By Audrey W.
“Hey, how about we go get a bite to eat.”
John Gage stopped sweeping the dorm room floor of Station 51 and looked first at his watch, then at his partner in surprise. “Now?”
Roy DeSoto nodded.
“Don’tcha think we oughta finish our chores first? I mean, it’s not like we didn’t have donuts. . .oooh . . .say about less than an hour ago,” he added wryly.
The previous crew on duty had left a plate of the pastries, having bought more than enough for themselves. He and the rest of A-shift had managed to each eat at least one before roll call. It was then Captain Stanley assigned them to chores. Roy’s task had been the dayroom, which was the room everyone on the various shifts tended to hang out in most. Thus it usually required a little more attention to it than Gage’s assignment. Surely Roy couldn’t be done yet.
“Maybe I worked up an appetite,” DeSoto shrugged. “Besides, I already cleared it with Cap. I explained I was still hungry and he agreed we could finish when we get back.”
“Okay,” John said with a sigh as he leaned the broom up against the wall near the captain’s bed. “Let’s go.”
As he walked toward the door, he pointed to Roy with, “But you’re buyin’. I don’t have any cash on me.”
“Sure.”
With that settled, they headed into the apparatus bay and to their squad.
~*~*~
“So how did Joanne like her Mother’s Day present?” John asked as Roy drove toward a favorite place to eat. “Did ya give it to her a day early like you planned?”
“Yes, I did. And she was quite surprised.”
“Good deal. I’ll bet she’ll really enjoy it.”
It seemed slightly odd to John that Roy didn’t vocalize agreement with his statement. But he chalked it up to his partner’s mind being on food.
~*~*~
After ordering his breakfast of toast, scrambled eggs and a glass of milk, Gage listened while Roy requested pancakes, eggs, bacon and coffee. Apparently he wasn’t kidding in the least that he’d worked up an appetite.
However, they didn’t get to eat even half of their meals before the handie talkie they’d brought in with them squawked and the paramedics were sent out for a child trapped call.
~*~*~
“Obviously that kid eats well,” John remarked after he and Roy were on their way from the scene, the victim safely freed. A chubby seven year old boy had tried to turn the laundry shoot on the second floor of his home into a secret spy passage to the first, only to find out he didn’t quite fit through and had become wedged.
“Yeah, well, hopefully we’ll soon be, too. . .or at least give it another try.”
After a moment of silence in the squad cab, Gage glanced thoughtfully at the older man.
“Roy, don’tcha think donuts and a half of another meal are enough? After all, ya don’t wanna ruin your appetite for lunch.” He snickered at his own last comment.
Roy shook his head. “I really want a hot breakfast. I’m not ready to throw in the towel yet.”
“Okay. . .but if ya can’t eat Marco’s tamales at lunch, don’t come complaining to me.”
Roy smiled. John frowned. He just couldn’t figure out his partner’s obsession. Especially since he was usually the one to be annoying Roy with being overly focused on one thing. Also, because as a rule, Roy wouldn’t eat quite so much.
~*~*~
A second attempt at a hot breakfast was interrupted as well. After that rescue call, the paramedics were sent out on yet another before they could even make it to the cafeteria at Rampart General Hospital for a third attempt.
“Tamales.”
“What?”
John turned in his seat in the squad to face his partner.
“It’s almost lunchtime now. So you’re just gonna hafta settle for the tamales and then we’d better try to finish our chores. We never did, ya know.”
“Yeah, story of my life,” Roy mumbled.
Now it was John’s turn to question. “What?”
“Settling.”
John almost prodded further but decided not to. . .yet.
~*~*~
Halfway through their lunch of tamales, Roy and John were dispatched out again. Roy sighed in frustration as he pushed his chair away from the table and got to his feet. He and his dark-haired partner hurried for their squad while Captain Stanley followed behind to acknowledge the call at the podium in the apparatus bay.
~*~*~
Once again on their way back in the squad later, Roy volunteered an explanation.
“All I want is a hot meal. Is that too much to ask?”
“We’ve gone through days like this before. You’ve always taken it in stride.”
“Yeah, because I’ve had enough home cooked meals to carry me through till we get off.”
John screwed up his face. “But you got Joanne a brand new stove for Mother’s Day. . .wait. . .don’t tell me she wasn’t surprised in a happy way and won’t cook for ya now.”
“No, she was very happy. Was thrilled to have a new stove since the other one that came with the house was fairly old. But. . .”
“But what?”
“You won’t believe it.”
John really wished he would just get the whole story out.
“Try me,” he urged.
“I think she loves it a little too much.”
He glanced at John, who was wearing a very puzzled expression on his face.
“She doesn’t want to mess it up.” Roy sighed. “First words out of her mouth after ‘Roy, I love it!’ were ‘I can’t use it yet, I don’t want to get it dirty’. So we’ve had nothing but cold cereal and sandwiches since day before yesterday. Well, except for eating out for Mother’s Day, but I wouldn’t exactly give that restaurant an A rating. The kids like the change in diet, but I’ve got to admit, I miss the warm meals. Me and my half baked ideas. I should’ve let her keep the old one, it still worked good.”
John shook his head. “Roy, I wouldn’t call it a half baked idea. After all, you’re not even getting that!”
Roy glanced at his grinning partner in the passenger seat. He was enjoying it a little too much, but then it was kind of a silly situation. He returned the smile.
“You wanna get a hamburger and fries?”
“Sure. But--”
“I know. I’m buying.”
Me and my half. . .my ideas. . .
This was inspired by a new stove we got last week. First day we had it, we went to Subway. Second day, my husband and I used the toaster oven and microwave. ;o)
I hope you enjoy your Mother's Day!
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