THE REPLY by Tammy "Dad! Dad! She said yes!" Pushing himself away from the desk, the older man looked up, a smile growing on his face. "Hello to you too. Well, who said yes and to what?" His eyes sparkled mischievously. His son rarely came to visit him at headquarters, but he had been waiting for him today. "And son, aren't those the same clothes I saw you in when you rushed past me last night?" The younger man blushed, sputtering to explain himself. "Honest, Dad, we didn't 'do' anything last night." As his dad's eyebrows rose at the last night reference, he continued with a more frantic note to his voice. "After dinner, Jen and I went to the beach and walked and talked for hours." As he paused for a breath, he finally realized his dad was really pulling his leg. He plopped down into one of his dad's office chairs across from his tormentor. "Geez, Dad. Gimme a break! Jen said she'd marry me! That's why I stopped by to talk to Mom before my date. Do you mean she didn't tell you?!" Mike Stoker Jr stopped and stared at his dad in amazement. Mike Stoker grinned at his usually reserved son. "She tried. It took nearly a full box of Kleenex before she could make any sensible comment to me." He sighed remembering how mixed up her feelings were with the announcement. She was happy for him but sad to be losing him but happy it was Jen, and so on. Of course as soon as she could speak coherently, Beth had called Joanne DeSoto to be sure her son would be getting the answer that of course he deserved! They had giggled, laughed, and bawled for nearly an hour according to Mike's calculations. "I'm happy for you Mike. I knew you'd pick a winner, sooner or later. Course I didn't know it would be this much later. Your mom and I figured your nephews would marry before you did." "Ya know, Dad, I think I've compared every girl I ever dated to Jen and never realized it could actually be her. To think if the guys I worked with had been more punctual, we might never have gotten together." Chief Stoker cleared his throat. "About that, son. You've never been quite so slow to catch on before, but don't you think you two got left alone an awful lot? For a bunch of firemen who are almost never late to work, you didn't see anything strange there?" He chuckled, watching his son as realization of what had occurred swept over his face. "Aw, man, Dad! SH-Wait! One time was the 51 reunion picnic for your old crew. How many people were in on this?" Mike Jr sank deeper into the chair wondering if the whole county was aware of his love life. "Well, between Chris and your captain, the DeSotos were delayed an hour. I was convinced to stall your mom, but everyone else knew the plan." "Cap Gage too! Oh no! How could I be so blind?" "Probably cuz you wanted it to happen," a new voice joined in from the doorway. "Hi, Chief. Hi, Michael." "John, come on in and sit. Have you heard the news yet?" Mike asked his former crew mate. John Gage looked down at Michael (his way of keeping the two Stoker's straight). At the look of the mixed emotions on his face, John broke into a huge smile. "You popped the question, didn't ya? And did she answer?" At Michael's nod, John pulled him from the chair for a giant hug. "All right!" He set Michael back and then towered over him, hands on his hips, a fierce look on his face. "Just be sure you take good care of my 'best girl' or you'll have to answer to me." Michael gulped and nodded. "Yessir." He had nearly forgotten that his own captain had that strong tie to his now fiancé. Although the last force to be reckoned with still had to be seen today. Well, time to bite the bullet. He swallowed and asked, "Uh, Dad. Is Chief DeSoto in today?" John picked up Mike's phone after silently getting permission. "He ought to be. We had lunch plans. I'll get him to come on down. That way there'll be witnesses when he finds out what happened last night!" ***** A few minutes later, Michael jumped up nervously when Roy DeSoto walked into Mike's office. Roy shook Mike's hand and thumped Johnny on the back. "I thought you were going to meet me in my office?" "Well, now, Roy, I was. But my paramedic here had an announcement for the Chief here and I overheard enough to stick my head in and find out for myself what was going on." Johnny pointed towards Michael, who Roy had managed to appear not to see, even after Michael had scrambled to his feet. Mike and Johnny grinned even more when Roy turned a very serious face towards Michael and gave him the royal once over -- TWICE! The second time, Roy shook his head and turned back towards the other two. "She'll run this poor thing ragged, you know. He'll never know what hit him." Roy turned back to Michael and stuck out his hand. "Congratulations, Michael. I'd say welcome to the family but you're already part of it." Michael shook his hand, trying unobtrusively to take some deep breaths. He hadn't realized he'd been holding his breath, waiting for Jen's father's reaction. "Thank you, Chief." "It's Roy. I think we all should go to lunch and celebrate." ***** The bar and eatery was called The Flame and close enough to headquarters to be popular since it had such good food. The owner would help the department with any fund raisers they wanted to perform and he hired