Chapter 34

Fire ... smoke ... I was coughing ... Where is my family ... got to find my wife ... smoke ... panic sets in ... I can't find Sam... "Sam where are you?!" ... got to find my boys ... Where's the door ... can't see ... got to find them ... fire ... smoke...

"Paul. Wake up. You're fine. I'm here. You're fine" I came awake in a strange bed with a familiar woman next to me. The air was clear. There was no fire. I was safe and warm in bed.

I was panting, recovering from the dream and the adrenaline that had flooded my system while I was asleep and dreaming. Panting, Ashlee was next to me speaking soothing words into my ears and holding me. "You're fine. It's ok. It was just a dream." She repeated taking me into her arms and holding me. I just laid there.

"What happened?" I asked once I was calm enough to form words.

She leaned down and kissed my temple, "You started calling out to your wife and kids and thrashing around something fierce."

"The house was on fire. There was smoke everywhere and I couldn't find the door to get to the kids or Sam. I was lost in the fire and smoke." With my head on the pillow, I tried to calm my breathing. "I'm sorry that I woke you. I don't usually have dreams that intense and I don't ever cry out like that."

Ashlee put her head on my chest, her arm across my body and threw a leg over mine. "It's ok. You have been through so much lately; I am surprised you don't have more like that." She just held me as I calmed down.

"Thank you for being here for me."

"Don't worry about it; I'm here for you just like you are here for me. I love you, bad dreams and all."

"I love you too honey." We held each other until my conscience mind reminded me that I had been asleep for several hours and that my bladder could hold only so much. "I hate to do this, but I have to pee."

She giggled and moved off of me to let me get out of bed and head to the bathroom. She had a night light in her bathroom so the whole area was lit up enough to see by at night and I found the toilet and relieved myself. When I was done and turning away from it, Ashlee was there. "I have to go now too."

I stepped aside and she sat down and did her business as I left the bathroom to go back to bed. The bed was a mess. I had kicked the sheet out from the bottom and the blankets and comforter was off almost completely. I started making it back up. Ashlee joined me and together we put it all back together. We crawled back into bed and assumed our sleeping position and both of us were back asleep.

When we woke up again, this time with sunshine coming in through her window, I moved around and found Ashlee sleeping facing away from me so I moved closer to her and threw my arm over her and hugged her. She stirred and hugged me back. "Thank you for taking me in." I said to her just above a whisper.

"It is so nice to have you next to me when I wake up. Being alone sucks." She said quietly.

"I agree."

"Now I have to call for a break in the action so that I can pee." I chuckled and let her get up and head into the bathroom. I followed along just like she did with me last night. I didn't stand watching her pee, but close enough so that she knew I was there.

When she was done, she left and I took her spot at the toilet. I flushed like a good guest and put my robe back on that I left on the floor. I found Ashlee in the kitchen wearing the same robe, but open in the kitchen. Brenda wasn't up yet. I came up behind her, hugged her and kissed her on the neck right where I always kiss her. She wiggled her butt against my pelvis that happened to be pressed against her. "What are we going to do for breakfast? I thought I saw you throw away just about everything we could eat."

She bent forward, pressing her rear against me, and pulled out bread, jelly and butter. "We can have toast at least."

"Got coffee?"

"Yup, in that cabinet over there."

I stepped away from her and found the coffee and filters. I got the coffee started as Ashlee put the bread in the toaster and putting out two plates and a knife. Before the bread was done, Brenda came in rubbing her eyes wearing a t-shirt that was just long enough to cover her charms in front, but not in back. "Good morning." Ash and I said together and Brenda just groaned.

"Why are you two so chipper? Don't you know what time it is?"

"Yes I do and it is a fine time to be chipper." It was after 9am but for her, it must feel like the middle of the night.

She just groaned and opened the fridge. "What happened to all the food in here? Didn't we have orange juice and milk in here?"

Ashlee answered her. "We did, but while we spent the week with Paul, it all spoiled so I had to throw it all away. Sorry honey, but until we can get to the store, it is toast and coffee for now."

