Chapter 27
There were days when Johnny Gage felt years older than his sixteen years, well, a few months shy of sixteen anyways, and today was one of those days. He lolled casually against the back of his cousin's two stall horse trailer, a cigarette dangling insolently from his lip and thumbs tucked into his front pockets. His callused fingers drummed impatiently on the worn fabric of his blue jeans; mud and dust vied for dominance all the way down the long length of the denim to equally dirty, worn down in the heels, leather cowboy boots. The tan cowboy hat was pushed back on his head, revealing a twisted, red bandana headband that held back shaggy black hair that skimmed his shoulders.
"So, are you a cowboy or an Indian?" The question startled the teenager but not as much as the beautiful illusion that asked it. Shorter than him by a head, she was scrutinizing him with pale blue eyes that were sparkling with laughter. Her dark hair trailed out from under her black hat in a long braid that circled around her neck and ended seductively on tanned skin revealed by three undone buttons on the blue denim shirt she wore. Her jeans and boots were as filthy as Johnny's but newer; they told him in that one glance that, like him, she was a competitor in the rodeo.
"I'm….," he squeaked out, his brief moment of feeling like an adult rapidly disappearing. He straightened up and absentmindedly reached a hand up to the forgotten cigarette that was hanging precariously; she plucked it from his lips, tapped it carelessly against her silver and gold belt buckle, took a deep drag, and blew a plume of smoke into his face.
"I'm whatever you want me to be," Gage finally managed to get out in a steadier voice, trying not to cough. He casually shrugged, trying to appear aloof and laid back.
She smiled knowingly, not fooled by his sudden studied indifference. He was awkward in his movements, like a newborn colt lurching to its feet; he'd probably had a growth spurt recently and was still getting used to his over six foot height. She was surrounded by these same klutzy boys at school and two at home, after all, and recognized the signs. But this one had caught her eye during the roping competition and he had been all grace in the saddle and in the dirt and mud of the arena tying off the calf.
"Well then," she whispered huskily, moving in so close the brim of her hat brushed against his chin. "Seeing how we're surrounded by cowboys, this being a rodeo and all, how about you be an Indian for now?"
He swallowed hard, wondering if she was for real or just stringing him along. He didn't care about the Indian and cowboy thing, because he really was both and he was proud of it. And she didn't seem to be malicious in her questions, more like curious if he had to put a name to it. His eyes darted nervously behind her and then swept quickly across the parking lot, jammed full of trucks and horse trailers. There was no one else in sight but that didn't mean that there wasn't a group of girls hiding around a corner and cackling like hens. He looked back at her, decided to trust her, and managed a nod. "Yeah, okay, what did you have in mind?"
"Is this your rig?" She asked, tapping the metal of the trailer and breaking off her close perusal of him to peer inside the empty space. She dropped the cigarette and ground it into the soft dirt and thin layer of gravel with a heel.
He nodded again, biting his lip and feeling a telltale bead of sweat trickle down the side of his face. Annoyed, he swiped at it casually with the side of his hand. "It belongs to my cousin."
"Well then," she mused, swinging one of the unlatched doors open. She held out her hand. "What are you waiting for? This cowgirl has never kissed an Indian before…."
~eeeEEEeee~
The twenty four year old John Gage recalled all of this and more, as if it had happened yesterday, as he stared incredulously at Jackie Hammer. They had never exchanged last names, phone numbers, or any other personal information in the handful of times they had met during that summer; he had been more than willing to meet her away from the junior rodeo circuit but she had been adamant. Once they returned to their respective high schools in the fall, there would be no time in her schedule for a boy who lived miles away, especially one that wasn't even old enough to drive. He had succumbed easily to her edict as they had been lying entwined in straw at the time, that last stolen moment they had together forever etched in his memory.
"And she probably could still lead me around by that invisible ring in my nose if she wanted to," Johnny realized with a sharp pang of both longing and affection as he observed the all grown up woman shaking hands with Mike, Chet hovering behind them. She looked as he remembered her, but impossibly prettier with an air of maturity clinging to her like a cloak.
"And these are my two paramedics, Roy DeSoto and John Gage…" He snapped to full attention as Captain Hammer's voice penetrated his very pleasant, nostalgic fog. Aw crap, now he realized why their leader had seemed so familiar. It hadn't been his face but his voice that he had been trying to remember all this time. That voice over the crackly loudspeaker calling the results at one or two of the rodeos he had competed in that summer, possibly more. He had probably caught a glimpse of him too at some point, but it wouldn't have stuck in his adolescent mind for long.
