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Part
42
Johnny and Joanne watched the door close behind Harriet DeSoto and both turned to look at Roy in disbelief. Roy looked back with a surprised expression on his face.
"What?"
Joanne was fuming. "How could you do that? How could you forgive her so easily?" his wife demanded. Roy spread his hands in a helpless gesture.
"Jo, she's my mother. What was I supposed to do?"
"Roy! She's been lying to you! To us really," Johnny retorted.
"All of us!" Joanne added. "And you most of all. All these years." Joanne felt tears welling in her eyes and diverted her gaze from her husband to her hands. Roy knelt beside her wheelchair and took Joanne's hands in his.
"It's okay, Jo. That's all in the past. It doesn't matter. What does matter is that I know I have a brother," he smiled over at Johnny. "And that my father is alive. I'd say we have something to celebrate. Look at what we have Joanne. We have two beautiful children, each other and Johnny. It's okay. Really, it is."
Joanne looked up into Roy's beautiful blue eyes, searching but knowing she'd find the truth in there. Roy really believed what he said. Joanne choked back a sob. She loved that man so much! She reached out and Roy enveloped her in a warm embrace. Johnny rolled his head away from his friends in a gesture of privacy. A tear escaped and ran down his cheek, the smile never leaving his face.
*****
Chet took a step back. "What?" he asked hoarsely, not sure he had heard right.
Carol put her arms around his neck and pulled him back. "I said we should run away to Mexico tonight and never come back!"
Chet felt confused. As much as he loved Carol and wanted to be with her this wasn't what he had in mind. But still, he didn't want to disappoint her.
"Carol, my love, I can't just run off like that. I've got responsibilities here. I've got to be at work in the morning. Why can't we wait and have a traditional wedding? My mother would kill me if I eloped! The Kelly's always have blow-out weddings! I couldn't disappoint her or the rest of my family."
Carol began to pout in disappointment and Chet was afraid she was going to cry. He didn't know what he'd do if she cried.
"Besides, how would we survive in Mexico? I don't think they pay firemen down there. I think they only have volunteers. And being a fireman is all I ever wanted to do."
"But Chet, I hear Americans with money can live like royalty down there!" Carol countered.
Chet laughed. "Sure, people with money. Honey, do you know what I make as a firefighter? I've been trying to pass the engineer's exam so I can make more money. And I'll do that, once we're married so you won't have to work."
"But....but Chet, don't you have some kind of a trust fund or something?" Carol felt confused but determined to know the truth.
The stocky man howled with laughter until tears streamed from his eyes making Carol angry.
"What's so funny?" she demanded. Chet took a moment to catch his breath.
"I'll bet you heard that from some of the paramedics at the hospital. Boy, the Phantom sure pulled that one off!" He wiped his eyes as he paused for a breath.
"I don't understand. Chet what are you talking about?"
"This!" Chet pulled out a dollar bill from his wallet. It was a bit rumpled but there was a bold, blue fountain-pen scrawl across the top. It read..."To Chet, to start his trust fund. May it multiply in time. Love Grandpa".
Carol felt the blood drain from her face. It was a joke! A prank! I'd kill Tom if I wasn't so mad at Chet! She looked at the man in front of her wondering what in the world she would do now.
*****
It was after midnight at the hospital now, and the young woman in a student nurse's uniform, quickly made her way down the ER corridor to the elevator. Wisps of her long, blonde hair had escaped the bun on the top of her head. Finally there had been a lull in the traffic and she needed a break. She needed to check on him, again. Sure, he barely knew she was alive but she needed to be near him, if only for a moment. She never could get enough of his warm smile or his soft voice. She'd have to hurry. Her break would be over too soon. She pushed the floor button and smiled at her reflection in the elevator door.
*****
As soon as roll call was over and before Marco could make any kind of an announcement, Mike Stoker made a dash for the pay phone. He called personnel to make the changes in his marital status and dependents. They needed to move as quickly as possible if little Mikey was going to get the help he needed. He wished he could get rid of the sour stomach he'd been having since the wedding. He wasn't really listening to the woman taking his information over the phone.
"What? I'm sorry would you repeat that?"
"You're new wife and son won't be added to your insurance until a thirty day waiting period and then the first of the following month will be their effective date. Also, you should know that there's anywhere from six months to a year on pre-existing conditions. Now, your payroll deductions will begin with the next pay period that coincides with the enrollment date," the woman explained again.
Mike paled at the information. Six months to a year? Did Mikey have that long? What was he going to tell Sharon? he wondered.
"Are you still there, sir?" the voice asked.
"Uh, yes. Thank you. I understand." Mike hung up the phone, unsure what he was going to do.
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