Chapter 9

When Mike walked around the truck and opened the door for Laura the first thing he noticed was that she had taken off her sling. "Shouldn't you be wearing that?" He asked as she tucked it in her purse.

"I'll be fine, I really don't want to be the center of attention here." she assured as she jumped down from the truck and gave him a smile that was just about to drive him crazy. "Are you ready for this?"

"I've been ready for this since they told me my father passed away," Mike answered.

Once inside Mike checked in with the receptionist and the two were directed to a room at the end of the hall, inside was a medium sized round conference table and another long table pushed against the wall that was covered with fire safety literature. While they waited for someone to join them the two silently paced around as Laura busied herself glancing at all the literature picking up a 19 page coloring book and rolling it up in her hands as she turned her attention to the posters on the wall.

When Chief Jenner entered the room followed by two other men Mike jumped to an immediate attention. Laura just casually turned to face the man and her first impressions weren't all that impressive. Once the introductions and the pleasantries were out of the way they were all invited to sit down and the meeting began.

"Now that we have the name confusion straitened out I can tell you that your father was called in because that apartment building was one that he had helped design in her early days as a structural engineer and we needed the blue prints to be able to know how to brace the structure while we were performing our extrications. However over the years there had been a lot of changes made to the building and the blue prints didn't do us a whole lot of good. Every wall had to be evaluated on its own merit and examined. According to the project manager in charge of that operation Michael Stoker Sr. was very instrumental in getting to and saving the lives of all thirty eight people pulled from that explosion," Chief Jenner nearly lectured.

"What was the cause of the explosion?" Mike asked and Laura was clearly stunned that he didn't already know.

"There had been a new gas heater installed and the landlord cut a few too many corners leading to a gas leak which was set off by the pilot light of the near by water heater."

"SO it wasn't an act of terrorism?" Laura spoke with some relief as she watched Mike let out a silent sigh.

"No, Just some landlord trying to save a penny."

Over the next two hours the three men from the department produced several documents and photos beginning with copies of News footage of the rescue taken over the three days showing Mike's father in action many times before showing the three girls being carried from the rubble and then the three rescuers falling through the floor as the building collapsed on top of them.

"Wow," Laura commented as that footage was shown, "NO wonder it took them so long to get to us."

"Us?" Chief Jenner questioned.

"Yea," Laura responded, "the one on the right with the medical bag over the shoulder. That's me."

"I'm sorry I didn't realize you were there," Chief Jenner looked quite embarrassed, "I thought you were his lawyer."

Laura burst out laughing nearly spraying the Chief with her saliva. "A lawyer! That's a first."

Over the course of the meeting Laura was able to point out details in the photos that others didn't notice and able to tell Mike about what was just beyond the picture frame. They not only had a recording of the conversations taking place once communications were established with the trapped rescuers but they also had transcripts. It was watching yet another news footage that they noticed Mike's father and Randy being loaded into a medical transport bus, not an ambulance, for the ride to the hospital and they were able to jot down the name of the company that owned it. The real puzzle was that his father looked good as they loaded him in the bus. He was waving to someone who came over to him to talk before he was loaded and then reached out to the young man with his arm splinted to hold his good hand in a gesture of friendship. Mike laughed as the young fireman placed his helmet on the structural engineers head just before he was lifted into the back of the bus. The back lip on the hat making it impossible for him to lay back against the stretcher but he looked excited to be wearing it.

The question was left as to what happened enroute to the hospital but Mike knew the men in front of him wouldn't be able to answer and fearing he would break down and become emotional in front of his high commander Mike just didn't even ask.

Every time something was shown Laura was quick to ask if they could get copies and before they left the stack of papers and videos at Mike's elbow stood a good five inches high.

"WE have this commendation," Chief Jenner began to hand some formal looking papers across the table to Mike, "for your father that we---- Ouch!"

Laura had just swatted the Chief Chief, the real head honcho, up the side of the head with the rolled up coloring book she had been fiddling with since they entered the room. Mike was stunned, mortified and worried about his future with the fire department all at the same time.

"What are you doing?" Laura exclaimed climbing to her feet. "Is this a formal commendation or is it just a piece of paper that says sorry your loved one died on us?"

