This story follows To Bowl or not to Bowl A Few Stops Along the Way by Min The shift ended on a sour note. Johnny and Roy, who had argued about the Fire Department Coed Bowling Tournament earlier in the day, still were not talking at the end of the shift. They were consummate professionals during each run, but after the run was over, they resorted to their non-speaking mode. Roy was upset because he was afraid that Johnny would turn the tournament into one of his get-rich-quick schemes. Johnny was upset because he knew that Roy was right in his assessment, but neither wanted to give an inch. Captain Stanley and the rest of the crew knew that the guys were still upset with each other, but figured it would work itself out by the end of the shift. When it didn't, Chet decided to intervene. Entering the locker room, Chet started in on the boys. "Hey you guys, why don't you just go out in the back, put on some boxing gloves, and slug it out? You might feel better." "Chet, leave it alone. This is between Johnny and me. Mind your own business." Roy was trying to maintain some degree of patience. Deciding Roy was still too sour to think straight, Chet decided to broach the younger partner on this matter, "So, Gage, what's the matter with you? You afraid to slug it out with your partner?" Johnny glanced at Roy, then gave Chet his answer. "Shut up." "Oh, real great comeback, I don't believe this. You guys are a couple of losers." Disgusted, Chet opened his locker. Out popped a full cup of confetti. It exploded into Chet's face, covering his hair and mustache with rainbow sprinkles. "Alright, who did this? This is getting ridiculous. Can't you clowns come up with anything better? This is kid stuff. The Phantom is capable of much more elaborate stuff than this." He started to brush off the confetti. "Chet, if the Phantom is so great, how come you keep running into someone who's got you spooked? All the pranks that have gone down this shift have been on you. Have you ever stopped to consider someone may be out to get you?" Roy just shook his head and walked away. After watching his partner walk away, Johnny turned to Chet with a grin on his face. "You know, he's right, Chester B., someone's out to get you. The Phantom better watch his back." He closed his locker and walked out of the room. The more Chet thought about it, the more upset he became. "Hey, I'm a nice guy, why would someone be out to get me? Gage is nuts, that's it, he's lost it." But the more he thought about it, the more paranoid he became. He shuddered and slunk out of the room. Roy decided before he went home, he would stop over at the hospital and see how Brice and Bellingham were doing. He would call JoAnne from the hospital to let her know. On the way over to Rampart, Roy thought about his disagreement with Johnny. Junior could take a subject, and run it right into the ground, and Roy's sanity along with it. How many arguments had they had over the years over silliness like this, and even worse? "I'll give him a call when I get home and apologize." he thought. "Right now, I want to see how Brice and Bellingham are doing." Johnny had the same idea; he was wondering how the two paramedics from 110's A shift was doing. He pulled into the parking lot at Rampart right next to his partner's car. Roy was sitting there smiling at him. "Great minds think alike, right Junior?" Johnny grinned at him. "Right, Pally. " They got out of their vehicles, and headed into the hospital. Walking along side by side, they fell into the comfortable silence two longtime friends shared. Johnny broke the silence. "Roy?" "Yeah?" "I'm sorry." "Me too, Junior." At that, Johnny's face broke into his trademark crooked grin. As they walked through the double doors into the hospital, they ran right into Dr. Mike Morton, and Dr. Melinda Mulvaney. Both looked like they had put in a rough night. Both doctors had dark circles under their eyes and both of them looked as though they could use about ten hours of uninterrupted sleep. Despite how she felt Melinda smiled at them. "Hi, guys, good morning. Are you here to see Brice and Bellingham? They're in room 235." Her speech was interrupted by a yawn. "Sorry, fellas, it's been a long night. I've got just enough time to hop into the shower, and get dressed for my next shift." She turned to leave, when Johnny stopped her. "Doc, you can't work, you're exhausted!" He grabbed her by the shoulders. "Have you looked in a mirror lately? You look terrible!" "Well, thank you very much, Mr. Gage. I hadn't noticed." She said sarcastically. "That's not what I mean, and you know it. I care about you, and I meant to say that you look very tired, not that you're terrible looking. You need to rest, and another shift is gonna wear you down. I'm just concerned that you'll get sick, that's all." He put his hand under her chin, and tilted it up, so he could look into her eyes. He smiled at her, and said, "Am I forgiven?" She sighed. She could never stay mad at anyone for long, except for Brice, and with Johnny it seemed to be not at all. "Yes, you're forgiven. Besides, it wouldn't do for partners to be angry with each other, now would it?" Roy grinned at that. "Melinda, you don't know how right you are. Isn't she, Junior?" "Yeah, she's right, Pally." Looking at his bowling partner, he smiled, saying, "I'll see you later, try and get some rest. Okay?" "Okay, I'll try. But I'm still on duty here until three. So, I will see you later." She turned and headed for the showers. Mike Morton stared at her retreating form, shook his head, and sighed. He was growing concerned for his adopted sister. "She wouldn't leave Bellingham until he stabilized. We took a four inch shard of brick out of his neck. She stayed with him in ICU until three this morning, and then she was with Brice in Orthopedics until he woke up at six. Apparently she and Brice have talked and worked their differences out. I don't know what happened, but they appear to be at least more civil with each other. Look fellas, I've got to get some sleep, I'm due back here at eleven tonight. See you later." "Bye, Doc." "See you, Mike." Johnny looked at his partner, "well, we'd better get up there." They headed for the elevators. ****************** In the women's locker room, the shower was going full force. The tired body standing in it reached over and shut the hot water off. The shock nearly caused her heart to stop; it was so cold. She needed it, though. She had learned this particular coping mechanism in medical school, from one of her professors. It had come in handy during her internship, and now here, during her residency. Fatigue was inevitable, during this time, but she'd drink some more coffee, and keep going. The door opened to the locker room, and a familiar voice called out, "Darling child, are you in here? I brought you some coffee." Melinda smiled. Her mother's timing was, as always, impeccable. Miranda came around a bank of lockers, and spotted her daughter getting out of the shower with a towel wrapped around herself. She smiled. "You know, kidlet, Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone so wayward children could call their parents and let them know where they were if they weren't coming home. Mike called and told us where you were. Explanation, please?" "I'm sorry, Mama. You know what happened to 110's paramedics? I couldn't leave them here by themselves, I felt responsible for them, I treated them in the field, with Johnny and Roy, and I just needed to be here." She stopped to take