Constellation Of A Family

by Purry

“No one cares about me! I thought they were my friends, but now….” Johnny muttered to himself as he maneuvered his Land Rover through the early morning traffic.

“I’d never, ever, forget one of their birthdays, especially not Roy’s. I guess they mean more to me than I do to them,” the more he thought about it, the more sorry he felt for himself.

“Stop it, Gage! Stop feeling sorry for yourself. Just because no one wished you a happy birthday doesn’t mean they don’t care about you,” Johnny tried to convince himself, still unsure.

The wake up tones sounded the beginning of a new day. The A-Shift Crew of Station 51 pulled on their turnouts and headed to the kitchen for some much needed coffee.

“Gage, it’s your turn to make the coffee,” Chet Kelly reminded him.

Johnny expected to see donuts, cookies or maybe breakfast waiting for him as he went into the kitchen. He thought Chet was pulling his leg, but that wasn’t the case.

Always, when it was one of their birthdays, someone else made the coffee and always had some sort of treat to go with it. But today it didn’t seem anyone was going to continue the ritual. Today was just like any other day, nothing special to anyone but him.

John noticed no one else had made a move to make coffee, so he resigned himself to do it.

Chet, Marco and Mike all sat down around the table to wait for the coffee.

“So, Marco, what do you have planned for your days off? A hot date, maybe?” Chet inquired.

“No, no hot date. I have a few errands to take care of and I might catch that new movie, ‘The Sting,’ I hear its pretty good,” Marco replied.

“Yeah, I heard that to,” Mike joined in.

Cap walked over and turned on the TV to see what the forecast was going to be for their days off, while Roy took a seat on the couch next to Boot. Everyone seemed oblivious to Johnny’s quiet state.

Once the coffee was finished and everyone had a cup, Johnny decided to throw out a few hints that it was August 28^th; to see if they had truly forgotten his birthday.

“Hey, Roy, you need me to come over today and help with any projects? I don’t have anything planned today, but tomorrow, the 29^th, I have a few things planned,” Johnny inquired.

“Gee, Johnny, thanks, but Joann and I have a day planned with the kids, you know a DeSoto’s day. Uh, you’re welcome to join us if you’d like,” Roy asked.

“No thanks, Roy! You go and enjoy your time with your family. I was just offering,” Johnny said with a hint of disappointment in his voice.

Johnny now knew nothing was planned to celebrate his special day. Every year since he’d meet Roy, the DeSoto’s would have him over for some sort of celebration. Apparently this was another ritual that had bit the dust.

“I know Helen has a long honey do list waiting for me,” Hank sighed.

“I’m glad I’m not married. I have no one to answer to but myself,” Chet grinned.

“Well mamma has made plans for the entire family to Spring clean,” Marco volunteered.

“Spring clean?” Mike questioned. “Marco, it’s August!”

“Tell me about it! Every two months mamma insists that the house needs a good Spring cleaning, so me and my sisters help tidy the house from top to bottom; inside and out,” Marco explained.

“Wow! She’s the ultimate housekeeper, and a great cook to boot,” Mike said.

“Si!”

“Well, I’m going to help a friend build a tree house for his son. Should be fun!” Mike laid out his off time.

Johnny listened to his ‘family’ tell of their plans. There was no hint that any of his friends recalled today was his birthday.

The sound of the Beatles singing ‘They say it’s your birthday, it’s my birthday too,’ jarred Johnny back to the here and now. He continued on to the solitude of his apartment where he intended to make the most of what was now the most unhappiest day of his life.

************************** 

Meanwhile, Roy arrived home and was greeted with a kiss hello from Joann.

"Where are the kids?"

"Next door playing with Cindy and Peter."

"Oh! Are they excited about the party?" Roy inquired.

"Are you kidding!" Joann laughed.

Roy smiled.

“How was your shift?” she asked.

“Fine, slow! We had a quiet night, thank goodness.”

“So you and the rest of the guys should be up to our little get-together?”

“Yeah, I think it’ll be a good time. Poor Johnny!” Roy said with a small smile that played across his lips.

“What do you mean by, ‘poor Johnny‘?” Joann questioned.

