Chapter Ten
Johnny slowly dressed in jeans and a faded Doobie Brothers T-shirt. He slipped into his tennis shoes and pulled on his jean jacket. Thankfully it wasn't raining, but it was still windy. He stopped by the door and looked at his motorcycle helmet. Running his hand through his hair and leaning tiredly against the wall, he decided he didn't have the strength to ride his bike today. He would just have to walk to the bus stop. He reached over and pulled open the drawer of the small table by the door and took out an envelope. Opening it he pulled out the last of his money. It was only ten dollars. He slipped it into his wallet and closed the drawer.
Thinking about riding the bus again after yesterday's confrontation and near mugging made him shudder, but used to taking care of himself, he did not want to call Scotty. He had already done enough to help him. His and the Captain's fixing that tire was one of the nicest things anyone had ever done for him. Johnny really wanted to get something to make him feel better quick, so he could be back on shift as scheduled. The last thing he needed to do was call in sick. That wouldn't make a good impression during his probationary period. It never occurred to him that he was sick because of the near drowning of his shift mate and the day spent in the rain while working or that he was suffering from on the job injuries.
He made his way down the stairs, checked his bike to be sure it was still where he had locked it up and that no one had done any more damage to it, and then he headed down the sidewalk with his hands shoved into his pockets.
The closer he came to Jimbo's diner the slower he seemed to be walking. 'I think I'll just rest here a minute. He won't be busy this early…I hope. Maybe he'll have something cold to drink.' He pulled open the door just as a little boy pushed it trying to get out. His mother followed behind with a baby on her hip thanking Johnny for holding the door as she struggled to catch up to her little boy. Johnny ducked inside and slid into the nearest booth. He felt like he wouldn't make it another step without resting. 'I hate being sick.'
"Well hello there sunshine." A pretty blonde haired waitress Johnny didn't know appeared beside his booth. "What can I get ya?" She smacked her gum and held up her pen and order pad ready to write.
"Water." Johnny whispered and lay his head down on his folded arms.
"Huh uh sweetie, you can't come in here and not order something. Jimbo won't stand for no bums just camping out in his booths. You have to order or get out." She smacked louder and popped a bubble between her teeth.
He didn't remember ever seeing her there before, but then he wasn't usually there during the breakfast rush. "I would like some water please." He mumbled into his arm never raising his head.
"Hey Jimbo!" She yelled over her shoulder making Johnny's head hurt. "We got another loafer here." She stood with her hand on her hip. "Just wait fella, Jimbo will show you right on out of here." She again popped a bubble and snickered. "You just wait."
"What's going on here?" Jimbo asked as he walked over toward the booth. Johnny faced away from him, and he hadn't seen who the booth's occupant was. He continued speaking, "We don't need any loafers in here."
Johnny started to get up to leave. He didn't need Jimbo upset with him. He had just planned on resting for a minute and getting something cold to sooth his sore throat.
"Whoa there Johnny, I didn't know it was you. Man you look terrible. Sit down. Margie, get the man some water." Jimbo helped Johnny back into the booth. "Johnny what happened to you?"
"Don't feel good. I'm sorry Jimbo. I just wanted to rest. I'll get out of your way." He moved to get up again.
"Don't even think about it. Why aren't you at home in bed?" Jimbo put his hand on Johnny's shoulder.
"I was going to see the nurse that helped me the other day over at Rampart. The last thing I need is to be too sick to work. I'm still on probation. I can't miss work now." He coughed harshly.
"Is your bike still at the fire station?" Jimbo remembered he had told him he had a flat tire and had to leave it there until payday.
"No, a guy got my tire fixed for me. He and the Captain paid for it. He brought it over last night, but I don't think I can handle it right now…I'm just too tired." He lay his head back down on his crossed arms.
"Her you go." Margie slid the ice water across the table. "Need anything else Jimbo?" He waved her away without speaking. She turned and walked away blowing a huge bubble that burst against her lips. She pulled her gum out of her mouth, twisted it around her fingers and pulled the remains of the bubble from her lips.
"How are you planning on getting all the way over to Rampart? Isn't it near Carson?"
"Yeah. I was planning on catching the bus, but I don't know. That guy may still be hanging around." Johnny sat up and reached for the water. He sipped and allowed the cool liquid to run down his throat. It felt so good he sipped again.
Jimbo stood up and reached into his pocket pulling out his wallet. He threw some money on the table, "Here Johnny, take a cab."
"I can't take that Jimbo." Johnny slid the money back toward his friend.
"Yes you can. I don't want you on that bus again. That guy slipped out right after he finished eating and never did the chores we agreed on. He's trouble and trouble you do not need right now. You can pay me back, or fix the light in that bathroom like we talked about yesterday. Besides, it's take the cab or I'll get Margie to drive you in my car. Choice is yours." He crossed his arms and waited for Johnny's decision.
Johnny reached across the table and took the money, wadded it up and stuffed it in his pocket.
"Good I'll go call the taxi company. Have you had breakfast?" Jimbo smiled proud that Johnny took the money. One thing about Johnny Gage he never took charity. Whoever those men were who fixed his flat would get payment somehow, either through money or favors. Johnny would have to make restitution so he could live with himself. Otherwise he would make himself crazy worrying about it. He hated charity or the thought that someone might pity him.
"I'm not hungry Jimbo. I don't think I could eat." Johnny sipped some more of the water.
"Man, you must be sick. The only other time I remember you not hungry you were passed out in the alley beside the dumpster." Jimbo chuckled. Johnny smiled and nodded his agreement. "Okay, Johnny, but I'm gonna fix you something good for dinner. You just call me when you get back home. I'll run it down to you. Got it?"
"Yeah, okay, thanks Jimbo. Really." Johnny sighed and raised his hand in offering. Jimbo took it and they shook hands. "Thanks man." They had an understanding made long ago that whenever Jimbo fed Johnny, he would pay him back with handiwork or chores around the diner, and that in itself had saved Jimbo quite a bit of money in equipment repairs. Johnny could fix just about anything.
When Jimbo had found Johnny passed out in the alley after getting beaten up and robbed he brought him inside the diner, cleaned him up and stayed with him through the night. Johnny had adamantly denied a trip to the hospital. Jimbo could tell there was something different about the young man. He wasn't the typical teen. Something in his eyes had caused Jimbo to trust him instantly.
He fed Johnny and before he left Johnny had worked for hours washing dishes and cleaning up the place before feeling he had paid him back for his kindness. That had become the norm for them over the next year. Jimbo had offered to let Johnny stay in the back room of the diner, but he had refused saying it was charity. He got a job bagging groceries; had managed to get off the streets into a low rent apartment and completed his training at the fire academy. Now he was a boot at a fire station.
Jimbo could remember how nervous he was at the police department as a rookie. How he thought he might make a mistake and get kicked off the force. He understood how Johnny felt. He knew deep down that Johnny was probably a wonderful fireman and that there was little risk of him getting washed out, but Johnny had to figure that out for himself. Jimbo chuckled at that thought. John Gage definitely had his own way of thinking, and wouldn't listen to anyone's advice. He had to figure things out his way.
Jimbo turned and walked back toward the serving counter. "Margie, get that boy some more water while I call him a cab." Margie saluted her boss and grabbed a fresh glass.
Johnny didn't know how long he waited for the taxi. He drifted off to sleep with his head resting on his arms. He awoke to Jimbo shaking him. "Hey kid, taxi's here. Come on wake up."
He squinted up at his friend and slowly stood. He yawned and stretched before Jimbo took him by the arm and led him out to the yellow car. "Thanks again Jimbo." He said as he climbed into the back seat. Jimbo closed the door and waved the driver on his way. He stood on the sidewalk and watched until the car turned down another street.
"Where to?" The cabbie asked.
"Rampart General Hospital." Johnny said hoarsely.
In a short while the cabbie pulled up at the main entrance to the hospital. Johnny paid him and climbed out. The only time he had been to Rampart was through the Emergency entrance. He went through the glass doors into a large lobby area filled with chairs and couches.
As soon as he crossed the threshold, he stopped in his tracks feeling the same uneasiness he always got when he had to go to the clinic on the reservation. He had been taken there when he fell out of a tree and broke his arm, and the times he had gotten pneumonia. One of those times he had been given penicillin which caused a severe allergic reaction almost costing him his life. The last time he went to that dreadful place was when his parents died. They had been hit head on by a large truck while driving home from the city. His mother had died instantly, but his father hung on until they got him to the clinic. Johnny had been in the back seat and only sustained minor injuries. He had stayed by his father's side watching him slip away, leaving him completely alone.
That's when they started sedating him to get him to be quiet. The needles hurt when they jabbed them into him. He fought them at every step. Then he felt lost…even more lost than he had when he realized he was alone. He fought the sedative with everything inside himself, but it always won out.
The fog would finally lift. The upset would return, and then the doctors would plunge him into darkness again. Once he was released into foster care, he had vowed never to return to that or any other clinic or hospital ever again. Of course that was the thinking of a twelve year old. He shuddered at the memory only coming back to the present when an older woman cleared her throat trying to get him to move out of the doorway he hadn't realized he was blocking.
He stepped aside and tried to determine which way to go. Looking around the large open area he saw there was a map of the facility on the wall on the other side of the room. Once he figured out where the Emergency Department was and how to get there, he headed toward the elevators, punched the down button and waited. When the doors opened a small group of people had gathered to ride down. He ended up at the back of the full car. When the doors finally opened, he followed everyone out into the ER lobby. Then suddenly he felt very unsure of what to do next. The check in desk stood at one end of the hall near the entrance and another smaller desk about midway down the row of rooms. He remembered seeing Nurse McCall at that desk, but he didn't see her there now. Making a decision he walked up to the check-in desk to ask if she was there.
"May I help you?" The pretty young nurse asked.
"Um…I I was looking for N Nurse M McCall." He stuttered nervously followed by a coughing spell.
"Miss McCall won't be in for an hour. Do you need to see a doctor?" She slid a clipboard of papers across the counter in his direction. "I'll need you to fill these out."
"No…no doctor, I just wanted to talk to Di..um M Miss McCall. I'll w wait if that's o okay." He took a step back.
"I think that would be okay." She smiled at the handsome man.
He turned and found a familiar chair in the corner against the wall. The same spot he had sat in on his first visit to Rampart. He slid down into the hard plastic chair to wait. He leaned his head against the wall and in a short while drifted in an uneasy sleep.
Dixie was running late. She usually arrived at least fifteen minutes before her scheduled shift to make sure she had time to put her things away and check to see what was going on in the ER before assuming her duties. He long hair pooled delicately on her shoulders. She stopped by the check-in desk on the way to her locker. "Hi Diane, looks kind of busy today." She slid the list of patients over and quickly read the reasons for visits to the ER, a fall on a bicycle, a high fever and flu like symptoms, a stomach ache, a broken arm and a cigarette burn. "Looks like our standard list of ailments. I'll be right back as soon as I stow my things." She slipped through the door behind the counter that led to the nurse's locker room.
A few minutes later she reappeared looking more like the in-control head nurse everyone was accustomed to seeing with her hair tucked into a bun and her nurse's cap firmly in place. She breezed past Diane so quickly she forgot to tell Dixie about the good looking young man dozing in the corner. Dixie hurried down the hall to her station and immediately began scanning over the patient's charts in the rack on her desk.
Hearing the soft snores coming from the sleeping man reminded her that he was waiting for Dixie. Diane made her way over to Dixie, "Excuse me Miss McCall, I forgot there is a man over there that was inquiring about you. He asked if he could wait for you. He didn't sign in or fill out any papers, but I think he's sick.