a breath. Her mother smiled. Melinda was starting to sound like Mr. Nice Buns, John Gage. She was starting to pick up his speech patterns and mannerisms. Melinda stood there with one hand on her towel, and the other running through her short auburn hair, making it stand up straight. "I know, that's why both of my kids are such wonderful doctors. You both care. To the point of exhaustion, I might add. " She handed her child the container of coffee, and a small bag. "Here. You never know when you're going to need clean underwear." "Thanks, Mom." She turned around to start dressing. Grabbing a clean pair of scrubs, she proceeded to put them on. Pulling a white lab coat out of her locker, she put it on, and headed for the door. Her mother stopped her. "Ah, sweetheart, aren't you going to comb your hair?" She glanced up at her daughter's head. "Oh yeah, I forgot." She ran her fingers through her hair, smoothing it down with her hands. "Why don't you use a comb? It works better." "I suppose." She grinned at her mother. Grabbing the comb, she fixed her hair. Then they headed for the door. Dixie was in her customary spot at the desk, receiving report from the night shift head nurse. Dr. Kelly Brackett was just arriving; Dr. Joe Early had arrived earlier with Miranda. Orderly hurried about the business of transporting patients, x-ray technicians came in and out of exam rooms, and paramedics were busy loading up on supplies. Another busy day was beginning for the staff of Rampart General Hospital. **************** Upstairs, in room 235, Johnny and Roy were visiting with their counterparts from Station 110. Brice and Bellingham were both in the room, recovering. Brice was in the process of explaining to Bellingham the process involving vascular reconnection, when the boys walked in. Bellingham looked relieved to see them. Flowers placed in a vase shaped like a firetruck from their shiftmates were sitting on the table between the beds. Other cards and flowers are on another table near the window, illuminated by the sunlight streaming through. "Hey, guys! Did you see the piece of brick they pulled out of my neck? Four inches long!" He held up his hands, spread out four inches, and grinned at Johnny and Roy. "Gage, DeSoto, I was just explaining to Bellingham the procedure that he underwent. You see they...." "Hey Brice, spare us the gory details, okay? We just came to see how you guys are." Johnny interrupted the walking rule book. Roy nodded. "Besides, we were there first, remember? We saw the "before" and now we're seeing the "after". How do you feel, Bob?" "Not bad, considering. Of course it helped that I landed on something soft." This said with a smile. Brice decided at that moment to change the subject. "Gage, I understand that you and Dr. Mulvaney are entering the bowling tournament. What do you think your chances are?" "I'd say our chances are pretty good. She's an excellent bowler, and I bowl pretty good, so yeah, they're good." "You know that you will be up against some of the best bowlers in the county. You might want to practice every chance you get." Johnny started to get irritated. "That's what we're planning on, Brice." Just then Dr. Randolph walked in with Dr. Brackett following right behind him. "Guys, would you excuse us? Time for a check-up, Bob." Johnny and Roy got ready to leave. "Hey, Johnny, want to come home for breakfast? I can call JoAnne." "No, thanks, Roy. I've got to get home and take care of some chores. I want to be ready for Melinda when she calls for practice." They headed out the door. Downstairs, a familiar figure was entering the double doors of Emergency, with his wife close behind. They walked up to the desk where Dixie was seated going over some schedules. She looked up at their approach. "Hi, Grace, long time, no see. Good to see you. Hank, what brings you back so soon?" "Dix, my shoulder is very painful, and Grace wanted to get me checked out again, so here we are." Grace Stanley looked up at her husband. At only five feet, one inch tall, she barely reached his chest, but what she lacked in stature, she made up for in determination. "I know him, Dix, he'll ignore the pain until it gets too bad, and then we'll be in here in the middle of the night. I'm just trying to head him off at the pass." Dixie nodded. "I'll see who's available, be right back." She headed into treatment room 5, where Melinda was in the middle of cleaning up the room. Setting up a lap tray, she turned when Dixie entered the room. She placed a set of forceps, two syringes, suture set, and needles on the sterile tray before covering it with another sterile cloth. "Doctor, I have orderlies and student nurses who could be doing that." "I know, Dix, but I have a free moment, and besides, if I keep busy, then I'm not so tired. What's up?" She asked, placing the tray in her hands on the counter. "Hank and Grace Stanley are outside, his shoulder is bothering him. I'll bring them right in, okay?" She left the room and returned with the Stanleys. Melinda was glad to see Grace, having met her at a cookout at the DeSoto's. She liked the "tiny titan" who was famous throughout the Fire Department as the "woman who tamed Hank Stanley". Captain Stanley followed his wife into the room. "Well, Cap'n Hank, your shoulder's still giving you some trouble? Hi, Miss Grace. Nice to see you again." She went over and gave a hug to Grace, who returned it with a smile. "You know, you look very tired." Grace's mothering instincts kicked in. "I am, but that's the price I pay for being so wonderful." She smiled, then yawned. "I'm sorry. Let's get you checked out." The door opened, and Dixie walked back in. "Dix, let's get his shirt off, and see what his shoulder looks like." Dixie and Grace helped Hank out of his shirt, and Melinda washed her hands. The shoulder was slightly bruised, but Hank's range of motion did not appear to be impaired. There was some pain, however. "Are you taking your pain meds?" "Ah, not exactly, Doc." He looked uncomfortable. "Not exactly? What does that mean? Either you're taking the meds, or you're not." "He's not." Grace answered for her husband. He flashed her a look that said "thanks a lot, pal." "Cap'n Hank, you are not on duty for the next couple of days, so you can take the meds without it impairing your performance as Captain. You cannot, however, ignore the pain. I know people like you, they say ' if I ignore it, it will go away. If it doesn't go away, it may kill me. If it doesn't kill me, it will make me stronger.' I want you to know that's a crock, and with all the medications and treatments we have these days, you should not have to put up with being in pain. So, here's what we're going to do. Dixie, call x-ray, I want something to compare with his last set. Who's here for Orthopedics?" "Dr. Brager is here today. I'll call him right away." She headed for the phone. "Melinda, what's wrong? Is his shoulder damaged?" Grace asked. The doctor smiled and shook her head. "No, it's not damaged, but it will need some extra care. Cap'n Hank should have gone home and gotten some rest after the explosion, but chose to stay and work, which is not a problem, but I suspect there is some inflammation, and I want Dr. Brager to look at it, just as a precaution. Okay?" The orderly arrived for the trip to x-ray. Melinda finished signing the orders, and handed them to the orderly. "Frank, give him a nice ride, and then straight back here. Dr. Brager will want to see him as soon as possible. Miss Grace, you can go with him, if