"Roy, nice to meet you, I've heard a lot about the paramedic program from Dad, especially the important part that you played in getting it started," Jackie said, clasping Roy's hand as she spoke. She turned to Johnny and raked him up and down with mischievous eyes before taking his hand and giving it a hard squeeze. "And I've heard a lot about you too, Johnnn…"
Gage bit back the yelp that almost escaped at her bone breaking grip and caught her wink before she dropped his shattered hand, waggled her fingers at him, and turned away with a flippant head toss. He heard Chet's snicker in the background as the attentive lineman caught the interaction; John ignored it as he realized she might have matured somewhat but she still retained her fiery spirit and probably most of her offbeat humor.
"Hey, what's that all about?" Roy asked in his ear, startling him as he watched her stroll demurely away.
Feeling the heat continue its slow crawl up his neck and face, Johnny shrugged and resisted the strong urge to shake out his tingling hand. He half turned so the other guys couldn't hear his words. "Let's just say it's a story for another day, okay?"
"Yeah sure, no problem," Roy agreed unwillingly, not bothering to hide his curiosity. For Gage had stared after Jackie Hammer with both yearning and something else in those often shuttered eyes; now he was glaring at Chet who was openly leering at the woman as both Hammers walked away.
"Good thing Cap's back is turned," DeSoto murmured, catching the man's rude gawking and wondering what else Gage was so upset about. Now I know why Captain Hammer looked so familiar…was that what Gage had said seconds before?
He looked at his new partner with interest; it was pretty obvious Johnny knew Jackie from somewhere and judging by the various hues of color that had passed over his face – in fact it was decidedly red again – he had known her rather well.
"Hey, how come you fellows didn't ask me to play horseshoes with you? I'm an old hand at it, just ask my sister." Chet's voice interrupted them and both paramedics turned.
"You were busy with Roy's kid and the dog," Johnny answered evenly, thrusting the horseshoe he still held into Kelly's hand. "You can take my spot."
He turned while walking away and did a few steps backwards, his brown eyes troubled and beseeching Roy to silence. "I'm gonna go check on my date and get a drink."
Satisfied with Roy's tiny nod he swung around and disappeared around the corner of the house, gnawing his bottom lip as he scanned the yard and patio. The initial shock of seeing Jackie had dissipated somewhat but now it had been replaced by worry. Worry that somehow his new captain would think he had taken advantage of his teenage daughter all those years ago...no, that wasn't right…the one thing he had learned during that summer was that she was almost two years older than him, and of course they had both been under age after all…respect, maybe…
He shook his head, annoyed at himself. Would their leader really think less of him if he had "socialized" with Jackie at the handful of rodeos that summer? Perhaps not, but then again he was pretty sure she was the only daughter so that protective father instinct might kick in. He didn't relish being beat to a pulp by a man who was his captain; there would be no way he could defend himself if it came down to that.
"Hi Johnny, did you try these peanut butter bars? They're very good," Trish asked as he came up behind her and leaned over her shoulder to look down at the picnic table.
He brushed her shoulder lightly with his fingertips before accepting the broken off piece of her chocolate covered bar and popping it into his mouth. Chewing, he sat down next to her and nodded his agreement.
"Your coworkers and their families are very nice," she whispered in his ear even though they were alone at the table, and waved a hand to encompass the yard.
"Yeah, they are," John agreed, noting warily that the formidable Ruth was holding court two tables over. Surprisingly, she seemed to be holding her small audience spellbound with whatever she was saying. But then again, Roy's wife was not in the group encircling her so who knew what kind of devious, fabricated tales she was spinning.
"Johnny?"
"Mmm, oh, sorry, Trish, what were you saying?" He started slightly at her voice and turned his attention back to her, wondering guiltily how he could be thinking about three women, no four, at the same time. Not that he wanted to be thinking about Ruth in any shape or form, or JoAnne for that matter either, but Trish really deserved all of his attention and not just a quarter of it; the Jackie and Captain Hammer dilemma would have to wait.
Trish smiled and swung her legs over the bench so that her back was turned to the gathering at the other table. She laid a hand on his arm and bent her head closer; he automatically twisted and leaned in so that their foreheads were almost touching. "Your partner's mother – in –law was asking me some strange questions about you; she practically cornered me against the wall over there."
"Uh oh, exactly what kind of things was she asking?" His eyes strayed sideways and quite unwillingly back to Ruth who was punctuating the air with her thankfully ring less hands. Good grief, Roy must have been right in his suspicions about the man eating shark.
"Just really weird things, like how long had we been dating, did you own a house, how old are you…I tried to be polite but honestly, she just kept on babbling even though I didn't give her any answers. Is there something wrong with her? I mean, she's married right?"
"Yep, pretty sure she's still legally tied to JoAnne's father, for better or for way worse," he snorted in amusement, trying not to spray his beer all over her as he struggled to control his laughter. She slapped his arm lightly and rolled her eyes but she was smiling and giggling at the same time.