Dixie looked up concern in her eyes. "Where is he?" She followed Diane back to the rows of chairs that made up the waiting area. In the corner where she had first seen him sat the young new fireman she had been so drawn to the other day. She walked over and sat down in the chair next to the sleeping man. Out of habit she pressed the back of her hand against his forehead feeling the fever she suspected he had by the flushed look that crossed his high cheekbones. He stirred and sleepy brown eyes looked over at her. "Hello Johnny. I understand you were looking for me."
He sat up and ran his hand through his hair. Clearing his throat he returned her greeting. "Hi." He still sounded like he had a frog in his throat.
"You don't sound too good. Why don't you sign in? I'll have one of the doctors take a look." She stood.
"I…no. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have…" He stood also and turned to leave.
"Hey hold on." She wrapped her hand around his wrist.
He lowered his eyes to stare at his shoes. "I don't have any money to see the doctor." He whispered almost too quietly for her to hear. "I thought maybe you could tell me what to take to get better. I'm new in the fire department, still on probation. I can't miss work." He finished his sentence with several deep coughs.
Dixie patted his arm. "You don't have to pay, Johnny. You were treated the other day for on the job injuries. This would be a follow up visit. It's already covered. Let me get you in to see a doctor. You sound like your have built up a bit of congestion. You already told us you have had pneumonia before. You don't need to let this get out of hand." She didn't know why she remembered so much about this particular patient among all the one's she'd seen the past few days. Something about him tugged at her heart. He was special.
He closed his eyes and nodded his agreement.
Not wanting to give him time to reconsider she decided to get him into a room right now. "Come on." She tugged his arm and he followed her down the hall and into a treatment room. "Up on the table." She reached for his jacket and helped him remove it. "Lay back on the table for me." She helped him recline, then she slid a thermometer into his mouth and took his vitals making notes on a note pad. She checked the thermometer noting his temperature as 101.6. "I'll be right back. I need to pull your chart and see if I can find you a doctor."
Laying down felt good; he threw his arm over his eyes to block out the light. Something about Nurse Dixie McCall made him forget all about his distaste for hospitals.
When she returned she had a tall dark headed doctor in tow. "Dr. Brackett, this is John Gage. He is a fireman from Station 10. He came in a few days ago with deep bruising to his back and congestion following a water rescue. He seems to have developed some kind of respiratory infection." She proceeded to go over Johnny's vitals and history.
Johnny looked up at the man. He looked like the doctors he remembered from the clinic. He had a serious no nonsense expression. His eyes were dark and his mouth set in a thin line. Johnny tried to sit up. He was having second thoughts about this. He had thought he would get to see the nice doctor he had seen the other day. He didn't like this man. "I think I made a mistake."
Dr. Brackett put his hand on Johnny's shoulder. "Hey now wait a minute. I just want to listen to your lungs." He pushed Johnny back down on the table. He put the ice cold stethoscope against his chest making Johnny try to pull away. "Oh sorry." Kel pulled it back and rubbed it on his hand to warm it. "Now, this should be better." He began his examination again. "Cough for me." Johnny did. "Again."
Dr. Brackett proceeded to have Johnny cough and then he would listen for several minutes. "Sit up please." He helped ease Johnny up to a sitting position, and then he listened on his back in several places on his back just as he had his chest. "Dixie, get me a full blood work up." He looked over Johnny's chart. "Looks like Joe gave him some antibiotics the other day, but they don't seem to be doing the trick. Maybe we should try penicillin."
Johnny bolted off the table grabbing his shirt. "No!" He started toward the door.
Dixie grabbed him by the arm. She moved in front of him and looked up into his dark eyes. "Now you just get back on that table." Johnny ducked his head and returned to sit on the table never letting go of the fist that held his shirt. His breathing was fast. He looked fearful. "He's allergic to penicillin."
Dr. Brackett looked up from the chart alarmed. Then he looked back down and flipped a couple of pages. "Ah yes, here it is. I didn't see that before. Well then we'll have to try something else. My apologies young man, I guess you've had a bad experience with it before."
Johnny nodded curtly.
Dixie moved to his side to take some blood samples. Johnny looked at the needle and turned away tensing. "It's okay. I'll try to make it quick." She remembered from the other day his dislike of needles.
Dr. Brackett just sighed and nodded his head. He didn't have time to play games. This fireman definitely needed something to stop the progression of the infection in his lungs, but how can a fireman be so squeamish? Brackett thought that Johnny's behavior seemed a little bit ridiculous, a man that runs into the face of danger for a living, and he can't even face a little needle prick. He left the room after giving Dixie the medicine instructions.
Walking over to the nurse's desk to get a quick cup of coffee Dr. Brackett ran into Dr. Joe Early. "I tell you Joe those hose jockeys get younger and younger all the time.
"Why do you say that Kel? I don't remember seeing any of the fire department vehicles outside when I came in." Joe grabbed a cup for himself.
"Oh I just treated one you saw a couple of days ago who got sick from a water rescue or something. He looks and acts like an overgrown kid. I think he's scared of needles or something." Kel rolled his eyes at the thought.
"You must mean John Gage."
"How did you know?" Kel looked at Joe with a raised eyebrow.
"He went into that water to pull out one of his co-workers. That man would be dead right now if John Gage hadn't moved so quickly to fish him out. They had to do CPR to get his friend back. Then the next day he crawled into an impossibly small space to try to rescue a woman from a crushed vehicle at an MVA during that torrential rain storm we had. I'm surprised he didn't get pneumonia. That over grown kid is something else Kel. I hope he sticks around. I think he would be an asset to one of the Rescue Squads in time." He finished his coffee and headed off to the next patient.
"I just don't see it Joe." Kel sipped his coffee. "I just don't see it."
Johnny slowly dressed in jeans and a faded Doobie Brothers T-shirt. He slipped into his tennis shoes and pulled on his jean jacket. Thankfully it wasn't raining, but it was still windy. He stopped by the door and looked at his motorcycle helmet. Running his hand through his hair and leaning tiredly against the wall, he decided he didn't have the strength to ride his bike today. He would just have to walk to the bus stop. He reached over and pulled open the drawer of the small table by the door and took out an envelope. Opening it he pulled out the last of his money. It was only ten dollars. He slipped it into his wallet and closed the drawer.
Thinking about riding the bus again after yesterday's confrontation and near mugging made him shudder, but used to taking care of himself, he did not want to call Scotty. He had already done enough to help him. His and the Captain's fixing that tire was one of the nicest things anyone had ever done for him. Johnny really wanted to get something to make him feel better quick, so he could be back on shift as scheduled. The last thing he needed to do was call in sick. That wouldn't make a good impression during his probationary period. It never occurred to him that he was sick because of the near drowning of his shift mate and the day spent in the rain while working or that he was suffering from on the job injuries.
He made his way down the stairs, checked his bike to be sure it was still where he had locked it up and that no one had done any more damage to it, and then he headed down the sidewalk with his hands shoved into his pockets.
The closer he came to Jimbo's diner the slower he seemed to be walking. 'I think I'll just rest here a minute. He won't be busy this early…I hope. Maybe he'll have something cold to drink.' He pulled open the door just as a little boy pushed it trying to get out. His mother followed behind with a baby on her hip thanking Johnny for holding the door as she struggled to catch up to her little boy. Johnny ducked inside and slid into the nearest booth. He felt like he wouldn't make it another step without resting. 'I hate being sick.'
"Well hello there sunshine." A pretty blonde haired waitress Johnny didn't know appeared beside his booth. "What can I get ya?" She smacked her gum and held up her pen and order pad ready to write.
"Water." Johnny whispered and lay his head down on his folded arms.
"Huh uh sweetie, you can't come in here and not order something. Jimbo won't stand for no bums just camping out in his booths. You have to order or get out." She smacked louder and popped a bubble between her teeth.
He didn't remember ever seeing her there before, but then he wasn't usually there during the breakfast rush. "I would like some water please." He mumbled into his arm never raising his head.
"Hey Jimbo!" She yelled over her shoulder making Johnny's head hurt. "We got another loafer here." She stood with her hand on her hip. "Just wait fella, Jimbo will show you right on out of here." She again popped a bubble and snickered. "You just wait."
"What's going on here?" Jimbo asked as he walked over toward the booth. Johnny faced away from him, and he hadn't seen who the booth's occupant was. He continued speaking, "We don't need any loafers in here."
Johnny started to get up to leave. He didn't need Jimbo upset with him. He had just planned on resting for a minute and getting something cold to sooth his sore throat.
"Whoa there Johnny, I didn't know it was you. Man you look terrible. Sit down. Margie, get the man some water." Jimbo helped Johnny back into the booth. "Johnny what happened to you?"
"Don't feel good. I'm sorry Jimbo. I just wanted to rest. I'll get out of your way." He moved to get up again.
"Don't even think about it. Why aren't you at home in bed?" Jimbo put his hand on Johnny's shoulder.
"I was going to see the nurse that helped me the other day over at Rampart. The last thing I need is to be too sick to work. I'm still on probation. I can't miss work now." He coughed harshly.
"Is your bike still at the fire station?" Jimbo remembered he had told him he had a flat tire and had to leave it there until payday.
"No, a guy got my tire fixed for me. He and the Captain paid for it. He brought it over last night, but I don't think I can handle it right now…I'm just too tired." He lay his head back down on his crossed arms.
"Her you go." Margie slid the ice water across the table. "Need anything else Jimbo?" He waved her away without speaking. She turned and walked away blowing a huge bubble that burst against her lips. She pulled her gum out of her mouth, twisted it around her fingers and pulled the remains of the bubble from her lips.
"How are you planning on getting all the way over to Rampart? Isn't it near Carson?"
"Yeah. I was planning on catching the bus, but I don't know. That guy may still be hanging around." Johnny sat up and reached for the water. He sipped and allowed the cool liquid to run down his throat. It felt so good he sipped again.
Jimbo stood up and reached into his pocket pulling out his wallet. He threw some money on the table, "Here Johnny, take a cab."
"I can't take that Jimbo." Johnny slid the money back toward his friend.
"Yes you can. I don't want you on that bus again. That guy slipped out right after he finished eating and never did the chores we agreed on. He's trouble and trouble you do not need right now. You can pay me back, or fix the light in that bathroom like we talked about yesterday. Besides, it's take the cab or I'll get Margie to drive you in my car. Choice is yours." He crossed his arms and waited for Johnny's decision.
Johnny reached across the table and took the money, wadded it up and stuffed it in his pocket.
"Good I'll go call the taxi company. Have you had breakfast?" Jimbo smiled proud that Johnny took the money. One thing about Johnny Gage he never took charity. Whoever those men were who fixed his flat would get payment somehow, either through money or favors. Johnny would have to make restitution so he could live with himself. Otherwise he would make himself crazy worrying about it. He hated charity or the thought that someone might pity him.
"I'm not hungry Jimbo. I don't think I could eat." Johnny sipped some more of the water.
"Man, you must be sick. The only other time I remember you not hungry you were passed out in the alley beside the dumpster." Jimbo chuckled. Johnny smiled and nodded his agreement. "Okay, Johnny, but I'm gonna fix you something good for dinner. You just call me when you get back home. I'll run it down to you. Got it?"
"Yeah, okay, thanks Jimbo. Really." Johnny sighed and raised his hand in offering. Jimbo took it and they shook hands. "Thanks man." They had an understanding made long ago that whenever Jimbo fed Johnny, he would pay him back with handiwork or chores around the diner, and that in itself had saved Jimbo quite a bit of money in equipment repairs. Johnny could fix just about anything.