you'd like. I'll see you both soon." She turned and walked out of the room. Johnny and Roy were just getting off the elevator, when they spotted her. "Hey, how about some coffee? Roy, want some?" Roy shook his head. "No thanks, I need to get home. JoAnne will be sending out the search teams. See you later." He headed for the door. Melinda smiled. "I'd love some. As a matter of fact, you can put the IV line right here." She pointed to her right arm. They turned and walked to the doctor's lounge, where a fresh pot of coffee was waiting. Pouring two cups, they sat down at the table. They drank their coffee, and then Johnny grabbed her hand, and kissed it. She smiled, and he grinned back at her. She held onto his hand, and put it in her other hand. His eyes never left her face. "What?" she asked. "I was just thinking how great you'll look on the beach in Bermuda." he answered. "You know that is the Grand Prize for the bowling tournament, and we are going to win it, and have a great time, all expenses paid. What do you think?" She smiled, "I think the other teams are gonna get their clocks cleaned. We are an unbeatable team, and they're all gonna wish they'd stayed home when we get done." Johnny was amazed. "You know, that's what I told Roy, and he told me not to count my chickens." "Johnny, we're doing this to have fun, and to win, right?" "Yeah, but we could make a killing!" He stopped at the look on her face. "We could make a profit, you know." She shook her head, "I just want to bowl with you, and have some fun, and win the trip, not fleece the LA County Fire Department. No bets! I mean it, if I catch even an inkling that you've bet on us, or against us, or whatever, I'm out." He looked at her face. She meant business. Her gray-blue eyes were boring into his brown ones. He raised her hand to his lips, kissing it once again. "Alright, no bets, no challenges, I promise." They stood to leave. She looked up and at the handsome face of the man standing beside her, and then pulled him down so she could kiss him on the cheek. He turned his head slightly and kissed her on the mouth, pulling her closer. Her arms went around his neck and she moved closer to him. The kiss deepened, and when they finally came up for breath, they were both stunned. In all the time they had been seeing each other, they had agreed to maintain a platonic, if somewhat affectionate side to their relationship. They had been telling everyone and each other that they were "just friends", that they were not ready for a more serious relationship. Melinda recovered first. "I've got to check on some patients. I'll call you later." She almost ran out of the room. Johnny stood there in stunned silence, then sighed, and left. He headed for the exit, and ran into Cap and Grace. "Hi, what brings you back here, Cap?" He smiled at Grace. "Hi, Mrs. Stanley." Grace smiled up at the tall young man. "John, it's good to see you, and it's Grace. Mrs. Stanley is my mother-in-law. Dr. Mulvaney sent us to x-ray, and we're back. Hank's shoulder is bothering him, so here we are." Johnny nodded. "You couldn't be in better hands. She's a great doctor, and she'll get you fixed up. I gotta head out, I've got some chores to do, and we're supposed to get together tonight for bowling practice." Hank replied, "I sent the form in, so you're good to go." Grace stated, "Hank told me about the tournament, and who your partner is. Good luck, Johnny. We'd better get in there; she'll be wondering where we are. See you soon, John." "Bye, Cap, feel better." He walked down the hall, out the door, and got into his Rover. As he headed for home, he thought about Melinda, and the kiss. He knew his feelings for her were changing, but he didn't know how she felt about the situation, and judging by her reaction, he felt he may have just made a huge mistake. Back in the treatment room, Dr. Myles Brager had come down for the ortho consult. He examined Cap, and checked the x-rays, and checked Cap's range of motion with the arm and shoulder. "So, Doc, am I gonna be able to play the violin after this?" asked Cap. "I'm not sure, could you play it before?" answered Dr. Brager, with a smile. Cap grinned, "Not exactly. What's the verdict?" "Dr. Mulvaney was correct in her examination, the shoulder is inflamed, and you will need a couple of days of rest, so I expect that you will be cleared for work by your next shift. Take your pain medicine as prescribed, and don't hesitate to call us. You'll be coming here for your back to work exam, so either I'll see you or one of the doctors here can clear you. Nice to meet you both, Doctor Mulvaney, I'll see you around." He nodded to them all, and left. Melinda came over to the table. "Okay, folks, you're good to go, Cap'n Hank, make sure you take your meds, please?" "Yes doctor. What a nag." grumbled Hank. Then he smiled at her. "I promise, I'll take the pills." Melinda smiled. " KEEP HIM IN LINE, MISS GRACE, I'll see you soon." With that, she left the room. Grace turned and looked at her husband with love. "Henry Stanley, aren't you ashamed of yourself? You called that poor tired girl a nag! I guess I will have to keep you in line." "Gracie, I was kidding, she knows it. We kid around like that all the time. Okay?" He reached over and gave his beloved wife a hug and a kiss. "You really gonna keep me in line, Mrs. Stanley? " He smirked at her. "Yes, I will, Captain Stanley, and you'll love it." She smiled at her husband, as they left the room. **************** Arriving home Johnny threw a load of laundry into the washing machine and then proceeded to clean up around the house. He'd put off cleaning out his kitchen cupboards for weeks now, but finally gave in, knowing if he didn't tackle the job, it wouldn't get done. In the middle of replacing his plates and coffee mugs back into the cupboard, he ran into the laundry room and threw the wet clothes from the washer into the dryer and then proceeded to scoop some laundry detergent into the machine and throw a load of work clothes in. Returning to the kitchen finished putting his clean dishes away and stood back and examined his work. Satisfied that his cupboards were now clean, Johnny made himself a fresh pot of coffee, sat down at his table, and read his newspaper while taking a small break. When he'd finished reading about the Dodger's latest home game series he stood up from the table and walked into his living room. Assessing the situation he decided other than a quick dusting and a vacuuming of the rug, nothing would be needed in the room. Quickly finishing those chores, he headed into the bathroom and tackled the job with a vengeance. Just as he was putting the toilet bowl cleaner away, he heard his phone ring, and sprinted into the living room to answer it. Picking it up he bellowed, "Hello?" "John, would you mind coming back into town to pick my daughter up for bowling practice? She's so tired, I'm afraid to let her drive. I can drive her car home when I get done here, but I'm here til seven, and she'll be done at three." Miranda sounded very concerned for her daughter's welfare. "Sure, Doc, not a problem, I thought she might come out and go for a horseback ride, and then take a nap before I take her out for supper, and practice." Johnny was happy to find out that in her own inimitable way; Miranda had given her blessing to their relationship, whatever it may be. "Okay then, I'll see you here by three. I'll let her know you're coming." "Thanks, Doc. Bye." He hung up the phone, smiling. ***************** Back