off duty firemen whenever possible for as many positions as he could. Most evenings found the place pleasantly full. The lunch crowd had already left and while it wasn't slow, the table that the three married and the one single for now men were at was sufficiently separated from the others as to allow them to talk freely. "I was surprised to find both of you in today,:" Michael said, looking at his dad and his future-father-in-law. Roy looked sheepish. "Actually, I was afraid to stay at home. If you hadn't asked her last night, I was afraid for any male who was in my wife's line of sight." Johnny and Mike shuddered while Michael looked confused. "But I didn't tell anyone I was going to ask her until right before I left last night." Mike laughed at his naïve son. "You've got a lot to learn about women. Your mom called Jo right after she quit crying and I'm betting Jen already knew you were going to ask. Right, Roy?" Roy smiled and sat back. "Oh, yeah. You've been the topic of discussion all week in the DeSoto households. Did Beth know when you were going to propose, Mike?" Mike nodded. "I thought I was so cool. I planned a trip to Catalina, brought soft music, and a picnic dinner. Didn't tell her anything except that we were going out.. Thought I had shocked her! Then on our second anniversary, she shows me in her diary where she wrote the day I asked her out on that date, that she knew I was going to pop the question." Johnny chuckled, "Raelene said she knew too. I don't know how cuz I'm not sure I knew for sure til I did. Course she had me in a jail cell and thanks to my so-called friends," he turned and gave disgusted looks to Mike and Roy, "I didn't think I'd ever get out." Mike tilted his head at Johnny and spoke to Michael. "You think you were slow on the uptake, Michael, look at your captain." At Johnny's questioning glance, Mike continued, "Between the fire department and the police we were going to keep you in that charity cell until you proposed!" Johnny's jaw dropped. He looked back and forth in amazement at Roy and Mike who just nodded, grinning, looking very much like two very wise all-knowing grandfathers. Michael was having trouble staying in his chair, his silent laughter racking his body as he watched his captain appear to be in shock. "Roy! You and Jo were the only ones who knew that I was even thinking of asking her!" Johnny looked accusingly at his long-time friend. Roy held his hands up as if to fend off his accusations. "John, we all three knew you were going to chicken out. Admit it. You were so certain she'd say no. I just asked the shift to help me keep you there for a while." "Then you still didn't ask her and we were close to running out of funds, " Mike continued, watching his son wipe tears from his eyes. "So we went to the rest of the station. Then Chet decided that was enough of this. I swear he called every station in the county and convinced Raelene's partner to do the same with the police precincts." "That is why, John, you still hold the record for the most donations raised to KEEP a person in the cell!" Roy finished, patting Johnny on the arm in a conciliatory fashion. "And it worked! Five hours in the cell and he finally asked her!" "Yea, but it took another hour before she would let me out." Johnny started to look as if he would settle into a pout but then remembered how the two had spent that hour. He smiled thinking back to that afternoon. "How about Mrs. DeSoto, Ch- I mean, Roy? Did she know?" Michael asked innocently. Both Mike and Johnny hooted at that. Roy's face turned a light pink. "Well, uh, I guess you could say she knew," Roy gave up hesitantly. Johnny waited and when Roy seemed to decide not to want to continue, Johnny eagerly took up for him. "Yea, Michael, she knew. She asked him. Seems he bought an engagement ring at a store where a friend of Jo's worked. Four weeks later, this friend, figuring Roy had to have proposed by then, asked Jo how he'd proposed. Of course, the shy guy hadn't gotten up the nerve yet. Jo waited two more weeks then finally told Roy in the middle of a busy McDonald's that she was getting married in three months and she wanted to know right then and there if he was the one she was going to marry." Roy was sliding down in his seat, looking very interested in the designs on the tabletop. Mike was grinning the look of someone who can never hear this tale too many times. "According to Joann, Roy turned white, gulped, and knelt down and asked her right then and there." Mike laughed, "And got a shake dumped on his head for that one." Roy added, "So I went home, regrouped, and arranged a beautiful dinner at the restaurant we went to for our high school prom and asked her again. She said yes and the rest is history." He looked a bit embarrassed but smiled at the memory. "So, Michael, let me tell you what it's like living with Jen." The conversation turned light. ***** After a few more rounds of both appetizers and beers, Michael soon found that both his dad and his future-father-in-law could become very talkative. The jokes were getting just a bit raunchy when the three senior men noticed what appeared to be a very quiet but emotional scene at a table across the room. A woman who looked to be crying