When Jimbo had found Johnny passed out in the alley after getting beaten up and robbed he brought him inside the diner, cleaned him up and stayed with him through the night. Johnny had adamantly denied a trip to the hospital. Jimbo could tell there was something different about the young man. He wasn't the typical teen. Something in his eyes had caused Jimbo to trust him instantly.
He fed Johnny and before he left Johnny had worked for hours washing dishes and cleaning up the place before feeling he had paid him back for his kindness. That had become the norm for them over the next year. Jimbo had offered to let Johnny stay in the back room of the diner, but he had refused saying it was charity. He got a job bagging groceries; had managed to get off the streets into a low rent apartment and completed his training at the fire academy. Now he was a boot at a fire station.
Jimbo could remember how nervous he was at the police department as a rookie. How he thought he might make a mistake and get kicked off the force. He understood how Johnny felt. He knew deep down that Johnny was probably a wonderful fireman and that there was little risk of him getting washed out, but Johnny had to figure that out for himself. Jimbo chuckled at that thought. John Gage definitely had his own way of thinking, and wouldn't listen to anyone's advice. He had to figure things out his way.
Jimbo turned and walked back toward the serving counter. "Margie, get that boy some more water while I call him a cab." Margie saluted her boss and grabbed a fresh glass.
Johnny didn't know how long he waited for the taxi. He drifted off to sleep with his head resting on his arms. He awoke to Jimbo shaking him. "Hey kid, taxi's here. Come on wake up."
He squinted up at his friend and slowly stood. He yawned and stretched before Jimbo took him by the arm and led him out to the yellow car. "Thanks again Jimbo." He said as he climbed into the back seat. Jimbo closed the door and waved the driver on his way. He stood on the sidewalk and watched until the car turned down another street.
"Where to?" The cabbie asked.
"Rampart General Hospital." Johnny said hoarsely.
In a short while the cabbie pulled up at the main entrance to the hospital. Johnny paid him and climbed out. The only time he had been to Rampart was through the Emergency entrance. He went through the glass doors into a large lobby area filled with chairs and couches.
As soon as he crossed the threshold, he stopped in his tracks feeling the same uneasiness he always got when he had to go to the clinic on the reservation. He had been taken there when he fell out of a tree and broke his arm, and the times he had gotten pneumonia. One of those times he had been given penicillin which caused a severe allergic reaction almost costing him his life. The last time he went to that dreadful place was when his parents died. They had been hit head on by a large truck while driving home from the city. His mother had died instantly, but his father hung on until they got him to the clinic. Johnny had been in the back seat and only sustained minor injuries. He had stayed by his father's side watching him slip away, leaving him completely alone.
That's when they started sedating him to get him to be quiet. The needles hurt when they jabbed them into him. He fought them at every step. Then he felt lost…even more lost than he had when he realized he was alone. He fought the sedative with everything inside himself, but it always won out.
The fog would finally lift. The upset would return, and then the doctors would plunge him into darkness again. Once he was released into foster care, he had vowed never to return to that or any other clinic or hospital ever again. Of course that was the thinking of a twelve year old. He shuddered at the memory only coming back to the present when an older woman cleared her throat trying to get him to move out of the doorway he hadn't realized he was blocking.
He stepped aside and tried to determine which way to go. Looking around the large open area he saw there was a map of the facility on the wall on the other side of the room. Once he figured out where the Emergency Department was and how to get there, he headed toward the elevators, punched the down button and waited. When the doors opened a small group of people had gathered to ride down. He ended up at the back of the full car. When the doors finally opened, he followed everyone out into the ER lobby. Then suddenly he felt very unsure of what to do next. The check in desk stood at one end of the hall near the entrance and another smaller desk about midway down the row of rooms. He remembered seeing Nurse McCall at that desk, but he didn't see her there now. Making a decision he walked up to the check-in desk to ask if she was there.
"May I help you?" The pretty young nurse asked.
"Um…I I was looking for N Nurse M McCall." He stuttered nervously followed by a coughing spell.
"Miss McCall won't be in for an hour. Do you need to see a doctor?" She slid a clipboard of papers across the counter in his direction. "I'll need you to fill these out."
"No…no doctor, I just wanted to talk to Di..um M Miss McCall. I'll w wait if that's o okay." He took a step back.
"I think that would be okay." She smiled at the handsome man.
He turned and found a familiar chair in the corner against the wall. The same spot he had sat in on his first visit to Rampart. He slid down into the hard plastic chair to wait. He leaned his head against the wall and in a short while drifted in an uneasy sleep.
Dixie was running late. She usually arrived at least fifteen minutes before her scheduled shift to make sure she had time to put her things away and check to see what was going on in the ER before assuming her duties. He long hair pooled delicately on her shoulders. She stopped by the check-in desk on the way to her locker. "Hi Diane, looks kind of busy today." She slid the list of patients over and quickly read the reasons for visits to the ER, a fall on a bicycle, a high fever and flu like symptoms, a stomach ache, a broken arm and a cigarette burn. "Looks like our standard list of ailments. I'll be right back as soon as I stow my things." She slipped through the door behind the counter that led to the nurse's locker room.
A few minutes later she reappeared looking more like the in-control head nurse everyone was accustomed to seeing with her hair tucked into a bun and her nurse's cap firmly in place. She breezed past Diane so quickly she forgot to tell Dixie about the good looking young man dozing in the corner. Dixie hurried down the hall to her station and immediately began scanning over the patient's charts in the rack on her desk.
Hearing the soft snores coming from the sleeping man reminded her that he was waiting for Dixie. Diane made her way over to Dixie, "Excuse me Miss McCall, I forgot there is a man over there that was inquiring about you. He asked if he could wait for you. He didn't sign in or fill out any papers, but I think he's sick.
Dixie looked up concern in her eyes. "Where is he?" She followed Diane back to the rows of chairs that made up the waiting area. In the corner where she had first seen him sat the young new fireman she had been so drawn to the other day. She walked over and sat down in the chair next to the sleeping man. Out of habit she pressed the back of her hand against his forehead feeling the fever she suspected he had by the flushed look that crossed his high cheekbones. He stirred and sleepy brown eyes looked over at her. "Hello Johnny. I understand you were looking for me."
He sat up and ran his hand through his hair. Clearing his throat he returned her greeting. "Hi." He still sounded like he had a frog in his throat.
"You don't sound too good. Why don't you sign in? I'll have one of the doctors take a look." She stood.
"I…no. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have…" He stood also and turned to leave.
"Hey hold on." She wrapped her hand around his wrist.
He lowered his eyes to stare at his shoes. "I don't have any money to see the doctor." He whispered almost too quietly for her to hear. "I thought maybe you could tell me what to take to get better. I'm new in the fire department, still on probation. I can't miss work." He finished his sentence with several deep coughs.
Dixie patted his arm. "You don't have to pay, Johnny. You were treated the other day for on the job injuries. This would be a follow up visit. It's already covered. Let me get you in to see a doctor. You sound like your have built up a bit of congestion. You already told us you have had pneumonia before. You don't need to let this get out of hand." She didn't know why she remembered so much about this particular patient among all the one's she'd seen the past few days. Something about him tugged at her heart. He was special.
He closed his eyes and nodded his agreement.
Not wanting to give him time to reconsider she decided to get him into a room right now. "Come on." She tugged his arm and he followed her down the hall and into a treatment room. "Up on the table." She reached for his jacket and helped him remove it. "Lay back on the table for me." She helped him recline, then she slid a thermometer into his mouth and took his vitals making notes on a note pad. She checked the thermometer noting his temperature as 101.6. "I'll be right back. I need to pull your chart and see if I can find you a doctor."
Laying down felt good; he threw his arm over his eyes to block out the light. Something about Nurse Dixie McCall made him forget all about his distaste for hospitals.
When she returned she had a tall dark headed doctor in tow. "Dr. Brackett, this is John Gage. He is a fireman from Station 10. He came in a few days ago with deep bruising to his back and congestion following a water rescue. He seems to have developed some kind of respiratory infection." She proceeded to go over Johnny's vitals and history.
Johnny looked up at the man. He looked like the doctors he remembered from the clinic. He had a serious no nonsense expression. His eyes were dark and his mouth set in a thin line. Johnny tried to sit up. He was having second thoughts about this. He had thought he would get to see the nice doctor he had seen the other day. He didn't like this man. "I think I made a mistake."
Dr. Brackett put his hand on Johnny's shoulder. "Hey now wait a minute. I just want to listen to your lungs." He pushed Johnny back down on the table. He put the ice cold stethoscope against his chest making Johnny try to pull away. "Oh sorry." Kel pulled it back and rubbed it on his hand to warm it. "Now, this should be better." He began his examination again. "Cough for me." Johnny did. "Again."
Dr. Brackett proceeded to have Johnny cough and then he would listen for several minutes. "Sit up please." He helped ease Johnny up to a sitting position, and then he listened on his back in several places on his back just as he had his chest. "Dixie, get me a full blood work up." He looked over Johnny's chart. "Looks like Joe gave him some antibiotics the other day, but they don't seem to be doing the trick. Maybe we should try penicillin."
Johnny bolted off the table grabbing his shirt. "No!" He started toward the door.
Dixie grabbed him by the arm. She moved in front of him and looked up into his dark eyes. "Now you just get back on that table." Johnny ducked his head and returned to sit on the table never letting go of the fist that held his shirt. His breathing was fast. He looked fearful. "He's allergic to penicillin."
Dr. Brackett looked up from the chart alarmed. Then he looked back down and flipped a couple of pages. "Ah yes, here it is. I didn't see that before. Well then we'll have to try something else. My apologies young man, I guess you've had a bad experience with it before."
Johnny nodded curtly.
Dixie moved to his side to take some blood samples. Johnny looked at the needle and turned away tensing. "It's okay. I'll try to make it quick." She remembered from the other day his dislike of needles.
Dr. Brackett just sighed and nodded his head. He didn't have time to play games. This fireman definitely needed something to stop the progression of the infection in his lungs, but how can a fireman be so squeamish? Brackett thought that Johnny's behavior seemed a little bit ridiculous, a man that runs into the face of danger for a living, and he can't even face a little needle prick. He left the room after giving Dixie the medicine instructions.
Walking over to the nurse's desk to get a quick cup of coffee Dr. Brackett ran into Dr. Joe Early. "I tell you Joe those hose jockeys get younger and younger all the time.
"Why do you say that Kel? I don't remember seeing any of the fire department vehicles outside when I came in." Joe grabbed a cup for himself.
"Oh I just treated one you saw a couple of days ago who got sick from a water rescue or something. He looks and acts like an overgrown kid. I think he's scared of needles or something." Kel rolled his eyes at the thought.
"You must mean John Gage."
"How did you know?" Kel looked at Joe with a raised eyebrow.
"He went into that water to pull out one of his co-workers. That man would be dead right now if John Gage hadn't moved so quickly to fish him out. They had to do CPR to get his friend back. Then the next day he crawled into an impossibly small space to try to rescue a woman from a crushed vehicle at an MVA during that torrential rain storm we had. I'm surprised he didn't get pneumonia. That over grown kid is something else Kel. I hope he sticks around. I think he would be an asset to one of the Rescue Squads in time." He finished his coffee and headed off to the next patient.
"I just don't see it Joe." Kel sipped his coffee. "I just don't see it."
Chapter Eleven
"What's his problem?" Johnny grimaced when Dixie put some gauze on his arm after extracting the needle.
"Who, Dr. Brackett?" She held pressure on his arm for a minute. "Here hold this while I tape it."
Johnny put his fingers where hers were. Then he lifted the gauze to see the hole left by the needle. He wrinkled his nose. "Man that was a big needle." He coughed out.
