"Uncle Johnny!" came a high-pitched shriek as John Gage exited his white Land Rover.
"Happy Birthday, princess!" Johnny exclaimed, as the small, blonde haired girl hurled herself across the front yard and flew at him. Easily catching her when she launched herself at him, he quickly spun her around before setting her down on the ground next to him.
Laughing as Jenny DeSoto clung to him, still dizzy from her ride, Johnny was amazed at the fact that it was now her tenth birthday. It seemed like just yesterday when her father and his fellow paramedic classmate Roy had invited him over to meet his wife Joanne, almost two-year old son Christopher, and his infant daughter Jennifer.
Well, Johnny grinned to himself. I was training, he was retraining!…show more content… You and Roy just go outside, get the games started. I'll just run to the store real quick and pick up some, okay?"
One thing Johnny did not want to deal with was a panicking female, especially if it was Joanne. He knew how frazzled she could get and when that happened, people would end up on wild goose chases for no reason.
"No, no that's okay. Roy should go…"
"Nope, he and you should just go out and start having fun, I'll be back before you know it."
"Thanks, sweetheart," Jo gave him a hug and quick kiss on the cheek. "You're a life saver."
"Nope, just a sanity saver for Roy," he grinned and then ducked out of the way as she swatted at him. "I think I'll be leaving now…"
"Smart man," Roy stated, shaking his head at his partner.
"Roy!" Jo put her hands on her hips, smiling slightly as she glared at him. "Now, what is that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing, honey, it's just that…"
With those words, Johnny headed out the kitchen and through the living room before slipping out the front door, hurrying to escape before he could get Roy in any more trouble. It’d be a sure bet that if Roy got in trouble that sooner or later, he'd end up having to deal with the