at Rampart, the staff had their hands full with the victims from a multiple MVA, and several of the more severely injured arrived DOA. Families were gathered to hear news regarding their loved ones. Emotions ran high, and a few hot-tempered people got out of hand. A scuffle broke out. Several staff members, trying to break it up, were injured in the melee. Dixie and Joe Early happened to be two of the injured. Joe had been thrown over the reception counter, and hit a filing cabinet on the way down, cutting his cheek in the process. Dixie had gotten a good punch in on the guy who had thrown Joe, but then the man's wife surprised her with a left cross. Dixie countered with a right hook, and felt the bones in her wrist fracture as she connected. The melee was brought under control by security, with help from the police. No charges were brought, due to the severity of the MVA, and the emotional toll on the victims and families. Kelly Brackett walked into treatment room three to find Dixie sitting on the table with an ice pack to her eye, and a splint on her wrist. Joe sat on the stool, having gotten sutures earlier. "What does the other guy look like?" he quipped. Dixie just glared at him. The door opened and Betty walked in with the x-rays of Dixie's wrist. She handed them to Melinda, who put them up to the light. "Yup, that's what I was afraid of, Dix, you've got a nasty fracture, and may need surgery to repair the damage. Do you concur, Dr. Brackett?" "I'm afraid so, Dr. Mulvaney. Let's get her up to orthopedics. Dr. Brager is still here, so she'll be in very good hands." "Wait a minute! Don't I get a say in this?" asked Dix. "No." Announced both doctors at once. Dix looked at Joe, and then asked, "why aren't you bothering him?" Joe stuck his tongue out at her, and answered. "Because my x-rays aren't back yet. And besides, I'm not that injured." "EXCUSE ME!?!" Dixie was extremely upset. "Who was knocked out cold? NOT ME! Who hit the filing cabinet? NOT ME! Not that injured, my foot." The door opened again, and Miranda walked in. Going straight to Joe, she enveloped him in a hug, and then asked Dixie, "Are you guys all right? Why are you shouting at Joe?" Dixie just glared at her, and turned her back on them. "Did I say something wrong?" asked Miranda. "No, Mother, Dixie's upset because her wrist is fractured, and she needs surgery on it. And neither one of them are very good patients, right, Joe?" Joe tried to look as innocent as possible, with a "Who, me?" expression on his face. Betty brought in Joe's x-rays, and after looking at them, Kel and Melinda determined that Joe would be spending the night at "Hotel Rampart." Joe started to protest at the news, but was interrupted by Dixie's laughter. "What?" "We're pitiful. We love to work here, but when it comes to being patients, we're the pits, Joe. Listen to us. We're crabbing and complaining about having to stay here, like it's the most terrible thing in the world. Miranda, I'm sorry I acted the way I did, there's no excuse." She looked around the room, and into the faces of her friends. "Guys, I'm sorry. I behaved badly." Miranda gave her a hug, and said, "Hey, we love ya, you're forgiven." Melinda smiled at her mother and Dixie, and said, "Me too. Besides, you've put up with us when we're not feeling good, so turnabout is fair play." Kel turned to Dixie, "come on, Dr. Brager is waiting." "Yeah, yeah, I'm coming. Joe, are we okay? " Joe smiled. "When were we not okay? Get going, I'll see you later." Kel wheeled her out into the corridor, where they met Johnny, who was just coming in to pick Melinda up. He looked at them with surprise. "What the heck happened? And what does the other guy look like?" Dixie turned and glared up at Kel, who had choked back a laugh at her expense. "Johnny, what are you doing here?" "Well, Dix, I was looking for Melinda. I'm supposed to pick her up for bowling practice. We're partners for the Fire Department Bowling Tournament. "John, she's in treatment room three with her mom and Joe. We've got to get going, see you." Kel backed her wheelchair into the elevator. The doors closed, but not before Johnny saw Kel bend down and kiss Dixie. "There is something going on with them! I knew it!" Johnny thought enthusiastically, then turned to head for treatment three. The door opened, and Melinda walked through the door, followed by Miranda and Joe, who was riding in a wheelchair of his own. Melinda saw Johnny, and smiled as she walked over to him and gave him a hug and a kiss. At Johnny's look of surprise, she said to him quietly, "we need to talk, okay?" He smiled and nodded. Miranda and Joe watched them with smiles , and as they turned to leave, Miranda said to Johnny, "thanks for picking her up, Johnny." "No problem, Doc. Doctor Early, looks like you went 10 rounds with Ali. You okay? " "I'm fine, nothing that a good night's rest won't cure. Ready, Miranda?" "I'm ready, Joe. Take care, sweetheart. I'll see you later." "Bye Mom. Joe, feel better. Oh, Mom, I promise I'll call if my plans change, okay?" "Yes, you'd better. Have a good time, John." "Bye, Doc." As they walked out to the Rover, he asked Melinda, "so what did you want to talk to me about?" "It will wait until later." Johnny was curious, but let her have her way. They drove out to the ranch, saddled the horses, and rode for a couple of hours. When they returned to the ranch, they put the horses away, and grabbed their bowling gear, and headed for the lanes. Melinda didn't feel like taking a nap, and wanted to get started, so away they went. After grabbing some hot dogs, and french fries, they bowled several frames, and with each one improved their combined score. Johnny had just picked up a seven-ten split, when he heard Chet's voice behind him. "Geez, Gage, is that the best you can do? My grandmother bowls better than that." "Chet! What are you doing here? Don't you have somebody else to bother? We're busy." "Hey Doc! Why don't you get yourself another partner? You guys are doomed to lose if Gage bowls with you." "Chet, you have no idea just how wrong you are. I'm going to love the look on your face when Johnny and I take the championship. Oh, and don't forget to come to the airport to see us off when we fly to Bermuda." Smiling tightly, she got up, and picked her ball up to bowl the next frame. Setting herself up, she rolled a perfect strike. Johnny glared at Chet. "I don't think my partner and I have anything to worry about, do you?" "Well, Gage, why don't you put your money where your mouth is, and let's make a friendly bet on the outcome. I'm betting you guys don't even make it to the quarter finals." "Kelly!...." "Chet! What is your problem?" demanded Melinda. "No problem, Doc, just wanted to see if the pigeon wanted take some action, that's all." "Chet Kelly! Johnny and I are not going to bet on this tournament! We are not interested in that. Why don't you go bother someone else? "So Gage, your girl's doing all the talking for you now? Or is she Stoker's?" "Chet, you are just unbelievable! What is the matter with you?" "Nothing's wrong with me, Gage, I'm just interested in a little friendly wager." "Chet! We're not interested! Now go away!" Melinda's patience was wearing thin. "Well, I guess we know who wears the pants in this relationship, Gage. I never thought I'd see it. Gage taking orders from a woman." Johnny looked at Melinda, and said very quietly, "we're done here. Let's get going." They started to put their equipment away. Paying for the lanes, they headed for the