Bundle-3

Saturday

JJ woke with a wail to wake the dead. Johnny woke with a start. Heart pounding, he blinked his eyes and then rolled over on to his elbow and looked at his son. He had placed the dresser drawer next to him on the bed and had fallen asleep with the palm of his hand on the baby's tummy, like he was taking his respiration.

"You defiantly have great lungs there junior!"

He spoke in a soothing tone to the wailing infant who looked at him with an' I am not going to have anything to do with you look,' Johnny picked him up and discovered he was soaked.

"Oh man... again?"

Picking up the drawer he headed for the bathroom. Turning on the shower, he took care of his business and then took off the wet clothing and diaper.

"Whew - do you stink!"

After dunking the diaper in the toilet to soak, he looked at JJ and said out loud, "why not, we both need to get clean."

After getting the drawer situated, they both got into the warm spray to get clean. Washing JJ first, he set him in the drawer, swaddled in the towel and then he finished lathering up and rinsing off.

First, Johnny fed JJ and then came another change of diapers and clothes. Johnny was finding out that keeping his son clean was a chore in itself! As JJ snoozed in his drawer, Johnny just stood and looked at him. All through that weekend Johnny found himself just watching JJ - he couldn't get enough of him. He instantly fell in love with him the first time he peeked in the basket and now they were bonding. All he had to do was look at JJ and he knew what he wanted. Just like Roy and him had an unspoken language.

Monday

Johnny and JJ were having breakfast and having a one-sided conversation. "Even if it turns out that I am not your father by blood I'll still be your dad." Taking a bite of toast, there was a knock at the front door. Opening it, he found Roy surrounded with a stroller, bassinet, car seat and a couple of large sacks.

He said, "thanks Junior for helping to mark one thing off the honey-do list...to clean out the attic! These are for you; especially the car seat!" With a grin he said, "Can't have my nephew driving around in a drawer!"

Johnny smiled and helped him in with all the stuff. Offering Roy a cup of coffee and breakfast, Roy just took the coffee. As they sat at the table, Roy and Johnny talked about what the plans were for the day. Roy and Chris were cleaning out the garage and he winked at Johnny and said, "You know his aunt might like to see her nephew later today."

Johnny smiled, "well it depends on what happens at the hospital. I'm certain that I am the father... so the sooner we get that out of the way the better. So, I will call you from the hospital okay?" A quick clean up and with Roy's help the car seat was put in the rover. Then Roy helped Johnny pack the stroller and carry-on bag with everything he would need for the next few hours. Johnny was amazed to find out how much stuff he needed just for a trip out. He was grateful to Roy for the help; especially with the car seat!

"How come people drive so fast?" Johnny fumed, "I am going the speed limit- keep your shirt on!" Johnny was a good driver but now he had to think of someone else's safety; not just his.

Walking into Rampart, he took the elevator up to the Administrative Offices and with a deep breath he looked at his charge in the stroller.

"Okay, here goes nothin' - ready buddy?"

Knocking on the door that said 'Kelly Brackett, Administrator' always brought a smirk to Johnny's face.

And you swore you wouldn't become a pencil pusher hey doc," he whispered.

"Come In!"

As Johnny pushed the door open and maneuvered the stroller in the door, he was greeted by not only Kel but Dixie too!

Well, better kill two birds with one stone, he thought.

"Hey guys!" He said with a big grin on his face. "I um, uhh want... to you may the stroller … my son, well maybe …um… I need blood test." When he was greeted by silence he finally blurted out, "Oh hell! This is ...I hope my son and I need a blood test to see... can you help me?"

Kel and Dixie both looked at Johnny, whom they considered a close friend, like he had grown two heads.

Dixie was the first to break the spell." Kel, I think Johnny was just introducing us to his son" and with that she was up and had JJ in her arms before Kel could react.

"Oh my, isn't he a handsome one." Dix stared into two brown eyes looking intently back at her and a shock of dark brown hair to go with it; a little Johnny to say the least!"

Kel was soon on his feet and looking at a miniature Johnny if there ever was one!

"Well, I'll be... this is a surprise!"

"Not as much as it was for me Doc!"

He sat down on the couch and proceeded to tell them the whole story ending with showing them the note.

"So Doc, I want to make absolutely sure that I am his father and then I will go from there."

Kel totally agreed and soon was on the phone to the lab. After making a few more phone calls he said the lab was waiting for him and JJ and they would know in the next few hours. He had also asked them to pull Anne's file to see about her blood work. Getting off the phone he looked at his watch and said "Let's get going and then we can grab lunch okay?"

"I'll join you boys in a bit." Dixie said as she headed to her office down the hall. She was now the Director of Nursing at Rampart.

JJ did not like needles either and for Johnny to see someone make him cry made his stomach turn. He wanted to hit the lab assistant. Those feelings took him by surprise - that he was so protective of him. After a short trip to the lounge to change JJ, he was getting pretty good at figuring when he had just gone. JJ devoured his bottle and was soon asleep in his stroller. The trio headed to the cafeteria; Dr. Brackett watched in amazement as Johnny looked like a natural in his new role.

It was a nice day outside so they ate on the patio area. Dixie met them at the table and putting down her salad and sandwich she smiled at Johnny. Shaking her head she exclaimed, "Some things never change - your appetite and your weight!"

She handed Johnny some brochures, "Now that you're a new father…..at least, according to Anne you're the father," she had made her own set of phone calls too. Johnny looked at Dix.

"Thanks Dix but I want the blood work just to confirm for me,... for my peace of mind, I guess."

By the time they had finished eating Kel got a page.

"Excuse me."

Within 15 minutes, Kel came back to the table, sporting a big grin, and handed Johnny a cigar.