Roy looked down at the floor then back up to look at his wife. She’d probably be upset by what they had done.

“Roy, what did you mean by ‘poor Johnny‘?” she asked once again.

He let out a long, slow sigh.

“Well…the rest of the guys, and me too, thought it’d be a good idea if we ‘forgot’ Johnny’s birthday. You know, to throw him off.”

Joann stood with her mouth agape, not believing what her husband just said.

Not believing that he, and the rest of Johnny’s so called friends would be so cruel.

“Roy, how could you? You know how much Johnny means to us, to everyone. He must have been hurt!” Joann said while shaking her head in a disapproving motion.

“Honey…..” Roy tried.

“Roy, think about it. We’re his family and he ours, he must think….” a soft sob escaped from the upset woman.

“Honey…Joann…we only wanted it to be a surprise. Of course he means a lot to me; to our family, and all of the rest of the guys. We just wanted to give him a birthday to remember,” Roy pleaded his case.

"All I can think of is how much this had to hurt him," Joann stated.

At the time it had seemed like a good idea to pretend to not remember Johnny's birthday, but now, after Joann voiced her concerns, Roy wasn't so sure. The thought of his best friend hurting, at his hand, was more than Roy could take. He had to make it right, and fast; if he let this go on for as long as he and the guys had planned, Johnny could be deeply hurt. His mind made up, Roy said to his wife, "I need to get Johnny over here, the sooner the better!"

"What are you going to do?" Joann questioned, wondering about his quick turn around.

"I'm gonna go over to his apartment and bring him back home with me. This is where he belongs, with his family," Roy said as he headed for the front door.

"Good luck!" Joann wished as Roy went out the door. Under her breath she said, "You're gonna need it!"

Johnny pulled into his parking space at the apartment complex he lived in. He looked up at the window that belonged to him and saw the darkness that was within; dark and lonely. Not wanting to be by himself, he put the Rover into reverse and pulled out of the parking lot, heading for some unknown destination.

If Roy had been just five minutes earlier, he would have caught Johnny before he'd left. But he wasn't. The fact that Johnny wasn't home was enough to tell Roy that Joann was right, Johnny was indeed upset.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid," Roy chanted out loud to himself. He put the Porsche in gear and headed back home, without the birthday boy.

When he arrived home, Roy noticed the rest of the guys had made their way to the 'party'; a party that may not happen. He slowly made his way inside the house, dreading to tell Joann and the kids that Johnny wasn't coming.

"Roy! Where's Gage?" Chet asked. He had been standing at the window to give the signal to everyone as to when to say 'surprise' to Johnny.

"Uh..... He's....He wasn't home," Roy finally stuttered out.

"NOT home," was the chorus of everyone in the room.

With his head bowed, Roy confirmed, "Not home!"

The day drug on, everyone hoped that Johnny would eventually show up. Repeated phone calls to his apartment had been fruitless. Roy and the guys not only felt guilty for the prank they had played on Johnny but they were also beginning to get worried.

************************** 

Johnny drove to the small park that was near his apartment. Most of his day was spent sitting on a bench, thinking about what he thought he had, and what he may never had had at all. A group of people known as the “Friends of the Friendless,” stopped by concerned by the lost look Johnny’s face wore. That was when Johnny realized how silly he’d been. Just because no one remembered today was his birthday, didn’t mean he’d lost his ‘family’. At least that was what he’d hoped.

Johnny decided to head back to his apartment and make the most of what was left of his birthday. He knew he had taken for granted that August 28^th was special to someone else besides himself, but over the past four years, Roy, his family and the guys made it special. Today he remembered how it was before Station 51, lonely.

The afternoon passed slowly. Everyone was at Roy’s house hoping their missing friend would show up, but as time passed it looked like this may indeed be a birthday that none of them would forget.

Jennifer DeSoto had been looking forward to the party, it was for her favorite person in the whole world next to her Daddy, Mommy, and Chris; her ‘Uncle Johnny‘.

While all the adults were in the living room discussing what they should do, little Jennifer snuck into her parents bedroom. She picked up the telephone and dialed the familiar number.

Johnny walked through the door of his apartment just as the phone began to ring. At first he started not to answer it, but thinking it may be important, he did.

