Renewing Old Ties- Part 1

by Min


As the ambulance raced toward Rampart General Hospital, Paramedic Roy DeSoto checked his patients, Officer Vince Howard, and Dr. Melinda Mulvaney.  Vince appeared to be resting comfortably, however, Melinda was becoming more and more uncomfortable. Her color was turning gray. Roy noticed this and elevated her head.  He put the O2 on at 3 litres a minute. Picking up the biophone, he contacted Rampart.

"Rampart base, this is County 51. On our female patient, she experiencing difficulty breathing.  I have her on a non-rebreather with 3 litres of O2."

"51, elevate her head, increase O2 to 5 litres per minute."

"10-4 Rampart, our ETA is 5 minutes."

"10-4, 51" Kelly Brackett, the chief of Emergency Services looked at his friend, Joe Early, "sounds like she's having problems."

"Kel, she may have punctured a lung, better have an OR standing by."
                   
"Dixie, 51 is bringing in 2 accident victims, one may have a punctured lung. Where's Mike Morton?"

"He's just finishing up in 4, Kel.  We'll be ready for them."

Just then, Mike Morton walked up to them, "ready for whom?"

"51 is bringing in two accident victims, one male, one female.  The female is having difficulty breathing, a possible punctured lung."  Dixie's soft voice answered.

The double doors opened, and both victims were rolled in on gurneys. Dr. Morton stopped, and gasped "Lindy!" Roy looked at him.

"You know her, Doc?"

"She's a good friend, Roy, a very good friend. We grew up together. I was supposed to give her away at her wedding. Let's get her into 3."

Melinda looked at Morton, and said, "You know you can't stay in here, get out.  You're too close to remain objective."

Dixie took Morton's arm and steered him out the door.  "We'll let you know how she is, Mike, go get some coffee.  We'll insert the chest tube and she'll get some relief."


Dr. Early took Vince into room 4 and ordered x-rays.  He also asked for an orthopedist for consultation.  "We'll have you up and back on duty in no time, Vince."

"Doc, how's Dr. Mulvaney? She didn't look too good when we came in here.  I hope she's okay."

"Dr. Brackett and Dr. Morton are with her now.  I'll let you know how she is."

Johnny pulled into the parking lot at Rampart and backed the squad into its place.  He got out and walked through the double doors.  Roy was at the desk replenishing their supplies. "How are they? Any news?"

Just then Mike Morton walked up, looking forlorn.  "She kicked me out. Said I was too close and they were going to insert a chest tube. What happened out there?"

Roy filled Johnny in on the situation and the three men walked into the doctors' lounge for some coffee.

Morton poured them all coffee and they sat down.  "Lindy, Dr. Mulvaney, and I grew up together.  My mom worked for her parents in their practice up in Upstate New York.  She was their nurse/office manager.  We lived next door to them and Lindy and I went to the same schools and rode the same bus every day.  We were inseparable. We'd get into trouble together, get into fights, beat each other up, and anyone else who dared mess with us." He chuckled remembering the days before life became so serious. He took a sip of coffee. "Her father talked to both of us about med school and we wound up going to different schools. I went to Hopkins. She went to the University of Maryland. But we've stayed close, I guess you could say she's the kid sister I never had."


Johnny spoke up, "Doc, what about the wedding? You said you were supposed to give her away?"  Roy looked at his partner, but didn't see the familiar 'I'm after a girl' look.  Johnny's face registered concern, not lust.  "She just seems like a really nice person and I kinda know how she feels. It's not pleasant to be left at the altar."

Morton answered, "Her dad passed away last year, so they asked me to give her away.  Her fiancé' Geoff Davidson, was fooling around with one of the nurses at the hospital where they worked.  Everyone knew about it except Melinda, and her mom. Her mom is on staff there; she's a pediatrician.  Anyway, Geoff got this nurse pregnant and she showed up at the wedding, and interrupted things, and the rest as they say, is history."

Johnny looked at Roy, shook his head, and said, "man, that must have been awful for her.  I know it was for me when Sharon told me she could never be a fireman's wife, because she couldn't take the pressure of what might happen if I got hurt.  It's a terrible thing and it sounds like Doc Mulvaney needs friends right now.  I don't know what I would have done without everyone here, and at the station."

