Playing a Little (16 page)

“I think your injury is worse than I expected. Now lie back down…”

“My name is Camille LeCroix, you idiot! You cannot force me to stay…”

“No, but I can,” a low voice sounded from the doorway.

“Erik! I was worried about you, I went to look for you and…” She was interrupted as Erik pressed his lips to her mouth, kissing her firmly and with possession. When he pulled back, Camille found herself panting.

“I was so scared when I saw you walk right onto the black ice after I told you not to. Thank God there was a fisherman nearby who was able to reach you before I did. If it weren’t for him…” He clung tightly to her and Camille’s heart began to sing. This was real, he really did care about her! She knew that, once and for all, she would have to find a way to silence her mother’s voice in her head and stop it from influencing her.

“I am so sorry. I was trying to find you and give you your coat. I forgot about the black ice.”

“We will talk about that once we get home, Camille,” Erik answered grimly, taking her hand as he sat next to her on the bed. “What matters now is that you are safe. I don’t know what I would do if I lost you. Don’t you ever frighten me like that again. I love you.”

“I’m sorry. I love you, too. Please, forgive me for being so stupid. I never meant to hurt you. The things that my mother said kept coming back and…”

“You are not stupid in any way. I should not have left the house; I should have stayed to talk this through. Your mother…” He changed the subject. “When can she be released? Doctor? Hello?”

“I apologize, Mr. Renault. I am a little star-struck. And surprised. Miss LeCroix was telling the truth.”

“I still don’t see why it is so unbelievable that Erik and I are friends. And see? He is dressed liked a fisherman!” Camille snarled again, gripping Erik’s hand tightly. “I told you so!”

“No… That isn’t what has me speechless. It is that you are Camille LeCroix. I never thought you would be so beautiful in real life. I’m sorry. I sound like a blubbering fool,” he blustered. “You have always been cute in a quirky sort of way, but seeing you now is mind-boggling. You are a very lucky man, Mr. Renault. Very lucky indeed. She had many wonderful things to say about you after I misspoke. I do apologize for that.”

“No problem. When will I be allowed to take my little miscreant home?”

“We have been pumping warm saline IV into her as well as warm oxygen through the night. Her vital signs are stable at this point, but it will be very important to keep an eye on her core body temperature for the next 24 to 48 hours. You will also need to push warm fluids to keep her organs functioning properly until her body regulates itself naturally, and stay away from solids for the next three days just to give her digestive system a break. If there is any drop in her temperature, she needs to be brought back immediately.”

“Understood. Activities?”

“Complete bed rest. I want to make sure that the blood supply to her feet is unhindered. We can supply you with a bed pan for her personal needs…”

“I have that covered. Don’t worry,” Erik said, squeezing Camille’s hand before kissing her temple. “She is in good hands. I trust that I don’t have to have you sign a privacy release about her presence here or condition?”

“Neither I nor my staff will violate the patient privacy act. To do so can cost us our license,” the physician said stiffly, shirking under Erik’s intense gaze.

“Excellent. I don’t want my fiancée suffering anymore nasty attitude from the press. They have already hurt her so much, as you know.”

Camille stared at him.
Fiancée
?
Trust him, you little fool! He is protecting your reputation!
she scolded herself.

“I thought we were going to keep quiet about that,” she said quietly, figuring to help him in the illusion.

Erik stroked her hair. “He is the only one who knows, honey. If this got out, we would know who shared the information.”

Camille nodded, understanding. Erik just ensured them their privacy.
Smart man
, she thought with adoration, leaning against his arm.
Too bad it is a ploy.

“As I told you, Mr. Renault, my patient’s privacy is of utmost import. I can’t promise that a passerby won’t say anything. Truthfully, I did not recognize Miss LeCroix, so I do believe that she would be safe from speculation.”

“Thank you. May I take her home now?”

“Yes. Let me process the paperwork and I will send a nurse in here to discontinue her IV. Miss LeCroix? No more ice baths for you. Doctor’s orders.”

“I won’t, I promise.”

