Chapter 14

A Spark of Realization

Cap got Johnny settled with his foot elevated and then he sat down in fount of him and asked. "Why was Zibbeth brought in to emergency?

Johnny looked up and Cap saw tears in his eyes, and wondered what had happened and how attached Johnny was to this young lady. But he waited for Johnny to speak.

"She was helping me out," Johnny began but had to stop for a moment. "She was putting groceries away in my cupboard and I snuck up behind her and startled her . . . . . She must have had something in her mouth . . . . . . She was choking . . . . ."

Cap watched him as he talked and could see that he was upset about what had happened but he could also tell the he was hurting and with all that stress he was left a little emotional. He was sure that had this happened at another time he would be coping better. "John when was the last time you had your pain medication?"

"Umm. . . this morning after breakfast. Why?"

"So you are over due then." Cap pointed out. "I'm going to go find one of the doctors and see if I can get you your next dose as I'm sure you didn't bring it with you."

"No I'm okay. I can wait until I get back home." Johnny assured his captain.

At that point the door to room one opened and Dixie stepped out. Johnny struggled to get to his feet but Cap placed a firm hand on his shoulder. "Let her come to you."

Dixie looked around just long enough to pinpoint Johnny's whereabouts and strode over.

"How is she," Johnny asked before she was with in range of a normal conversation. Dixie raised her hands and then slowly lowered them in an effort to calm Johnny until she could talk to him with out have to speak loud enough for the whole room to hear. She came and sat down next to Johnny and then said. "She is going to be okay." There was a noticeable relief in Johnny's appearance and he took a deep breath as he ran his hand through his hair. "Can I see her now?"

"No she isn't awake at the moment." Dixie explained, "And I think you need to relax a little your self she added as she looked him up and down, and then reached out and took his wrist and began taking his pulse.

"His overdue on his pain medication," Hank informed her.

At that Johnny pulled his hand away from Dixie and struggled to stand up again. "I'm fine will you guys quit fussing over me."

"Sit Mister!" Dixie commanded in her no nonsense voice. "You have two choices and two choices only. You can let Cap take you home where you will take your medication and go to bed or you can push your luck and end up back in a hospital bed with a sedative." Dix stared Johnny down for a moment then when she felt he was more willing to be reasoned with she went on. "It was kind of hairy there for a time, we almost had to perform a Tracheotomy. We got the Bronchoscope down there but the muscles in her larynx had spasmed around the blockage and we couldn't get it out. Because it wasn't a complete blockage Brackett decided to increase the sedatives to get the muscles to relax, and it worked. We got it out." Dixie paused to evaluate how Johnny was taking this information. Her information seemed to be settling well with him so she continued. "Right now she's on a respirator. But as soon as the medication wears off that will be removed. We will be keeping her overnight but she will probably be going home in the morning."

With that information Johnny sighed and leaned forward resting his arms on his knees and his face in his hand for a moment. Looking up he said, "Cap can you give me a ride home?"

Chet came walking down the hall with three coffees in his hands, "How's it going?"He asked tentatively to see what kind of mood Johnny was in at the moment.

"Chet I'm going to take Johnny home and make sure he gets his meds and is resting so I guess we won't need that coffee any more."

"Ah . . . okay Cap." Then he turned to Dixie, "would you like a cup of coffee?"

"Thank you Chet. Don't mind if I do." She took one of the cups from him and stepped back so Cap could help Johnny to his feet.

"Chet buddy why don't you get the facts from Dix here and let Roy know everything's going to be okay." Cap suggested as he directed Johnny towards the door.

Chet watched Cap lead Johnny away then he turned to Dixie with an expectant look. Dixie shook her head and beckoned him to follow her. "Dose Roy know that Johnny was not a patient?"

"Uh yah."

"Well then here's what you tell him. Johnny neighbor was choking on a piece of candy but we were able to clear the air way and she is going to be okay now."

"Is that all?" Chet questioned.

"You might what to tell him that Cap took Johnny home and every thing will be okay."

"Right." Chet acknowledged and then turned to leave.

"Chet, don't stay too long, Roy will need his rest too."

Chet waved an acknowledgment and continued toward the elevator.

Cap pulled up to Johnny's apartment. Hopped out and hurried around to open the door for Johnny and followed Johnny up to his apartment. "If you haven't had any medication since breakfast I would assume you haven't had lunch either." Cap easily deduced out loud. Johnny just shook his head as he moved over to the couch and sat down. Cap was aware that most meds on Johnny's empty stomach don't turn out well in the end, so he stepped over into the kitchen where he saw the remains of Squad 8's visit and the half unpacked grocery bags. He quickly went through the bags to look for any perishables finding some white wrapped meat packages, and some cheese and sour cream and he gathered these and headed for the refrigerator. Were he found it stocked with food containers of all kinds recycled sour cream, cottage cheese, and whipped topping containers all full of various home cooked food. "Wow Johnny, it seems you have quite a variety of choices here. What would you like me to warm up for ya?" Cap called out from the kitchen.

This information surprised Johnny, "What do you mean?"

Well let me see here, there is some home made soup, something that looks like a layered casserole and . . . ." Cap paused while he reached in to open another container to see what was in it when he became aware that Johnny was coming up behind him. At that point Cap moved out of the way so Johnny could see into the refrigerator.

"I don't believe this," he said with a tone of disapproval. "Zib must have been cooking all night."

"What's so bad about that?" Cap asked.

"Well she didn't have to, I can cook . . . she did too much."

Cap raised an eye brow and said, "I bet you wouldn't say that if Joann, Emily, Beth or Mama Lopez had done this for you."

"No, but their family and I always give back in return. We are always doing something in turn for them.

"And you don't do things for . . . . your lady friend. What did you say her name was?"

"Zib, ah well her name is Elizabeth Christensen, but I call her Zibbeth or Zib."

"Well do you do things for . . . Zib?"

Johnny wanted to say no, but as he stopped to think he realized that over the past three years they had both helped the other out from time to time. He has always carried her stuff for her when he could, he had helped her with her car on several occasions and he was always willing to listen or even offer a hug of friendship when she needed one. And she received this openly with out any expectations of more, like other women did.

Cap watched Johnny as he became lost in his thoughts. However he knew that Johnny needed to get some food in him and his meds so he could rest. "Johnny, why don't you go sit down and I'll warm up some of this soup." Cap reached in and pulled out one of the containers with soup in it and turned to retrieve a pot to heat it up with. When he turned back around he found Johnny still standing there. He shook his head and stepped over and placed his hand in the small of his back and encouraged him to return back to the couch.

Cap soon had the soup warmed up and in a bowl which he set in front of Johnny on his coffee table, along with a slice of bread with butter on it and a glass of milk. "I tasted some of it to make sure it was hot enough and it tastes really good. You'll have to ask her to share the recipe with Emily."

"Umm okay," Johnny replied a little absent mindedly.

Then Cap stepped back into the kitchen to retrieve John's meds and brought those to him and stayed long enough to make sure he took them then said, "I'll come by later this evening to check on you and if you want give you ride back to Rampart so you can check on your friend. Make sure you get some rest," He let himself out leaving Johnny with his thoughts.

Slowly Johnny finished his food and then he laid out on the couch and drifted off to sleep as his mind pondered over Elizabeth.