Roy smiled, and said, "You're welcome Junior. That's what friends are for. Doc, if she needs anything, let us know, the guys at the station too, I know they'll be glad to help."  Just then, the HT came to life.  "Squad 51, what is your status?"

"LA squad 51 available from Rampart Hospital."

"10-4, 51, stand by for response."  The tones went off, and as they stood up, "Engine 51, Squad 51, Truck 23, Engine 210, fire at the warehouse, 3946 Union Street, cross street Branson.  3946 Union Street, cross street Branson. Time out, 10:30."
  
"They're playing our song, see ya, Doc."  Roy grabbed the HT and answered "LA, Squad 51 responding."  The boys ran out, leaving Mike Morton to ponder the fate of his 'little sis', and to wonder what would happen next.  "Hang in there, kiddo.  Hang in there."  He softly said as he finished his coffee.

In treatment room 3, Dr. Kelly Brackett was preparing to insert a chest tube into Melinda's right side. Dixie McCall, the ER's head nurse was cleaning the area and prepping the site.  As she looked into Melinda's gray-blue eyes, she saw no fear, just pain.  She smiled and told her patient, "It's going to be very painful when he inserts the tube, try not to move, okay?" 

Melinda nodded, "Just don't take too long, okay?" she gasped.  It's really hurting and getting harder to breathe." 
  

Brackett stated, "we're ready, here goes. "  He inserted the tube, and his patient mercifully passed out.  The lung reinflated and her color improved.  "Dix, let's get her admitted and let Mike know how she is."

Joe Early entered the room and looked at the still form lying on the table. "How is she, Kel?"

"Joe, we just reinflated her lung.  Now we'll take care of the rest of her injuries and get her into a room.  Where's Mike?  He was very concerned about her.  I wonder what the story is with them?"
  
"I'm sure we'll find out, Joe, right Dix?"

"Right, Kel."


As Squad 51 raced to the scene of the warehouse fire, Johnny took his green pen and wrote down the information about the fire.  Roy concentrated on getting them there safely.

Engine 51 and several other fire units were in the midst of fighting the beast when the boys arrived.  Battalion Chief McConnikee was giving orders through the HT, "Engine 36, put your people around the perimeter on the south side, Engine 51 as soon as the squad gets here, we'll send your boys in to search the upper floors.  We've got a report that there may be people trapped."

"10-4, Battalion 14, Squad 51 is at scene." Cap put down the HT.  "Gage, DeSoto, we've got a report that there may be people trapped on the upper floors, check it out."

Putting on their SCBAs, Johnny and Roy ran into the building.  The place was fully involved and the smoke was so thick, they could barely see their hands in front of their faces.  "Roy, I'll check over here, behind these cases."

"Okay, Johnny, be careful.  This place could flash at any time."  Roy walked over to the far side of the room, searching for anyone who might still be alive in the fire.

Meanwhile, outside, the foreman ran up to Chief McConikee, "Hey, we've found all our people, they're all here."  The Chief looked at Hank, and said, "get your people out of there, Hank." Before Cap could respond, the building flashed.

"Oh, my God!  HT 51, this is Captain Stanley, do you read?  HT51, this is Stanley, Gage, DeSoto, respond! Do you read? CRAP! Kelly, Lopez, let's go."  The three men ran into the building, searching for their missing teammates, strapping their SCBAs on as they ran. Mike Stoker, at the engine, sent up a silent prayer for the safety of his friends.


Johnny and Roy looked at each other, shaking their heads. "Junior, there's no one here, let's beat it."

"I'm with you, Pally, let's get the heck of here."  The words were no sooner out of his mouth, when the building shook.  The two men ran for the stairway, and were headed down the stairs, when the fire flashed.  The explosion caught them and threw them against first one wall, then the other.  Roy grabbed Johnny's arm, and pulled him down beside him. Their eyes locked and each knew what the other was thinking, 'this is it, we're finished.' Then blackness set in.

"Come on, Gage, quit goldbrickin', for cryin' out loud. "the annoyed voice of Chet Kelly roused Johnny from unconsciousness.  "DeSoto's been awake now for 5 minutes, ya bum."