door. "What's the matter, Gage? Cat got your tongue?" Neither one answered him, so he followed them out to the Rover. "Aw, c'mon guys! I was just having a little fun with ya!" They didn't answer him. Johnny opened the passenger side door for Melinda, and helped her in. Then he got in , started the engine, and pulled out of the lot, leaving Kelly standing there with his mouth gaping. In the Rover, a lot of ranting was going on. One partner did the ranting, and the other sat there silently. Driving down the street, it suddenly occurred to Johnny that he had no idea where he was going. Pulling over to the curb, he put the Rover in park, and turned to his silent passenger. "Are you okay?" No answer. "Sweetheart, are you alright?" Her eyes blinked at the term of endearment, and she turned her head to look at him. What she saw was Johnny's chocolate brown eyes, full of love and concern. His handsome face was inches from hers. She leaned forward and kissed him. His lips were tender, and soft. The kiss deepened, and threatened to carry them away, when Johnny pulled back abruptly. He was breathing heavily. "This isn't the time or the place. Let me take you home." He put the Rover in gear, and pulled out. Melinda sat there in the passenger seat, not sure of what had just happened. They pulled into the driveway at the Mulvaney home, and Johnny shut the car off. He turned to her, and pulled her into his arms. The kiss was firm, and insistent. She put her arms around his neck and responded openly. Their breathing started to get heavy, and as Johnny's lips left hers and traveled to her neck, she gasped. He smiled, knowing he'd found one of her secrets. He nuzzled her neck again, and then spoke softly into her ear. "Let's go inside, okay?" She looked into his eyes and nodded mutely. She didn't trust her voice, or her legs, or her willpower, at this point. They got out of the Rover, and walked into the little house. Once inside the house, Melinda turned to Johnny. His arms encircled her, and in their protection, she relaxed into a soft, enticing kiss. Her arms went around Johnny's waist, and she pulled him closer. After what seemed like a lifetime they came up for air. They stood looking into each other's eyes, getting lost in them. Finally, Johnny broke the spell. "We need to talk, and see what the next step is." Melinda walked into her living room, and sat down on the couch. Johnny followed her, and sat down beside her. "I'm not sure what the next step is, I just know that I want to take it with you." Her eyes filled with tears. Johnny reached over and wiped one as it spilled over on to her cheek. "I'm not going anywhere." He smiled at her, then pulled her closer. She put her head on his shoulder, and cuddled in. His arms surrounded her, and they sat like that for a long time. They talked, about dreams, wishes, fantasies, the fire department, the hospital, bowling, everything. When they didn't talk, they sat quietly, just holding each other. *************** The next morning, as Miranda pulled up to her house, she spotted Johnny's Rover in her driveway. Looking at Joe, who had been released that morning, she raised her eyebrows. "Miranda, let's not jump to any conclusions." admonished Joe. "You're probably right, nothing happened." muttered Miranda forlornly. "I just want her to be happy." They got out of the car, and walked into the house, where they found Johnny and Melinda sound asleep in each other's arms on the couch. "I was right, nothing happened." Miranda whispered. "Well, don't sound so disappointed. What did you expect, anyway?" asked Joe. "Shhh. You'll wake them up." Taking Miranda's hand, Joe led her to the kitchen, and sat her down. "Want some coffee?" She nodded. Joe proceeded to get the coffee out of the freezer where both Mulvaney women stored it. "why do you guys keep coffee in the freezer?" "My mother did, so we do." Shaking his head, Joe made the coffee. While it was brewing, he sat down at the table, and took Miranda's hand. "Tell me what you expected." Taking a deep breath, Miranda spoke. "My daughter has finally found her soul mate, and I expected that they would be a lot closer by now. She's so brave when it comes to medicine, she's not afraid to take risks, as long as the patient isn't jeopardized. She's certainly not afraid to go out with the boys and ride in the squads and take risks there. But, when it comes to love, she won't take the risk. She's too afraid. It tears me up inside, how can she be happy like this? She needs to let go, she needs to get over this hurt that Geoff put her through, and move on." "I am moving on, Mama. Johnny and I aren't like you and Joe. Heck, we're not even like Kel and Dixie." They turned to see Melinda standing there, with Johnny's arms around her. "We both got hurt very badly, and although we're not quite at the stage you and Joe are, we're getting there. But, it's on our own time. We'll know when it's time. Won't we, hon?" She looked up into Johnny's tired face. He nodded, yawning. "Sorry. Got any coffee? I could use a gallon right about now." He looked over at Joe, and asked, "How ya feeling, Doc? That must have been some fracas you all got into." Joe just shook his head, which was still sore, and groaned at the mistake. "I shouldn't have done that." Miranda was at his side instantly, "Joe..." "Miranda, I'm alright. Just a little headache, that's all. Nothing that a good breakfast won't cure." "Didn't you eat breakfast at Rampart?" asked Melinda. The looks on their faces said it all. "Are you kidding, that hospital food will kill you." joked Joe. Everyone laughed. Miranda gave them all jobs to get breakfast prepared in short order. Since Joe had already started the coffee, Miranda ordered him to sit at the table and supervise. Johnny was told to set the table, and Melinda was ordered to make the toast. As they worked together, Miranda would occasionally take her focus off the meal she was preparing to glance at Joe and make sure he was okay. In the few short months since they renewed their friendship, it had turned into an open and passionate relationship. At the hospital, they were all business, but when they got home, the professional walls came down and they were like a young couple in love. Joe had kept his little house, but was spending more and more time with Miranda, and little by little his possessions were accumulating here and there. Miranda turned her thoughts to her daughter and Johnny. "I know she loves him, why won't she let go and tell him?" she mused. "At least she's starting to be more openly affectionate with him. It's a start." Turning the stove off, she announced, "Breakfast is served." As they all sat down to eat, Joe asked Johnny how the bowling practice was going. "It's going good, Doc, but we had a slight problem last night." "Oh, really? What was it, distraction from your lovely partner over here?" Joe smiled fondly at the young woman he affectionately called "kiddo". Johnny smiled, "No, I'm used to her distraction, but Chet Kelly showed up at the bowling alley, and was giving us grief over us not wanting to bet on the outcome of the tournament. We told him we weren't interested in doing that, but then he started getting nasty, so we left." Melinda spoke up, "I think Chet is jealous of Johnny. He's always pulling pranks, and giving him a hard time about something, but last night it was something more. He seemed so lonely and pathetic last night." She shook her head. "I just don't know." Joe spoke up, "you're probably right, but he needs to