Chapter 31
Dixie had given the bedroom door a gentle knock the next morning and received a call from John that they were all right but not presentable. She took in account that they were newlyweds and heeded the warning.
Going into the kitchen, she found coffee waiting along with a note that breakfast could be found in the warmer. She leaned on the counter and smiled to herself feeling for the first time that maybe, just maybe the two of them had things together. She had to admit the thought of John Gage married sounded totally unnatural but she had never seen him happier or in more pain. Elise was a big responsibility to take care of with her precarious health and the surgery that lay ahead. The fiberglass slab that lay between the skull and the brain was the least of her troubles. The damage to her inner ear was more debilitating than the far too frequent seizures. It was the aneurism that rested under the plate… the aneurism that the last CT Scan showed was growing.
The good news was that the doctors knew about it and one of them was going to be ready to tackle it the second it was exposed. It also looked like it was close enough to the surface of the brain to possibly do something with. Some new technology was hopefully going to be a big help, but if their speculation that the plate was keeping it from blowing was correct, once they pulled the plate. . . . .
The lists of possibilities were numerous and each one worse than the one before. The brain was such a delicate organ and it didn't take to bleeding. The choice to do nothing wasn't necessarily the worst choice to make. But there was a blood clot against the plate that was as unpredictable as ever and the life her family had chosen for her was no life at all, even if it did have possibilities of lasting longer. A complete repair was extremely unlikely, but there was hope beyond hope that they could stabilize her without causing debilitating brain damage, and the specialist was confident that once the fiberglass plate was removed the inner ear could be completely rebuilt. If she survived intact she would have a better life than the one she had now.
No, if Dixie were in Elise's shoes she would make the same choice… right or wrong. She might not choose to marry in such a state, but it was clear from the beginning that she was the one who had to be convinced. John was very ready, willing and able to fill his role of husband and Dix was sure he would have filled the role without the title if he hadn't have convinced Elise to marry him, only missing out on some of the fringe benefits. She was sure that was what finally convinced Elise.
And Elise… she hadn't known her long but she was just as much of a force of nature as the man she married. Well, a little out of shape and slowed down by her present health, but determined to get back all that she had, at least all that she could. It didn't take much time at her side to realize that she loved John Roderick Gage with all her heart. His happiness and welfare were her greatest desire and her lifeline. If her life were to end during surgery, she wanted to spend what time she had with John making him happy any way she could, and she had known him long enough and well enough to understand how to go about doing so.
Most of the time when Dix tried to slow her down some, she and Elise would butt heads and Dixie had to call on her military training to keep the girl in line. Still, the worst of the arguments ended in seizures, bringing about an unwilling compliance. Dix knew she was scared that her days were numbered and felt she had to have all of her affairs in order. It was also clear that it was driving her nuts not knowing what her life would be like once the surgery was over. There was only one short conversation where she let her inner fears peak through a crack in her armor.
"Dix I know my days of responding to car accidents are over," She had said after they had returned home from the hospital but before the call had come from Captain Stanley. "I honestly don't think I'm really going to miss that part of my past all that much. But what are the odds of me being a nurse again? Of course not in Emergency, that will be hard to take, but I know you can't have a nurse that might go into seizures in the middle of a crisis. Is there a place where I can be of worth, where I can do some good?"
"I'm sure there are plenty of places within the medical field where you can be of use, and even knowing you for as short of a time as I have, I'm sure you'll be of great worth. You've got a drive I don't see very often, but even in a less than perfect outcome you're of great worth to Johnny. Whatever you do, don't forget that. I have never seen him so totally happy and consumed as he has been with you. I know he's dated a lot of women and I don't think there's been one of them that would have even thought of giving him a fire station to live in."
The two women had laughed and Elise had explained that the fire station hadn't been bought to be a home but when all was said and done, Elise thought it might be fun to at least give it a try.
Dixie looked at her watch and returned to the present. She needed to be going if she was going to get to work on time. She really wanted to see her charges in person before she left them alone but it was her desire more than a medical necessity. Reluctantly, she pushed the button to raise the bay door so that she could drive out, and smiled to see Roy's truck parked in the drive with Roy and JoAnne sitting in the cab waiting to back in as soon as she pulled out.
"Where are the kids?" Dixie asked through open car windows.
"They're with the Stanley's, Cap will bring them along later this afternoon," Roy replied, and with a smile Dixie was on her way.
Roy didn't bother to knock he just opened the bedroom door slightly to get a peak at his partner. He found him resting on a pillow wedge he knew belonged to Elise and he had never seen his partner so relaxed as he lay there with his sheet covering the important parts of his body that was clearly void of any clothing. Elise was sleeping with her head at his side and curled up forming a "T" with her husband, the sheet draping over her nightgown and her hand in John's.