“Good. I am going to send some equipment home with you,” he turned to Erik, “and here is my cell number. This is not regular practice, but given your situation, it might be easier to get through to me if you have any questions or concerns.”

“Thank you very much,” Erik said gratefully, putting the paper into his wallet. “Is there anything you need from me?”

“Just an invite to the wedding,” the doctor smiled, patting the top of Camille’s head. “Take good care of this girl and try to keep her out of trouble.”

“Your first request is very reasonable, Dr. Gaidry. The second… I don’t know. Trouble seems to follow this little one way too often.”

“Please call if you need me. Good luck, you two,” he said, shaking Erik’s hand firmly before leaving the room. Camille lowered her face as Erik turned to her.

“Are you ready to go home, Cami?”

“Yes, Daddy,” she whispered, worrying the sheets. “Am I in bad trouble?”

“For going onto the black ice after being told not to? I would think so.”

“But I was looking for you and you didn’t answer me.” Camille looked up at him pleadingly.

He kissed her lips. “Yes, I know. I will think about it. I am just so grateful that you are alive. That is what matters most to me. Here is the nurse. No complaining,” Erik ordered, stepping back to allow the purple-scrubbed woman to see to Camille’s needs, hand over a bag of her personal belongings and equipment, and to give final discharge instructions. The nurse stood back, watching as Erik dressed the young woman in thick, soft sweats and snow boots, then lovingly brushed her long hair into a high ponytail which he tucked under a fur-lined cap. He lifted her easily and carried her snugly in his arms, following the woman to the employees’ elevator and down to the garage. The nurse was teary-eyed when they parted, telling Camille that she had never seen a man so caring in her life and commented about how lucky she was to have someone who loved her so much.

Camille nestled under Erik’s arm as he unlocked the Volvo SUV for her. “She was right, you know,” Camille said quietly. “She was so caught up in how you took care of me that she didn’t even notice that it was you. I am so sorry I doubted your sincerity, Erik. If everything you have done for me has been an act… that would mean that there is no love to exist in this world. The way you look at me is so different than how you looked at the women on the screen. Even stupid old me can see that.”

“You are not stupid, baby. You have bought into a lie made up by petty, jealous people. This is also the first role I have played that allowed me to be myself. And who I am, as your lover and your daddy, is who I was meant to be. And Cami?”

“Yeah?”

“I am serious about making you my wife one day. Just wanted to throw that out there,” Erik commented, starting the car. “It will give you something to think about besides the spanking I owe you.”

“You wouldn’t! Not after all this!”

“Don’t tempt me. Camille? I love you. Don’t take that away from me.”

“I’ll try not to. I love you, too.”

Camille quietly watched the breaking of the early morning sun over the snow-covered trees as they drove back to the lake house. His wife? She could barely get through a day being his little girl without getting into trouble; how could she function as a wife? Despite her doubts, she felt a smile lighting her lips and she snuggled into the seat. Mrs. Camille LeCroix-Renault
did
have a nice ring to it.

Erik’s hands tightly gripped the steering wheel as he fought to control the onslaught of emotions that flooded through him. He had been running on adrenaline all night long waiting for the doctors to clear Camille from danger. She had suffered a close call after swallowing so much of the icy water and being submerged under a layer of ice for nearly ten minutes. He had seen the other man fish her out and had to carefully maneuver the breaking ice to get her to the lake’s edge. He had called an ambulance on his cell and brought her into the house to strip her of her wet clothes and to start rewarming her body.

His mind raced with first aid instructions for hypothermia as he removed her icy garments and covered her with layers of blankets. She had vomited up so much water that he was afraid she was going to aspirate and inhale it into her lungs, so he tried to keep her on her side. Her breathing was slow and shallow and he could barely feel her pulse. Her hands and feet were blue, but he remembered not to massage her limbs because it would push cold blood back to her heart. He urged himself to keep calm as the minutes ticked by waiting for the ambulance to arrive.

He recalled about sharing body heat and quickly removed his shirt to pull her naked, cold body close to his, covering both of them in blankets. She was completely nonresponsive, not giving him any indication that she either heard his voice or felt his touch. Fear and helplessness shook his heart and tears began to seep down his face as he rocked and softly sang to her.

