––––––––
Monday, Emmitsburg, Maryland
Johnny looked forward to a hot, hearty lunch. He made his way through the National Fire Academy campus cafeteria line, his tray loaded with meatloaf, mashed potatoes and gravy, green bean casserole and cheesecake. He was filling a paper cup with Diet Pepsi at the soda fountain when he heard, "Firefighter Newman?" He turned.
His course instructor said, "They wanna see you in the administration office."
"What'd I do?"
"Don't know."
"Can't I eat first?"
"Take it with you."
Johnny fished silverware out of the plastic holders, grabbed a handful of napkins, and set his tray on top of a trash can. He retrieved his coat and shoved his arms into it. He picked up the tray, trudged outside and grumbled all the way across the rolling rural campus, watching the steam rise in the cold Maryland atmosphere. He pushed his way in the glass door backwards and said to the receptionist, "Name's Newman. I'm supposed to meet somebody."
The pretty little thing smiled and nodded. "Go on back."
He walked into a conference room. A uniformed Maryland State Trooper was sitting on a table, talking to a guy from the academy. Captain North from FDNY Internal Affairs nodded at Johnny. They'd worked together at Engine Seven during Johnny's rookie year.
The trooper said, "Mr. Newman, we have some bad news for you."
Johnny dropped the tray onto the dark wood look laminate table. Green beans slopped onto it.
"Not—" He choked out. Terrified that Susan had died.
"There was a car fire in the driveway of your house on Madison Avenue—"
"Oh, jeeze, you scared me. Oh, no, my truck!" He no sooner got those words out than he remembered parking his truck at the firehouse.
"No, it was a Jeep."
"What?"
"Possible suicide."
"What?" Johnny asked. Nothing made sense to him. This was surreal.
Captain North asked, "What is the relationship between you and Firefighter Mildred Potter?"
"Potter? Nothing. Eww!"
"When was the last time you saw her?"
"Yesterday, at a rest area on the Jersey turnpike."
"Which one?"
"How should I know? I wasn't driving."
Captain North said, "Go on."
Johnny relayed the whole gross story. "But it doesn't make sense. It's not like we were a couple and I broke her heart or anything."
"Firefighter Potter was mentally unstable. She'd been notified she was on administrative leave pending an internal investigation."
"For doing what?"
"Tampering with the department's e-mail server. They don't allow attachments and she impersonated a chief with his password. It's been going on for a month or so now. They knew about it, but didn't act on it until her latest impersonation yesterday."
"Oh, right, the naked picture."
"So what do you know about this naked picture? Hobby of yours? Have you taken any of Potter?"
"Gross! Have you seen her? And no, I didn't take that photo." Something wasn't right. Johnny tried to piece things together. "If she was on administrative leave, then why was she coming to Emmitsburg?"
Captain North said, "You tell us."
"What?"
"How long have you two been sleeping together?"
"I told you, no! Never. I never ever touched that girl."
"Well, then why was she driving you across state lines?" the fire captain demanded.
Johnny ran his hands wildly through his hair. Across state lines? What was this, a bad made-for-TV movie? "She called me up Sunday morning and asked did I wanna ride with her to Emmitsburg. Since Lieutenant Van Dyke had already told me on my last tour of duty Potter was going, too, I assumed that meant we were both officially taking the damn Haz Mat class."
The Maryland State Trooper stuck a piece of sugar-free gum in his mouth. He chewed, then said, "So you pounced on the opportunity to get her alone in forced proximity."
Johnny smashed his fist on the table. His roll flew onto the floor. "What the hell is goin' on? I don't know what it is you're trying to make me say."
Captain North said, "We think it looks like your truck in the background of the naked photo of Mrs. Cervini. And our sources indicate you've been spending a lot of time with the widow Cervini."
"The widow Cervini? You make her sound like a school marm in the wild west. And yes, I've been spending time with her, but that photo wasn't taken by me and she certainly didn't consent to it."