slowly took her ring off her finger and handed it to the man seated next to her. He had obviously been in an accident just recently, his arm in a sling and scratches that were in the process of healing on his face. She got up and left. The man was soon joined by a couple of men who had just entered. Roy toyed with the plate in front of him. Michael was surprised to see a tear roll down his cheek. Johnny slapped his friend across the back as Mike cleared his throat. "Do you guys know him?" Michael asked, wondering why this seemed to be upsetting Roy so. "He's Peterson, over at 127's," Roy answered. "He was hurt in the warehouse fire a few weeks ago. Nothing real serious but they weren't sure at first. They've been married almost five years. She must have decided this last one was just too close." Roy's eyes were haunted as if reliving some past nightmare. Johnny looked at Michael. "After all's said and done, it's a hard life our spouses choose." Mike nodded agreement, clapping Roy on the shoulder in silent support. Roy shook his head as if to shake away the memories He glanced at Michael and gave a wry smile. "It's funny. This is the second time this week that I've been reminded of my divorce." Michael stared at Roy as if he'd grown a second head. "Huh? What? Who? When?" Michael went back over everything he knew and had heard of this man trying to remember if he'd ever heard of another wife. His dad answered for Roy. "He and Jo had a real bad time when you and Chris were in fourth grade. You do remember that camper we had then?" Michael nodded. "You said a friend was living in it until he could find an apartment." He turned and questioned Roy. "You were the friend?" Michael thought back to that time. He seemed to remember a time when his folks were doing a lot of whispering. That was when Chris and Jen were visiting even more than usual, mostly without their dad, and the kids were always kept outside to play, the moms staying inside, which he did remember as being odd. Roy began quietly, "Now is the best time for us to tell you what you need to know to be married to a firefighter's spouse. They have to be the strong ones, keep the house going, wait for the calls. You have to learn to balance, to listen, and above all else, be honest and sometimes even show a little weakness. Or you can end up like Peterson over there or like me." Roy looked over at Peterson's table, noting that the newcomers' were going to give him a ride home. Looking back at Michael, he started again. "That year, both Joanne's folks got sick. Her dad got pneumonia while in the hospital and died. Just one month later, her mother had a heart attack and passed away. I took a week off when Jim died but only missed one shift when Bea died. I thought that was enough time and Jo agreed. But then while she was in San Diego a few weeks later, cleaning up things from their deaths, I got caught in a collapse. Nothing major, just a knock in the head, earned a one night stay at Rampart. Normally nothing, but I didn't want to add to Jo's worrying so I didn't bother calling her." Johnny took over as Roy grabbed another beer, sipping slowly. "So of course, that night Jo calls the station to speak to Roy, and of course, yours truly answers the phone. I tried to cover for him, ya know, can't come to the phone, he's in the shower, but Jo's good, man. She caught my lie right away. I tried telling her it wasn't serious but now she was mad. I mean spitting nails mad! I'd never known my friend Joanne to lose it before but wow! She said words I didn't even think she knew the meaning of. Anyhow, she dropped the kids with some friends there and flew back here the next morning." With a bit of a grin at the memory, Johnny continued. "I was told that 'if I knew what was good for me, I'd be at the airport to pick her up.' She made my mom look like an amateur with the scolding I got for lying. I don't think I got more than two words in during the whole ride." Roy chuckled, starting to ease up, time making the whole episode easier than living it had been. "In the meantime, Cap had come to the hospital to warn me about my sweet wife. She showed up as Kel Brackett was giving me the final once-over. She asked if I was okay and then kicked Kel out of the room. I've never seen Kel speechless before unless Dixie was in the room. Then Jo told me to find a place to stay because no one close to her was going to die again. She left and when I got to the house, she already had a suitcase packed and sitting on the porch waiting for me, all my uniforms wrapped in plastic. I'd never seen her this mad before. She blocked the doors so I couldn't get in with my key and before the day was over had all the locks changed. I think she got the fastest divorce ever granted in the state of California. For six months, she didn't say one word to me. I'd pick the kids up from your place, Michael, and she'd close the door as soon as I dropped the kids off. Your folks let me use the camper and Chief McConnikee found a campground where they let me stay at for a cheap rate." Mike took over as the next round of drinks hit the table. Johnny waved him off as he reached for his wallet and paid while Mike continued. "Your mom and Emily Stanley kept telling us she was still