This was how the paramedics found them. They gently pried Camille from his arms to assess her and start a warm saline IV drip. As they bundled her on the gurney, Erik retrieved a change of clothes and her stuffed panda bear, and followed them to the hospital. He was grateful that the emergency room was quiet that evening. The last thing he wanted was to be bombarded by fans and being forced to pretend that he had it together. He hoped the old fishing jacket and hat would help disguise him because he did not have the energy or desire to give anyone a show. He felt as powerless and frightened as he had when Arthur had his heart attack, and so utterly useless. He sat, face buried in his hands, and waited.

And waited.

A tap on his shoulder caused him to look up into the face of an old woman. She held in her hand a cup of coffee.

“Here, son, it looks like you could use this,” she said kindly. Erik nodded his thanks, accepting the beverage with shaking hands. She sat next to him. “This is the fourth time William has been here this month. I don’t think he will be coming home with me this time.”

“Your husband?” Erik looked into the sad, watery blue eyes.

“Yes, of sixty-seven years. We had so many good times together. Some not so good, but the hard ones made the good ones even better. We learned very early not to take a moment for granted.”

“I am so sorry. I didn’t get your name.”

“Mildred. And you?”

Erik was momentarily surprised. No one had asked him his name for the last twenty years. “Erik. My girlfriend fell through black ice.”

“Oh honey, I am so sorry. They are very good here. If anyone can bring her back, this group can.”

“I just feel so helpless. I hate not being able to do something.”

“You can pray. Whether or not you believe in anything, prayer can help soothe your pain when nothing else works. Can’t hurt to try. I… Excuse me,” Mildred said, seeing the physician come through the door with a nurse by his side. Erik watched as the doctor placed his hand on her shoulder and shook his head. His heart lurched as the kind old woman hunched over in tears, sobbing in the nurse’s arms. Tears fell silently down his cheeks as they led the weeping woman through the doors to say her last goodbye to her loved one. He realized that he would not know what to do if that had been him receiving the same news.

Erik stared down into his coffee, filled with shame. He had witnessed the truest form of selflessness. Even in the midst of her own fear and grief, the poor old woman had reached out to comfort him. She told him to never take any moment for granted and he felt obligated to follow her counsel in honor of her kindness. He bowed his head and began to pray.

Camille remained in critical condition until after 4:00 a.m. when the physician on call announced her as stable. During that time, Erik experienced more feats of kindness than he had ever known existed. It started with a pregnant young mother who came into the emergency room after her husband had been in a serious accident. On her heels was a cranky four-year-old who had been wakened from his sleep, and in her arms was a baby of eighteen months. The night nurses played with the children while the mother went down to get food from the cafeteria. She handed Erik a sandwich, smiling gently through tired eyes.

“You look like you could use this. I’m Kelly.”

“I… Wow, thank you, I am Erik.”

“I know who you are. You need to work a little harder on your disguises. Are you all right? I am a mom. Makes me a pretty good listener if you want one.”

Erik stared at her. Instead of wanting an autograph or invading his life, she offered him a sandwich and a shoulder. He swallowed back tears. “My girlfriend was in a near-drowning accident and we are still waiting. How is your husband?”

“He will be fine. We spend way too much time in this place. He knows that he has too much to live for to give up now,” she said with confidence, patting her swollen belly. She turned to the sound of screaming and rolled her eyes. “That boy is driving those poor nurses crazy. Excuse me.”

“Wait! Do you mind if I read to him? Please?”

“The little monster won’t sit still, but you can try,” Kelly smiled. “Thanks.”

Erik threw himself into the children’s books, unaware that he had the nurses listening as closely as the little boy. They brought him cookies and coffee, a hot pack for his back, and more books. He was both relieved and saddened when Kelly emerged with her husband by her side in the wheelchair. He did not want to be sitting alone, waiting.

“I can walk, damn it,” the man grumbled.

Kelly kissed his cheek, not pointing out that his left leg was in a long cast. “Of course you can. But don’t you think your sons would have fun riding with you?”