"Johnny, the blood work was conclusive. You're a father!" he said as he slapped him on the back.

Johnny looked up at Kel.

"Boy that was fast! I wasn't expecting the results until later this afternoon!"

Kel looked at John, "That's the perks of being the Hospital Administrator! So ...Dad….. where do you go from here?"

Looking at both of them, Johnny felt the emotions of the weekend and day overwhelm him. The normally goofy and unemotional John Gage allowed the swell of tears to pour onto his cheeks.

"Man I don't know what's come over me," he blubbered. "I am so happy and relieved and… and...scared."

He swiped angrily at his tears and tried to cover his face. Dixie had her arms around him and gave him a big hug.

"You're going to do just fine!"

Kel just cleared his throat and looked uncomfortable.

"Well, I am going to take my son…."

Johnny paused and let that word sink in.

"My son, over to his Aunt and Uncle's house, I guess."

"Johnny can I make a suggestion?" Kel was looking at him sternly.

"Sure, Doc."

"Since you're here, how about deciding on a pediatrician. I can suggest some good ones for you. Has the baby…..umm, I mean, JJ had a check- up and gotten his first shots?"

"Well, er no I don't know. I don't even know what the name of the hospital he was born in was or even how old he is. I...will when I get the birth certificate though." He was momentarily lost in thought.

That's when Dixie spoke up, "Johnny he was born at San Diego Mercy General and he is 3 1/2 weeks old."

Dixie looked at two sets of stunned eyes staring at her.

"What?...Anne and I talked." Looking at Johnny she continued. "Johnny, give her time okay? Oh and no, he hasn't had his first set of shots." She was smiling at the baby in Johnny's arms.

"We know of a great Pediatrician and you're here so let's get this little guy checked out." She said in her best nurse's voice.

He looked at both Dix and Kel and shook his head. "Do I really have a choice?" He said with a crooked grin.

Kel lovingly patted Johnny on the shoulder. "Well, let's see if I can get you in now okay? And then I need you both to get out of here so we can get back to work, you hose-jockey!"

Two hours later and a frazzled new dad walked out of the Pediatrician office.

Speaking softly to his son.."Okay, okay JJ,... JJ, I know it's been a big day for you." JJ gave him a mad stare and continued to wail at the top of his lungs. "It has for me too so let's head on over to see Aunt Joanne and Uncle Roy. We've got news to share with them." And I need a beer! He ignored the stares and shakes of heads as he pushed JJ through the doors of Rampart.

Pulling into the driveway of the DeSoto home, Johnny crooked his index finger and lightly brushed it along the pink cheek of his sleeping son. Johnny felt apprehensive. The day's events were over -whelming. Now that he knew for certain that he was the father he was more unsure of himself than he ever thought possible. Tons of 'what ifs' were going through his head... past memories of not being good enough because you're a half breed came flooding back. Did he want that for his son? Would he experience racism too? How would he react when his son came home crying because of a racist remark. He wanted to protect his son from all of it. All of a sudden the tears came again, "What the heck! I am turning into a cry baby! Come on pull yourself together! You're a father...a father… and from a distant memory he saw and remembered how safe he felt with his dad. Out loud he said, "I am going to make you proud Dad - you and Mom both. I am going to raise my son, with all the love and guidance just like you did me."

Tuesday

Johnny went back to work with a huge box of cigars for all his men and the other shifts too! He had talked to his commander on Monday evening and got a few things worked out. Roy's daughter was on spring break so she was watching JJ with the help of her mom at the DeSoto house. Roy's and his shifts were on the same schedules so that worked out great. When Johnny called later in the day he was informed that his son was sleeping; that he was a joy to watch and he was getting spoiled rotten; even Chris was helping! Later that evening Johnny called again to check on him and he wasn't that embarrassed when he cooed into the phone before JJ went to sleep.

Sunday the guys were off. Roy had asked Johnny and JJ to come over for a barbeque but Johnny had declined saying that they needed to have alone time and they needed to give Roy some family time for himself. Roy couldn't change his mind as hard as he tried.

The doorbell rang and rang over and over. Johnny rolled off the couch and picking up JJ he answered the door. "Okay Okay hold your pants on! You're not late!" Thinking it was the pizza guy.

Opening it he was greeted by Roy's family and Chester who was now an Engineer at 51's, Captain Marco Lopez, Captain Mike Stoker and Batillion Chief Hank Stanley - his crew from A shift back at 51's, including wives and extended family all crowded onto his front porch.

"SURPRISE!" they all yelled.

"You wouldn't come to Roy's house so we came to yours!" Yelled Chester grinning.

As they all filed past with coolers, dishes, presents, balloons and cake, they cooed at the baby and congratulated Johnny while pounding him on the back.

Johnny just watched everyone with his mouth open and a shocked look on his face file past him. Roy was the last to walk by Johnny and he shut Johnny's mouth.

"Junior I asked and asked for you to come over today."

He didn't even notice he wasn't holding JJ anymore. He was holding a beer instead. JJ was being fussed over by all the women that had touched Johnny's life.

Within minutes his house was soon transformed with decorations and balloons. The barbeque was lit and the stereo was turned on. Everyone was enjoying themselves.

Johnny finally yelled, "Why are you all here?" In almost unison they all said, "It's a Baby Shower!"

No one thought to realize Johnny had never heard of or been to a baby shower before.

Hours later, after everyone had left except for Kel, Dix, JoAnn and Roy, Johnny looked at them and all the gifts and with awe in his voice he said "Thank You for doing this! I never knew people did this! It's amazing! And I am blown away by the generosity!" He hastily wiped his eyes. "I have cried more this week than I have in the last ten years" he said with a grin.