channel some of that creativity for pranks into something more constructive." "What are your plans for today?" asked Miranda, changing the subject to something more pleasant. "Well, we're going out to the ranch, and get things taken care of there, then go for a horseback ride, and then practice some more. The first round is this weekend, and we want to make sure we're in shape." answered Johnny. "Has anyone heard how Dixie's doing?" Melinda asked. "I spoke with Kel this morning, the surgery went well, and Dixie's expected to be out of work about 6 weeks, although you know she'll be in there sooner. Dr. Brager did an exceptional job of repairing the damage, according to Kel." said Joe. "I had him one of the times when I broke my leg, he's great." answered Johnny. After Melinda had showered and changed, she and Johnny headed out to the ranch, where they worked together to get the animals fed, watered, and stalls cleaned out. Going back into the house, Johnny headed upstairs for a shower. While she waited for him to finish, Melinda went into the living room and checked out the new photos on the wall, and on the table. There were several shots of the horses, different scenes from the ranch, and a bunch taken of Chris and Jenny. There were also photos shot at the last picnic at the DeSoto's. One was of Melinda herself, with Grace and Hank Stanley on either side of her. Smiling, she remembered the picnic. Grace and Hank had sat down at the table and Melinda found herself in the middle of a discussion about clam chowder. "Hi Captain Stanley, Mrs. Stanley. How are you? This clam chowder is delicious." "Doc, Johnny and Roy have to call me Captain, you can call me Hank." "And it's Grace, dear. Mrs. Stanley is my mother-in-law." "Okay, but my mother taught me if I call someone by their first name, there better be a Miss or mister in front of it. So, Miss Grace, Cap'n Hank, if you don't mind that, then I'm off the hook with Mom. Oh, and by the way, it's Melinda, or Lindy, even though I hate that nickname. Johnny calls me Doc." "Melinda it is, then." Grace responded. "It is such a lovely name." "Thank you. I was named after my grandmother. " Coming back to the present, Melinda smiled at the memory. In the short time she and Johnny had been seeing each other, her circle of family and friends had expanded greatly. Between working at Rampart, and working with the Fire Department and the paramedics, she had to admit she was blessed. Johnny had finished showering, and was getting dressed. Sitting on his bed to put on a fresh pair of socks, he glanced over at the photo of Melinda on his dresser. He had taken it at Roy and JoAnne's without her knowing it. She had been dressed in a Terps t-shirt and jeans with an O's hat on, and had taken some grief for her choice of headwear, but was smiling when he shot the picture. Coming down the stairs, he held his hand out to Melinda. "Ready to go?' She took his hand and they left the house for a long horseback ride. When they got back, the phone was ringing, Johnny hurried over and picked it up, "Hello?" "Junior, whatdya say to having dinner with us tonight? JoAnne 's mom has the kids, and she wants to go out. Do you think Melinda would like to go out tonight? "I'll ask her, but I don't think that will be a problem. We are going to be practicing at the bowling alley for a while, so let me check with her, and we'll call ya right back. Okay?" ******************* Dinner with the DeSotos sounded like a great idea to Melinda, and after setting a time for the two couples to meet, Johnny and his bowling partner went back to the lanes to practice. After several frames, they decided to take a break, and looked over their combined scores. Johnny's grin was wide as he looked at Melinda. "This is incredible! If we can keep this level of scoring up, we'll be in great shape!" Melinda smiled at her partner. His enthusiasm was contagious. She found herself wishing they had more time before dinner to continue practicing. ************* At the DeSoto's, peace and quiet was the order of the day. Roy and JoAnne snuggled together under the covers, her head resting on his chest. Roy lay on his pillows, eyes closed in contentment. His contented sigh caused his wife to lift her head and gaze at his handsome face. "Honey? You okay?" His eyes opened at her question. Love poured from them. "Mmmm. I'm more than okay, and so are you." He leaned in to kiss her. "That was absolutely wonderful. Remind me to send your mother a dozen roses." "My mother? You want to send my mother roses? Why?" "Because she was nice enough to take the kids so we could have some time for ourselves. " He kissed his wife again, this time more urgently. "Oh, Roy........." *************** Later that evening, the two couples met for dinner at Lorenzos, a nice little Italian restaurant that had been the scene of a rescue several months before for the boys. The owner, Lorenzo was so grateful, that he had sent two large pans of lasagna, an antipasto salad, and dessert to the station as his way of saying thank you. Roy looked at his wife while waiting for Johnny and Melinda. She was dressed in a royal blue turtleneck sweater, and a calf-length denim skirt, with a leather blazer. Her leather boots, a recent gift from Roy, had heels just high enough so he didn't have to bend over too far to kiss her. Roy was looking rather handsome in his blue turtleneck and jeans with his black leather blazer. The blue in the turtleneck emphasized the blue in his eyes, and JoAnne found herself blushing under his scrutiny. "Honey, you're making me blush." "Good. I'll make you blush more later." His eyes flashed with the memory of the passion-filled afternoon he had shared with his wife. Leaning over, he gave her a chaste kiss. "this will have to do for now." Johnny and Melinda walked in just as Roy kissed JoAnne. Johnny was dressed in a western style shirt with blue jeans and a suede jacket. His companion had opted for a long sleeved blouse and denim skirt and leather vest. Her boots had small heels similar to JoAnne's, which brought her head level with Johnny's shoulder. Johnny grinned when he saw Roy kiss his wife. "Are we interrupting anything?" "Not right now, I'm just having an appetizer." Roy kissed JoAnne again, and smiled. "Hey, Doc. How's it going?" "Pretty good, Roy. Hi, JoAnne. What's good for dinner? I'm famished." Johnny looked at her with surprise. Usually he was the one who was hungry. Everyone looked at their menus, trying to decide what to order. Just then, the waiter arrived at their table, and everyone ordered antipasto salads, and something to drink. The waiter took the salad orders to the kitchen, and the couples continued to peruse the menus. After deciding what they all wanted, the waiter came back and they placed their orders. Everyone was enjoying the conversation, and each other's company when the owner came over. "Is everything okay here? Is there anything I can get for you? You let me know, okay?" Lorenzo was more than willing to get anything for them, he was grateful for their efforts to save his business earlier. They thanked him, and he left the table. Conversation soon turned to the station, and Chet, in particular. "What's going on with him? He's been really strange the last few times I've seen him." said JoAnne. Roy glanced at his wife, and said nothing. "We saw him the other night at the bowling alley and he was just plain obnoxious." commented Melinda. Johnny said, "He's been acting really weird since someone has been targeting him for