John raised his head at the intrusion and gave his partner a glare of all glares while tugging at the sheet over his wife to make sure she was covered even though she was clothed in a nightgown.
"Good- bye Roy, we're fine!"
Roy stepped back and pulled the door closed behind him but stood there holding the knob trying to decide what to do when he felt the door being locked to keep him out.
00000
John went back to his bed and to his wife's side. She had pretended to be asleep with the invasion but John knew she was a wake and mortified at someone walking into their bedroom. He also knew that her tears were because she blamed herself for the intrusion.
"You must feel we're living in a hospital room," Elise spoke with tears running down the side of her face. "I can take care of you. It's just a concussion."
"You already have," John stroked the side of her face, "I know nurses are trained to give good back rubs but you know more than the average nurse, I've never felt so relaxed in my life."
"Yeah, well, I have license to go places the average nurse in banned from," Elise smiled teasingly as she nestled into John's shoulder and started stroking his bare chest.
"You know, I was madly in love with you ever since we met at that convention. I'd never before met another woman that knew how important an emergency field program was. Each letter I got from you and each phone call over the years I grew more and more in awe. You are special to me Elise. When I picked you up at the airport, my first thought was that you'd somehow gone off the deep end and I was so proud of you for seeking help. I was determined to see you through to recovery. While the doctors were doing their testing, I realized that you wouldn't be leaving me for a while. That's when I knew I wanted to marry you… to keep you here where you wouldn't be run down by the program you alone were running."
"I wasn't alone," Elise corrected him.
"I know that now," John stopped her from talking. He had something he wanted to say and he hoped when he was done she would be breathless.
"You made me the happiest person in the world when you agreed to marry me and I thought I couldn't be any happier, but I was wrong. What I feel here right now is so much more, so much deeper." John ducked his head so that he could look Elise in the eye without letting go of her. "If what I feel right now is true love, then what I felt on our wedding night must have been nothing more than liking you."
With tears in her eyes Elise just snuggled in tighter to John's chest before looking up. "I love you John Gage, more than anything else in the world. All I want to do is make you happy."
There was silence for a moment as John wrapped both of his arms around Elise's shoulders and pulled her tighter to him. The two began to kiss and melted together without any concern for the guests beyond the locked door.
An hour later, a freshly showered John walked out of his bedroom dressed in a pair of work jeans and a t-shirt to find his partner and his wife sitting at the table in the kitchen drinking coffee. When they looked up at him he gave them a frustrated look and placed his hands on his hips.
"I know this looks like a fire station, but it is my home. I know you two have taken care of me before when I've been hurt, but now I'm married and have a wife to do that. Will you guys please get with the program? My bedroom is off limits to anyone other than me and my wife and its customary to knock before you enter a home and wait to be invited in."
Roy and JoAnne looked squeamish and appropriately ashamed. "We're sorry Johnny," Roy gave voice. "It's just that we don't know how to deal with Elise's health issues. If she can't be left alone because of her health then how can she be left alone to care for you?"
"We are each more than capable of taking care of each other's needs," Johnny stood his ground. "Elise just needs someone who can call for help if she gets into trouble. I'm more than capable of doing that, even in my condition. And trust me, she is very capable of making sure I don't go into a coma from a bonk on the head."
As had been agreed upon, Elise walked in a few moments later, needing to take hold of the doorframe for a moment to let a dizzy spell pass. Looking at her watch once she recovered she said, "It's time to start lunch. How many am I planning to feed?"
That's when they heard the air brakes of the semi in front of the station and John looked out the window to see a flat bed trailer with a bulldozer on it.
Responding to the doorbell, John found Chet standing there in work clothes, "So where is it that this barn is going in and how big does the foundation need to be?"
By the time the tractor was unloaded, Marco and his brothers had arrived with the forms to frame up for the cement pour, and by the time Captain Stanley and his family, along with Chris and Jenny Desoto had arrived, the stage was set for the big pour and Elise had managed to get on the phone and order the cement to be delivered early that evening. Mike showed up in time to help smooth out the foundation and before bedtime, the forms were removed and loaded and Chet had taken his cousin's tractor back only to return in his car. The crew spent the night in the dorm in preparation of getting an early start on raising the barn the next day.