"So says you. We'll send an officer up there to check her side of the story."
"No! You'll do no such thing. What the hell is this all about?"
The cop chewed and offered, "It's not my jurisdiction. I haven't been to the crime scene. But I find it curious that a photo of a naked woman near your truck gets uploaded onto the New York Fire Department e-mail server. The known perpetrator of hacking winds up dead in your driveway, after you say you've broken up with her."
Johnny fanned the air with his hands, in a show of disgust. "Am I under arrest for something? For what? Damn it, tell me what the hell you are talking about!"
Captain North said, "Calm down, Firefighter Newman. We're just trying to sort out what caused the death of one of our own. The homicide squad indicated they thought it was a suicide or an accident, we're awaiting the coroner's report. That's all. We're just trying to piece together the last hours of Firefighter Mildred Potter's life."
Johnny pulled out a chair from under the conference table. He plopped down and said, "I'm sorry to hear she's dead. She was an asset to the department. Give me a minute to compose myself and I'll be happy to answer all of your questions."
* * * *
New York
Lieutenant Rainbeaux Van Dyke opened the unlatched storm door and knocked on Susan's black and frosted glass front door. She was accompanied by a detective from the NYPD homicide division and an Internal Affairs officer of the FDNY.
Bob barked and jumped. Susan opened the door. "Hi, Rainbeaux." She recognized the guy from Internal Affairs...he had come with Lieutenant Van Dyke to notify her that Brandon had been killed. Susan screamed, "Oh, my God. No. No! Johnny isn't dead!" Heat rose up from the bottoms of her feet, all the way to her hair. Her sight faded into black. She fainted.
* * * *
Susan woke up on her sofa with Melody kneeling over her.
"It's okay, Susan. Johnny is just fine. He's not dead."
Susan eyed the fire department brass and the old, bald cop. "What's this about?"
Lt. Van Dyke said, "Sweetness, somebody took a nekkid photo of you and uploaded it on the department's e-mail server."
"What?" Susan remembered her naked driving incident. She told herself to act cool. Plausible denial. Plausible denial. She felt like throwing up. Color rushed back into her face. She felt the heat on her cheeks.
"We traced it back to Firefighter Mildred Potter over at Twenty-three engine."
"Why would she do something like that? I don't even know her." Wasn't that the girl Johnny said came on to him?
Melody asked, "May I talk to my cousin in private?"
The cop snarled. "No."
Melody said, "Fine. I know who Mildred Potter is. She's a big windbag fan of Mister Wright. She owns the Mister Wright's Delights e-mailing list. Her screen name is Cookies Crumble."
The cop wrote that down. So did the fire department internal affairs guy.
Susan sat up. "Cookie? Cookie, that monster! She had it in for me. She hated me. I blundered onto that mailing list, trying to find you, Melody. Hey...I never saw you post."
Melody smiled. "I'm Tanya."
"Really? Well why didn't you respond to me?"
"You must've posted after I left. I moved to a new house sitting job. The last one didn't have computer there."
Susan said, "I met Cookie in Austin. Last week. She was really nasty. Cookie is a firefighter? Don't they have any physical requirements? She's like four-two or something, if that much."
Lieutenant Van Dyke said, "The department makes allowances for us girls. We're all different sizes and shapes than the men."
Susan said, "Oh, my God! Johnny, Johnny rode to the academy with her but bailed out at a rest stop." She slapped a hand over her mouth. Shoot. She shouldn't have said anything. She didn't want to get him in trouble..."
Lt. Van Dyke asked, "Why would he bail out on the girl?"
"She wanted sex."
The internal affairs officer said, "So, after they fornicated..."
Susan said, "No! He wouldn't touch her. He wouldn't do that."
The internal affairs guy raised his eyebrows. "I've been out drinking with Firefighter Newman..."
"We're engaged!"
Lieutenant Van Dyke gasped. "Makes sense. It all makes sense now. No wonder he's been spendin' so much time with you. Oh, are you sure? Newman?"
