Christmas Eve Day
Mike Stoker stooped at the back of the engine vigorously rubbing the chrome with a polishing cloth. It had been a slow morning and with any luck it would be a slow remainder of the shift. Well, if they had some action this afternoon or evening, that would be fine. Even a night time run wouldn't bother him as long as he got home on time the next morning. He was really looking forward to Christmas day. Michelle's sister and brother-in-law were spending the holiday with Jeff's family. His own brother and sister-in-law were going to be with her family. And as much as Mike loved his brother Tim he was happy that he and Michelle could do something they had never been able to do on Christmas or for any other holiday or life cycle event for that matter... spend it alone.
Mike was so focused on his mental plans for Christmas day he didn't notice Tim's car pull into the lot. Tim emerged from the car telling his wife, "Give me a minute." Unnoticed he walked up behind Mike, dropped his hands gently on his shoulders and kissed the top of his head.
Mike turned abruptly and the two play wrestled for several seconds with Mike being pinned by his younger brother. Tim then rose, offered Mike his hand and helped him to his feet.
"I always beat you," Tim joked.
"I let you." Mike said.
"Anyway," Tim began, "Fran and I are on our way out. We stopped by your house and left your gifts with Michelle. But I had to come by and wish you a Merry Christmas." Mike nodded. "Now you're sure it's okay," Tim continued. "I mean with Bev and Jeff being away too... I mean, you and Michelle will be all alone."
Mike squeezed Tim's arm. "We don't mind." He didn't bother to tell Tim just how much they didn't mind.
The were a few seconds of silence then Tim said, "Well, we'd better get going."
Mike tossed aside the polishing cloth. "I'll walk you to your car." He draped an arm around Tim's shoulders and together they walked from the bay area.
John Gage and Chet Kelly came from between the two vehicles. "You hear that?, " John asked. "Mike and Michelle are going to be all alone tomorrow."
"Yeah and I also heard him say he didn't mind."
"And you believed that? Come on, Chet. Nobody wants to be alone on Christmas. Why do you think I invited you over? I can't believe you believed that."
Mike and Tim stopped where Fran waited in the passenger seat of their car.
"Merry Christmas, Mike," Fran said cheerfully.
"To you too." he told Fran. Then Mike faced his brother, a hand still on his shoulder, massaging gently. "And you, drive carefully...."
"I will," Tim nodded.
"And have a great visit with Fran's folks." They gave each other a kiss and a hug. Letting go Tim slid into the driver's seat. "Merry Christmas," he told his brother.
"Merry Christmas. I love you." Mike closed the door for him and waved until they were out of the lot.
Mike lucked out; just one run during the night and the crew was back in plenty of time for him to get cleaned up and home.
Mike entered the bedroom where Michelle still lay sleeping. Quietly, he removed his shirt and pants letting them fall to a heap on the floor. He drew back the covers and slipped in beside his wife easing his arms around her.
Two hours later the couple were up. They ate a leisurely late breakfast that Mike had prepared and opened a few of the gifts that were under the tree. This was the way a holiday should be... stress free with no formal preparations or worrying about what to wear to whose ever house. In fact at noon when up until then everything had been going according to plan Mike was walking around in his briefs, undershirt and socks and Michelle was in an over sized pajama top and black knee socks.
But noon is when it happened. Mike and Michelle were making orange juice when the door bell rang. Michelle looked from the kitchen window. She could not see who was on the porch from there but she spotted a vehicle in the driveway. "It's John Gage's car." She took off out of the kitchen, through the vestibule and down the hall to their bedroom with Mike yelling to her to toss him some sweats. A pair of navy blue sweat pants came sailing across the vestibule. Mike snagged them and donned them like he would his turnout gear. He took a deep breath and opened the door.
"Surprise! Merry Christmas!" John was jubilant as he stepped into the Stoker house followed by Chet.
"Yeah, surprise," Mike mumbled to himself. "What are you guys doing here?"
John touched Mike's arm. "Well, we kinda overheard you mention that you and Michelle were going to be all alone and well, we decided since it was just Chet and me that we'd pop over and brighten up your holiday. And look," he added taking a large bag from Chet. "We brought Chinese food."
