An Old Friend

By Terribv

John Gage glanced over at his partner in an attempt to gauge his mood. Roy had been pretty quiet all day, which wasn’t unusual, but Johnny sensed something out of the ordinary with his partner today and he couldn’t quite put his finger on it.

“Stop.”

“Stop what?” Johnny asked grateful for the conversation. Up until now, their conversations had centered solely on work related things.

“Stop staring at me,” Roy answered shaking his head while silently berating himself for taking his bad mood out on his partner. Of course, it wasn’t like he’d never been on the receiving end of one of Gage’s bad moods.

“I’m not staring,” Johnny said defensively.

“You are so and I want you to stop.”

“Fine,” Johnny replied turning his head to look out the passenger window instead.

“Thank you,” came Roy’s terse response and quiet reigned once again inside the squad.

It didn’t last long and Roy took a deep breath in an effort to control his irritation

“What’s up with you today anyway,” Johnny asked.

“Nothing’s ‘up’ with me,” Roy said sharply. “I just don’t feel like engaging in pointless conversation today.”

“Oh. And I suppose that you think a conversation with me is pointless, huh?”

Sometimes, Roy thought. “I didn’t say that, Johnny,” he tried explaining, “I just have a lot going on and need some time to think.” Roy hoped his partner would let the issue go.

“Oh. Okay. Think away,” Johnny replied with a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

Roy sighed knowing that he’d hurt his partner’s feelings but he knew Johnny would get over it. Now, Joanne was another matter. He’d always thought that they had a good marriage. Things were tight at times because Roy’s job with the fire department didn’t pay all that great but the benefits were good. If he’d have accepted that promotion to Engineer, things would have been easier with the raise in pay but he just wasn’t ready to leave the paramedics yet. And his partner, who was a little pissed off at him right now, had a part to play in that as well. He wasn’t ready to give up working with Johnny yet either.

He forced his mind back to the issue at hand. He thought Joanne was happy being a housewife and volunteering at the kid’s school. He thought she was happy with him but he found out last night that she wasn’t completely satisfied with their relationship and he didn’t know how to give her what she wanted. He’d overheard her on the phone with her sister last night talking about the lack of affection on Roy’s part. He’d never been comfortable with public displays of affection but he thought he’d been doing okay on the home front.

Johnny’s stomach growled reminding Roy that it was almost lunchtime. Perhaps Johnny could shed some light on his problem. He certainly dated enough women to know what they wanted. Roy gave a little laugh at that thought. Johnny didn’t understand women any better than Roy did.

Roy turned his blinker on and made a left hand turn when the traffic cleared. A familiar station wagon caught his eye as they passed a neighborhood diner. What would Joanne being doing here, he thought to himself. She hadn’t mentioned going out for lunch and she was just saying last night that she’d had to spend the last of the cash on Chris’ new sneakers.

Roy turned around at the next intersection raising Johnny’s curiosity.

“Whadda ya doing? Where we goin’,” he asked.

Roy parked at the curb and opened the door. “Wait here,” he said looking pointedly at his partner. “I’ll be right back.”

Johnny watched his partner’s retreating back cross the street and enter a small diner.

*~*~*

Joanne sat at the counter sipping on a cup of coffee. The waitress came back over with her pad and pen out.

“You ready to order yet,” she asked.

“I’m sorry,” Joanne apologized. “I’m meeting someone and they must be running a little late.”

The waitress softened her tone. “Sure thing, Honey. You just let me know when you’re ready.”

Joanne smiled her appreciation and nodded. The waitress moved on to the next customer and Joanne glanced up at the clock on the wall. It was going to have to be a quick lunch now, she thought.

She was lost in thought when she felt a tap on her shoulder. She smiled as she turned around.

“You’re late,” she said as she looked up.

“Am I,” he asked looking at her. “Would this make it up to you?” He pulled her off the stool and pulled her close. He lowered his lips to hers and they met in a passionate kiss.

Joanne had never been kissed like that before and she couldn’t remember where she was or why she was there.

