Chapter Thirteen
Johnny followed the ambulance to the hospital. He parked the squad leisurely and meandered in. A list of restock items already in hand. Walking up to the counter, he looked for a nurse who could help him. He found Dixie sitting at the counter, studying a schedule. "I'm surprised you're not in there with Roy and them." he said mildly surprised.
"Carol's working with Early today." she supplied. "And good to see you too." she added dryly.
Johnny rolled his eyes, "It's not like I haven't seen you today already." and huffed indignantly. "Since you're here, I've got a-"
"A list for you." Dixie finished for him, smiling sweetly.
"Am I that predictable?" Johnny asked, leaning on the counter.
Dixie smirked, "Only when you are tiger." she replied, knowing it would set him off. She smiled, hoping Roy wouldn't kill her later.
"What do you mean only when I am? That doesn't make any sense!" he began to ramble. Dixie grabbed the slip of paper out of his hand while he talked. She turned her back on him, getting the needed supplies together.
Roy walked up, observed the situation, and glared at Dixie accusingly. "Sorry." she mouthed, not appearing sorry at all.
Johnny finally saw him and said, "Do you think I'm predictable?" Johnny asked. While he waited for Roy to answer, Dixie slipped out from behind the counter and left the two medics standing there.
Back at the station, Johnny was sitting on the couch and still discussing Dixie's answer. Inwardly, he was just delaying the rest of the letter. Outwardly, he was muttering under his breath, "Only WHEN you are. Only when YOU are." He repeated the phrase, accentuating certain words. Finally giving up, he stayed quiet, petting Henry on the head while he thought.
"Maybe it wasn't supposed to make sense." Chet helpfully suggested. Tired of listening to Johnny's rant, but thankful to see his friend back to, what appeared to be, normal.
"I suppose so." Johnny said, thinking it over. Roy ignored all discussion on 'predictability' while he chopped up potatoes.
"Smells good." Marco said, trying to lead the conversation in a different direction. It worked.
"It does. I'm looking forward to eating it, whatever it is." Captain Stanley agreed while he took a swig out of a glass of water.
"I give up." Johnny exclaimed, moving Henry off his lap as he stood up. The basset hound looked at the medic gratefully, then crawled over the Chet and plopped down for a nap. "Henry's got the right idea." Johnny said and he walked out of the dayroom.
"Looks like Johnny's feeling better." Chet said, voicing almost everyone's thoughts.
"I don't know." Roy trailed off, still concerned.
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
As the group coordinator promised, Jane gave her ticket to the man at the amusement park gate. He looked at it then said, "You're good to go." Jane didn't have to pay a penny. Inside, the amusement park was almost deserted. She looked around, kind of spooked at the ghost town. Hearing her stomach growl, she began looking at food shops. She caught up with her coworkers, hoping they could find a place to eat together. As she walked with them, she thought of ways she could convince her friend Paul, to ride the biggest roller coaster with her.
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
John sat back down on his bunk and took the letter back out from under his pillow. He really didn't want to read it, but at the same time he did. "Morbid fascination." he muttered, he opened the letter and started where he left off.
'My mother only just told me this the other day, never telling me anything before. She feels guilty for leaving you as a five year old to the anger of your father, but not enough to inquire I guess.'
Anger was pulsing through his veins. He looked up, "Maybe," he said out loud. He finished his thought silently, "Maybe she thought I'd turn out like him." "I didn't," he said to convince himself. He read on.
'I have my own feelings about that, trust me. The excuse she told me was, 'she wanted to leave that chapter of her life behind.'
"She did a good job." he muttered darkly. After the initial emotions played their course, Johnny took a breath and kept reading.
'I'm in town until Thursday, if you want to meet up, the number of my hotel and room number are below. If you want nothing to do with me and my family, that's fine. I understand. I'm not that happy with my parent's choices either. Just know, my mom's proud of you, becoming a firefighter and paramedic I mean. Take care. Your long lost cousin, Jane Maddox'.
The rest was easy to read, but he didn't like Jane for leaving him with the choice to contact her or not. "I guess she didn't have any other option." he said when he looked back down at the letter addressed to him. He would've preferred her to either love the fact he was alive or resent him for even existing, he was the child of a monster after all. "Do I even have a right to be angry with her? She had no choice in the matter." He put the letter on the table next to his bed and laid down, mulling in his thoughts.
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
Roy put the roast in the oven and set the timer. He hadn't seen his partner since they got back from the hospital so he walked around the station to try and find him. He took a right out of the day room, checking the hose tower again. It only contained hoses. Next, he went to the locker room, which was empty. By process of elimination, he ended up in the bunk room. He found Gage lying on his bed, breathing deeply. Roy counted respirations out of habit, John wasn't sleeping. "You okay?" Roy asked tentatively.
"Read it." Johnny said, without opening his eyes. Roy was silent, Johnny opened his eyes and looked at him, "Read it." he repeated seriously, his gaze moved towards the letter. As Roy read it, he watched Roy's emotions change. Roy slumped down on his bed, still reading the letter. When he was finished, Roy looked at his friend.
There was silence, then "Wow." Roy said.
"Yeah, so uh, there's a glimpse of my happy childhood, and someone else who got lucky." Johnny said sarcastically laying back down. "I've got to meet up with her, there's no way I can't." Roy nodded. "I mean, she came to the station, I can't not." he repeated. "Will you-," he stopped. "Never mind."
"Come have breakfast with us tomorrow morning." Roy said, thinking that he couldn't fix John's childhood, not that Johnny needed to be fixed, but he could include him in his own family.
"Thanks Roy," Johnny said thickly. "I think I will." They both heard a friendly yell.
"DESOTO!" Chet yelled, "THE TIMER'S GOING OFF!"
"Guess that's my cue." Roy stood up and rubbed his hands on his pants. "Do you need anything…?" he trailed off.
"Go take care of your 'main entree'." Johnny said with a smile on his face. "I'll be fine."
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
Jane was excited, she looking forward to a simple roller coaster after finding so much turmoil on her trip. It would take her mind off of things, leaving her to enjoy the adrenaline that came with the ride. Paul had agreed to ride with her but she failed to convince him to sit up front. They settled for the second car from the front. "You'll love it," she said grinning. "It's like go-karts, but better." she advised, knowing the man loved his go-karts.
"If you say so," he nervously replied. "I've never been on one of these before." he clutched the bars that came over his head.
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
"Dinner was really good Roy" Chet admitted to the senior medic as he washed dishes. Captain Stanley agreed as he dried them. Since Roy cooked, he got the pleasure of sitting on the couch, petting Henry contently. Johnny was sitting on the corner listening to the baseball game on the radio. Every so often, Roy would glance over. Johnny seemed to be doing okay, only time would tell.