"So, where is Michelle anyway?" Chet inquired. "She get bored with you already and take off to parts unknown?" Michelle appeared in the vestibule now clad in black sweat pants and sweat shirt. Seeing her, Chet said meekly, "Oh, hi." There was a pause as she gave him a look. Chet snatched the bag back from John and held it to her. "We brought Chinese food," he said apologetically.
Michelle took the bag. "Thanks," she said in a tired way. Then added. "Mike and I had a really late breakfast."
"Well, you can put it in the kitchen. We can just eat it later," John said, heading for the living-room. Chet followed. Mike shrugged and followed them. Michelle shook her head and took the bag to the kitchen.
Mike being the sweet person he was gave in and played host to his 'guests' joining them for television and some freshly squeezed orange juice. Michelle on the other hand decided to do the dishes that were originally going to 'wait until later'. It was about 1:00 while she was stacking plates in the cabinet that the doorbell rang. "Not again?" she questioned out loud to nobody. She found herself meeting her husband at the front door as he opened it.
"Cap!" Mike was taken aback. "What on earth..."
He didn't get to finish asking. "Craziest thing," Hank explained. "Beth's mother took ill. She went to take care of her and well, I didn't want to spend Christmas all by myself. So I thought who else is alone today and I thought of you two. So I stopped off and picked up some Chinese food and here I am." He handed the bag to Mike and entered. Mike and Michelle just shrugged, resigned as they overheard Capt. Stanley retelling his tale to Chet and John and listening to their story of why they were there. The three sat and watched TV. Mike and Michelle retreated to the kitchen with the second bag of Chinese take out.
They were removing cartons from the bag when Mike said out of nowhere, "I just can't ask them to leave."
Michelle smiled. "I know."
Mike sat on a kitchen chair. "You're not mad?"
Michelle sat in his lap. "No. Besides what would it accomplish?"
Mike rubbed her back. "And we're alone in here... for a little while anyway."
They gazed into each others eyes for a moment then kissed. They were kissing pretty passionately when the outside door from the kitchen opened suddenly, startling them. They looked up to see Dennis standing there looking a bit frantic. "Don't you ever knock?" Michelle asked.
"Frankly, no," Dennis told her. "But seriously, I need help." Mike and Michelle gave each other a look. "Don't say it," Dennis said in a semi joking way. Then he pointed a finger at Michelle. "Either of you."
Michelle rose from Mike's lap. "Okay, what is it?"
Dennis stared intently at her. "You have to promise not to laugh."
Dead serious Michelle shook her head and said, "No."
Mike, too, shook his head and echoed his wife's "No."
Dennis gave them a balky look then unfastened his pants, pushed out a breath and lowered his pants to reveal his genitalia.... painted like a candy cane with red and white stripes. Mike and Michelle started to snicker.
"I'm glad we didn't promise not to laugh," Michelle couldn't help saying.
"Yeah, laugh it up," Dennis sighed. Over their hiccupping chuckles Dennis tried to explain. "It's Christmas and I was trying to decorate it like a present... I had a bow on it and everything." This made Mike and Michelle laugh harder. Annoyed Dennis continued his explanation. "Well, I hadn't even thought about the fact that Karen wouldn't... well... with it... painted... I don't know what's with the stuff I used but I can't get it off."
Mike and Michelle who thought they couldn't laugh any harder somehow did. Michelle turned, muffling her sound in Mike's chest but pounding the flat of her hand against his clavicle. The laughter carried through the house. So much so that Capt. Stanley, John and Chet came into the kitchen to see what was going on. They stopped, stunned in their tracks. John's mouth dropped open, "What the hell?"
Chet's forehead wrinkled. "Dennis, babe, I know after we had Stoker's birthday party on your boat we said we wanted to see more of you but...." his voice trailed off and he made a slight throat-clearing sound.
Capt. Stanley swallowed hard before saying, "You know I wanted to come in here to see what was so funny. Know what? I don't want to know anymore." He made a hasty exit with John and Chet right behind.
The Stokers managed to regain their composure. Michelle sighed saying, "Oh, let's help the man." She took another look at the problem.
Dennis fidgeted in place. "You know ordinarily I'd love to have you gawk at the wood here but..."
"Okay," Michelle interrupted. She reached out tentatively to tap the paint layer with her index finger, then turned to Mike. "He used some kind of shellac based paint."