Dixie pushed his hand back down, "I said hold it." She smiled as she taped the gauze in place. "Now I need to give you this." She held up a syringe filled with whatever antibiotic Dr. Brackett had prescribed for him.
Johnny looked at her wide eyed and mouth agape. "Um…do you have to?"
"Now I know we don't know each other very well yet, but do you actually think I would kid you about a thing like this?" She waved the syringe in the air. "So drop 'em." She pointed to his pants.
"You don't mean…" He blushed a deep crimson and coughed harshly. "Um…I…I don't think so." He slid off the table and backed away from her.
"John Gage." She put her hand on her hip. "You are on the verge of pneumonia. You yourself said you couldn't afford to miss work. If you meant that, then you turn right around and lean over that table with your cheek showing or I'll call in some orderlies assist you."
He dropped his head and his shoulders sagged as he moved back toward the treatment table. He laid his shirt on the table, turned his back and fumbled with his belt while repeatedly glancing over his shoulder at Dixie. She stood her ground and waited on him to get ready. When he had his pants open enough to lower the waistband revealing just enough of his behind for her to give him the dreaded stick, he leaned over, coughed a couple of times and once again tensed like he were about to have a life threatening medical procedure.
"This is a pretty strong dose. Hopefully it won't make you sick to your stomach. You will have to stay here while we wait on the results of your blood work, so you may as well get comfortable. I'll check on you in a little bit." She patted his hip indicating that she was finished.
Johnny looked over his shoulder, turning slightly, trying to see his hip. Dixie couldn't help the giggle that escaped. He positively looked like a puppy chasing his tail. He stopped and looked at her with a sheepish grin. "I didn't even feel it."
"That's because I am the best at what I do and don't you ever forget it." She beamed. "Now you can put your shirt back on." She motioned to his shirt as she gathered the blood samples and headed toward the door.
As she approached the door, it swished open, and Dr. Early poked his head in the room. "I understand you have an old friend of ours here Dixie."
Johnny looked over to the door and smiled sheepishly. "Hi Doctor Early."
"Hi yourself, Johnny Gage, I just wanted to check on you. I understand your cold has gotten worse." He walked over beside the table and reached for Johnny's chart which Dixie handed him. He flipped it open and scanned Dr. Brackett's notes. "Mind if I get a listen too?" He pulled out his stethoscope and rubbed it between his hands to warm it. "This won't hurt a bit."
Johnny smiled genuinely. He slid back onto the table.
Joe asked him to cough several times, as the not so friendly dark haired doctor had, but his tone was gentler and kinder. Johnny felt more relaxed than he had since he got out of the taxi.
"Okay Johnny, you can put your shirt back on now. It can be a little chilly in these rooms." He walked over to a cabinet and pulled out a thin blanket. "Dixie, I think our friend here needs some fluids. Start an IV D5W, give him something for the fever, Tylenol should do it." Johnny slipped his shirt back on and lay back down on the table. Joe spread the blanket over his legs, patted him on the knee and turned to leave. "Let me know when you get the lab results back." Then he was gone.
"Well it looks like you will get another needle stick, Johnny, but I'll be gentle." She smiled down at him as she took his arm.
He closed his eyes again. This time he didn't tense up as much. He knew she wouldn't hurt him.
Johnny fell asleep waiting in the treatment room for the results from his blood test.
The doorbell rang followed by a knock.
Captain Jones got up from his recliner, laid the newspaper he had been reading on the coffee table and walked over to the door. When he opened it, he was surprised to see his friend and trusted engineer, Dale Scott standing on the stoop. "Dale?"
"Morning Cap." He shifted from one foot to the other. "Um…sorry to bother you, but I…"
"Come on in." Captain Jones interrupted him and stepped aside. "I was wondering how long it would take you to come over here." He chuckled.
Dale nodded and slipped past him into the house.
"Coffee?"
"That would be great."
"Have a seat, I'll be right back." He disappeared into the kitchen and a few minutes later returned with two coffee cups and a plate of cinnamon rolls. "I know how you are when you have something on your mind, Scotty. My guess is you haven't had breakfast."
Scotty smiled, "Yeah well…you know me pretty well, Cap." He took the coffee and grabbed a roll from the plate.
"So what's on your mind this morning?" Captain Jones sat down with his own cinnamon roll.
"Well I guess I'm here to talk about that nail in Gage's tire, and what you plan to do about it."
"What I plan to do about it? Exactly what do you suggest I do?" Captain Jones leaned back in his chair and sipped his coffee. He already knew what he had planned, but he was curious as to what Dale might suggest.
Dale shifted nervously on the couch. "I..uh..I mean we all know who did it. I just thought…"
Captain Jones interrupted him. "You know who did it?" He sat forward again and waited for the answer. He suspected himself, but in order to act on that suspicion he needed proof.
"We all know who did it, Cap." Dale shot a glare at his Captain, but quickly softened his look. Although they were the best of friends, Dale respected his authority and this was his home. "Hell, even Jim knows it was his brother."
"How does he know that?"
"How does he know? All the pranks, the hostile way Cody treats Gage. I talked to Jim about it last night. It started back when they were at the academy. It's only gotten worse. That guy doesn't even appreciate that Gage saved his butt that day when he nearly drowned." He waved his hand in the air.
"I need something more than speculation Dale. Does anyone have any proof, solid evidence or an eye witness?"
"Well…no, but…"
"Well then there is little I can do about it." Dale started to protest, but Captain Jones held up his hand. "I do plan on having a meeting when we are back on shift. I plan on asking Gage to take the day off..with pay of course. I know he can't afford to miss work. I suspect that cold of his is much worse than he wants me to believe anyway. That will give me a chance to talk to everyone about his heritage and the pranks that have gotten out of hand without him being embarrassed by it."
"Yeah, he was pretty sick when I dropped off his bike. By the way, he asked me to thank you for helping get the tire fixed. Kid lives in a dump. I mean, his apartment is neat and clean, but it's not in a very good place. His furniture looked like stuff someone else had thrown out. I mean, he must have cleaned it up, but it's old, worn out. I know why he's so skinny too. His fridge was practically empty. He's a good kid just trying to make it. He doesn't deserve to be treated like that." Dale looked at his friend. "I remember when I started at the station. A good friend of mine stood up for me back then, when things got a little rough. He deserves to have someone on his side too. He saved Cody's life without even thinking about his own. That's the kind of man I want beside me when I'm running into a burning building. That's the kind of man we need in the department, not some slime ball who shoves nails in someone's tires. Graves should be washed out for this."
Captain Jones was proud to hear his friend stand up for John Gage. He remembered how shy and insecure Dale had been when he started at the station. He remembered when he had gone to his Captain to stand up for him years ago after another boot had tried to blame Dale for an accident caused by a faulty hose connection that had snapped making the hose whip back and injure one of their crew mates. "He's a lucky man to have someone like you stand up for him." He smiled at Dale.
Dale shrugged.
"Listen, off the record, I don't think we will have to wait long for Cody to mess up. He's hot headed. He doesn't listen to instructions, and does what he wants to instead of what he's told to do. He proved that when he got too close to that fire and nearly got himself and Gage blown up. I talked to Jim about him myself yesterday. He's not very pleased with his younger brother. Oh he's loyal to him to a fault like any older brother would be, but he's not sure what Cody is thinking. He didn't tell me he thought his brother put that nail in Gage's tire, but he didn't deny it either. You have to trust me to handle this."
Dale's head shot up and he looked his Captain directly in the eyes. "I trust you with my life, Cap."
"Good, then let's have another roll." He picked up the plate and held it out to his friend.
Dale took one. "Okay Cap." He knew he would have to give him a chance to handle things. But if something didn't change, and soon, he would have to consider taking things into his own hands.
Just as he was about to put the plate back on the table the telephone rang. "I wonder which one of my crew that might be, wanting to know what I plan to do about that nail." He chuckled as he picked up the receiver. "Hello, Jones residence."
"Good morning Captain Jones." The soft melodic voice sifted through the ear piece.
His eyebrows arched, and he looked over at Dale. "Good morning."
Johnny's eyes slid open. He felt groggy and stiff, achy from head to toe. He couldn't remember where he was or why he felt so stiff. He blinked several times trying to clear the sleep from his eyes. The lights in the room were dim, but he could see the bottle hanging above his head with the thin tubing running from the bottom to his arm. He'd been at the clinic enough to know that he had an IV in his arm, but he didn't remember coming to the clinic.
His foggy brain began to process. How could he be at the clinic anyway? He left the reservation years ago.
He coughed and swallowed feeling the dry scratchy soreness that usually accompanied the bouts of sickness that often led him to the reservation clinic as a kid. He drew in a shaky breath and coughed again. His head hurt, and he was hot. He raised a shaky hand to his forehead and pushed his damp bangs aside. Rampart, he was at the hospital.
Someone had raised the head of the bed up like they did when he had trouble breathing through his congested lungs as a boy. He squeezed his eyes shut…pneumonia. He must have gotten pneumonia again. Then slowly things came more into focus. He remembered his first day at the fire station.
In his mind's eye he saw the explosion that rocked the building and threw both he and Cody vaulting through the air, Cody slamming into the water and slipping beneath the dark surface. He could almost feel the hard asphalt that seemed to rise up to meet his falling body.
The visions in his head swam by faster. Him pulling his gear off and jumping feet first into the cold water, and diving deep into the darkness, groping for Cody in the blackness.
He rubbed his hand on his chest as he remembered returning to the surface only after the burning in his oxygen starved lungs forced him to; returning again to the depths and searching blindly through the cold dark water, diving deeper and deeper into the black, murky depths. The dirty water burned his eyes and nose. He almost gave up when his lungs started burning again, but then he had found Cody and pulled him to the surface.
Then came the vision of the second shift and the pouring rain, it seemed that he had been wet ever since he dove into that water after Cody. The rain pelted him as he drove his bike to work that morning, and then they were called out to that MVA. He remembered dropping to his knees in the puddle beside the wrecked cars. He thought about the cold water seeping in against his skin.
He took in a shaky breath as he remembered the fear that gripped his heart as he crawled inside the crushed window in search of life…life that he didn't find. He could almost hear the constant pitter-patter of the rain against the twisted metal. In his memory he tracked the shaky beam of light onto her face and into the hauntingly empty lifeless eyes.
Then his thoughts drifted to the nail in his tire and walking in the misting rain to the bus stop. The creepy man that followed him off the bus and tried to mug him; going to Jimbo's for help, sneaking out the back and running home while the rain continued to fall down on him.
Yep, he had really done it. First couple of shifts with the LA County Fire Department, and he had managed to get pneumonia. They would wash him out for sure.
He threw his arm over his eyes and sunk a little lower in the hard exam bed and groaned.
He could hear voices whispering nearby, in the corner of the dimly lit room. They must have heard him too, because the next thing he knew Dixie took his arm from across his eyes and started taking his pulse. "Hey sleepy head."
He blinked up at her and yawned. "M my t..throat hurts."
"Here you go." She put a straw against his lips. He sipped some of the cold water from the cup. "Better?"
"Um hm." He nodded.
"Hey Boot, I guess you were pretty sick yesterday when I stopped by." Dale Scott suddenly appeared beside him.
Johnny looked from Dixie to Dale and back to Dixie again. His mouth open, and his eyes wide.
"So sue me." Dixie shrugged. "I had to report your visit to your commanding officer. Can I help it if this guy was over at Captain Jones' house when I called?"
"Relax John, Ms. McCall was following regulations." Captain Jones was there too.