“Hello!” Johnny greeted.

“Uncle Johnny?” Jennifer’s tear filled voice came over the line.

“Jennifer? Jenny, honey, what’s wrong?” Johnny was concerned that his little princess was crying.

“Uncle Johnny, you gotta come, you just gotta,” she cried even harder.

“Honey, Jenny, what’s wrong?” he asked again.

“Daddy…..” that was all she said, her crying stopped her from being able to say anything else.

“Jennifer, I’ll be there in a few minutes. Stay where you are; don’t move! OK?”

Johnny waited for her to acknowledge his instructions before he hung up the phone and ran out the door.

On the way over to his best friends house, all Johnny could think of was what awaited him. Was Roy in trouble, or was it Joann or Chris? He started praying.

“Oh please, let them be OK. Please just let them be OK,” Johnny continued to repeat for the entire trip to the DeSoto’s home.

Jennifer hung up the phone and wiped her tears. Uncle Johnny was coming. The party would still go on. Now all she had to do was sit and wait for him to come and tell her she could move.

The Land Rover came to a screeching halt outside the small home. Johnny saw the cars of his co-workers parked all around. Fear grabbed a hold of Johnny’s heart as he ran to the front door of the house.

Without knocking, he threw the door open and ran in. As soon as he crossed the threshold, he called Roy’s name, then Joann’s.

Everyone was still trying to decide how they were ever going to make this day up to Johnny, when the front door crashed open. A distraught Johnny Gage was yelling for Roy and Joann as he came into the living room. The startled group didn’t know what was going on, but they didn’t care. Johnny being there was all that they’d wanted.

Johnny, in his haste to find out what had happened to his ‘family,’ burst into the living room like a twister. His eyes quickly scanned over all the people in the room, searching, until his eyes settled upon the one person he was looking for, Roy.

Timidly, Johnny asked, “Uh, what’s going on? Why is everyone here? Are you hurt, Roy?”

Stunned by the question, Roy got up and went over to where Johnny stood.

“Johnny, where have you been? I’ve….we’ve been worried sick about you!” Roy admonished.

“Me?!” Johnny responded.

“Yes, you,” Roy answered.

“But….but….” Johnny stuttered, not able to form the words that he wanted to say.

“Cat got your tongue, Johnny boy?” Chet ribbed.

“Shut up, Chet,” was the reply from everyone in the room.

“Roy, is everything OK? Is everyone, OK?” Johnny continued to look everyone over.

“Of course we’re OK! Why do you keep asking?” Roy asked.

“Uh…. Jenny called me and she was crying. She said I had to come, and then she just said ‘Daddy, before her sobs prevented her from telling me any more. I just assumed you needed me. I’m so embarrassed!” Johnny said and bowed his head.

“Jennifer!” Joann stated.

“Jo, where is she?” Roy questioned.

“I don’t know, I bet…” Jo was interrupted by Johnny.

Johnny looked up at the question of Jennifer’s whereabouts‘.

“I know where she is!” Johnny supplied.

“You do? How?” Everyone in the room was staring at Johnny.

“Before I hung up the phone, I told her to stay put, not to move. She’s probably either in the kitchen or your bedroom.”

“I’ll go get her!” Joann started.

“Jo, let me?” Johnny asked.

After a quick look in the kitchen and no Jennifer, Johnny made his way up to the master bedroom. As soon as he opened the door, Jennifer jumped from her perch on the edge of the bed and ran to her ‘uncle’.

“Uncle Johnny, I knew you’d come, I knew it,” the five-year-old squealed.

“Of course I came. My best girl called and asked me to.” Johnny cooed as he stroked the blond head of the little girl that stole his heart the first time he’d set eyes on her.

“Good! Now we can have the party!” Jennifer, again, squealed.

“Party?” Johnny questioned.

Roy had been standing outside the bedroom door listening to his best friend and daughter. When Jenny mentioned the party, Roy thought, “Well the cat’s out of the bag now.”

Roy figured it was time to ‘surprise’ his partner.

“Uh, Johnny?” Roy started.

Johnny looked up at his friend when he heard him call his name.

“Roy?” Johnny’s question hung in the air.