“Oh my God,” she sighed when contact was broken.

“Does your husband know you’re here,” he asked and Joanne shook her head negatively.

He sat down on the stool and pulled her into his lap. In the back recesses of her mind, Joanne was aware that the other patrons were watching them but she couldn’t have cared less as he claimed her mouth again.

“I can’t stay,” he told her regretfully. “I’ve got to get back to work.”

She nodded her understanding unsure of her own voice.

He caressed the side of her face with the back of his hand. He lifted her off of him and stood. “Lunch is on me,” he told her as he placed a twenty-dollar bill on the counter. “I hope you’ll forgive me,” he said looking deep into her eyes.

“There’s nothing to forgive,” she assured him still unsteady on her own two feet. He squeezed her hand and she watched his retreating back as he made his way toward the door.

He said not a word to anyone as they all watched him leave and he nearly knocked down the person coming through the door.

“Excuse me,” she heard a familiar voice say and she was brought back to reality.

“Joanne,” the voice called out coming closer and Joanne gave a slight wave in acknowledgement. She looked into the familiar blue eyes.

“What’s his problem?”

“Who?”

“Your husband’s. You know the guy that almost killed me on his way out.”

“That wasn’t MY husband,” Joanne stated.

“You’re both nuts, you know that,” her sister told her.

Joanne nodded but her gaze remained on the window by the door. She watched Roy jog across the street and jump into the squad. That man may have looked like her husband but the Roy DeSoto she knew would never have done that in public. She shook her head in an attempt to come back to reality.

“You’re late by the way,” Joanne told her sister as the two sat down side by side at the counter.

“Sorry. I got hung up at the dry cleaners,” she explained.

“That’s quite all right,” Joanne said smiling.

The waitress came over to take their orders. “I thought the fire department was supposed to put out fires not start them,” she said with a wink. “Well, you know what they say about a guy in uniform,” she added with a smile, “but I don’t think I’d be telling MY husband about him if it were me.”

Joanne returned the smile and the two women placed their orders.

“What the heck was that all about? Was she talking about Roy,” her sister asked confused about what was going on.

“Yes,” she said dreamily.

“You guys are so weird,” Joanne’s sister told her. “Last night you’re complaining about how he he’s not romantic enough and only thinks about work and today you’re acting like you did when you first fell in love with him.

“Life is full of surprises,” she said blissfully. And Roy is full of surprises, too, she thought.

*~*~*

Johnny watched Roy stride out of the diner and jog toward the squad. He couldn’t help but notice the smile on Roy’s face. Once his partner was settled back in the driver’s seat and had pulled away, Johnny asked, “what was that all about?”

“Something I had to do,” Roy answered cryptically.

“You HAD to go into a diner at lunchtime and NOT get us something to eat,” Johnny asked. “I’m starved and now we’re probably gonna miss lunch.”

Roy glanced at his watch. “We’re not gonna miss lunch and even if we do we can always fix a sandwich.”

“Well, you’re certainly happier,” Johnny remarked. “What’d you do?”

“Saw an old friend that I wanted to say hi to,” Roy said matter-of-factly.

“An old friend, huh? Of the female persuasion,” Johnny asked wiggling his eyebrows.

“As a matter of fact, yes,” Roy replied still smiling.

“Well, I wouldn’t tell Joanne about it,” Johnny told his friend. “From the look on your face, I’d say she wouldn’t be too happy about it.”

Roy glanced over at Johnny suspiciously. “Why do you say that?”

“Cause you got a little lipstick on your cheek there, Roy,” he told his friend pointing at his face, “and I know I’m not a married guy but somethin’ tells me Joanne wouldn’t take to kindly to it.” Johnny handed a handkerchief to Roy so that he could wipe his face off with it.

“So, You gonna tell me who this ‘old friend’ is,” Johnny asked curiously.

“Nope,” Roy answered feeling content for the first time since overhearing the phone conversation. He had a feeling they’d both remember this day for a long time to come.

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