"Yes. And I don't care who has a problem with it." Susan sat up tall, imagining everyone in the room counting back the months to when Brandon died. Judging her. They had to be. But she didn't care. You can't control when love comes, and she sure as heck wasn't going to throw this chance away, just because some thought it improper for a new widow to find comfort in the love of another man.
"I'm not judging you, girlfriend. You go for it. You are the woman that finally tamed the flamin' hot stud. You go, girl."
The cop said, "Mildred Potter's body was found inside her burned out Jeep in Newman's driveway."
Melody said, "I'm gonna be sick..." and ran to the powder room. Bob chased after her.
Susan asked, "When?"
"Near midnight. The neighbors called it in."
Susan shuddered and stood up, wrapping her arms around herself. She cried. "This is so scary. What happened?"
"We think it was suicide, possibly an accident, but we'll let the coroner decide."
Susan asked, "How can it be an accident?"
The detective said, "The point of origin of the fire was on the seat next to her. We know she was a chain smoker and, given her long drive and the late hour, we have a theory that she fell asleep smoking and the cloth seat ignited, just like it would in a home."
Susan said, "My momma died like that. Smoking in bed. That's how I—"
The detective said, "I'm very sorry to hear that, Mrs. Cervini."
Susan said, "Oh, my God! Horner!"
The internal affairs guy asked, "Firefighter Calvin Horner? What about Horner?"
"Eww! He must have seen...seen what he thought was a picture of me naked! I called the firehouse yesterday and he was nasty to me, said he would come over and give me 'the old one eyed worm'! I thought he was drunk!"
Lt. Van Dyke said, "I'll be havin' a talk with Firefighter Horner. He will be making a formal apology to you, sweetness."
Melody returned from the powder room. She stood in the foyer, listening.
The homicide detective said, "Okay, I think I'm done here. Thanks for your input, Mrs. Cervini. I'm sorry to have upset you like this."
She walked them all to the door. Rainbeaux turned and hugged Susan. "Just wait 'til I get a-holt of Horner's nappy head. Oh, I could just—"
Susan said, "Shush...you don't want those two listening in..."
Rainbeaux said, "Oh, honey, congrads. I know you'll be so happy together. What beautiful babies you'll make together."
Susan closed the doors and locked up.
The cousins stumbled back into the living room. Susan tried to revive the fire, stirring smoldering embers and adding pine kindling. It worked. She heaved on a split oak log.
Melody said, "I knew there was something wrong with that girl. She was too bossy and mean. But suicide? I never would've thought that. And pasting your head on a slut's body..."
"Yes. Now the whole New York City Fire Department has seen me naked. Or think they have." No way would she admit that it probably was a real photo. She just hoped Hank and Gavin didn't tell. She cringed, realizing they'd seen her naked in person.
The phone rang. Susan headed for the kitchen. Just as she was answering, Bob ran to the door. She heard a faint knocking. Susan called out, "Get that, will ya?"
* * * *
Susan picked up the phone. The caller ID read "Unknown".
She answered, "Hello?"
"I love you, sweetheart."
"I love you too, Johnny. How is class?" She let out a long breath.
"More interesting than I thought. Um...I'm calling to give you the head's up that...that—"
"That Mildred Potter committed suicide-slash-accidentally killed herself when she fell asleep smoking in her car in your driveway."
"I'm too late. Sorry." He groaned. "Was it awful? Did they upset you too much—?"
"It was unpleasant but all right. Rainbeaux came with a cop and the IA officer. And we got some things figured out."
"Really? Like what?"
"Oh, that Potter's alias is Cookies Crumble from the online Mister Wright fans. And I know she was out to get me—"
"I remember, you said something about she said someone made an attempt to kill Mister Wright or something and she lost her Internet group—"
"Gosh, you do listen when I babble, don't you?" She smiled.
"For more than six years now. I've hung on your every word."