Mike folded his arms. "I think alcohol will dissolve shellac."
Michelle nodded. "Yeah, that's what we use to clean the brushes when we shellac at the co op. So, I figure we can either wait for him to pee or...."
"Get the rubbing alcohol," they said together.
Mike hurried from the kitchen.
Michelle turned to Dennis. "So did she like it?"
Dennis sat on one of the chairs. "We had a fight."
Mike returned with the rubbing alcohol and poured it into a wide glass. He handed it to Dennis instructing him to stick his member in it. Soon the alcohol in the glass had taken on the color of the paint and Dennis' anatomy was back to normal, save for some residual irritation. Mike left again to get some zinc oxide and Michelle took the glass to the sink. As she emptied the contents she glanced out the window to see Engine and Squad 51 come to a stop in front of their house. "Mike," she called out. The firefighters emerged from the vehicles and started up their driveway. "Mike," she called a bit more urgently.
Mike entered tossing the tube of ointment to Dennis. "What? What is it?"
Michelle said nothing. She just pointed out the window.
"Oh, you've got to be kidding me." Mike muttered. He moved to the vestibule to await the doorbell.
Captain Hochrader was the first one in announcing, "Bet you didn't expect to see us."
"This is true," Michelle replied.
Hochrader continued. "We were sitting around the station. It's been one heck of a slow shift. And it got mentioned that the two of you were alone for the holiday so we thought we'd come over and surprise you and have Christmas dinner. Figure we can be available from here just as easily as from the station."
With that Mike leaned to Michelle. "Whose idea was it to live so close to 51?"
Michelle threw him a look. 'Yours...all yours."
Mike nodded. "That's what I was afraid of."
Charlie Wilson, C shift's engineer and one of Mike's best friends was next. He hugged Mike and said, "Don't worry about the extra mouths. We stopped off on the way and got Chinese food." He handed Mike a large bag.
Mike smiled, "Of course you did."
Charlie was followed by Brice and Bellingham, then the two other firemen. Mike and Michelle could hear them being greeted by Capt. Stanley, Chet and John as they entered the living-room.
Mike and Michelle took the latest addition to the Chinese food stockpile into the kitchen. Michelle started taking down serving dishes. "Let's put the food out now. Maybe after they eat they'll leave." Michelle started emptying contents into the dishes while Mike carried a stack of plates into the dining-room which was actually one end of the living-room.. As he set them on the table Capt. Hochrader came up and slapped him sharply on the back. "So, were you surprised."
"Quite. But what I'm wondering is where you heard that Michelle and I were going to be alone."
Hochrader helped himself to some peanuts that were sitting on the table. "Bellingham told us," he answered as he walked away.
Dennis who had made his way into the living-room was cornered by Craig Brice. "You. You're Dennis Wilson. You know it was the Beach Boys' songs that made me learn how to surf." He proceeded to detail more about the music and the band than Dennis even knew. "I recall reading about a particular amusing incident in which you ran through a hotel with your organ out and painted green... Oh, the carefree days of youth. I realize you've outgrown such behavior..."
Capt. Stanley who was nearby muttered, "Don't bet on it."
Brice continued. "I also have a keen interest in your solo album. But I don't think anything will ever top "Pet Sounds" for me. Brian truly is the genius of the group."
"There wouldn't be a Beach Boys without him," Dennis said almost automatically. He excused himself and returned to the kitchen.
In the kitchen Michelle was just finishing combining all the containers of vegetable chow mein when Dennis entered and plopped back in a chair. He rested his arms on the table and let his head drop. Mike entered and he and Michelle started carrying the food into the other room. On there last trip Dennis let out a groan. Michelle handed Mike the last dish. "Tell everyone they can start in. I'll see what the problem is." Michelle sat in a chair beside Dennis. "Okay, what's wrong?"
Dennis looked up. "What's with that paramedic... the one with all the attitude."
"You mean Craig Brice."
"I guess so. Didn't catch his name. It's not him so much I guess. It's just he started talking about Brian ... and... well..." Dennis' eyes welled.
Michelle rose. She reached over and took the receiver from the wall phone and outstretched it to him. "Even if he's not talking he'll hear you." Dennis took the phone. Michelle ruffed his hair and left him to make the call.