“Surprise!” was all Roy said.

“Huh?” Johnny still didn’t know what was going on.

“Surprise! Happy Birthday, Johnny!” Roy said with a little more enthusiasm.

“Birthday…? I thought you forgot!”

“Oh, Johnny! I’m so sorry! We all are sorry! We didn’t forget your birthday, we….uh….we just wanted to surprise you, so we pretended that we forgot it. It was a lousy prank and I feel just awful about it. I….we never meant to hurt you.” Roy confessed.

“That’s Ok, Roy!”

“No, no it’s not OK! I should have been more sensitive your feelings. Believe me when I say, I am truly sorry.”

Roy extended his hand to Johnny for a handshake, but decided that when he had Johnny’s hand in his, he’d pull him into a strong bear hug instead.

All was forgiven.

“Are you ready to party, Junior?” Roy asked.

“You bet, Pally!” Johnny replied.

Jennifer was so thrilled that the party was going to happen, she left the bedroom once her father came in and started talking with Johnny. All the way down the stairs she called out to everyone that they were gonna have a party.

Hank, Marco, Mike and Chet helped Joann set out the food and drinks on a long table in the back yard. Each of the guys had brought a dish or drinks. All they needed now was Johnny.

Roy and Johnny stepped out on the deck. A rendition of Happy Birthday To You was sung, by all present, to the dark-haired paramedic.

A blush spread across Johnny’s face from all the attention he was receiving from his friends, his family. He loved it.

All apologized for their contribution to the, ‘not-so-funny’ prank.

It turned out to be a wonderful birthday for Johnny. The food was delicious and his friends had given him some terrific gifts.

The party broke up a little after 10 PM. Everyone wished Johnny a happy birthday one last time as they left.

Johnny and Roy sat on the deck and talked about how the day had been a joyous affair even with its rocky start.

“Roy, I want to thank you for the party. I appreciate it,” Johnny, shyly, said.

“You’re welcome, Johnny! August 28^th is a special day to all of us. That was the day my little brother and best friend was born. A definite day for celebration. We all feel that way about you. We’re your family, and you ours,” Roy stated.

Johnny’s emotions were about to get away from him. The words Roy spoke were the best present anyone could have ever given him.

“Johnny, we have a gift for you.”

“A gift? You threw this terrific party for me, that was gift enough,” Johnny stated. He noticed Joann and the kid’s had joined them.

“This gift is from me, Joann, Chris and Jennifer. We want you to know how much you mean to us. We want you to know that you are a member of the DeSoto family.” Roy said.

“I feel the same about all of you,” Johnny said.

After a few seconds of silence, Chris said, “Give Uncle Johnny his present, Dad.”

“OK, son!”

Roy pointed to the telescope that was set up on the deck. It was a Christmas present from Johnny to Roy a few years back.

“What? You giving me back the present I gave you?” Johnny questioned.

“No, John, I want you to look through it. Tell me what you see.”

Johnny stooped down to look. What he saw was a small cluster of five stars, each shining brightly on this clear dark night.

“What do you see, Johnny?” Joann asked him.

“I see five stars!” he answered.

“Johnny, those five stars represent the DeSoto family. There is one for each of us; Joann, Jennifer, Chris, me and *you*.”

“Oh…” was the only word Johnny could speak. He was, once again, overwhelmed with emotion, but this time he let the tears fall.

Roy presented Johnny with a parchment certificate from the Star Registry. It was mounted in a dark mahogany frame. The document had his name listed on it along with the rest of the DeSoto family, his birth date, and the coordinates for their stars.

“These stars represent family. No matter where any of us go on this earth, we will know, we are never alone. ‘Family’ will always be shining down upon us,” Roy said in an almost non-existent voice. Expressing his feelings was never an easy thing for him to do.

Joann and Johnny were silent, but sniffles could be heard coming from all three adults. The kids were quiet. They had sensed this was an “adult” moment. A moment that bonded the five of them forever.

Later that night, Johnny sat on his balcony; his new telescope, that was also a present from Roy, stood next to his chair. It was pointed in the direction of his family.

Johnny knew from that moment on, that as long as the stars shined bright, he’d never be alone.