in love with Roy. And the thing was, she'd talk to all the rest of the shift. We'd come over and fix things at the house or mow the lawn and she'd come out asking how the shift had gone or talk to Johnny about his runs. She'd never mention Roy but her questions always seemed to beg for info on how he was doing." Johnny laughed. "Remember her face when Chet told her about the nurse at Rampart who was trying to hit on Roy. We knew then that we had to get them back together." Roy blushed at the memory. Mike smiled. "We tried everything. We planned picnics and dinners, tried accidental meetings, everything. Or so we thought." Johnny and Mike looked at Roy expectantly. "Well, I'd hate to think you planned what happened next," Roy quipped. He sighed, his fingers tracing the wet circles his beer mug made on the table. "That was the night of the Allen Chemical fire. There were five cleaning people missing when we showed up, first on the scene. The building's sprinkler system was being renovated and wasn't working. Johnny found three people by the door. They told us the other two were just down the hall. I went after them. Marco and Chet came with me. We found a pregnant lady in the kitchenette near the end of the hall. Marco and Chet took her out in the stokes and I went to check the last room. I guess the fire got hold of some chemicals, cause the next thing I remember was looking at Dixie." Roy shifted in his seat, the memories affecting him even after all this time. "I was in bad shape, they were prepping me for surgery. I guess I'd known Dixie for way too long because even though she tried to hide it, I knew they didn't think I'd make it. I told Dix to let Joanne know I'd never stopped loving her. Dixie almost broke down then but she promised she'd let her know." Roy stopped, choking back some tears. The guys sat quietly for a moment, the only sounds the muted conversations across the room, the clatter and clink of dishes being put away for the dinner hour. Johnny coughed and added, "I think Joanne must have broken every traffic rule in the book that day. She made it to the hospital in ten minutes flat. An ambulance driver told me later about some crazy lady who had passed them on the roadway. When Joanne came in, she was white and shaky. I caught her just before she fell. All she could do was ask, Am I too late?" Roy appeared to inspect the far wall of the bar as he reminisced. "I asked Dix again just before she left me at the surgery door to tell Jo I hoped she would visit me. Next thing I remember was waking up to Joanne yelling at me." Johnny and Mike straightened up, turning surprised looks at Roy. This they hadn't heard before. "She was chewing me out for all manners of things, spreading myself too thin with activities, being gone for 24 hours at a time, telling Johnny my problems and not going to her with them. I listened but as groggy as I was, the only thing that really stood out to me was that 1. she was there and 2. she told me as soon as I was up out of that bed, we were going to get remarried because obviously God meant for her to take care of such a crazy fool." The waitress came over and interrupted, checking to see if the guys wanted any more appetizers. After a quick look at the empty beer mugs at their table, Mike and Johnny ordered a few more. A glance at each other let each know that someone was driving Roy home tonight. Mike looked at Michael. "Don't you remember Joanne's proposing to Roy?" Michael shook his head. "You were there." Michael frowned trying to remember. Roy laughed. "Mike, I think he and most of the other kids were playing in the jungle gym." Roy turned to Michael, "See, after that first day, Joanne never mentioned getting remarried again. I mean, she was there. She visited me every minute she could, she brought me everything I needed, talked to me, everything." Johnny interrupted with a grin, "Everything?" Roy reached over and pushed Johnny's shoulder, nearly shoving him off the chair. "Watch it, Junior!" he growled. Johnny and Mike roared, both of them remembering a few close encounters that had finally convinced the station crew they better knock before entering Roy's room. Roy waved a hand at them as if they were two infantile schoolboys. "Anyway, as I was saying, it was almost as if the last six months had never occurred. I was going to ask her to go with me to the JP, just do the small ceremony with your folks and Johnny. I just was afraid she'd say no, and then where would I be?" Johnny and Mike kept on grinning. The memory of that day had been a happy one for everyone. Mike winked at Johnny and looked at his son. "Roy got out of the hospital around 11. He was frustrated because Dr. Brackett had left and no one could find his release papers. Dixie was off and Joe Early wasn't scheduled until later. No one else had the guts to release one of Dr. Brackett's patients. Finally, the missing papers were found. Johnny and I picked him up and took him home." Johnny leaned back in his chair. "We told Roy it was close enough to noon, let's stop at McDonald's." Roy shook his head. "All I could think was, get me home and these two twits want to stop for fast food. And at one where the parking lot was full!" Mike snickered at that. "If you'd