she would never forget and the smell of his cologne. It would stay with her forever.
She shivered. There would be no more sleep for her. Instead, Cree tried to sit up.
Cameron came out of the bathroom to see her face scrunched up in pain. He rushed over to her side. “Hey…let me help you.”
Cree warned him off. “No. I got it. I'm all right.”
Disappointed, he dropped his arms to his sides. “Should I call the nurse?”
She shook her head no. “But, could you get me some water, please?”
He was desperate to do anything, so he picked up the pitcher of water on the bedside table and poured her a glass.
“Can you hold it with your wrist?”
She still couldn’t look him in the eyes, so she continued to keep her gaze low. “I think so.”
Cameron handed her the cup and watched intently as she drank all of it. She could feel his eyes on her. The scrutiny was too much. When she finished, Cree handed the cup back to him. Their fingers touched briefly.
She laid her head back against the pillows as she slowly inhaled. She whispered, “I’m ready to go home, Cameron.”
He was relieved. Cameron would rather be home dealing with this too. “As soon as Dr. Levinson gives us the go ahead, I promise, I’ll take you home.”
Nervously, Cree swallowed. “No, Cameron. I want to go home . When I leave this hospital, I want to go back to Henrickson. I can’t go back to that apartment.”
The pace of his heart rate picked up. “Alright. I’ll let the hospital know that I'm taking some time off, and we’ll go back home for a little while.”
Cree focused on a scratch that was etched into the footboard of the bed. She still couldn’t face Cameron, not just yet. “Can you get the nurse? I could use something for the pain.”
“Yes. I’ll do anything for you.” He let his words hang in the air hoping she’d look at him just once, but she didn’t. After a moment, Cameron turned on his heels to get her nurse.
*****
Within a half an hour, Cree was in a deep sleep. Cameron sat in the same chair, head bent low, staring at his shoes.
The hospital door crept open and a small woman, in a white lab coat, no more than five feet tall walked towards him. “Dr. Jacobs?”
Cameron quickly stood. “Yes. I’m Dr. Jacobs.” He looked protectively back at Cree then back at the woman.
She extended her hand. “I’m Dr. Stevenson. I’m a psychologist and the crisis manager counselor who has been assigned to your wife’s case.” She looked over towards Cree. “How is she holding up?”
Cameron rubbed his forehead. “Not too well. And, to be honest, neither am I.”
“That’s understandable. There are a lot of dynamics going on here.”
“I haven’t been able to get her to even look at me.” Frustrated he ran his fingers through his hair. “I…I…just want to help her. I know I didn’t protect her when she needed it the most, but I want her to know…I am here now.”
She gently touched his shoulder. “I’m sure she knows that you just want to help, Dr. Jacobs. However, right now, she’s still in shock. Both you and your wife have to understand, this wasn’t either of your faults. This was the sole fault of the man who savagely attacked her.”
“I keep trying to tell myself that. But, the bottom line is that I wasn’t there when it happened. I didn’t protect her from this.”
“Again, if I have to keep reminding you, then I will. This situation isn’t your fault Cameron. I can’t reiterate that enough. And, Cree is going to need some time to absorb everything that happened to her long after she physically heals. You’re going to have to pull on patience you never knew you had. She will push you away and possibly try to withdraw into herself.” Dr. Stevenson pulled a card out of her pocket. “I’m going to give you my card. My hope is that you both spend some time with me, or someone like me to help you deal with all the different emotions I’m sure you’re feeling.”
Cameron
She shivered. There would be no more sleep for her. Instead, Cree tried to sit up.
Cameron came out of the bathroom to see her face scrunched up in pain. He rushed over to her side. “Hey…let me help you.”
Cree warned him off. “No. I got it. I'm all right.”
Disappointed, he dropped his arms to his sides. “Should I call the nurse?”
She shook her head no. “But, could you get me some water, please?”
He was desperate to do anything, so he picked up the pitcher of water on the bedside table and poured her a glass.
“Can you hold it with your wrist?”
She still couldn’t look him in the eyes, so she continued to keep her gaze low. “I think so.”
Cameron handed her the cup and watched intently as she drank all of it. She could feel his eyes on her. The scrutiny was too much. When she finished, Cree handed the cup back to him. Their fingers touched briefly.
She laid her head back against the pillows as she slowly inhaled. She whispered, “I’m ready to go home, Cameron.”
He was relieved. Cameron would rather be home dealing with this too. “As soon as Dr. Levinson gives us the go ahead, I promise, I’ll take you home.”
Nervously, Cree swallowed. “No, Cameron. I want to go home . When I leave this hospital, I want to go back to Henrickson. I can’t go back to that apartment.”
The pace of his heart rate picked up. “Alright. I’ll let the hospital know that I'm taking some time off, and we’ll go back home for a little while.”
Cree focused on a scratch that was etched into the footboard of the bed. She still couldn’t face Cameron, not just yet. “Can you get the nurse? I could use something for the pain.”
“Yes. I’ll do anything for you.” He let his words hang in the air hoping she’d look at him just once, but she didn’t. After a moment, Cameron turned on his heels to get her nurse.
*****
Within a half an hour, Cree was in a deep sleep. Cameron sat in the same chair, head bent low, staring at his shoes.
The hospital door crept open and a small woman, in a white lab coat, no more than five feet tall walked towards him. “Dr. Jacobs?”
Cameron quickly stood. “Yes. I’m Dr. Jacobs.” He looked protectively back at Cree then back at the woman.
She extended her hand. “I’m Dr. Stevenson. I’m a psychologist and the crisis manager counselor who has been assigned to your wife’s case.” She looked over towards Cree. “How is she holding up?”
Cameron rubbed his forehead. “Not too well. And, to be honest, neither am I.”
“That’s understandable. There are a lot of dynamics going on here.”
“I haven’t been able to get her to even look at me.” Frustrated he ran his fingers through his hair. “I…I…just want to help her. I know I didn’t protect her when she needed it the most, but I want her to know…I am here now.”
She gently touched his shoulder. “I’m sure she knows that you just want to help, Dr. Jacobs. However, right now, she’s still in shock. Both you and your wife have to understand, this wasn’t either of your faults. This was the sole fault of the man who savagely attacked her.”
“I keep trying to tell myself that. But, the bottom line is that I wasn’t there when it happened. I didn’t protect her from this.”
“Again, if I have to keep reminding you, then I will. This situation isn’t your fault Cameron. I can’t reiterate that enough. And, Cree is going to need some time to absorb everything that happened to her long after she physically heals. You’re going to have to pull on patience you never knew you had. She will push you away and possibly try to withdraw into herself.” Dr. Stevenson pulled a card out of her pocket. “I’m going to give you my card. My hope is that you both spend some time with me, or someone like me to help you deal with all the different emotions I’m sure you’re feeling.”
Cameron
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