"I assure you ma'am this is a formal commendation showing our sincere appreciation for the work this man performed and his part in saving the lives of all those people." Jenner proclaimed in his lecture like tone.

"Then it should be formally presented to his family, which includes his widow, his daughters and his son." Laura proclaimed loudly, very loudly in fact, "Not just tossed across the table at his son like it's just another piece of paper."

Now it was Chief Jenner's turn to be embarrassed. "Yes of course, you're right." Turning to Mike, "Would it be acceptable if arrangements were made to present this at your station next time your on shift? We of course would like to invite your mother and sisters to be present to accept it."

"Sure," Mike answered still in shock, it was clear he was not responsible for his guest's actions. In fact Mike would have been happy to have just accepted the commendation but as he thought about it he knew Laura was right, in demanding that it be formally presented to his mother that is, not for hitting the High Chief up the side of the head.

"I will contact you're captain, a, Captain—

"Stanley at station fifty one," Mike filled in the information.
"Yes, I will contact Captain Stanley and make arrangements then."

"Thank you," Mike offered and Laura just stood silently at his side having not sat back down after she yelled at the LA County's top firefighting commander.

While they prepared to leave Mike talked briefly with the three men who had supplied him with the stack of information far beyond what he had spent the last six months trying to find. Meanwhile Laura stepped up to the reception desk and asked to borrow a phone book. Quickly looking up the name of the transport company that was used to take Mike's father from the accident she scribbled down the address on a piece of paper on the desk and tucked it in her pocket before Mike joined her at the door.

Mike was very quiet as he took Laura by her good arm and hurried her toward the passenger side of his truck before helping her inside and shutting the door behind her.

"I take it from your behavior you're having second thoughts about asking me to come alone today." Laura commented once Mike was behind the wheel.

"Yes, What ever you're taking for pain that caused you to do what you did in there." Mike seethed.

"He had it coming." Laura defended herself. "And I haven't taken anything except the antibiotics."

"What do you mean he had it coming, do you know who he is?" Mike screamed.

"Yeah, the Grand High Poo ba of firefighting, and he had it coming because every ounce of information they gave you today should have been given to you before your father's funeral. The only reason they gave it to you now is because they thought I was a lawyer."

"Yeah well they couldn't read my dad's signature," Mike defended his establishment.

"Bull, pucky," Laura countered. "They knew who to contact as next of kin didn't they. We're not talking about some John doe they rescued we're talking about one of their own crew. Do you think your captain could get away with something like that?"

Mike didn't have a comeback and it didn't take him long to realize she was right and he was growing angry about it too, "No I guess not." "What was it you wrote down and stuffed in your pocket?"

"The address for the transport company," Laura produced the paper holding it in her fingers.

"How far away is it?" Mike asked realizing she wanted to go as bad as he did.

"I have no idea; I'm not from around here, remember." Laura countered in a teasing tone.

Mike snatched the paper from Laura's hand and opened it looking at the address then thinking. "It'll take us about forty-five minutes to get there."

"That works for me, but wait, before we leave here, did you find out where we can find Randy?"

"Yeah, his station is in the general area of the transport company and it just so happened he's scheduled for today."

Mike started the engine and turned to watch Laura struggling with her seat belt and holding her arm. "Do you need to get that sling back on." He tried to make it and order not a question.

"No," Laura said simply, "It's more annoying than it's worth."

Mike tried to think what his captain would do in this situation and turned the engine off again and turned toward Laura. "It's warm out would you like to take your jacket off first or do you want the sling on over the jacket?"

The two occupants of the truck stared at each other in silence for a few minutes before Laura finally answered. "I'm from New Mexico I'm used to the heat."

"Do you need some help getting the sling back on?" Mike held his ground.

"Who died and made you my Mother?"

"MY truck my rules."

"I'm not going to win this fight am I?"

Mike just shook his head negatively and Laura reluctantly pulled the sling from her purse. After she pulled the straps over her head Mike helped her get the rest of if over her arm and in the proper position. He then started the truck again and pulled out of the parking lot.

They stopped at the fire station first but they were out on a call so they moved on to the transport company. Laura was helpful when it came to ordering a copy of the paperwork but it had to be Mike that made the request and then they were told that it would be mailed to him in a week to ten days.

