Just a little Fruity
These good fellows don't belong to me but I promise when I'd done to pick um up, dust um off and with a kiss on the cheek return them safely home.
"Care is the ingredient that keeps true friendships alive despite separation, distance, or time. Quite simply, caring sustains love." Sara Paddison.
Chapter 12
Roy and Kanda drove to his house in silence. Neither knew what to say at this point. They were scared to death for someone that was so important to both of them and right now they couldn't do a damn thing about it. It was Roy's worst fear. Johnny needed them more than ever but somehow Karen had him convinced they were only out to hurt them both. He knew Johnny had a deep protective nature about him and add to the fact that he wasn't thinking clearing anymore he would fiercely protect Karen right now no matter what they said.
Once they reached his house they got out and stood at Kanda's jeep. He was worried about her going home alone, "Will you be okay?"
Her eyes were red from all the crying and she knew she couldn't hide anything from this man. "Honestly no." She leaned back against the door. "How can I be okay Roy?" She hesitated, "Would you…" No, she couldn't ask that.
"Yes." He knew exactly what she wanted.
"Roy, you need to be with your kids today."
"Joanne has them and is taking them to her moms this weekend. It's okay. I just need to make a couple of phone calls first. Come in, it'll just take me a minute." He walked her in with his hand at the small of her back.
She tried to not make the sigh of relief too obvious. She did need to get back at least for the night and the thought of going home alone was as bad as leaving Johnny behind just a few minutes ago.
After spending almost an hour throwing up Johnny had to drag himself to bed. He felt like he'd been run over by a truck. He smiled as Karen tucked him in and gave him some hot tea. Within just a few minutes he was fast asleep.
She went back into the kitchen and walked around the table as she thought. That partner and sister had taken her off guard by showing up at his place. She had underestimated their relationship. It was a mistake she wouldn't make again. Her assumption was that the threat of the police might not keep them away and she knew she had to get him out of this apartment. Him working tomorrow didn't bother her. He would just be one of the crew and no one would pay particular attention to him. Her plan would be complete in just a few more days. Then it would be too late for anyone to help him.
Once inside the house Roy picked up the phone and called Joe Early. He filled him in that they wouldn't be at the appointment today and why. When he told him he wanted a tox screen done on Johnny of course Early was extremely upset that they couldn't get to him today.
"Roy, if we track back when his symptoms started we're looking at nearly three weeks."
"I know doc but I don't have any access to him today. First thing tomorrow we will be in." Next he called Hank and after filling him in on what happened he told him that he wanted one of the guys to go by and check on him today.
"Roy, stay away from that apartment. Last thing you need is to be arrested."
"I know Cap but I need someone to check on him."
"Okay, I'll go check on him and let you know. I'll call you back as soon as I can."
Roy took a deep breath, "Thanks Cap."
He followed Kanda out to the ranch and took his bag for work to the guest room. She headed straight outside to the barn to see what needed to be done. She thanked the heavens for the wonderful ranch crew she had. They were all friends of her late husband and very dedicated to the ranch and to her. But even with an awesome crew she as the owner had a long list of responsibilities that were hers alone. The time she spent out here with the horses always made her feel better after a bad day at work and although Johnny filled her thoughts it was soothing to be around them once again.
Roy quickly joined her and worked by her side tending to horses and helping with various chores but his mind couldn't leave that apartment. The look that Karen had given him haunted him. A part of him wanted to barge back in there and drag Johnny against his will to the ER but he knew he would probably only wind up in jail and that wouldn't do either one of them any good.
Maybe if they knocked on the door every hour someone would get through to him or run her off. He chuckled to himself thinking of some of his shift mates being let loose on Karen.
"Okay, give. What's funny?"
He looked at her, "Oh, sorry. Just thinking that maybe if Chet annoyed the crap out of her she'd pack up and leave."
Kanda had to laugh, "That's true."