JoAnne drove Elise to the grocery store to stock up for the work crew she was feeding and fortunately there was plenty of help to load the car and unload it when they arrived back. By the end of the day the barn had been assembled once again having only needed to be bolted back together and with lots of able bodied men to help lift the panels up, it was a quick job. Elise, who had experience feeding cowboys during branding season, managed to cook up a spread that made it all worthwhile for the men.
While the men were working and the women cooking, the children were given chalk and took on the task of marking where the cement around the station needed to be cut in the effort to make the fire station a home. Chet and the Lopez family planned to come and finish off the parking lot after the next shift.
Johnny was ordered to take the next shift off before he returned, due to his concussion, so he and Elise started working on getting the corral up. There was no hurry so they worked at Elise's pace. The first day they only got two fence panels up; one in the morning before it got too hot and the next in the evening after it had cooled down. Elise was exhausted when they were done but she had nothing but smiles for John for allowing her to help. The next day they had two panels up before the work crew arrived to start tearing up the parking lot and when that happened, John took Elise to the DeSoto's because he knew the noise and vibrations of the heavy equipment would be nothing but bad for Elise.
With the proper equipment the back yard was ready for sod to be laid, complete with a sprinkling system installed by the end of the day, and John had collected water samples to be sent to the lab to make sure all was well before they planted the manmade lake with fish.
The next shift, John was back on duty and took Elise to the Stanley home on his way. He didn't dare leave her at home because he knew she would try and finish the corral without him and, as much as he was enjoying her working alongside of him, he wasn't about to let her cheat him out of that together time. At least that's what he told her. It also worked well to help finish the plans for the chowder cook off and the reception. People were getting the understanding that Elise didn't want to stay in bed all day and when they thought about it they really understood.
The day of the cook off Elise was encouraged to stay in bed till at least nine a.m. Johnny brought in her favorite breakfast in bed and reasoned that she would be less likely to have a seizure in the middle of things if she was well rested. Reluctantly she agreed. Johnny then went about quietly pulling all the vehicles out of the apparatus bay and giving the floor a good mopping before he set up tables and chairs. Since the bay door was open, Hank and Roy both looked in and called out for permission to enter.
Permission was granted and the rented tables were soon set up and surrounded by chairs, then JoAnne and Emily were welcomed inside to place the table cloths and other finery for the occasion. Before they were done, Chet showed up with another toy that made short work of drilling all the holes for the fence posts and required John to show him where those holes were going to be needed.
While the holes were being dug, Hank and Elise started cooking. Jenny and Chris and Marco's nephew were assigned the task of watching the two cooks to make sure neither of them did anything to sabotage the other's soup and each of them took their job very seriously. JoAnne, Emily and Mama Lopez worked together with the ovens to make rolls and bread sticks to go along with the chowder as Hank and Elise cooked, doing their best to entertain the children as they did.
Johnny, with the help of Chet, Marco and his brothers, managed to get all the holes drilled in time to hit the showers and be ready when the distinguished guests arrived to judge the chowder.
There was Dr. Early of course, and Chief McConnike with his wife. She was the chairperson for the committee over the fireman's ball and when she noticed the disco ball hanging from the rafters she instantly started eyeing the apparatus bay for the location for the next Fireman's ball. She was sure it was plenty big enough and that they could get it for no rent. After all it was one of the counties fire stations, right?
Dr. Morton arrived to do his part in judging and Dr. Brackett was right behind him with Dixie on his arm. C shift Captain Ron Tollins and his wife arrived with a friend of Johnny's who worked for the local newspaper rating restaurants around the area. He took in the large apparatus bay and envisioned a lovely restaurant as he was guided to a seat. Charlie the Mechanic was convinced to serve as the seventh judge. He wanted to see the pictures of this fire engine that Elise's crew built out of a water tanker.
Elise's photo albums were waiting for him and anyone else that wanted to look them over, but Charlie picked up the one showing the new engine and sat in a chair studying it, clearly making it necessary for anyone else who wanted to look at it to look over his shoulder.
When the chowders were done, Johnny got everyone's attention and invited them to have a seat. The judges were given their own table, as were the chef's.
Four firemen from C shift agreed to serve as waiters and once the chefs were out of the kitchen, the waiters entered and dished up the chowders into two different colors of disposable bowls. No one was to know which color went to which chef.
The judges were served first and then the rest of the guests. There would also be a people's choice certificate awarded, based on the totally anonymous votes of everyone other than the judges.
At the chef table, the two cooks sat with their spouses next to them. There was no real competition… they had both had fun. This gathering had done just exactly what it was meant to do and that was to give Elise a distraction. Neither one seemed to really care who won, and both were interested in tasting the other's Chowder to decide for themselves who's was best and how they could adjust their own recipe.