been a little more aware, you might have realized how many cars had firefighter stickers on 'em." He looked at Michael. "Our whole shift, and a lot of Roy's friends in the department were all in the new kid's section of the restaurant. When we walked in the lobby, there were only a few customers waiting in line. Roy had no clue even after Jenny and Chris came running up to him." The waitress came back with the appetizers and, quickly cleared most of the empties away, leaving the men with their conversation. "So what happened next?" Michael asked. He remembered a big get-together but all he knew was that he and his friends were able to have a big party at McDonalds. Johnny looked at Roy, who waved a hand at him, telling him to go ahead. Johnny grinned, "Outta the blue, Joanne comes over, and drops on one knee, in front of Roy. Everyone from the fire department came out of the back making sure Roy can't run. Then, she holds up a ring in one hand and a drink cup in the other. And asked him to marry her." Roy stared into space, smiling at the scene. He shook his head. "I thought she was real gutsy, giving me the drink cup. Then I found out it was full of confetti. So I threw the confetti in the air, grabbed her up and kissed her." He looked at Michael. "So the last proposal pretty much went better than the first." ***** After making calls to wives and fiancée, the guys decided to stay for dinner. Michael listened with half an ear, realizing just how different it was going to be being married. As they all finished up with dinner, Mike noticed his son seemed a little lost. "What Michael? You trying to think of how to back out of the engagement?" Michael replied, mainly looking at Roy. "No, not that, but I thought you and Mrs. D were the happily married couple who never even thought of breaking up. Now, I'm nervous. What if Jennifer decides she doesn't like being a firefighter's wife?" "First," Roy said, "she's already talked to her mom about this. Second, she pretty much knows what it entails anyway. But we can give you some advice, if you want it." Mike grinned and looked at his son. "First, talk to her. You have a great partner at work, but remember you also have a partner at home." Roy smiled "Now the hard part of that. Don't tell her too much. She needs to know if you had a bad run. She doesn't really need to know how you just missed being Barbeque Bob. If you find you just can't discuss something right away, let her know you need time first. As a nurse, Jen may have to do the same with you. You'll both have to understand and be there when the other is ready." Johnny jumped in. "And no matter what, listen. Listen hard. I found that out when Raelene came home, she would tell me things about her day that should have given me clues as to how bad it really was. I didn't know this until six months after our wedding. I thought everything was great until all of a sudden she's shaking and yelling at me. Found out she'd be trying to make me understand that she needed to be held and comforted. She'd almost shot a man and was shook up but thought she had to be strong. Luckily her partner called me just after she stomped off to her room. I learned quick to listen to her words, her tone, and even her silence." "Remember to call her." Roy's next suggestion. "Any time there is a big call near your station, and sometimes in the county, call her. No matter how often she says she doesn't worry, she does. If you can't get to a phone, have someone call for you." "Yeah, she'll believe you if you don't ever lie about an injury." Johnny backed Roy up. "I thought I'd keep Rae from worrying when I got a cracked rib. Not only did I pay for that lie then, Roy or Dix had to back up my claims for 2 years until she finally would believe me." Roy smiled remembering Rae's face whenever Johnny'd try and tell her his injuries. She'd just shake her head at him and then turn around and ask Roy or Dix for their appraisal. "Make time for the two of you," Mike added. "After a while, you'll bring your partner home, like someone else I know did." He tossed his head at the former partners at his table. Johnny splayed his hand across his chest, with a righteous look. "That's okay. She needs to trust in Janelle also. But remember you live with your shift enough. Your wife wants you to herself and her family also." "And when kids come, let the grandmas and grandpas take them occasionally. Mike's a great babysitter and you two will still need time for each other." Roy added with a wink. "Grandpa Roy is the best with dirty diapers and you'll both need time with other adults too. But remember to keep your own interests going also." Mike threw a napkin at Roy. "Joanne once told us that Roy's pottery keeps him sane. Must not be doing much of it lately, huh, Roy?" Roy snorted at Mike's humor. He sat back and looked at Michael. "Still think you want to marry my daughter?" Michael looked at the men sitting around the table. Knowing that he and Jen came from a 'family' of happily married firemen made him feel very confident that they would survive all that came at them, he looked at his fiancée's father and ginned. "Absolutely, sir!" Thanks again to Nexxie for her beta read. 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