"Oh great." Johnny ran his hand through his hair. "I…I'm s..sorry Cap. I..uh..I didn't mean to get this sick. It's j..just t..that I have a tendency to..uh…"
Captain Jones put a reassuring hand on his shoulder and gave it a squeeze. "I know. Nurse McCall explained it to me."
Johnny tried to sit up. "Can I go?" He looked at Dixie for an answer. He suddenly felt like he had to get out of there.
She smiled at him and turned the lights up in the room causing him to squint. "Well Mr. Gage, luckily you do not have pneumonia. We think we have caught it in time before it could get any worse. You do however have a serious lung infection. Dr. Early wants to talk to you before you leave. He has a new prescription for you. That IV is almost finished, and I'll have to take it out. Then you, my friend, are free to go."
"Can I work?" Johnny was clearly worried about that.
"Let's wait until we hear from the doctor, John." Captain Jones suggested. "Then we'll worry about getting you home and when you will report back to work."
"I'm in the truck, so we can load your bike in the back again." Scotty offered.
"I didn't ride it." Johnny wouldn't look at them. They had done enough already. He was very uncomfortable with all this attention.
"How did you get here John?" Captain Jones asked.
"My friend, Jimbo made me take a taxi. I'll have to pay him back, but I didn't think I could ride my bike." He looked off in the distance avoiding eye contact. "I can take the bus back home."
"You will not. Not after what you told me yesterday. I'll take you home." Scotty said rather demandingly making Johnny tense.
"Okay." He whispered. He pulled the blanket up to his chest and held it with both hands. He felt worse than he had a few minutes ago. Actually, he was glad he wouldn't have to worry about how to get back home. "If you don't mind."
"Mind?" Scotty chuckled at the shy way Johnny reacted. "I insist."
"What's his problem?" Johnny grimaced when Dixie put some gauze on his arm after extracting the needle.
"Who, Dr. Brackett?" She held pressure on his arm for a minute. "Here hold this while I tape it."
Johnny put his fingers where hers were. Then he lifted the gauze to see the hole left by the needle. He wrinkled his nose. "Man that was a big needle." He coughed out.
Dixie pushed his hand back down, "I said hold it." She smiled as she taped the gauze in place. "Now I need to give you this." She held up a syringe filled with whatever antibiotic Dr. Brackett had prescribed for him.
Johnny looked at her wide eyed and mouth agape. "Um…do you have to?"
"Now I know we don't know each other very well yet, but do you actually think I would kid you about a thing like this?" She waved the syringe in the air. "So drop 'em." She pointed to his pants.
"You don't mean…" He blushed a deep crimson and coughed harshly. "Um…I…I don't think so." He slid off the table and backed away from her.
"John Gage." She put her hand on her hip. "You are on the verge of pneumonia. You yourself said you couldn't afford to miss work. If you meant that, then you turn right around and lean over that table with your cheek showing or I'll call in some orderlies assist you."
He dropped his head and his shoulders sagged as he moved back toward the treatment table. He laid his shirt on the table, turned his back and fumbled with his belt while repeatedly glancing over his shoulder at Dixie. She stood her ground and waited on him to get ready. When he had his pants open enough to lower the waistband revealing just enough of his behind for her to give him the dreaded stick, he leaned over, coughed a couple of times and once again tensed like he were about to have a life threatening medical procedure.
"This is a pretty strong dose. Hopefully it won't make you sick to your stomach. You will have to stay here while we wait on the results of your blood work, so you may as well get comfortable. I'll check on you in a little bit." She patted his hip indicating that she was finished.
Johnny looked over his shoulder, turning slightly, trying to see his hip. Dixie couldn't help the giggle that escaped. He positively looked like a puppy chasing his tail. He stopped and looked at her with a sheepish grin. "I didn't even feel it."
"That's because I am the best at what I do and don't you ever forget it." She beamed. "Now you can put your shirt back on." She motioned to his shirt as she gathered the blood samples and headed toward the door.
As she approached the door, it swished open, and Dr. Early poked his head in the room. "I understand you have an old friend of ours here Dixie."
Johnny looked over to the door and smiled sheepishly. "Hi Doctor Early."
"Hi yourself, Johnny Gage, I just wanted to check on you. I understand your cold has gotten worse." He walked over beside the table and reached for Johnny's chart which Dixie handed him. He flipped it open and scanned Dr. Brackett's notes. "Mind if I get a listen too?" He pulled out his stethoscope and rubbed it between his hands to warm it. "This won't hurt a bit."
Johnny smiled genuinely. He slid back onto the table.
Joe asked him to cough several times, as the not so friendly dark haired doctor had, but his tone was gentler and kinder. Johnny felt more relaxed than he had since he got out of the taxi.
"Okay Johnny, you can put your shirt back on now. It can be a little chilly in these rooms." He walked over to a cabinet and pulled out a thin blanket. "Dixie, I think our friend here needs some fluids. Start an IV D5W, give him something for the fever, Tylenol should do it." Johnny slipped his shirt back on and lay back down on the table. Joe spread the blanket over his legs, patted him on the knee and turned to leave. "Let me know when you get the lab results back." Then he was gone.
"Well it looks like you will get another needle stick, Johnny, but I'll be gentle." She smiled down at him as she took his arm.
He closed his eyes again. This time he didn't tense up as much. He knew she wouldn't hurt him.
Johnny fell asleep waiting in the treatment room for the results from his blood test.
The doorbell rang followed by a knock.
Captain Jones got up from his recliner, laid the newspaper he had been reading on the coffee table and walked over to the door. When he opened it, he was surprised to see his friend and trusted engineer, Dale Scott standing on the stoop. "Dale?"
"Morning Cap." He shifted from one foot to the other. "Um…sorry to bother you, but I…"
"Come on in." Captain Jones interrupted him and stepped aside. "I was wondering how long it would take you to come over here." He chuckled.
Dale nodded and slipped past him into the house.
"Coffee?"
"That would be great."
"Have a seat, I'll be right back." He disappeared into the kitchen and a few minutes later returned with two coffee cups and a plate of cinnamon rolls. "I know how you are when you have something on your mind, Scotty. My guess is you haven't had breakfast."
Scotty smiled, "Yeah well…you know me pretty well, Cap." He took the coffee and grabbed a roll from the plate.
"So what's on your mind this morning?" Captain Jones sat down with his own cinnamon roll.
"Well I guess I'm here to talk about that nail in Gage's tire, and what you plan to do about it."
"What I plan to do about it? Exactly what do you suggest I do?" Captain Jones leaned back in his chair and sipped his coffee. He already knew what he had planned, but he was curious as to what Dale might suggest.
Dale shifted nervously on the couch. "I..uh..I mean we all know who did it. I just thought…"
Captain Jones interrupted him. "You know who did it?" He sat forward again and waited for the answer. He suspected himself, but in order to act on that suspicion he needed proof.
"We all know who did it, Cap." Dale shot a glare at his Captain, but quickly softened his look. Although they were the best of friends, Dale respected his authority and this was his home. "Hell, even Jim knows it was his brother."
"How does he know that?"
"How does he know? All the pranks, the hostile way Cody treats Gage. I talked to Jim about it last night. It started back when they were at the academy. It's only gotten worse. That guy doesn't even appreciate that Gage saved his butt that day when he nearly drowned." He waved his hand in the air.
"I need something more than speculation Dale. Does anyone have any proof, solid evidence or an eye witness?"
"Well…no, but…"
"Well then there is little I can do about it." Dale started to protest, but Captain Jones held up his hand. "I do plan on having a meeting when we are back on shift. I plan on asking Gage to take the day off..with pay of course. I know he can't afford to miss work. I suspect that cold of his is much worse than he wants me to believe anyway. That will give me a chance to talk to everyone about his heritage and the pranks that have gotten out of hand without him being embarrassed by it."
"Yeah, he was pretty sick when I dropped off his bike. By the way, he asked me to thank you for helping get the tire fixed. Kid lives in a dump. I mean, his apartment is neat and clean, but it's not in a very good place. His furniture looked like stuff someone else had thrown out. I mean, he must have cleaned it up, but it's old, worn out. I know why he's so skinny too. His fridge was practically empty. He's a good kid just trying to make it. He doesn't deserve to be treated like that." Dale looked at his friend. "I remember when I started at the station. A good friend of mine stood up for me back then, when things got a little rough. He deserves to have someone on his side too. He saved Cody's life without even thinking about his own. That's the kind of man I want beside me when I'm running into a burning building. That's the kind of man we need in the department, not some slime ball who shoves nails in someone's tires. Graves should be washed out for this."
Captain Jones was proud to hear his friend stand up for John Gage. He remembered how shy and insecure Dale had been when he started at the station. He remembered when he had gone to his Captain to stand up for him years ago after another boot had tried to blame Dale for an accident caused by a faulty hose connection that had snapped making the hose whip back and injure one of their crew mates. "He's a lucky man to have someone like you stand up for him." He smiled at Dale.
Dale shrugged.
"Listen, off the record, I don't think we will have to wait long for Cody to mess up. He's hot headed. He doesn't listen to instructions, and does what he wants to instead of what he's told to do. He proved that when he got too close to that fire and nearly got himself and Gage blown up. I talked to Jim about him myself yesterday. He's not very pleased with his younger brother. Oh he's loyal to him to a fault like any older brother would be, but he's not sure what Cody is thinking. He didn't tell me he thought his brother put that nail in Gage's tire, but he didn't deny it either. You have to trust me to handle this."
Dale's head shot up and he looked his Captain directly in the eyes. "I trust you with my life, Cap."
"Good, then let's have another roll." He picked up the plate and held it out to his friend.
Dale took one. "Okay Cap." He knew he would have to give him a chance to handle things. But if something didn't change, and soon, he would have to consider taking things into his own hands.
Just as he was about to put the plate back on the table the telephone rang. "I wonder which one of my crew that might be, wanting to know what I plan to do about that nail." He chuckled as he picked up the receiver. "Hello, Jones residence."
"Good morning Captain Jones." The soft melodic voice sifted through the ear piece.
His eyebrows arched, and he looked over at Dale. "Good morning."
Johnny's eyes slid open. He felt groggy and stiff, achy from head to toe. He couldn't remember where he was or why he felt so stiff. He blinked several times trying to clear the sleep from his eyes. The lights in the room were dim, but he could see the bottle hanging above his head with the thin tubing running from the bottom to his arm. He'd been at the clinic enough to know that he had an IV in his arm, but he didn't remember coming to the clinic.
His foggy brain began to process. How could he be at the clinic anyway? He left the reservation years ago.
He coughed and swallowed feeling the dry scratchy soreness that usually accompanied the bouts of sickness that often led him to the reservation clinic as a kid. He drew in a shaky breath and coughed again. His head hurt, and he was hot. He raised a shaky hand to his forehead and pushed his damp bangs aside. Rampart, he was at the hospital.
Someone had raised the head of the bed up like they did when he had trouble breathing through his congested lungs as a boy. He squeezed his eyes shut…pneumonia. He must have gotten pneumonia again. Then slowly things came more into focus. He remembered his first day at the fire station.
In his mind's eye he saw the explosion that rocked the building and threw both he and Cody vaulting through the air, Cody slamming into the water and slipping beneath the dark surface. He could almost feel the hard asphalt that seemed to rise up to meet his falling body.
The visions in his head swam by faster. Him pulling his gear off and jumping feet first into the cold water, and diving deep into the darkness, groping for Cody in the blackness.
He rubbed his hand on his chest as he remembered returning to the surface only after the burning in his oxygen starved lungs forced him to; returning again to the depths and searching blindly through the cold dark water, diving deeper and deeper into the black, murky depths. The dirty water burned his eyes and nose. He almost gave up when his lungs started burning again, but then he had found Cody and pulled him to the surface.