From the transport company they went back to the fire station and arrived just in time to see the engine backing into the bay. Parking behind the station Mike lead Laura to the station entrance and rang the door bell. When the Station Captain came to the door he was impressed to see the dress uniform and then worried. When Mike asked if they could visit with Randy Olsen the Captain only had one question. "Are you bringing bad news?"

"NO," Laura was very quick to answer. "Randy and I worked together on an apartment building that had and explosion about six months ago and we wanted to talk with him about what he remembers."

"Oh yes I remember that one, Right this way." Mike and Laura were lead into the equipment bay where the captain called. "Olsen, you have company," before leaving their side and starting to give more orders.

Randy had been working with the hose to get it straightened out and ready for the next fire. His face still bore the soot from the fire they had just returned from and his first words were to apologize for his appearance.

"You look a lot cleaner than you did the last time I saw you." Laura smiled.

"I'm sorry do we know each other?" Randy questioned as he turned his head to study Laura closer.

"Well we were briefly acquainted in a hole for about eight hours some six months ago." Laura smiled, "I was on the other side of a slab of concrete from you though so I'm not surprised you don't recognize me."

"Laura?"

"Yep, that's me."

"And I'm Mike Stoker Jr." Mike extended his hand, "the other person who was trapped with you was my Father. I was hoping we could talk about what you remember."

"That's right your dad had pictures of you and your sisters he was passing around." Randy gave Mike's hand an energetic shake but he looked nervous before turning to Laura, "What did you do to your arm?"

"Oh Nothin, I just got an old injury worked on and get to wear this thing for a couple of days." Laura tried to play down her sling and glared at Mike at the same time. Mike just smiled.

Randy seemed distracted by the work that was taking place behind the engine and Mike quickly understood. "Here, let me help you get that hose reloaded so we can talk," Mike offered as he unbuttoned his suit coat and slid it off his shoulders draping it across the bumper of the squad before going to work.

After the work was done the guests were offered a cup of coffee and guided to the common room where they all sat down in a lounge area of sofa's and chairs.

"I don't see a wedding band on that left hand," Laura commented trying to get the conversation started.

Randy looked down at his hand and hid his face, after a moment he just shrugged his shoulders. "She wasn't sure she wanted to be a fireman's wife." Randy finally explained, "Remembering what your father told us about your divorce I thought it was best to not push the issue. We still see each other but we're not ready to get married."

Mike squirmed a little, his short marriage was something he tried very hard to keep a secret, even to forget about all together, none of his current shift mates knew about it, not even his captain. He had married just after he graduated from the fire academy following a whirlwind courtship and for the first six months it was an extended honeymoon. Then one of the fires he was working on managed to generate media coverage. She knew her husband was there because she had seen him in the background and could clearly see the indentifying number on the truck behind the news announcer. As media coverage goes they ranted on about the danger to the lives of the firefighters and when Mike returned home from his shift his wife was distant and different. They tried counseling and spent a lot of time talking, Mike studied for and took his engineers exam hoping that would put her at ease. But before the results came out he was injured on an accident. Not real bad but he wasn't able to finish his shift. Not wanting to worry his wife he managed to get the Captain to let one of his shift mates drive him home and he let himself into his apartment to find his wife in bed with someone else. The marriage had lasted only 14 months.

Laura picked up on Mike's squirming and made the next move. "Randy, what happened after they pulled you and Mike Sr. out of the hole? We've seen news footage of them loading you both in a transport bus and you both looked good, how is it that Mike was pronounced DOA?"

Randy let out a deep breath and shook his head, "He had a heart attack on the way to the hospital. One minute we were joking and giving each other high fives and then he grabbed at his chest and was having trouble breathing. The nurse on the bus jumped into action and got him on oxygen but before she could get his vital signs he grabbed at his chest again and went into cardiac arrest."

"A heart attack?" Mike gasped in shock.

"We did everything we could to get him back, I even did CPR with my broken arm, but—even the doctors tried everything once we arrived, they were working in him right in the door way, but they couldn't get his heart started again."

Mike was stunned but was soon able to regain his composure if only an act of composure, he then turned to Laura to see she was more traumatized by the news than he was.