She shut the door a little more forcefully than expected and grumbled over to the coffee pot and poured herself a cup then grumbled off to her room.

"Not quite a morning person is she?"

"No. She never has been much of a morning person. During the school year, I have to drag her out of bed to get ready for school. As a baby, she did not like to be woken up from a nap at all."

"I remember those days with my kids."

"You know the old saying about waking babies." Ashlee asked me.

"Yup, 'Never wake a sleeping baby.' Been there done that." We both laughed at my simple joke.

Breakfast was simple and after a couple slices of toast, I had my fill and took my mug of coffee to the family room and sat down. "Ash, could you hand me my phone and wallet? I think I left them on the counter by you."

"Sure." She walked over to me with them. "Whatcha going to do now?"

"I have to call the insurance company, the police and Julie to let her know I need a construction company to redo my house."

"Good call." She left me to make my calls.

I didn't have my homeowner insurance phone number saved, so I had to check the internet and call them with what I found online.

"Thank you for calling MetroLife. How can I help you?" A man's voice of what should be my local agent.

"Hello, this is Paul Johnson. Is this Brent?"

"No sir. This is Jeff at the national office. You must have been forwarded to the national office. How can I help you?"

"I have my homeowner's policy with you and my house burned down yesterday. So I suppose I need to file a claim."

"Oh my gosh, I am so sorry to hear that. Is everyone alright?"

"Ya, no one was injured in the fire and my dog made it out alive."

"I'm glad to hear that. Can I get the address of the property?"

I gave him my address. After a moment, he found my policy and verified my identity and then began the paperwork. I told him that the police were out, the fire department CSI was out and the police CSI team had all been out to look the fire over.

"Did they use the term arson?"

"Yes they did. A detective even questioned me while I stood there watching them work."

"Did you have anything to do with the fire Mr. Johnson?"

"No I didn't." I got a touch offended by that question, and my voice must have told the man on the phone as much.

"I am sorry, Mr. Johnson. I didn't mean anything by that. It is just part of the questions I have to go through.

"Fine."

"Did anyone give you a report number?"

"No, do you need that now?"

"It would make this all a lot easier."

"Ok, let me try the police department and see if I can reach the detective." I pulled the business card of the detective out of my wallet and dialed his phone number. I brought the agent in on the call and when the phone call went to voicemail. Of course, he was off duty. I pressed the magic numbers on the phone and escaped out of his voicemail and was answered by someone on duty.

"Good morning, Blue Springs Police Department."

"Hi, I need a report number from the fire yesterday. Detective Parson was the man I spoke to yesterday."

"Are you the homeowner?" He voice on the phone asked me.

"Yes I am. I have my insurance rep on the phone with me and he need the report number for the claim."

"Just a moment please while I pull that up for you."

"There you go. The local police in action for you." I said to the agent on the phone.

"Thanks for doing this. It is going to make this whole process easier for each of us." the agent fell quiet as we waited. Finally the police came back on the line and read off the report number. The agent was there and took it all down and even asked if the fire department had their own number. "They did, but you would have to call them yourself. Here is the number."

She read it off and we both recorded it. The police hung up after we thanked them for their help. "I guess it is your turn to do a conference call."

"OK, please hold."

Now it was my turn to hold the line and listen to the hold music. After a minute or two, I was brought on the phone with the fire department and gave them my information and they found the report number to the agent and to me.

Me - "Do you have a status on the investigation? I would like to get started putting my life back together."

FD - "We are not done quite yet."

Me - "So no conclusion as of yet who did it then?"

FD - "No, not according to this. Sorry."

Agent - "When will you have the final report filed so that we can get a copy for the claim?"

FD - "Hopefully by the middle of the week. Accordingly to what I am seeing here, a broken bottle was found and fingerprints were found on it so we should be able to close this portion of it and release the home back to you then."

Me - "Thanks. Who is leading the investigation?"