Roy finished up his tasks then waited for her at the gate in front of the barn. He watched cross the corral as she dusted off her hands on her pants then took off her hat, wiping her brow with her arm. Even tired and dirty she was beautiful. When she saw him watching her she smiled.
"So stranger, what brings you into town?" She kidded him as she propped her arms on the railing next to him and put her foot up on a board.
"Well let me buy you a beer little missy and we'll talk about it," he answered with a wink and a smile.
As they walked up the stairs to the house they heard the phone ring. Kanda darted to it, "Hello?"
"Kanda, it's Hank. Is Roy there?"
"Yes he is, hold on." She handed the phone to him. "It's Hank."
"Yea Cap."
"Roy I ran by and picked up Mike, just in case something happened, but when we got to his apartment he wasn't there. We even got the landlady to open it up for us."
Roy looked at Kanda.
"Is there anywhere else we might find him?" Hank asked.
"What's Karen's apartment number?" He asked her.
"212, she's three doors down from his place."
Roy relayed that information to his Captain.
"Okay hold on." He heard the phone being laid down on the table. A few minutes later the voice came back. "There's no answer and the lights are all out. If he's there Roy we can't do anything. I can't break into that apartment. I'll call the others and we'll check back later. If we find anything out we'll call you. Will you be at this number tonight?"
"Yea, you can reach me here. Thanks for trying Cap." He hung up the phone. "They didn't find him."
She sat down on the couch, "Where would he go?"
"He was angry Kanda. I'm sure he just wanted to get away for a little while." He didn't speak the deep fear he had that Karen had done something to him.
She simply nodded. He could try and hide his fears but she felt them too.
"We just have to pray that he can hold out until tomorrow," Roy told her.
Karen didn't know who kept coming to her door but she had already decided to not even answer it for the day. The interesting thing was that when she would look out the curtain from her dark living room she never recognized any of the men banging on the door. She had Johnny tucked away in her bedroom at the back of the apartment and he had slept through all the knocks. Finally, around midnight it had stayed quiet long enough that even she fell asleep next to him.
Johnny awoke to a dark room. Rolling over and looking to find his clock missing told him immediately that this wasn't his bed. The nuzzling of a body behind him made him assume he was in Karen's bed but he couldn't remember getting here at all. As he back tracked in his mind he winced. God, what had happened yesterday? Did he actually kick Roy and Kanda out of his place? He could remember the police being there but couldn't remember why. His memory was like swiss cheese and it was driving him nuts.
He rolled over and smiled to see Karen nuzzled in behind him sleeping soundly. Her clock was on her side of the bed and when he realized what time it was he decided to get up and head back to his place or he'd be late. Slipping out of the bed quietly he noticed he was still completely dressed. Pulling on his shoes he tiptoed from her room and out the door.
After a quick shower he pulled on clean jeans and was tying his shoes when Karen came in the front door.
"Johnny, there you are. Any reason you felt the need to sneak out on me this morning?" She said smiling as she sat next to him on the bed.
"Just trying to let you get some extra sleep is all. I don't want to be late today. I need to talk to Roy about yesterday." He stood up and gathered his name tag and paramedic pen from the little tray on the end table.
Karen froze. "What do you mean babe?"
He shook his head. Damn, it was already hurting again. "I don't know but I just feel like I've got to talk to him today." His stomach was churning. Yea, he remembered hugging the toilet for what seemed like hours yesterday.
Her mind was spinning. He didn't sound upset or angry at all this morning. In fact he sounded like he wanted to make up to that stupid partner of his. She hurried into the kitchen and pulled out the little baggie of brown powder. Putting a hefty spoonful in his cup of coffee she returned to the living room to see him already heading to the door.
"Wait, I made you some coffee. You have time to sit and drink it." She handed him the cup.
He took the mug and smiled, "Thanks babe but I got to go or I'll be late and Cap will ream me." He headed out the door and she tried to grab the mug from him.
He looked back and smiled at her, "I'll just take it with me and sip it on the way. Your coffee is a hundred times better than Chet's."