Johnny Cries by Audra It was Monday morning again, which meant Johnny was going to be late for work. Mondays were always bad for him, for some reason his alarm never went off on time. He arrived at the station with just a few minutes to spare. He ran into the locker so he could change into uniform. Walking by Cap he got the look he got every Monday that said "Gage hurry up." Cap walked out of the locker room so John could change. John walked over to his locker, and stepped over the bench. He sat down to untie his shoes when he noticed he had something taped to his locker. He stopped what he was doing so he could tear the letter off. It was a white envelope with "JOHNNY" written in black ink on the front. he slowly opened the white envelope, and slid out the thin white piece of paper. John cautiously unfolded the letter thinking it could be another prank from Chet. But as soon as he read the first sentence he knew this was no prank. He never imagined that a thin piece of paper could contain so much information and hurt. John's lips moved as he read this confusing letter. His heart was pacing as he read the letter faster and faster. His eyes and mind where both in a blur. John didn't know what to think. he could barley remember anything this person was saying in the letter. "Johnny you probably don't remember me, but my name is Audra Howell. We met at Chips Restaurant. That night after a few drinks and laughs you took me back to your place. Well, I think you can put the pieces together after that. Well, we had a little boy named Robbie. I wanted to call you so many times, but I just couldn't bring myself to tell you. Robbie would have been five this October. Robbie was sick with cancer. Leukemia to be exact. He was diagnosed at the age of three. That's why I'm writing you. Robbie passed away yesterday. He's someplace better. Where he can't feel the pain. I just wanted to let you know services will be held on August 1, 2:00, P.M. at East Memorial Funeral Home. I just thought you should know. Robbie asked where his father was and I really didn't know what to say to him. So I told him daddy's away on business. He asked what you where like and what you looked like. I told him you where funny and sweet. Robbie ..... he looks just like you. The big brown eyes, wavy brown hair, and a dark complexion. You know he told me once that he wanted to be a fireman. Well, I hope to see you on Wednesday, but if you don't come I don't blame you. I'm sorry I never called you, but I just couldn't." Sincerely, Audra Johnny sat there for a second as a tear streamed down his cheek. John couldn't believe he was a father, but yet he wasn't. He wiped the tear away from his eye and slid the letter back in the envelope. He bent back down to put on his shoes, as all of this sunk in. "ERRR" "ERRRR" "Squad 51, man down at 1154 Oakwood Drive, unknown injuries." " KMG365, time out 8:07" Roy ran into the locker room and saw John just sitting there. "Johnny lets go!" John hopped up and ran out to the squad. Roy looked at John with a puzzled kind of look. He'd never seen John like this. John was in some weird daze. " Johnny is there something wrong?" "Huh? Did you say something Roy?" "Is there something wrong" "I don't really want to talk about it, Roy." "OK" Roy know it would come out sooner or later. ******************************************* They arrived at the house and saw a man lying on the ground. Roy and John jumped out and got the supplies. They ran over to the man. "Sir, can you hear me, Sir" Roy asked as John called it in. He heard Brackett on the other end. "Go ahead 51." "Rampart we have a white male, around 35, and unconscious. Stand by." "Standing by 51." "Resperation-25, B/P 110/70, and Pulse-71. John repeated that to Brackett. "Hold on Rampart, patient is waking up." "Sir, can you hear me? Do you know what happened to you?" "What where am I? What happened?" "Sir, Sir please calm down. I'm Roy DeSoto and this is my partner John Gage. We're with the L.A. FD. You where knocked out when we got here. Do you know what happened to you?" He looked at Roy for a second and said "No, no I don't know." John and Roy looked at each other. "Well, can you tell me your name?" "Yeah, its Jimmy, Jim Reid." John called back into Rampart. "Rampart patient is awake and alert" "51 start patient on a normal saline drip and transport" "10-4 Rampart" They loaded the patient into the ambulance. On the way to Rampart Johnny couldn't stop thinking about the letter. ********************************************** John was very quiet on the drive back to the station. Roy noticed it to. He didn't say anything, until he couldn't take it anymore. He pulled the squad over and turned it off. "John what the heck is wrong with you? You've been quiet the whole morning." John didn't want to tell Roy. What would he say? But he really did want to tell someone. And Roy was probably the best person to talk to. "Roy .......... I've got a kid." Roy's eyes got as big as apples. His face said it all without him even saying anything, "WHAT!". "Well, I had one. Robbie, that was his name, he passed away yesterday from cancer. Roy I know what you are thinking. But I didn't know anything about him till this morning. There was a letter on my locker. I don't really know what to say." Roy sat there amazed, shocked, confused. He kinda felt like John, he didn't know what to say. He thought he knew everything about Johnny. Obviously not though. "John I'm sorry. I can't imagine what it would be like to lose a child." "Roy, I didn't even know him. My own son. I've never even seen him. I never got to see his first step or hear his first word. I feel so empty right now." They both just sat there. Neither one said a word. Roy turned the squad on and drove back to the station. John did say something though. "Hey Roy, don't tell anyone ..... please?" "I won't I promise." ************************************* They arrived back at the station just in time for lunch. John said that he wasn't really hungry and went back into the locker room. Where he read the letter again, only to bring him more pain. He walked into the kitchen where everyone was else was. He never said a word, he just had a blank stare on his face. Cap got up about ten minutes later and said "John would you please come to my office." John got up off the couch and walked into Caps office. "John is there something wrong with you?" "I'm just not feeling to good." "Well, do I need to call someone in for you?" John was thinking about what Roy had said about taking some time off. "Yeah, I think I just need to go home and go to bed." Now Cap new something was wrong with John. He was going home without a fight. "OK, I'll call Sampson in for you." "Thanks Cap." ************************************ That night John called Roy at home. "Roy are you doing anything on Wednesday?" "Not yet. Why?" "Well, it's Robbie's funeral and I don't think I can go alone. Would you go with me?" John sounded like a little kid pleading for his toy back. "I've got nowhere else to be. What time do I need to come pick you up?" "Around 1:30 I guess." "OK, I'll see you then Junior." They both hung up. Roy could only imagine the pain Johnny was feeling. ************************************* Roy showed up at John's around 1:20. Both where dressed up in suits; they climbed into Roy's car. Nothing was said on the way to the funeral home. They got out of the car and walked in. They didn't exactly know what they where looking for, but they knew they find it when they saw it. Then Johnny saw her ....... Audra. She was standing over in a corner crying. She turned around and saw him, "Johnny you came." "Yeah, oh, this is my best friend Roy DeSoto." Roy just kinda smiled at her, not really knowing what to say. "Well, do you want to see him?" John looked at Roy. You could see the hurt in his eyes. Roy hadn't seen that much hurt in anyone's eyes in a while. John replied "Please." They walked into a private room where a little boy laid in a shiny casket. Audra was right they did look alike. They had the same hair and complication. Johnny stared at him for about five minutes. He turned around and looked at her. "Audra, I'm so sorry." She started crying again, so did he. He walked over to her and embraced he like a little child. After all the services where over they went back and got in Roy's car. Roy drove John home. Noting was said there either. When they arrived at Johnny's house, John turned around and looked at Roy and just said "Thanks." and got out. The End This is my first story for JGP. I'm only 13, but any comments would be greatly appreciated ~!~ Thank you ~!~ God Bless ~!~ Feedback for Audra |