eyes for just a second. They burned.
After another few minutes, there was a gentle knock on the door. Cameron got up to answer it. Slowly, he pulled it open to see Robert and Freddie standing on the other side.
Instead of letting them come in, he stepped out of the room and into the hallway closing the door behind him. Robert spoke first. “We heard about Cree. How is she doing?”
He didn’t want Cree used for hospital gossip but Cameron couldn’t worry about that right now. “She’s doing her best to keep it together.”
Robert put his hands in his pockets. “Well, thank god for that dude in your building coming in when he did. As bad as this is it could have been a hell of a lot worse.”
Cameron ran his hands down the back of his head. “I can’t wrap my mind any of this.”
Freddie spoke. “It would be hard for anyone. Just know that we’re here for both of you. If you need anything, just say the word.”
“Thanks Freddie. I don’t want to be away from her too long. I’m going to go back inside but I promise I’ll call if we need anything.”
Cameron went back inside and closed the door. He walked over to Cree’s bed and stood over her. He bent low and gently kissed her on the forehead. Even though he knew that she couldn’t hear him, he still spoke low. “I love you, baby.”
*****
Sometime during the middle of the night Cameron dozed off. He jumped when his cell phone vibrated the next morning. He hurried to answer it before it woke up Cree.
He croaked, “Hello.”
“Cameron.”
He stilled.
“Mom? What?! How? Never mind, it’s a small town. Why are you calling me?”
“Yes.” Nervously, she hesitated. “Mr. Watson called to tell us about what happened with Cree. He’s been keeping in touch with us over the years, letting us know how you kids were doing, and…”
Anger radiated from him. Speaking through clenched teeth and a hushed tone he asked, “And what?! Why are you calling me?”
“Cameron, you’re still our son. We love you and just wanted to offer our support.”
He pinched the bridge of his nose. “You cut me out of your life because of Cree and now, you want to call me. NOW?! Forgive me if I don’t leap up and down.”
“We’ve made mistakes. But, you have to know we just wanted what was best for you. We were wrong. It’s obvious how much you love her.”
He didn’t have the emotional capacity to deal with his parents. “I can’t do this with you right now. I’ve got to take care of my wife.” Cameron hung up. He hadn’t spoken to his parents in several years and wasn’t quite sure how he felt about it. What he did know was that he wasn’t going to spend any time on it now. Cree was his first and only priority.
A moment later, a nurse came in to check on Cree. “Good morning, Dr. Jacobs.” She spoke to him as she went over and checked her vitals.
Cree stirred but didn’t wake up. Cameron got up and stretched. He stood closer to Cree as he watched the nurse’s every movement.
“Everything looks good and her swelling has gone down considerably. She might want something for the pain when she wakes up. So, I’ll be back when she does. Just press the button.” As the nurse was leaving she turned around. “Is there anything I can get for you?”
Cameron rubbed the stubble on his face that had grown overnight. “No, but thank you.”
After the nurse left, he decided to take a quick moment to use the bathroom.
As soon as he left, Cree opened her eyes. She hadn’t been asleep. She had awakened when the nurse came into her room however, she needed a bit more time because she still wasn’t ready to face Cameron. Although, at some point, she wouldn’t have a choice, for now, Cree just wasn’t ready, not yet.
Chapter 14
It was virtually impossible for Cree to go back to a dreamless sleep without the help of medication. Every time she closed her eyes, the image of her attacker appeared. His hard eyes and heavy breathing was something
After another few minutes, there was a gentle knock on the door. Cameron got up to answer it. Slowly, he pulled it open to see Robert and Freddie standing on the other side.
Instead of letting them come in, he stepped out of the room and into the hallway closing the door behind him. Robert spoke first. “We heard about Cree. How is she doing?”
He didn’t want Cree used for hospital gossip but Cameron couldn’t worry about that right now. “She’s doing her best to keep it together.”
Robert put his hands in his pockets. “Well, thank god for that dude in your building coming in when he did. As bad as this is it could have been a hell of a lot worse.”
Cameron ran his hands down the back of his head. “I can’t wrap my mind any of this.”
Freddie spoke. “It would be hard for anyone. Just know that we’re here for both of you. If you need anything, just say the word.”
“Thanks Freddie. I don’t want to be away from her too long. I’m going to go back inside but I promise I’ll call if we need anything.”
Cameron went back inside and closed the door. He walked over to Cree’s bed and stood over her. He bent low and gently kissed her on the forehead. Even though he knew that she couldn’t hear him, he still spoke low. “I love you, baby.”
*****
Sometime during the middle of the night Cameron dozed off. He jumped when his cell phone vibrated the next morning. He hurried to answer it before it woke up Cree.
He croaked, “Hello.”
“Cameron.”
He stilled.
“Mom? What?! How? Never mind, it’s a small town. Why are you calling me?”
“Yes.” Nervously, she hesitated. “Mr. Watson called to tell us about what happened with Cree. He’s been keeping in touch with us over the years, letting us know how you kids were doing, and…”
Anger radiated from him. Speaking through clenched teeth and a hushed tone he asked, “And what?! Why are you calling me?”
“Cameron, you’re still our son. We love you and just wanted to offer our support.”
He pinched the bridge of his nose. “You cut me out of your life because of Cree and now, you want to call me. NOW?! Forgive me if I don’t leap up and down.”
“We’ve made mistakes. But, you have to know we just wanted what was best for you. We were wrong. It’s obvious how much you love her.”
He didn’t have the emotional capacity to deal with his parents. “I can’t do this with you right now. I’ve got to take care of my wife.” Cameron hung up. He hadn’t spoken to his parents in several years and wasn’t quite sure how he felt about it. What he did know was that he wasn’t going to spend any time on it now. Cree was his first and only priority.
A moment later, a nurse came in to check on Cree. “Good morning, Dr. Jacobs.” She spoke to him as she went over and checked her vitals.
Cree stirred but didn’t wake up. Cameron got up and stretched. He stood closer to Cree as he watched the nurse’s every movement.
“Everything looks good and her swelling has gone down considerably. She might want something for the pain when she wakes up. So, I’ll be back when she does. Just press the button.” As the nurse was leaving she turned around. “Is there anything I can get for you?”
Cameron rubbed the stubble on his face that had grown overnight. “No, but thank you.”
After the nurse left, he decided to take a quick moment to use the bathroom.
As soon as he left, Cree opened her eyes. She hadn’t been asleep. She had awakened when the nurse came into her room however, she needed a bit more time because she still wasn’t ready to face Cameron. Although, at some point, she wouldn’t have a choice, for now, Cree just wasn’t ready, not yet.
Chapter 14
It was virtually impossible for Cree to go back to a dreamless sleep without the help of medication. Every time she closed her eyes, the image of her attacker appeared. His hard eyes and heavy breathing was something
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