"Cap, isn't there some regulation about harassing injured personnel?  Chet, shut up and get away from me." Johnny looked at Roy, lying next to him with the oxygen mask on. "How do you like this?  We risk our necks in there and this is what we get for it? Torment from Kelly?"

Roy opened his eyes, and groaned, "Can't you guys give it rest?  Cap...."

Hank intervened. "Look you two, we are taking the squad out of service, while you two get checked at the hospital. Marco will drive it over there and leave it for you.  We found out that there were no people inside. We were coming in to get you when it flashed.  Here's the ambulance.   Get going and no arguments, or you'll have to talk to the Chief."

During the ambulance ride, the boys were quiet, until Roy broke the silence. "Junior, for a minute there, I thought we bought it; that we were finished.  All I could think of was, JoAnne and the kids, and how I would miss working with you."

Johnny kept quiet and listened to his partner talk and he thought about how he would miss working with the best friend he ever had and then he thought about Sharon and what she said about not being able to handle him getting hurt.  "Roy, maybe Sharon was right.  Maybe I shouldn't have expected her to be able to handle being a firefighter's wife.  You know, I've been thinking about how I wanted a marriage like you have with JoAnne, and how happy we'd be, and now, maybe she was right."

"She couldn't have been more wrong, Johnny.  Marriage is a commitment, a choice, everyday, you get up and you look at the person you married, and you choose to love them, and stay faithful to them, no matter what. No matter what. You choose.  That's all there is.  She just wasn't ready to make that kind of commitment.  Maybe the next woman will."

Johnny scowled, "The next woman? Are you crazy?  I don't need  to make a mistake like that again.  No way! Look what happened to Doc Mulvaney, she made the commitment and her fiancé screwed it up.  And look at her now, she's stuck in the hospital with a chest tube in, and she doesn't have anybody, either."

Roy was going to answer him, but the ambulance pulled up at the Emergency entrance, and the doors opened. They were taken to Room 2, where Doctor Morton looked at them.

"You boys were lucky, just bumps and bruises.  You should be okay to go back to work, but if you notice anything, let me know."

"Doc, how is Doctor Mulvaney? asked Roy. 

"Right now, she's in a room upstairs, resting quietly. Tomorrow is another day. I called her mother and she's on her way here.  It should be interesting."  Mike grinned.

Johnny gave the doctor a grin of his own. "Doc, just what's that supposed to mean?  Is she some kind of weirdo?"

"No, Gage, she is just a very unique individual. And let's just leave it at that."

Roy got off the table. "Time to leave, Johnny, let's go, okay?  See ya, Doc."

"Take care, boys, and remember, call if you don't feel  okay."

"We will Doc, won't we, Pally?"

The next day, Melinda awoke to excruciating pain in her right side, throbbing in her arm, and ankle, and her chest felt like it was on fire.  She moaned and tried to hit her call button.  It was too far away and she couldn't reach it.  Just then, the door opened and the welcome sight of Nurse Dixie McCall walked in. 

"Hi, I'm Dixie, how are you feeling?"  Her eyes swept over her patient, assessing even as she spoke. "Having pain? I'll get Doctor Early to give you something."

"Thank you, Dixie.  Weren't you in ER last night when I was brought in?  How is Officer Howard? What happened to the firemen who brought me in? Do you think I could see them again? Am I asking too many questions?"  She smiled, knowing she'd fired off a barrage of questions in Dixie's direction.

"Sorry about that, I have a bad habit of doing that and Geoff says...." her voice broke. "What an idiot I am." She started to cry.

Dixie stood by the bed and tried to comfort the sobbing woman.  "Mike Morton told me about your wedding. I'm sorry.  I know it's hard and you're in a lot of pain right now, but try to relax, and think about something more pleasant.  I understand your mother is coming here to see you." 

At this, Melinda's gray-blue eyes widened, and she gasped, "Oh no, she's not really coming, is she?  I can't believe Mike did that.  She'll be telling everyone how wonderful I am, and what little devils Mike and I were growing up, and other various and assorted tales."

Dixie smiled, and said, "It can't be that bad can it?  She won't be staying too long, and we'll all just make the best of it.  You'll see, it'll be alright."