Then came the vision of the second shift and the pouring rain, it seemed that he had been wet ever since he dove into that water after Cody. The rain pelted him as he drove his bike to work that morning, and then they were called out to that MVA. He remembered dropping to his knees in the puddle beside the wrecked cars. He thought about the cold water seeping in against his skin.
He took in a shaky breath as he remembered the fear that gripped his heart as he crawled inside the crushed window in search of life…life that he didn't find. He could almost hear the constant pitter-patter of the rain against the twisted metal. In his memory he tracked the shaky beam of light onto her face and into the hauntingly empty lifeless eyes.
Then his thoughts drifted to the nail in his tire and walking in the misting rain to the bus stop. The creepy man that followed him off the bus and tried to mug him; going to Jimbo's for help, sneaking out the back and running home while the rain continued to fall down on him.
Yep, he had really done it. First couple of shifts with the LA County Fire Department, and he had managed to get pneumonia. They would wash him out for sure.
He threw his arm over his eyes and sunk a little lower in the hard exam bed and groaned.
He could hear voices whispering nearby, in the corner of the dimly lit room. They must have heard him too, because the next thing he knew Dixie took his arm from across his eyes and started taking his pulse. "Hey sleepy head."
He blinked up at her and yawned. "M my t..throat hurts."
"Here you go." She put a straw against his lips. He sipped some of the cold water from the cup. "Better?"
"Um hm." He nodded.
"Hey Boot, I guess you were pretty sick yesterday when I stopped by." Dale Scott suddenly appeared beside him.
Johnny looked from Dixie to Dale and back to Dixie again. His mouth open, and his eyes wide.
"So sue me." Dixie shrugged. "I had to report your visit to your commanding officer. Can I help it if this guy was over at Captain Jones' house when I called?"
"Relax John, Ms. McCall was following regulations." Captain Jones was there too.
"Oh great." Johnny ran his hand through his hair. "I…I'm s..sorry Cap. I..uh..I didn't mean to get this sick. It's j..just t..that I have a tendency to..uh…"
Captain Jones put a reassuring hand on his shoulder and gave it a squeeze. "I know. Nurse McCall explained it to me."
Johnny tried to sit up. "Can I go?" He looked at Dixie for an answer. He suddenly felt like he had to get out of there.
She smiled at him and turned the lights up in the room causing him to squint. "Well Mr. Gage, luckily you do not have pneumonia. We think we have caught it in time before it could get any worse. You do however have a serious lung infection. Dr. Early wants to talk to you before you leave. He has a new prescription for you. That IV is almost finished, and I'll have to take it out. Then you, my friend, are free to go."
"Can I work?" Johnny was clearly worried about that.
"Let's wait until we hear from the doctor, John." Captain Jones suggested. "Then we'll worry about getting you home and when you will report back to work."
"I'm in the truck, so we can load your bike in the back again." Scotty offered.
"I didn't ride it." Johnny wouldn't look at them. They had done enough already. He was very uncomfortable with all this attention.
"How did you get here John?" Captain Jones asked.
"My friend, Jimbo made me take a taxi. I'll have to pay him back, but I didn't think I could ride my bike." He looked off in the distance avoiding eye contact. "I can take the bus back home."
"You will not. Not after what you told me yesterday. I'll take you home." Scotty said rather demandingly making Johnny tense.
"Okay." He whispered. He pulled the blanket up to his chest and held it with both hands. He felt worse than he had a few minutes ago. Actually, he was glad he wouldn't have to worry about how to get back home. "If you don't mind."
"Mind?" Scotty chuckled at the shy way Johnny reacted. "I insist."
Chapter Twelve
_Cody sat on the
couch in the apartment he shared with his older brother until he got
through with his probationary period with the fire department. He had
his feet propped up on the solid oak coffee table. An empty pizza box
lay open beside him on the leather couch. Several beer cans were toppled
on the floor nearby. He stared at the ball game on the color TV screen
with little interest in the outcome.
He had called several of the guys from the station to come over and watch the game, have a few drinks, and pizza, but no one had accepted; he didn't know why. The guys always came over when he or Jim invited them. Even Jim had made excuses about having to go grocery shopping.
Now half way to intoxication, he sat alone sulking.
Jim reached for the door handle and found it locked. He shifted the grocery bags in his arms to one side and dug in his pocket for the keys. "Cody!" He called through the locked door. "Hey man, I could use a hand here." He fumbled with the keys trying to find the right one without dropping one of the two over stuffed bags. Finally able to get the key in the lock he turned the knob and pushed the door open with his shoulder to find his brother sitting alone inside. He angrily walked past his brother kicking the door closed. "Didn't you hear me?"
Cody didn't respond. He just sat there and stared at the TV screen.
"CODY!" Jim yelled at him. "Snap out of it man, and pick up that trash. This is my place. I worked hard to get in this complex, and furnish it with nice things, and I won't have you messin' things up." He put the grocery bags on the kitchen counter and went back into the living room. He stopped in the doorway and looked over at his brother. "What's with you anyway?"
"Nothing." He said followed by a deep sigh.
Jim was not happy with what he suspected Cody had done. He'd talked to his buddy Dale about it. He hadn't told him that Cody had actually put the nail in Gage's tire, but he had agreed that it was a strong possibility.
Cody had it in for Gage ever since the academy. The thing was Jim couldn't figure out why. He seemed to be an okay guy, a little quiet maybe, but okay.
Gage seemed to handle the job with skill. He'd done well at the academy even graduating at the head of his class. He'd proved his ability on several training drills. The man could handle a hose and was willing to help out with whatever duties Cap assigned him. He'd even saved Cody's life when they were blown into the water, and he'd crawled into that car not knowing what he would find. So why did Cody have such a problem with him?
Jim was loyal to his brother. Cody was family, but he was loyal to his brothers in the fire department too.
He couldn't help the worry he now felt for his brother's career.
If Captain Jones found out that Cody had put that nail in Gage's tire, it could end his firefighting career.
If Gage found out Cody had done it he could press vandalism charges giving his brother a criminal record.
Either of the two scenarios wasn't good, and both would ruin his future for years to come, maybe even send him down a destructive path that would only lead to more trouble. Jim couldn't let that happen. He wouldn't stand by and watch his brother self destruct.
"Cody, can I ask you a question?" Jim sat down in the chair beside the couch and leaned his elbows on his knees and crossed his arms. He didn't look at his brother. Instead he stared at his shoes. He hated the thoughts that had been running through his mind since yesterday.
"What?" Cody snapped in response. "What do you want, Jim?"
Jim took a slow deep breath and blew it out before asking. "That nail in Gage's tire…did you…" He couldn't bring himself to finish asking the question.
Cody just turned to his brother and glared at him. "So is that what all this is about?" He waved his hand at the empty room. "Does everyone think I had something to do with that?"
Jim couldn't meet his brother's eyes. He looked away and leaned back in the chair. "I don't know." He answered in all honesty. He had been upset with his suspicions. He knew that was why he hadn't wanted to watch the game with Cody, but is that why no one else accepted?
Cody stood up and glared at Jim some more. "I'm your brother. Whose side are you on anyway, that Indian?"
"That Indian saved my brother's life." Jim finally looked at Cody. His brother's words had stung, but he found himself defending Johnny Gage anyway.
"That Indian cheated me out of the top spot in our class at the academy."
"Cody, you weren't anywhere near the top of your class. Besides, now you're in the department. Things are different. We stick together; watch out for each other's backs. We have to trust our fire department brothers every shift with our lives, and they trust us with theirs. This is not a game. We don't attack our own."
"I never said it was a game." Cody put his hands on his hips and swayed from too many beers. "Firemen have been playing pranks on each other for years. It keeps things from getting too serious around the station. Grandpa did it, Dad did it, and now I'm just having some fun doing it myself."
"If you did put the nail in the tire, you had better be prepared to wash out. Captain Jones will not put up with that kind of attack on another member of his crew. I don't think the department will either; not to mention the crew. If you did it, Cody you may have just wasted your training." Jim looked away from his brother again. "And on top of that you had better hope that Gage doesn't press charges."
"There's no proof I had anything to do with it." Cody turned and grabbed the empty pizza box and scooped up the empty beer cans. "Besides, who said I did it anyway."
"Did you?" Jim asked sincerely.
"I hate that guy!" Cody blasted out. "I really hate him."
"Why?"
Cody just stood there with the empty box and arm full of cans staring at his brother with his eyes wide and his mouth open. Then in a sudden move, he dropped the trash and moved over toward the door. "You don't have to worry about me brother. I'll get out of your hair. Maybe Johnny Gage wants to move in." He reached for the door knob.
Jim jumped up from his seat and grabbed his brother's arm. "Don't. You're in no condition to drive."
Cody tensed at his brother's touch. "Get your hand off me." He said through gritted teeth. He tried pulling his arm away from Jim and nearly stumbled into the wall. "I'm getting' outta here." He slurred.
"Sorry brother, I can't let you go out driving after all that beer. If they don't wash you out of the department over this stunt, a driving while intoxicated charge will." He tightened his grip. "Come on, Cody, why don't you take a shower and try to take a nap? I'll have dinner ready when you wake up."
Cody's tension eased a little and he pulled his arm from his brother's firm grip. "Okay, but if you don't stick by me, I'm out of here."
Jim nodded his understanding. He would agree to anything at that moment just to keep his brother out of any more trouble.
Cody staggered down the hall to his bedroom for that shower and nap.
Jim picked up the discarded pizza box and cans and took them into the kitchen. He decided that he would try to talk to Johnny before their next shift. He still was not completely certain that Cody had anything to do with the nail, but the idea that he may have brought out a very protective nature in Jim. After all, Cody was his little brother. Maybe he could talk Johnny out of turning Cody in. Maybe if he offered to pay for the repairs or replace the tire, he wouldn't press charges.
When he heard the shower turn on he picked up the phone to make a few calls. Surely someone had a contact phone number for John Gage. He tried Jeff first, since he had graduated the academy along with Johnny and Cody. He tried calling Cooper and Gotchalk, but either they didn't answer or didn't have his number. He even called Bill, he rode engine one with Johnny, but he didn't answer either. Deciding he didn't have many other options, he tried calling Dale Scott. Scotty's number just rang and rang. He replaced the receiver on the phone jack and started unpacking the groceries.
Johnny drifted back to sleep while he, Dale and Captain Jones waited to speak with the doctor. He couldn't help it. He fought it, but his eyelids just grew heavier and heavier until they slid closed and stayed that way. His breathing became deeper. His hand fell limp to his side.
"Man he's really out of it." Scotty shot a concerned look at his Captain. "Maybe they should keep him here."
"We'll see what the doctor says." Captain Jones had returned to the spot on the far wall and leaned his back against the wall. He had been a fire captain long enough to spend countless hours waiting for word from doctors at hospitals only to find out that his men were either injured more seriously than he had thought or were released to go home when he least expected it. He gave up trying to figure out the doctor's decisions long ago.
Dixie came back into the room with a cup of orange juice. She smiled and placed it on the counter just below the supply cabinet. She turned to Johnny and reached for his wrist checking his heart rate. He didn't even stir. She noticed the concerned look on Scotty's face. "Sleep is the best thing for him right now."
Dale nodded his understanding and moved to the wall beside his Captain.
Dixie adjusted the blanket and slid Johnny's arm beneath it tucking him in. She brushed the hair from his forehead and then she turned and left the room again.
Captain Jones chuckled. "I knew there was something about that boy."
"What do you mean, Cap?"