Twenty minutes later he joined everyone in the living-room, snagging an egg roll from the dining table before sitting next to Michelle on the floor. "Everything okay," she inquired. He just nodded.
Two hours later everyone was still there. They had heard a few other stations get runs over the handy talkies but nothing sent C shift scrabbling for their vehicles.
"I forgot to tell all of you," Capt. Hochrader began. "My cousin is transferring to the city department after the start of the year."
John leaned over to Chet. "Who's his cousin?"
"Captain Benton," Chet answered. "Over at 110."
Hochrader continued. "Anyway, got assigned to some big station. Got to see it the other day. Two story job on the water. They have their own fire boat and helipad. You wouldn't believe the size of the place. Makes 51 look like a shack." Finally, though, he said, "Well, it's been fun but it's time for us to hit the sack." 51's c-shift rose from their seats and started for he door. The others rose to escort them out. Hochrader stopped in front of Capt. Stanley and with no preamble hugged him. "Merry Christmas, Hank."
Capt. Stanley had been taken aback and didn't really know what to do. He simply said, "Merry Christmas."
Following his captain's lead Brice seemed to seek out someone for some Christmas affection. He found his victim in John Gage who was caught even more off- guard than Capt. Stanley. But he brought one arm up to clumsily slap Brice on the back. Brice pulled away. "Gage, a proper embrace involves securing both arms firmly around the recipient, preferably with full body contact."
John smirked. "You left out the most important part."
Brice seemed puzzled. "Really? What could I possibly have missed?"
John poked his index finger into Brice's chest. "You have to like the person." Brice deflated while everyone else chuckled.
Mike and Charlie hugged each other. Good-byes were said and C- shift was finally out the door.
Returning to the living-room Capt. Stanley asked, "How'd they know you two were supposed to be alone anyway?"
"Capt. Hochrader heard it from Bellingham," Mike answered.
"But how did Bellingham know?"
All eyes went to John and Chet. Chet looked from one to the other. "Hey, don't look at me."
John grew sheepish. "Well... I... may... have...mentioned it... in passing. But, heck, I never thought they'd all show up here. Sheesh!" He flopped down on the couch. "Besides, I've been punished enough. Brice huggin' me," he grumbled.
Mike and Michelle exchanged a look. The rest of their company wasn't ready to leave yet.
After another hour John and Chet gave up and left. A half an hour after that when Dennis fell asleep under the Christmas tree Capt. Stanley decided the time had come to head home. Mike and Michelle walked him to the door. "Take care, Cap," Mike told him.
Capt. Stanley hesitated a moment. "Look, pal, I'm sorry for barging in on your day. I just didn't want to spend Christmas alone... maybe I should have just gone with Beth."
Mike folded his arms. "When did this hit you?"
"Well, actually when Hochrader and his bunch showed up. I was thinking how inconsiderate of them. Well, I realized I'd done the exact same thing. Too proud to leave, I suppose."
"It wasn't what we planned," Mike admitted. "But, we know everyone who showed up today meant well. Kind of nice to think we have so many people care about us." He glanced to Michelle. "Wouldn't you say?" Michelle nodded.
"Well, you know I do. I love you both very much." Capt. Stanley hugged Michelle and kissed her on the cheek. He turned to Mike, kissed his cheek as well and the two hugged tight. The three said their good nights.
Mike wrapped an arm around his wife and they made their way back to the main room. "Now that they're all gone what do we do about the little drummer boy?" He indicated Dennis still conked out under the tree.
"Let's just put him to bed in the spare room." Michelle knelt and made a move to wake him.
Mike stopped her. "Don't bother him. Let me do that." He hoisted Dennis up into the fireman's carry.
"Show off," Michelle teased. She followed Mike down the hall into the guest room where he lay Dennis gently on the bed and pulled off his shoes.
"Is there anyone we should call about him," Mike asked as Michelle cover Dennis with a blanket.
'No, if anyone wondered where he was they probably would have called here by now."
They exited and headed to their own room. They just got through the door when the phone rang. Mike answered and broke into a huge grin at the sound of Tim's voice. A few sentences later he was laughing.
"What's so funny?" Michelle asked.
Mike put his hand over the mouthpiece. "He wanted to know how are holiday by ourselves went."