Melinda calmed down, and asked' "Not to change the subject, ha, ha, but do you know if Dr. Brackett was notified about my accident and the reason why I missed my interview with him?"

"Doctor Brackett is aware.  He took care of you last night down stairs.  I don't think you have anything to be concerned over.  As for Vince, Officer Howard, he was released this morning and he's in good shape.  As for the firemen who brought you in, they are off duty now, but they were asking about you when they came in last night. If you get hired here, you'll be working closely with them.  They're great guys. All of them.  But John and Roy especially.  They are my favorites, but if you tell them, I'll just deny it, and they won't believe you anyway." She turned to leave.  " I'll let Doctor Early know about your pain and I'll see you later, okay?  We'll talk more then."

"Bye, Dixie, and thanks."  She leaned back against the pillows, and closed her eyes.

An hour later, when Joe Early was on rounds, he found his new patient sound asleep.  He was reluctant to wake her, but his companion was not.

"Hey, out of bed, sleepyhead, its time to rise and shine." Mike looked at Joe, "it's okay, she's my kid sister."

"Yeah, and I can still kick your scrawny butt from here to the middle of next week."


"My scrawny butt? What about yours, Doctor? If I remember correctly, it was your scrawny butt we were saving last night."

"I hate to break up this tender moment between the two of you, but would you mind if I checked out my patient? Dix said you were having some pain.  I ordered some MS. Is it working?  Obviously, you're breathing better and we can probably take out the tube later today."

Melinda smiled at the kindly gray haired man.  He reminded her so much of her father.  She found herself relaxing and answering his questions.  "Yes, I am feeling much better. Thank you for the pain meds.  When can I get out of here?"

"Not for awhile and only if you promise to take it easy. What's the matter, Doctor, getting tired of us already?"

"NO, but I understand Mike called my mother, and I don't want her to be an imposition on all of you. She's a doctor,....." 

"She's also your mother, so we'll give her all the professional courtesy we can, right Mike?"

"Right, Joe."

Station 51A shift was off for the next couple of days, getting a well-deserved break.  JoAnne DeSoto spent that time taking care of her husband. When he arrived home the next morning after the accident, she took one look at him, and put the "honey-do" list in her desk drawer.  "What can I do for you, honey? It must have been one heck of shift."

Roy looked into his wife's loving eyes.  "Oh yeah, between the car accidents and Johnny and I having been used for pinball practice, it was a heck of a shift. Oh, it looks like Rampart's getting a new ER doc, once she recovers from her car accident."

JoAnne's eyebrows raised at the word "she".  "So, is she pretty?"

Roy looked at his wife, "No she's homelier than a mud fence and she's got warts."  He smiled.  "You have nothing to worry about.  She's okay.  She's a friend of Mike Morton's and she had a wedding similar to Johnny's."

"That poor thing, it must be awful for her.  We'll have to have her over here for dinner when she gets out of the hospital.  She's going to need friends and we can do that."

Roy smiled at his wife. "Well, you certainly got over being jealous awfully quick."

Joanne hugged her husband, then gave him a kiss. "I know, but you guys meet so many people out there, especially grateful women who just love to be rescued by firemen..." her speech was interrupted by Roy's tickling her.

"How would you like to be rescued from what you're about to say." He growled, then gave his wife a heart-stopping, passionate kiss. "Got any plans for the next hour or so?"

She took his hand and led him upstairs.



Johnny arrived home.  Did his chores, looked through the mail, then got hit with a sharp pain in his left side.

"Maybe if I just ignore it, it will go away" he thought.

He took a deep breath, "and then again, maybe not."  He decided to drive himself to Rampart.

As he walked through the Emergency Department's double doors, he was wincing with pain.  Nurse Carol was sitting at the desk, going through paperwork.  She looked up and smiled when she saw Johnny approaching. 

"Hi, Johnny, what can we do for you ?  I thought you and Roy were off today."

"Hi, Carol, we are, but Doc Morton said to come back in if I had any problems from yesterday's accident. My side hurts and if I take a deep breath, it is very painful."