"Open your eyes Scotty. Don't you see how Ms. McCall dotes on him? She doesn't even know him. The other day when he dove in after Cody was the first time she ever laid eyes on him, and look at the way she gives him that extra care."
"She's a nurse, Cap. It's her job." Scotty scratched his head. He didn't really see that the nurse had done anything more than normal, but then he hadn't spent much time in the hospital either.
Before Captain Jones could respond the door opened once again, this time Dr. Early came in and smiled at the two men. "Well hello Captain Jones, Dale. It's nice to see our young friend won't be leaving here alone."
"Hi Doc. So you are letting him out of here?" Scotty spoke before Captain Jones could.
Captain Jones cleared his throat, pushed off the wall and assumed his leadership role. "Dr. Early." He extended his hand to Joe. "Nice to see you again. I wish it had been on a more casual basis, but good no less."
Dr. Early returned the hand shake and smiled. "Well let's see if we can get Johnny up and ready to go." He gently shook Johnny's shoulder. "John…Johnny can you wake up for me?"
Johnny's eyes blinked a few times before he actually was able to completely open them. Then he closed them again trying to clear the fog left behind by sleep mixed with the medications he'd been given. When he once again opened them he found himself peering up into Dr. Joe Early's kind eyes, and he yawned. "Sorry Doc." He was relieved that it was Dr. Early instead of that dark haired doctor, he made Johnny very uncomfortable.
"Don't worry about it Johnny. Rest is what I want you to do." Joe looked at Captain Jones. "I think he'll miss his next shift. Then we'll check his lungs again."
"No problem Doc. I suspected that already."
Johnny groaned. He couldn't afford to miss a shift. "I'm not that sick, am I? I can work." He sat up taller and pushed the blankets down to his lap trying to look healthier than he felt.
"Well John, I think Dr. Early knows better than we do about that. Besides, I want to talk to the crew about what happened the other day, and I would prefer that you not be there since it was your tire the nail was in. I will give you the shift off with pay, so don't worry about missing one shift."
Johnny sat quietly for a minute considering what Captain Jones said. "Cap, I don't know how that nail got in my tire. I probably just picked it up on the way in to the station."
Captain Jones nodded his head. "Dale and I were at the door when you rode in. We would have noticed the nail." He knew what Johnny was trying to do. Firemen always looked out for their brothers. No good fireman would ever point the finger at one of his brothers unless their actions might cause harm to another man. Johnny was shaping up to be a fine addition to that brotherhood of firemen.
Johnny sighed and tried again. "It had to be an accident. I must have backed over it by the dumpster. Really Cap, I'm sure no one would put it there like that."
Captain Jones resolved himself to let it go for the moment. He would still meet with the crew even if Johnny didn't want to admit that someone had put the nail in his tire. Someone had and he would not stand by and watch that kind of behavior among his crew. "Okay, just don't worry about it right now. You're off next shift, and that's an order."
"Yes Sir."
Dixie came back in the room, walked over to the counter and picked up the juice. "Here you go sweetie. Drink this."
Johnny took the juice and enjoyed the coolness on his throat. "Thanks."
"Dixie, I think that IV is ready to come out now. Did you get the new antibiotic prescription filled?"
"Yes Doctor." She smiled. "And the cough suppressant."
"Good. Well gentlemen, I have other patients to see. Johnny I'll see you in a couple of days, Okay?" He patted Johnny's shoulder.
"Okay."
The sports announcer rattled on about the player's stats and the crowd cheered, but the men sitting around the television didn't seem interested in the game at all.
"Look, we don't have any proof that the nail was put there intentionally." Tony got up from his easy chair and paced around his living room. A half empty bottle of beer hung from between his two fingers making sloshing noises as he walked. "I mean yeah, Cody has been setting up those ridiculous pranks with the bow and arrow and all, but I don't think he would do something like ruin a guy's tire. He's been around firemen all his life. Surely he understands where to draw the line."
"He's had it in for Gage from the beginning of our training." Jeff piped in. He had been immediately accepted among his new crewmates. He too had been around firemen his entire life. He knew most of these guys before ever joining the department. "He had a lot of the guys at the academy joining in on the stuff he did to Johnny."
"Well it isn't unusual for the top of the class to get picked on." Gotchalk smiled. "I mean I got a water bomb in the face at least once a day during training." He had been the top of his class at the academy.
"I remember, you griped about it all the time." Bill chuckled.
"You would have too. I swear I never had to actually get in the shower back then. I was always getting sprayed off."
"Gross! No wonder you always smelled so bad." Bill joked with his long time friend. "Hey Tony, does your wife have any more of that dip. It was really good." He snagged the last potato chip and scooped up the rest of the red tangy dip careful not to drop the green pepper and tomato chunk back into the bowl. He leaned over and put the whole chip into his mouth at once, dripping red liquid down his chin which he wiped on the back of his hand…which he wiped on his jeans.
"Talk about gross!" Tony laughed. "I'll go check."
"Johnny never complained." Jeff said quietly. Tony stopped in his tracks. The chips would have to wait. "He just took it and kept on going. He was kind of a loner, never seemed to have anyone to talk to. He's a nice guy. I went bowling with him once. We talked. He's funny and really good at bowling. He should be on the station's bowling team."
"He's that good? I'll talk to him about that. It's high time we won a few games against 36's." Tony smiled. "But seriously guys, I think something needs to be done about Cody. I think Johnny could make a great addition to the rescue squad, if Cap allows it. Joe's leaving soon, and I think I could work well with Johnny."
"You know when we graduated the academy everyone's family and friends were there." Jeff continued.
"Yeah, you should have been there when we graduated. One of the guys, Marco Lopez, had so much family we had to add folding chairs so everyone else could sit down too." Gotchalk nodded his amazement. "Guy must have the biggest family in California."
"I remember him. He's a good lineman. He has a buddy on the engine with him that really enjoys playing pranks on people. I think his name is Chet, but people call him the Phantom. He's a funny sort of guy, kind of mischievous. But man those two fighting a fire together is magical. If I was fire and saw them coming I think I would just give up and blow myself out." Everyone laughed.
Jeff picked up where he left off. "Johnny didn't have anyone there."
"You're kidding, right?" Tony spoke what they were all thinking.
"Nope, no one." Jeff sighed. "I told you he was a kind of a loner."
Bill stood up and walked over to the telephone. "I'll give Jim a call. Maybe he can talk to Cody before things go too far with Captain Jones. If he really did put that nail in Gage's tire, and he confesses, maybe he'll just get a slap on the wrist and a lot of latrine duty. If he didn't then he needs to make sure the Cap knows that."
"Ms. McCall, there's a…" The pretty young nurse said as she poked her head in the treatment room door. She stopped mid sentence when her eyes fell on the deep sensuous brown eyes that looked up at her from the treatment bed. The fever flushed high cheek bones accented the man's gorgeous face and that dark hair, that made her want to run her fingers through it, framed it perfectly. Her heart melted instantly when a crooked smile appeared on his face. A smile spread across her tanned complexion and a sparkle shown in her eyes.
"Yes Cindy." Dixie saw the instant attraction her nurse had for her patient. Not to mention the smile he had for her in return.
Captain Jones snickered into his hand, and Scotty looked at him wondering what was so funny.
"Oh sorry, there is a man out here flashing a badge and asking questions about a patient." She continued looking at Johnny as she spoke very slowly...almost breathlessly.
Dixie grew exasperated with her nurse. She had to pry the information from the young woman who was obviously greatly distracted by the young man on the table. "Who is he looking for Cindy?"
Cindy could hear the impatience in her boss' tone and snapped back to her job. "Oh sorry, he's asking about someone named John Gage."
A gasp could be heard from the patient. Both Captain Jones and Scotty pushed off the wall and stood stunned at the name of the patient. Dixie looked back to Johnny for some sign of why a police officer would be looking for him.
Johnny's shocked expression told her that he didn't know.
He had called several of the guys from the station to come over and watch the game, have a few drinks, and pizza, but no one had accepted; he didn't know why. The guys always came over when he or Jim invited them. Even Jim had made excuses about having to go grocery shopping.
Now half way to intoxication, he sat alone sulking.
Jim reached for the door handle and found it locked. He shifted the grocery bags in his arms to one side and dug in his pocket for the keys. "Cody!" He called through the locked door. "Hey man, I could use a hand here." He fumbled with the keys trying to find the right one without dropping one of the two over stuffed bags. Finally able to get the key in the lock he turned the knob and pushed the door open with his shoulder to find his brother sitting alone inside. He angrily walked past his brother kicking the door closed. "Didn't you hear me?"
Cody didn't respond. He just sat there and stared at the TV screen.
"CODY!" Jim yelled at him. "Snap out of it man, and pick up that trash. This is my place. I worked hard to get in this complex, and furnish it with nice things, and I won't have you messin' things up." He put the grocery bags on the kitchen counter and went back into the living room. He stopped in the doorway and looked over at his brother. "What's with you anyway?"
"Nothing." He said followed by a deep sigh.
Jim was not happy with what he suspected Cody had done. He'd talked to his buddy Dale about it. He hadn't told him that Cody had actually put the nail in Gage's tire, but he had agreed that it was a strong possibility.
Cody had it in for Gage ever since the academy. The thing was Jim couldn't figure out why. He seemed to be an okay guy, a little quiet maybe, but okay.
Gage seemed to handle the job with skill. He'd done well at the academy even graduating at the head of his class. He'd proved his ability on several training drills. The man could handle a hose and was willing to help out with whatever duties Cap assigned him. He'd even saved Cody's life when they were blown into the water, and he'd crawled into that car not knowing what he would find. So why did Cody have such a problem with him?
Jim was loyal to his brother. Cody was family, but he was loyal to his brothers in the fire department too.
He couldn't help the worry he now felt for his brother's career.
If Captain Jones found out that Cody had put that nail in Gage's tire, it could end his firefighting career.
If Gage found out Cody had done it he could press vandalism charges giving his brother a criminal record.
Either of the two scenarios wasn't good, and both would ruin his future for years to come, maybe even send him down a destructive path that would only lead to more trouble. Jim couldn't let that happen. He wouldn't stand by and watch his brother self destruct.
"Cody, can I ask you a question?" Jim sat down in the chair beside the couch and leaned his elbows on his knees and crossed his arms. He didn't look at his brother. Instead he stared at his shoes. He hated the thoughts that had been running through his mind since yesterday.
"What?" Cody snapped in response. "What do you want, Jim?"
Jim took a slow deep breath and blew it out before asking. "That nail in Gage's tire…did you…" He couldn't bring himself to finish asking the question.
Cody just turned to his brother and glared at him. "So is that what all this is about?" He waved his hand at the empty room. "Does everyone think I had something to do with that?"
Jim couldn't meet his brother's eyes. He looked away and leaned back in the chair. "I don't know." He answered in all honesty. He had been upset with his suspicions. He knew that was why he hadn't wanted to watch the game with Cody, but is that why no one else accepted?
Cody stood up and glared at Jim some more. "I'm your brother. Whose side are you on anyway, that Indian?"
"That Indian saved my brother's life." Jim finally looked at Cody. His brother's words had stung, but he found himself defending Johnny Gage anyway.
"That Indian cheated me out of the top spot in our class at the academy."
"Cody, you weren't anywhere near the top of your class. Besides, now you're in the department. Things are different. We stick together; watch out for each other's backs. We have to trust our fire department brothers every shift with our lives, and they trust us with theirs. This is not a game. We don't attack our own."
"I never said it was a game." Cody put his hands on his hips and swayed from too many beers. "Firemen have been playing pranks on each other for years. It keeps things from getting too serious around the station. Grandpa did it, Dad did it, and now I'm just having some fun doing it myself."