practical jokes. He's had some water bombs in his locker that haven't gone off, but he's had some jokes that have been really funny, like the helmet polishing." He laughed. Roy sat quietly listening to the conversation. He finally spoke. "I think it's someone who's had it with the Phantom's constant barrage of practical jokes. Once in while is okay, to relieve the tension, but lately he's just gotten carried away. Maybe one of the others has it in for him. I wonder who it is." "I bet it's Mike. You gotta watch the quiet ones. They just surprise ya, and then bam! They've gotcha." John was certain it was the quiet engineer, who never spoke unless spoken to, and even then was a man of few words. "Maybe it's Marco." JoAnne remarked. "He and Chet are close friends, but maybe Marco is tired of all the tricks Chet plays on people." "You can't forget Cap'n Hank." Everyone looked at Melinda with surprise. "What? You guys don't think Cap'n Hank has had it with the Phantom? I'll just bet it's him." "Nah, if Cap were ticked with Chester B., he'd just give him more latrine duty." answered Johnny. Just then, their meals arrived, and everyone busied themselves with their meals. Johnny helped himself to a bite of Melinda's chicken scampi, and in return gave her a bite of his lasagna. Roy had ordered stuffed manicotti, and JoAnne had ordered veal marsala. They gave each other a bite off their plates, and then traded. Melinda laughed. It pleased her that her friends knew each other so well, that they would order something the other person would like. She wondered to herself if she and Johnny would ever get to that point. They had made such progress in their relationship, but still had a long way to go. The appearance of the waiter at their table interrupted her reverie. "Please excuse me, but Lorenzo sent me here. His wife is pregnant, and she thinks the baby is coming, but it is early. Can you help?" "Yes, of course we'll help." said Johnny. They went to the office, where a very pregnant woman sat on the couch, bathed in perspiration. Melinda checked her, and looked at the guys. "Baby's on the way." Johnny said, "I'll get your bag. Be right back." He ran to the Rover, and grabbed the bag from the back. Melinda had placed bags in both her car and Johnny's Rover after an accident they witnessed, and she had no medical bag to help. On that particular day, Roy's bag had come in handy. Johnny ran back into the restaurant. "I'll call for a squad and an ambulance." Roy headed for the phone. "I'll get some clean linen." JoAnne went to find someone who could help her. "Please help me, it hurts so much." panted the mother. She grabbed at Melinda's hand frantically, practically crushing it with the pain she was experiencing. "What's your name?" "Francesca, Francesca Rinaldi. Lorenzo is my husband." She looked at him with a slight smile. JoAnne had returned with the linen. "Francesca, my name is Dr. Mulvaney, this is my friend JoAnne DeSoto, and I believe you already know Johnny and Roy. Roy is JoAnne's husband." Lorenzo took his wife's hand. "Please, Senorina Doctore', please help my Francesca." "We'll do all we can for her. I'm going to need you to help keep her as calm as you can, okay?" Her gray-blue eyes looked into his brown eyes, holding his attention. "Yes, I can do that." He nodded his head, and turned back toward his wife. Johnny and Roy had gotten vitals, and had also started checking for fetal heart sounds, when Roy's head came up sharply. "Doc!" "What is it, Roy?" "I'm hearing more than one heartbeat. Here, check it out." He handed the stethoscope to her. She bent down to listen, her eyes widening at what she heard. "Mrs. Rinaldi, what did your doctor say about your pregnancy? When was the last time you saw your doctor?" "I have not been to see a doctor, we have been very busy with opening the restaurant, and I was going to see one next week. What is wrong?" "Nothing is wrong, we are hearing more than one heartbeat, and I just want you to be prepared. There may be more than one baby on the way. Let's get you more comfortable, okay?" JoAnne came back with the linen, and she and Melinda helped move the mother into a more comfortable position. Johnny went to wash his hands. JoAnne looked at Roy, with a question in her eyes. He smiled. "It's his turn, I did the last delivery. We take turns, and I've got a feeling he's really going to get some mileage out of this one." JoAnne nodded. Roy had said this last with a smile. JoAnne knew how fond her husband was of his partner, and knew that their relationship was almost as close as hers was with Roy. She herself thought of Johnny as the younger brother she'd never had. She prepared to give them all the assistance she could. Melinda had gone to wash her hands, and as she came back into the room, the waiter walked over and spoke to Roy. "There is a gentleman in the dining room, and he is complaining of chest pains." "I'll go take a look at him, and let you know." Melinda nodded, and went into the "labor room". A sharp cry came from Francesca, she grabbed JoAnne's arm, and panted. "I have to push, I have to push. Oh, it hurts! Please help me!" JoAnne clasped her hands around Francesca's hand and squeezed. "Hang on, just try to ride it out. I know it hurts." Francesca's eyes filled with tears. "You have children?" JoAnne smiled and nodded. She remembered her labor and delivery with both of her kids, and how much help Roy was during that time. Lorenzo sat by his wife's head, wringing his hands. "What a difference", she thought. She told the anxious woman, "We have two, a boy and a girl. Christopher is eight, Jennifer is six. They're great kids." The waiter came back in, bent down and spoke into Melinda's ear. "Mr. DeSoto told me to tell you that the man out there is having a heart attack, he needs you." Melinda nodded her head, and spoke to JoAnne. "We're gonna need another ambulance, and I'll need you here to help Johnny, okay?" "Of course, I'll do anything I can to help." She picked up the phone, called Dispatch, and had them send another ambulance. Melinda walked out into the dining room and knelt down next to Roy. "How's he doing, Roy?" "I've started rotating tourniquets, vitals are pulse 130 and shallow, respirations 20 and labored, B/P is 140/110." They could hear the sirens getting closer. Roy had elevated the patient's head, to make him more comfortable. In the office, Johnny and JoAnne had delivered one healthy, but tiny baby boy. Francesca's labor was still ongoing, and they were prepared for baby number two. "Okay, now, get ready to push. Here it comes, you're doing a great job, Push!" Baby number two, a little girl, made her presence known, and JoAnne wrapped her in a towel, and placed her beside her brother in an empty clothes basket. "I am so tired, please can I stop now? The pressure hurts." Johnny and JoAnne looked at each other, and then Johnny checked Francesca again. Another little head was crowning. "Francesca, I know you're tired, but there's another baby on the way, and we need your help to get it out. You need to help us, hon." JoAnne encouraged her. "Please, no more! I can't, I'm so tired!" moaned the exhausted woman. "Yes, you can, you must! Now push!" commanded JoAnne. Francesca pushed, and pushed again. A tiny little girl made her entrance into the world, crying. Johnny handed her to JoAnne, and checked Francesca again. His eyes grew wide at what he saw. "There's another head crowning." Lorenzo, who had been looking at the other babies, turned and said, "Mama