accepted her card. “Thank you.”
She nodded. “I’ll try to stop by later after she wakes up to speak with her.”
“Thanks again.”
*****
Cameron had no idea how long he watched Cree sleep. It was, however, long enough for his neck and back to ache unmercifully.
His cell phone vibrated. Again, not to disturb Cree, Cameron got up and walked away toward the window in her room to talk.
“Hey.”
“It’s David. We’re here.”
Cameron checked his watch. They literally must have left almost immediately in order to drive here this quickly.
“Here where?”
“In the hospital parking garage.”
He sighed. “I’m fairly confident, she doesn’t want to see anyone. But, come on up to the waiting room anyway. You guys might have to sit there for a while before I can ask her if she’s up to visitors. She’s having a difficult time resting, and I don’t want to wake her.”
“That’s cool. We’ll be right up.”
Cree stirred then screamed. “Nooooo!”
“I…I’ve got to go.” Cameron immediately hung the phone and quickly went over to her. “I’m here baby.”
It took Cree a moment to realize where she was as her eyes darted around the room. She visibly relaxed after realizing she’d been dreaming.
Cameron held her hand. This time she didn’t pull away.
“I’m sorry.”
“You have nothing to be sorry about, Cree. Nothing . If you won’t listen to me, then maybe you’ll listen to your grandfather.”
For the first time since she’d been hurt, Cree looked him in the eyes. “Wh…what?”
“Yeah. David and Melody hopped in their car yesterday and drove all night and day to bring him.”
“My grandfather’s here?”
Cameron nodded. “They should be in the waiting room.”
She touched her face, and a fresh round of tears came. “Please, can you get him?”
He kissed her fingers. “I’ll be right back.”
Cameron left the room. His eyes were so tired that his vision was blurry. He made it to the waiting room and as soon as he entered, David and Melody rushed him. Mr. Watson was a little slower.
Melody was beside herself. “How is she? How are you? I can’t believe this Cameron!”
“Me either.”
Her eyes were wide with curiosity. “What happened?”
He took a deep breath. “Cree was doing laundry in the laundry room of our building. She was alone, and the bastard took advantage of the opportunity.”
Melody’s eyebrows knitted together. “I thought your building was secured?”
“It is. He lived down the hall from us. Luckily, another neighbor walked in on them and stopped it. He beat the shit out of him. Sorry, Mr. Watson.”
He was old but had he caught that man hurting his grand-daughter, hell would have been a safer place for him. “No apology necessary. I wouldn’t expect any less. How is she?”
Cameron folded his arms. “You know Cree. She’s trying her best to be brave. But, she’s asking for you.”
“Then show me the way to my baby.”
Quietly, they walked back to the room. Before they went inside, Cameron turned to him. “Mr. Watson. I promised you I’d protect her and I’m sorry I didn’t.”
He frowned. “Cameron you can’t take the blame for this. It was about as much your fault as it was Cree’s. The blame…” His voice almost failed, “The responsibility for hurting Cree lays squarely with the man who did it. Are we clear on that?”
Cameron shook his head. “Thank you, sir.” He knew that in his head but wasn’t able to reconcile it in his heart.
After a moment to collect themselves, Cameron announced to Cree that he’d returned with her grandfather then pushed the door open.
Cree sat up stiff as a board. As soon as she saw her grandfather though, she burst into tears. He went to her with outstretched arms and held her as she cried.
Cameron didn’t know how to feel knowing Cree had only allowed him to hold her hand, while she let her grandfather hold her. However, each one of her sobs and every sniffle wore on his
She nodded. “I’ll try to stop by later after she wakes up to speak with her.”
“Thanks again.”
*****
Cameron had no idea how long he watched Cree sleep. It was, however, long enough for his neck and back to ache unmercifully.
His cell phone vibrated. Again, not to disturb Cree, Cameron got up and walked away toward the window in her room to talk.
“Hey.”
“It’s David. We’re here.”
Cameron checked his watch. They literally must have left almost immediately in order to drive here this quickly.
“Here where?”
“In the hospital parking garage.”
He sighed. “I’m fairly confident, she doesn’t want to see anyone. But, come on up to the waiting room anyway. You guys might have to sit there for a while before I can ask her if she’s up to visitors. She’s having a difficult time resting, and I don’t want to wake her.”
“That’s cool. We’ll be right up.”
Cree stirred then screamed. “Nooooo!”
“I…I’ve got to go.” Cameron immediately hung the phone and quickly went over to her. “I’m here baby.”
It took Cree a moment to realize where she was as her eyes darted around the room. She visibly relaxed after realizing she’d been dreaming.
Cameron held her hand. This time she didn’t pull away.
“I’m sorry.”
“You have nothing to be sorry about, Cree. Nothing . If you won’t listen to me, then maybe you’ll listen to your grandfather.”
For the first time since she’d been hurt, Cree looked him in the eyes. “Wh…what?”
“Yeah. David and Melody hopped in their car yesterday and drove all night and day to bring him.”
“My grandfather’s here?”
Cameron nodded. “They should be in the waiting room.”
She touched her face, and a fresh round of tears came. “Please, can you get him?”
He kissed her fingers. “I’ll be right back.”
Cameron left the room. His eyes were so tired that his vision was blurry. He made it to the waiting room and as soon as he entered, David and Melody rushed him. Mr. Watson was a little slower.
Melody was beside herself. “How is she? How are you? I can’t believe this Cameron!”
“Me either.”
Her eyes were wide with curiosity. “What happened?”
He took a deep breath. “Cree was doing laundry in the laundry room of our building. She was alone, and the bastard took advantage of the opportunity.”
Melody’s eyebrows knitted together. “I thought your building was secured?”
“It is. He lived down the hall from us. Luckily, another neighbor walked in on them and stopped it. He beat the shit out of him. Sorry, Mr. Watson.”
He was old but had he caught that man hurting his grand-daughter, hell would have been a safer place for him. “No apology necessary. I wouldn’t expect any less. How is she?”
Cameron folded his arms. “You know Cree. She’s trying her best to be brave. But, she’s asking for you.”
“Then show me the way to my baby.”
Quietly, they walked back to the room. Before they went inside, Cameron turned to him. “Mr. Watson. I promised you I’d protect her and I’m sorry I didn’t.”
He frowned. “Cameron you can’t take the blame for this. It was about as much your fault as it was Cree’s. The blame…” His voice almost failed, “The responsibility for hurting Cree lays squarely with the man who did it. Are we clear on that?”
Cameron shook his head. “Thank you, sir.” He knew that in his head but wasn’t able to reconcile it in his heart.
After a moment to collect themselves, Cameron announced to Cree that he’d returned with her grandfather then pushed the door open.
Cree sat up stiff as a board. As soon as she saw her grandfather though, she burst into tears. He went to her with outstretched arms and held her as she cried.
Cameron didn’t know how to feel knowing Cree had only allowed him to hold her hand, while she let her grandfather hold her. However, each one of her sobs and every sniffle wore on his
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