head gently.
This caught Zack off guard. He was exhausted from lack of sleep and worry over Gus. At this point he was extremely vulnerable. He was used to taking over in a tough situation—always the strong one—and this feminine gesture touched him deeply. His defenses broke down and he did something he didn’t remember ever having done before. His shoulders heaved and a sob escaped his lips.
“Go ahead. Cry it out,” she said, as a mother would soothe a child. “It’s okay to cry. I wouldn’t give two cents for a man who couldn’t.”
She held him until he calmed down.
“Sorry,” he apologized as he straightened up. “That was stupid.”
“No,” Renee disagreed, “just human.” She changed the subject. “I don’t know about you, but I’m hungry. Let’s go to the cafeteria and get something to eat. Some hot coffee will do us good.”
Zack shook his head and looked toward Gus’ room. “I’m not hungry. You go.”
“Nonsense!” Renee took hold of Zack’s hand and pulled him up. “Come on,” she chided. “You have to keep up your strength. You won’t be any use to Gus if you don’t.”
The doctor had just appeared, and Zack went over and spoke to him. “How long do you think my friend will sleep?”
The doctor looked at his watch. “It’s five-thirty now. I’d give him a good ten hours. The nurse sedated him. I’ll talk to you later. Excuse me, s’il vous plait. I have rounds to make.”
As the doctor disappeared down the corridor, Renee turned to Zack and spoke with authority. “We have no reason to stay here for the next few hours. There’s nothing we can do till Gus wakes up. I’m taking you to my apartment. I’ll cook us a good, hearty breakfast, and you can lie down and get some rest.”
Zack started to protest. “I have a perfectly good room at La Grande Veue Hotel. I can get something to eat and some rest there.”
“Yes—but will you? I think I should keep an eye on you and make sure you’re okay. Come on,” she ordered. “I live right near here. We’ll come back in a few hours when you’re feeling better.”
Zack was too tired to argue with her. They went down in the elevator and into the parking lot where Renee had left the patrol car. In fifteen minutes they were at her apartment building.
As they entered Renee’s apartment Zack felt a welcome sense of ease and relaxation. The place was done in impeccable taste. Elegant, but at the same time, homey. The decor was French, of course, with beige carpet throughout. The walls were papered in a soft blue damask pattern, and the doors and trim were painted white. A soft comfortable sofa backed up to a picture window that looked out on a park, and was upholstered in a blue velvet with a white and dusty rose petal design. Built into the divan were two recliners.
Renee went immediately into the kitchen to make their breakfast. “Sit down,” she called to Zack. “I’ll take care of things here.”
The aroma from the kitchen was heavenly. To the egg mix she added some grated onions. In ten minutes she had two plates filled with scrambled eggs, bacon, and country fries. And a pot of hot coffee and hot French bread oozing with butter and jam. She brought them into the living room and put them on the coffee table.
“Breakfast is served!” she announced.
Zack hadn’t thought he was hungry, but he relished every bite. When they were finished he rose to take the dishes into the kitchen, but Renee stopped him. She brought him a blanket.
“Stretch out and get some rest,” she ordered. She elevated the footrest on the recliner, covered him with the blanket, and removed his shoes. “I’ll wake you when it’s time to go back to the hospital.”
It was cozy and warm in the apartment. Zack put his head back against the recliner and closed his eyes. The tick tock of the grandfather clock in the corner lulled him to sleep.
When he awoke four hours later, he looked around and realized he was alone. He was just
This caught Zack off guard. He was exhausted from lack of sleep and worry over Gus. At this point he was extremely vulnerable. He was used to taking over in a tough situation—always the strong one—and this feminine gesture touched him deeply. His defenses broke down and he did something he didn’t remember ever having done before. His shoulders heaved and a sob escaped his lips.
“Go ahead. Cry it out,” she said, as a mother would soothe a child. “It’s okay to cry. I wouldn’t give two cents for a man who couldn’t.”
She held him until he calmed down.
“Sorry,” he apologized as he straightened up. “That was stupid.”
“No,” Renee disagreed, “just human.” She changed the subject. “I don’t know about you, but I’m hungry. Let’s go to the cafeteria and get something to eat. Some hot coffee will do us good.”
Zack shook his head and looked toward Gus’ room. “I’m not hungry. You go.”
“Nonsense!” Renee took hold of Zack’s hand and pulled him up. “Come on,” she chided. “You have to keep up your strength. You won’t be any use to Gus if you don’t.”
The doctor had just appeared, and Zack went over and spoke to him. “How long do you think my friend will sleep?”
The doctor looked at his watch. “It’s five-thirty now. I’d give him a good ten hours. The nurse sedated him. I’ll talk to you later. Excuse me, s’il vous plait. I have rounds to make.”
As the doctor disappeared down the corridor, Renee turned to Zack and spoke with authority. “We have no reason to stay here for the next few hours. There’s nothing we can do till Gus wakes up. I’m taking you to my apartment. I’ll cook us a good, hearty breakfast, and you can lie down and get some rest.”
Zack started to protest. “I have a perfectly good room at La Grande Veue Hotel. I can get something to eat and some rest there.”
“Yes—but will you? I think I should keep an eye on you and make sure you’re okay. Come on,” she ordered. “I live right near here. We’ll come back in a few hours when you’re feeling better.”
Zack was too tired to argue with her. They went down in the elevator and into the parking lot where Renee had left the patrol car. In fifteen minutes they were at her apartment building.
As they entered Renee’s apartment Zack felt a welcome sense of ease and relaxation. The place was done in impeccable taste. Elegant, but at the same time, homey. The decor was French, of course, with beige carpet throughout. The walls were papered in a soft blue damask pattern, and the doors and trim were painted white. A soft comfortable sofa backed up to a picture window that looked out on a park, and was upholstered in a blue velvet with a white and dusty rose petal design. Built into the divan were two recliners.
Renee went immediately into the kitchen to make their breakfast. “Sit down,” she called to Zack. “I’ll take care of things here.”
The aroma from the kitchen was heavenly. To the egg mix she added some grated onions. In ten minutes she had two plates filled with scrambled eggs, bacon, and country fries. And a pot of hot coffee and hot French bread oozing with butter and jam. She brought them into the living room and put them on the coffee table.
“Breakfast is served!” she announced.
Zack hadn’t thought he was hungry, but he relished every bite. When they were finished he rose to take the dishes into the kitchen, but Renee stopped him. She brought him a blanket.
“Stretch out and get some rest,” she ordered. She elevated the footrest on the recliner, covered him with the blanket, and removed his shoes. “I’ll wake you when it’s time to go back to the hospital.”
It was cozy and warm in the apartment. Zack put his head back against the recliner and closed his eyes. The tick tock of the grandfather clock in the corner lulled him to sleep.
When he awoke four hours later, he looked around and realized he was alone. He was just
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