"Really?"
"Yes, sweetheart, yes...so, she was trying to steal your man then. That's what the deal was with her coming on to me. What a cat."
"When can I see you Friday? Where should we meet?"
"Okay, I should be out of class by three. Come and pick me up. I think the nearest motel is in Gettysburg—"
"Gettysburg? As in Pennsylvania and Lincoln's four score and all that?"
"Yeah. See if you can make a reservation...um, if you're gonna spend the weekend and you want a room close by. Don't worry, I won't be expecting...I'll stay in the men's dorm."
"Must you?"
"Well, no, I'll probably be the only one, the other guys are all going home."
"Well then by all means, you're staying with me. I don't want to sleep all alone in a strange town."
"Okay. We can cuddle if you'd like."
"You know I love cuddling. It's a date. If I don't hear from you before then, I'll meet you somewhere near the campus entrance at three then."
"I love you."
"I love you, too." She reluctantly hung up after his click.
* * * *
Susan heard voices as she returned to her living room. Melody looked at her, helplessly.
Susan said, "Hi. Good to see you again."
Adam Wright said, "Thanks so much for calling me."
Susan looked at Melody. "Sorry, but I promised him I would. He really wanted to find you. And I certainly know how deep that need is. I'll go on up and have a hot bath. Bob's been out enough for the night, don't worry about him. Just lock up his playpen, okay?"
Adam sucked in a deep breath and said, "Hello, Angel. How've you been?"
Melody fixated on a shard of bark on the hardwood floor. "Hello."
He said, "Let's sit." He took her by the hand.
She trembled.
Adam led her to the sofa.
"I'm glad your son is all right."
"Thanks."
"So why aren't you with your family right now? With Lauren? Isn't she due soon?"
"Yes."
"How'd you find me?"
"Private Investigator."
"I heard. That creeped me out. Why'd you do it?"
"Once I found out you were alive—"
"Alive? Why does everybody think I died?"
"That night. The last night you came to the studio. I went after you. I was going to tell you, to tell you..." He stood up and meandered over to the fireplace, picked up the poker and stirred the fire. "The fire. Your apartment. One fatality. The cop wouldn't tell me who. I didn't even know your name, Angel..." His voice cracked.
Melody was transported back to that hot New York summer. The season of her first kiss, first love. First broken heart.
"So how did you find me?
"It wasn't hard. Not really. Once I knew your name and where you'd lived in Las Vegas, my detective just had to talk to the rental agent at the trailer park. She told him the name of the real estate agent on the island that had called to check your references. Then he flew down there, talked to her. I booked a flight to Fort Myers, but your cousin called me and so I changed it to LaGuardia and here I am."
"What do you want?" Melody nervously asked.
"For you to ask me."
"Ask you what?"
"You know."
"You spent all that money, traveled all this way, for a stupid, former star struck little girl to ask the big superstar, Mister Wright, for a kiss?"
"Yes." He smiled.
"Well, you had your chance and you blew it, mister."
Adam's brow furrowed. "I can see that. Your husband is a wonderful man. When is your baby due?"
"March first. Yours?"
"In eight more weeks."
Melody balked. "Zander a wonderful man? Your gumshoe wasn't so good. I left Mister Wonderful."
"Why?" Adam sat back down beside Melody.
"Oh, let's see, he's a lazy jerk with get rich quick dreams of grandeur. And a baby didn't fit into his lifestyle."
"He doesn't want his own baby?"
"He doesn't want any babies."
"I'm sorry." He touched her face.
She trembled. All those feelings from so long ago were fighting to resurface.
They heard a sand truck outside.
"Your husband isn't all that bad."
"Yes he is."
"He gave the lower lobe of his liver for Adam, Junior."
Melody grabbed her belly. "Zander? Zander Utley? My Zander?"
He nodded affirmatively.
"Oh, no."
"Are you all right?" Adam worried.
"Fine."