Mia! FOUR BABIES?" He couldn't take the shock and passed out. JoAnne moved to go to him, and Johnny said, "Leave him for now, He's okay, he just passed out. We've got to get this little one out now." He told Francesca to push, and she pushed with all her might. The baby didn't deliver, and she started to scream, "It hurts, it hurts, I need to get it out! Help me!" Johnny checked her, and the baby's head was not there. "Oh man, breech position. He must have changed his mind." "What's wrong? Where's the baby?' asked JoAnne. "The baby's in breech position, meaning feet first, and I need to turn it around and see if we can help it along. I need Doc in here, can you get her?" JoAnne ran out to get Melinda. "Johnny needs you in there, the last baby won't come out, it's in breech position." "Last baby? How many are there?" "Three, so far. They're all very tiny, but this last little one just doesn't want to come out." They entered the room, and Johnny was in the process of delivering. "He just decided to flip over, and here he is." The baby, a tiny little boy, was placed in a towel, and then in a basket with his brother and sisters. "Nice job, Doctor Gage." Melinda leaned over and kissed his cheek. "How's Mama? " Francesca was exhausted, but wanted to know how her babies were. "They're so tiny! Will they be alright?" she asked fearfully. "The ambulance has an incubator on board, and we'll have them at the hospital in no time." assured Johnny. The squad had arrived, with Dwyer and Martin from 51's B shift. Melinda had given orders for D5W TKO, 1amp sodium bicarb, and 5mg MSIV, and transport. The guys got the patient patched in, and notified Rampart that they were on their way, as both ambulances had arrived. Melinda had spoken to Kel on the biophone to notify Pediatric ICU that they had four small customers about to arrive. Lorenzo finally came to, and told Johnny and Roy that they were going to get free meals for life for what they had done for his family. They refused, saying that they were 'just doing our jobs', and the fire department had a rule against firemen accepting gifts. Roy's patient was placed on a gurney and strapped in. Melinda climbed into the ambulance with him. The patient's wife and their companion followed him out the door. The man stopped and shook Roy's hand. "You have no idea how grateful we are to you. I'm sure you weren't aware of this, but the man you were treating is the Deputy Mayor of the City of Los Angeles. I'm his Executive Assistant, Damien Myerson. Thank you so much. You did a wonderful job. " With that, he turned to leave. "You're welcome, we were just doing our jobs." Roy was amazed. "Partner, do you know who that was? The Deputy Mayor! I thought he looked familiar." Johnny just grinned, and put his arm around Roy's shoulder. "Pally, I wouldn't know him from Adam, but you did a good job with him. Whatdya say we head over to the hospital?" ******************* When they arrived, the ER was a circus. Television crews and cameras were jamming the corridor, and the hospital staff was having a hard time getting through. Dr. Kelly Brackett was fast losing his temper, and ordered everyone out. "This is not the time nor the place, you will all have to leave, or I will call Security." His voice could barely be heard over the pandemonium. "Dr. Brackett, could you give us a comment on the condition of the Deputy Mayor?" "Not now! Please get out!" Fortunately for Kel, Nathan O'Brien, the hospital administrator stepped in and took control of the situation. Kel took that opportunity to step into a treatment room. "We'll be happy to answer any questions you have, but we need you all to go to the cafeteria for now. Please? You're keeping our staff from doing their jobs." The corridor cleared, except for Carl Evans, the reporter from the local television station, who saw Johnny, Roy and JoAnne arrive. "Gage? DeSoto? You know anything about all this? And who is this lovely lady?" "Hi, Carl. This is my wife, JoAnne. She helped Johnny deliver the quads." Evans, always on the lookout for a "human interest" story, smiled, and asked, "How about an exclusive, guys?" Johnny smiled, saying, "Sure, Carl, we'll be happy to tell you about the quads, and the Deputy Mayor, but first we have to wait for Dr. Mulvaney, so, why don't you talk to Roy and JoAnne first?" He headed off to find Melinda, who was giving Miranda report on the quads. It was her mother's night to be on-call. "Johnny and JoAnne did a wonderful job delivering these guys, Mom. You should have seen them. They were incredible." "Well, sweetheart, from what I've been hearing, you and Roy did some pretty incredible stuff too, with the Deputy Mayor. B-Shift guys said he wouldn't have done half as well if Roy hadn't put the rotating tourniquets on." The door opened, and Johnny stuck his head in. "Hi, Doc. How're the babies?" "Just fine, thanks to you. Nice job, hon." Miranda smiled at the man she was rapidly developing a soft spot for. "Hey, Carl Evans wants to interview us for the eleven o'clock news, you up for it?" He asked Melinda. "Do I have to? I'd rather sneak out of here and head for home. Mom can talk to him." "Mom has her hands full with four rather small patients right now. Get Down there and talk to him." ordered Miranda. "Come on, Doc, it'll be all right. I'll just tell them you're shy, and I'll do all the talking okay? I'll just tell Carl when he asks, that we're secretly engaged, and you don't want anybody to know about it yet." He grinned at her surprised reaction. "You do that, and I'll fix you good, Mr. Gage." "I love it when you threaten me." He smirked. "Get out of here, you two. You're both incorrigible." ordered Miranda. ************* Forty-five minutes later, the interview was over, and everyone headed for home. As they pulled up in front of Melinda's house, Johnny said, "I hope you don't mind that I told Carl we were a couple." "No, I don't mind, but there will be a lot of sad nurses around Rampart in the morning." They got out of the Rover, and walked toward the front door, Johnny's arm around her shoulder. "I'll talk to you in the morning, okay?" He leaned down to kiss her good night. She reached up and pulled him close. Their kiss was soft and tender, but short. The porch light came on, and they pulled apart. The front door opened, and Joe Early stood there smiling at them. "Sorry, you guys, I didn't mean to interrupt." "That's okay, Doc, I was just leaving." Johnny kissed her again, and headed for his Rover. Miranda was just pulling in from the hospital, and got out of her car. She met Johnny on the sidewalk, and gave him a hug. "What was that for, Doc?" "That was for loving my daughter, and for making her happy." Miranda answered. "It's that obvious, huh?" "Yes, and I think it's marvelous. Good night, Johnny." She walked toward the house. "Good night, Doc." "Call me Miranda, Johnny." "Good night, Miranda." He walked down the sidewalk and got into his Rover. Pulling away from the curb, he thought about all that had happened the last few days, and smiled. Life was good, and he had a lot to be thankful for. He and Melinda were getting closer, and they had the bowling tournament to look forward to. Life was good, indeed. The End (for now) Author's notes: Thank you to my Darlin' hubby, John. Thanks for 20 wonderful years. Love you. To Janet, and the Guins, you're the best. An extra special thank you to Sharon for the beta-read. Your comments and suggestions really enhanced this story. Thank you, thank you, thank you. feedback for Min |