FD - "The police is leading it since it looks like arson, but I can give you the name of our investigator."

Agent - "Yes please."

The fireman gave us the investigator's name and number. I didn't write it down but the agent did by the sound of his keyboard.

They went back and forth for a little while longer and I just sat on the couch listening. Well kind of listening. It was just too much for me to handle.

The FD finally gave up all of the information that the agent needed and clicked off. "Do you have everything you need?" I asked the agent.

"Yes I do."

"When can I get into what's left of my house and try to salvage what is left?"

"I would say not until after the FD finishes with their investigation. So don't count on being able to get inside of it until late next week. This may take a while."

I let out a sigh and sunk deeper into the couch. "Fine. Do you have my number? I am staying at my girlfriend's house since this happened."

He clicked and read off my phone number. "Do you still have this other phone number that starts with 914?"

"No, that was my wife's number and I had that turned off."

"Why is that if I may ask?"

"She and my kids died in a car accident a couple of months ago, so you know. She didn't need it anymore. So I turned it off."

The agent gasped at the revelation. "I am so sorry to hear that. I'll go ahead and change your policy to indicate that you aren't married anymore." The clicking of the keys came through the phone as he typed. "I have gotten everything updated. Is there anything else I can do for you then?"

"No. Other than make sure my local agent hears about this. I would like to get this all set and done so I can get back into my house and salvage what I can find that wasn't destroyed by the smoke and fire. Like, my computers and what DVDs I can find that didn't get melted in the fire."

"I understand sir. As soon as the FD and police department finish their work, you can get back into your house and get what you need. It will happen sooner than you think. Just be patient and we will get you back together."

"Thanks. This is all so overwhelming; it has been a tough 24 hours for me."

"I completely understand Mr. Johnson. We'll be right with you throughout the entire process."

"Thanks."

We hung up from each other and I closed my eyes while sitting there. So much happening to me. So much change. So much loss. What the heck is going on with me these days?

SAM - We are fine. You are going to be fine. It was all for a reason. We all love you.

There was Sam's voice again in my head. Always making sure that I know I am being taken care of. I just thought back to that voice, it is just so much change right now. Give me strength please.

SAM - You have your strength and she is waiting for you.

I opened my eyes. Ashlee had come into the room and sat in the other couch without me noticing. I smiled. My strength. My love. My future. I sat up and then onto the floor and walked on my knees over to where she was sitting and then got onto the couch next to her and put my head in her lap. She put her hands on my head and stroked my hair with her other hand on my shoulder. "What did they all say?"

"Insurance is all set, but I won't be able to get back into the home until late this week. It looks like someone tried to torch my house on purpose."

She whistled her surprise.

"One of the CSI guys said that they think they found a fingerprint on the broken bottle they found in the garage under my truck where they think the fire started. If they can put a name with it, then this will all be over and I can find a builder to make me a new home."

"Do you think you are going to want to live there when it is rebuilt?"

I thought for a minute. "No I suppose not. I should probably find a bigger home with some more security so that no one can get near me and set my home ablaze again."

"Are you in a hurry to move out of here?"

"No. I'm in no hurry at all. As long as I have you at my side, I am in no hurry at all."

We sat quietly on the couch. She continued to fuss with my hair and rub my arm as we sat. I finally rolled over onto my back so that I could look up at her. "I should probably get going and find more clothes. I think that having only one outfit is not enough. What do you think?"

"I think that is a very good idea." She gave me a shove and I playfully fell on the floor.

"Ok, alright. I'm going." I got up and went to the bedroom and then into the shower. I was soon joined by Ashlee and since her shower is so big we managed to get clean without being in each other's way. Now, don't get me wrong. I didn't ignore the lovely body next to me. I washed her back and the other playful areas on her body that I could reach and she did the same to me. We enjoyed our time together and managed to get clean at the same time. She handed me a towel and she got hers and we got dry. When we went into the bedroom, she went to her dresser and pulled out her clothes and I walked into the hallway and to the dryer to get my clothes out.