"Angel, I came after you that night."
"What?"
"That last night. The night you told me you loved me. I came after you."
"Yeah, so what? If you had found me, what would have been different? You still married the good doctor Lauren. And she certainly turned you on, turns you on still. How many kids have you fathered by her now? Seven? Eight?"
"One."
"What?" Melody studied his sculpted face. Still ruggedly handsome after all these years.
"Just the baby she's carrying. The others aren't mine."
"Yeah, right. You married her to make an honest woman out of somebody else's lover?"
"Apparently."
"Speak sense."
"I didn't find out until little Adam needed the transplant. I wasn't compatible. Couldn't donate. So I had the other children tested, too."
Melody looked at him incredulously. "What does the good doctor say about it all?"
"I haven't confronted her yet.'
"Why not?"
"I'm waiting for little Adam to recover. And for my daughter to be born. Then I'm going to sue her for joint custody of all four."
"Joint custody?"
"Divorce her and sue her for custody."
"What judge will give you custody of children that aren't yours?"
"They are mine. In my heart. And theirs. Nobody can take that away from us. She's a good mother. I won't take her from the kids, but she has to pay for ruining my life. I will live with the kids in my house except when I'm away on tour. She will sleep there those nights, in her own room. The kids won't be uprooted."
"Yeah, like she'd agree to that. She'll take you to the cleaners."
"No, she won't. Her alternative is I get sole custody. And I have the money to do it."
"So why are you here?"
"I had to come. Had to find the one that got away. The one that is my destiny. The one I should have married. My little smoldering angel."
"Well, as you can see, I'm a little tied up at the moment. Life went on for me."
"How do things stand with you and your husband?"
"They don't. He has ceased to exist. He'll never know he has a daughter. And don't you dare tell him." Melody sniffled and held her belly.
"I see." He touched her hair. "You are as beautiful as I remember from those summer midnights..." Adam ran his hand through her blonde hair, from the center part down to her elbow. "You haven't changed a bit."
She chuckled. Tears rolled down Melody's cheeks. Cold tears. "They were good times, weren't they?"
"The best. The best times of my life. Oh, Angel. Please ask me. One more time. Ask me."
She swallowed. "Can I have a kiss?"
Adam leaned down. He placed a hand on each cheek and gazed into her gray-blue eyes. Their lips met. A soft little gentle kiss. He pulled back and smiled. She smiled, too.
* * * *
Susan awoke to sunshine. Pulling her robe on as she passed by the guest room, she noticed the bed was made. She trotted down the steps and heard Bob licking his paws. She stopped in the foyer. Adam and was sleeping upright on the couch, with Melody's head in his lap. She wanted to take a picture, but resisted. She didn't like being photographed secretly, so she wouldn't do it to them.
Susan let Bob out and put on a pot of coffee. She stared out the window at the skiff of snow still on the back yard. She remembered Johnny's smoldering gaze dancing playfully over the Bert and Ernie mug, sipping their special blend of coffee.
Adam walked in. "Good mornin'."
"Hi. You could've slept upstairs. I've got a double bed in the guest room and a pull out in the den."
"Thanks. My sleep couldn't have been more perfect right where I was."
Melody waddled in. He grabbed her hand and gazed into her eyes.
Susan opened the door. Bob clamored in.
"Mel, will you get the cups out? The coffee's almost done."
Mister Wright's pocket rang to the midi tune of "More Than A Woman." He stepped out onto the deck for better reception.
Melody poured coffee, Susan poured kibbles.
Susan said, "So?"
"What?"
"You and Mister...um, Adam?"
"Shh..." Melody whispered, "Oh, my God, you won't believe it! He says he's loved me all these years! He regrets marrying doctor phony Lorony."
"Oh, I do believe it. There seems to be a lot of that smoldering forbidden love suddenly flaming up around here."
"Shh...he's coming."
Adam stomped in. "Well, Angel. It seems that your husband has filed for custody of my son."