical stereotype of them being macho. Although he hadn't seen it yet, he was pretty sure some of his current crew, if not all, would fit into that category perfectly. It was pretty hard to risk life and limb on a daily basis and not exhibit cockiness. He was sure he had been the same way when he was younger and might even unconsciously still do it on occasion.
Jackie straightened up, pulling down the hem of her short dress as she did so. "Well, I'm off to bed, night all."
They murmured return good nights and Linda yawned. "I'm about ready to hit the hay myself. What do you think of your new crew? You really haven't said much about them yet."
"I think they're going to work out just fine. Mike Stoker, the newlywed and my engineer, is a sharp man and has good instincts. I have a feeling he'll move up the rank ladder without a problem. Marco, my oldest crewman, is content to be a lineman; I believe cooking is his true passion. He's one of the three single guys on my shift and is very good at mentoring and keeping a sharp eye on everything." He paused and his wife, who had moved back to her chair and was perched on the edge, made an encouraging noise. She had gleaned bits and pieces about his men over the last couple of weeks of course, but they had never actually sat down and discussed the personnel in depth. She knew he would only say so much about his fellow workers or the calls that they responded on but he did like to hash out minor problems with her, or tell her his thoughts and observations. This was his third station since he had made captain and she really enjoyed hearing about the men he commanded.
"John Gage, my youngest paramedic and who I believe is also youngest man in the station, comes across as serious about his job but also a bit daring and impetuous."
"As in jump first and ask questions later kind of impetuous?" She asked curiously, not liking the sound of that.
Dick shook his head. "No, he always knows what he's going to be leaping into; he just doesn't take that extra second that we all seem to take to consider the consequences."
"So maybe he's a risk taker, but not a fool hardy risk taker." Linda suggested after a moment's thought.
"Something like that, I guess. His married partner, Roy, appears just as serious but calmer although I did see him really rein in his temper on one occasion. As long as he has that under control, I can see him advancing as fast as Stoker."
"Now that leaves the last man, who must be the other unattached fellow?"
Hammer smiled. "That would be Chet Kelly, who's a seasoned and knowledgeable firefighter and most assuredly single. From the locker room talk, I gather he's trying to talk Gage into double dating with him. I guess his current girl has a sister who saw Gage and, well, to put it nicely, wants to make his acquaintance."
"Oh my, that might not work out so good…."
"Good way to throw a spanner into an excellent working relationship," her husband added drolly as he considered the fallout if the blind date turned out to be disastrous. He scowled when she snickered at his statement.
"So overall, you're saying that you have a good crew of men?" She finally asked after she had caught her breath. "As long as they don't go on blind dates set up by their associates?"
"Yes, that's what I'm saying," he replied grumpily, wishing he had worded his comment differently or had not mentioned the dating habits of his men.
"Come on darling, let's get to bed," Linda suggested, back by his side once again. She lightly ran her fingers along the stubble on his jaw, letting him know she was teasing. "Do you want some popcorn while you read?"
He caught her hand and kissed her palm. "Sure, why not. What's on your reading list for tonight?"
"I'm revisiting an old favorite, To Kill a Mockingbird. How about you?"
"Still working on those Edgar Rice Burroughs books," he replied, thunking down the footrest on the chair and standing up.
"Mm, refresh my memory, are you reading the Tarzan series or the science fiction ones?" She asked over her shoulder as she checked the locks on the front door.
"One of the science fiction ones," he admitted with a grin as he followed her into the kitchen.
She nudged him playfully as she put the pan on the stove. "If reading science fiction is your worse vice, I would say you're an upstanding man of society."
Opening the fridge door, he peered inside. "Yes, I know, but it just seems strange that a man in my position reads those kinds of books, instead of say, something philosophical or enlightening."
"You can read whatever you want to read, dear, and nobody, least of all me, is going to hold it against you." She regarded him thoughtfully for a moment, head cocked to one side and mischief sparkling in her blue eyes. "I'll tell you what though, next time I'm at the library I'll look for one titled "How to Be a Good Captain", or perhaps one that reads "101 Ways To Get Your Employees To Do What You Want Them To Without Them Knowing It"!"
Hammer groaned and spun around. Catching her by the waist, he growled into her neck. "Woman, you're a cheeky devil, aren't you?"
"You know darn well that's why you chased me all over California," she retorted in glee.
"And caught you, married you, and got three wonderful kids in the process," Dick mumbled, twisting a lock of her brown hair between his fingers. "You want sparkling cider or lemonade to go with your popcorn?"
"I think tonight's a sparkling night," she said softly as they slowly swayed together to a silent song.
"I think so too," he agreed, closing his eyes and relaxing completely as he breathed in her familiar scent of soap and light, flowery perfume. Sometimes the best moments in life were unplanned.
~TBC~
A/N – sorry for the long, unplanned delay in continuing this story. A lot of things going on within our immediate family, some good and some very bad, and I'm on my second round of what feels like a sinus infection. So when I have an ounce of energy and my muse is cooperating (Thanks for the encouraging feedback, it helped a lot!), I try to squeeze in some writing. My computer has had other plans however and started reverting to the blue screen of death quite frequently. After several weeks of muttered words directed at that sad smiley face on my computer, my wonderful spouse bought me a new one that has touchscreen and dictation; I'll let you know how that goes!
I am frequently amazed at how many E! fans there are out there for a show that was on in the 70's – and equally thrilled that there are writers, both new and long established ones that are still writing! I thank you for continuing to read this story and all the other stories in the E! realm!
Rosemoor - "ciyewaye ki" translates to (hopefully I got this right) "older or big brother"
The Walking Pie - Is it, or is it not? Stay tuned for further information!