"If you did put the nail in the tire, you had better be prepared to wash out. Captain Jones will not put up with that kind of attack on another member of his crew. I don't think the department will either; not to mention the crew. If you did it, Cody you may have just wasted your training." Jim looked away from his brother again. "And on top of that you had better hope that Gage doesn't press charges."
"There's no proof I had anything to do with it." Cody turned and grabbed the empty pizza box and scooped up the empty beer cans. "Besides, who said I did it anyway."
"Did you?" Jim asked sincerely.
"I hate that guy!" Cody blasted out. "I really hate him."
"Why?"
Cody just stood there with the empty box and arm full of cans staring at his brother with his eyes wide and his mouth open. Then in a sudden move, he dropped the trash and moved over toward the door. "You don't have to worry about me brother. I'll get out of your hair. Maybe Johnny Gage wants to move in." He reached for the door knob.
Jim jumped up from his seat and grabbed his brother's arm. "Don't. You're in no condition to drive."
Cody tensed at his brother's touch. "Get your hand off me." He said through gritted teeth. He tried pulling his arm away from Jim and nearly stumbled into the wall. "I'm getting' outta here." He slurred.
"Sorry brother, I can't let you go out driving after all that beer. If they don't wash you out of the department over this stunt, a driving while intoxicated charge will." He tightened his grip. "Come on, Cody, why don't you take a shower and try to take a nap? I'll have dinner ready when you wake up."
Cody's tension eased a little and he pulled his arm from his brother's firm grip. "Okay, but if you don't stick by me, I'm out of here."
Jim nodded his understanding. He would agree to anything at that moment just to keep his brother out of any more trouble.
Cody staggered down the hall to his bedroom for that shower and nap.
Jim picked up the discarded pizza box and cans and took them into the kitchen. He decided that he would try to talk to Johnny before their next shift. He still was not completely certain that Cody had anything to do with the nail, but the idea that he may have brought out a very protective nature in Jim. After all, Cody was his little brother. Maybe he could talk Johnny out of turning Cody in. Maybe if he offered to pay for the repairs or replace the tire, he wouldn't press charges.
When he heard the shower turn on he picked up the phone to make a few calls. Surely someone had a contact phone number for John Gage. He tried Jeff first, since he had graduated the academy along with Johnny and Cody. He tried calling Cooper and Gotchalk, but either they didn't answer or didn't have his number. He even called Bill, he rode engine one with Johnny, but he didn't answer either. Deciding he didn't have many other options, he tried calling Dale Scott. Scotty's number just rang and rang. He replaced the receiver on the phone jack and started unpacking the groceries.
Johnny drifted back to sleep while he, Dale and Captain Jones waited to speak with the doctor. He couldn't help it. He fought it, but his eyelids just grew heavier and heavier until they slid closed and stayed that way. His breathing became deeper. His hand fell limp to his side.
"Man he's really out of it." Scotty shot a concerned look at his Captain. "Maybe they should keep him here."
"We'll see what the doctor says." Captain Jones had returned to the spot on the far wall and leaned his back against the wall. He had been a fire captain long enough to spend countless hours waiting for word from doctors at hospitals only to find out that his men were either injured more seriously than he had thought or were released to go home when he least expected it. He gave up trying to figure out the doctor's decisions long ago.
Dixie came back into the room with a cup of orange juice. She smiled and placed it on the counter just below the supply cabinet. She turned to Johnny and reached for his wrist checking his heart rate. He didn't even stir. She noticed the concerned look on Scotty's face. "Sleep is the best thing for him right now."
Dale nodded his understanding and moved to the wall beside his Captain.
Dixie adjusted the blanket and slid Johnny's arm beneath it tucking him in. She brushed the hair from his forehead and then she turned and left the room again.
Captain Jones chuckled. "I knew there was something about that boy."
"What do you mean, Cap?"
"Open your eyes Scotty. Don't you see how Ms. McCall dotes on him? She doesn't even know him. The other day when he dove in after Cody was the first time she ever laid eyes on him, and look at the way she gives him that extra care."
"She's a nurse, Cap. It's her job." Scotty scratched his head. He didn't really see that the nurse had done anything more than normal, but then he hadn't spent much time in the hospital either.
Before Captain Jones could respond the door opened once again, this time Dr. Early came in and smiled at the two men. "Well hello Captain Jones, Dale. It's nice to see our young friend won't be leaving here alone."
"Hi Doc. So you are letting him out of here?" Scotty spoke before Captain Jones could.
Captain Jones cleared his throat, pushed off the wall and assumed his leadership role. "Dr. Early." He extended his hand to Joe. "Nice to see you again. I wish it had been on a more casual basis, but good no less."
Dr. Early returned the hand shake and smiled. "Well let's see if we can get Johnny up and ready to go." He gently shook Johnny's shoulder. "John…Johnny can you wake up for me?"
Johnny's eyes blinked a few times before he actually was able to completely open them. Then he closed them again trying to clear the fog left behind by sleep mixed with the medications he'd been given. When he once again opened them he found himself peering up into Dr. Joe Early's kind eyes, and he yawned. "Sorry Doc." He was relieved that it was Dr. Early instead of that dark haired doctor, he made Johnny very uncomfortable.
"Don't worry about it Johnny. Rest is what I want you to do." Joe looked at Captain Jones. "I think he'll miss his next shift. Then we'll check his lungs again."
"No problem Doc. I suspected that already."
Johnny groaned. He couldn't afford to miss a shift. "I'm not that sick, am I? I can work." He sat up taller and pushed the blankets down to his lap trying to look healthier than he felt.
"Well John, I think Dr. Early knows better than we do about that. Besides, I want to talk to the crew about what happened the other day, and I would prefer that you not be there since it was your tire the nail was in. I will give you the shift off with pay, so don't worry about missing one shift."
Johnny sat quietly for a minute considering what Captain Jones said. "Cap, I don't know how that nail got in my tire. I probably just picked it up on the way in to the station."
Captain Jones nodded his head. "Dale and I were at the door when you rode in. We would have noticed the nail." He knew what Johnny was trying to do. Firemen always looked out for their brothers. No good fireman would ever point the finger at one of his brothers unless their actions might cause harm to another man. Johnny was shaping up to be a fine addition to that brotherhood of firemen.
Johnny sighed and tried again. "It had to be an accident. I must have backed over it by the dumpster. Really Cap, I'm sure no one would put it there like that."
Captain Jones resolved himself to let it go for the moment. He would still meet with the crew even if Johnny didn't want to admit that someone had put the nail in his tire. Someone had and he would not stand by and watch that kind of behavior among his crew. "Okay, just don't worry about it right now. You're off next shift, and that's an order."
"Yes Sir."
Dixie came back in the room, walked over to the counter and picked up the juice. "Here you go sweetie. Drink this."
Johnny took the juice and enjoyed the coolness on his throat. "Thanks."
"Dixie, I think that IV is ready to come out now. Did you get the new antibiotic prescription filled?"
"Yes Doctor." She smiled. "And the cough suppressant."
"Good. Well gentlemen, I have other patients to see. Johnny I'll see you in a couple of days, Okay?" He patted Johnny's shoulder.
"Okay."
The sports announcer rattled on about the player's stats and the crowd cheered, but the men sitting around the television didn't seem interested in the game at all.
"Look, we don't have any proof that the nail was put there intentionally." Tony got up from his easy chair and paced around his living room. A half empty bottle of beer hung from between his two fingers making sloshing noises as he walked. "I mean yeah, Cody has been setting up those ridiculous pranks with the bow and arrow and all, but I don't think he would do something like ruin a guy's tire. He's been around firemen all his life. Surely he understands where to draw the line."
"He's had it in for Gage from the beginning of our training." Jeff piped in. He had been immediately accepted among his new crewmates. He too had been around firemen his entire life. He knew most of these guys before ever joining the department. "He had a lot of the guys at the academy joining in on the stuff he did to Johnny."
"Well it isn't unusual for the top of the class to get picked on." Gotchalk smiled. "I mean I got a water bomb in the face at least once a day during training." He had been the top of his class at the academy.
"I remember, you griped about it all the time." Bill chuckled.
"You would have too. I swear I never had to actually get in the shower back then. I was always getting sprayed off."
"Gross! No wonder you always smelled so bad." Bill joked with his long time friend. "Hey Tony, does your wife have any more of that dip. It was really good." He snagged the last potato chip and scooped up the rest of the red tangy dip careful not to drop the green pepper and tomato chunk back into the bowl. He leaned over and put the whole chip into his mouth at once, dripping red liquid down his chin which he wiped on the back of his hand…which he wiped on his jeans.
"Talk about gross!" Tony laughed. "I'll go check."
"Johnny never complained." Jeff said quietly. Tony stopped in his tracks. The chips would have to wait. "He just took it and kept on going. He was kind of a loner, never seemed to have anyone to talk to. He's a nice guy. I went bowling with him once. We talked. He's funny and really good at bowling. He should be on the station's bowling team."
"He's that good? I'll talk to him about that. It's high time we won a few games against 36's." Tony smiled. "But seriously guys, I think something needs to be done about Cody. I think Johnny could make a great addition to the rescue squad, if Cap allows it. Joe's leaving soon, and I think I could work well with Johnny."
"You know when we graduated the academy everyone's family and friends were there." Jeff continued.
"Yeah, you should have been there when we graduated. One of the guys, Marco Lopez, had so much family we had to add folding chairs so everyone else could sit down too." Gotchalk nodded his amazement. "Guy must have the biggest family in California."
"I remember him. He's a good lineman. He has a buddy on the engine with him that really enjoys playing pranks on people. I think his name is Chet, but people call him the Phantom. He's a funny sort of guy, kind of mischievous. But man those two fighting a fire together is magical. If I was fire and saw them coming I think I would just give up and blow myself out." Everyone laughed.
Jeff picked up where he left off. "Johnny didn't have anyone there."
"You're kidding, right?" Tony spoke what they were all thinking.
"Nope, no one." Jeff sighed. "I told you he was a kind of a loner."
Bill stood up and walked over to the telephone. "I'll give Jim a call. Maybe he can talk to Cody before things go too far with Captain Jones. If he really did put that nail in Gage's tire, and he confesses, maybe he'll just get a slap on the wrist and a lot of latrine duty. If he didn't then he needs to make sure the Cap knows that."
"Ms. McCall, there's a…" The pretty young nurse said as she poked her head in the treatment room door. She stopped mid sentence when her eyes fell on the deep sensuous brown eyes that looked up at her from the treatment bed. The fever flushed high cheek bones accented the man's gorgeous face and that dark hair, that made her want to run her fingers through it, framed it perfectly. Her heart melted instantly when a crooked smile appeared on his face. A smile spread across her tanned complexion and a sparkle shown in her eyes.
"Yes Cindy." Dixie saw the instant attraction her nurse had for her patient. Not to mention the smile he had for her in return.
Captain Jones snickered into his hand, and Scotty looked at him wondering what was so funny.
"Oh sorry, there is a man out here flashing a badge and asking questions about a patient." She continued looking at Johnny as she spoke very slowly...almost breathlessly.
Dixie grew exasperated with her nurse. She had to pry the information from the young woman who was obviously greatly distracted by the young man on the table. "Who is he looking for Cindy?"
Cindy could hear the impatience in her boss' tone and snapped back to her job. "Oh sorry, he's asking about someone named John Gage."
A gasp could be heard from the patient. Both Captain Jones and Scotty pushed off the wall and stood stunned at the name of the patient. Dixie looked back to Johnny for some sign of why a police officer would be looking for him.
Johnny's shocked expression told her that he didn't know.