Carol had been on duty yesterday when the boys were brought in, so she was aware of the flashover at the fire, and of the injuries Roy and Johnny had received.  

"Why don't you have a seat, Johnny, and I'll see who's available."

Johnny walked into the waiting room to take a seat, but was interrupted by a striking woman with short gray hair.  "Excuse me, young man. I'm looking for Dr Kelly Brackett. Does he still run this place?" Johnny opened his mouth to answer her, but her question was answered by Dr. Brackett himself.

"You might say that, but anyone who's in the know, knows that it isn't true.  My head nurse really runs this place. How are you, Miranda?  It's been a while.  Johnny Gage, firefighter/paramedic, may I present Dr. Miranda Mulvaney, our patient's mom."

Johnny said "hi" and shook her hand. "She looks just like her daughter" he thought. Then he gave her one of his patented crooked grins. "Nice to meet you."

"Same here Mr. Gage. Very nice, very nice indeed. I wonder if he's married." She gave him a dazzling smile.

Just then Carol walked up. "Johnny, Dr. Early is ready for you in 4."

Johnny walked away.  Miranda looked at his departing figure, and whistled.  "Nice tush."

Kel rolled his eyes. "Nice to know some things never change.  Want to see your daughter?"     

"In a minute, Kel.  Did she say Dr. Early? Is Joe working here?  I haven't seen him since we were residents together, Matt, and Joe and I.  It's been a long time."

"Yeah, he is, and he took over Melinda's care after I inserted her chest tube.  Why don't we talk in my office?"

Upstairs, Dixie and Melinda were engaged in conversation.  Melinda had gone through the events leading up to her admission to Rampart, and what had happened at the wedding."...and so after Denise stood up, and said her piece, I looked at Mike, and asked him to get me out of there.  I couldn't look at Geoff, and I could hear my mother talking very low, which means she's getting ready to blow up.  We just kept on walking, and I packed a bag, and here I am."  She looked at Dixie, and said "I don't know why, but I feel like I've known you all my life.  You're very easy to talk to."

Dixie smiled.  "Well, so are you, and I know we are going to be good friends.  We'll be working pretty closely together in the ER.  Kel, Joe, and Mike make a pretty good team, and you will be a welcome addition to it.  Plus, I want to introduce you to several of my friends outside the hospital, like JoAnne DeSoto, Roy's wife.  She and I are very good friends.  Now, tell me about your mom, I hear she's 'quite a unique individual', according to Mike."

Melinda sighed. "She's the best doctor I've ever worked with, besides my dad, and she can be a little eccentric, if you know what I mean.  But, she's great.  She just loves Mike and I too much.  She's constantly bragging on us all the time, and to hear her talk, we were baby geniuses.  You should have heard her the day I won the hospital bowling tournament.  You'd have thought I was the greatest thing in bowling shoes.  She just gets carried away, you know?"

At that, Dixie smiled.  "Yeah, I know.  Moms are like that."  Looking at her watch, she got up to leave. "Time to get back to work.  See you later."

"Bye, Dixie."


Doctor Early checked Johnny over and found a pulled muscle in the left side.  "When is your next shift?"

"Friday, Doc. Then I'm off for three days. Is it bad?"

"No, but I want you to take it easy.  No lifting for a couple of days, then on Friday, you can go back to work. Take aspirin or Tylenol for the pain."

"Thanks, Doc.  I met Doctor Mulvaney's mom out in the waiting room.  She's incredible, really...."

"Intense" Joe finished for him. " She was like that in med school. I didn't realize it was the same family that Mike knew growing up.  I went to med school with both of Melinda's parents, just didn't realize what the connection was.  Time to renew some old ties, see you later, John"

"Bye, Doc.  I wonder if Doc Mulvaney's up to having some company.  I'll just pop in for a minute and say hi."



                  
    the end (for now)


 
author's notes: I was very lucky to have two moms, both of whom were best friends. Both of them, like Miranda in the story, were very unique individuals, both were very special ladies. I miss them both very much. Thanks again to Janet for all her help and encouragement (slave driver :-) just kidding). all my love to Hunky Guy, thanks love for your patience with my "hobby". And to Christina, who teases me unmercifully about "Randolph Mantooth", I love you, little one.