"Hey, let me introduce you to the dog that rescued us awhile back. Or did you want to go back to playing badminton?"
"No, we're taking a break from the game…so that German Shepherd…" She linked her arm through his as they got up and asked him about Grace; he told the story, all the while keeping an eye out for Jackie or her father, who seemed to have disappeared, as they walked companionably past the tables. He really wanted to talk to his teenage crush but preferably in a more private setting and when he didn't have a first date probably wondering why he had suddenly become so absent minded.
~eeeEEEeee~
JoAnne DeSoto opened the door to her bedroom with Linda Hammer tiptoeing behind her, having expressed a desire to look upon the sleeping child. They peered over the edge of the crib and smiled in unison; Lisa was still snoozing soundly, worn out from her outing to the park and the excitement of all the strangers milling about their yard. She would probably have to wake her up soon so that the child would sleep tonight.
Noises from the outside filtered into the room and Jo realized she had forgotten to close the two windows. She touched Linda on the arm, pointed toward the window that looked out over the side yard, and mimed closing it. The older woman nodded her understanding and quietly circled around the bed and to the window while JoAnne made her way over to the one that faced the backyard.
Linda pulled aside the heavy drape and paused, hand resting on the wooden sill as she looked outside. She could see Dick and Jackie approaching the two paramedics, who were standing close to the house; in fact Johnny appeared to be leaning against the wall. She watched as her daughter was introduced, her interest piqued at the awkward posture of the dark haired paramedic and the odd, flippant way Jackie responded to him. She waited until the two men moved away from the house before sliding the window closed and fixing the light blocking drape, pondering the words and actions she had overheard and seen. Some memory tugged at the back of her mind as she joined her hostess at the doorway but she couldn't figure out what it was, at least not yet.
"You seem puzzled," Jo stated as she closed the bedroom door and moved into the living room. She looked out the door and involuntarily sighed as she caught sight of her mother entertaining, loudly, Chet's sister, Marco's date, and Mike's wife. Johnny's plus one had just wandered over to the dessert table and was regarding the selection with a wide - eyed "what in the world should I choose" look.
"Oh, just something about the way my daughter just acted when she met your husband's partner. I think they know each other from somewhere…" Linda came up beside JoAnne, took in the scene at the picnic table, and instantly understood the other's overheard sigh. "Your mother is bothering you a bit, isn't she?"
JoAnne flushed guiltily and plucked at the crocheted throw on the arm of the couch, then ran fingers through her hair in a nervous gesture. "Don't get me wrong, I do love her dearly. But I'm exasperated with her antics, the last month or so she's been behaving very strangely…"
"Mmm, what's changed lately in her life, if you don't mind me asking?" Linda asked.
"Of course I don't mind, Mrs. Ha…ah, Linda. Nothing really, except for the fact that Dad has semi – retired, working only twenty some hours a week. Considering that he worked fifty plus hours a week sometimes, I suppose that could be bothering Mom….." she mused out loud as she wandered back over to the opened patio door. She shot an appraising glance at the food and beverages before stepping back and turning to face Mrs. Hammer, who had sat down on the edge of the couch. "But from what I've heard from both of them, he's not really underfoot. If anything, he's become something of a recluse, preferring to work on his old car or putter in the garden. He doesn't go out much anymore with Mom to the movies, dinner, or one of their favorite activities, dancing."
"Perhaps that's it then, she's feeling a bit abandoned since your father has curtailed his activities with her; she may also require the reassurance that she is still desirable as well being needed, a thing that most of us crave as we move into middle age and beyond."
Jo fought down a shudder as she envisioned her mom not just as her parent but as a woman with needs and urges. "I guess it's sort of like when your children leave home, or when some men go out and buy sports cars …you could very well be right."
"The best way to find out is have a talk with your mother," Linda suggested gently, smiling to take the sting out of the words. She thought for a moment and then added, "I need to take my own advice and do the same with Jackie, instead of sitting here trying to grasp an elusive memory that may or may not be true."
"Thank you, Linda, for the excellent advice. And now, will you help me break up the monopoly my mom is having on the guests? While I'm sure she's being very entertaining, she really is best taken in small doses."
"Absolutely, and I did notice through the bedroom window the horseshoe pit. Do you play, JoAnne?"
Jo grinned slyly. "Oh yes, although I must confess that I haven't played since, oh, it's been years! Want to partner up and whip those cocky boys out there?"
"You don't need to ask me twice! Let's go see if we can get some teams together and start a competition," Linda agreed heartily, glad that she had worn the pantsuit instead of a dress or skirt. She stood up and followed Jo onto the patio, noting that Johnny and his girl were ambling slowly towards the back end of the garage and the tail wagging dog that awaited them. She really needed to talk to her daughter about the strange awkwardness between her and the youngest member of Richard's new crew….
~TBC~
